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It all happened during capture the flag, your cabin: Cabin 4 had been parred up with cabin 11. And somehow that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was the fact you were stuck in defense with Travis. Travis Stoll.
Out of every Hermes kid, it had to be that annoying dork. He would always walk by you with that massive pastel white grin on his face and ruffle up your hair. You could almost pull out every string of your hair when you were around him. He was simply the worst. Not to mention that stupid prank he pulled on your cabin, chocolate bunnies on the Demeter cabin. Urgh!
Currently he was swinging his sword around in a circle while whistling the tone: ‘Call Me Maybe’
The flag you were defending was up in some tall oak trees while you and Travis was on the ground. Connor (Travis little brother) had crawled up there to place the flag before leaving the two of you alone. You and Travis stood in awkward positions, your arms crossed as he kept whistling. The two of you probably waiting for the rival team to come beat your asses.
You knew you should have stayed back like your older half sibling Katie, yet you hadn’t. The urge of winning over someone in capture the flag was too high.
“Sooo, why are your arms crossed, pretty lady?” Travis said with a grin, you hadn’t even noticed he had stopped whistling until his voice pierced your ears. If melee was allowed, you would have punched him already.
“First of all, don’t call me pretty lady. Secondly, I can do what I want with my arms.” He didn’t seem to take your petty insults to heart, if anything that just made the guy smirk more.
“Rigghht, not exactly a fighting position though.”
This time you stared, like really stared at him. His tall posture, swinging of his sword and relaxed expression. You hated the fact he had some traits that was almost impossible to not call attention to. Elfy pointy ears, freckles, a thin waist. Stormy eyes and his stupid Adam’s apple. The very Adam’s apple that was poking out of his neck that made him more manly than boyish. Maybe you had been stuck with humans for too long, you could feel your need for harvest to grow again. Was this seriously how some people felt around… Other people? God heavens no.
“Says the guy who is swinging his sword around in a circle.”
The sword he was swinging moved straight towards the ground as he started to lean against it, holding it still. “Touché. Buuttt.” He dragged the last word as much as possible, his breath slowly coming out of his thin lips. “At least I’m enjoying myself. Unlike you.”
What was that supposed to mean? You thought bitterly. The inner side of your cheek started to hurt because you kept grating your teeth against the flesh. You didn’t wanna ask more questions or make any other comment. Knowing Travis that would be what he wanted.
Another brawl could be heard in the distance, there was a high chance that the Ares kids were trying to kick Percy Jackson down like always. That kid always had someone on his back. You couldn’t imagine what that would be like… At least that is what you would have said, yet a certain someone now leaning against your back.
“Have you ever heard of a lotus?”
The question was random, and answering felt like a trap. A very obvious and likely a trap. Perhaps the most common trap from a Hermes guy. So you couldn’t stop yourself from answering, it came way too naturally.
“Of course I know of a lotus.”
“Right, right…. So you also know how hard it is to like grow one? Like they need all of these special requirements.”
He had lost you there, lotuses were one of the most easiest plants to- well grow. All they needed was sunlight, water, soil and aquatic plant fertilizer. Your first thought was to correct him, but you found a better answer pretty quickly.
“Where is this going Travis?”
“Enough chit chat lovebirds.” That wasn’t Travis voice, hell it wasn’t even a male voice. It was deep, heavy and you knew exactly who it was. Clarisse La Rue.
Knowing she had passed the red team’s main fighters, probably meant that Clarisse’s boyfriend had betrayed his main team for his girlfriend. Classic and probably bad for you. Chris god dammit…
You took a stand with pride, holding your sword out at her. You didn’t have anything against Clarisse but your ego couldn’t handle losing both the lottery (Being the same team as Travis) and losing. You rather lose your pride and dignity than lose this.
“Where’s the flag?” Clarisse clarified clearly, holding her spear closer to herself as a warning. One hit with that spear and you were out.
“Nowhe-“
“Up in that tree.” Travis interrupted. “That big thick oak tree probably by the most north pointing branch.”
Seriously Travis?! Your head hurt by how fast your head twisted to stare at him in bewilderment. To make the situation worse, his expression was just nonexistent, nonchalant or giving NOTHING! He had just tattled your flag out like it was nothing, no fight at all happening.
You watched Clarisse and her group smile wickedly before pushing past the two of you. Immediately ready to climb the tree. Clarisse staying at the bottom to watch the both of you.
“Are you kidding me Travis?!” You were fuming, absolutely fuming. You wanted to punch that metal helmet right into his skull and watch his smile turn red.
“What? Either that or being kicked in the ass. Not exactly my jam.” He responded while putting his sword back into its place, his posture stiff enough to make him seem taller.
“Not your jam? Travis you-“
There it was, a small yell from the tippy top of the trees, from Clarisse’s group. Making you stop yelling at Travis and look in confusion: ‘The flag is not here!’
You saw it, clear as day. Travis nonchalant smile turning sinister. It went from a 50° degree angle to a 60° degree one in less than seconds.
“Travis!” Clarisse brawled behind the two of you, and you knew. Not only had Travis and Connor pulled a prank on Clarisse but also you, the flag wasn’t up there. Knowing the Stoll brothers it was probably in some different tree or hell not even in the nearest area.
Seconds later he grabs you by the arm and yanks you. Running and abnormal speed away from the Ares group, who was currently chasing you. He was laughing the whole way through too. “God you should have seen your face, absolutely priceless.”
Somehow he wasn’t out of breath from running, somehow he was still running at the same speed. And somehow… Somehow you were laughing too.
You didn’t know where the flag was, but finally you were getting some action. “Oh shut up weather boy.” You tried and I mean tried to not smile, you tried to grit your teeth as you spoke but it was almost impossible. Adrenaline was pumping in your veins, harder than the angry Clarrise who had completely forgotten about the flag.
Travis turned a hard left when you passed a funny looking bush, putting his palm over your mouth to keep you quiet. Clarisse and her crew ran past your hiding place not even noticing the two of you.
You two stayed like that for a while, your back against his stomach and his hand over your mouth. At least five minutes had passed before you got into your senses and moved away from him, your face twisting in anger. Not at him, but at yourself. You couldn’t believe it, you had fun. You had fun with Travis Stoll.
“Weather boy?" He stated, his eyes heavy on yours. "That's a new one." He tilted his head just slightly to the right. His smile still on his face.
Fireworks and screaming came from the other side of the arena, and you both knew that your team had won. You stood there in a bit of a shocked state, that was the first time your cabin while playing with the Hermes kids had won. Your throat felt dry almost as you punched Travis shoulder. “Let’s go! Haha.”
He let out a small ow as he laughed along you, rubbing his shoulder where you had punched him. “Could you hit any harder?” He asked not in annoyance but a more tender, teasing tone.
“Maybe, god this feels great.”
You had been jumping around, yelling in happiness and all that, so when you had turn around to face him your heart had stopped. He was staring at you weirdly, his hand that was from his shoulder had drifted towards his chest - specifically where his heart was - as he seemed almost life like. Not an annoying elf guy that you used to see him as, but a human.
“You have a great smile.”
“I have a great smile?” You questioned, your eyes focusing on the way he adjusted his hand on the armor chest plate.
“Yeah… Reminds me of a lotus in a weird way.”
There he goes again, speaking about that weird flower. Since when had he been so obsessed with lotuses? “Again with these lotuses.”
“Yeah again with these lotuses, Because they bloom even in the mud. And you… you smile like that. Like something beautiful growing out of something hard.”
What on earth had this guy smoked, because he was absolutely not himself anymore. Travis wasn’t someone who could give a decent compliment let alone a full poem about something as simple as a smile.
“Sorry, that sounded weird.” He shook his hands in the air, eyes closed as he frowned. “Look I’m gonna have to get this straight out or I will sound like a full on psychopathically insane idiot.” He turned to the side as you stood there dumbfounded.
“Right…?”
One deep breath felt like a thousand minutes of waiting.
“I like you, okay? I have liked you since god- since you came to camp.” You interrupted him immediately, with a loud WHAT?! As another firework exploded in the distance. He practically laughed into his fingertips that had shifted towards his lips.
“Why are you so surprised..? Connor had the idea to cover the Demeter cabin with chocolate bunnies so you would look at my way. Then there’s the whole lotus talk, that was the Aphrodite cabin recommendations to use.. Apparently flowers are a good pick up line, so I thought lotuses would work.”
Out of all flowers, he thought lotuses would work..? He kept on rambling after that, his hands moving with his lips as he awkwardly started to walk back and forth. The two of you had completely forgotten that the whole game was over. Knowing Chiron, he would have already sent a few campers out looking for the you.
His words had slowly started faded into white noise. Your eyes landed on the singular deep black curl hanging on his forehead, that singular curl made him look more of a comic superman instead of a lame elf. Specifically Henry Cavill Superman, just a bit more thin… And scrawny. A lot more scrawny.
“What do you think?” He said while crunching his curls with his hands.
Shit, your not listening had finally backfired and knockoff curly haired superman was waiting for a response. “What?”
“What do you think of me? My confession.” He awkwardly stated again. But the question wasn’t easy to answer because you never had even thought Travis in a romantic sense. Travis Stoll was someone you hated, absolutely despised. Love and affection was just not on the same line with Travis. Multiple dreams you had did include him, and how he would annoy you and the thought of him trying everything to get your attention, that was cute.
“I’ll think about it.” You whispered with a nod and even if it wasn’t an acceptance of his feelings, he still nodded with a classic smirk. “Thanks, I’ll wait.” A small tingle of warmth spread across your chest as a group of kids finally yelled ‘They are here!’
Travis Stoll might be the worst, giving him an extra chance might be the right?