A/N: Can I say how FRUSTRATING it is to search for ANY fan material on Frank and the few I find are very boring or inaccurate? Like, fanarts with him skinny, WTF? It's clearly stated that he didn't lose fat, it just became muscles. In short words, Frank is TALL AND BEEFY. He's the kind of guy who attracts anyone's attention on size alone. On with the chapter.

Frank's Flashback

SUNDAY, 5th February

The afternoon sun wasn't strong, but it still felt good against his skin.

"Not that I mind, but why did you call me, specifically?"

Walking beside him, Reyna chuckled.

"I needed the company of someone who didn't appeal to my killing instincts."

"Then Leo and Sierra are out."

With a small smile, she nodded.

"And I needed someone who had their head screwed in the place and that can carefully analyze a situation without being biased."

"Annabeth?"

He didn't expect her to pull his arm, forcing him to stop and look her in the eyes.

"Frank, is it that hard to believe I like your company?"

Caught unguarded by her question, he couldn't maintain eye contact, searching for something else to look at.

"Well, I don't know..."

"We have been working together as praetors for a while now."

Settling for his own shoes, he shrugged, his voice with a hint of defeat; he always had trouble keeping a confident persona next to Reyna – with or without a Legion watching them – and being back in a chubby body wasn't the best for his self-esteem.

"Yes, but it's not like you had a choice. Jason nominated me by his own will."

On his peripheral vision, Reyna shook her head, although he couldn't really see why she disagreed with him.

"Frank, a true Roman praetor was needed to command the legion of undead, and he wasn't Roman anymore."

"And Hazel was busy somewhere else."

When Reyna kept quiet for a moment, he thought it was the end of it, he had always known he became a praetor because he was the only one around. That she continued the argument was a surprise for him.

"Zhang, do you still think you got nominated as a praetor only because you were the only Roman available at the moment?"

Her voice demanded him to face her, but he kept switching between her eyes and her braid.

"Hm... wasn't I?"

Reyna let out a long sigh and he wondered what he did wrong.

"Do you remember when Jason went missing, that we were starting to get ready to vote for a new praetor?"

"Yes. I can't imagine the pressure on you for those months."

She looked up to him in surprise.

"I... thank you. But I wanted to say, do you remember how close Octavian was of winning? And how Percy got chosen after less than a week with us?"

"And some pretty heroic feats."

She glared at him, making him shut up really fast.

"Don't you see? There wasn't a Roman good enough to be praetor, otherwise Octavian wouldn't have been a threat and a graecus wouldn't have become the favorite of the legion in less than a week."

"Hm... I see..."

Reyna probably sensed his denial behind his words, because she let out another long sigh.

"Frank, you were new, still in probatio, still unsure of yourself, still doubting every action you took, no matter how small. You weren't ready to be a Roman, let alone a praetor. But that changed, didn't it? You went to Alaska, killed a giant and helped save the legion. Excellent for a Roman, even good enough for a centurion, but still not enough for a praetor. You sailed with the others, you were one of the seven, you found yourself while there, faced hordes of monsters and learned to use all your abilities and gifts to the maximum. Each challenge you overcame brought you closer to your destiny, made you ready to become a praetor. Jason didn't choose you because you were the only Roman available, but because you were the best Roman for the job, who was also at the right place and the right time. When Jason told me, I thought 'ok, I guess I can work with it'. You had already demonstrated your worth as Roman and centurion, so I thought maybe you had what was needed for the job. But working with you showed me you definitely had what was needed for the job and even some more. You're a good praetor, Frank, better than we could've expected and much better than you think."

Feeling embarrassed, he cast his eyes down once again.

"I just think that maybe-"

"Frank Zhang, are you questioning my judgement? My evaluation instincts honed through years of praetorship?"

Her tone rang all kinds of alarms inside his head but when he looked up, she was smiling. Feeling his own lips stretching into a smile

, he adjusted his posture and gave her a salute.

"No, ma'am."

"Good, now let's get some sugar."

***

Reyna crouched in the sweets aisle, handing her basket already half-full for Frank to hold while she checked the lowest shelf to see if there was any chocolate with pieces of cookies in the back.

That is a LOT of sweets.

Reyna's sweet-tooth comes full force when she's feeling stressed. She says the sugar-rush helps her think.

Does it?

I'm not sure, I would have to test it, but it never felt like a sensible idea.

"So... are you having problems with Hilda? Is she being difficult?"

Reyna sighed, handing him another bar to put in the basket and took a step back to assess the aisle, looking for flavors she might have missed.

"No, it's not that she's causing problems directly, it's just... I guess we just aren't used in being with one another."

"Do you mean Hilda or...?"

Reyna threw her hands up in frustration, still making her best to keep her voice was as neutral as she could.

"I don't know! I guess both? I only saw Hylla by passing or battles ever since we left Circe's island. Regina is not that close to Hilda. So yes, I guess Regina doesn't know how react with Hilda everywhere, every day. I wouldn't know how to deal with Hylla, let alone someone who, in the end, is not really my sister, similarities aside. And there's Hilda who doesn't know how to deal with Regina, and my presence only make it more complicated. I don't want to respond to Hilda without Regina's permission, but this puts a delay on our answers and a hesitation on our actions. This puts Hilda on guard trying to figure out why we're so hesitant, and whatever she thinks it's the reason, won't be truth. So she might start acting different based on her theory and things are only going to get more complicated. It's okay if you didn't understand, I know I can't explain it well."

"You want to let Regina dictate the interaction with her sister because it's the right thing to do. But your presence makes it complicated and you're afraid it will put an extra strain on their relationship, which can be disastrous because we have no idea how long we're actually staying."

She looked over him in silence for a moment then nodded in gratitude.

"Yes, pretty much this. We needed a break. And since Regina's preferences were 'not Sierra', I got to choose whose ear I was going to borrow. Thanks, by the way."

"Well, borrow away. I have no problem listening. Although, I'm not sure if I can offer you any solution."

"No miracle required, just company."

"That I can offer."

A racket to the side attracted their attention, putting their conversation on hold. Looking to the side, a mother with a small baby in her arms and a toddler by her feet was surround with packages all over the floor, and judging by the toddler's deer-in-headlights expression, she had been the one to do it. The mother looked tired and ready to crumble, making Frank think of Percy and Annabeth when they had just left the Doors of Death. Pitying the poor woman, he approached her offering to help. He had thought about reorganizing the fallen products, so he was surprised to, just a second of the mother smiling gratefully, find himself with his arms full of baby, while she crouched and commanded her toddler to help her pick everything up. Realizing she had misunderstood his offer to help, he looked over to Reyna to ask for her advice, only to find her struggling to hold her laugh while also moving forward to help the mother and toddler, leaving him with the baby, whose giant eyes stared at him unblinkingly.

Please don't cry.

Is it normal for babies not to blink?

How should I know?

***

After paying for her diabetes starter kit, still laughing about Frank's predicament earlier, Reyna invited him to get a burger, which he accepted, knowing she still had things she wanted to talk about. Still, it surprised him when it was not about Hilda or Regina.

"Do you think they're doing okay or they already destroyed half the Forum?"

"Who destroyed what forum?"

"The Legion, Frank. They're missing both praetors, supposedly, since we have no idea what is actually happening over there. Maybe this is just a really long collective dream. But assuming the time passes the same, we've been missing for months. Don't you think about it?"

He sighed, nodding slowly.

"I did think about it sometimes, but not that much, as there isn't anything I can do about it. We did our best the lead them while there, I can only hope they are smart enough not to destroy everything, knowing they would have to face you on our return."

"You're thinking like Lupa."

"Am I?"

Lupa is your wolf goddess, right?

Yes. Our first teacher, the one who prepare us for the journey towards the legion.

Why does she say you're thinking like Lupa? How does she think?

Lupa doesn't take us to the Legion, she just teaches us as much as she can and send us on our way. Hopefully, what we learn is enough to get us to New Rome.

"You know, maybe I am. It sounds like something she could say."

"It sounds like something she most definitely would say. You'd make her proud."

When he had arrived at the Wolf House from Canada, feeling lost and alone, still mourning his mother, Lupa and her wolves had no pity. They are there to train Roman demigods to become future legionaries, not cuddle an orphan child, specially when so many of them arrive there when they have no one else. The wolves respect strength, focus, precision, unwavering conviction on one self. When Lupa sent him away without eating him despite the constant threats, he had often wondered if she hadn't just not been hungry that day. Even after arriving at Camp Jupiter, he had trouble fitting in; clumsy, shy, uncertain, not the result some would expect from Lupa's pack. There were even some legionaries whispering behind his back that maybe she made a mistake. Even he had asked himself if she'd had a judgement lapse that day.

"Me!? But I just-"

"Just what?"

"I'm just... Frank."

"Correction, you're praetor Frank Zhang, son of Mars. Don't think less of you. And remind Felix that in his core, he's just like you, and just as capable of succeeding like you are. You've made your father proud, and Lupa and brought union and confidence to our Legion. Stop doubting yourself."

Maybe Lupa didn't make a mistake.

What?

I mean, I would think a millennia-old goddess would be a good judge.

Even gods can make mistakes.

But you weren't one.

"... Thank you..."

Flashback over, back to present

WEDNESDAY, 8th February

Arriving at the school grounds, distractedly watching his own feet while walking, a loud whistle almost rip both their souls out of that body. Looking around for the source, he found Jordan enthusiastically waving him over. Separating himself from the wave of students searching the building warmth, he walked over to the redhead, who thrusted a thermos at his face.

"Chocolate?"

"Hm..."

"I promise, it's just chocolate. I know the show would be better with popcorn, but I don't have any with me."

"What show?"

Jordan took a sip from the thermos and pointed behind him, where Frank could see Jodi and Jay some feet away from them, in a heated argument. While he was watching, Jay tried to get Jodi in a headlock, but it ended with both in the cold ground, fighting. In shock, he turned to Jordan, only to find the other boy calmly watching the altercation and handing him the thermos.

"Chocolate?"

I thought they were friends?

Why are they fighting?

"What is going on?"

"Oh, they're fighting for a girl."

"Huh... what?"

"Chocolate?"

Knowing Jordan would keep insisting, he took the thermos and cautiously sipped the liquid inside, pleased to notice it was simply hot chocolate. Jordan nodded to the pair still fighting for dominance on the ground, although it looked like Jodi was getting the upper hand.

"You know the thing going on between Jay and Barbara, right? He was planning to take her out for Valentines, but Jodi also wanted to go out with Barbara that day."

"Jodi and Barbara are... a thing?"

Gesturing to get the thermos back, Jordan waited until Frank gave it back to sip and continue his explanation.

"No, they're friends. Best friends, on Jodi's words, so she has the right to take her best friend out on Valentines."

"But what about Jay?"

Jordan clicked his tongue in amusement, still calmly watching two of his best friends rolling on the cold ground while exchanging punches and kicks.

"Ah, you see, he said Jodi could take her on Galentines, but he has a bigger right to take her out on Valentines. Jodi said since they're both single girls, they don't need Galentines, Valentines is just fine."

"But Jay-"

"It's the problem, because he and Barbara are not official. I don't know why and I don't care. But they aren't official, so Barbara IS technically single and Jodi has as much right as Jay to take a FRIEND out on Valentines. I'm just here to watch the world burn."

"You don't care if your friends fight?"

Jordan gave him a long look, before his face lighted up as if he got the answer to his question.

"Oh, you're new. They had worst fights than this. Or I had with them. But we're still here. Besides, I have my own problems for Valentines."

"You want to ask someone on a date?"

"I HAVE asked, but Ben is being... difficult."

Hm... should I ask or...?

Can I try? I rarely get to speak with Jordan.

Sure.

Start with just 'Ben?'; if he wants to, he will answer.

"Ben?"

Jordan's voice carried despise, but his expression after speaking was longing.

"Benjamin."

"I don't remember knowing any Benjamin."

"He doesn't come to our school. I've met him through... other methods. Chocolate?"

Frank accepted the thermos.

"And he's being difficult?"

Despite the very sweet chocolate, Jordan's expression was like the had just swallowed something bitter.

"He's... pretending."

"Pretending what?"

"That he has no idea why I would think he would say yes."

"Hm... Are you sure he is...?"

"Yes. I mean, I know he's not ready to leave the closet, and I get it, I swear I do. And we don't need to do anything public if he doesn't want to be seem, but... I don't know, I think it's the way he said it. 'Why would you think I'd accept a guy's invitation?' Oh, I don't know, maybe because of the last month of putting his tongue down my throat!?"

They stayed in silence for a few seconds, watching Jay and Jodi.

"... I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"No, but I still feel bad that I can't do anything to help you."

"Thanks, man. You're cool. We should've started hanging out before."

Inside his mind, Felix chuckled.

"I agree."

"So, where are you taking your little lady?"

... Ooook, I have no idea what to say to this!

"Oh. Hm... eh- I'm not- we don't-"

Jordan smiled and patted Frank's shoulder.

"Hey. Since it looks like I won't need to worry about Valentines plans, if you need help, just ask."

"I couldn't do that to you-"

"You couldn't ask me for help if you were taking Ben out. Are you?"

"No! And I never would! Wait, not because- I mean, I wouldn't even if I was... you know."

"Gay?"

"Yes. If you like him, I wouldn't, because you know..."

"Bro-code?"

"... I guess?"

"Sorry I'm late!"

They both turned to see Percy approaching, out of breath.

"How much did I miss?"

Jordan nodded to the fighting pair, who had at some point gotten back on their feet and were circling each other.

"The verbal round is over and the first physical one. We're waiting for the second physical one."

"Damn it, I was hoping to get here earlier."

"Why are you late, anyway?"

"I had more trouble convincing Annie to keep Barbara distracted than I expected."

Wait, why Barbara must be distracted?

And how did he know the fight was going on if he only got here now?

"Wait, you knew about this?"

Percy had some trouble to tear his eyes away from the pair again throwing punches to look at Frank.

"What do you mean? Oh, is that chocolate?"

He handed the thermos to Percy, distractedly noticing Jordan pulling a second one from his backpack.

"How did you know they were fighting? And to keep Barbara distracted?"

Percy's eyes went back to Jodi biting Jay's hand.

"Oh, that. This isn't a random fight, they schedule it last night. Both are aware of time and place, so no unfairness. And Barbara would call them both idiots and stop the fight, so she had to be distracted. Ow, that hurt!"

Jordan hummed in agreeance. Frank looked from the fighting pair to the watching pair in astonishment.

I knew they were a bit weird, but this seems... weirder.

I know.

THURSDAY, 9th February

While waiting for the teacher, Jodi was helping him understand the subject from his previous class, before Jordan came barelling down the class, out of breath.

"We have a problem."

Jodi sighed, not even looking at her friend.

"What did you do this time?"

"Not what you think. I might have overheard the teacher about giving our class a surprise quiz worth 20% of our grades."

It took them a couple of seconds to register the words.

"WHAT!?"

Jodi's outburst got some of the few scattering students' attention and both boys shushed her. Keeping her voice barely above a whisper, she leaned closer to the redhead.

"He can't do this!"

"Apparently, he can. And that tiny disturbance from last week made him crave revenge."

Tiny disturbance is putting lightly.

"And he decided to punish the whole class?"

Jordan nodded solemnly while Jodi started chewing her nails, thinking.

"We need to find a way to have this class canceled."

Oh, God, we're gonna get dragged again, aren't we?

"I have an idea."

Knowing Jordan, Frank cut him off before he could try and make his plan real.

"Nothing illegal."

Grumbling about being a misunderstood genius, Jordan admitted.

"I no longer have an idea."

"The important thing is to avoid suspicion on us."

Jordan nodded.

"I agree, I'm already walking on thin ice since the cafeteria incident last month."

What cafeteria incident last month?

Jodi was apparently aware of it, since she slapped Frank's table in glee.

"I KNEW it! I knew it had been you!"

"Actually, it wasn't me, but at this point, pretty much anything gets traced back to me, even if I had nothing to do with it."

Although Jodi still seemed unconvinced, she got back to the matter in their hands.

"What if we try to convince some others to help? Maybe Andreas? I know his grades in this class are at risk, a surprise quiz would not help."

"Oh, I have a plan!"

Nothing against Jordan but... again, his plans are not... fail-proof?

"Does it involve us not getting into trouble?"

"Clean your ears, I never said I had a miracle. But if we get at least two others, we might be able to make it look like an accident."

"Andreas and... who?"

Checking to see if the table behind him was still empty, Frank leaned forward to whisper.

"Hm... I think Nathalie, who sits behind me, has a crush on Jordan. Maybe if he asks...?"

Jodi grinned.

"Felix, you're a genius."

"Wait, what? Nat has a crush on me!?"

The black-haired girl shook her head in disappointment.

"Honestly, you're as blind as Felix when it comes to crushes. Or in your case, girl crushes."

"Wait, what do you mean blind as me?"

Jordan laid a hand over Frank's shoulder, his expression incredulous.

"My man, you're lucky to have the cute act working out for you because wow, you're oblivious. Ok, we have two minutes to get this going; I'll get Nat. Honestly, I feel bad for her because she's obviously NOT my type, but I do feel honored. Jodi will convince Andreas and by that, I mean threaten his grades. And that means, my dear Felix, that you need to go get some other things..."

"Oh gods..."

***

On the school grounds along other students, Jordan lightly elbowed Frank, nodding to the school.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

The football player Jodi had recruited, Andreas, approached them, fuming, but surprised Frank by remembering to whisper his concerns.

"What the hell, guys!? I thought it was about cancelling our class and the surprise quiz! Not this!"

Jordan shrugged, completely at ease.

"Well, if only our class got cancelled, there might have been suspicions, so we had to throw them off our scent."

"But two whole wings!?"

"You know what they say, go big or go home."

Frank accidentaly let out the answer he was thinking.

"I think I'd rather go home."

Andreas looked at Frank like he just remembered his presence, but nodded in agreement before glaring at Jordan.

"I'm with him. Maybe even take a nap once I'm there."

Jordan huffed, crossing his arms.

"Hmpf, you can't appreciate my geniality."

Andreas was still visibly angry but the longer he looked at Jordan, the more the anger made way for bafflement.

"HOW have you not destroyed the school so far?"

The red-head shrugged, the nonchalance so extreme is almost looked fake.

"Eh, never had a real reason to. Why, are you issuing a challenge?"

"Absolutely not! I need the school in one piece to get my scholarship."

"Bummer..."

After Andreas left them, likely a bit afraid of Jordan, Jodi walked over to them, a grin splitting her face in half and an almost skip in her step, Natalie not that far behind, with a hand covering her mouth, making Frank wonder if she was feeling ill. Jordan was the first to notice them.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot? Not that you aren't an idiot, but usually you aren't that obvious."

Jodi cuffed Jordan on his head, her smile never wavering.

"Can't I smile just because I feel like it?"

Natalie, who finally dropped the hand, was having trouble holding in a laugh.

"During the evacuation, Sirena tripped and fell face first."

Oh, so that's why.

Don't you think...

What?

Do you think it's a coincidence? We know she and Sirena don't get along.

"She tripped?"

Felix's doubts must have shown in his face, because her gleeful smile turned into a conspiratory smirk.

"She and her friends might have slipped on an unexpected slippery patch of the floor."

"Right..."

How did she even have time to set up a trap is beyond.

Nine out of ten things they do is beyond me.

A/N: I remember some readers being surprised when I revealed that Jordan was gay, wondering how they didn't notice that before. Simple, sometimes you don't. Gay people are people, not walking stereotypes. Their actions don't need to clue others on their sexuality. I had a friend in my cheer squad and we worked closely three times a week for a year and I only found out she was a lesbian after I left the squad. You're not obligated to know and they are not obligated to tell or show, just like anyone about anything in their lives (maybe this rant is several chapters late, but while writing Jordan I remembered it).