PeaceMaker

Antonio's eyes had been following her movements throughout the entire talk with the royals and was nodding his head to every single question she was asked. There was seriously something wrong with him. He couldn't look away, he couldn't stop smiling, he couldn't even reply to one of the sixty times that Justin had patted his shoulder or heard more than bloops of words in his thorough explanation of his sister. 

Justin turned to look at Antonio, not even the slightest bit surprised that he was reacting the way that he was. He couldn't say he didn't see it coming. It just hit differently when he saw it in his face, eye to eye, face to face. He was acting so different, so transfixed on one thing when he could literally have anything in his sights as long as he tried his hardest. 

It was a bit confusing too. To watch someone be so intrigued in a sister that he feared with his might and soul. It made him consider who he was taking as his friend and if they had a stable mental state. 

It was so confusing that he wasn't even sure that Antonio would turn around and start running for the hills if Aurora revealed her true self to him. It seemed like common sense for Antonio to immediately discontinue his interest in Annabeth and even their family. He was likely to even outcast them from the other nobles. Yet by the way, he was looking at Aurora, the way his eyes were tearing down at her, not missing a single movement of hers, he was starting to think he was crazy enough to stay by her side.

Justin thought about it for a moment. There was never really a chance for him to have thought that way or looked at something with that kind of gaze. He looked at Alice in the same way but didn't necessarily NEED her like Antonio's eyes seemed to be hinting towards. Afterall, nobody else would be able to have her anyway. She was his and his only and lived in his house and his house only. Like his favorite pair of shoes, she had only known him and only been used by him. 

She was pure, she was beautiful in his eyes. 

Justin smiled, a look of satisfaction flashing on his face. A few moments passed until he turned to look at Antonio again. "Why do you like her?"

"Because she's beautiful," Antonio immediately replied. 

Justin stared at him for a moment, slightly offended that this was the question he chose to answer to and offended that that was the answer that Antonio chose to give. 

Antonio flinched and turned to Justin, a blush spread across his face. "Sorry about that, I was a bit too drawn into her that I didn't really think about it thoroughly before answering."

Justin rolled his eyes. "It's ok, I got the answer I needed and under seconds," he huffed disappointedly. 

Antonio immediately started waving his hands to signal a bit no to Justin. "Nonono! Please give me another chance to answer the question," Antonio begged. 

Justin looked at him for a moment before nodding his head reluctantly. "Sure."

Antonio grinned and stared at Justin happily for a moment before clearing his throat. He turned back to Annabeth and the tension on his shoulders released.

"The obvious surface truth to anyone would be because she is pretty," Antonio muttered honestly to which Justin made another disapproving huff. Before he could continue to tell Antonio to stop, Antonio continued his explanation. "But to be honest, that's not the only reason why I like her. I'm sure I mentioned the points before this, but they're only a fraction as to why I like her."

Justin stopped for a moment, allowing Antonio to continue his argument. "She's beautiful, can dance, can play an instrument… no, she can play multiple instruments, and is a very quick learner and honestly is such a talent-filled amazing gorgeous woman. Those are all factors of which I like her, but there seems to be something more in her… something that no one else seems to be able to see from the outside. Something that only she knows from the inside."

Justin flinched when he heard what Antonio said. He nearly jumped when Antonio turned to him and locked eyes with him. "I'm sure you do too. I can see it in your eyes, there's something in there that only you know too…. I'm even sure that every single one of your siblings has eyes just like these," Antonio muttered, "Eyes that seem to always be hiding something and having words that are so perfectly crafted that they get the job done in one strike."

Antonio leaned into Justin for a moment. "I'm sure that whatever Annabeth is hiding, you all know and whatever you are hiding, the rest of your family knows. I want to have eyes like those too… no more specifically, I want to understand her eyes"

Antonio leaned away from Justin and Justin shuddered in slight fear, his eyes looking up to Antonio's impure confusion. 'What the fuck is with that kind of explanation?" Justin thought to himself. 'And why the fuck can he see through our eyes? What is he, a mind reader looking to expand his knowledge? And what are we, stepping stones for him to achieve that?"

Antonio turned to Justin immediately when he realized what it sounded like to him. "I'm not doing this for personal reasons… well except for the reason that I want to be with your sister, there isn't any other gain, really. I know I sound kinda crazy but there's something about her eyes that I just want to know what made them like that, what gave them that depth, what made them look so intelligent and bright and at the same time so dim?" 

Justin stared at Antonio as he explained. He looked like he was dreaming, thinking of something as he explained, imagining a picture in his head as he spoke.

"I want to know what she's thinking, I want her to know what I'm thinking at all times. I want to understand her, I want to know her. I…" Antonio turned to Justin, locking eyes with him. His eyes glowed with confidence, determination, and a little flame that looked like it was ready to burn a forest down for cutting him with one of its sticks. " I want to be the only one to know her. The only one by her side and the only one to see her and for her to see."

Justin shivered. It was both from being moved immensely and also from being utterly scared beyond wits. Antonio's eyes were telling him that he would do anything to be by his sister's side. He could go through every single one of her competitions and put everything down for her.

Justin felt a puff of relief leave his lungs when Antonio turned away from him. "Gee, are you going to fly too if she asks you to?" he muttered under his breath.

"I'll find a way," Antonio replied, to which Justin flinched. 

'His hearing is beyond gold,' Justin thought to himself, 'taking note now.'

"I'm sure it's hard to take in at once," Antonio muttered with a shy smile. Justin looked away from him briefly, a thought crossing his mind, 'so you do know that you sound ridiculous.'

Antonio turned to face Justin, confidence brimming in his eyes. "But I assure you that I am not going anywhere after I look into your sister's eyes."

"You can barely look away even when she isn't looking your way… I have no problems believing that you'd be unable to leave her side. My only concern is for my eyes," Justin muttered, a slight blush on his face from Antonio's answers. 

Antonio turned to Justin, seemingly alarmed. "Oh NO! I don't mean to somehow make you conscious when you look at me, I just mean-"

"I mean why you guys become what you wish to become. I'm scared for my eyes then, I don't think I'll be able to see anymore after looking at you guy's shining rays of cuteness and the bright, obvious stares you'd be giving her," Justin shuddered, "pure horror."

Antonio chuckled, his eyes turning to Annabeth as she talked to the royals. "I'll try to tone it down-"

"Yea you better," Justin huffed.

"-but doubt it'll work," Antonio snickered to which Justin rolled his eyes, a bright smile slipping onto his face. 

"You're so lovesick, it hurts to watch," Justin shivered. 

He stared at Antonio for a moment and then broke into laughter together. His head turned to watch Annabeth at a speed that was slower than Antonio's and he wasn't even the slightest bit surprised. If he had to be honest with himself, he wanted to see the dynamic. He wanted to see Annabeth would react to his presence and how he would to her's and even though it might ruin his eyesight, he wanted to see them smile brightly, together. That way he could see her smile, a genuine smile. 

Annabeth stood up from her seat and gave the king a big bow. Then turned to the crowd and gave a big bow to everyone in the audience. First to the side with the parents and the government officials and nobles, then turned to the side with the offsprings from the nobles family and took a lighter bow. Her eyes looked up and she locked eyes with someone for the slightest moment. 

She didn't know how, but her eyes had drawn there, almost like it had been becoming to her, for her to look, for her to stare at it. She met the eyes of her beacon and then stood up and turned around to leave. She recognized the figure. 

Antonio clutched his heart tightly, his heart racing from that little moment's interaction. His heart pounded hard and quick, in complete astonishment and he broke into a bright grin. He couldn't wait for the event that came next. Interaction with other nobles.. He couldn't wait to see her.