I tilted my head and thought about it. “Any time I’ve been to the city, I saw several pairings like ours. So, yeah, I guess it is. My mom has only been with my dad, so I don’t really know how the others do it.”
“Huh,” He murmured, his face contemplative.
Theseus opened the door and popped his head back in. “Ajax isn’t coming. I’m going to go back over to Atalanta’s to warm up the car. Get her dressed and head over, okay?”
We nodded and he shut the door. In unison we looked at each other, gave sharp nods, and stormed into the kitchen to Atalanta.
“Sweetheart,” I said, poking her in the cheek.
Slowly, as if in a trance, she looked up at me. “Yes?”
“Time to get dressed.”
“Can’t I stay in my pajamas today?”
“Nope,” I grinned.
“Listen, Jason. I’m not really up to—” she squealed when Hip came up from her other side and scooped her right out of the stool.
Hip heaved her up onto his shoulder, fireman style. “Sorry, Speedy. No isn’t the correct answer.”
“Put me down, Hip!”
He snorted. “Not going to happen.”
“Jason! Tell him to put me down!”
“Sorry, Atalanta. I broke both my arms. I’m not capable of taking him on.”
“Your arms are fine!” she shrieked.
“No, they aren’t. See?” I said, shaking my shoulders and letting my arms flop around lifelessly.
She growled and then slapped Hip’s ass. “Put me down, Jackass!”
“I thought your name was Hip?” I chuckled.
“Me, too.” Hip grinned and then patted Atalanta’s ass.
We stepped into Ajax’s room, Atalanta still struggling.
“If I put you down, will you get dressed?” Hip asked.
“I’m not going to do shit!”
“Whelp, then I guess you’ll be going out in public in your jammies.” He purposely readjusted her and began to walk back out the door.
“Wait! Wait! Okay, I’ll get dressed.”
Her panicked expression was so damn cute.
Hip grinned. “I don’t know. How do I know you wont just hide under the covers or something?”
“You’ll just have to trust me.” She huffed.
Hip immediately let her down, sliding her body down his front until she was settled on the ground. “Of course I trust you, Speedy. Remember, it’s you and me against the world.”
I felt a pang of jealousy in my chest watching the two of them. I was aware that there was this closeness between the two of them that I had yet to really reach with Atalanta. A part of me wanted to be angry about it, but there was a competitive flare that was sparking to life in my chest, and I chose to grab onto that.
I would succeed in becoming as close to her as Hip seemed to be.
Hip kissed her on the cheek before stepping back and following me out the door to wait in the hall for her. A few minutes later she stepped out in a familiar worn hoodie with the words “TEAM QUIN” on it.
I smiled softly and gestured to the hoodie. “I believe you were wearing this the day we met.”
“Who’s Quin?” Hip asked as he pointed at the words.
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Only the hottest vampire around.”
“Should we be jealous?” I grinned as I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided me to the door.
“Very much so. He wouldn’t have manhandled me like a caveman. He has more class than that.”
Hip and I shared a look before he said, “You’re right, we could never hold up against the suave sexiness of a vampire.”
The moment the three of us stepped out the front door, I scooped Atalanta onto my shoulder like Hip had done, much to her displeasure.
“But I put on my clothes! Jason!” She whined.
“I am but a savage barbarian, as I don’t have enough class to escort you through the woods like a lady. I’ll simply carry you.”
She grumbled, but didn’t fight me as I quickly made my way through the path Theseus and Percy had left in the snow. It had piled up pretty high during the night and was nearly up to my knees on either side of the dents the others had left in it.
“You look like an angry kitten right now.” Hip said as he trailed behind us.
“I have claws like a kitten, too, nice and sharp. Why don’t you come closer, Hip, and I can show you?”
“Touchy, touchy. Don’t worry, kitty, we are taking you someplace fun.”
“Aren’t I suppose to meet with Clint today?”
“Shit,” I cursed and patted my pockets with my free hand to try and find my phone. “Hey, can you grab my phone? It’s in that back pocket in front of you.”
“If you need it so badly, why don’t you put me down so you can get it?”
I gave her a gentle tap on her ass. “Not gonna happen.”
“Don’t worry, Sweet Cheeks, I got it.” Hip said before I felt his hand slip into my back pocket and pull out my phone.
I suppressed a growl. I said truce, not bromance.
“Why, thank you, you’re so helpful,” I crooned in an overly sweet voice.
I turned my head and looked back to see him give me a wink as he handed me my phone.
I texted Percy about Clint. While waiting for a reply, I noticed several texts from Davie and Margo. They were wondering how I was feeling and if I was up to hanging out.
I had told them that I had come down with mono and had been too sick to come into school. I was sure with Hip and Atalanta also missing from school, the rumor mill was filling up with all sorts with nonsense. I had told my friends that Atalanta had been in a boating accident, but I doubted the school gossip cared about that story.
I texted them back, telling them that I was fine and taking Atalanta to the aquarium now that she was discharged from the hospital.
“Jason, Hip’s teasing me!”
“You’re just so teasable.”
I smiled and looked down when I felt a buzz in my hand.
Percy: I’ll take care of it.
Davie: She’s well enough to be walking around?
Margo: Yay~!
I texted Davie back.
Me: She’s able to walk around but gets tired easily.
Davie: That’s good to hear. Margo will probably want to celebrate
Looking up, I saw Atalanta’s cabin coming into view. Theseus was standing propped up against the hood, studying his own phone.
Margo: We will have to celebrate her release and your brave recovery ;)
I chuckled and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Focusing on getting Atalanta better was step one. I would worry about celebration parties later.
Theseus looked up from his phone when he saw us coming and cocked his eyebrow.
“She didn’t want to walk through the snow.”
“He’s lying! Theseus, help! I’m being kidnapped!”
I tried so hard to keep a straight face when Theseus didn’t react to her.
“Did you have to carry her like a sack of potatoes?” Theseus asked.
“She wanted to stare at my ass.”
Theseus looked at me skeptically for a moment before rolling his eyes and getting into the car.
“He’s lying! Theseus, why—Oh. Fuck! Jason, turn me around so I can tell him the truth.”
Hip and I just laughed.
“Now, where’s the fun in that?” I chuckled.
When I reached the car, Hip opened the door for me and I slid Atalanta off my shoulder and into the passenger seat.
She immediately tapped Theseus on the leg and whined. "They kidnapped me!”