metem_logs | (no subject)

He'd watched as his sparring partner scuttled out of the library. History usually dictates that where one goes, the other should follow. But when Athena doesn't, he can't help but turn toward her, and very suddenly, he finds himself catching her before she hits the floor.

"Hey, hey..." he says. "C'mon..." He wraps one arm around her to gently guide her back to the seat she'd been sitting in, letting her move her own feet if they want to work with her.

"...I'm fine...I'm fine..." she said dazedly, even as she practically clung to Baldr's arm for support. Her feet sort of worked still, so he only had to half drag her to the chair.

"You will be in a second," he says, lowering her into the chair. He squatted down next to it, holding onto the arm. "Do you want something? Some water? Something to throw?"

"Nasty bit of a shock there, baby sister," Apollo said, "Want me to go fish him out for you?"

She shook her head at all the things that were offered to her by Baldr. "No...no... I... what?" She blinked up at Apollo. "No...I just... I need a minute... Oh wow..."

"Easy boys, this is the good kind of shock," Aphrodite said.

"Something tells me that didn't go as planned, but this is a moment to celebrate. Congratulations, dear. You've managed something I was beginning to think was impossible."

He stands, nodding to both people he hadn't really met properly before offering a smile to his friend. "Take it easy. We'll catch up later." Maybe. He finds it difficult to find the effort if loverboy was going to be an ass to him. If Athena wanted to see him, it would be up to her.

In a better state of mind, she'd have stopped him from leaving. But she wasn't in a better state of mind. Far too much was going. Too many people talking. She was latching on to what she could, while her brain was trying to reboot.

"Okay... wait...what?" The first was directed at Baldr, and the last at Aphrodite. God she was confused and...holy cow, he loves me...

Aphrodite chuckled.
"It's all right, pet. If anyone can help sort this out, I'm the expert, after all. Oh, and Baldr, dear boy, do go easy on the lad. This is new to him--something no one has seen out of him in millenia. He doesn't usually act out of emotion."

Athena blinked at Aphrodite, her mind starting to come into focus. "We don't need sorting out." There was nothing wrong with them. Sure Triton had gotten jealous over nothing, but... he loved her so it was only natural for him to get upset. He just... he didn't understand. He didn't know...

She stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry. I- I have to go." And she pushed out of the room in much the same way that Triton had done before her. Though her crowd was decidedly smaller.

Hades had subtlety made his own exit. He made his way after Athena.

"Do you want to talk about it, Athena?"

She was slowly getting her head together. But when Hades spoke, it still caught her a little off her guard. She spun, a little startled. "Oh..." She stared at him for a long second, then abruptly threw her arms around him in a hug. Possibly a little tighter than was healthy. "Oh, Uncle, do you think he meant it?"

Hades didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, his dark presence strangely comforting.

"Yes. Triton has his father's passions, but he has been very skilled in keeping them suppressed. For him to react so strongly I believe showcases the enormity of his sincerity."

"My dad is going to have kittens over this." Though she didn't specify which dad she was talking about, either could have applied. Even the one that was as yet unaccounted for. "I should go talk to him."

"Well you know your human father best," Hades assured. "and if your primal one shows up to give you trouble," he smirks playfully, "give your uncle a call. I'll have your back."

She smiled and gave him another tight squeeze. "I'll remember that. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Athena," he hugged her back, albeit not as hard.

She drew back after a moment and kissed him on the cheek. "I should go find Triton, talk to him."

"Alright. Good luck."

"Thank you." She gave her uncle one last smile and went to find Triton.

Though 'find' might have been a stretch. She knew exactly where he'd have gone, and in a few short minutes was walking into the pool area. She saw him in the water, swimming back and forth...with a tail. Well, she knew that part, but she just hadn't seen it up until now. Didn't matter.

She toed off her shoes and that was all, then walked down the steps into the water. She waded in until she was in his path, then just waited for him to acknowledge her.

Athena's presence soon broke his underwater laps. Admittedly, Triton wasn't really sure what to say to her at this point. He did wonder vaguely why she was still otherwise fully-clothed wading down into the pool.

A few bubbles emanating from the gill slits on his neck were the only evidence of his sigh. He lightly brushed against her bare foot with one of the tips of his fins, and slowly surfaced.

"Athena..."

The moment he uttered her name she was on him; arms around his neck, her mouth on his. It was far more eloquent than any words she could come up with at that moment anyway.

...okay. Wasn't expecting that.

Still, he folded his arms around her, kissing her back, and not caring at all that he was getting her all wet.

She was already wet, so the rest of her getting that way didn't bother her in the slightest. She indulged in kissing him for a long moment, then finally broke the kiss, touching her forehead to his.

"I love you too, you big jealous jerk."

He did have the grace to look ashamed.
"I... I am sorry. I've sort of being doing this all wrong," he muttered.