Luke decides to skip dinner, thank the gods. Ian doesn't think he can sit around all those people again. There's something off about the whole thing. He realizes it's probably his past life speaking to him, but doesn't care. As long he can put the awkward feeling off until later. 

The pair wonder down to the beach, where Luke continues their earlier conversation about schools. Ian listens absentmindedly for awhile, but his churning thoughts quickly take over. He thinks about Tony Stark and what his role in all of this is, because really nobody's bothered to clue him in just yet. The man obviously knew Percy. However what a demigod's relation to the millionaire playboy could be, Ian has no idea.

"Hey, you actually listening to me or just nodding your head?" Luke says, waving his hand in front of Ian's face.

Ian jerks back startled, but then relaxes as he stares at the easy-going blond. "Mmm? What? Yeah of course I was listening."

"Really?" Luke snorts, "Because I just asked you if you would date Apollo if he asked you and you nodded?"

"What?! Of course I wouldn't!" Ian cries indigently. "And why the hell would a god ever ask me out anyway?"

Luke laughs and leans back on his elbows. He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're asking that? Dude, I'm not into you or anything, but you're really good looking, You've got everyone staring. Heck I think even a few of the Hunters might break ranks just to try to get a piece of you."

Ian shivers and leans away a bit. "Dude lay off the caffeine. You've knocked a few screws loose."

Luke rolls his eyes. "My little sister wants to date you, you know. Told me all about how she's going to wait until she's as old as you are before she asks you to marry her."

"When did this conversation get so weird?" Ian groans falling back into the sand. "The whole gods and goddess with inflated egos and a sex fetish I can handle, but you telling me I'm hot, not so much."

The other boy just laughs. "Guess you shouldn't have zoned out."

The mortal teen sighs. "Guess so."

- O - O - O - O - O -

"So..... what do you think?" Thalia asks as Ian sets down on the couch in the living room of the big house.  She's changed out of her Hunter gear and into a pair of black pajama pants and a white t-shirt, which is admittedly a nice change from her punk rock, parka-loving appearance from before, especially without the goth make up. Looks less like she might gut him at any moment. "About the camp, I mean."

He rolls his neck to the side and stares at one of the far bookshelves. "It's foreign, but familiar at the same time." He turns to look up at her, leaning against the door frame just ten feet away. "I know that doesn't really make sense, but....."

"No I get it," she says coming to sit down. There's a noticeable gap between, probably more than necessary, but neither one acknowledges it. Thalia sighs and shoots him a small smile. "Well maybe I don't, but I guess for you it's understandable."

"Yeah well, it's still a pain. I mean, how am I supposed to call my boss tomorrow if I don't have my phone and even if I did, I don't think he'd buy the got-attacked-by-man-eating-chihuahua spiel again." Ian grumbles, his  impatient fingers already beginning to pick at the frayed edge of his shirt. His mom hates when he does this. Says it ruins all his good clothes.

Thalia laughs. "You mean to say you've actually used that excuse?"

He laughs too and leans his head against the back of the couch. "Except it wasn't an excuse. I don't do the whole lying thing very well. Me and my friend Eric really did have this rapid chihuahua trying to eat us. It had rabies and Eric had to get a ton of shots for a large bite on his arm. Pretty funny really."

"A rapid chihuahua taking out two grown boys. Yeah, I'd say." Thalia snorts.

"No," he says suddenly sitting up straighter and looking her in the eye. "The look on his face when they told him he had to get the shots. I swear I've never seen someone that green before and Hulk is on the news all the time nowadays what with the government shutdown thing." 

Turns out Thalia doesn't know much about the modern outside world, because she somehow manages to goad Ian into an hour long explanation of the conflict between the Avengers and the federal government.  He tells her how the government is openly opposing the not-so-new superhero team after the accidental destruction of a Californian city during a minor alien invasion. Their biggest leverage right now is the Hulk and the fact that Banner still has not  figured out how to completely control his other half. In truth though the destruction of the city was mostly due to Thor, but somehow threatening the prince of Asgard wasn't that appealing to the President. Apparently the government wants to fully shutdown the Avengers and have them all monitored closely. Needless to say there is quite a bit of opposition, but also a surprising amount of support for the notion.

Tony Stark tweeted that the President is just jealous of his swag.

" Aren't they getting pretty old now?" Thalia remarks, trying to hide her smirk. 

Ian just smiles. "Oh without a doubt. Steve Rogers is half grey and technically Iron Man is retired, but they never really stop answer emergency calls for their help."

They both laugh at that and Ian tried to ignore the small pang of sadness that resonates through his chest. He feels like he's lost valuable time with people he cares about, but honestly he doesn't even know the people.

The two finish talking about some nothingness, mostly Ian's life since Thalia seems so interested, before heading off to their separate lodgings. Thalia joins her Hunters in their cabin and Ian is given a room in the Big House.

It's the early morning hours when he finally gets to sleep. His head slowly falls sideways on the pillow as the last of his chaotic thoughts fall away. His shaggy blonde hair flops across the pillow and he sighs deeply as the welcoming darkness finally claims him, a little bit of drool slipping from the corner of his mouth.

That night he dreams of a flying ship and a guy named Frank.

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Gods I know! Don't kill me for the late update. I can't promise they're going to be that much more frequent, but I'm happy I at least got one up. I hope you enjoy. Please please please comment, vote and follow if you haven't already.