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Ethan was sitting on the Princess Andromeda, writing a report for the other general, pen in hand, the sheer wanting to start over just crying at him since the letter was off-center; it was off-balance. Right as his head hit the dark oak of his desk, the captain of the ship had walked in, clad in his usual attire of a dress shirt, vest, dress pants, and slacks.
Ethan couldn't help but think that the captain looked like a divorced father going to play golf, but his current outfit was certainly better than what Ethan had seen him wearing before: a bodysuit with hip cutouts and low-slung sweatpants.
Luke smirked at the sight of the distressed demigod, knocking on the wood of the desk to either get his attention or just annoy him; Ethan isn't sure which. "C'mon, up, up! Mustn't be late for the feast at the start of the most important month of them all for you, Nakamura~" That stupid wretch's pathetic voice; that hoe's gift of his "jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none" power entangling with the crappy copied charmspeak Luke was using, but Ethan was too tired to resist and looked up.
"What in Kronos' name could you possibly want... sir?" The sir came out dripping with more venom than Ethan expected, and he knew Luke wasn't one for second chances, but he hoped this meeting wouldn't become the reason his rank was lowered. "Now, Ethan, no need to be bitter! You know this is a safe space to talk about your feelings~"
Ethan cuts Luke off with the sharp stare from his eyes, or more accurately, the stare of one remaining and the dark, empty socket where his other eye once rested. "Just tell me what you want; I don't wanna play these games with you right now." Ethan gives him one last glare, letting out the last of his anger before propping his head up with his hand.
"You know, it is Pride Month, Ethan. You know what that means." Ethan was left speechless at Luke's daring comment. "Huh- what?" But Ethan's confusion was unanswered by the captain of this mighty ship, even as Ethan jolted to his feet in his confusion. "Do you want us to raise like... gay titans or something? What does that even mean?"
Luke wasn't going to be any help with his plea, as he was already halfway out the door. Before he did leave, though, Luke made sure to give Ethan a coy smile that didn't reach his eyes before telling him, "If you're so puzzled, let me simplify your previous command: I want you to sort out whatever it is you and General Torrington have going on, and I want whatever your solution to your problem is told to me no later than June 30th. Is that understood, General Nakamura?"
Ethan was floored at the sheer directness of it all. And forcing him to confess to his crush in less than a month? As a direct order? Oh, Ethan was left speechless.
How could he even do it? Every time he was in the room with the other general, his mind turned to mush and hearts and his tongue forgets how to twist and make words. His stomach reels with what could only be called butterflies, and a truck has hit and destroyed all inhibition in the boy and replaced it with sheer admiration.
He'd be entirely screwed when the time came, and he had no answer for the captain... but he'd most likely die sooner of embarrassment and heartbreak if he got rejected.
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Ethan had been standing outside of Alabaster's room for what felt like hours, his heart beating way too fast to be anything casual. He was holding a bouquet behind his back, the bouquet made up of snapdragon skulls, black irises, black magic hollyhock, and the most pristine dark green roses he could find.
He thought Alabaster would love them, since they were all spooky flowers and he was always keen for the dark, supernatural look. Though, Ethan thought, he is the son of magic, so it makes plenty of sense he'd like such flowers. Yet even with his self-encouragement, he did not have the courage to knock on the door and tell him how he felt.
But of course, the fates may have just woven fate in his favor as Alabaster opened the door, caught in his now rarely worn mortal outfit and not his general's uniform. He looked like someone who had just walked out of a Hot Topic or Tilly's, large barrel cut jeans held up by a studded belt and a clearly loved band tee, and Ethan couldn’t be more in love with the young man. But no good deed goes without sacrifice, and the two of them stood there in awkward silence for a while.
"What are you doing here, Nakamura?" Alabaster queried as he looked him over, internally questioning why in the world Ethan would just stand at his door and hold out flowers stiffly. Ethan, against his better judgment, simply shoved the flowers at him and turned his body away a little, trying to gain confidence in his abilities. Everything in him was screaming; there was no balance, no balance of power, of footing, of space, yet he stood as his mind drifted further into the green eyes of the one before him. Ethan was pleading that he wouldn't have to speak, but it didn't come so easily... or at least he thought.
"Irises... how did you know they were my favorite?" Ethan's shoulders loosened as Alabaster took the bouquet from him and brought it to his nose. "You're all red... You like me or something, Ethan?"
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The last week has been the best week of Ethan's life. Alabaster, for one reason or another, listened to his rambling confession. Ethan still has no idea why he cared to listen; he stumbled over his name alone six times, but Al did and he couldn't be more pleased. As a light kiss was placed on his cheek as Alabaster helped him get his armor on, and he knew he was in the right place, even if Al still needs more time before they do go official.
Ethan is willing to wait forever, as long as it means Alabaster stays by him.