WATERPROOF, jason grace² [REWRITING]

♡- interlude 3: clueless

"KEEP YOUR ARMS UP," Luke instructed, carefully watching Aera and Caroline spar from the bench. "Focus. Watch your footing. Good. Center your balance. Hold your sword tight. Look for an opening—nice one, Aera!"

Caroline's sword clattered to the ground. Aera took her bronze helmet off, her inky black hair spilling down her shoulders. Luke shot up to his feet and clapped proudly for her.

"You've improved a lot," he praised, giving her a big hug.

Aera reciprocated it and beamed. "I just have an amazing teacher."

Caroline glared at both of them, muttering under her breath about how Aera always got special treatment, and then went on to retrieve her sword. Luke started cleaning up the training arena now that their sword lesson was over.

"So..." Aera told Luke, bouncing on her heels and chewing her lip nervously. "I had an idea."

"Uh-oh," Luke teased.

She didn't know how he would take it. She tilted her head back and gave him her best puppy eyes. "Why don't I start training with Percy?"

Luke made a weird face, repositioning the straw dummies. "Why him?"

"I think we could learn a lot together," Aera said in a sweet, girly voice she knew he liked. "And he's nice...nicer than most boys."

Luke didn't seem to like that. His expression grew from intrigued to displeased. "He has as much training as you do."

"Doesn't that work out?" Aera asked, gauging his reaction. "Starting at the same skill level."

Luke was silent for a moment. He picked a piece of straw out of Aera's hair.

"I'll find you a better sparring partner," he announced, tossing the piece of straw carelessly to the ground.

Usually Aera could understand Luke's mind like her own. She prided herself on being able to read his train of thoughts, predicting what he would say next, whether or not he liked this or that for whatever reason. 

But sometimes, a few rare times, Luke would say something that would send her into a dazed spiral and have her questioning whether or not she knew him at all after being his friend for 5 years. This was one of those times.

Aera pouted. "Why?"

"Percy won't teach you anything good," Luke said cryptically. "Trust me on this. Keep training with Caroline."

Aera didn't understand why Luke was opposed to her suggestion. She thought Luke and Percy were friends. Percy had privately gushed to Aera about how hospitable Luke was to him in Cabin 11. What was the problem? Did he think Aera wasn't good enough or something?

"Caroline doesn't take sword-fighting seriously," Aera pointed out, her normal voice and posture returning. "That's why I keep winning."

"You win because you're good."

"Then why can't I practice with the boys?"

"You're not ready."

Aera threw her hands up in frustration, shedding her innocent facade. "You always say that! I've been doing Taekwondo for years. I just got my black belt last month. If I'm not ready now, when am I going to be ready then? Annabeth trains with her brothers."

Luke gave her a sly look, like he knew something she didn't. "That's because Annabeth's, well, Annabeth. And you're, you know..."

"I'm what?"

The corner of Luke's lips hooked in a crooked smile. "You're cute."

Aera scowled. She hated being called that. Jolina always used that word as a dressed up insult. Oh, what a shabby scarf, so cute. Oh, you don't know couture? Well, aren't you just the cutest thing? Your cheeks are so round and cute. Maybe try slimming them down a little?