I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing... [Private]

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

It wasn't like Jonathan was lonely, sitting there by Euros Creek with his feet dipped in the cool waters. He was just out of things to do, is all. His brown hair stuck up in a few directions as usual. He didn't even bother trying to fix it. The sleeves of his orange camp shirt were rolled up to his shoulder, the sun's rays shining on the slightly tanned skin of his arms. He didn't mind the summer heat--he thought that the cooling sensation from the creek was enough to refresh him.

It was only a matter of time before someone entered the clearing. Before he knew it, someone from behind gave him a rough shove. The sudden push sent him falling to the waist-deep water. He vaguely heard the laughing fade out and when his head broke the water's surface, he saw that the pranker had already left. Spluttering out some water and wading his way back to the edge of the creek, Jonathan sighed and wondered who it would have been. Maybe a bunch of Hermes campers thought it would be nice to pull a prank on him today. Or it could've been some older Ares boys poking fun at him way back before. Well anyway, no use dwelling on who might have done it. What's done is done.

Jonathan blinked the water out of his eyes and saw someone nearby. His first thought was that the boy went back for him, but a closer look at the person sent that thought flying out of the window. She was a girl.

"Hey there," he said with a small smile, raising his hand up in a half-wave at the girl. He probably looked weird with his clothes all drenched. Ah well, nothing he can do about that. Jonathan could only hope that the girl had nothing against soaked people.

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

Brianna had been dozing in a tree nearby when she'd heard the splash of someone jumping/falling/being pushed into the creek. Now, it was normal for the girl to scurry off on her own, dozing, playing, or just not doing anything at all. The sound of someone possibly playing in the creek enticed her too peek from the branches of the tree, not yet revealing herself in case it was a trap to get her in trouble.

But seeing it was just a boy who'd been pushed into the lake, the strange girl slipped down from her branch, making her way carefully, until she landed in the grass in a crouch. Walking forwards on bare feet, she tilted her head as she was noticed, caramel hair tangled with leaves from her napping place. "Hello~. You're all wet." she said, her voice like wind chimes, happy and light. "But you're dressed. How come you went swimming in your cloths?" she asked, her hands folded behind herself.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

The way the girl talked soothed him for some reason. Perhaps it was her voice? The sound of it almost made him forget that he was standing in waist-deep water. Jonathan chuckled slightly as he hoisted himself back on land. As he started to walk, he realized just how much his wet clothes weighed him down. Jonathan sighed and wrung the ends of his pants first, leaving a wet trail behind him.

"It's unplanned," he explained simply. The girl probably hadn't seen the stunt those anonymous boys pulled. It was better, he guessed. "Anyway, it's summer. A nice swim feels great at this time of the year."

Jonathan looked the girl over, trying to place her. No success. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Jonathan."

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

The tanned, freckled, smiling girl giggled. "That's true! I fall all the time. Sometimes into the water! Sometimes out of trees..." she pondered all of the places she fell out of out loud for a few moments before remembering he'd introduced himself. "I'm Brianna. My dad's Mr. D." she said, brightly. Patting down her long peasant skirt, she smiled brightly. Bri was a simple girl, with a simple view on life. "The sun'll dry your cloths fast though! It's super warm today!" she gave him a bright smile and sat next to the creek. "So whatcha doin out here?"

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

The way Brianna carried herself amused him a little. She acted like a bubbly little kid. Her cheerfulness was contagious too. Pretty soon Jonathan found himself smiling widely at her as he dropped to his same seat as before. She was right about his clothes too, he thought, feeling some of the dampness go away under the intense heat of the sun.

"Not much. Thinking, I guess," he said with a slight shrug. "How 'bout you? Just hanging out in the trees? Making sure you don't fall off this time?"

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

Brianna gave him another big, bright smile. It never seemed to faulter for even a moment. Sticking her bare feet in the water. "It's not fall out of a tree day. It's lose my shoes day." she said, giggling. She tended to lose her shoes a lot, often found walking around barefoot. She named the days, every day, by what happened to her. "Whatchu thinking about?" she asked, wiggling her toes in the water. Her toenails were painted with sparkling grape bunches for decal.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Jonathan raised his eyebrows as his gaze shifted over to her bare feet. Chuckling, he shook his head a little, wondering just how happy this girl can be. She didn't seem to be the type to be put down easily too. Heck, Jonathan couldn't even imagine this girl becoming angry. Did she ever become negative, he wondered?

"Well, right now I'm wondering why you're so happy," he admitted with a wide grin. He threw a swift glance at her feet before adding, "That, and how you lost your shoes."

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Why not?" she asked in response, her eyes twinkling. "If you go through the life we have to live frowning and being sad all the time, nothing will ever seem really bright again! This may get dark, but if you keep on smiling and laughing, you'll never lose yourself." she looked at him, actually looking... quite aware. Her smile was more knowledgeable for a moment, before she flopped back in the grass, stretching out in the sun. "The sun is warm~" As she stretched, her shirt lifted off of her tummy, a glittering navel ring with a grape bunch charm peeping into view.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

He hadn't expected such a wise response, but then, Brianna did have a good point. He laughed a little. How had he never thought of that? Had he been focusing too much on the miseries of his past instead of the positives? Why can't he be like Bri--so carefree and optimistic in her view of the world? Not asking the easy questions today, are you? a scathing part of his mind questioned, bringing out another soft laugh from the boy.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment, watching as she stretched out under the sun. His eyes caught the outline of her grape navel ring and he also remembered the grape designs on her toenails. The smile still played on his lips as he asked, "Let me guess, your favorite fruits are grapes?"

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

Brianna nodded, giggling. "Yep! They're daddy's fruit. There's aaaaaall kinds of grapes! Didja know? There's table grapes, and wine grapes, those are the ones veeeeery specially grown and picked. And then there's seedless grapes! They don't have seeds! And then there's the grapes you use for raisins and stuff! And each one of those categories has tons more kinds inside! I like all kinds. Purple is my favorite this week. The world produces somewhere estimated over 67 million grapes?" she asked, smiling wide.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Mother of gods. The girl was spouting words of wisdom one second then saying how seedless grapes lacked... seeds... in the next. Jonathan had slightly started in surprise when she started talking about her favorite fruit ever and only understood half of what she was saying.

"Whoa whoa whoa, breathe," he told her, still in alarm. "I don't know... maybe..?" Lame. Come on, Athan, think of better things to say, his mind chided, but he had been way too overwhelmed by Brianna's little speech. How was he supposed to respond to a girl who seemed obsessed with grapes, of all things? "Wow... er... I didn't know half the things you said about grapes..."

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Most people don't. But my daddy is the god of grapes, among other things! So I learned about them!" she said, tapping her toes together. "I am breathing, or else my face would turn colors and I'd pass out." A small, sagely nod as she looked at the water again. "I also like setting up parties! But my stepdad won't let me drink wine. 'It doesn't matter if your father is the god of wine, you're underaged.' Phooey. I just wanna try it!"

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Jonathan couldn't help but laugh. He found it rather fun to listen to her talk. He could probably listen all day and not get annoyed. "Wine isn't that great. Drank some on a dare a few years ago," he said simply, looking over the girl with an amused twinkle in his eyes. What he said probably won't discourage her from trying it out. It would take a whole lot to discourage this girl from anything, he thought.

"Well... got a party set up anytime soon?"

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Not yet! I'm thinking of doing something in the Amphitheater. I need lotsa stuff though, and I gotta wait for my mom to send my allowance." she pouted. "She always forgets how to send it through Hermes, so it takes a while." Stretching out her legs, she looked at him. "Would you come to my party?"

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

"Sure, why not?" A party, huh? Jonathan wasn't really too fond of parties, but he couldn't exactly say no to that face now, could he? Besides, it probably won't be too bad. Perhaps he could just blend in like always to avoid attention. "You inviting the whole camp? I guess a lot of people would come. Doubt the amphitheater would be enough to hold the crowd..."

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Oh! Then maybe the cabin courtyard?" she asked, looking at him. "It's big, open and could be lotsa fun if we decorate right!" she clapped her hands together. "We could set up lights and music and I could talk to Daddy about maybe getting drinks and food and stuff! I've been a good girl and I got good grades at school so he might let it happen! But I'll have to ask...." she tapped her cheek.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Not wanting to put a damper on Brianna's mood (though he was beginning to doubt if it was possible), Jonathan smiled and nodded to her ideas. Mr. D was a little scary, he had to admit, and he wasn't sure if he gave his children special treatment or not. "Sounds like it's going to take a whole lot of planning." Jonathan was out of words, but it didn't bother him that much. Brianna struck him as the kind of person who didn't need much encourage to get her going. Take the grapes speech, for instance...

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Yep! I love a good party! I really do! I'll make checklists, and get supplies, and things like that!" she clapped her hands together excitedly, bouncing a bit. "Would you come with me to help me pick streamers?" she asked, looking at him, a smile on her face. "You're really nice... You're my friend, okay?" Brianna smiled brightly, her indigo eyes sparkling.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Smiling as brightly as Brianna, Jonathan nodded. "Sure," he replied, answering both her questions. He couldn't say no even if he wanted to. And besides, hanging out with her can be good for him. Hopefully some of her carefree nature would rub off on him. He needed a little more light in his life.

He paused thoughtfully, considering it. "Hang on, are we going to pick streamers now?"

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"Only if you want to! We could climb trees, or go swimming, or get a radio and dance around in the Amphitheater...." Brianna listed this off, tapping her finger, her smile only faltering to be replaced by a thoughtful look. "Or play tag with the Nymph's and Satyrs.... Whatever might be fun!" she held her hands behind her back, rocking from toe to heel, waiting for his explenation of what they might be able to do today.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Jonathan vaguely wondered if there was an end to Brianna's hyperactivity. Was it legal to be this hyper? He smiled in spite of his thoughts, finding her childish nature to be somehow comfortable. It was just like having a little kid sister who wanted to play around a lot.

"Well I guess that depends. What do you most feel like doing?" he asked curiously. She listed a few things and they all sounded fun, he had to admit. And truth be told, he didn't really want to choose. A lingering voice in his mind kept telling him that it was as if he was forcing things upon her, even if it really wasn't. Jonathan can just be a little too paranoid for his own good.

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"I usually have a hard time deciding!" she chimed, bouncing around a bit. "I usually just run around all over until I find something! Like a big tree to climb, or a nymph to play with or somewhere to dance! I could do anything at any time if it's fun!" she said, standing and spinning. "There's a whole wide WORLD of possibilities for fun!" Giggling, Brianna looked down at him. "What do you like to do?"

Brianna was, as always, happy to do whatever her friends wanted to do. It was rare to have a friend stick around for long, as most people found her annoying, loud and childish. It was hard for her to find a consistent playmate.

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

The girl's cheerfulness brought out another laugh from the son of Aphrodite. "They're boring, the things I like to do. Well, I don't think 'like' is the proper word for it. Hm, maybe the things that I end up doing most of the time? That sounds better," Jonathan said with a rueful smile. Gods, he did sound like some sort of loner now. Maybe Brianna had that kind of effect on people, making them realize just how much of a pessimist they can be.

"I just sit somewhere like this and... well, think. Sometimes I walk around and spar a bit in the arena, but that's it. Boring, right?"

Posts : 571 Join date : 2012-06-12 Age : 35 Location : USA

"That's not Boring! That's just what you do! If you feel it's boring, then change it! But if it's what you like to do, it could never be boring!" Brianna giggled and clapped her hands together. "I'm not very good at fighting, but I'm good at dodging! We could go spar and you can try to hit me! I'll get to dance, in a way, and you can spar!" She nodded, this was the most obvious way to make them both happy to Brianna, though she was always happy. Bouncing around at this wonderful idea, she smiled. "Lets go!"

Jonathan Wyatt Adams
Son of Aphrodite

Sparring wasn't exactly Jonathan's favorite thing to do. It was why he didn't use the term 'like'. But looking at Brianna's enthusiasm, he couldn't find the heart to refuse. Well, he probably wouldn't anyway regardless of the consequences. It was going to kill him someday, his inability to say no. Smiling, Jonathan straightened up and stretched his limbs a little. "Sure. I'd love to see how you dance in a battle. Not something I see everyday." He ruffled his hair out of habit, making it even messier than it already was. "Lead the way?"

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