The Heir of a Thousand Lifetimes (A PJO Universe Story)

You've always been mine.

The water laps against the wooden poles of the pier, mixing with the sharp scrape of the whetstone with every swipe of Cassius' hand. He's precise as he sharpens his sword. It's distracting, honestly, watching how he focuses, how the muscles in his arm move as he works, how his fingers flex against the metal.

"You're staring."

I blink at the playful accusation. My eyes shoot to his face, and a small smirk is playing on his lips. His amber eyes, gold as sunlight streaming through crystal clear whiskey, flick to mine. His amusement is clear.

"Was I?" I ask innocently, biting the inside of my cheek to hide my smile. He laughs.

"You were," he confirms. "But go on, stare longer if you want. I don't mind."

I giggle, shaking my head. No, he wouldn't mind, would he?

"Cute," I tease him.

I glance back down at my hands, where I should have been focusing all along. I can't be blamed, though. Not really. After all, it's not my fault I have a handsome soulmate to admire who also happens to serve as a significant distraction.

Blame Aphrodite or someone, I don't know. Blame the Fates- whoever they are. But not me.

Sure, why not?

"Am I really going to make any actual, legitimate progress on my magic by doing the gods know what?" I ask Cassius, my reluctance obvious. "I literally have no idea what I'm doing."

"I mean, you must have some idea, since you did magic earlier," Cas reasons. I shrug. "Maybe go by gut feeling? I honestly don't know how magic works. So if that ends up being an apocalyptic suggestion somehow," he raises his hands in mock surrender, "it was never my idea."

I laugh loudly. "It would be so on-brand for me to cause the apocalypse, wouldn't it?"

The magic dances at my fingertips as I weave it into reality. I whisper prayers of protection into the threads of fate, and I lightly grasp onto Cas' arm. He lets out a shuddered breath.

"What was that, Audra?" he gasps. He looks at me with blown irises. I smile sheepishly.

"A protection spell," I say. I take his hand and place it in my lap, tracing the length of the blue-green veins on the inside of his forearm. He breathes out shakily. "Is this okay?" I ask softly, studying his expression as I ghost my touch along his skin.

He swallows roughly and nods. "More than," he murmurs. He watches my fingers. "Can you- Will you keep doing that?"

I smile slightly. "I'm not casting a spell anymore."

The corner of his lips quirks up. He kisses my temple. "I know. I just, I like it. When you touch me like that."

My cheeks burn at his confession. I continue the motion, and I try to hide my sheer joy at him finding comfort in my touch. I return his affections by kissing his jaw.

"Like this?" I ask softly as I caress the sensitive skin. He nods. I whisper, "For as long as you'd like."

•••••

Our bliss is broken by the arrival of Apollo. I hear him before I see him, and I bury my face in Cassius' neck to hide my dramatic sigh.

"You look quite cozy!" Apollo says cheerfully.

"We were," Cas grumbles. Apollo winces.