stress-baking | theyna

ii.

Meanwhile, Thalia was having the exact same internal conflict. She was stomping her feet nervously, wondering what in the world just happened. If Reyna threw flour on her, there's no way in hell Thalia would've been so relaxed. On recollection, that may be incorrect.

If Reyna punched her, Thalia would've probably thanked her. Jesus, she was pretty. No, pretty is too insignificant of a word. Reyna was gorgeous, practically glowing, and could probably kick Thalia's butt at a game of chess, five times over.

She was still leaning on the counter when her brother Jason walked in. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Thalia, shit-eating grin on his face. "Who was that?" He asked, making kissy faces at her.

"Shut your face, Sparky." Thalia snapped with no fire. "You should know not to stalk me." She mumbled, "Her name is Reyna. I accidentally woke her up. Speaking of waking someone up, shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"You didn't wake me up," Jason walked over to the cookies, a real smile lighting his features. "I was up studying." He took a cookie, and held it against his face, as if sucking the warmth from it.

Thalia took another cookie from the tray, this time making sure it wasn't too hot, and broke off a piece. Jason finished the whole thing in ten seconds flat, giving a noise of approval as he wiped the crumbs on his hands off onto the ground. "Not bad for three a.m." He complimented. "But regardless, both of us should be sleeping." He leaned against the countertop, mimicking Thalia's stance earlier. The thin white scar, the remnant of when he tried to eat a stapler, was visible in the strange lighting.

Thalia searched the cupboards and found a stray plastic Ziploc bag. Deciding she didn't want to know what made the green stain in it, she left it alone. She turned towards her brother. "I think we're going to have to eat all of these. We can't just leave them out."

Jason looked tired and exasperated with Thalia. "I have a better idea. You do remember we have those things called tupperwares?"

His sister chuckled dryly, "Where exactly are we gonna find those things?" Jason looked through the cupboards Thalia had already checked, and finding none, walked out of the kitchen, leaving his older sister alone.

He walked back in, carrying a few plastic containers and their lids. "There's some in our cupboards." Jason was referring to their shared dorm's sad excuse for kitchen shelves. They were just slabs of wood nailed onto the wall with an untrustworthy door hanging off of its hinges.

Having a sibling that goes to the same college as you is great for paying rent.

Her brother was right; they definitely should be sleeping. Thalia took the tupperwares from Jason and told him to go to bed. He slunk off down the hall, leaving her with only, "Don't stay up too late."

"I don't plan on it. Night, Jace."

Thalia put the cookies in the containers, lingering for a moment. She should figure out Reyna's room, and give her some of these in recompense for waking her up.

"That's a task for another day." She decided out loud, picking up the tupperwares and making to exit the college kitchen. She muttered, "As is studying. I'll wing it."

Thalia flipped off the lights and shut the door, unknowing of what lay in store.