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Connor thought the door to the Aphrodite cabin was pretty. It was a white door, with a brass knocker and pink stained glass at the top in a semi-circle.
Connor has been standing outside of Cabin 10 for ten minutes, not because he was captured by the door’s beauty but probably because he was terrified.
He didn't like being terrified, and he wasn't usually. Usually feeling terrified was reserved for monsters or Chris’s girlfriend Clarisse.
But this was different. This was so, so, so different. You can kill monsters — and Clarisse but he doesn't think Chris would appreciate that — what you can’t do is kill feelings or lack thereof.
But you can talk about it, his brain helpfully said. Which he thought was the exact kind of thinking he’d make fun of in a little kids’ tv show. He didn't like talking about his feelings. That made them too real. And even if he did talk about it with someone else, he couldn’t face them and their pity. He was a head counselor too; he didn't need pity.
Unfortunately, he did have to face someone’s pity ( or disgust , his brain helpfully added) this time.
He took a deep breath and finally grabbed the door knocker. The metal was cold in his hands.
He flinched, the sound of brass hitting wood was way louder than it should have been. He wanted to turn back already, maybe he could run away now and pretend he was playing ding dong ditch?
But his feet were rooted to the ground when the door opened.
Drew Tanaka scowled at him from the doorway. Her black hair was in curlers, and she had half drawn eyeliner on one of her eyes. She must’ve been getting ready for something before Connor interrupted her. Which hopefully meant she’d just slam the door in his face, and he could pretend this entire thing never happened.
“What do you want, Stoll?” Drew snarled. ( Oh, great she’s angry. This was a horrible idea)
“Umm...” Connor’s mouth felt dry. Maybe he could run away? His feet were rooted to the ground. She should just slam the door in his face.
Drew rolled her eyes. He wondered if she’d do that when he tells her. “ Spit it out, Stoll! I don’t have all day!
“Uhh, I need to talk to you about something...” he sighed, “... personal ”
Drew's expression changed and Connor’s brain screamed run .
“Personal how?” Drew sighed, “It’s not to ask me out, is it? Cause I got a girlfrien—”
“Am I broken?” He blurted out before clamping his hands over his mouth.
He didn't mean to. He didn't want to say it. Saying it made it real. Oh gods.
Drew looked genuinely caught off guard. She looked at him for what was probably a second but felt like a minute and her expression changed again; it was.... softer? He didn’t even know Drew Tanaka could be soft.
“Broken?” Drew said. She bit her lip before she opened the door wider, “Come inside.”
Connor hesitated. Drew raised an eyebrow; he expected her to snap at him, tell him to hurry up, but she didn't. Instead, she just held the door open.
And against his ‘ better’ judgement he went inside.
The Aphrodite cabin was nicer than its door. It was a pale pink and white, with lots of posters of celebrities on the walls. It smelt heavily of perfume — the nice kind of flowery perfume you’d smell at funeral homes. Every bunk had different colored curtains and chests with names on them at the end of them.
Probably filled with expensive things to steal , he thought. Though he tried to push it away, stealing from Drew was probably not a good idea.
“Everyone out!” Drew yelled and all the Aphrodite kids left without protest. Connor tried to slip out with the crowd. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t . All of his courage was shot out the window from just those two words.
Drew grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the door, “Nuh uh. Not you.” she led him to her bunk, “Sit.”
Against his better judgment, he obeyed. There truly was no way out of this . He should be ready to deal with his entire life going down the drain.
“ Okay, so spill it, Stoll.” Drew said, crossing her arms, “ why do you think your broken?”
Connor squirmed under her gaze. All of the bad thoughts came up at once:
This was it . Drew’s probably gonna laugh at you. Then she’ll tell everyone about how broken you are. How pathetic you really are .
Tears pricked the corner of his eyes. He really couldn’t do it .
But he had to.
Connor gulped back the tears threatening to fall. He couldn’t cry, he just had to say some words and deal with the fallout.
“I —I don’t like...” His face burned and he cringed at hearing his voice crack, “don’t like —you know— stuff.”
Drew blinked, “You mean sex?” She didn't look disgusted or angry. Hell, she didn’t even look surprised. The corner of her mouth quirked up and—
oh no, oh no oh no oh no, no no no no no no no no no no! She’s about to laugh! He knew this was going to happen! He never should have done this!
Drew burst out laughing and something in Connor’s stomach curled, and his felt his eyes getting wet...and also maybe a few flowers in the cabin died — It’s an underworld Hermes kid thing, because he can’t just be a freak in one way.
Drew was either a mind reader or he was just really easy to read because she instantly stopped laughing.
“Sorry — You're not a freak, Connor . It’s just...” She made a face, “ Thats it? Your worried about something as little as that? Your just ace, it’s not a big deal”.
She bent down on her knees to his eye level. He could barely see her through his tears. He didn't mean to cry in front of her — he didn't mean to be such a baby.
She looked uncomfortable, “Hey, Connor . I’m not very good with this comfort stuff, but you know it's fine, right?” She frowned, her nose scrunching up, “ Right ?” she repeated.
She picked up a corner of her blanket and tried to wipe the tears from his eyes. He appreciated the gesture; he just didn't have the heart to tell her false nails were scratching his cheek through the fabric.
“But— but .” He grabbed the blanket, he didn't mean to , he just needed something to hold on to, Drew didn't seem to mind though. He whimpered, “I don’t know...Everyone else talks about sex and all that stuff but I don't want that—I don’t like all that stuff? Am I? —”
“Don’t you dare say broken again, Stoll” Drew interrupted.
Connor sniffled, a faint smile forming on his face, “complete and utterly damaged?”
Drew sniggered before going back to her usual annoyed face, though he felt like it wasn’t because of the ‘ no sex ’ thing. "No, Con. You're not broken, you're not a perv, or a prude or anything else weird old people say. You just don’t feel sexual attraction, you’re Asexual. That’s fine.”
He wiped his nose on the blanket. ( okay, Drew’s lip curled at that one) “ What about the love gods? Like your mom, or Eros?” He asked.
Drew scoffed as if she’s heard that one before and maybe she has . If there was a name for it, then maybe he wasn't alone. “My mother is the goddess of love . Not just sexual love, all of it. And as for Eros, he’s the god of sexual love. If anything, it’s just less work for him.”
“What about all those myths about your mom punishing people for” He struggled with the words, “... being like me ?”
Drew rolled her eyes, “Those myths are over exaggerated, and it wasn’t for being ace, it was for scorning love itself . That’s completely different. Your fine, Con”.
Connor sniffled. She said it with such conviction he believed her. Maybe everything will be okay .
She said it was fine , she said you are fine . You are okay . His brain rang, repeating the words over and over again and for once, he agreed with his brain.
Drew smiled at him as if reading his mind again (or maybe he really was just easy to read), standing up, “There you go! And hey! At least you can joke about having an ace up your sleeve!”
Connor giggled.
It was okay . Everything is and will be okay , his brain repeated .
Drew turned around to fix her makeup in a mirror, but she was still looking at him through the glass.
“Plus, it's kinda hubris to think the gods care sooo much about little old you!” She called back, drawing on her other eyeliner, “What? Do you think the gods are all tuning into the Connor Show?” She laughed and the eyeliner pen shook in her hands, “I'm sure your life is a hit on Olympus”.
Connor laughed, it felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Seriously, why was he so concerned about it? It felt silly now that he was thinking about it.
Drew turned around and put her hands on her hips. “And if anyone gives you shit about it, tell me! And me and Nyssa will deal with it .”
He believed her, Nyssa was a Hephaestus kid and he’s seen what Drew can do during capture the flag.
Drew glanced at a clock on a wall before pulling him up off the bed and pushing him in the direction of the door. “Right, there's my good deed for the day. Now shoo, I have a date in half an hour and I gotta get ready for my hot girlfriend!”
Connor nodded, walking outside the cabin and into the night. Drew was definitely going on his personal do not steal from list for this, “Thanks.” He said.
“No problem” Drew replied before shutting the door, leaving Connor to walk back to cabin 11 feeling slightly lighter.
-------------
Drew sighed contently and walked back to her mirror, pulling out her curlers. A bed with the curtains drawn made a noise behind her.
She rolled her eyes and ignored it. She was more concerned about her curls. Her hair looked good not great.
The bed made another noise.
Drew rolled her eyes again, “You know, Piper, you're not very good at pretending to be a piece of furniture.”
The bed sighed and the curtains pulled back. It was Piper, looking half asleep and with a very bad case of bedhead, Drew knew she was there the entire time. Charmspeak doesn't work on other charmspeakers.
Piper sat up rubbing her eyes, “when did you get so...” She made a face, as if saying it would kill her,” .... Nice, Drew ?”
Drew scoffed, “You sound surprised.” She looked at Piper through the mirror, “How much did you hear?” She asked.
“All of it. and I am.”
As Drew took the last curler out of her hair, she turned to face Piper.
“I’m not as bad as you think I am, Piper; anyone can talk to me about their sexuality, even you ”.
End