Aesthetic Moodboards // “Sun” by Sleeping at Last

And waited.

And waited.

At times, it felt like Colton was Rapunzel waiting in her tower; though he had gone on a couple trips to visit his family, these usually didn’t last long before he found himself back again within the borders of camp and wanting to see more of the world outside of it.

When Colton had brought the matter to Chiron’s attention, the centaur had mentioned that perhaps Apollo’s lack of response was not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t – which naturally made Colton more curious than ever before. What parent couldn’t answer their own child’s call? Or prayers or offerings?

“Oh. I thought you were… I thought you’d want to stay a little longer than that…”

Colton’s voice trails off some, fingers going from the strawberries to linger at the threads of the blanket, as if hesitant to say much more before continuing on at his usual rapid pace.

Eleusine's enroute to becoming a certified knowledge witch. It'll take a while. But maybe - just maybe - after she's done with that, provided her people were still here, too, she could come back?

Something to think about.

"Never met him but I've heard his name go around. He's a good person." And that's enough. For now, at least.

She watches as Colton picks strawberry after strawberry, bites, chews and swallows. Elle chuckles, then. "I think so, buddy. Then again, Kates is cool. I used to eat more strawberries than I picked all the time too."

But then...

"Lux always got me out of it. I was - and still am - really lucky that way. He's doing all right, by the way. We're motivating each other not to quit."

Colton tries to not sound too sad, too upset, not wanting to come across as a pouting child but he has missed Eleusine. She was always kind to him, even if Miranda and Katie from Demeter’s cabin had differing opinions; Colton had seen and experienced Eleusine’s kindness firsthand, and he appreciated it.

Eyes widening a fraction, as if unable to believe it, Colton asks in a slightly hushed voice, “They’d do that? They can’t do that! Not after you’ve traveled so far and done so much!”

Colton has heard about Pollux in passing, much in the way that he supposed that Eleusine has heard about Danny. Colton has heard that he’s soft spoken at times but kind, good with both plant and animal life, and maybe, if Colton saw him correctly, he sometimes looked just a little bit sad too. At least there were times that Colton thought he looked sad; because although Colton struggled with some academic work, he made up for it in reading and carefully observing people.

Colton wondered if it was like the sadness he sometimes saw in Danny’s emerald green eyes or if it had a different story behind it.

“What’s he studying again? ‘Cause I think you told me but I don’t really remember. Something with…animals? I dunno if that’s right but I thought I heard something about that.”

Froy Gutierrez as Jamie Henson

[ REDWOOD ] sender lashes out at receiver when it isn't their fault.

[ WILLOW ] sender embraces receiver in a moment of extreme distress.

[ PINE ] sender fervently resists receiver's attempts to comfort / care for them.

[ BIRCH ] sender finally ends a tense argument by reaching out to apologize.

[ POPLAR ] sender mentors receiver through learning a new skill.

[ PALM ] sender and receiver avoid / ignore the stresses of real life together.

[ ELM ] sender lends receiver aid in a time of urgent need.

[ MAGNOLIA ] sender, believed to be dead, arrives at receiver's door.

[ DOGWOOD ] sender gifts receiver a token of good luck / protection.

[ MULBERRY ] sender and receiver take a long walk through nature together.

[ HAZELNUT ] sender begrudgingly patches up receiver's wounds.

[ CAMPHOR ] sender suddenly pushes receiver out of danger's path.

[ CASHEW ] when they're finally alone, sender invites receiver to dance.

[ LAVENDER ] sender lays their head in receiver's lap and closes their eyes.

[ BEECH ] it comes to light that sender has betrayed receiver.

[ HIBISCUS ] sender invites receiver to go traveling with them.

[ HICKORY ] sender pushes receiver to admit that they need them.

[ MAPLE ] sender shakes receiver's shoulders, begging them to wake up.

[ CHERRY BLOSSOM ] sender revels in receiver's beauty, stunned.

[ JOSHUA ] sender offers receiver a safe place to hide / crash .

[ ASH ] sender and receiver become reacquainted after many years.

[ FIG ] sender, knowing receiver is hungry, pressures them to eat.

[ YEW ] sender beckons for receiver to join them in the water.

[ CYPRESS ] sender shamelessly flirts with receiver.

Colton muses out loud, by means of continuing the conversation, eyes closed with a gentle breeze tousling his hair. Legs crossed with Colton on his back, he reached almost lazily for the strawberries that he had spent several hours picking in the fields; the sunshine above feels so warm.

“—‘sides, I thought the Sun goes around the Earth?”

Wait. That’s not right…

Colton’s theories and understanding sometimes seems outdated; for the life of him, he doesn’t understand why and sometimes all he can offer is an explanation of having multiple spoken and written languages before English being his so he sometimes mixes up the words. Opening his eyes just a fraction, he sits up immediately to look at Eleusine closer and give a beaming smile.

It felt as though aeons had passed since she saw Colton, though that wasn't any fault of his. Nor hers. Sometimes paths crossed. Other times they diverged.

It's the way of the world.

And waited.

And waited.

At times, it felt like Colton was Rapunzel waiting in her tower; though he had gone on a couple trips to visit his family, these usually didn’t last long before he found himself back again within the borders of camp and wanting to see more of the world outside of it.

When Colton had brought the matter to Chiron’s attention, the centaur had mentioned that perhaps Apollo’s lack of response was not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t – which naturally made Colton more curious than ever before. What parent couldn’t answer their own child’s call? Or prayers or offerings?

“Oh. I thought you were… I thought you’d want to stay a little longer than that…”

Colton’s voice trails off some, fingers going from the strawberries to linger at the threads of the blanket, as if hesitant to say much more before continuing on at his usual rapid pace.

Colton muses out loud, by means of continuing the conversation, eyes closed with a gentle breeze tousling his hair. Legs crossed with Colton on his back, he reaches almost lazily for the strawberries that he had spent several hours picking in the fields; a half open book of Greek Myths is beside him, the light breeze rustling it’s page, and the sunshine above feels so warm.

“—‘sides, I thought the Sun goes around the Earth?”

Wait. That’s not right…

Colton’s theories and understanding sometimes seems outdated; for the life of him, he doesn’t understand why and sometimes all he can offer is an explanation of having multiple spoken and written languages before English being his so he sometimes mixes up the words. Opening his eyes just a fraction, he sits up immediately to look at Eleusine closer and give a beaming smile.

We can do this. Together.