* 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒚.

⠀    ❝      i’ll   hold   your   hand   if   you’re   sad.       ❞  ⠀    

𝚆𝙸𝙶𝙶𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶   𝙷𝙸𝚂   𝙾𝚄𝚃𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙳   𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁𝚂   𝙾𝙽   𝚃𝙷𝙴   𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳   in   question   ,   a   pleading   stare   was   short   to   follow   with   his   puffy   ,   red   -   rubbed   eyes.

                 ─────     𝑆𝑇𝑌𝐺𝐼𝐴𝑁  𝐼𝑅𝑂𝑁  𝑇𝑊𝐼𝑅𝐿𝑆  𝐴𝑅𝑂𝑈𝑁𝐷  𝐴  nimble  finger  that  wields  a  material  so  dark  with  the  same  joyful  fondness  of  a  child  playing  with  their  favorite  toy  ,  salem’s  beaming  smile  offers  a  stark  contrast  to  a  blade  that  hungers  for  souls  to  reap  and  to  the  shadows  that  seem  to  cling  to  their  frame  .  ❝  today’s  such  a  nice  day  ,  don’t  you  think  ?  sun’s  shining  ,  no  one’s  gotten  burned  by  the  lava  on  the  climbing  wall  so  far  ,  and  one  of  the  satyrs  was  playing  highway  to  hell  on  his  reed  pipes  and  killing  it  .  ❞  she  finds  it  easy  to  relax  for  a  second  ,  leaning  against  a  tree  and  taking  a  sip  from  their  juice  box  .  ❝  i’ll  miss  these  guys  when  they  die  .  not  everyone  can  play  ac/dc  like  that  .  ❞  an  easy  shrug  ,  and  the  child  of  hades  throws  their  knife  at  the  ground  in  one  quick  motion  ,  letting  stygian  iron  sink  into  grass  and  waiting  for  a  ring  to  appear  once  more  around  their  index  finger  later  ───  for  now  ,  they  turn  back  to  the  other  with  a  bright  and  easy  smile  ,  as  if  they  have  not  fallen  into  their  habit  of  weaving  impending  mortality  into  casual  conversation  .  ❝  anyways  ,  what  are  you  up  to  ?  ooh  ,  wanna  go  canoeing  ?  ❞

𝙷𝙴   𝙳𝙾𝙴𝚂𝙽'𝚃   𝚁𝙴𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁   𝚆𝙷𝙴𝙽   𝚂𝚄𝙲𝙷   𝙲𝙰𝚂𝚄𝙰𝙻   𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂   of   death   had   turned   from   the   feelings   of   discomfort   to   something   that   brought   a   fond   grin   to   his   face.   it   had   started   somewhere   in   between   going   from   strangers   rolling   across   the   gravel   (   salem   very   much   riding   smoothly   across   on   her   board   as   kit   ate   rocks   )   ,   to   a   tiny   straw   pocking   his   lips   ,   his   eyes   lighting   up   in   delight   at   the   taste   ,   to   eventually   finding   hiro   already   there   in   her   arms   any   time   he'd   gone   searching.   somewhere   between   the   first   day   they'd   ever   met   to   now   ,   his   endearment   ever   growing   for   all   the   eccentricities   that   made   salem   ...   salem.   

           ❪ ⠀   * ⠀ ─         rainier   watches,      entertainment   would   be   written   on   his   features   if   hubris   hasn’t   completely   taken   over.   he   makes   no   move   to   help   kit,   remaining   in   his   spot   while   he   balances   himself   upright       –       rainier   chews   gently   on   another   strawberry   as   he   apologizes,   he   raises   his   free   hand   to   wave   him   off      (    it’s   alright,   for   now   –   tripping   people   is   half   of   his   fun   anyway    ).

  ⠀    ❝         nuts   and   bolts,   huh?   so   busy   with   nuts   and   bolts   that   you   don’t   even   have   time   to   notice   ME,         ❞   ⠀      a   characteristic   ‘tsk’   from   his   lips.   ⠀      ❝         that   shit   hurts,   kit,   it   wounds.         ❞   

           yet,   a   trace   of   a   smile   is   written   upon   his   lips.   rainier   eases   into   the   conversation   without   so   much   as   an   eye   roll,   though   he   definitely   doesn’t   agree   with   whatever   the   other   spews   about   love   –   and   being   led   astray.   war   isn’t   inevitably   about   love,   all   respect   to   aphrodite   and   her   son,   but   rainier   doesn’t   think   love   has   much   place   in   the   world   at   all.

  ⠀    ❝         aw,   you’re   a   sweet   one,   aren’t   you?         ❞   ⠀      his   lips   spread   for   half   a   second.   ⠀      ❝         if   i   say   i’m   being   led   astray,   do   you   agree   to   remind   me   how   much   you   love   me?         ❞   ⠀    

𝙸𝚃   𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈   𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂   𝚃𝙷𝙴   𝙵𝙴𝚆   𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂   𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼   𝚁𝙰𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙴𝚁   ━━   just   the   simple   possibility   of   his   attention   ,   and   like   moths   to   a   flame   ,   he's   completely   enamoured.   with   his   missing   piece   of   machinary   all   but   forgotten   ,   he's   all   eyes   for   the   other   ;   a   huff   of   laughter   full   of   teeth   and   sincerity   his   only   defence.   there's   another   apology   at   the   ready   on   his   lips   ,   in   the   language   of   his   slumping   shoulders   and   a   hand   rubbing   sheepishly   at   the   back   of   his   neck.   (   and   if   it   weren't   for   having   met   the   children   of   aphrodite   himself   ,   he   would   swear   the   swelling   in   his   chest   was   something   of   her   own   making   ,   rainier   another   of   her   own   creations   to   cause   such   devotion   in   his   heart   ).

　　　❛　　　𝙽𝙾   ━━   𝙽𝙾   𝚆𝙰𝚈   ,   it's   nothing   like   that   !!   if   anyone   has   trouble   noticing   you   ,   it's   probably   a   them   problem.　　　❜　　　there   was   a   notion   there   of   stopping   to   give   it   some   thought   ,   only   to   be   followed   up   by   a   vigorous   nod   of   his   head.　　　❛　　　yeah   ,   definitely   a   them   problem.　　　❜　　　the   them   being   him   was   the   obvious   statement   that   went   unsaid   ,   an   embarrassment   he'd   rather   save   himself   than   say   out   loud.   

   𝚈𝙴𝚃   𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴   𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂   ,   𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁   𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂   ,   𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙴   𝙼𝙴𝙰𝙽𝚃   𝚃𝙾   𝙱𝙴   𝚂𝙰𝙸𝙳.   they   had   to   be   said   ,   when   they   were   meant   to   be   heard.   as   laughable   as   it   might've   been   ,   to   question   the   son   of   zeus   being   led   astray   ,   as   if   rainier   ,   who   he   knew   to   be   the   best   of   them   all   ,   would   ever   give   such   way   to   betrayal.   impossible   wasn't   a   word   enough   to   define   such   possibility   ━━   impossibility   ,   really.

           his  hair  is  a  riotous  mess  .  and  lily  means  that  in  the  nicest  way  possible  .  ever  since  she’s  seen  kit  during  her  latest  return  to  camp  ,  she’s  itched  to  get  her  hands  on  a  pair  of  scissors  .  she’s  finally  managed  to  corner  him  -  the  hephaestus  cabin  empty  except  for  the  pair  of  them  .  she’s  already  mapping  how  she’s  going  to  cut  his  hair  -  gestures  to  the  chair  before  her  .  ❝  you  haven’t  cut  it  since  i  left  ,  have  you  ?  ❞  she’s  disappointed  but  not  surprised  -  and  still  more  flattered  than  she  ought  to  be  that  he  trusts  her  to  do  this  .  ❝  my  apartment  is  only  a  short  bus  ride  away  ,   you  know  .  you  don’t  have  to  rock  the  tarzan  look  all  the  time  .  ❞

𝙸𝚃   𝚆𝙰𝚂   𝙰   𝙲𝚁𝙾𝚂𝚂   𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽   𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃   𝙰𝙽𝙳   𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚂   that   held   him   from   reaching   out   first.   emphasized   by   the   sheepishness   to   his   body   language   ,   spoken   of   through   the   slump   of   his   shoulders   and   the   fingers   wrung   together   between   his   legs.   a   nervousness   that   he   attempted   to   hide   in   the   grimace   of   his   smile   ,   the   slight   tap   -   tap   of   his   feet   ━━   and   yet   ,   a   trust   that   went   far   deeper.   proven   simply   by   his   insistence   of   sitting   before   her   ,   head   ever   so   slightly   bowed   forward   as   he   glanced   through   his   too   -   long   bangs   at   the   salon   kit   next   to   them.   

           ❪ ⠀   * ⠀ ─         he    lounges    𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, ⠀   ⠀   ⠀ lips   are   stained   cherry   red   from   the   strawberries   stolen   from   the   fields.      rainier’s   conveniently   in   the   way,   dark   eyes   hidden   behind   gold   rimmed   glasses   as   life   just   passes   him   by;   demigods   go   to   training,   they   prepare   for   a   war   that’s   creeping   up   on   them,   they   whisper   their   final   memories   to   each   other ⠀    – ⠀    they   don’t   know   who’ll   still   be   around   at   the   end   of   the   year,   and   it   𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐘   entertains   him.   ⠀      ❝         wanna   make   a   bet?         ❞   ⠀      he   sticks   a   long   leg   out,   stopping   whoever’s   about   to   pass   him.   ⠀      ❝         who   else   is   a   traitor   among   us?   because,   my   money’s   on   the   cute   little   camper   from   jersey.         ❞   ⠀

𝙸𝚃'𝚂   𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷   𝙰   𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙻𝙴𝙳   𝚈𝙴𝙻𝙿   𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃   𝙺𝙸𝚃   𝙶𝙾𝙴𝚂   𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽   ━━   a   mess   of   long   legs   tripping   over   one   another   and   pinwheeling   arms   as   he   flailed   to   catch   his   balance   ;   the   engine   parts   that   were   the   cause   of   his   distraction   having   gone   flying.   then   again   ,   better   the   wires   than   his   own   body   pancaked   to   the   floor.   with   a   sheepish   grin   ,   the   abology   on   his   lips   came   accompanied   with   a   dusting   of   pink   across   his   cheeks.   

　　　❛　　　𝚁𝙰𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙴𝚁   ,   i'm   so   sorry   ,   dude.   is   your   leg   okay   ??   my   head's   all   full   of   nuts   and   bolts   today   ,   i   didn't   even   see   you   there.　　　❜　

𝙽𝙾𝚃   𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃   𝙷𝙴   𝚆𝙰𝚂𝙽'𝚃   𝙸𝙽𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙻𝚈   𝚃𝙷𝙴   most   noticeable   person   once   he   stepped   into   a   room.   how   bad   were   his   hyperfixations   today   that   he   didn't   even   notice   rainier   ??   but   as   far   as   his   happiness   went   from   seeing   the   other   ,   the   dampening   in   his   mood   couldn't   go   ignored   at   the   mention   of   ...   of   the   traitors.

° ⋄✦ ༄ ⊰ ♥   HEART  shaped  lollipop  poked  indiscreetly  out  of  the  denim  skirt   pocket /     the   knack  of  this  kid  to  constantly  obtain  sweets  that  weren’t  sold  on  camp …   the  secrets  only  the  hermes’  kids  could  tell you.  deep  brown  doe  eyes,  framed  by  heavy  painted  lashes,  catching  a  gaze–  before  quickly  glancing  down  to  todays’  “contraband” loot  and  then  once  more,  in a pleading stare,  locking  eyes.

     “  shhhhhhhh ! “   index  finger  placed  to  cherry  lips,   before  any  other  words  could  be  exchanged.   “  i   have  spares  if   you  don’t  say  anything,   or  if  you’re  looking  for  something  else …    “  a   slight  of  hand,   blink and you’ll miss it afair,  one  stray  cherry  lollipop  replaced  with  a   chocolate  bar, and a stick of gum,  before  disappearing  under  pleated  folds. “there’s way more where that came from!” words   floated  over  on  the   lightest   of  laughs– as  delivered by boreas himself;  a  carefree  attitude  so  betraying  of  inner  demons.

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴   𝚆𝙰𝚂   𝙰   𝚆𝙰𝚁   𝙸𝙽   𝙷𝙸𝚂   𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳   𝚆𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴   𝙷𝙸𝚂   𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃   𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳   𝙱𝙴   ;   two   -   faced   in   its   presence   as   he   struggled   on   whether   to   fight   or   to   fold.   all   the   while   ,   it   had   become   familiar   enough   to   have   made   itself   at   home   within   his   thoughts   ,   the   past   year   having   shone   a   light   upon   certain   truths   that   should've   stayed   hidden.   maybe   then   ,   what   was   once   the   largest   of   grins   ,   so   honest   in   its   adorations   ,   wouldn't   have   shrunk   to   the   hesitant   grimace   that   now   sat   upon   his   features   ━━   a   mere   mockery   of   what   once   was   as   he   stood   to   face   her.

—　𝒉𝒅𝒄𝒏𝒏　◞　𝟎𝟎𝟏

before  lily  ,  kit’s  wardrobe  consisted  entirely  of  two  pairs  of  patchwork  balloon  pants  ,  a  pair  of  stained  overalls  ,  and  denim  shorts  he  had  cut  himself  out  of  old  ,  hand  me  down  jeans  that  were  too  short  for  his  legs.  by  way  of  tops  ,  he  mostly  made  do  with  t  -  shirts  with  too  -  stretched  collars  ,  and  his  trusty  fur  lined  denim  jacket.  needless  to  say  ,  lily  brought  a  definite  improvement  to  his  liife.

—　𝒉𝒅𝒄𝒏𝒏　◞　𝟎𝟎𝟐　

has  a  playlist  made  up  of  songs  that  he  would  want  playing  in  the  background  while  he  confesses  his  love  for  her<3  it’s  titled  𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔  𝒇𝒐𝒓  𝒂  𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓  💐  and  honourable  mentions  include  :  what  makes  you  beautiful  by  one  direction  ,  fallin’  all  in  you  by  shawn  mendes  ,  and  teenage  dream  by  katy  perry.  it’s  also  no  coincidence  that  all  these  songs  can  be  found  on  a  teenagers  playlist<333  she  just  happens  to  give  him  butterflies  like  one  !!

—　𝒉𝒅𝒄𝒏𝒏　◞　𝟎𝟎𝟑　

he  10/10  cracks  jokes  about  being  her  dream  man  ,  but  more  than  anything  it  comes  from  a  place  of  knowing  he  could  never  actually  be  someone  that  amazing  ━━  or  lucky  ,  even.  he  doesn’t  amount  to  much  at  the  end  of  the  day  ,  and  lily  deserves  nothing  but  the  best  ,  in  his  eyes.

—　𝒉𝒅𝒄𝒏𝒏　◞　𝟎𝟎𝟒　

lily  is  one  of  the  few  people  on  earth  that  kit  would  trust  with  cutting  /  trimming  his  hair  !!  he  has  some  bad  memories  surrounding  an  incident  as  a  child  ,  and  after  losing  a  chunk  of  his  ear  ,  he’s  very  cautious  with  people  holding  scissors  up  near  his  head.  it’s  why  his  hair  was  past  shoulder  length  when  he  first  arrived  ,  and  why  lily  had  given  him  his  first  haircut  in  years.  even  now  ,  he’d  rather  wait  for  when  she  has  time  to  spare  than  leave  it  to  anyone  else.

—　𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍　◞　how does your muse show affection?

gods  ,  how  does  he  NOT  show  affection  would  be  the  easier  question  to  answer.  being  raised  in  such  a  tight  -  knit  ,  familial  community  during  his  youth  ,  kit  has  never  shied  away  from  any  sort  of  physical  affection.  from  an  arm  around  the  shoulder  ,  to  intertwining  hands  when  standing  side  by  side.  he’s  all  about  gentle  reminders  of  his  presence  ,  a  constant  touch  to  ground  not  only  those  around  him  ,  but  himself  to  them.   on  top  of  that  ,  he’s  all  for  words  of  affirmation  ,  and  checking  in  with  his  loved  ones  on  a  regular  basis  !  other  forms  include  inventing  new  creations  tailored  to  the  receiver  ,  spending  quality  time  with  others  ,  and  making  sure  his  attention  is  wholeheartedly  theirs  when  they’re  together  !!

—　𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍　◞　would your muse ask the big question or expect their partner to?

while  kit  would  probably  lose  his  goddam  MIND  if  someone  popped  the  question  to  him  ,  because  holy  shit  ━━  someone  loves  him  enough  for  that  ??  he  would  also  have  a  blast  during  the  process  of  planning  something  so  special  for  someone  even  special  -  er  <33 

—　𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄　𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄　◞　does your muse believe in true love?

YES  !!!  kit  wholeheartedly  believes  in  the  notion  of  true  love  ,  though  it  ties  more  -  so  to  the  idea  of  a  platonic  love.  after  all  ,  he’s  of  the  mindset  that  romantic  love  can  only  stem  from  being  founded  upon  a  strong  friendship  first.

—　⅋         the         𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆         of         the         𝖌𝖔𝖉𝖘         [         ...         ]         is         a         𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆         that         comes         by         𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄.

    　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　𝕜𝕚𝕥      𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕜　　,　　𝙰𝚂   𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚈𝚁𝙴𝙳   𝙱𝚈   𝙱𝙴𝙴.