The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie]

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:24 am

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

Caleb raised his eyebrows in surprise as June told him not to bully the kid. Wasn't she supposed to maybe help with that? She didn't look like the type to defend children. Well, maybe it was because the boy was a big help to them. Or it might have been the snake venom kicking in. Caleb would've loved to wonder about the cause of June's niceness, but the more pressing issue was his slowly dwindling energy. It was almost a relief when June started to support him instead of the other way around. Though it was costing him his pride to look weak, Caleb knew that he wasn't in the place to argue about who will carry who. His breaths came out in uneven intervals now and his feet simply preferred to be dragged across the rough ground. But he can't give up like this. He just can't. Pushing his legs to at least move, Caleb sucked in a deep breath and clenched his teeth at the sudden soreness coming from his feet.

"People already hate me. It won't make a difference if they hate me even more," he muttered in-between gasps of breath. His forehead creased in worry at the states they were in. He could tell that June was having trouble walking straight. Her own legs weren't accustomed to carrying both their weights. How much longer can they remain this way? He didn't want to know the answer to that. Finally arriving at a decision, Caleb tightened his hold on June and dug the soles of his bloody shoes into the ground, making them both stop. "I think we'd last longer if we rested," he told her in a brisk whisper. "We lose more of our remaining energy if we keep on walking like this. Besides, you already sent the kid to the infirmary. With some luck he won't screw up and succeed in bringing the healers like you said."

Trying to regain his lost strength, Caleb sighed and just stood there with his arm around June. It felt to him like there was minimal hope in both of them ending up in privacy like this. With the gods plotting ways to get them away from each other, he had seriously considered the possibility that this was his last meeting with June. The thought formed a small lump in his throat that almost prevented him from talking. "Well, we might as well get a move on with those... 'Caleb Talks.'" His lips twitched up in a smirk.

"I don't give a crap if you're trustworthy or not. If it was another person, I'd rather to keep to myself, but since it's you, well, let's just say that you're different from the rest." Listening to himself speak made the tips of his ears turn red and he cleared his throat in slight embarrassment. "I mean, none of the others have sociopathic tendencies. And apparently, you're someone I knew from the past, so that's another factor. Don't you feel so special?"

He paused thoughtfully, trying to think but his clouded mind was already starting to shut down. Just great. Why did it have to do that when he needed it the most? As he was about to curse himself for being like this, a recent memory resurfaced and it was enough to give him something to talk about again. "Do you kiss everyone as a 'thank you', Prenston? Is it a habit of yours?" he said nonchalantly, his eyes trying to read hers.

((You sleep so late xD You might turn into an insomniac or something, lol))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:18 am

The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] - Page 2 Tumblr_ls37caR9DP1ql7q2f

June Prenston -- ares

Once Caleb stopped walking, June made it her goal not to protest. She was equally as exhausted, but the thought of putting all their marbles in the same bag as some random kid scared her. It was up to the little Squirt, now. "Fine. We can stop. It'll help your breathing." June slouched against Caleb as her eyelids became heavy, forcing herself to think of anything she could to keep herself awake. Shutting her eyes only worsened things, though, so June opened them again and stared at Caleb, rolling her eyes when he began trying to work into a miniature interview.

"I'm not in the mood for a Caleb Talk," June scoffed whilst pursing her lips. She was opposed to the sentimental feelings time, but as Caleb continued, the girl softened up and began to listen. "You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, your friendship will crumble," June mindlessly quoted. It seemed like the new normal between the two--proving points by repeating others. "But yes, you make me feel like one special girl, Knives." June batted her eyelashes and faked a giddy giggle.

"Honestly? That means a lot, though, Knives. No one else ever talks to me like I'm worth their time. I'm not exactly kind to most other people, but . . . just . . . it really means a lot." June let go of Caleb and crossed her arms, symbolically blocking herself off from everything else. She felt exposed. It was one of the many strange emotions Caleb made her feel. "And whether you mean it or not I appreciate it." The demigod mumbled this, not wanting to offend Caleb with her over critical remark. "I believe you, but I've been lied to a lot. There have been so many people in my life that . . . just don't care like you do." June's voice broke and her bottom lip quivered as she locked eyes with Caleb and shook her head. She was again reminded of the bracelet that her friend held. It erased all doubt, but also disoriented the daughter of Ares.

As her legs wobbled, June made the decision to sit down, tugging on Caleb's sleeve so that he would follow suit. "I'm getting better," she continued, a spark in her eye as Caleb mentioned sociopaths. "But that's exactly the problem. I'm just getting better, I'm not better yet." June shrugged, still observing the boy next to her.

When Caleb brought up the kiss, June went pale. She shook her head at his question, blushing. "Nope. You're the only person I've ever thanked. And the only person I've apologized to. And, wait for it, the only person whose cared about me. Don't you feel so special." June poked her friend in the ribs and smirked. "And you're going to have to talk to me about the Zeus girl I forgot to ask about sooner or later." June rocked in her seat, her eyes twinkling as the sun hit her. She was feeling rather at peace, and maybe even slightly mischievous on the isolated plain. "You can wait, but one day, you'll talk." June flashed Caleb a lopsided grin and leaned forward, giggling. Was she . . .? She was giggling.

Something inside the daughter of Ares told her it wasn't the venom making her laugh. It was the effortless friendship she had built up with the kid she had attacked . . . twice was it? No one could ever expect June and Caleb to become close. Not only was family lineage a barrier, but fate wasn't on their side. Yet, there they were, sitting together and talking. It made June's heart swell, which caused June's cheeks to turn a bright pink. "You're different, too. I guess that's why I . . . thanked you. If you still want an explanation."

June looked away from Caleb and rubbed the back of he neck uncomfortably, her lopsided grin morphing into a small smile. "Do you think we're going to be okay?" the girl finally asked, looking back at Caleb. Her eyes reflected her real concern for the both of them. She wasn't ready to let her friendship slip away, and even if it did, she wasn't ready to let either of their lives slip away. "Because I'm feeling less and less . . . sure." June reached out to Caleb as she had done before, looking for comfort. She felt lost, and she wanted to find somewhere to be safe. Mostly, she wanted the ache in her gut to go away.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:55 am

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he went to sit on the ground, spending a few minutes readjusting his position until his legs didn't hurt. Slightly startled by the sight of June reaching out for him, Caleb just remained still and not knowing the right thing to do. She looked like she needed a hug, but he wasn't sure if he was the right person to give it to her. But whatever his brain thought was subdued when he pulled her into a one-armed hug, squeezing her once before letting go just as quickly. These friendly gestures were still new to him, and if he did any of them before he sure couldn't remember anything of the sort. He let a moment of silence pass before looking back at her, shrugging the hug off like it was nothing. "You want me to be honest?" he deadpanned, but continued without waiting for an answer. "No. We're not going to be okay. This is different. These are the gods we're up against."

Saying that made it seem so real and strangely brought over a wave of sorrow to the boy. Caleb turned away, staring off at no particular point in the distance. "I feel so special," he said in response to her previous remarks, sarcasm dripping from each word he said. Carefully skirting around the topic of the daughter of Zeus, Caleb continued, "Well isn't this grand? The two not-so-kind campers actually being friends. I won't be surprised if we made it to the news."

Suddenly remembering the little boy, he turned to the direction he took and worried only slightly. If Ares was against the two of them so bad, would he do something to the kid so that he won't reach the infirmary? Suddenly, the idea of staying still didn't sound so good. What if their only hope for recovery was attacked by a snake? Or a couple of rabid dogs? What was Caleb thinking--putting his trust on that nameless kid? His decision to stop was foolish. But what can he do now, with both of his and June's conditions deteriorating? As foolish as it sounded, it didn't look like they had any alternatives. Continuing on would only result to one of them passing out. Maybe this way was better. At least it guaranteed them a few more minutes in each other's company. Because with the rate the things were going, Caleb was certain that he won't see June again. The strongest friendship he actually worked on was already starting to crumble into nothingness. Just thinking that made his stone heart clench in his chest.

Fighting the urge to close his eyes and just slip away, Caleb ran June's words through, trying to think of something to keep the conversation going and at the same time steering it away from a certain daughter of Zeus. "Well, 'getting better' is better than nothing," he said, his eyes on the 'dangerous' bracelet he now held in his hands. "Am I in danger of you snapping right now? Because that would be an interesting way to turn the tides." His eyes wore an amused gleam from behind his glasses. What if it really happened though, he can't help but wonder. Would he be able to talk June out of it? He had been able to take her bracelet off after all. It meant something, at least.

((lololol I have no idea what I just wrote))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:40 am

June Prenston -- ares

"You're wrong--" June tried to protest at Caleb's weak decision, but the attempt was futile. He was right, after all. 'June, don't talk yourself out of having hope. You're stronger,' the daughter of Ares thought to herself before the hug cut off her thoughts. She hadn't been expecting it, and it took a few seconds for it to sink in. Caleb had grown a heart. Unable to speak, June simply stared forward and nodded through whatever it was he happened to be saying. It was something mocking, and June decided she didn't really want to hear it. Something about feeling special.

June shook her head as she face event pale. "I don't want to deal with being in the news. Gossip columns are just annoying. But you're right, we're just so popular around camp." June chuckled and looked over at Caleb, which caused her to laugh a little harder. As she quieted down, the demigod stroked her chin. "So this is how friends behave?" June cracked a smile and winked, sucking in a deep breath as needed. It felt like a heavy steam had clouded her nostrils, preventing easy breathing. "Friends in hospitals . . ."

Watching Caleb worry over the boy, June sighed. "Stop stressing yourself out. You're going to make yourself worse . . ." Putting her hand over Caleb's, June tried her best to calm her friend down. "If he doesn't come soon . . . then whatever. The gods didn't win. I doubt they want to lose two strong fighters. That won't benefit them." June narrowed her eyes and looked towards the sky. She couldn't describe the emotions she was feeling at the time. It was something like a mix of anger and bravery. She could face her death if she had to, but she wasn't exactly comfortable with Caleb sinking with her.

"Is it? Is it really?" June countered, feeling suddenly furious. "I should be better by now. Getting better, at this rate, is all I'll ever be able to hope for. I can't answer your question. I don't know if I'll snap." June closed her eyes and adjusted herself so that she was laying down. "If I do, promise me you won't leave," June mumbled, looking almost peacefully asleep, except for the fact that she wasn't. "No, promise me you'll come back. If we get that chance . . . Please don't lose me." Opening one eye, June looked over Caleb, who appear weak. "Try and get away. You don't look so good. If I hurt you anymore there will be some reevaluating on my part. I will reconsider this if you run the risk of death beyond what we have now."

The daughter of Ares curled her bottom lip into a snarl and rolled onto her back. The sky was slowly getting darker. "It's been a few hours since our injuries, Cae. This isn't safe. There isn't much hope. I would suggest praying . . . but I don't know what kind of god deals with . . . this. My faith has been too shaken lately." The ground was comfortable, but it required more of a battle just to keep from disappearing.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:02 am

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

Chuckling weakly at the popular comment, Caleb cast a wary glance around as if looking for an audience. He wouldn't be surprised if he spotted a pair of eyes watching them right now. As if they were some sort of twisted entertaining movie for anyone to watch without discretion. No doubt there would be some Aphrodite kids out there checking out the latest piece of gossip that would soon circulate around camp. Speaking of the love god's children, Caleb knew that kids like that probably expected them to do something stupid at this point, like kiss. He snorted. Like that was about to happen. "Well, guess you're right. Not hospitals though. More in the lines of a deserted path just on the way to one. Not the best place to be in with our conditions, I'm sure."

He couldn't suppress a smirk, ceasing to worry about the boy just like that. June reminded him that they were a force to be reckoned with and with the Titan war looming ever so closer, it was a given that they would be spared at least until the very moment the war comes. They were great assets, June and him, he liked to think. "Valid point. They'll surely lose the war if we're not around," he said cockily, the volume of his voice growing weaker as he struggled to maintain his breathing. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and his hand cupping the side of his face.

"I doubt I'd be able to leave you with this state I'm in," Caleb commented wryly, barely containing a teasing edge to his tone. "Is that a subtle attempt to get me to leave you alone, Prenston? Sorry to say it isn't working." Only then did he turn his head to look at June. Anxiety flickered across his face for a split-second before he reached over and vigorously shook her shoulder with one hand. "Didn't I tell you not to sleep? Don't even try. Keep your eyes open. Keep talking."

It didn't sound like a good request when he continued to defy his own advice. Caleb's speech was getting slurred now, the exhaustion washing over him in waves. But he wasn't about to give up just yet. "Forget praying. If this is the gods' will, nothing we can do can change their minds." He let his words sink in with a heavy heart. It was so unfair! Why did they have to suffer like this? Why? Where was his father Momus now? Laughing along with the others as he watched the show unfold? Caleb shook with unsupressed anger directed to his immortal parent. Useless, good-for-nothing father he was. His rage overpowering the dreary state of his body, Caleb let loose incoherent mutters under his breath, speaking fast in purpose so that June wouldn't understand a thing he was saying. Mostly it was just about him cursing in Greek at Ares and Momus. It didn't occur to him how his actions could even fuel the gods' desire to see him and June in pain. Besides, they were already suffering. What could be worse?

Through the semi-darkness Caleb saw the vague outlines of people coming in, a small familiar-looking figure leading them to the two. At first he couldn't believe it, but there was no mistaking the Aphrodite kid from earlier urgently motioning for the other kids to move faster. "Prenston," he muttered audibly as a warning as he tugged on the girl's shirt. Were they saved at last?

Last edited by Nico on Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:06 am; edited 1 time in total

June Prenston -- ares

June murmed a slur of english and Greek cuss words before complying to Caleb's demand. She figured it probably wouldn't be much longer before they either died, or the kid returned. "I don't do subtle," June replied, a saucy smirk finding it's way to her face. "Usually I'm pretty blunt." As she shrugged, the daughter of Ares looked up at the sky, attempting to count the almost visible stars. It was pretty late, and that kid hadn't shown up yet. She was having to keep herself awake after just suffering through one of her most violent attacks yet, and trying to keep Caleb hopeful. Neither of them were, though. That was apparent in the weak looks on their faces. Only the chance of them being spared to fight kept the duo from giving up, at least from June's point of view.

Being told not to pray was a little different for June. "Does the real God listen to prayers like this?" June thought aloud, still glancing up at the sky. "I'm not usually a religious person, but at this point, it's hard to breathe." Taking another deep and weary breath to prove her point, the girl dropped her head and sigh heavily. "I need some hope to latch onto," June whispered, mostly to herself. "Nothing's happening. If I was that squirt, things would be getting done around here. Good for nothing kid . . ." June scowled, her head still hung low. It was her fault they weren't able to rely on themselves. She was to blame for Caleb's death.

Suddenly getting her shirt pulled snapped June to attention and she shot her friend a nasty glare, before following his gaze to the little kid hurrying a small group along. She had to rub her eyes to make sure she was seeing correctly, but she was, unless the gods were just being cruel again. Looking back at Caleb, June almost squealed, but managed to suppress the urge. "Well would you look at that! Guess I was wro--I mean, guess Squirt finally decided to show up!" The daughter of Ares flashed her friend a giddy smile before looking back at the herd making it's way towards them.

Shapes molded into other shapes as June tried to focus, and she grew dizzy trying to make out faces. She could assume the small scrawny boy was their helper, but she couldn't for the life of her decide who was in tow. They weren't making any attempts to hurry and save the two children struggling to stay alive, instead walking at an almost leisurely pace. "If those are healers, they probably don't believe the kid. June and Caleb, wounded and together. Because they sure don't seem to be trying to save us ASAP." June rubbed her neck before looking to Caleb again. This time she was furrowing her brows, her mouth a small crescent of a frown. "Can you see? See who they are?" How ironic. The daughter of Ares was asking the blind kid if he could figure out who was with the boy. Venom did weird things to any situation. "Because my eyes must be screwed up. I can't focus in anything. Except you, and that twig, and the rest of the close stuff."

June tried again to see who was coming, but gave up and rested against Caleb, her brain begging for some rest. It wanted to shut off and stop fighting the venom. "It's getting . . . so much worse," June winced, grabbing her head frantically and trying to erase the pain. Every emotion June had ever felt struggled for dominance as she sat on the ground, trying to take control. She wasn't going to go crazy. They had to be so close. Everything was going to get better any minute now, if she didn't have an attack. As her brain switched from pyscho to angry to scared, the teenager let lose a loud shriek. It was painful to fight all of the personalities, and she wasn't sure what was going on. There was also a sort of programmed dullness sinking into June. That had to be the venom. It was more painful than her anger or sociopathic personalities, and the frightened regular June was so weak.

"Caleb--" June gasped, looking up for just long enough to catch the boy's gaze. "I don't want you to leave . . ." As she fought the violent side of herself, June grabbed at the dirt around her, managing not to reach for Caleb. She would hurt him, that much was obvious from the strength she currently possessed. She was strongest when she was crazy. Still, June fought against everything. She wanted her hear to shut up, and she wanted to be able to cooperate with something. Everything in her head slurred together as June shrieked again, desperately trying to grab anything but Caleb. She needed something to hold onto, but she could only latch onto dirt.

"Someone help me!" June screamed, shutting her eyes tightly and keeping another shriek suppressed. "Someone help Caleb!" June's mind was fuzzy, but she somehow remembered her friend. Her best friend. The boy that was suffering by her side. When nothing happened, June dug her hands into the dirt and tried to keep from sobbing, but a few tears still leaked out of her eyes. It was impossible to hold them back. She felt like she had been struck by lighting, light on fire, then locked in a freezer full of water. She couldn't breathe, she was burning and cold, and her head was spinning and aching. It didn't stop. As long as June was fighting both the venom and psycho mode, the pain continued, and she couldn't go crazy. She needed to stay in the same world as everyone else in order to keep everyone safe. Caleb had already said he was in no condition to get away, and she wouldn't be able to keep them venom down if she didn't know what was happening inside her head.

Spilling several more tears, June whimpered and dug her nails deeper into the dirt, not opening her eyes. She had to keep everything blocked out, or everything blocked in. Whatever it was that posed a threat. She shed one more tear for being so different. A normal person wouldn't have the same problem, and a normal person wouldn't have a weak Caleb to protect. "Go away gods . . ." June mumbled, clutching her head once more. The venom was them. That much was definite.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:08 am

The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] - Page 2 Caleb-150x150-1

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

"You are asking a guy who wears glasses--shades, in fact--to even see. Do you even listen to yourself?" came Caleb's irritated reply as he squinted through the dark lenses of his spectacles. With the darkness creeping in and his tinted lens, he already thought it a miracle to even figure out that it was the little kid from before who was currently leading the others.

Before he could concentrate on the figures that were drawing closer, he started as he felt June lean on him and would've relaxed if he hadn't seen the look on the girl's face. She looked even paler than before, her skin clearly shining out in the semi-darkness. He scrambled out of the way in alarm as June grabbed at the dirty ground, adrenaline starting to course through his veins as his demigod instincts kicked in.

"I'm not leaving you. How many times do I have to make that clear?" he all but yelled, the Momus-influenced part of his mind directing him to. The sudden shriek brought him up short and before long Caleb found himself on all fours, dragging his useless legs as he shifted closer to June. His shaking hands shot out to grab both of her wrists and, in an effort to restrain her from moving, he managed to pull June close and kept his arms around her. Nothing personal. Just to keep a tight hold to prevent her from doing anything she might regret. Caleb perhaps forgot just how much danger he brought onto himself by pulling her into a hug from behind like that, but he felt like there was nothing he could do but hold June back. He could almost hear his own legs screaming in pain, but the only thing his ears could pick up was the shrieks coming from the daughter of Ares.

What the hell is taking them so long? the saner part of his mind seethed, but he could only do one thing at a time. He couldn't see the others come as he focused all his remaining energy on keeping June there with him. She was slipping away, he could feel it, and he couldn't let it happen. For one, it would certainly mean something worse for him. But maybe there was something else. Caleb didn't want to lose the girl who gave him a reason to wear glasses, as funny as that sounded. "Calm down!" he said through clenched teeth, his voice blazing with authority. A sigh escaped his lips and he tried to follow his own advice, trying to will the rough edge away. "Calm down..." he repeated, more of a request this time.

"Get a grip on yourself," he started, the words coming out in sharp breaths. "Fight it, June. You're not weak enough to let it take over, are you? You're better than that. Come on... Don't make it easy for the gods. Fight it." He sucked in a deep breath after he spoke, hoping that his words can knock some sense into June's troubled head. After all, he was the one who took off her bracelet, wasn't he? Maybe he could reach in and snap her out of whatever world her mind created. Be the rope to pull her out of whatever deep hole she was in. Be whatever it took for her to stay rooted right here with them all, even at his expense. Even if it cost him his life.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:05 am

June Prenston -- ares

When Caleb grabbed June, she yelped and made a desperate attempt to squiggle out of her friend's grasp. She was unsuccessful, but that only meant Caleb would probably get hurt. Instead of screaming again, the girl gasped and nearly choked herself, trying to get away from Caleb. He knew better. He knew about his own leg, yet June was the one thinking about keeping it healthy. Surely his legs had to hurt him. Was he putting that aside for June?

As the thought sunk in, June fell eerily still for a few seconds before doubling over in Caleb' arms and writhing from the dominance her emotions were beginning to gain. It felt like she was morphing, and it hurt. Like hell. She was slipping off into darkness and giving in to the powerful anger. The ferocity. The torment. As June let go, she squinted her eyes and bit down on her lip in order to suppress the grunts and wails she wanted to let loose. "C--ca--Caleb--" June spat out, trying to spin around and face the boy, but at the same time not being sure where exactly the boy was.

Not only was she beyond lost, she was confused. He wasn't leaving her, that much she had understood, even amidst the commotion. He really wasn't going anywhere. That's when it sunk in that Caleb was connected to the arms restraining her. Almost rabidly, June spun around in the son of Momus's grip. Whilst looking past his glasses, June raised her eyebrows to display her worry. She didn't want to be spazzing on the ground, screaming and acting as if she's never faced anything difficult, but that was how things had worked out. "Cae--Ca--Cae--" June began again, struggling to speak while fighting the venom. "Ares--them--they're really . . . in my head. A--anger attack, like asthma." Unable to say anymore, June buried her face in Caleb's shirt and moaned. She was far more disoriented than the average person should be able to withstand, and her brain was processing things differently.

As the final kick of the venom sunk in, or tried to, June grasped Caleb tighter, scrunching up his shirt and holding on as if her life depended on it. She could tell that this was the end because of how strong the throbbing in her head grew, but as it tried to take root, June managed to block it out. She was listening to Caleb. "Fight it. Get a grip on yourself. ... You're better than that. Fight it." So she did, even though the words were tough to hear. She hadn't realized what big a ruckus she was creating, but at that point, the girl no longer cared. It was almost over. The most she could manage to do, other then fight her own brain, was keep herself controlled around Caleb. He was really putting himself in danger by keeping her calm.

The powerful pressure in June's head deteriorated almost immediately, and the pain followed suit, but a new weakness, a weakness on a whole different level, washed over the daughter of Ares. As she grew dangerously tired, June loosened her grip on Caleb's shirt and relaxed forward, resting on her friend yet again. He was still there. He had not only kept his promise, but helped her. A small and fragile looking smile crossed June's face, but she wasn't looking at Caleb. She couldn't focus on anything. Her vision was blurry, and her head throbbed each time she tried to concentrate. More than anything June wanted to thank Caleb, but she was too tired to create words. She was nearly too tired to attempt another wiggle out of the boy's grip, but she managed and didn't succeed. He must not have wanted her to hurt anything.

"Leg--Your leg--" June choked out, touching Caleb's less wounded/demolished leg gently to get her point across. "You didn't have to--" The demigod stopped herself from criticizing Caleb and decided it would be better to cherish being alive. "No, that's not what I meant . . . I just--plea--I mean, thank you." As June rested her cheek on Caleb, she brought her tired arms up to the boys neck and slung them around his shoulders, giving a hug her best shot. "I think the venom's gone. So . . . um . . . the nurses can look at your leg asap."

Awkwardly letting her arms drop to her sides, June took a quick deep breath and relaxed into a small huddle. Her breathing was jagged from her mind being attacked, but was returning to a better pace now that the venom was leaving her system. "Why would you stay?" June finally asked, gripping Caleb's shirt for support as she pulled herself up to look the son of Momus in the eyes. "I'm glad you did--but why?" June couldn't ever begin to understand how other people make decisions relating to her, especially Caleb. She just hoped her question wasn't interrupted by the group, whose pace seemed oddly uneven. "By the way . . . I can hear myself. I just trust you. A lot more so . . . now." June was mumbling her longer sentences and mispronouncing words, but she sounded confident in her language. If she had someone to lean on, someone she was positive could care, June felt recovery might not be hard. "June&Caleb Rehab, a Celebrity Rehab knockoff, coming soon to theaters near you.'

{{PLAY-BY CHANGE. 8D I'm so excited! I love character changes rofl. (this is why I have no life.) I really like Steven Strait, though, so yaaaay. I was addicted to Sky High as a younger child.}}

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:29 am

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

It took Caleb a few seconds to realize that June was no longer squirming. He let his arms drop to the ground and with the adrenaline slowly wearing off, he can feel every stab of pain coming from various places from his body, the worst of all from his legs. Oh gods, his legs! What if he had just doomed himself to crutches for the rest of his life? He certainly hadn't thought of that before June freaked out. Well, he wasn't really thinking of anything besides June at that time. He became a little shocked at himself as he let the thoughts sink in, making him realize how much he had just sacrificed just to help her.

Had it not been June, Caleb would've already dragged himself out of the way even if it took the last ounces of his strength. He certainly wouldn't have drawn closer and actually force the girl to calm down, especially considering the state he was in. It was astounding to think just what kind of effect the daughter of Ares had on him. Maybe it was the result of years of friendship, even if he didn't remember much about it. Obviously something must have been retained in his brain that his first reflex would be to consider June's well-being before his. The thought sickened him, actually. Caleb never really thought of putting others first. The world was a dangerous place and it was each person his own, but June seemed to have turned his beliefs upside-down in a short span of time. Or perhaps he had already been changed before, even for just a little bit, and she was just reminding him of that now.

Thinking about these made his head hurt and Caleb stopped. He didn't need any more pain. His legs certainly made sure of that. A groan escaped his lips and it was all he could do to say his next words, knowing that he wasn't going to last much longer.

"I did owe you once," Caleb said through gritted teeth as he slowly tried to ease June's weight off of him. He knew the excuse meant next to nothing as he already told her before that he was no longer sticking around to repay his debt, but what else can he do? He had nothing better to say and his head was too busy hurting to actually think. And besides, 'because it's what friends do' sounded so pathetically cliche in his mind that he couldn't imagine himself saying it out loud.

Caleb completely lost faith in whatever group of healers the Aphrodite boy managed to bring. If they were really dedicated to their jobs, they would've rushed over a minute ago when June was busy beating the venom out of her. Not now when his own actions made all the things worse for him. The stab of irritation he felt for the group increased by a hundredfold and he wasn't even sure anymore if he would want to let himself get treated by a bunch of jerks who didn't even give a crap about him. However, the choice wasn't his to make. Caleb knew that much when he felt the last of his strength draining away, the gravity seemingly becoming so much stronger as it pulled him towards the ground. The last sensation he felt was his back hitting the dirt and his eyes seeing only utter darkness that lay ahead.

((Yaaay! rofl, Steven Strait played a Caleb in one of his movies before, and that's actually where I got Caleb's name. I thought it was fitting for him to play another Caleb xD))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:18 pm

June Prenston -- ares

need

"Trust me, Wright, you've payed that debt off by now."

"Knives . . ."

"Caleb Austin Wright,"

"Wake up!"

"Do something!"

"I'm not going to let you die . . ."

sadness?

"I'm no healer, Cae. I don't know how to help you."

"Dammit, Caleb! What am I supposed to do?"

"Don--Don't die. Gah. Please."

"If you're going to die on me here, I might as well give you a real explanation. Even if you're already gone. No, you aren't gone . . . So listen. I kissed you because . . . well, I don't really know. It felt natural. I've never been close to anyone, and I don't know why we were close. I doubt I'm supposed to know. But I did, I still do. If you leave me now? I won't forget you. I've said it once and I'll say it again, you have too much to offer. You're special, Caleb."

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:46 am

The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] - Page 2 Jonathan-150x150

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

"Whoa, Tyler, watcha doing here, little man?" Jonathan asked the kid who nearly collided with his leg. He ruffled Tyler's hair in a big-brotherly way until he got a look at the boy's face. No one could mistake the anxiety in those innocent features. "What's wrong?"

Small hands clasped around his wrist. "They need help, Athan," came his troubling reply. Tyler tugged at his hand. "The boy with glasses looked like he died!"

And just that simple statement was enough to send Jonathan sprinting towards the scene.

Perhaps it was luck how Jonathan was conveniently near when all this happened. It could also be coincidence, or just sheer chance. Well, that didn't matter. What mattered now was that he was here at this certain point in time, ready to help a friend who barely even spared him a second glance. If it were other people, they would probably even scurry away to avoid a situation like this especially with someone like Caleb involved, but this was Jonathan. He was never like that, even to Caleb who practically make it a hobby to poke fun at him in big and complicated-sounding words. Sure, it got irritating somewhat, but he wasn't about to let Caleb down just because of a small grudge. So now here he was, pushing through the group of Apollo kids who for some reason were just standing there instead of doing their jobs.

"Whoa," Jonathan muttered to himself in surprise, stumbling upon a peculiar sight. No one ever mentioned anything about Caleb having a girlfriend, but the astounding evidence was right here in front of his eyes. Jonathan was beyond shocked at this new development but kept his mouth shut, because asking the crying girl about it right now seemed like a stupid thing to do. The son of Aphrodite stood there unmoving for a moment until he remembered what he was there for. Before long he was crouched on one knee beside Caleb's head, unsure of what he was going to do.

"Er... miss?" he asked tentatively, waving to get the attention of the girl laying her head on Caleb's chest. And was he in for even more surprises. The girl was June Prenston, the feared daughter of Ares. A huge lump formed in his throat as he stared at the girl through the creeping darkness, remembering all the rumors he had heard about her. Like the one where she killed an Iris camper, for instance. Jonathan gulped. He should choose his words carefully around this girl. He certainly didn't want to end up five feet below the ground in his attempt to help Caleb out.

Jonathan mustered up his courage and looked June right in the eye. "Hey, um, I'm a friend of Caleb and... just calm down, okay? It's going to be fine." He smiled at her, a silent gesture of reassurance. His hand went to Caleb's wrist and a relieved sigh slipped from his lips. "He's still alive. I found a pulse."

A little satisfied with this, Jonathan then looked back up at the Apollo campers, shooting them a look of confusion. "Shouldn't you be, well I don't know, maybe healing him?" he asked, trying not to raise his voice but finding it hard to do so as he watched how idle and lax the healers were being. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Tyler standing by the sidelines, unsure of what was happening.

"Eh, he deserved it," came one's answer and the others murmured in agreement.

He rose to his feet to face them. The six-foot frame was enough to silence the Apollo kids and Jonathan never felt more thankful for his more-than-average height. "The guy is dying here," he said, his tone being unusually sharp. "Is your hatred enough of a reason to just let him die? Come on, look at yourselves. Please. Help him."

The effect was instantaneous. The campers' eyes seemed to slip into a daze for a split-second there but it wasn't very noticeable what with the lack of light. Then, before he knew it, they switched into healing-mode in the blink of an eye and rushed to Caleb's mangled legs, talking in a language Jonathan could barely understand but it was enough to tell him that he had done his job right. Something he had said must have convinced them to heal Caleb. Huh, he never thought it would happen that quickly though. Slowly he moved towards June, hesitating for a few moments before putting his hand on her shoulder and slightly moved her away from the son of Momus. Her being there might distract the Apollo kids from their jobs, but Jonathan had no idea how to phrase it in a way not to offend her. "Um, I think we should give them a little space..." he said, praying to the gods that June won't go all psycho on him and kill him like she did that Iris camper.

Tyler then picked that moment to rush towards June, throwing his small arms around her. Jonathan shifted uncomfortably on his feet, hoping that the little childish action wouldn't bother the daughter of Ares. He was close enough to hear the young boy's question and near enough to see his wide and worried eyes as he stared at June. "Is he going to be alright?"

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:52 pm

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

scared

"I knew he had friends!"

"It's going to be fine,"

"What about Caleb? Is he going to be fine?"

"Keep him that way,"

"I'm sure you've heard things about me,"

"I don't know if it's true or not, but if Caleb dies—"

"Is he going to be alright?"

"How the hell should I—"

"Caleb'll be fine, Squirt. He's a big boy."

"I'm not so sure how those healers are going to turn out after Caleb's healed, though,"

"I'm June,"

"I . . . know Caleb."

his

"You won't look at me. I'm not a killer. I've never murdered anyone."

"Unless Caleb dies. Then it would probably be considered my fault, and I'd be labeled as such."

"It's pathetic, the way people judge Caleb and I. I would never . . . hurt him."

"And he would never hurt me. I doubt he'd hurt anyone. If you know him, like you say you do, then I'm sure you agree. If the gods let me live, they have to let Caleb. He's a good guy."

"Your dad raised a good boy,"

"And I don't even like children."

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:51 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reassured by the fact that June hadn't harmed his half-sibling, Jonathan dug his hands in his pockets and proceeded to stare at the dirty ground. He was trying to look at anything but the bloody state of Caleb's poor legs. It was disgusting enough to make him gag just at the mental image. One glimpse at them would probably cause him to throw up and he had no intention of doing that in front of an audience, especially with the sort of scary daughter of Ares around. He chuckled slightly when he heard June comment on the possible future of the Apollo healers when they were done. "They'll get yelled at," he said, smiling but not really looking at the girl beside him. "When he wakes up, Caleb will probably see something wrong with how they treated him then proceeds to tell them off for it. Or something like that. I'm Jonathan, by the way."

He remained silent as June talked, realizing that the rumors he heard about her were just those. Rumors. She came off rather blunt at first, but she wasn't bad. At least, not as bad as he initially thought. He finally snuck a look at her and offered a small smile, but as she was already staring off into the woods, the gesture was lost. Taking the hint, Jonathan nudged Tyler's shoulder, gently prying him off the girl. "No worries, li'l man, he'll be up and about in a few," he told him, ruffling his hair as he wondered if his words were as empty as the look on June's face. "Why don't you go play for a little while? You can come back later to visit him if you want."

Tyler rocked slightly on his heels, considering their reassuring words. With a satisfied look on his face, he burst into giggles while hugging the older boy. A cheerful 'okay' later, Tyler skipped away, pleased with the little act of heroism he had done. Jonathan watched him go before turning back to June. "Caleb isn't going to die," he said firmly. "He can be a little, um, rude at times, but he isn't all bad. I mean, he must have a soft spot somewhere, right? I don't know though. I've never really seen that side of him."

Jonathan studied her closely. Why would someone care about Caleb like this so much? He originally assumed June was a girlfriend of sorts, but it didn't look to be that way to him now. More in the lines of close friendship. Something that was built for not days, but years. He could see just as much. "You two... are you childhood friends or something? Sorry if I come off as prying. Just curious." Jonathan laughed softly to himself. "Besides, I don't know who else to ask. I don't think Caleb's particularly keen on answering any of my questions."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:17 pm

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"They deserve more than just getting yelled at,"

"Jonathan,"

"Why are you being nice to me? You don't have to lie to me like I'm some kid."

"I mean—ignore what I just said. That was a little harsh."

"I have,"

wanted

"Yeah, I doubt he is,"

"You could say we're childhood friends,"

"It's hard to explain. Recently . . . I think we've both just been through a lot."

"What with the gods being demonic and all."

"This all looks really bad, huh?"

"Just . . . don't try to assume anything. I guarantee this isn't what it looks like."

"But I will give you a guess,"

"As long as you don't guess we did this to each other."

((asdfghjkl your template. holy cow. it made me completely spazz.))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:14 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jonathan tipped his head to the side in slight confusion. Did he look like he was lying? Probably. Or was June just not used to being treated nicely? Also a possibility. Anyone who heard those circulating rumors would've tried to stay away from her as much as possible. They wouldn't risk their lives to engage in a friendly conversation with her, even for just a little small talk. Perhaps if the instances were different, Jonathan might have been one of those people. It was just because of fate's hand that he ended up talking to June. He forced out a chuckle as she laughed, an effort to get along with her. He must be doing pretty damn good seeing as the daughter of Ares hadn't tried to kill him yet.

Noticing June's discomfort, he decided not to push the topic even if he badly wanted to. Perhaps it was just a story for another day, or perhaps it just wasn't meant for his ears. "Bad luck, huh?" Jonathan said, smiling all the same. As June insulted the gods, he thought it was only a form of letting out her frustrations and nothing else. He didn't consider the possibility that June was being literal, that her father might have been the cause of all these things. "Well, I would've thought you sparred and got a little carried away, but since that's out of the question..." A thoughtful look crossed the son of Aphrodite's face as he looked up to the dark skies as if they held the answers he sought. How had Caleb ended up this way?

Jonathan glanced at the forest nearby. "Monster attack? He let his guard down and a hellhound suddenly pounced on him?" he suggested, only half-believing in his own words. He chuckled slightly. "Just a wild guess. Out of ideas." He knocked on his head twice for and snorted a bit. "What really happened? Hope you're not planning on leaving me hanging."

Jonathan tried to check on how the Apollo healers were doing but he had shut his eyes too quickly, forcing himself not to have a negative reaction at the sight of Caleb's injuries. He turned to look at June instead, trying to take in her somewhat disheveled appearance. Was it just him or did she look like she just got sick herself? There was definitely more to this than June was letting on. "Are you alright? Need to rest or anything?" Pursing his lips, he looked her over, searching for any visible injuries. He found none but he couldn't be 100% sure of that. But maybe her injuries weren't on the physical side. Maybe Caleb had a more devastating effect on her than he first thought.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

((Thank youz! It's a little messed up in Firefox though xD))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:51 am

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"Something like that,"

"I just might have to, Jonathan,"

"You don't want to get yourself into any serious trouble."

"The gods'll get you if their friends don't first."

"I'm . . . I've been better,"

"But at this point, I don't even know what's causing the weakness."

"Maybe you should do that voicey thing again, if you want me to talk,"

"I have to admit, that really made an impression, General. I wish I could do something other than learn how to kill people with weapons."

"I'd like to think I'm not exactly my dad's child, but it's hard when you'd a killing machine and everyone knows it."

"Like I said, I'm not feeling so hot, and that's probably the only weapon on me, so don't feel like you're compromising your safety around me."

"My dad gave me a lot of skills, but I don't think he can handle the monster he created. Caleb and I together scares the gods. Most specifically my dad, Ares. So he's probably trying to kill me and your friend."

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:30 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jonathan's eyes widened just a little. What had June and Caleb done? Had they really caught the gods' attention? His mind pieced together the clues and it suddenly clicked. How else would Caleb get wounded that bad? What else would it take for June to become as shaken up as she was just a little while ago? Jonathan swallowed thickly, feeling uncomfortable with this whole new situation. He could just hope that the god of war had more important things to bother with than the two demigods, but it seemed like Ares already started. Jonathan didn't want to know how this was going to end, but he was sure that it wasn't going to be well.

His train of thought was broken when June mentioned that 'voicey' thing. "I'm sorry?" Jonathan asked in confusion, wondering if he heard her right. "What voicey thing? What are you talking about?" He subconsciously cleared his throat. Did he sound different? Was his voice higher or lower than usual? Before he could ponder on this strange new development, Jonathan nearly jumped out of his skin when something gleaming whizzed past him, hitting the ground with a muted thud. A closer inspection told him that it was June's knife.

Jonathan felt his muscles go tense. Was June losing it? Was she proving that the rumors he heard about her were real? But then, if she wanted to hurt him for starters, she would've aimed at him. It seemed possible that she just missed, but chances of that was slim. Perhaps if she really wanted to kill him, he wouldn't be standing here wondering if that was really her intention. He looked at her only to catch her staring at Caleb again, and then took the chance to exhale and relax a little. "Maybe 'kill' isn't the right word for it. Just 'gravely injure'. I don't think the gods would want to lose you two, especially with the... war." He spoke the word war with distaste. He had nothing against Ares, the war god, just the whole concept of war and fighting. But then again, without conflicts, the human race wouldn't probably exist.

"Well, if he really is aiming to kill you..." he trailed off, very uncomfortable at the thought. "I think he'll hold it until the war's done. Besides, there are probably other gods siding with you or something. There are a lot of gods, and the chances of no single one of them taking your side are close to zero." He shrugged upon saying this. It was really just a guess and it sounded like Jonathan was trying to convince himself. The gods themselves eliminating demigods... well, the idea was frightening. What were they, really, compared to Di Immortales?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 21, 2012 3:09 pm

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"Nevermind,"

jealous

"I'll be cool with you as long as you don't order me around, getting me to do stuff."

"He hadn't let on that his legs were so much worse than my bloodstream,"

"I used to live in the infirmary. I hardly ever saw wounds that bad, unless they were new campers. The ones that couldn't defend themselves from monsters. The weak ones. I don't understand how dogs can tear up someone like that."

smirked

"We were thinking the same thing! Before . . . you know . . ."

"I don't want to get you pulled into this, but I'm willing to tell you a little of what happened, now. You just can't tell anyone. If you do, I reserve the right to break one of your bones."

"And please don't tell Cae I told you."

"In a nutshell, Caleb and I were friends when we were kids, but I made him blind and he gave me a mental disorder. The gods erased our minds and separated us, and we found each other at camp, which sparked our memories, and now the gods are after us, and then you came here and got help."

"That makes sense, right?"

"I hope you took notes, because I really don't feel like repeating myself, or being responsible for anyone going after you. The less you know, the better."

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:20 pm

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Um, okay..." Jonathan mumbled, still stuck in trying to figure out what June meant. Him, order people around? Maybe a better term would be 'request'. But then, she mentioned something related to his voice. Could it be..?

"He hadn't let on that his legs were so much worse than my bloodstream," June said, earning a puzzled look from the son of Aphrodite. Well, he was right after all. No wonder he couldn't see any wound. It was the kind that worked on a deeper level, not to mention more lethal. His stance shifted slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest, carefully keeping a close eye on June. Not that he was afraid that she'd suddenly turn against him (even though a little of that fear lingered deep in his mind), but because of the realization that June probably wasn't as well as she'd let on.

"Dogs?" Jonathan questioned, eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. "Dogs did this to Caleb? Are you for real?" He hadn't meant for those words to slip out but if he didn't speak out some of the thoughts that were bothering him, he would most likely explode.

He tried to pay attention to June's story-telling, but his ADHD-influenced brain kept trying to tune it out, trying to force him to instead pay attention to irrelevant things like the trees rustling in the distance and the crickets' song filling the air. It didn't help that June talked quickly. Now the only words that stuck to his mind were 'blind,' 'mental disorder,' and something about 'memories.' "Well I guess it does make sense," Jonathan lied smoothly. In all honesty, he hadn't made heads and tails of the situation yet, but he made a mental note to figure it out later. He was probably going to forget that too, no thanks to ADHD.

"You two must be pretty dangerous," Jonathan commented. He started to tap his foot against the ground in an even rhythm, as if counting off the seconds until the healers were done. "I've never heard of the gods actually meddling with demigod affairs, unless of course you count Percy and his friends. I heard Annabeth even got to the point where a goddess chucked cow dung at her," he laughed quietly. "Let's just hope that you don't end up dodging dung from the sky."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:37 am

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"Yeah, dogs."

"I never saw the said mutts, but they were possessed. And you know how scary dogs can be."

"He walked on those legs. And supported me on them."

"And I don't know how the hell he did it. Those might be dog bites, or scratches, or . . . you know what? I'm not sure what is wrong with his legs, but wouldn't you say it's pretty impressive that he walked on 'em?"

"This is not supposed to be happening today. I was supposed to talk to Caleb, not wait for one of us to drop."

"How much of the story do you believe?"

"That makes me feel special,"

"I've never met Percy Jackson, but my friend Nico has. He doesn't like the hero. My guess is they had it coming."

"It's weird that you're nice to me,"

"What's your motive? For sticking around?"

"You want someone gone? You owe Caleb a favor?"

"You just go around helping people?"

Sure,

"definitely"

"Becuase that's something everyone everywhere does. Help."

((this is one of my posts that doesn't flow well at all. xD))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:21 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jonathan never let his eyes linger on the son of Momus for more than a few seconds, still feeling disgusted by the mere thought of his friend getting attacked by dogs. And he used to think they were pretty awesome too. Were they called man's best friend for nothing? "Yeah," he agreed with a slight nod. "If it were me, I wouldn't make it ten steps." Perhaps it was not totally true, especially if the circumstances were different. Maybe if Jonathan knew that somebody's life depended on his ability to push on and walk, he might even climb mountains just to save them. Maybe it was how Caleb felt, even if the mere idea seemed so absurd at first. Caleb, do something so selfless? Well, it was certainly unexpected, but Jonathan always guessed that the son of Momus wasn't all toughness and vanity.

"A few bits here and there," he said evasively, knowing that if he disclosed any kind of assumption he had, it would reveal that he hadn't totally paid attention to June a while ago. "And yeah. Guess they did," he said with a soft chuckle. Thank the gods he wasn't a part of that. A life filled so much misadventures was definitely not his thing. He liked the peace and quiet more, but sadly that was so rare for their kind. He sighed softly, running his fingers through his dark brown hair.

The sudden shift in June's demeanor troubled him greatly, his lips curling into a small frown to show it. Was this an aftereffect of whatever sickness she had in her bloodstream? Before he could ask if she was alright, she already seemed back to normal, whatever normal was. Still, the change seemingly remained as June went to pace around him and he didn't miss how her hand moved dangerously closer to her knife. She had the weapon back now, something that he wasn't exactly happy about. Add the fact how she circled him like some sort of predator and he was the prey, and Jonathan suddenly wished that he didn't look that pitiful being scrutinized by a girl considerably shorter than he was.

Her question surprised him even more. "Motive?" Jonathan wasn't used to being asked about those things. Mostly people just forgot to do so and took him for granted. He wasn't completely fine about that, but it wasn't as if he had any motives either. Sometimes, you just didn't need any. You shouldn't need any reason to help.

Jonathan shifted into a more open stance, feet slowly inching apart so that he could move quickly in case June saw the need to use that knife of hers. He let his arms fall limply by his sides, thumbs hooking on his pant pockets. It was easier to dodge when your arms weren't crossed over your chest. "Well, yeah," he spoke firmly at the suggestion June didn't seem to take too seriously. Why? Was there anything bad in helping people? "So that doesn't sound like a good reason to you? Are you saying that I should only lend a hand when I have some kind of motive... like I need something back?"

His voice had slightly risen, more out of the fact that he was starting to take the slightest offense at June's statements. He didn't like how she looked at him as if he was thinking of ways to get them to do his bidding. He never liked being wrongly judged for his otherwise good actions. June reminded him of Caleb, actually. He could almost hear his voice echoing in her words. "You... You sound a little like Caleb," he murmured softly, his thoughts taking the shape of spoken words. "He used to tell me that a lot too. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you two hung out," he said, trying to keep some traces of bitterness from his tone. He couldn't help it. Some of her comments actually stung.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Mon Jul 23, 2012 4:20 pm

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"I could probably go a few steps. But I'm also just saying that to top you."

that

was

"Most people deserve what's coming to them,"

did

"But there are exceptions."

"Yes, motive,"

"It sounds like a horrible reason,"

"I'm going to have to owe you for this."

"It's a waist of your time to not expect anything in return. Especially because people will judge you for this."

"I won't tell anyone. If you leave now, no one will even know you where here."

"That's what I thought, too,"

"And it's really a complement. I think underneath we're different. I'm mostly just a bunch of anger piled together and stuffed inside a little girl."

"You don't remind me of anyone. You're a lot nicer than most people I hang around. Makes me wonder how much of it is just an act."

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:53 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jonathan shrugged, but he could feel some of his irritation float to the surface of his mind. "Fine, if that's what you want," he said, wondering what on earth she would do to repay this kind of debt. Hopefully it didn't involve blood. From what he could see, June seemed the type who was most inclined to violence. Well, maybe not much around Caleb, but it was the show she put on for everyone else. Jonathan was part of the latter. Should he be surprised that she was actually talking to him like this? Should he be beyond amazed that June hadn't lunged at him yet with her knife poised to strike?

"I'll wait until Caleb's condition's stable," he said in a clipped manner. As much as he wanted to do some good in June's world, he thought that perhaps it would be better to just watch from afar and pull the strings from behind the scenes (not that he had any idea how to do that, but he'll cross the bridge when he got there). Besides, the more time he spent in her company, he couldn't help but wonder just how much of his harmless actions June thought he faked. Which really hurt, since he never meant anything to be that way.

Jonathan clasped his fingers together and placed his hands behind his head. His feet also started to move aimlessly and he paced back and forth, both in anxiety and a little of it in boredom. He had momentarily forgotten that June had a weapon on her and could be close to using it at any moment. It was mostly due to his trusting nature that the natural path for his brain was to automatically assume that she wasn't going to hurt him.

At last he sighed again, wanting just to remain quiet but at the same time feeling the strange urge to redeem himself, at least attempt to. "I don't have motives," he said, meeting her gaze once more. "I guess it must sound stupid, but that's the truth. I'm here because, well, I don't want Caleb to die. Not like this." His shoulders drooped slightly as he kicked at the ground. "I wish I could help you, but..." He paused, averting his gaze and he turned to look at the cloud of dust below I him. I don't think I'm the kind of person you would turn to for any kind of help, he finished in his thoughts.

"That does it," a deep voice emanated from the group huddled around the unconscious child of Momus. Jonathan slightly let his eyes drift upward to see the Apollo healers slowly backing away from Caleb. They were discussing how to move him to the infirmary for a while. Jonathan couldn't help but grin. How Caleb would react waking up in the infirmary with his legs wrapped up in bloodstained bandages, it was just enough to make him laugh a little. Being seen as helpless was something that didn't fit well with the son of Momus. Maybe it was another reason why he didn't relent on his task to help June move even with that leg injury he had. Giving up was a sign of weakness, at least Caleb thought so. Jonathan, not so much. From a different perspective, it could mean that you were brave enough to walk away. That you were strong enough to let go.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

((rofl, writing from Jonathan's POV is hard xDD))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:41 am

June Prenston ♣ -- ares

"I . . . It's what I want. Caleb's going to have to help me though, because techniqually, he's the one that owes you."

"How polite of you to buy me some time,"

"He's still unconscious . . ."

"Are you not going to do anything about this?"

"You know what, never mind. Let's just get him to the infirmary."

"Jonathan! Are you going to help me or what?"

"Random Apollo people! Sign Caleb and I until the infirmary or something."

((Haha, well you don't have to use him with June anymore. Infirmary topicccc? xD In the middle of the night. 8D because I like night rp's for some reason don't ask why.))

Subject: Re: The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie] Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:37 am

jonathan wyatt adams
Son of Aphrodite

they say bad things happen for a reason,
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Jonathan watched the unconscious boy for a few moments, only half-listening to the scratchy-voiced healer that stammered out an explanation to June. Something about running the risk of choking if they tried to give Caleb ambrosia. It was easy to tune the healer out, both thanks to his ADHD and the fact that the Apollo boy kept sputtering out near incoherent sentences. Probably scared of June, he guessed.

Jonathan was at the boy's other side before the ever-so-subtle words left June's lips. Placing his arm around his shoulder, the son of Aphrodite opted to shift most of Caleb's weight to him. It didn't take a genius to know that June wasn't strong enough to carry him by herself. "I can take him," Jonathan said firmly, looking over her. It looked like her knees were ready to buckle under the dead weight. The last thing they needed was another body to carry. "You just go on."

Hunched under Caleb's arm, Jonathan started his way to the infirmary, but not before telling some of the healers to quickly prepare whatever they needed to prepare for the demigods' sudden confinement. As he watched some of the Apollo kids speed on without them, Jonathan snuck a look to the others' direction. Caleb looked peaceful in sleep, for once. June seemed a little preoccupied, but he assumed that it was because of the ordeal they had just been in. Jonathan had no idea about what went through the girl's mind, much less about the troubling voice that kept plaguing her thoughts. No, Jonathan was just quick to assume the more likely possibility of June getting so sick and tired of this facade.

"You owe me a favor, right?" he said, smiling. "Get a good night's sleep for me, won't you? You almost look like a zombie in there." He bit his tongue quickly to keep from saying anything else. Why did he have to say something like that to annoy the girl more? "Well, in any case, you'll need a healthy dose of beauty sleep, or whatever you girls call it," he added hastily, remembering his sisters' conversations back in his cabin.

Jonathan fixed his gaze back to the front, where he could just spot the infirmary in the distance. A sigh of relief slipped through his slightly parted lips. Just a few more steps and they would be saved. At least, he hoped they would be. The two demigods didn't need any more disturbances tonight. He could just hope that they could get a peaceful sleep after what they've been through. As much as he prayed though, something nagged the back of his mind. A suspicion. Something that told him that this was certainly not the end of it. The story had just begun to unfold.

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but no wise words are gonna stop the bleeding.

((rofl. I'll make it this time, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. /glances shiftily at the pile of homework on the foot of the bed))

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