fandomhighdorms | Salle, Friday Afternoon

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Salle, Friday Afternoon

Since Kate had stopped smoking a few weeks ago, her trips to the salle had ~~handwavily~~ gotten more frequent. And even if she wasn't feeling a particular stress today (or at least nothing big), she was practising with her knife anyway, concentrating on an already battered-looking dummy.

There was a dance-like quality to her movements, to the precise, smooth repetition of the stepping forward, jabbing the knife into the dummy, yanking it out, stepping back pattern she'd fallen into. It wouldn't be the most helpful in a fight but it was what she was doing right now. It calmed her down and soothed her nerves, doing something physical like that. Just like her dancing had, way back when. Today was one of those days that she was going to let those two things blend into one. Maybe she'd even try out doing a knife-wielding pirouette and see what kind of damage she could do to a dummy with that.

She felt like she could stay here for hours. It was probably for the best that she'd left a post-it on her door to let people know where she was.

[ooc: Post is open, whether it's Kate or the salle that you need!]

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"Yeah maybe you should tell him that because he's martyring the hell out of himself right now," Luke said bitterly. "I'm not pretending I haven't done some questionable things in all of this or that I'm going to stop doing questionable things but it's for a good reason. He's acting like I'm doing it for fun or something."

He shook his head. "Whatever, it's not like it matters what he thinks now."

"You love him," Kate pointed out, making sure to keep her tone neutral. "I assume. What he thinks is gonna matter for a while whether you like it or not."

She was quiet for the moment it took to repeat her little dance of a pattern. "I probably shouldn't even ask what you've been doing, should I?"

"Probably not," Luke said, ignoring anything that had to do with loving Percy even though he knew what Kate said was true. "I don't come off well in it no matter who is explaining what is going on, so keep that in mind if you actually want to know."

"You'd be impressed if you knew the kinds of stuff I've basically overlooked to stay friends with people," Kate replied, a bit dryly. Hey, her BFF had run off twice now to work with his fellow vampires and royally mess things up for everyone.

And she was having coffee with him tomorrow.

"Did you kill people?"

"Myself? No. But I let others that I'm responsible for kill people," he admitted, not looking at Kate at all when he said it. "I'm going to have to kill people myself eventually. Percy, specifically--or, well, some other version of him."

He twirled Backbiter for a moment before looking up at Kate. "But both Percy's I know are perfectly willing to kill me in return so the feeling is mutual."

Kate had stopped her little routine, and was just watching him now. Her face was on the impassive side, and she would've crossed her arms if she hadn't still been holding the knife.

"And why, exactly, are you doing... this, whatever the hell it is that you're doing?" she asked. "You must have some pretty fucking amazing reason if you're that calm about saying you're gonna have to kill Percy."

But she had noticed he wasn't exactly boasting about it. That was the main reason he wasn't getting yelled at right now. Yet, anyway.

Luke tensed up a little, immediately wanting to glare at Kate and tell her it was none of her business, but reminded himself he opened the topic up for discussion. He settled for glaring at the dummy instead. "I started a war against the gods. They don't deserve to be in power. They're selfish and irresponsible and they let demigods die alone every day. They're the reason monsters attack us and they don't do anything to offer protection aside from shoving us in a camp for life. Which, by the way, is a short one. We rarely make it to adulthood."

"So, yeah, I'm trying to knock the gods out of power. I have a strong ally and a lot of demigods are joining my side," Luke said. "Percy is not one of those demigods. It's war, he's not on my side, so it's either I kill him or he kills me."

"A war against gods," Kate repeated evenly. "Okay then."

It... actually sounded reasonable to her. In that fucked up way that a war could ever sound reasonable, which wasn't a whole lot to go on but it was something. It was keeping her from immediately slamming his point of view, in any case.

"And what's Percy's take on it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure he's not impressed with the monsters and danger bit, either."

"From what I understand he thinks I'm acting out because of some daddy issues. You know, because I'm the type of person to start a war over something petty like that," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "He thinks that life with the gods in charge is just fine. But he's had it easy. He wasn't one of the demigods that got thrown out of their houses because their mortal parent didn't understand why their kid kept getting attacked and his divine parent was quick to claim him. There are demigods who never find out who their divine parent is."

He sighed and shook his head. "Look, I know how bad this all sounds, but do you really think I'd do something like this unless I was sure I was doing the right thing?"

Kate really wasn't sure.

"I guess not."

Maybe she was willing to be optimistic this once. "I can't say I really get it, but I'm kind of used to that by now, so..." Not really knowing how to end that sentence, she just shrugged.

That actually made him feel better than anything else had in the last few days. He didn't want someone to completely shut him off like Percy did and he didn't want blind loyalty like he was getting from Nico. He liked that Kate was unsure because, really, Luke had those thoughts creeping into his head too.

"I don't want to have to kill him. I've been looking for ways out of it," Luke assured her. "And I'd never want anything to happen to the Percy here. You're right; I do still love him."

Kate's lips twitched into a faint, wry smile. "That's not much of a revelation." Speaking as someone who'd fucked up a relationship and then spent months pretending the other person's opinion didn't matter.

She shook her head. "That's one fucked up situation you've gotten yourself into, Luke." In case he hadn't noticed.

"Yeah no kidding," he said with a hollow laugh. "That's why I don't get it when Percy assumes I'm being selfish. If I was selfish I would've stayed here with him where the gods couldn't fuck with me."

"Like a sane person," Kate couldn't help remarking, because, y'know, war with the gods. "I'd totally claim he's gonna come around, except... It's Percy."

"Yeah, yeah I know," Luke said, rubbing the back of his neck. "He hates me. Guess it's like the universe falling back in order since we're supposed to be fighting anyway. Apollo will be thrilled."

He paused. "Apollo's the god of prophecy. He's big into fate."

"As gods of prophecy are wont to be," Kate replied dryly, and no, she hadn't known that. She shook her head again. "That sucks man, I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure this would be a time for a hug if we weren't being such badasses."

Well, she wasn't sure she was much of a badass, even if she did happen to be holding a knife.

Luke smirked. "I would be willing to take a hit to my badassery for a hug if we agree to put down the weapons."

"I'm cool with that." As long as jabbing her knife into the dummy and leaving it there (which actually did still feel a little badass) counted as putting her weapon down. "See? Unarmed."

Luke did the same with Backbiter (that poor, poor dummy) and walked over towards Kate. "Okay, now I'm cool with a hug."

"Good," Kate replied, managing a lopsided smile as she stepped closer to wrap her arms around him. Hugs, at least, were something she tended to be good at.

She was pretty good at hugging. Even if she wasn't Luke would have still been grateful. He had lost Percy, Annabeth and Grover, so it was nice to see that someone was willing to stick by him. "Thanks. You know, for not freaking out on me."

"Pretty sure I'm all out of the ability to freak out right now," Kate informed him quietly. "But, I've heard worse."

Sad but true.

Luke laughed quietly before pulling back to look at her. "I don't know whether to be relieved for myself or be worried for you."

"You could pick both?" Kate offered, faint lopsided smile still in place. "I would pick both. You haven't gone entirely off the deep end, and my life... really makes no fucking sense, most of the time."

Luke smirked. "Well as fucked up as it is, I think you're handling it pretty well."

"Mm, amazing coping skills courtesy of never having had an entirely normal life," she noted wryly. "You know, I never knew that could become such an advantage."

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Salle, Friday Afternoon

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