TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< DISCO >

DISCO
SURF CURSE
"And I can't help it with you! Stubborn-hearted blue."

LUKE'S POV

Knocking on her cabin early morning she didn't respond. Reluctantly Luke leaned down picking the lock in seconds. He hates how easily he could, how natural it came. He could thank his father for the guilt.

"Pandora?" He called softly the door creaking open to reveal Pandora, sat at the bottom of the stairs legs extended in front of her, "How come you're not up?" It was unusual he knew she had been getting up early for the past few weeks unsure why.

"You're going to make me apologise I'm not." She muttered avoiding his eyes. Luke took a small step forward shutting to door behind him as he took a breath.

"Did try to kill Percy, princess." She shook her head slowly casting her eyes downward.

"No- No- I just need the bolt I'd never of harmed the boy." He knew she was trying to convince herself. He didn't think she would've harmed Percy but she did have her reputation.

"If you apologise I'm sure that possibility wouldn't be eating you alive Pans." Squeezing her hands together she shook her head once again. Standing and moving past him she fell into the dusty air chair on the first floor slouching into the material.

"It's not. I'm staying in today. Have some- things to figure out before I face Percy Jackson." He respected her decision before retreating walking closer to her.

"Dahlia'll take this well." He pet her head earning himself an angry glare from the girl. With a soft glance he left the cabin, hearing her sigh of relief as the door shut. Making it about five steps away from the cabin Dahlia crashed directly into him steadying herself breathlessly.

"Where is she?" Luke directed his head to the cabin and the girl took off again. Slamming the door open Luke chuckled as he heard the two girls begin to argue. He was sure it was over Dahlia telling Pandora to come out, she wouldn't win.

Rubbing his neck, he dodged some of the younger campers running past him. Suddenly Luke stopped at the sound of sniffling, poking his head around the corner of the cabin at the noise.

"Hi- Rhea?" He knelt beside her without hesitation, the strong girl never seemed to cry. He knew she was hurt, "Hey, Hey. What's wrong Rhea? Are you hurt." She shook her head wiping her tears shamefully as her lip quivered.

"No." His eyes softened at her shaky tone and he sunk lower into the ground sitting opposite.

"What's happened Rhea, please you have to tell me?" He asked softly.

"Nothing Luke.. I just miss my dad." The 11 year old cried again at the mention. Luke hadn't heard much of her father, General Williams for months. He'd assumed he had been deployed but that didn't make it any easier for the girl.

"Have you written to him?" He questioned further.

"He's been missing.. for months now Luke." His face dropped, he'd been blind. Focused on his own ambitions to check in on the girl he'd known practically her whole life.

"Missing?" He tried to hide the shock on his face.

"-Dahlia stop it!" Both of theirs heads moved in the direction of the voice. Dragging Pandora by her ankles Dahlia insisted she'd leave the cabin. Slowly vines were loosening the grip Pandora had on her doorway.

"Rhea why didn't you tell me?" He shifted his eyes back towards the girl, whose tears had dried a soft giggle as Dahlia finally pried Pandora from the cabin sending both girls tumbling to the grass.

"It's not a big deal, he's still alive I know it. Dad doesn't die- he won't." Rhea had long since wiped her tears and stood with the help of Luke's hand, "Mum's busy but she tells me he is. She checks on him." Her eyes lit up as she recalled her mother.

"If you hear anything Rhea tell me, I want to hear about things like this okay?" The girl nodded wrapping her hands around his torso as she sniffled one last time, "Now, go save Pandora before Dahlia strangles her." She laughed taking off in the direction not before picking up her training sword from the side of the cabin.

"Her father's missing because of Ares."

Luke's head snapped to the side at the voice again, coming from the depths of the forest.
Anger flushed on his cheeks as he shook the feeling off returning his eyes back to the fight. Which now Rhea had joined, whacking Dahlia with a sword before she was hit with a bunch of flowers from Dahlia's end.

"Stop it the pair of you!" Pandora finally broke free of their grasp shuffling backwards on the grass, "I'm not apologising!" Luke slipped his hands under her arms pulling her to her feet.

She tensed before she realised dusting herself off as he released her, "I think you should." She sent him a hard glare as Dahlia pulled herself to her feet opposite brushing the loose petals from Rhea's hair.

"Go to hell all three of you." He knew she was proud. They both were. Luke hated apologising even when he was wrong.
Storming past him, her footsteps drowned out soon after the door slamming shut.

"That went well Lia." Luke smirked ruffling his own hand in Rhea's hair, a few petals falling to the ground, "You did good kiddo." Rhea smacked his hand the second time running off in a seperate direction.

"Stubborn just like her father- and just like you." She narrowed her eyes, wiggling a finger in his direction, "Gosh apologies are simple, 'I'm sorry for almost murdering you' and be done with it." She waved her hands waiting for Luke to walk beside her the pair wandering across the pathway.

"Considering your mother is the goddess of loving and her father is the god of the dead I'd say apologising doesn't come natural to one of you." He snickered on his way back his cabin mouthing a few words to Chris.

"I suppose you're right." Dahlia with a sigh ran her fingers over her clothes straightening them from the tumble she had had with Pandora, "Just wish she wasn't so angry." Luke sent her a confused look.

"Hades is cruel Dahlia." Luke defended delicately, "When she sees him, he doesn't talk he demands.. and she obeys." The words made him slightly uncomfortable, his anger for all gods evident, "Because- Because she loves him Lia, he's her father." They had stopped now Dahlia staring at Luke almost waiting for more words to spill from his mouth.

"If he tells her Percy Jackson is the lightning thief, she believes him." More words spilled and he couldn't help himself, "He tells her to kill the thief of the helm of darkness she will-

"The helm is missing?" Dahlia's eyes widened as the knowledge registered. Luke paled as he realised Pandora would kill him for that. She was already under heat for the missing bolt, the missing helm just made her look guiltier.

If Hades had the bolt you could only assume it was because the absence of his helm. Hades wanted revenge.

"Dahlia." He warned as her hands flew to cover her mouth, "Seriously don't tell anyone understood." She nodded slowly, "It makes the underworld look weak you know that'd drive her mad."

"I won't tell soul Luke promise." Before he could warn her a second time she changed her own direction wandering back to her cabin in the distance.

"The underworld does nothing for the girl. Help me destroy it."

"Leave me alone." He blocked his ears. It'd be a long day.