My Boyfriend is a Dead Roman Hero | Jason Grace

I Partake in Arson

"So, are you ever gonna tell me your name?" Julie asks.

The boy startles violently, knocking the lamp off his desk. He yelps and scrambles to catch it, but only succeeds in scattering the stack of papers off his desk and across the floor. He looks up at her in pained embarrassment, glasses crooked.

She grins at him. "Oh, did I scare you?" Her voice is syrupy sweet, dripping with sarcasm. He huffs.

"No. Of course not. Warrior's reflexes and all." He sniffs sarcastically. He stands from his chair and bends down to gather up the papers he dropped. Julie strides across the room and leans over, focusing hard to solidify her hand enough to lift the lamp off the floor and onto his desk. When she manages it, she steps back and beams at her good work. His scarred lip quirks up in amusement.

"What are you doing up so late, anyway?" She asks. He quirks an eyebrow at her.

"Is 9pm exceptionally late to you?" He counters.

She frowns. "Oh, it's like midnight where I am. We must be in different time zones."

The boy looks over in interest, opening his mouth to respond, but a glazed look crosses his eyes, and he shakes his head. He changes the subject abruptly. "I'm just doing some schoolwork. My cen-t-on's really strict about me keeping up with education, so..."

Julie blinks away a sudden bout of dizziness. Must be because she's so tired. "Got a fancy tutor, huh? I'm going to school for the first time. Who knew 7th graders liked to beat each other up so much?" She jokes (but not really). NYC public schools are rough. He laughs and settles his hands into his lap, swinging side to side in his swivel chair.

"I've never been, so I wouldn't know. You'll have to bring me stories." He says. His eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles, she notices.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll have plenty." She promises. Julie walks over to the bed and brushes her hand against it experimentally. It passes right through like she's made of air. She scowls. Julie turns back to the boy and settles criss-cross on the floor instead. "So," She starts. She gestures at his entire form sitting at the desk. "Neither of us seems to be in mortal danger. Or excruciating pain. Any idea why this keeps happening?"

He frowns thoughtfully. "Honestly, I have no ideas. I've had demigod dreams before, but they don't usually follow one person. Especially not someone I don't know." He says anxiously. Julie nods.

"Yeah, same. This is the first time I've dreamed of the same person twice like this." She adds. He looks down with a frown, a worried shadow crossing over his face. Something tugs in Juliette's chest, and she has a sudden urge to see his eyes crinkle again. "Maybe we're soulmates." She teases, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

He laughs (isn't that a pretty sound) and shakes his head. "Maybe. That doesn't explain the weird gaps in our speech, though." He points out. Juliette's eyes widen.

"That's happening to you too? I thought I was going crazy. Or selectively deaf." She exclaims.

He nods. "Yeah, your voice cuts out sometimes. I think there's certain things we can't share with one another. Like we're being censored."

Julie hums in frustration. "Who would-" She cuts herself off, glaring heavenward. "Why would they be censoring us?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know. But, that makes me think it isn't the gods giving us these dreams. We should be cautious."

Memories of Percy telling Juliette about the dreams Kronos used to send him pop to the front of her brain, and Julie scowls at the boy suspiciously. "How do I know it's not you doing this?" She mutters.