The Ivory Lotus (Percy Jackson x Male Oc)

C.6 We Capture A Flag, Basil Starts Blasting

???'s POV

"Careful Princess."
I whispered by his ear, wrapping an arm around him. His thin frame snugly fitting within my grasp. I couldn't help but grin to myself, as he squeaked with a start.

"Unhand me, and please . . . Refrain from calling me that."
His face was red, those pale freckled cheeks lighting up like a burning pyre on a cold autumn night, it was always such a pleasant view for me to see. If only he was always this adorable.

Tilting him to the side, I leaned closer and whispered.
"Well, you're awfully dainty like one."

He huffed, and gently struck my chest with his smaller fists, I couldn't help but let myself laugh at his adorable attempt.
"I'm just joking, no need to get your garments in a twist."

"We're here to read and watch the stars till dawn right? Come on, tell me what that one is."
I point above us, the clear dot of light in the skies. Something his highness the Prince enjoys studying.

"That is the constellation of Orion, the hunter."
The ground trembled softly.

"What about him?" I ask with curiosity, a cool hunter this time? That piqued my interest.

"He was said to be a great hunter, a rival for the Goddess of the hunt, Artemis herself. He made claim, and promise to hunt every beast, animal, and monster in the world to extinction."

"That's cool-" I interrupted
He turned to me with a sorrowful smile, and continued.

"Gaia." He started, and the ground trembled.

"The earth mother, sought to punish his hubris. So forth she sent a conjured beast, with one venomous sting from its tail, he was no more." The chalk in his palms mixed with his astro-thingy, the golden rim of the star gazing tool shining even dulled with grime and dust.

His highness pointed once more, his thin, pallid fingers directing my sight towards another connection of random dots.
"Scorpius, the Scorpion. After being immortalised by Artemis, Orion was placed upon the stars, for Scorpios had bested the hunter, it would be his match for eternity, until the skies fell; and the world would end."

He muttered solemnly. Wiping away a tear from his freckled face. I couldn't tell exactly why he was always emotional when speaking of old tales, but I simply consoled him as best I did. "Well, I suppose a hunter and a Scorpion make quite a couple no?"

He snorted a laugh, stifling it, returning back to his princely demeanor.

Patting his back, I wrapped my hand around his. He was incredibly shy back then, refusing to even allow my hand to hover on his skin, but now, like one grey cat, the erudite of a prince nuzzled in my embrace. If only he would allow me, his closest companion to always console him like this.

"You know, you have a talent for dramatising simple tales."
I whispered to him. He chuckled and struck my lap with his palm.

"Oh please,-" He started, standing up, slowly readjusting his robes, as he turned to me once more, his beautiful lavender eyes glowing like the stars in the night sky. He outstretched a hand to me, just like always, as though practiced many a times I grinned and followed his theatrics.

"My friend, would you dance with me? Under the night sky? Illuminated by the moon? To offer to the Gods an entertainment, of our hands intertwined? To amuse the divine, and bring forth tradition's promise?" He recited, his voice without hesitation, his grin massive. I stood, my warmth creeping up to my ears, taking his hand, I bowed and said. . .

"To ascend this waltz of premonition, you have my word, my ivory lotus." Like that, I spun him around, our legs danced till our bodies became sore, he recited poetry, which I mostly found boring, but he didn't hesitate to intrigue things by offering to entertain my request of a mock duel when we found a pair of branches large enough to mimic wooden swords.