Together We Stand

eighteen

"Hey, sunshine," Luka whispered, causing me to turn around and look at him. "I just IM-ed Layla. They should be here tomorrow."

"Cool," I said and turned back around in the bed, pulling the covers up to my chin.

"Wanna see something?"

"Nope."

He scooped me up out of the bed and threw me over his shoulder.

"Hey!"

"Shh, you'll wake Aidan up."

"Screw you."

He laughed and went down the elevator to the first floor. He walked towards the end of the building and out the door.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see."

I looked around Luka's butt (which unfortunately {fortunately haha} was in my face) and saw the hotel pool sparkling in the moonlight.

"The pool closes at nine."

"It's only eight-fifty-nine," he said. "Wanna swim?"

"No I wanna sleep."

"Please?"

"No."

"C'mon, sunshine..." he begged and I felt butterflies in my stomach.

"No," I said. "Now put me down."

"Okay," he shrugged and threw me into the water. I felt the coolness of it seep into my clothes as I paddled to the surface. Once I came up, I glared at Luka, who was wearing his signature smirk.

"I hate you." If only.

He just laughed and took his shirt of and my Zeus - he looked like a statue of a Greek god we saw on the streets. Why couldn't I look away? Oh yeah, he's freakin' gorgeous! He jumped into the water and resurfaced, shaking the hair out of his eyes. He turned to me and caught my eye.

"What?" he asked, searching my face.

"Nothing," I muttered, looking away as I felt my face heat up. He smiled and looked up at the moon and I felt myself turn to peek at him. His face glistened like a marble statue and I got the overwhelming thought that he was just perfect.

He turned to me and our eyes met again, and this time, his amber eyes were filled with raw emotion, not the crap he uses to hide it. No more cocky, arrogant, self-centered glints in his eyes. It was just...him now. I could see the actual pain in them - from what, I didn't know, but there was also happiness and...could that be - love? No, I'm crazy. If he loved someone, it wouldn't be me.

Suddenly, he moved closer to me. Our eyes stayed locked as he stood as close to me as he could without touching me. What was he doing? His eyes searched mine desperately. Whatever he was looking for, he found it, because his eyes lit up. I felt him tuck a piece of soaking blonde hair behind my ear, before leaning in slowly.

Oh gods, oh gods, it's happening, it's happening.

He leaned in so close that I felt his breath on my lips.

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. I mean it's not like the super-hot guy you've been crushing on is about to kiss you. Oh wait.

"Cannonball!" I heard someone shout and jump into the pool, causing Luka and I to break apart just before our lips touched. Aidan came to the surface and shook out his curly hair. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"

Damn you.

---

"Knock knock bitchachos," I heard as I felt myself wake up. Someone was banging on the door very loudly. "Aye you shitheads, open up." I groaned and slid out of the bed, opening the door to see Levi grinding wildly. "It's a wonderful day! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

He ran into my room and started yelling. Jase ran and jumped on Aidan's bed, waking the boy up and giggling. Layla then walked in and smiled at me.

"Hey," she said and I grinned.

"Hey."

"GROSS STOP MAKING OUT YOU TWO!" Levi yelled at Jase and Aidan, who looked up at him.

"We weren't-"

"Liar," he called, before looking at Luka's bed. "Should I?"

"No," I replied instantly. He shrugged and jumped on Luka's bed, before jumping off immediately as a dagger stabbed down where Levi previously was.

"Okay," I murmured, walking over and taking the dagger from Luka's hands. "We will not try to kill our friends today."

Luka groaned and pulled the blankets over his head.

"Aye you shithead wake up!" Levi yelled. "We have to find Asclepius."

"Five more minutes."

"It's only five-twenty-seven."

"Two more hours."

"Tickle him," I suggested.

"Sure, if you wanna die," Luka mumbled, throwing me a glare. I laughed and he sighed, sitting up and running his fingers through his black hair and - wow, did he always look that good just waking up? And by the gods, his morning voice was just-

Wait...what the Hades is wrong with me?

"Get dressed everyone, it's a beautiful day!" Levi giggled and jumped around the room.

"Did you give him coffee?" I asked.

"It was Jase's idea," Layla replied.

"No it wasn't! It was Levi's idea," Jase reminded as he not-so-subtly held Aidan tightly under the blankets.

"Whatever, guys, just hurry up and get ready."

---

"What do you mean you don't know who Asclepius is?!" Levi yelled and the lady at the front desk muttered something in Greek. "Well, I don't speak English either...oh wait."

"Idiot," Luka muttered and pushed Levi out of the way, saying something in Greek. The lady replied and they continued this conversation until Luka said something and walked away. The rest of us followed.

"Well...?" Layla asked and Luka stopped abruptly.

"He's disguising himself as a doctor at the local doctors office," Luka said and Layla grinned sarcastically.

"Wonderful, really, but where is the doctors office?"

"I don't live here."

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Know-It-All, I just jump to conclusions."

"You're an asshole."

"Really? I'm the asshole? In case you haven't noticed, you're the rudest one here. In fact, I'm surprised I haven't killed you yet," Layla ranted, glaring harshly at Luka. He rolled his eyes.

"I honest to the gods don't know why you hate me so much," he replied, glaring back at Layla, who scoffed.

"Really? You don't know?" she asked, rolling her dark blue eyes.

"Enlighten me."

"When Chiron said that he needed either you or Aaron to protect Elidi, you let Aaron step up and take the position," she explained. "You were his best friend, you were supposed to care that he was putting his life in danger. But you just let him tuttle off and get himself killed! I lost my brother! My father lost a son! Many others lost a friend! If you had died, no one would've cared!"

"Layla!" Aidan scolded, but Layla turned away from him, unapologetic. I turned to look at Luka, who looked angry beyond belief, but underneath it, I saw pain. Raw pain beyond belief. He was going through so much and going it alone. He tossed a glare at Layla and stormed off to gods know where. "What the Hades?!" Aidan yelled, causing all of us to jump. "Layla, I don't know what shit in your Cheerios, but that was completely and utterly unnecessary."

"It was true," Layla replied casually.

"No," I said, seeing Layla in a totally new light now. "You're wrong. I would've cared."

Then I turned and ran after Luka.