messy hair, thirsty heart.

“it is coarse,” alex replied, heavy on his final word. he’d never heard such a thing described that way, but now that he had, he certainly understood. “talk is supposed to turn into something. that’s why you talk, right?” he replied, eyebrow raised thoughtfully in return, challenging. “why waste time talking if it won’t lead to anything?” ever the utilitarian, of course, being the son of ares. “by dating apps? no. how do you know i haven’t kept myself entertained?” he smirked, shaking his head. “i’m not bored. got a bit of a longer attention span.”

“first of all, she’s definitely too young for that.  secondly, how do you suppose tinder’s gonna work out?  sneak out of camp to go on dates?  that’s not risky.” 

~~ “Let’s be real, they probably invented Tinder!” He said, “And honestly, don’t most people our age have it? I mean, I personally don’t because I don’t want to be killed by monsters, but… like… normal folks do right?” 

“… Last night I spent my night eating strawberry pie and watching 90’s cartoons in a bathrobe. I’m really old. Do you do that as well?”

     a teasing grin played across his pink lips, her words making him laugh. “ a camp full of young, attractive demigods? i hope i’m included in that statement, “ he teased her even more, tongue swiping over his bottom lip before he shrugged. “ and yes. that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do - what’re they gonna say? no? to a daughter of poseidon? p l e a s e. “

“Don’t stress it too much, you can use Tinder. And if anyone is old, it’s me. Last night I got excited over pie.”

     “ maybe she has a point, don’t you think ? “ he teases, walking up to her. “ i mean, if you’re eighteen and you’re using tinder, that’s kind of sad  —  especially when you go to a camp full of demigods. “

hali listened, smiling, to her younger sister’s long ramble. she called them her streams of consciousness, since that’s truly what it was like: a running body of water, tumbling over rocks, with a lot coming and essentially unstoppable.  “yeah, i’ll try some. how many’ve you had?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. she wants to credit the slight excess of energy to the sugar or something of the sort, but she knows that’s probably not the case. it’s just leah. “hey, they’re not all so bad,” she said, thinking of one close friend in particular– but that only affirms what leah’s saying. “well.. you’re right. i won’t, but i’m sure they’ll find out anyways. where’ve you been?”

~~“Damn… that’s cut throat.” He mused ;; rubbing the nonexistent hairs on his chin. “If it’s not, it should be… But hey, maybe they’ll let some of their older siblings know you’re lookin’. Your own, personal, nosey little matchmaker?” 

alex let out a huff of amused laughter. “i’m sure a couple of my brothers would have a go at you, if they found you on there. what’s the point?” he asked again. “you’d just be finding the people that are here. an’ you could talk to ‘em easily enough here,” he added, gesturing around them. he held his tongue on making a comment about he, too, had been in attendance all year but had yet to cave to the app. “i guess i can’t, brenner. then go for it, since your current options aren’t cutting it.”

alex’s lips press together thoughtfully as he tries to remember the guidelines. “uhh– yeah. i think so,” he agrees, brows knit. “you’re like. the prime… demographic.” he spent a second too long trying to come up with the word for his liking, but doesn’t let that on. “target. that’s what i meant.” he corrects himself again. alex’s tone of voice is almost amused when he asks: “why, were you thinking of using it?”

                           she  spoke     &     spoke     &    spoke,  no  doubt  stealing  enough  oxygen  to  kill  the  fire  that  continued  to  falter  before  them.                                                  ❛    you  haven’t  taken  a  breath  in  three  minutes.    ❜    

 ❛    &     i  might  answer  your  question  if  you  offer  me  the  opportunity,    ❜                                   he  deadpanned.     ❛    thirteen.    ❜           

❛     look  at  you.     

                                            child  of  poseidon,  i’m  sure.    ❜      

              he  missed  the  streets  of  his  town;                           a  small  corner  of  the  world  that  he’d  carved  out  for  himself,   dragging  the  dagger  along  its  edges  if  only  to  make  a  point. 

he  knew  it  from  the  scent  of  his  blood,                      the  blood  that  was  used  to  help  build  businesses                                                        &    tear  down  enemies.  

                                         the  gypsy  was  right:             he  was  much  too  serious  for  someone  who  appeared  so  young. 

but  he  was  no  longer  home.                       instead,  he  stood  tall  in  front  of  a  bonfire,                                              his  clear  blue  eyes  watching  the  flames  dance.                                he’d  always  wanted  to  go  to  camp.