Summary: Love isn't embarrassing to him, but this infatuation makes him feel a little foolish.
He thinks that Percy's got it good. Annabeth searched for him for months and months, threatened gods and mortals alike, all to find her boyfriend.
Chris is pretty lucky, too. To have made a girl out of Clarisse is an amazing thing.
Then there's the new kid, Jason. His relationship with Piper is the worst kept secret romance since Aphrodite and Ares.
Will can't help but look at the luck of Camp Half-Blood and wonder how far that luck will extend.
Even Grover's got Juniper. And, though doomed, Beckendorf and Silena were the poster-couple for hope and life after the camp.
Will looks at his own cabin and feels he's at a loss.
Lee never had any luck—he died before he could experience life to the fullest. And Michael… He's been gone so long; Will only hopes that his half-brother is alive somewhere and not just an overlooked body in the remaining rubble of the war. Kayla, Austin, and the others…they'd prefer to perfect their music, archery, and healing.
Will wishes he could focus on all of that, but he can't. He just can't. Not when he's sure that Aphrodite (or at least her children) is up to her old tricks again.
But that's the concerning thing. If that were the case, then Will would expect the makeup and the flashiness and the frivolity.
Instead, his eyes always get dragged back to her, and not for her pink eyeliner.
For all that Aphrodite's daughters fool around with makeup, Will notices one thing about Drew: he likes seeing her nails bare, without polish, because they're just another, natural part of her.
Even Drew knows that jewelry and makeup are hindrances in battle, and Will likes it when he catches her right before and after things like Capture the Flag and the chariot races, because that's when she's at her most beautiful and honest.
And, and after those events, she tastes best then, too, because she's not hiding behind apple-flavored lip-gloss and spritzes of lemon-lime perfume. She's hard-earned sweat and glory and Drew, and while she might not be all warrior, she's not all princess, either—maybe she's his warrior princess.
Sometimes, when she rests her head in the crook of his neck when no one else is looking, he likes to believe that he stands a chance. He likes to believe that he's not just her rite of passage. He likes to think he's the first winner his cabin's had in a long time.
(Even if it's a lie and he dies of a broken heart, he likes to think that'd be all right, because at least he was happy with her for more than a moment.)
Dx In my previous Drewill drabble, "Blonde Ambition," I mention how fun it is to write fluff for these two…but, from Will's POV at least, they are great in angst, too… :O :') I think I just love writing them all around. And I also like all the canon couples mentioned. Wonder if Drew ever would remove her makeup and jewelry before a real battle… :L Oh, well—this was inspired by my idea that bare nails are best (says the girl who's done nothing but nail art for the past several months…) ;P
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave an anon/unsigned review via the FFN link or comment via the AO3 link at the top of the post, especially if you enjoyed this!
~mew
2019 note: OH, MAN. Just when I type up the 2019 A/N for "Blonde Ambition," I then come to edit this other 2012 Drewill and get punched in the face with angst. Gdi. Dx Little to edit here, but still! ;w;
Additional info: friendship, romance, 3rd person POV
Summary: Drew has one qualm with Annabeth, which Will thinks is ridiculous.
"Wonder what it's like, flying that ship to meet a bunch of Romans."
Will shrugged as Drew sat down to join him for dinner. "I bet the flying part's the nice part. The Romans…" He frowned, unusual for him. "Well, Jason's a nice guy, but all I can hope is that Percy's been okay over there."
"Even if he's not, everything will be fine. They've got Annabeth," she stated.
"I guess you're right…"
The two ate in silence for a while. Will was free to gaze at the bonfire, for he'd asked Kayla and Austin to prepare the sing-along that night. Drew? Well, Drew… She simply wanted someone to talk to, and she figured she might as well talk to someone with a brain (of which she felt sure there existed few people).
"Though I'm not sure what we're supposed to do, here. Maybe just sit on our hands until we get word?" Will asked, though Drew got the feeling that he wasn't looking for an answer.
She half-shrugged. "Would've been nicer if Annabeth had stayed. She's the best when it comes to planning."
"Yeah…" Will's blue eyes looked like midnight as he lost himself in his anxiety.
Drew hated seeing him look so helpless. "You know what drives me nuts about her?" the Aphrodite girl mused. "She's blonde, but she's got brains. It's so unfair."
The comment made Will chuckle, and he ate instead of continuing to push the food on his plate around with his fork. "You're actually jealous of that?"
Drew gently scoffed. "Oh, come on. Isn't it obvious?" She tugged on her own hair. "I'm not even blonde, darn it."
Will rolled his eyes and pushed her hand away from her locks. "That has nothing to do with anything, Drew."
"Yes, it does. The dumb blonde stereotype exists for a reason!"
He lifted one eyebrow. "And, what, only Annabeth breaks that mold?"
Drew turned crimson, and not thanks to the fire's light. "I, er…"
"Oh, Drew…" Will shook his head. "If you'd watch your mouth, you'd be totally fine as you are," he told her with an exasperated chuckle.
She didn't reply. However, as she sat singing that night right beside the son of Apollo and giving his words some thought, she knew she'd take his advice to heart. …and she wondered how much time Will had given this thought before.
Urgh. They are just cute together. Fluff comes naturally with them, I find. 0_0 I like her bickering about dumb blondes…well, Will isn't one. XD
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave an anon/unsigned review via the FFN link or comment via the AO3 link at the top of the post, especially if you enjoyed this!
~mew
2019 note: Little to edit for this 7yo fic. I'm just sitting here wondering if I ever wrote them doing more than just flirting. XD
Summary: There are many sides to Drew Tanaka. Unfortunately for her, Will Solace learns of one she wished had stayed hidden.
In the weeks following the war, it had been hard for any of the campers to relax much. Granted, Camp Half-Blood's star couple, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase (and, ew, some of the campers were starting to call them "Percabeth"), was more than fine. But more demigods were joining the camp every day. For Drew, the Aphrodite cabin was beginning to feel almost as crowded as the Hermes and Apollo cabins!
She felt lucky when she woke early one morning before her siblings. She'd gotten more than enough beauty sleep—not that she needed it!—and she knew this was a rare chance. Not only did everyone expect Aphrodite's kids not to be early risers, but most campers weren't up yet anyway.
Normally, Drew would spend forever on her outward appearance. But she knew luck was definitely with her as she sneakily grabbed her toiletries and some clean clothes and scampered off to the showers.
As she thought, no one was up. Drew looked around the camp as she approached the showers. Camp Half-Blood could be quite beautiful when it looked as deserted as it did now.
The thought made Drew sentimental. Seeing the empty landscape made her miss her dad. She knew she'd never live it down if her siblings found out that he was a plain, simple contractor for a Japan-based hotel chain. His love was a little reminiscent of Aphrodite's relationship with Hephaestus, though—luckily for Drew—Ryo Tanaka had had better luck with the love goddess. And, looking at the land, Drew thought of what her father would say—"This would make for a great hotel—just look at that skyline!"
One thing her parents had in common was how absorbed they could be in themselves and in their work and hobbies, but Drew knew they'd passed that on to her, too. Aphrodite also had passed on a bit of charmspeak. Drew's dad… Well, he'd passed on a love of cartoons on to his daughter.
Even as she stepped into the shower, Drew could hear the theme of one of the old anime she had watched growing up with her dad play in her head. The anime had been about a magical moon princess who protected the universe with her planetary pals, an idea that had fascinated little Drew. Years had passed since she'd seen it, but she could recall some of the words to the original Japanese theme very well:
"Gomen ne sunao ja nakute, yume no naka nara ieru…"
Yes, this had to be a perfect morning. Hogging the showers, singing in the showers, thinking about her favorite memories—little else could be done to make this even better.
"Shikou kairo wa shou-to sunzen, ima sugu aitai yo."
Hmm, well, maybe going for a walk later with no one around to bother her would be great.
"Nakitaku naru you na moonlight, denwa mo dekinai midnight—"
Drew rinsed her hair, feeling invigorated; that and remembering not only the lyrics but the tune of the theme song put her in the best of moods.
"Datte junjou doushiyou, haa-to wa mangekyou."
Any other time, she felt motivated to return to the cabin and order Mitchell and Lacy around. But why waste energy on them today when she could spoil herself and enjoy a little more personal time?
"Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare, nandomo…meguriau."
Drew paused singing, quickly dressed, and ran a brush through her hair. Gods, the sun hadn't been that high when she'd entered the showers. She'd have to get a move on, because the other demigods would be getting up very soon, if they weren't awake already. Though she didn't want to ruin her mood, Drew kept that thought in mind and at least dropped her voice in volume.
"Seiza no matataki kazoe, uranau koi no yukue, onaji kuni ni umareta no—"
The daughter of Aphrodite came to a halt on her way back and listened. She didn't hear anything except some birds in the distance. Her excitement grew, knowing she was alone, so she belted out the last lines:
To her horror, there was applause waiting for her as she rounded the entrance to head back to her cabin. The applause came from a sweaty, chuckling Will Solace.
Drew's face burned a thousand times hotter than his dad's sun ever would. She was sure of that.
Will's grin was blinding. He coughed to try to disguise another laugh but failed. "That was…enlightening."
She went into damage-control mode. "Don't you even think about breathing a word of this to anyone, Solace, or so help me—"
He held his hands up in mock-defeat. "Or what? It's a fact that you're better with a mirror than with a sword or bow, Drew."
"—I will bring my mother into this," she finished.
Why he didn't think much of her threat, Drew didn't know. But she really wished that he'd stop grinning at her like that. Besides, he was already distracting enough, being Will Solace, an already gorgeous guy. Then there was the added issue of his being sweaty and having his white t-shirt cling in all the right—er, wrong places.
"Why are you here, anyway?" Drew tried to regain her verbal footing. "Not peeking at the girls' showers, are you?"
He didn't miss a beat. "Nope. I got up early to pray to Dad and to practice my archery."
Drew rolled her eyes. She believed him; Will was one of those hardworking…ugh…do-gooders. "Well, I'll be on my way, then."
Will caught her arm, though. "No way. You really think I can let that anime theme slide?" His grin returned. Will definitely had been hanging out with the Stoll brothers too much.
"I threatened you!"
"So I heard. You know, you don't have a bad voice. What do the words mean, anyway?"
Drew glared at him, despite the rising heat of her cheeks. She really had the urge to tell him something else in Japanese, but, with her luck someone would appear and miraculously translate it. She tugged her arm free and stomped onward, Will dogging her heels.
"Oh, come on, Drew. I was paying you a compliment. I think it's cute that you're a bit of a geek. And it's nice to know that even you're not so vain that you wouldn't sing the Sailor Moon theme when caught up in the moment."
Abruptly, she stopped and faced him, her smirk as Drew as ever. "Will," she said so sweetly, she wondered if her mom would be proud, "…how did you know it was from Sailor Moon?"
Needless to say, Drew's inner geek was saved that day.
8D HA! Poor Will…he just can't win. XD I kind of like putting Drew in her place while at the same time bringing some dimension to her character—she's only awful because we don't know enough about her! Also, I really like the idea of her dad's relationship with Aphrodite being a bit like Heph's…another reason why Drew doesn't like that cabin very much, because she doesn't want to associate with them… Still, I could see Drew being a real daddy's girl. And it's a joke if you've ever read a manga or watched an anime, why her dad would be in the hotel business and Aphrodite find that attractive… XDDD Those are the Romanized words to the TV-length theme from Sailor Moon, "Moonlight Legend." I know I'm not alone in having grown up watching that, though perhaps Drew's actually a little young to remember it…STILL. Funny stuff. Had to write it. The title for this fic comes from that line Drew belted—"Mirakuru roman-su" is "Miracle romance." ;] And I was so tempted to have her swear in Japanese…the product of my being invested in anime and manga and Japanese culture for more than a decade… -w- Lyrics double-checked at AnimeLyrics, btw (go there for the translation, if you really wanna know what she sang). And, finally, that was a gentle tease at the Percabeth pairing name in the first paragraph. I don't hate them; I love them. Truth!
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave an anon/unsigned review via the FFN link or comment via the AO3 link at the top of the post, especially if you enjoyed this!
~mew
2019 note: XD Coming back to this 2012 fic to reread and possibly edit (not much changed, tho), I was worried bc I recalled the premise but thought this might reek a little too much of the ancient songfic. Surprise! It deffo isn't a songfic, *lol*. But considering the diverse casts Rick always creates, I do kinda wish he might explore the mortal parents' bkgds more and how the kids take that with them (if they often do). Hence, my headcanons for Drew and her dad~ That ending, tho. XD
Pairings/Characters: pre-Drew Tanaka/Will Solace, with cameos from Chiron & Butch
Rating: K
Words: ~560
Additional info: friendship, romance, 3rd person POV
Summary: A moment with Drew and Will, the only boy who could command her even in the least bit.
Chiron looked sadly at them, and his eyes darted to Annabeth. She was too upset to say anything, but Drew wondered if that was because she was devastated or ticked. Drew was willing to bet on ticked.
"Those who can spare time to search for Percy, your help is most appreciated," the centaur said. "Otherwise, we need the cabin counselors to step up to the plate. You are the oldest here, and it is your responsibility to look after the other campers."
"Of course," Will said from Drew's right. He gestured to the few others who'd made it to the meeting—Katie and Miranda, Butch, Connor and Travis, Clarisse, and Drew herself. "I'd say it's the least we could do."
Had someone else said that and included Drew, Drew would've gawked and said, "Speak for yourself." But she found it easy to go along with what Will and Annabeth said. On occasion, she'd listen to Clarisse, too, but that was more due to the fact that Clarisse scared her, not that Clarisse exactly commanded respect.
"I'll go tell the other cabin heads," Butch offered, and Drew was so done with the tension that she wanted to snicker at his helpful remark. Offering to deliver messages? All the son of Iris needed now was a rainbow trailing after him.
Chiron dismissed them, and good thing, too: the satyr Grover had just appeared, and, if there were one thing Drew couldn't stand, it was a satyr's nervous bleating. Though…she could understand. Everyone knew that Annabeth and Grover were the closest to Percy. Though she'd never admit it if asked, Drew was sympathetic to them. Just a bit.
Outside, Will gave the others a few orders. After, they dispersed, and Will seemed unsure what to do with himself. It seemed, Drew had noticed following the war (or maybe starting with the war), that Will was still unaccustomed to leadership. Drew couldn't blame him. When Annabeth and Percy were around, Will and Clarisse could follow instead of command, a task that came with a chariot-load of responsibility. And yet, though she loved bossing her cabin around and she would love to put some claim to her name by doing one measly quest, Drew wouldn't want to lead the other campers. Wanting all the attention was one thing. Working for it was totally different.
"What, no orders for me?" Drew asked, pulling herself from her thoughts.
Will glanced at her. "Not really. You're not a year-round camper, so you might as well choose one of your siblings to inform about the situation, since you can only make it every few weekends."
Drew opened her mouth to protest, but Will's blue eyes looked so tired. The part of her that was accustomed to turning on the charmspeak to finagle situations to her liking, however, was quiet, and Drew was fine with that. Oddly, Drew didn't feel the need or desire to charmspeak Will. Maybe it was because he was one of the few people she looked up to, Drew figured.
"What, no quibble?" he inquired, chuckling as she gave him a tiny glare.
"Not today," she muttered, and she tore her eyes from him as she blushed. Was her mother trying to tell her that real charmspeak on a guy took some effort…? Drew tried to dismiss the thought, but the idea that Will was cute crept in….
Cute! X3 Considering the camp just had bad news, not too bad. I do believe that, if we were allowed more time with Drew, then we'd discover that she's not all that bad. Sure, I have my problems with her, but problematic charries are the most interesting, you know! ;] And I'm now psyched to write my other Drewill ideas…they have a lot of potential! :DDD Note: We discover that Drew and Lacy aren't year-round campers because they appear in The Kane Chronicles at another school. Yup. *still needs to finish reading that series*
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave an anon/unsigned review via the FFN link or comment via the AO3 link at the top of the post, especially if you enjoyed this!
~mew
2019 note: *lol* Finish TKC…read the last HoO book…oh, boy. *sweats* Those details aside, I still like the idea/appeal of Drewill, and I understand why I churned out 4 Drewills back in 2012, this being one of them. I just—I need more with the minor charries…! On the bright side, not much to edit here, so that's a relief.
They were twelve, and young, and irrefutably dumb. She was, admittedly, out of his league at the time. So the fact that she, the Drew Tanaka, had dragged him, unclaimed Will Solace, into the closet at the party was more than a little surprising. "I like you."The Asian girl in front of him states blatantly. "A lot." All Will manages to do is nod in agreement, his words seeming to have flown far away from him. After a long pause tainted only by the sound of Will's shirt moving as he nodded, she spoke. "So…" "Can I kiss you?" The son of Apollo asks, cutting of the thought she may have wanted to finish. The blonde boy silently cursed himself. He had wanted to say something, but not that. The young girl sitting across from him nods, just as he had been doing moments before. Now they've begun moving closer and closer to one another, until Will can smell the scent of her watermelon lip gloss and see the light peaking through the cracks in the closet door to hit her pale face just right. Drew pauses and gathers up her midnight colored hair, flipping it all over one shoulder in a swift motion. Their lips are inches apart soon. One, Will thinks to himself, Two, Three. Now her smooth, pink lips are covered by his own. Even though he's only twelve, the boy swears he's never felt this alive.
