Fate

Athena had been staring at the remains of the fire for half an hour solid. There was no essay to write for Dungworth, and as the best student in the class, Athena wouldn't have needed extra credit even if that option was there. Kramer had put a charm on the door that prohibited anyone from.' being able to hear through the door. It made it impossible to tell what was going on within its walls. Athena's pen and a half-written draft essay about the use of frog eyes in sleeping potions were set neatly on the desk in front of her, just in case anyone came to check on her.

She was almost asleep when the soft sound of bare feet brushed against one of the rugs startling her, causing her to jump as she turned around and saw Beckett Kramer looking at her with a puzzled expression. Athena waited for him to say something, but he never did. Instead, he flopped onto the squashy couch next to her with a dramatic sigh. Athena rolled her eyes at the attention-seeking display, smothering a smile as she did.

"What do you want, Kramer?" she asked, refusing to let herself stare at the strip of skin on his stomach that had been revealed when he had thrown his arms over his head, stretching as close to his full height as he could on the cramped couch.

"I wanted to see you," Beckett replied immediately. He frowned as if that was something he hadn't meant to tell her. Athena felt the color rising to her cheeks.

"Oh." She shifted awkwardly in her seat, looking to the doorway that led to the girl's dormitory. "What did you tell the others?"

"That I was coming to try to convince you to rejoin the game," he said, looking in her direction.

"And are you?" Athena freed herself from the uncomfortable wooden chair in favor of lying on the floor beside his couch.

"Nope," Becket replied simply.

"Oh."

"Your friend is a terrible kisser, you know," he informed her matter of factly. Athena started drawing the letter B in the air contemplatively before realizing what she was doing and stopping immediately.

"I'm, uh… sorry about that," Athena said. "I know you didn't have much of a choice. It would have hurt her feelings if you'd taken the shot as I did."

"Yeah," Beckett said softly. Athena was quiet for a while before she spoke again.

"I'm sorry about that, too. I know I probably embarrassed you." Beckett chuckled.

"Don't worry, Quinn. I'm a big boy. I can deal with a little rejection. And it's not the first time you've turned me down. Or the second, or third, or fiftieth…"

"Okay!" Athena cut him off, smiling stupidly. "I get it." Beckett fell into a thoughtful silence.

"Hey, Quinn?"

"Mhmm?"

"How long does Veritaserum take… to wear off?" Athena's veins lit up as though she had been electrocuted, and a tug in her chest forced her to answer.

"Eight hours. For the amount, we took, at least." Her blood fizzed,. and her stomach flipped at the prospect of being a part of a conversation with Beckett Kramer in which she physically couldn't lie.

"So… we still have to tell the truth?" he asked quietly, the tension in his voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Yep," she answered shortly.

"So I can ask you anything right now… and you have to answer honestly?" he questioned again.

"That is the general idea of a truth serum, Beckett." He fell quiet again for a minute, an amused chuckle finally breaking the silence.

"Beckett," he said in wonder. Athena winced at the realization that she had called him by his first name. "You hadn't called me that since… when was the last time you called me Beckett?"

"The third year," Athena whispered, horrified at her slip-up.

"The third year," he repeated disbelievingly.

"Okay… Athena." Her name sounded foreign awkward… oddly sexy when he said it. He struggled around the world as he had just discovered it, the E in her name somehow sounding entirely new, like it had been hiding for years, and he had found it.

"If we really can't lie… then tell me why you refused to kiss me when Tucker dared you to." The same tug in her chest built-in pressure until she was forced to release the words.

"Because of Jessika," Athena said. Beckett's eyebrows knit together, and Athena had to stop herself from grabbing her wand and attempting to modify his memory.

"What? Jessika wasn't… what does she have to do with anything?" Genuine, annoyed confusion laced his voice, and Athena found the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"She likes you." Becketts' eyes widened for a second before the fact of it seemed to sink in, and he shrugged carelessly. 'Mmm, that does explain a bit. So she's the reason you refuse to admit your desperate, longing lust for me."

"Sure, Kramer. Whatever you say." Athena grinned. Beckett was still again, the room so quiet, Athena could practically hear his thoughts clicking together in his brain.

"Would…" Beckett began, picking his words with careful precision. "Would you have… y'know, wanted to… kiss me? If she wasn't in the picture?" The tug in Athena's chest started up again, numbed by the fact that she felt like she had been struck by lightning. This stuttering, shy, nervous Beckett… she had never encountered him before. A half-second glance confirmed that blush had formed on his high cheekbones. She couldn't answer... She had already told him too much, and she had barely admitted to herself that part of her wished that she wasn't friends with Jessika.

"Um." Athena fought the pull in her chest for another second before giving in.

"Yes. I think I would have." She caught the fleeting grin that took over his entire face as she looked up at him for a second.

"Okay," Beckett breathed shakily, trying and failing to disguise his nervousness. He cleared his throat, sounding a bit bolder when he was able to collect himself.

"So what's stopping you right now? There's no one around, after all."

"Because," said Athena diplomatically. "She is still my friend. And it doesn't matter if there's anyone here. It'd be a terrible thing for me to do, whether she knew about it or not." Beckett huffed in annoyance.

"Do you want to kiss me right now?" Athena almost laughed, rolling her eyes at the stupid question.

"Obviously." Beckett moved in half a second, and suddenly he was hovering over her, a look in his eyes that was uncertain and confident at the same time. His glasses slipped down the bridge of his nose awkwardly, but he somehow made it look… hot. His smirk made it seem as if he had planned it.

"Um…" she tried to form words, but nothing came out except a breathy, almost giggle. Beckett grinned, lowering himself the tiniest bit closer to her. She fidgeted a little but made no move to stop him.

"Athena," he whispered, as though he needed to make sure it was real. Make sure she was real. There was the sound of the dormitory door opening, and it may as well have been a gunshot, the way it startled them. Beckett shot back onto the couch, hissing a stream of profanities that only continued after settling into his original spot. Athena was a breathless puddle on the floor, her nerves jolting and her skin on fire. You didn't do anything wrong, she reminded herself, sitting up as Carson came into the common room. Beckett continued to mutter profanities into one of the cushions on the couch. Carson's eyes widened, and she giggled, turning expectantly to Athena.

"Uh, did you break him?" she laughed as Beckett groaned in annoyance.

"Think so," Athena, watching the muscles in Beckett's back move under an unreasonably tight shirt. Carson was looking at her with a knowing smile when she finally tore her eyes away.

"Um, what did I miss?" asked Athena. Carson sat down on the floor next to her, watching Beckett punch the couch with vague amusement.

"Not much. Jeezy and Isaac are particularly couple-ly and I kissed Tucker... Several times." Carson smiled shyly. "Oh, and Jess kissed Jason."

"What?!" Beckett sat up, all thoughts of his tantrum gone.

"Yeah…" Carson looked at him in confusion.

"Just after you left." Becketts' mouth fell into an annoyed grimace, and he glared at the red tassel on the cushion he was holding.

"Why do you care?" she asked curiously.

"Because he likes her. And it would have meant something to him." Beckett replied immediately, slapping a hand over his mouth in shock when he realized what he had done. Carson opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out for a full thirty seconds. Beckett stared at her, horrified at what he had told her. Athena was sure that even Tucker didn't know about Jason's crush on Jessika. If he did, she would have found out about it a lot sooner.

"I… um. Oh, crap." Carson googles delightedly. "That's wow."

"You can't tell anyone," Athena reminded her seriously. Carson looked at her, puzzled.

"Of course I won't tell anyone," she chirped, shrugging. "It's not my secret to tell. Anyway, Thena, you of all people know how good I am at not mentioning… stuff like that." Carson pursed her lips as if to keep herself from smiling at Becketts' befuddled expression. Athena flamed red, muttering under her breath, and avoided her eyes. Beckett watched her in confusion.

"What are you guys t-"

"Anyway," Carson quickly interrupted him. "The game is wrapping up and everyone's tired, and it's been an exciting day." Athena braved a glance at Beckett. He had an irritated, dissatisfied look on his face, like the last thing that he wanted was to end the night where it was. Athena couldn't help but feel the same.

"Okay. I'll be there in a minute; I just need to pack up my stuff," Athena nodded towards the desk that was still cluttered with her things. Carson said nothing in reply, simply raising an eyebrow with the beginning of a smirk showing on the corners of her mouth. She left the common room, making exaggerated kissy faces at Athena as she went. Athena scowled at the back of her friend as she walked through the doorway that led to their dorm room.

"Erm… Quinn?" Beckett said tentatively. "I-"

"Don't." Athena got to her feet, refusing to look him in the eye as she started to pack up her things. She tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment as she realized that he hadn't called her 'Athena.'

"Why n-"

"Just don't." Athena spat.

"But-"

"I said don't!" Athena whirled around to look at him angrily. Beckett stared at her in shock. Athena could just barely see herself reflected in his glasses, her eyes were burning dangerously and her posture the definition of defensive. Every bit of tension fell out of her at sight, and she watched, helpless, as Becketts' eyes dropped apologetically.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. He glanced up at her again, looking at her like a kicked puppy. Athena sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"I just... I can't. I can't do that to her. She's my friend." Beckett nodded somberly, looking uncharacteristically timid as he unfolded his gangly body from the couch.

"Alright, Quinn," he said softly. "If that's what you want." Athena swallowed hard, forcing herself not to reply. She simply nodded determinedly, bitterness slipping through her veins like venom. Beckett looked at her sadly once more before turning to his dormitory, knowing that his friends wouldn't be far behind. Athena pursed her lips, crushing them together with enough force that they turned purple. She watched Beckett slink out of the common room, forbidding herself from calling him back.

She didn't sleep that night.

He didn't sleep that night.