Rowan → Ethan Nakamura ✔

Lotus Prince

"Gods!" Ethan hissed, rubbing his arm where Rowan's fist had connected. Her satisfaction at being able to hit him trickled away when she saw that he was still wearing a stupid smile.

"You're also more violent." He commented.

"I'm violent?" Rowan seethed. She jabbed an accusing finger at his chest. "I'm violent, Nakamura?"

"Oh no," Billie muttered from behind her.

"You dropped off the face of the earth, went off to join a summer camp in America, then decided that wasn't enough and joined a literal army of monsters and gods - "

"Titans, actually, we fought the gods." Ethan corrected. Rowan barely heard him, words rushing from her mouth like a stream at the edge of a waterfall.

" – battled in a gladiator arena, fought in a war, had the nerve to go and die, which meant I had to bring you back from the Greek's afterlife, and I'm violent?"

"To be fair, I said 'more violent', as in compared to the last time I saw you. And how do you know all that?"

Rowan punched him in the same spot again, harder this time.

"Ow! Will you quit it?"

"You fell into a giant crack in the ground – this should be nothing."

The floor felt unstable. Rowan's balance swiveled out of control, and her stomach jumped as she started to fall backwards.

"Gods, Ro," Ethan grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. "Are you okay?"

"Shut up," Rowan spat. She knocked his hands off her and stomped out of the room, sending red curtains flying in her wake.

"Normally, when I return someone to the living realm, there are tearful, overjoyed reunions." Jim said, amused. His white robes had reverted to his usual clothes, the white hat gone and his shoes back to old-man loafers. He waved the fan, a light wind tickling his beard.

"Should I go and check up on her?" Billie said, concerned.

Ethan sighed. "No. She needs to be alone right now."

"'Ro'?" Nico repeated, making the nickname a question.

Ethan turned to him. His eyebrows lifted as he recognized Nico and Will. There was no apologetic shame upon remembering the circumstances of when they had last seen each other, but there was also no pride, and that was good enough for Nico. He knew what it was like to be influenced by the other side.

"We grew up together." Ethan said, his tone a mix of melancholy and something unidentifiable. "We were good friends. I know how she is."

"Do you?" Will asked sincerely. "According to Rowan, it's been a while."

"Not long enough. Hold on, I didn't mean it like that," Ethan said quickly. The astonishment on the others' faces made him realize how it sounded. "I meant it's not been long enough that I've forgotten her. I couldn't – I wouldn't." He added softly.

"I shall go and make sure she does not do anything rash." Jim sighed in good humor. "I suspect I am the only one she will listen to at the moment."

"Wait," Ethan said. Jim turned, and Ethan dropped to a knee, head bowed in the same manner as Rowan when she first realized that Jim was a deity. "Thank you."

"Honestly," Jim shook his head, flustered. He helped Ethan up – a rerun of his first real interaction with Rowan. "It's no problem, child. The Journey requires your presence. It was the least I could do to help restore balance."

That phrase again: Restore balance. Somehow, with Ethan alive and their first objective accomplished, the Journey was realer, more perilous.

"By the way, there's still some tea left in the living room." Jim said, seemingly oblivious to the graveness that had settled over them.