#stoiicist

"It’s like the sound of doom."

Lost Meme -- @stoiicist

Nico swallowed thickly. That was a bit more poetic than he probably would have put it, but a giant gong signalling the end of the grand meal didn’t particularly inspire trust, especially when this grand meal seemed to be a recreation of the suitors all vying for attention at Penelope’s house. Nico couldn’t yet explain the gathering of ghosts, but he didn’t think the gong ringing meant that they had all sorts of time left.

@stoiicist​ / sc.

MANY WAYS TO HURT.  ( not accepting! )

@stoiicist​ said:   ‘ have i endured loneliness with grace ? ’  idk i want these two to be friends. maybe they can be riding horses :-)

     HE’D MAKE THE obvious joke, but he doesn’t think reyna would appreciate it — she did not strike jesper as the sort of woman to ask such a charged question often, or to even let others see beneath her stoic little mask.  he is not going to sully this moment with an ill timed joke, even though every instinct in him that knows he is no good at handling emotions is screaming at him to make a joke and let the fear of messing up pass onwards.

     thankfully, he keeps his mouth shut against that urge, and instead lets the conversation fall to a pensive silence; he drinks in the sound of the woods, the clatter of the horses’ hooves on the ground, the feeling of the breeze amid the late summer heat.  reyna is an equestrian’s dream, he thinks.  she had a way with all animals, but that horse — unicorn?  gods, the mist got him for a second — the horse she’s on clearly adored her, and something about that made jesper feel inexplicably soft towards the otherwise stalwart praetor.  

@stoiicist​ said : “You’re not in bed. I came looking for you.” ( for annabeth! c: gettin us back on our rynbth bs.....)

Annabeth hasn’t been sleeping well lately. It’s been a long time, really. But she’s done her best to ignore it, or at least not let Reyna see how distracted she’s been. It obviously hasn’t worked, but still, she’s tried.

She’s sitting out on the balcony, looking out over the lights of New Rome. It’s summer; the breeze is warm and pleasant against her skin, her eyes half closed. She glances back at Reyna, and pushes her glasses so they sit more evenly on her nose.

          “say, reyna. i hope you don’t mind my asking. what’s it like –– the whole praetor thing? is it something that you’d always wanted?” khalid pleasantly leaves his questions for her position in lieu of what he’d really like to understand: the kind of a person she is. still, she’s exceptionally private ( and exceptionally bristly ), and him? well, he’s exceptional when it comes to extracting information. gently, now. like caring for a succulent. 

          “i’d tell you that i wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but i’d rather not.” she’s not particularly afraid of any consequence here, after all. “is everything all right?” 

                 “We’re    SLIPPING    OFF    the    course    that    we    prepared,    but    in    all    CHAOS,   there    is    CALCULATION.”

“I think Scipio was startled by something.”

Katie doesn't see anything right now, nothing that stands out as being wrong, but she can only hope that it wasn't a snake; horses aren't fond of them and neither is she. The idea of sabotage is one that concerns her, but she doesn’t know who or why someone would want to do that to Reyna. In spite of the slightly firm tone, exasperated exhale, Katie’s steady hand on Reyna remains gentle. 

“Reyna, I said don’t --- as in, do not --- move. You could have a serious concussion.”

A few feet away, Katie notices her father, asking if anyone saw anything or anyone, no doubt worried what would have happened if it was her instead of Reyna (though he still looks very worried about Reyna nonetheless). Katie catches a glimpse of her father glancing to the grass, to the scattered seeds, as if trying to decide whether any are out of place (no doubt due to his minor in forensic botany). Katie notices a mobile phone in his hand; in spite of being on the phone and not being able to be seen by the dispatcher, he nods. Katie has no doubt about the concern etched onto his face, making him look more weary and tired and slightly older than he actually is. Katie wishes that she had remembered to bring her own first aid kit; maybe her father has his.