Work Text:
Katie liked the ocean at night. It made a soothing sound that tended to drown out her thoughts. It had been a long week and Katie had been waiting days to slip away from her hovering but well-meaning friends and just sit by herself at the beach. She’d found this particular spot last winter and it had quickly turned into her favorite place to be alone. Alone time was not easily found at Camp Half-Blood, though Katie would find herself with more alone time now with Violet being gone.
Three days ago, Katie had woken up to find both Violet and her things long gone. It wasn’t really a surprise, since people had been leaving to follow Luke every day, but Katie never would have imagined Violet would be one of them. Her bed hadn’t disappeared yet, but Katie realized how big the Demeter Cabin could really feel. She had never noticed that you could hear the dripping facet from the bathroom, Violet's snoring used to drown it out and it was still weird to be awoken to the alarm clock Travis had mysteriously put by her bed yesterday. She also just missed her big sister, no one had ever been as quick to defend her as Violet had been and no one comforted her in the same way.
All her friends tried to stay with her as much as they could, even staying in with her in Cabin 4 until right before curfew and secretly Katie was thankful for the no sleepover rule for the first time. Lou Ellen seemed to always have to go to the bathroom at the same time as her, Annabeth had made sure the Athena cabin was in the same circulations for activities, and the Stoll’s had been leaving her random objects that were actually somewhat helpful, but none of them were Violet. Katie would probably never see her again, let alone talk to her, and it felt wrong to admit she missed her. Violet had betrayed camp, betrayed the gods, and abandoned her, but she was still her sister. So basically, this was the worst week of Katie's life.
Katie had only been wallowing in her thoughts for about 20 minutes when she heard footsteps coming down the path towards her. She heard him before she saw him.
“Hey there, Katie-Kat!” Travis said, annoyingly cheerfully. “Heard you gave Lou Ellen the slip, she’s basically started a camp-wide search."
“What do you want Travis?” Katie sighed “How'd you even find me?”
“Who said I wanted anything, what if I’m just helping my dear cabin mate find her best friend?” He was standing to her left now, his arms crossed “And as your greatest nuisance, your biggest competition, and your dearest friend-“
“You are not my dearest friend,” Katie cut him of rolling her eyes.
“- I make it my business to know your whereabouts at all times, even when those times are when you’re upset.” He continued like she hadn't said anything.
“You’re a stalker.” Katie said, shaking her head “And since when have you ever helped Lou Ellen with anything.”
“Since never.” Travis said, then continued hesitantly “Maybe I just wanted to see if you were okay?”
“That does tend to be everyone’s concern lately.” Katie said, curling her legs against her chest. “I’m fine, just been a little claustrophobic.”
"You don’t have to be fine.” Travis said in a tone Katie had never heard from him before. “She’s still your sister.”
Katie buried her face in her hands, “I don’t want to talk about this with you Travis. Please just leave me alone.”
“Why?” Travis asked, still standing next to the log she was sitting on “Because I wouldn’t know what it feels like?”
Katie looked at him, her jaw dropping slightly as she met his eyes. He looked sadder than she’d ever seen him, not a single hint of smirky smile on his face. Of course Travis would get it, it had all started with Luke, his brother. She didn’t know what to say, he has it way worse than she does.
“I heard this was a pretty good place to go when you’re upset, mind if I sit?” He asked.
Katie looked away from him, staring at the water. Then only paused for a moment before scooting over so he would have room to sit. He sat down quietly, leaving about a foot between them.
“She left a letter.” Katie spoke softly “I woke up late just to find her gone, and just a letter.”
"Can I ask what it said?” Travis responded.
“That she was sorry, and she’d miss me, but she had to do what felt best for her. She also said I should get it the most because I still haven’t met my mom.” Katie gave a light scoff “She betrayed everything and her bed’s not even gone yet.”
"At least she said some sort of goodbye.” Travis said, playing with a twig he’s found buried in the sand, “He didn't say anything. He was just gone after what he did to Percy.”
“Do you miss him?” Katie asked, looking up at him. He was quiet for a minute, staring out to the water. Admitting to missing Luke was not something anyone at camp did. But camp felt smaller without him, even Katie could admit that. Winter was especially different without him around.
“I don’t like saying I do, but yeah.” Travis was whispering now too. “I wasn’t just a big brother with him around. I had someone to look after me, instead of me just looking after Connor. But now we have to protect the little’s from Luke so...”
“I miss Violet.” Katie whispered back, “Everyone’s so mad at her, and they should be. I should be. But I just wish I could talk to her. Then I feel bad because at least she just…followed.” She felt more guilty saying that then she’d ever felt in her life.
Travis gave a small laugh, but there was no joy in it. “For what it’s worth, I think you have it worse either way.”
“No, and I shouldn’t have said that.” Katie said.
“It’s fine. Cause it's true.” Travis ran his hand through his hair, “I’m fine, I mean it sucks but it’s been almost 2 years. And you do have it worse, I have Connor and Chris and technically Lou Ellen and the rest of my siblings. You just had Violet.”
“Allison should be back in June, I’m not by myself.” She shook her head.
"Yeah but you can't stand Allison.” Travis laughed, for real this time.
“I know.” Katie laughed too, for the first time all week. “She’s so judgey, and Ivy was worse. She always took your side.”
“Ivy took my side?” He angled his body toward her, surprise showing all over his face “She hated me. Wasn’t afraid to tell me either.”
“She thought I was antagonizing you.” Katie complained.
“You were antagonizing me.” Travis insisted “My shelves are still green.”
“You deserved it and you know it.” Katie said, poking his arm. “And you deserved your leaf shoes.”
“Ahhh shoeless summer.” Travis shook his head “It took Chiron 2 months to find us new shoes.”
“You would think he would’ve found our barefootedness more important for how much trouble we got in.” Katie remembered, they’d landed their cabins in the last two shower slots for an entire summer and ended up doing stable duty together for even longer than that. That was the first time they’d really acted like real friends.
“Stable duty in flip-flops is probably the lowest point in my life.”
“Yeah that was gross.” Katie said.
"I’m just still hoping that it was mud on our feet.” Travis replied.
“It wasn’t.” Katie shook her head, her voice sounded more normal than it had all week. They both laughed. Stepping in horse poop was definitely not that funny, but it was silly enough to wipe the previous sadness from the air.
Travis seemed to pick up on this. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah I think so.” She sighed “Thank you.”
“Anytime, KG.” Travis said, standing up. “I’ll go tell Lou Ellen you’re fine and I won’t tell anyone where you are.”
“You know, you’re not so bad to talk too.” Katie said. “When you're not being a dipshit egomaniac.”
“I try my best.” He said, patting her head. She swatted away his hand.
"Thanks, Stoll.”
“You’re very welcome.” He took a few steps towards camp “ See ya, later Katie. Don’t think too hard.”
“That’s not as easy to do as it sounds,” Katie smiled “Unlike you, thinking just comes naturally to me.”
“Yeah yeah.” Travis laughed, starting to head down the path.
Katie stared after him, listening to his steps until she couldn't hear him. She really did feel better, and it had been all him. A small smile grew on her face as a warm feeling spread through her chest. She had really enjoyed talking to him, he had known exactly what she needed to hear. She hadn’t even realized he knew her so well. Maybe he was really her friend, even when he was being a nuisance, no one else could make her laugh like he did. No, Travis Stoll wasn’t really all that bad at all.
She sat there for another 20 minutes, and she was thinking too hard, but it wasn’t about Violet, or Luke, or the war. Maybe this week wasn’t all bad.