areios-daughter

[areios-daughter]

“Chris!”

Clarisse rushed to the base of the ladder, hastily steadying it and looking up at him like she’d be able to do anything about him falling…

“Christopher Rodrigues, please do not break your neck over some Christmas lights.”

“Chris, get down from there!”

Clarisse looked up at him, her arms crossed over her chest.

“That ladder is not stable enough for you to be that high up. We don’t need lights that badly.”

- @aerios-daughter

"It's not that bad!" Chris patted the side of the ladder, looking down at her. "It's alot more stable than it looks, promise."

[areios-daughter]

She sighed, rubbing her forehead with a hand. “It’s crooked.”

“Chris, get down from there!”

Clarisse looked up at him, her arms crossed over her chest.

“That ladder is not stable enough for you to be that high up. We don’t need lights that badly.”

- @aerios-daughter

"It's not that bad!" Chris patted the side of the ladder, looking down at her. "It's alot more stable than it looks, promise."

[areios-daughter]

“Yes. It’s a yes.”

The ares cabin was dark and quiet when they snuck inside. She guided him back to her bunk, sliding into it carefully and holding a finger to her lips.

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“… you’re right. Very good point… I guess if it’s you breaking the rules and not me…”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“You’re encouraging me to break camp rules for selfish reasons?”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

She nodded, finally walking alongside him back towards the cabins.

“Are you staying at cabin 11?” She peeked at him. Maybe if he didn’t stay, she really could get in that second round…

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

She relaxed slightly, shoulders softening more than her expression.

“… if we hear a sound, I’m getting up.”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“Whether or not it’s my fault, if I am vigilant i can have the best chance of preventing it from happening twice.” She kept her eyes on their joined hands, pursing her lips. “That’s all I want. I just want to be ready.”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“Mechanic huh?” She started on another potato, setting aside the skins. “You do that kind of stuff?”

Rio was laying on his bed with his eye closed, so still and quiet that he looked like he was sleeping.

Hey. Uhh... what's college like?

“Difficult.”

Clarisse was sitting across the room in the mostly empty cabin, doing some form of study for something. She had two textbooks open and a notebook on her crossed leg, and had been scribbling for over two hours.

“You will be going. And you will do well.”

[areios-daughter]

She took a couple steps back towards him and took his hand.

“It was just… memories. Times the barrier has broken. People who died because I wasn’t paying close enough attention. Selena, you…”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

She stopped, turning to look at him with her crooked frown.

“I just… I had a nightmare.”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“I can’t sleep, Chris! Not until I’m sure.”

She pulled her hand out of his, rubbing her eyes and storming a few steps away. Her hands were shaking slightly, but it had to be the cold…

“Go back and sleep!”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“It’s clear now… it could be different any minute. Any second…”

The grass under their feet padded their steps as they came closer to the beach. She looked around at the top of a hill, peering down into the camp and stifling a yawn.

“One more Loop…”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

She cleared her throat, pulling the collar of her coat up to cover the blush on her cheeks.

“Focus on the Barrier.”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“There’s no convincing you, is there?”

She turned away from him, squeezing his hand gently as the continued to walk.

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“Even on patrol?” She teased back. “What if we’re attacked and I need to defend you?”

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[areios-daughter]

“What’s this about?”

She raised their joined hands, looking at him out of the corner of her eye as they walked.

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.