Camp Grounds Showing 1,351-1,400 of 2,220

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"But I'm offering myself," Caliban said, amused at the girl's efforts. "You're not using me if you answer a question."

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"Mkay. But, please, just... don't tell my siblings... or, anyone I know," Cassidy replied with a faint smile. "I don't want them finding out..."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"There's no one you can trust better than I," Caliban said, dipping his dark head in assent. "Of course. I swear."

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"Thank you. Oh. And one last question: Do you want the blunt way?" Cassidy asked, raising her eyebrows.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"Yes," Caliban answered immediately. "Tell it to me bluntly, Cassidy."

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"Mmkay," Cassidy replied lightly. She rolled up her sleeve. On her arm were the words, Love to Live; the burns had turned a reddish-brown sort of color. Around them were white lines, some in a very nice swirl pattern.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

A deep sorrow pierced Caliban and he studied the burns with pained eyes.
"Does it help?" he asked quietly.

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"I don't know anymore," Cassidy replied monotonously.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"Was there a reason?"

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"There was. A long time ago."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

Having had no experience on the matter, Caliban's hand merely reached out to touch the nape of Cassidy's neck, arm wrapping tightly around her shoulders and offering wordless comfort. Just to remind her that there was someone there beside her while he thought of what to say.
"Addiction is hard to cure," he said slowly.

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

Cassidy rolled her sleeve over her arm once more, shrugging. "Probably should have remembered that before I started," she muttered. "But no. That thought didn't register."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"It's understandable why," Caliban said in the same slow and gentle tone. He paused.
"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll always be here."

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"Thank you," Cassidy said, giving him a weak smile. "I probably should have found someone earlier." But I didn't think about that. With a sigh, her shoulders slumped.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"Yes," Caliban admonished. "You should have."

[Iviana (The Sign Painter), The Goddess of indecisiveness]

"I should have done a lot of things, but I didn't, sadly."

[Usako]

Stones of the rainbow sparkled from the cradle of Phoebe's arms. Bits of wire curled, tickled and prodded at her chest as she walked the trails, possibly crossing the way from the cabins to the forge.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

Drawn to the colourful lights scattering across the gravel, Caliban's eyes followed them to a blonde girl he recognized as being from the Hephaestus cabin. Would explain the odd bits and pieces of wire, he thought, allowing himself to admire the lovely blonde before turning back to Cassidy.
"It's easy enough to find me at camp," he said softly, giving her a comforting hug. "And I have the feeling that I'm not the only one who wants to share your grief."

[Usako]

Hugs weren't out of the ordinary. Seeing the care between campers secured her belief that good still existed in the world. Phoebe smiled at the pair, thinking nothing of it than two people hugging, then smacked cheek first into a tree trunk.

Oof! She landed on her backside and all the stones, wires and sharpy pointy implements of TORTURE (er...her tools) scattered around her body. A gloved hand scurried to gather her materials while she blushed, hammered and blushed more.

Nice footwork, Phoebe. Rubberneck less!

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"I'll see you later," Caliban said hurriedly to Cassidy, and got up, running to the fallen girl. She'd walked bang splat into a tree trunk. Under his amplified concern for her, he was charmed by the clumsiness.
He gathered her tools with a strong, steady sweep of his arm and grinned down at her. She had very pretty eyes that were a colour he'd never seen before. Blue-green-- turquoise.

"That was some fall. Are you OK?"

[Usako]

"Trees. A teen's worst nightmare," Phoebe squeaked on a chuckle though was awfully terrible in hiding her embarrassment. The gloved hand extended palm upward to accept the tools precisely when her eyes rose from the shadow of his form to meet -- WHOA! -- the deepest eyes of steel and jade.

Badabum. The pit in her throat swallowed hard.

"I. I. Um. A." Steady, Phoebe. "Thanks." Isn't that swell?

[., Goddess of Bacon]

A slow, easy chuckle, rich as maple syrup, poured from Cal and he smiled warmly at the girl. He'd never talked to her before, never had the chance to study her this closely. Eyes flitted from the golden waves of her hair to the soft texture of her skin to the tools to the gloved hand.
Intriguing.
But he couldn't keep himself away from those stunning eyes. Bahamian waters.
"No problem," he said, smile fading, its emotion being replaced into his gaze. He held out a large, strong hand to help her up.

[Usako]

((You had to say maple syrup. DROOOLLLL))

Cal..Cul..Lucas? There's so many guys the girls gossip about. What was the name of the grey-green eyed wonder?

The battle for recognition of name alone darted Phoebe's eyes during her nervous display of blushes and smiles. The fit of his hand upon her right arm felt warm, whole and WHOA there strong.

"You have a fine grip. Ever wield a sword?"

Mentally, Phoebe could slap herself. DEMIGOD! Of course he did! Teeth shone from her ear-to-ear smile. Maybe if she smiled, then he wouldn't notice her social inexperience with guys and conversation.

Just for protection, like Linus' blankie, she clutched her tools fiercely to her chest.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

((xD I AM CANADIAN.))

"A mace, actually," Caliban said with a small shrug, a curious smile playing about his mouth. He looked at the rosy-cheeked girl and felt a strong rush of affection right then.
Easy there.
"We haven't met," he said, looking genuinely apologetic and regretful of this truth. "I'm Caliban Everett of the Pistis cabin."

[Usako]

"If we were using Roman infantry formations, the mace wouldn't be useful at all. It's far too heavy and you require too much room to swing. That's why the Romans stuck to the pilum and gladius for quick stabbing while remaining tightly knit in their disciplined formations." Phoebe rambled about the mace's history to ancient Roman times, then suddenly tensed her shoulders to shyly tilted her cheek to a shoulder.

He's making me nervous.

"When you're in Hephaestus Cabin, weaponry becomes a history lesson. My siblings make the best. You should see McKenna's work. I'm not as good. My work lies in...um..." She lifted the materials cradled within her arms. "Jewelry."

She didn't realize through all her frantic rambling to be as kind and social as possible while trying to ignore her own rambled state of clothing (she looked like a hobo) while talking to herself NOT to keep looking at his eyes...THAT she failed to give her name.

They're the most fascinating gemstone.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

Respect for that knowledge, military knowledge that poured from her like the most refreshing spring, grew in Caliban and his eyes grew wide with admiration.

"That's maybe just a bit incredible," he allowed, eyes twinkling with the understatement. "I use Heracles' weapon. It suits me just fine for one-on-one combat, swords are a bit too light. Though I do know how to use most weapons. Just have a problem with knives and daggers."

While he was talking, Caliban gave the girl another thorough glance. It wasn't the adolescent once-over; it was as if he was appreciating a work of art, deciphering the meaning behind the beauty. He was fascinated by the way her lips moved, the way her clothing was slightly rumpled.

"Let me take some of those for you," he said gently, moving to grasp the wires. Thicker than the kind he'd use at home for fishing with his father. "This is for your jewelry, I'm guessing," he said in his deep, sweet-tempered voice. "I didn't catch your name," he added with another pleasant grin as he organized the wires deftly so they all pointed in the same direction; a bundle of metal twigs.

[Usako]

"I'm not much of a fighter but smaller implements respond to me more favorably." Phoebe's head began to rush the more Caliban accepted her eccentricities. And yet, her own statement brought on a struggle not to look pitifully at her own wretchedly deformed hand.

Thank the gods it's covered.

"My wrists aren't as strong as my siblings. They can wield a hammer as heavy as Thor's without blinking. I can but only on good days." When the bracelet works. "What's your problem with knives and daggers? Can't you adjust your body weight and motions to quicker attacks?"

Thick and thin spools of wire of every metal could be fished from her grasp. Phoebe focused on her stones since they were harder to get. "Phoebe Hayden, jeweler extraordinare according to my siblings. McKenna and I got into a partnership. She makes the weapon and I add the ornaments."

There I go again. Rambling. Why is he staring? He must find all my patches amusing.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"I can work with them, but as you said... only on good days," Caliban said with an amused grin, the gesture appearing easily on the chiseled contours of his face as usual. She was clever and not afraid to voice her own opinion; this drew him more to her and her eyes secured him there.

"Your names means 'radiance'," he said thoughtfully. "It suits you. Mine is the name of a misunderstood slave from an over-read piece of literature."

[Usako]

The nervousness depleted for who but she could understand the meaning of that name. The skin of her left hand twisted to burn beneath her glove. A deformed, brutish creature. Resonance radiated in her smile as she felt a certain kinship to that meaning.

"Prospero's slave? From Tempest? Did your mother have a love for Shakespeare? Don't tell me your pet dogs are Romeo and Juliet." She blushed and walked with him without a destination.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"I have no idea what my mother loves, she's the goddess Pistis," Caliban mused aloud. "My father, however-- he's a fisherman in Nova Scotia, in Canada. I don't know why he named me Caliban. And," he continued, turning to tap Pheobe playfully on the nose with a forefinger, "our dogs' names are Sam, Pat, and Polo."

[Usako]

Phoebe laughed as she darted her face away from future nose taps. Her nose gave a cute bunny wiggle followed by a faint touch of pink. "Polo after Marco Polo or the sport?"

Shyly, her body language stiffened with uncertainty. What to ask now? Pisits? Fishing? Canada?

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"Unfortunately enough, the stick," Caliban said with a deep sigh, jest lighting up his face as he looked at Pheobe, his wrist brushing her arm as they walked. Her delicate skin was of an indescribably soft texture.

"Whereabouts are you from, Phoebe?" he asked with a curious glance, strolling along with her on the little path.

[Usako]

Materials tousled during Phoebe's leap; touch, even as callous and strong as his wrist, was a bit of a mystery. Her mother worked all the time. Classmates were content to let her huddle in the shadows for warmth. Since coming to camp, hugs still cause gooseflesh to rise and her breath to sharpen. It was taking some getting used to.

"Ohio," she finally answered with a shy smile. Each time she stole a glance at him, the more those eyes of his captivated. He's so easy to look at. "From some small backwards town that no one would know. It isn't even on a map anymore since the one business shut down."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

The eyes that so captivated Phoebe were captivated, in turn, by her-- by the motions of her hands as she talked, the expressions that flitted across her exquisite face. He heard her story with a faint smile.

"I see. I live in a sort of community, I guess, called Clare, in a tiny village called St. Bernard," Caliban said, shoving both hands in the pockets of his jeans as his tall, muscled form ambled down the path with the lovely girl by his side. "The only way we can possibly make any money is from the fishing business. Therefore I smell like fish for the large part of the year," he said with a wrinkle of his nose. "You get used to it eventually."

[Usako]

"Same. I mean," Phoebe giggled as her head lowered to watch their feet. "Anyone and everyone worked for the paper mill but when it went under, so did the town." She leaned toward him to sniff his clothing. "You don't smell like fish now."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"That's good," Caliban said gently with another one of his easy smiles. His sneakers kicked up gravel as he walked with a spring in his step-- none of the bad posture normally associated with others of his height. "Don't want to embarrass myself in front of you yet."

[Usako]

Phoebe mimicked the gravel kicking, silently laughing at the odd game. "There's nothing wrong with fish. Mom and I would go to the fish markets since the merchants would take pity on us. It would be the freshest and tastiest meal we've ever had." Color stained her cheeks badly.

Why did I tell him that? Most people mock me for being so poor.

"I doubt there's anything you could do to embarrass yourself around me. I've probably done it already."

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"Thank the gods we caught our meal; I don't know what we'd do for food," Caliban replied, a faint grin opening up as more gravel sprayed across the path. Finally. Someone with a humble beginning in this camp. The parallels between the two caught him off guard.

He turned to her then, surprise on his face, so evident it was hard to tell if he was mocking or not.
"You haven't embarrassing yourself, Phoebe," he assured her. "Unless embarrassment counts as 'charming the other completely'," he said with a faint red tinge to his cheeks.

Di immortales. She was not supposed to hear that.

[Usako]

Phoebe didn't understand and immediately began to inspect her materials. "I was sure I wasn't carrying any charms, today. Are you certain?" Absolutely misinterpreting the moment, she smiled innocently at him.

He caught food, too. So he understands.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

He hesitated before answering. It wasn't like him to be dishonest; he was in a real trap now, sinking farther along with every naive moment of Phoebe's.

"I meant charming me," Cal said slowly, not stopping his leisurely pace. "To charm-- to capture."

[Usako]

Steps halted by the immediate gasp from Phoebe. Instinctively, her gloved hand covered her cherry tomato red complexion as her face tilted away from view. A tiny whimper of glee and embarrassment resounded.

"I. . .I didn't set any snares." How could I capture him then? Oh, he hasn't seen my hand. Should he, that'll change.

"Um . . . what sort of fish did you like best?"

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"You think you haven't set any snares," Caliban said, half-teasingly, keeping his own eyes averted after his pulse throbbed from seeing the blush. Rosy-cheeked, the picture of innocent surprise. Oh, Phoebe.

"Pike or salmon," he said simply in answer to her question. "With lemons and pepper. And you?"

[Usako]

"Salmon, any way possible. Mom scrounged some lemons and we would grilled it on a neighbor's deck. On luckier days, the fisherman's wives would give us spices for a crispy and spicy skin. But as Mom said, the more natural the food, the more wholesome." Phoebe toyed with the curled ends of her hair, smiling at how easy Caliban made her feel.

"Can you keep a secret?"

[., Goddess of Bacon]

"It's closer to what the gods give us," Caliban agreed with a nod. He enjoyed the imagery provided by the girl; such a glimpse into her personal life was a gift that he appreciated greatly.

"I'm the son of Pistis, the goddess of trust and responsibility," Caliban said with a small chortle. "Where would I be if I couldn't even keep a secret? To answer your question-- yes, Phoebe. I can and I will."

[Kat, Goddess of Dramatic Exits and Strawberry Yogurt]

((:D I'm really good at keep secrets. Unless there's cookies involved. CURSE MY WEAKNESS))

[., Goddess of Bacon]

((I love your running commentaries.))

[Kat, Goddess of Dramatic Exits and Strawberry Yogurt]

((Sorry, it's a force of happiness. xD))

[Usako]

"So, if I told you I was a serial killer, you'd have to keep the secret?" Phoebe's eyes dance mischievously. "I'm kidding. That would be cruel to lock someone who COULD keep a secret with such a burden. What I was going to say is . . . "

Eyes looked left. Eyes looked right. Then up and down. And to be safe, over Caliban's shoulder for any dryads.

"I love to bake but could barely afford the luxury. Cupcakes are my sin but I suppose you could tell that." She absently ran a hand over her curvy hip. Yup, sweets go there.

[., Goddess of Bacon]

Locking his eyes to Phoebe's to avoid the temptation of gazing at the sweetly curving hip, Caliban blinked, regaining his composure. "Wait-- that's your secret?" he asked, amazed and confused. He grinned good-naturedly, shaking his head in awe. "You know, the serial killer one was a better one. What challenge is it going to be to keep that one?" Teasing over, he chuckled, looking at this sweet, sweet lovely girl with fresh eyes always. How had he not talked to her before?

[Kat, Goddess of Dramatic Exits and Strawberry Yogurt]

((HE WANTS TO TELL! AHHH!!!! I can see it in his eyes. FYI: She's gonna make me a cupcake later or she dai))