Drabble for Challenge #2
Title: A Moment in the Beginning
Characters/pairing: Luke/Thalia
Word count: 604
Rating: G
Summary: As per title. Pre-series.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own any part of this.
Notes: Un-beta’d and very hurriedly written for challenge #2 at demigod_elite . Any criticism is welcome.
‘After that night… Luke was never the same. He got reckless and moody, like he had something to prove.’ - TLO, p. 217
Thalia had never struck him before.
But this time, he could tell she was truly, extremely angry by the way his cheek stung - not just from the force of her blow, but also the electricity thrumming through her entire person. Azure eyes crackling with anger, she spat out through gritted teeth: ‘How can you be so reckless and stupid?!’
Luke didn’t reply or retaliate. He simply stood there, mute and motionless.
Thalia pressed on: ‘Do you want to be monster chow? Do you enjoy running into them and fighting for your life?’
Luke shrugged a little.
Thalia let out a frustrated yell and raised her hand again. Luke didn’t block her, because a large part of him knew he deserved this. A small part of him just didn’t care about the pain.
However, Thalia suddenly lowered her hand to touch his face almost tenderly.
‘Do you know how much danger you’ve put Annabeth in by leading the thing back here? What would’ve happened if I hadn’t gotten back in time?’ she whispered. Luke could hear how afraid the idea made her, and he felt a little contrite, though still defiant.
‘I would’ve taken care of her.’ He told Thalia, confident.
‘But it’s such an unnecessary risk! Gods, Luke, our aim here is to survive! What the Hades are you trying to prove anyway?!’
It was a rhetorical question; Luke knew Thalia didn’t mean it like he thought. But his jaw clenched anyway.
‘Why can’t you just trust me to take care of you both, Thalia? Haven’t we been through enough for you to do that?’
‘My trust in you is not the issue here! I trust you with my life, you know I do, that is why I'm so angry and worried, because what you’re doing with that trust at the moment isn’t exactly worthy of it!’
Luke’s face visibly darkened at this. ‘What, you think I don’t deserve your trust, is that it?’
‘That’s not what I meant.’ Thalia said immediately, taken back. ‘Stop avoiding the issue, Luke. I don’t have trust issues with you; it’s your recklessness that I have a problem with!’
Once again, Luke was silent, but slightly relieved.
Thalia steps closer and grips his shoulders tightly. ‘Think of Annabeth. You promised her we’re her family now, you must make good on your promise, in all ways. What family doesn’t protect each other and do the best by each other? You might only be seeking thrills, but she might die because it, Luke.’
He could no longer remain nonchalant when her words struck him with such intensity. The idea of Annabeth dying or even injured because of him sent a chill down his spine. The idea that Thalia might die… his mind flinches away from the concept.
Meeting her forceful and passionate gaze, Luke grasped the sheer seriousness of his actions for the first time.
On impulse, he pulled her into a tight hug. ‘I promise I’ll try to be careful. I promise I’ll protect you both.’
Thalia was slightly startled, but quickly relaxed into his embrace and reassurance. ‘I believe you.’ She said simply.
‘Just… don’t ever leave me, okay?’
‘Of course not, Luke.’
As soon as the words passed through their mouths, both of them felt a fleeting, sudden chill that disappeared in an instant. Either of them would remember this though, because Luke pressed an involuntary kiss to Thalia’s forehead that had both their hearts thumping and arms tightening. Later, when they remembered, they would recall the feeling of rightness, and with that, an agonizing sense of loss that accompanied something so pure tainted by grief and betrayal.
Edited 22/05/10 Sat morning