PeaceMaker

Justin was excited. One of his sisters he had watched at the last rehearsal before this, who hadn't gotten all of her skills down path. That was Annabeth. She was still making petty mistakes. One that had to do with mental strain rather than physical when her hand would stop and hover over the string that she was supposed to be playing at that moment.

Her playing was smooth and sweet when she did though. It flowed like a steady river and was as sweet as ice cream eaten by the side of the river on a Sunday afternoon. It was the best feeling ever. It was just like the playing of the actual owner of the instrument, long healthy notes, and quick short ones. A skillful hand at playing whatever it is given.

He wasn't sure how she was going to do though as the last time he saw her, she was struggling with a few of her pieces and it wasn't even the one that she was going to play. He didn't know what she was actually going to play just like how he didn't know what his sisters were going to dance back then and still doesn't know till now. 

It was an exciting feeling. Almost like you're running straight into a task you've always wanted to do but without a plan. Exciting and completely terrifying. 

He knew the pressure she was probably under at this very moment. The pressure of being the last Crowly sister to perform. There was this expectation, this certain way she was expected to sound, to look, to behave and he knew for a fact that she hated expectations. Her favorite thing to do is to break them.

It was one of the reasons why the design of her look was so daring and bold. It was that calling to aspire to be more than expected. To look over the expectations and build a look that she wants not one that others wish for her and execute it so well that it became something that the others wished to see and didn't even know of until the moment she put it on. 

She wanted to see how much of a change, how many ripples in the steady stream she could cause. From the way she was already heading, ripples were riddled all over the steady flow in the room. She was making waves. 

A smile spread on Justin's face as he looked down on her. He wasn't one to be proud of his siblings. Neither was he one to cheer them on but now he felt like jumping up and saying, 'GO ANNABETH!' he had always wanted to be like her afterall. A strong, stubborn figure from his life that stood by what she pleased and could not be easily swayed by the opinions of others. She was his role model. 

Justin looked around at the people that sat with him. They were just as dumbfounded as he had wanted them to be. No... they were more than he wanted to be because Annabeth was more than he had seen coming. 

She came and came through with a look that no woman in the room had tried except for the queen-to-be herself. She looked like she ruled over the palace. A princess bowing them before the king on her way to become empress. 

'Such fierce makeup�� such perfect expressions... Such… beauty,' Justin thought to himself. As a little chuckle bounced off his lips. 'That's my sister.'

"A goddess," Antonio muttered, his eyes completely glued to Annabeth as she bowed before the king. He was beyond impressed. He was marveled, being sucked into her beauty willingly. 

Justin stared at him with surprised eyes. The way he was unconsciously leaning in towards Annabeth, he looked so caught up in her presence. Her every movement was beautiful. From her hair to her outfit to her absolutely gorgeous face, there was nothing about her at that exact moment that wasn't ravishing, that wasn't elegant, that wasn't stunning. 'She was… perfect' Antonio thought to himself. 'So perfect… it doesn't make sense, it isn't fair.'

Antonio kept on staring at her with his body being completely unguarded and eyes transfixed on even the way her dress flowed when she moved. 

He didn't know when this all started. When he'd want to look at her, to see her face, to hold her small hands again. 

He hadn't come there specifically to find a wife but rather to get closer with the king and his sons. He wanted to be a trusted partner with the king. To build a personal bond that went past his family name. He had been completely set on his purpose from the moment he stepped into the room. Where did he start losing sight of that? The moment when he saw them behind Justin? Was it the moment he saw the masks over their faces and the manner in which their eyes were kept down at all times?

He started being curious from there. But he wasn't interested in her then, he was interested in all of them. The reason why they had their heads down at all times, why they avoided other's eyes, how they would look and sound like. 

Now he knew all of that but yet his interest in one of them hadn't died down. Maybe it was because of the way she carried herself. Like she was a queen who could only be brought down by no one but herself. It was nice to watch someone who carried herself in such a manner. 

She had also had her cute sides that he was completely brainwashed with. Her reaction to Adria had been the cutest thing he had ever laid his eyes on. How her eyes sparkled and her eyebrow raised happily at her name. It was absolutely cute. And then she had the sides of her that had him falling directly on his knees for her. When she danced. Her long hair bouncing as she moved and her dress flowing along with her movement. She was so captivating at that moment.

Where did this all start? Was it where their eyes met? Was it where he yelled at her? Or when they hurried through the crowded room hand in hand? He couldn't tell but he wanted to know, he wanted to let her know himself and keep her at his side. He was whipped. 

"She looks beautiful doesn't she?" Justin asked.

"Captivating, devilishly alluring, bewhic-" Antonio paused, a blush crossing across his face. 

"Caught you," Justin chuckled, his eyes brightening at his reaction. It was cute.

Antonio placed his face in his hand and let out a long sigh. "Sigh… was it that obvious?"

"You make it obvious, spewing out all of the things that run through your mind when you see her," Justin chuckled. 

"Saying things that are in my mind?" Antonio asked, his head cocking to the side. "I don't do that. None of the thoughts that go on in my head can be said aloud."

Justin froze, slightly off-put by Antonio but at the same time, even more intrigued. "Really now… what kind of thoughts are those?" 

"You know," Antonio grinned turning to Justin. 

Justin raised his eyebrow in curiosity. 'So that's how dirty your mind is, isn't it… for you to think that way of my sister… I will never forgive you…' Justin thought to himself as he turned back to Annabeth who was walking towards the harp, a chair being carried by Doe and placed behind the harp for her to sit on. 

"Thoughts about how beautiful she is and how she managed to trap me in her presence," Antonio muttered. Justin blushed. 

"Gee…" Justin muttered, his cheeks flushing from Antonio's words, "how whipped are you…"

"Beyond survival," Antonio chuckled nervously. 

Justin rolled his eyes again, his cheeks still flushed. To be able to be so free about something like that… to just be able to say it as he saw it was just so… interesting. It was a wow moment for him. 

Antonio smiled, "Bad isn't it?" he asked.

"Hmm," Justin nodded, "not a lot though. I doubt she'd even notice, she's incredibly dense in those kinds of things."

Antonio smiled, looking down at Annabeth. "Is she now?"

"Hmm," Justin nodded. 'I was lying,' Justin thought to himself. He was testing out some hypotheses of his own.

"So she can tell easily," Antonio muttered, looking up at Justin.

Justin flinched from Antonio's comment but gave a quiet nod. 'Huh… so he can tell if I'm lying or not?' It was an eerie feeling that filled the air for a moment.

Slowly, Antonio turned to face Justin, a smile on his face. He cocked his head to the side and tightly shut his eyes. 

"Sorry about that, but," Antonio began his eyes opening to lock eyes with Justin, "could you please never say anything that is untrue in front of me?" Antonio asked with a pleasant smile.. "I hate lies."