A/N: I didn't revise it too much, I just wanted to publish it as soon as I got the inspiration.

Frank's Flashback

TUESDAY, 14th February

She doesn't like this flavor or something?

Are there different flavors for cotton candy?

Fine, color then.

No, the glaring isn't about the cotton candy.

Are you sure? Because the way she's looking at it makes me feel like she's personally offended by it.

Resigned to becoming the one to personally offend his girlfriend, Frank tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hazel?"

She jumped like he had shocked her and turned to him with a guilty expression.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

"No, but are you okay? Do you prefer to go home?"

She shook her head and tried to give him a smile.

"No, sorry, I'll be more present, promise."

"What is in your mind?"

She grabbed his hand and started to pull him to a bench.

"Just forget it."

"Is it still Nico being friends with Niel?"

She sighed and he knew he was right.

"I'm sorry, I should just focus on our date."

"You can vent to me, you know?"

"But this is our Valentines date."

He raised her hand he was holding and gave it a small kiss.

"I know, but you're my girlfriend, and I care about your peace of mind more than a random date."

She didn't say anything, just kept glaring at her cotton candy while they sat down on a bench.

Wasn't she super happy her brother had friends?

I think she would prefer friends who were less likely to end up in jail.

Well, I could be wrong, but I don't think Nico looks comfortable with more 'normal' friends. Lucy is slightly better, but he isn't close to her, not like he is with Niel.

I do wonder why Lucy decided to become his friend.

Wasn't because she wanted to become close to Hannah?

"I just... was Nico always this stubborn?"

Took him a second to register Hazel's question.

"Hm... yes? He always did his thing."

"But it was always a good and responsible thing; something that would help everyone."

He grimaced, knowing she wouldn't like what he was going to say.

"No, he always did what HE thought was a good thing, something that COULD help everyone."

The way her expression clouded he knew her annoyance was now redirected at him.

"My brother-"

"Is a good person, but not exactly responsible or perfect. Do you remember when he decided to check out Tartarus by himself without warning anyone? And the next time we saw him, he was almost dying inside a bronze jar? Or when we almost got stuck in an underground workshop because his sword was taken?"

She removed her hand from his and he sighed in disappointment.

"That wasn't his fault, he was kidnapped."

"Because he decided to go to Tartarus alone when he knew it would be crawling with monsters."

Oh, boy, she's getting angry.

I know.

"That meant he knew about the doors and could warn us."

"Hazel, it doesn't change the fact that is was risky and almost killed him. I'm not saying he was wrong to do it, I'm just saying he did it because HE thought it was the best course of action."

"But if he hadn't-"

He grabbed her hand again and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Hazel, I have nothing against your brother. I'm just trying to remind you he's a demigod. All of us just do what we think it's the best, with little to no regard to what others might think, friends or not. Do you remember when Gaea pulled Percy underground and you jumped after him in a second? Don't think I was freaking out, wishing you hadn't?"

"I couldn't just leave him there."

"Hazel, the point is that you did what YOU thought was best, you didn't ask me or cared about my opinion. That's just how it works with demigods. We do it first, then we might think about consequences. Nico decided that he wants to be friends with Niel and deal with possible problems that come with it. It's his right to decide. If it's a good or bad decision, we will find out later. I understand you and Hannah might want to protect them, but you can't expect them to listen or obey, that's just not them. And the more you force your opinion on him, the more stubborn he will be, you know that."

She chewed on her lips for a minute, not looking him in the eyes, before talking again.

"Do you think I should talk to Niel?"

"No. The whole point is to trust your brother and be ready to help him, without intervening."

"But..."

"But?"

"... Nevermind."

"Hazel?"

She obviously had something in her mind and decided not to share. Although he thought it might be important, he knew he couldn't force her to say it.

"Will you and Hannah leave them be to make their own decisions?"

She begrudgingly answered, but didn't look him in the eyes while doing it.

"Yes, we will try to leave them be."

Do you think they will?

I don't know about Hannah, but Hazel is also a demigod.

Meaning?

Meaning she also does what she thinks it's the best with little regard to other's opinions.

So... no.

Not very likely.

Flashback over, back to present

WEDNESDAY, 15th February

You could buy some flowers.

I don't need to buy flowers.

I heard it's very helpful to help with asking for forgiveness.

I don't need to ask for forgiveness.

Your girlfriend clearly thinks you do.

Hazel doesn't-

Jason's voice interrupted him.

"Frank, you're not breathing in sync with the exercise. First in, hold, hold... now out."

"Sorry."

"You want a break?"

"Yeah, it might be a good idea."

He stepped away from the machine and accepted the water bottle Jason handed him with a nod.

"Did you and Hazel fight?"

"...Is it obvious?"

Jason shrugged, accepting the water bottle back.

"Not really, but Piper saw Hazel hiding to avoid running into you while scowling and drew her own conclusions."

"Well, they are somewhat correct."

"Is it about Nico?"

That threw him off.

"How...?"

Jason's laugh was self-deprecating.

"You forget I was stupid enough to say I didn't trust Nico in front of her. I know very well how he is her touchy subject. That's the only thing I could think of that would make her angry enough to go out of her way to avoid you."

I TOLD you to ask for forgiveness.

What she needs right now is space to deal with her thoughts, not me crossing boundaries to make it about me.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"Not really. I know deep down she's more upset because I said something she already knows but was willfully avoiding until now."

"Ah, one of the most uncomfortable conversations to have from your side. And one of the most offensive ones from her side."

"Yeah... for now I just need to wait for the dust to settle a bit or I risk making more damage than I've already done."

"Do you want to keep working out or go home?"

"I don't have a lot to do at home, so... Unless we're being in the way."

"We're okay, just try to focus on what you're doing to avoid an injury by distraction."

"Yes, sorry."

"Let's try some bench press. And don't be distracted or you'll end up crushed."

"Ok, I got it."

While Jason loaded the bar, Frank laid down on the bench.

"Hey, how come John doesn't wear glasses?"

Jason didn't look up the weight he was positioning, but answered anyway.

"Neither did I until we set sail to the ancient lands."

"Are you implying that the ancient lands forced you to wear glasses?"

"No, I'm just saying I spent most of my life not needing glasses, so maybe John will need some years from now. Or maybe he never will; they are not US, exactly."

***

Can you talk to dogs?

Frank was somewhat used to random questions from Felix, but that was not one he had expected while going back home with sore muscles.

I'm sorry, what?

You said you trained with Lupa, right? And she taught you things? And that you can transform in animals that you know, right? And you also said you like to sleep in dog form.

Just because I transform in an animal doesn't mean I can talk to them. I also transformed into a dragon, lion, bear and I can't speak to them; I'm not a faun.

I know, but since you said Lupa and her wolves taught stuff, I just thought...

That's... not how it works. First of all, Lupa isn't just a 'wolf', she's a goddess. She can express herself however she likes, including speaking inside your head. Otherwise, how would she teach all the other demigods? Hazel, Reyna, Jason... neither has my gift.

I hadn't thought about that. So... she would just speak inside your mind?

If she felt it was necessary, yes. Keep in mind that what she thinks is necessary is really different from what a person would think.

Meaning?

Meaning that most of her communication was just like other animals, body language. She wouldn't tell me to not do something, she would switch her ears back, growl, or bare her teeth to show she was displeased, and I would have to notice and understand she didn't want me doing that again.

And if you didn't notice it?

Then when she or one of her wolves tried to bite for doing it, I would have to be fast to avoid it and smart enough to get the message.

How big are they, exactly?

When we met, we were almost shoulder to shoulder, except they were on all fours.

Oh, so they were dire wolves?

They were... magical wolves? Immortal wolves? Lupa could likely switch to any form or size she liked, and I think she could also change her wolves' sizes, so... I don't know if they are dire wolves, they are just wolves. Really big ones, but wolves.

Are you taller than them now? You said 'when we met'.

Shoulder to shoulder, yes, but if they stand up...

Got it. Traveling with them must have been scary.

A little bit.

Just a little?

More like... with everything going on, losing my mom, learning I was a demigod, how my life depended on a stick, about my family's legacy - more or less, grandma wasn't specific – and having to pack a bag in a couple of hours before leaving... I guess I became a little numb. Part of that journey just feels like something that happened to someone else while I watched from the sidelines. It's just... I didn't have the energy to really understand how scary and insane is go from Vancouver to the San Francisco on foot surrounded by a pack of immortal wolves.

Wait, you did all that road on foot?? How many days did it take? A month?

No, nine or ten days, I think.

How... did you even sleep?

We took a train until Portland, from there we went on foot.

We as in... you and the wolves? Can wolves get on trains?

Just a couple of them did; to keep an eye on me, I think. The others ran beside the train.

And no one saw anything wrong with it? Wait! Right, the Mist. Sometimes I forget about it.

I remember having the same thought 'how no one is freaking out?'.

And after Portland? That's still a lot of ground to cover. Can you do it in a little over a week?

In theory, no, unless you skip any meals and sleep.

Then how?

Frank rubbed his forehead with a hand, not sure how to explain something he hadn't thought about too hard.

Magic? I don't know how they do it, I guess Lupa and her wolves can kind of warp space? Create small wormholes? Because even if they are magical wolves, they can cover a LOT of ground, much more than you would expect from their speed, especially when they were slowing down to match me.

So, you had to run beside them?

You don't think they would have waited for me to calmly walk at my own pace?

It's just... running with a pack of dire wolves sounds a little badass. Maybe a LOT.

I guess? At the time, I was just trying not to collapse; I still wasn't sure they wouldn't feast on my body before I was completely dead. Lupa had heavily implied that those who couldn't keep up got eaten, so...

I would be terrified.

Most of my emotional capacity was still dedicated to grieving my mom and feeling betrayed by my grandmother. I know now she did what everyone believed was best for me but... it didn't make it hurt any less to be forcefully uprooted and kicked out just mere days after I had to bury my only parent. And the real kick was, I couldn't even be sure that the Legion would accept me. Had the praetor been someone like Octavian and not Reyna, they would've rejected me. Or worse, judged me and locked me up to pay for a crime I never committed.

Just a question. If Lupa warped space, shouldn't you have been able to see it? The warped surroundings?

Maybe? I was mostly concerned with running and breathing correctly. And I was surrounded by wolves as tall as me, the only thing I could see was them running.

Did they have names?

They don't concern themselves with names. For them, their identity is mostly about their role inside the pack. Even Lupa herself. She doesn't have a name, exactly. It just means 'female wolf' in Italian as in 'the female wolf that fed Romulus and Remo'. It's like saying 'she's THAT female wolf', it's not a real name. The other wolves had roles and very clear personalities, so after a couple of days, I could usually identify them correctly and even predict some of their actions; they just didn't have a name. And they would feel very offended if you try naming them, one of them almost bit my face off when I started suggested that.

Have you thought about running together with them again? This time, using your gift to do it as a wolf?

Not really. We didn't become besties or anything. They had a job, to accompany me to the Wolf Manor and to judge me as worthy of entering the Legion or not. They fulfilled that and we parted ways. After that, they received Percy and trained him. Not that there was much to train, I think, as he was already an experienced demigod, even without his memories. Wait! Now that I think about it, maybe they were training Percy at the same time they were training me. Percy did mention he stayed there for several weeks and that Lupa introduced herself to him, left him to the others and only trained him in the end. I met him at Camp Jupiter barely a month and half after my mother's funeral. Maybe the middle part when Lupa wasn't present to his training was because she had gone to fetch me? Not that she babysat me for long, just made it clear I had to follow her wolves and left.

How big is that Wolf House that you guys never met?

The Wolf House is a ruin, we don't spend our time there. It's mostly a landmark, the starting point. There is a vast forest around it, the wolves could easily keep us apart. I was there for maybe two weeks, maybe two and a half. Huh. It feels weird to think that Percy and I were likely in the same forest and trained at the same time.

You guys never compared timelines?

Not really? I heard him telling Annabeth a little bit about the Wolf House, that's how I know he was there for several weeks, I just don't know how many exactly. He thinks that Lupa left him alone for a lot of time because he probably annoyed her demanding answers about his memory. But maybe it was just because she had to go to Canada.

He opened his front door, dropped his bag by it and went straight to the shower.

If you traveled for days, I'm guessing you had a bag?

Yes.

And you had to carry it all the time?

It's not like I could just leave it behind, what would be the point?

I mean, no wolves offered to carry since, you know, they were giant wolves and all?

Your burden is your own. I could have left without nothing, strictly speaking. So yeah, my bag, my idea, my burden.

What did you put in it?

Well, demigods are usually really good in packing only essentials. Also, because a lot of us just lose those bags at one point or the other. I did try to keep it simple. A second pair of pants, a couple of t-shirts, a heavy jacket, a lot of socks to always switch and keep my feet dry... and normal things. Money, documents, deodorant, wet wipers...

Wet wipers are normal things?

Well, I doubted the wolves would be so nice to provide me with a shower, so...

Makes sense.

Some first-aid, money, my bow, arrows, snacks, a lighter, a small knife, two water bottles to refill... what else?

I thought you said demigods only pack essentials.

Maybe I like to be a little more prepared than most.

Were the wolves okay with you bringing all that?

Like I said, it was my business. As long as I didn't delay them too much, it's not their problem. They were nice enough to camp for the night next to a diner or gas station so I could use their bathroom to wash myself a little bit, and my clothes. Maybe even eat something warm and more filling than snacks.

You traveled during summer, right?

No, spring. And I know what you're going to ask, it got REALLY cold during the nights. There were moments I thought I would arrive at camp with a missing toe or just collapse from hypothermia before getting there. It didn't help my stress levels that the one time I was desperate for a fire to warm up, my lifeline spontaneously combusted and it took me way too much time to make it stop.

I swear I'm doing my best to imagine it all, but it sounds so... weird and fictional. Doesn't that mess up with your mind?

I mean, some? I don't know if as heroes, we're genetically designed to just move forward or if by being demigods surrounded by other demigods in world humans don't know about, our perspective of normal just switch up a bit.

I think 'a bit' is an understatement.

THURSDAY, 16th February

When he saw Jodi entering class, he opened his mouth to greet her but her appearance made him forget what he was about to do.

Is she sick?

Oh, no, please tell me it isn't about her mom.

Oh, gods, you're right.

She glared at Jordan and he was quick to get up, allowing her to drop on the chair in front of Frank. Jordan and Frank exchanged a look, trying to figure out how to ask, but Jodi spoke up first.

"You know how science says the human bodies need eight hours of sleep?"

"Yes?"

"You guys remember Akemi is three, right?"

"Yes...?"

They were not ready for her outburst and jumped in surprise along with other five classmates around them.

"This was the third day in a role that she woke up the whole house at FIVE. FREAKING. A.M.!"

Jordan recovered first, striking a pose and lowering his voice.

"Brethren! We ride at dawn!"

"Dawn!? It was FIVE! I don't think the sun itself wasn't up yet and she was already running up and down the house. My parents tried to put her to sleep later than usual but no, 5 am AGAIN. Does anyone know the dosage on sleep pills for toddlers?"

Before either of them could answer the teacher entered class and shushed all the conversations.

"Since we had a small... incident... last time, we're taking a surprise test now. Everyone, I want to see only pens on the table, phones off and inside your bags."

A collective groan could be heard from the class, but Frank was pretty sure the teacher was still glaring at Jordan from the moment he had said 'incident'.

***

Did we cover this in class?

I think so?

I don't remember it.

I think I remember something...?

So... yes?

Yes.

He marked the answer as 'yes' and kept reading 'If your answer was yes, explain'.

Oh.

Yeah... it's a no from me.

He erased it and marked 'no'.

***

He laid down on his bed and waited for the call to pick up. He couldn't help smiling when he heard the ragged breath on the other side.

"Hey, lǎo lao."

"Are you in jail?"

What!?

"No? Why would I be?"

"I thought you were calling me for bail money."

"No, of course not. I just called because I missed you."

"... Did you get some girl pregnant?"

He facepalmed, unsure if to groan or laugh.

"Grandma, no! I just missed you, I swear! I wanted to check on you."

"Don't worry, boy. When I die, they know they should call you."

Lǎo lao, please...

"Lǎo lao, I didn't call to check if you were dead; I missed you."

She kept silent for a couple of seconds and then came her suspicious voice. He knew that tone, it always made him feel on edge and the urge to confess about something he hadn't done.

"... Something doesn't add up. What did you do?"

"I missed you."

"And...?"

"I called you."

"And...?"

"And nothing. I swear I have no hidden intentions."

"... Facetime me, I need to check you aren't being held hostage."

"Facetime? Wait, you have Facebook?"

Why don't I have her on Facebook?

"Of course, I do. What do you think I do all day, watch hockey? Knit?"

"Then why did you never add me?"

"Because I saw your profile, and you're boring."

"Wow. Thanks, lǎo lao."

Wow. Just wow.

A/N: Yes, I just randomly decided Felix calls his grandma by the Mandarin word. If I grew up calling my Italian grandpa 'nonno' even without knowing any other Italian words, it makes sense. Should I have written it when he went to Canada? Yes, just add it to the list of 'things I wish I had thought of sooner'. Since I didn't see what exactly Frank understands (Cantonese? Mandarin? Some other dialect? What does 'chinese' means?), I just chose one. And since I didn't find ANYTHING headcanon about Frank's journey to the Wolf House (and barely any canon), you'll have to do with my limited creativity. You missed my acrobatics on math to calculate how long it would take from Vancouver to San Francisco with enough rest and speed to just add a train and magic warps. And yes, I think Frank and Percy trained at the same time. Between his mother's funeral and SoN, there are six weeks for Frank. But Percy was in the Wolf House for TWO MONTHS before meeting the gorgons ("his first night at the Wolf House—two months ago? More?"). They overlap, so my theory is the one you just read (there is also somewhere saying Frank came to camp a month after Jason disappeared, but this would put him in camp in January, not April-May as stated by Frank himself, "it had been only six weeks since he'd left his grandmother's house"). And based on Frank's shopping after Percy and Hazel almost drowned in mud (even before), I think he's the overly precautious type when it comes to "basics". I can't say much, I'm the mom friend for a lot of reasons, including packing extras of everything and a little bit more "just in case".