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They're faced off against each other in the arena.
Damian's eyes move side to side, scanning shiftily. Annabeth grins - she has the advantage here, and he has almost nowhere to run. They've banned weapons just in case either one of them gets a little too stabby, or if their instincts kick in.
So what? Tag gets a little intense.
Damian's lips suddenly stretch into a grin. He shifts his weight, and then he's leaping towards Annabeth. She raises her arms on instinct, and Damian ducks under her legs, laughing as he races down.
"DAMIAN CHASE!" Annabeth yells, breathless from laughing.
Damian stops. Stills. Freezes, letting Annabeth catch up to him and tag him on the back. "You're it," she tells him smugly, and the shocked look in his eyes doesn't make much sense until her words register in herself. Oh. Oh.
"Damian?" she says tentatively. He doesn't react. She sighs, sitting down and pulling him to a criss-cross position. "I'm sorry," she apologies quietly. "I understand it took you by surprise. I didn't - mean to. It just slipped out."
In truth, Annabeth is panicking now, too, because this hasn't happened. They both know Damian is her brother, like he's her sister, and since he doesn't have a last name, it's just logical to call him by that.
Logic doesn't always agree with feelings.
Damian's father is a secret, maybe intentional, maybe not, but she doesn't know if he wants to be addressed by his last name, and she doesn't know how he feels because even though she knows Damian, she's overwhelmed herself. Damian is her brother, and subconsciously she's been thinking about him like this.
"I won't do it again. I just - it slipped out. I'm sorry, it's fi - "
"I would be honored," Damian interrupts, looking at her with particularly shiny eyes. "If I could take your last name."
Warmth runs through Annabeth, followed by a swell of love from this small child who she's raised and who she's loved. She gives him a little squeeze around the shoulders, then jumps up and sprints.
"You're it!" she calls, and hears the angry yell and sees the smirk.