Bones are a Girls Best Friend

“Tiara’s, shirts, and the best way to get funding. Bake sales! I uh, I got a really good cake recipe and I’ve made my own birthday cakes for years.” She said with a tiny smile on her face. “I’m pumped! Let’s do it!”

Adriana made a small mental note of the birthday cake part. She wasn’t the best baker,but surprise birthday cake was the best kind of birthday cake. “Bake sales! I can’t believe I forgot. Sweet things are the ultimate fundraising tool!”

“I know what you mean. Normally I’m allergic to cats but he doesn’t really aggravate my allergies.” She said as she kissed his head and pet him softly. “He’s my best friend. But uh, we should probably get you to your cabin now huh?”

“ah, yeah heading the cabin” He snapped out starting at the cat. “Is it this way?” He asked Maria pointing in a direction he thought it they were heading. Making eye contact with her ‘she is pretty cute and cool girl’ Demi thought to himself

“Maybe, but to be honest you’re more of a ghost then they are.” She said as she passed by him and grabbed the shovel that she hid in the bushes. “You look like…like you’ve got a face that looks a bit like plastic with that smile on it.” Maria said as she slowly dug a hole in the cold dirt.

“I don’t care. To me you’re a nice guy.” She said as she saw from the corner of her eye the bushes moving also. Dashing over to them and diving into it without hesitation, she grabbed her cat and pulled him out, along with leaves and branches stuck in her hair. “Ah-ha!! Got you Boogie!”

Demitiri saw Maria with the cat. He approached them and stared at the cat “Hey there little buddy, Maria has been looking all over for you” He said with a smile. A little bit of fur went up into his nose.  He took a step back and sneezed, “sorry I’m a little allergic to cats, though I love them, they make me sneeze” Talking to Maria this time.

“You’re stepping in my graveyard, the spirits don’t like that.” Maria usually felt when the life of a creature was taken away. It wasn’t a cold chill that many people would assume it, but rather a warmth that would crawl on her skin and be blown away by something like a spring breeze.  She would find the animal, wrap them in cloth, and bury them in a spot where they could get some sunlight. Normally she did this in the dark because less people, and today was no exception. Holding a tiny bird wrapped in yellow, she approached the stranger and sighed. “If you step on them too much, it’ll be bad luck for you.”

There had always been a lingering sense of detachment that weighed down every interaction that the boy had. It was this ever-deepening disconnection between himself and the world around him that made it difficult for him to feel the things he knew he should. He often felt as if he was an observer in his own life; he would say things he didn’t mean and do things he didn’t want to do. It was all an elaborate act to hide the darkness that lingered beneath. 

“Right, my bad, didn’t know this spot was occupied.” 

“Hey it’s okay, it’s not your fault she’s gone. But dead girls club? Count me the fuck in.” Maria said with a sly smile. “We can make t-shirts and look badass and if anyone thinks we’re creepy we’ve got each other’s back.”

Adriana grinned. “We’ll be co-presidents of the dead girls club. I could make us some tiaras or something to go with the shirts. Because imagine how badass we’d all look walking around in t-shirts and tiaras? No one would mess with us, and tiaras are great. We could have a side hustle selling crowns and stuff to people. The dead girls club would rule.”

“Oh definitely. Especially for us dead girls.” She said with a smile. “Like, my dad is obsessed with following your dad’s orders to the T. Didn’t even stop death for a second for my mom, but that may just be me being salty about that situation years ago.”

“We should start a dead girls club.” Adi said with a dark laugh. “ Talk about how much it can suck being daughters of the gods of the most dismal thing ever.” She gave the girl a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your mom. From what I’m gathering, my dad can be a bit of an asshole.”

There was something comforting about the shade of darkness that would envelop the world  when the sun set. Opal would never admit it out loud but for as long as he could remember he had always felt more at ease at night. Perhaps, there were a multitude of reasons for this but the boy liked to think it was simply because when the sun set it was the first time where he could think; where the loudness in his head would cease allowing him a moment of peace. 

From an outside perspective one would never guess that Opal dreaded the daytime hours purely on the basis of being expected to talk to those surrounding him but he did. However, he felt obligated to play pretend and plaster a fake smile on his face and he’d do this every morning. It got to be too much and sometimes he would crack, the pressure becoming to much causing him to snap. Most of the time he wished people would just leave him alone but in an environment like this, where there were tons of people, he couldn’t catch a break. 

Giggling a bit, she smiled at her friend. “Of course I’d help you get some new clothes. Nellie is a really lucky girl, hope your planning something nice for Valentines Day.” Maria said as she walked to her dresser, grabbing some dracmas and a wallet that held her inheritance that she received from her long gone grandmother. “When do we head out?”

Maria was…stunned. No one had ever been that nice or kind about who her father was before. In fact he saw death just like she did. Just being one big part of life. “Y-yeah…yeah your right. You know you’re a really nice guy Demitiri.” 

“not really” he spoke honestly “I just believe in all shit or not, and stick with them” Demitiri saw a set of bushes slightly to the side moving in a weird way. “Hey, I think there is something moving over here” he called out to Maria.

Maria hesitated. What if she freaked him out? What if he thought she was weird like every other cute guy did? Lying didn’t seem like a good option, so mind as well come clean. “Thanatos, god of death. Creepy, right? Some people don’t like being around me because I have the aura of…death.”

‘wow, that’s rude of people’ Demitiri thought “God of death, that not creepy at all” He responded to the girl. “Death is part of life, it’s not an amazing part but its still a part, but don’t let who your father is define you” He spoke, hoping that what he would said make her feel better as he could see that the girl lived in the shadow of her father. 

“We need creativity here.” She admitted with a tiny laugh. “You should seriously make those t-shirts though. I know for a fact, everyone in this camp would buy one because everyone’s parent kinda…sucks?”

Adriana snorted, her shoulders shaking as she laughed. “Turns out having your parents run the universe kind of blows, huh?” She gave Maria a thumbs up. “I’ll get on those shirts then. Might as well make some lucrative business venture out of the commiseration of a bunch of demi-gods.”

Smiling a tiny bit mischievously, she nodded and stood up with her hands on her hips. “Of course I can help you…but with this change of wardrobe… Is this because of that cute girl you took to the formal?” Maria knew it was true, but what was the harm of a tiny bit of teasing?

“It’s a child of Thanatos thing I think?” She said awkwardly. “A me thing is seeing how dead things die when I touch them. It’s why I’m a vegetarian. But thank you for the compliment. Normally people think I have the aura of death, so buttercups and sunshine is really nice of you to say! You uh, really look like a jewelry person? Not in a bad way at all, like someone who could design them and make them you know? Oh gods am I even making sense?”

“Please, if I went around pegging everyone for doom and gloom, this place would get really sad real quick. Besides, I don’t think there’s any rule that says people associated with death have to be dark or creepy.” Adi laughed, nodding. “No, you totally make sense. I got pegged for an artsy type a lot. it makes sense, I went to a performing arts school. Plus I worked in my mom’s salon when I was back home. So jewelry making makes sense, I guess. It’s creative.”

rubydixon:

Maria didn’t like leaving her bed, but ever since coming to camp it seemed like that’s all she was doing. Sitting up a bit, she stared at her friend who stood in the doorway and raised an eyebrow. “Breaking rules? I mean I don’t mind doing that but…you need my advice? Must be very important then.”

Ruby tried to casually shrug, “Maybe a little important…” she looked behind her into the living room. Even if there were no other Thanatos kids roaming around, she entered Maria’s room and carefully closed the door behind her. “Basically.. I want to go shopping. Which doesn’t sound important I know, but it’s.. much needed.” she rambled a little, walking over to Maria’s bed and standing next to it. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I just realized I just.. haven’t really updated my wardrobe in a while. And now I need to.” she said. She avoided talking about Nellie, she’d probably just end up gushing about her terribly big crush. That would just be embarrassing. “I just thought it might be.. fun or whatever. And you have a similar style, so you could help me.”

Sighing, she tried her best to relax. “It’s nice to meet you Demitiri. Yeah we should get going, just follow me okay?” Walking towards cabin 24, she tried not to make it quiet and awkward…. That’d be just weird. 

“So, cabin 24? Son of Nyx then right?” She asked as her eyes moved past every tree and bush.”

“Yeah, son of Nyx” He responded to the question. Looking carefully in each section to see if he can spot any movement. “And your parent?” He asked wanting to find out more about the girl.

“Pffft! Sorry killing isn’t exactly my thing. Raising the dead and playing with skeletons…that’s more me.” She explained with a smile. “Its uh, nice to meet another girl with an affinity with dead things. Usually anyone I talk to thinks it’s kinda, weird.”

“You can raise the dead?” Adi gaped, impressed. “That’s crazy. Is that normal for Thanatos kids, or is it just a you thing? “ she asked, sounding genuinely curious. “I don’t think it’s weird at all. Though, to be honest, if you told me I was the daughter of the god of sunshine and buttercups I would have believed you. Hades seemed… a bit off? But I guess it makes sense. Jewelry. An affinity for things that literally no one else uses or does anymore- dead things, for lack of a better term.”