Cecilia Holmes, Daughter of Minerva (Sherlock/Percy Jackson crossover)

Chapter 33

    Obviously the geek couldn’t pass up playing chess.

    And obviously the daughter of Minerva couldn’t pass up beating him every single time.

    I secretly kept track of how many games we played, and it added up to nine games when Claude finally cracked.

    “Check mate,” I said at the end of our ninth game.

    “What? No,” Claude looked at the board, his eyes growing wide. “No! No no no no no no!!”

    I chuckled, and Claude groaned and flipped on his hood, pulling it low over his face. I enjoyed his frustration more than I should have, smiling brightly.

    “Why can’t I beat you?!” Claude sighed, putting the hood back down. He wiped his forehead, beads of sweat dribbling down his face.

    It was still extremely hot in the TARDIS, and I had wondered many times whether they had air conditioning or not. And if I was hot, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, I couldn’t imagine how Claude felt, wearing not just black, but jeans and a hoodie!

    “Aren’t you hot?” I blurted, beginning to set up the next round. Claude picked up the black King, my King, twirling it between his two index fingers. He nodded. I snatched the piece from his hands, and he dropped his hands into his lap.

    “But seriously!” I said, sweat drenching my t-shirt and stinking like Tartarus. “How are you not hot?”

    “I am,” he growled in irritation, helping me re-set up the game. “But I don’t know how to fly the TARDIS so there’s not much I can do about it.” I paused my hand and stared at him.

    “Nothing you can do about it, huh?” I said, chuckling slightly. He gave me a glance.

    “Nope,” he said, putting the pieces on the board with more fervor. I raised an eyebrow.

    “You could take off your hoodie, stupid,” I said. He ignored me.

    “C’mon, you’re not actually stupid, are you?” I mocked. “Just take it off!”

    “No,” he said, firmly. I frowned.

    “So… you’re not hot, then…?”

    “I said I was.”

    “Well then why are you keeping yourself in misery when you could just take off the hoodie?” I exclaimed, nearly irritated by his foolishness.

    “I’m not going to take it off!” he snapped back, glaring at me.

    “Why not?” I snapped back, meeting his gaze.

    “That’s none of your business!”

    And then he jumped up and walked away, without another word, exiting into one of the halls of the TARDIS and leaving me alone.

    I watched him go, confused for a moment, until all the dots connected.

    “Oh,” I whispered out loud, my shoulders suddenly feeling very heavy. I took a deep breath and tried to shake it off, but it felt like someone was squeezing my lungs.

    It’s all my fault, isn’t it?

    I looked after where Claude went, and then put my face in my hands.

    What am I doing? He’s right— that’s his business. I shouldn’t care this much.

    But my stupid heart wouldn’t listen.