The minor adjustment [Runie-Balloonie]

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Something told Caleb that this had been a very bad idea from the start. Perhaps it was the thick long snake glaring at him through the window nearest his bunk when he woke up. Or perhaps it was how dogs just seemed to snarl and growl at him as he walked past. It may also be because of the sudden flock of vultures suddenly flying overhead, a rare and troubling sight for the young demigod. What were vultures doing in Long Island? Did they break out of a nearby zoo somewhere? Caleb tried his best to ignore these signs, trying not to consider the idea that he was missing out on something here. As to why his presence would suddenly cause a bit of a ruckus in front of certain animals, he didn't want to think about.

"This is getting out of hand," he muttered darkly to himself, his words almost lost amidst the loud angry barks from some of the campers' dogs. "Control your dogs, will you?" he hollered to the boys, who scowled in response as they restrained the labradors they were walking. Sneering as he turned his back on them, he vaguely heard the sound of something snapping in the air before two forces suddenly knocked him off his feet. A scream ripped his throat as he felt sharp teeth pulling on his legs, grazing the skin underneath his denim jeans. Caleb crumpled, trying to pull his legs free of the pointed fangs and slobbery tongues. It was another few seconds before the two campers finally got their dogs off, but the damage was done. Through half-closed eyes Caleb can see the ripped ends of his pants darkening with stains of red.

"What the hell?" His voice came out as nothing more than a whisper as the sudden stinging pain started to overwhelm him. Trying not to gag at the sight of his own blood, he suddenly felt himself being pulled up to his feet. Some nectar and ambrosia later he found that he can stand on his own feet again. Some of the pain still lingered however, when he started to walk. He brushed off the others' attempts to get him to the infirmary, telling them that he was alright, but not leaving without throwing some harsh accusations at the dog owners. Trying to help, huh? You're just trying to keep me alive so you won't have to get punished for what your stupid dogs have done, he thought scathingly, limping in the direction of the lake.

Each step brought him misery, but Caleb had to do this. He just badly wanted to see his only friend again. Even if he was now bleeding to death.

...okay, that might have been an exaggeration, but it felt that way to the son of Momus.

His eyes still moist with tears from the previous encounter, Caleb finally reached the path they took the day before. A couple of minutes of wandering later, he found himself standing in the familiar clearing and looked around for June. The sight that met his eyes troubled him more than anything. Ignoring the pain from his heels, he limped closer to June's soaking wet form crumpled on the ground. "Didn't think you'd go for a swim before this," he managed, stopping right in front of her that his bloody shoes and pants were right in her view. "Mind telling me what you're doing on the ground, Prenston?"

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

The hug disarmed Caleb so much that he had to think for a few moments to process June's words. Even so, that sudden gesture still managed to invade his mind, distracting him more than ever. The noticeable flush on her cheeks bothered him too, mostly due to the fact that he could feel his own face heating up. Caleb reached a hand up to his glasses and fumbled to adjust it even if it didn't need any more adjusting. He cleared his throat as well--more out of embarrassment than anything.

"Let me get this straight. You fell into a lake, got bitten by a snake or more, then hit your face on some rocks." It apparently sounded that funny to Caleb, proven by how the corner of his lips twitched up in a slight grin. He quickly erased all signs of humor on his face, knowing that it wasn't appropriate for a time like this. For gods' sake, he should be helping June, not laughing at her. Well, maybe he could laugh at her first, then help? He snorted, wondering why his thoughts sounded ridiculous.

"I'm fine," he said stubbornly, kicking the ground to prove his point. He stopped just after one try as the pain seeped back. Okay, maybe he wasn't totally fine, but Caleb was too proud to admit that. He eyed the gashes on her face, his forehead creasing in worry. She looked worse off than him, he thought. "This is nothing. Just a couple of angry dogs that got a little too carried away. Worry about yourself. How are you supposed to get that snake bite treated if you don't go to the infirmary? For all we know you could die in mere seconds."

Caleb hadn't meant that to come out that blunt. His gaze softened a little, though no one can really see because of his shades. "Point is... go get help," he sighed, shaking his head. "Since you obviously made it clear that you don't want us to go together, just... just move along. Get to the infirmary while you still can." He crossed his arms over his chest, staring at her intensely through the comfort of his dark shades. "Don't you dare die on me, Prenston. Not now."

His attempt at an indifferent tone failed as his voice carried a tinge of something else. Anxiety, probably. The son of Momus watched June warily, as if expecting her to fall at any second. Worst case scenario? June would faint and he would need to carry her there on his bloody injured legs. Haha, very funny, Caleb, he thought. Now stop being so ridiculous.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb sighed. June did have a valid point. Who knows, maybe the dogs that bit him had rabies. He froze at that thought. Rabies. He might have rabies coursing through his veins at this very moment. The thought was, frankly put, horrifying.

But as he glanced over June's condition, he knew he wasn't in the place to complain right now. The dogs having rabies was only a possibility. What about June? Caleb was already certain that what bit her was poisonous. As much as she tried to hide it, he could see her weakening by the second and actually expected her to black out at any time now. It was a horrible possibility, but that was just reality. Caleb mumbled something about snakes under his breath, digging his hands in his pockets while trying to look at anything besides June.

What am I supposed to do?

"Cut the crap about you taking me to the infirmary," he muttered, quiet enough that he was sure June couldn't hear. "We're not crazy. Just... abnormal," he almost smiled at that, but all his lips did was curl up in a half-smirk. "Nothing about us is normal. Our past, our immortal lineage, the way the gods meddled in to keep us away from each other... those are anything but normal."

Sighing, Caleb rocked on his heels for a few moments, having some kind of inner debate with himself. He was really getting worried about June's condition, no sense denying that now. The possibility of her dying just scared him, to be honest. He didn't want the only person he actually had ties with leave him now, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it. If June died... Caleb wouldn't know what to do with himself anymore. That was why he was going to do anything to keep that from happening.

June gave him a little bit of purpose. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.

Finally, he held out his arm for her, despite how he seemed rather unsteady on his feet himself. "Grab it. We're both going."

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb bit back the retort that rose to his lips as June partly supported his weight. Time to swallow his pride and actually admit to himself that this made him feel a little more comfortable than before. He didn't know whether it was because of June's support or not, but he suddenly felt at ease just with the feeling of June right there. It felt rather... familiar. As if they had done this before sometime or the other, and his brain was just remembering how nice it felt to have a friend to lean on... literally.

Caleb nodded, shifting a little in an effort not to make her bear any more than half of his weight. Gods, she was the one bitten by a snake. Snakes were much more lethal than petty dogs. It was costing him his pride to prevent from pulling away from her and he would've if she didn't impose that no-complaining rule. Like it or not, he still owed her a favor and this was just one small way of repaying it. "It's their job to patch up bloody kids like us," he muttered under his breath. "They should set aside personal differences else it would be rather... unprofessional of them. Though I guess it'd be fitting, seeing as they are far from professionals just by the immature ways they act."

Leave it to Caleb to start talking in big words again. He vaguely wondered if June was bothered by this little habit of his. He also wondered if he would stop doing it if she said she was. "And fine, I'll shut up about their imperfections," he conceded, frowning. He started to move using the arm around June's shoulder to steer her to the right path. Hey, just because he was bitten by two dogs didn't mean that he completely lost the ability to walk. He had still managed to come here in one piece, hadn't he?

"The feeling's mutual..." he said quietly, his voice wavering a bit. June really was the only one he had who was close to his age. The thought saddened him only slightly. Glancing at the girl beside him, Caleb breathed a sigh and tightened his hold on her. He wasn't going to let her go that easily. "I don't think the infirmary is going to happy to see us, of all people. Just imagine, two of their least favorite persons suddenly walking in with fatal injuries. Must be a dream come true."

Caleb paused, thinking. He didn't know when his thoughts turned into spoken words, but they did. "Us being friends... it's still a little hard to get used to. For them, too. Just imagine their faces. They'd think we tried to fight to death." A dry chuckle. "They judge a lot, don't they? For instance, one look at your bracelet and they automatically assume the worst. No wonder they see the worst of it too, seeing that it's partly their negativity that brings out the rough side of you in the first place." He looked over at June, studying her for a few moments before the corner of his lips curled up in a sort of half-smile. "Had they been nice and welcoming, would you have reacted to them the same way you did in the past?"

What was he saying, really? It was more like he was saying things without thinking them over, judging from how his thoughts seemed to be a little more jumbled up than usual. It was just how questions seemed to overwhelm Caleb's mind that he didn't know where to start. June's presence seemed to trigger that side of him, that strange un-Caleb-like side that he hadn't shown to anyone else. "That bracelet of yours... I'm preparing to bet that they aren't doing everything to try taking it off. They don't trust you enough for that, no point denying it. They are driven by fear, more or less, but hatred must've played a small part somewhere."

Caleb was rambling. He didn't exactly know why. This was definitely out-of-character for him to say something that wasn't really meant to demean June in one way or the other. Perhaps it was just another of those strange effects the daughter of Ares had on him. Whatever it was, Caleb knew that he wasn't completely himself around her. Scratch that, maybe he actually was. This was the softer Caleb Wright. This was how he would've been if he wasn't so much of a critic and a blamer like his father. Only June can pull out this shyer Caleb out of his tough shell, and he was intending to keep it that way. For now, at least.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Truthfully, Caleb was relieved to hear how June wasn't about to tell anyone that they had a fight. He didn't know if it said anything about this new and vaguely familiar Caleb, but it did mean one thing. Something changed in the brief span of time they had spent together. Or perhaps the change already took place so many years ago, yet he wasn't able to realize it now. Like how something just lurked in the hidden confines of his mind, waiting for the right chance to come out. He stumbled a bit, nearly tripping on a tree root as he became too preoccupied with his thoughts to actually watch where he was going.

At a loss of things to say, he almost fell over when June suddenly took off his glasses. He blinked, the unclear world making his head blur as well and he stopped moving knowing that it would only do more harm than good if he continued on. Just as he was about to ask for it back (had it been anyone else he would demand), the familiar eyewear was back on his face and he found himself adjusting it a little with his free hand. It was then that he was met with the peculiar sight of June seemingly trying to get the bracelet off. His forehead creasing in worry, he watched her give up and take his hand instead. What was that all about? Were the strings that kept June sane finally splitting and sending her to the verge of insanity? Interestingly, that possibility bothered him more than if she died.

"Thought you said they were a boring color, my eyes," he muttered under his breath before shaking his head. "Just forget it. Under normal circumstances, I would've blamed you for this," He tapped the rim of his glasses, averting his gaze and looking at the uneven road in front of them instead. "But I don't. I'm sure I did back then, back when I still remember it. I couldn't say the same for now. You don't need to get yourself worked up over this little thing."

Caleb smirked a little. "Honestly, I never once thought of getting this cured. Maybe it's because I used to think that it's just something I got since birth but now... strangely enough, I don't want it to get cured." Surprised at what he said himself, he shot an arm out to the nearest tree trunk he could reach, effectively stopping them in their tracks. He had to get this out now while they were still alone. Hopefully June's injury could wait just a little bit more. "It's a reminder, not only to you but to me. Granted, it's connected to a bad experience that both of us want to forget, but I think it's more than that. This... This reminds me that once, I was someone who actually had friends. My own memories are too unreliable, given the haziness of it all, giving me next to nothing to remember you by... well, you get the picture, don't you?" he nearly grumbled at the last part, finding it frustrating how he couldn't explain himself in perfect clarity. True, he had been running his planned words over his mind the night before like June did, but confronted by her own speech seemingly made his go down the drain.

"What I really want to say is... thank you. Thank you for being, y'know, here." He cleared his throat. You don't know how difficult and awkward it was for him to even say it. "I don't know if I got the chance in the past to tell you how grateful I am to have you. As I said, I don't really remember whatever things we shared back then, but whatever they were, I still want to thank you for everything. Maybe not for blinding me, but that's beside the point."

He looked at June, as in really looked at her. Looking into her eyes through the dark lens of his shades. "Now that's done with, time for me to apologize. For everything bad that I did to you. For being partly the reason why you ended up as a sociopath." He sighed. "I'm no longer sticking around because of that favor I owe you for saving my life. I'm here because I'm your friend. I'm going to make up for all of the harm I've caused. I'm going to help you get better... June."

Caleb shifted his weight on the balls of his feet, only barely registering the slight amount of pain from the lowest parts of his body. Quickly making up his mind, he reached for the wretched bracelet on June's wrist with the hand slung around her shoulder. A look of concentration crossed his face as his fingers danced across the accessory's label. Slowly, he picked at it, before gently trying to ease it out of her wrist.

To his surprise, the bracelet slid off without resistance, now coming to a rest on his open palm.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb opened his mouth and closed it quickly without saying anything. This happened a few more times before he gave up, only growing aware of the fact that June was already half-carrying him to the infirmary. It seemed that taking off the bracelet did the trick, apparently erasing any hesitation on June's part. He didn't completely understand why she made a huge deal over this inanimate object now sitting on the palm of his hand. It was just a bracelet, wasn't it?

Perhaps it meant something more to her. Like how his glasses meant something more to him than being just an instrument to see. Amazing how two simple objects can mean a lot of things when they can't even breathe.

But enough about that. Caleb's thoughts were more focused on one thing. That kiss. He shouldn't really be making a big deal out of it, but it wasn't something he can help doing. He had never been kissed like that before by anyone other than his mother, not even the fling girlfriends he had in the past (it honestly bugged him how he can remember these girls clearly while he still had blurry recollections about June). Still surprised by June's behavior, Caleb made the point of shrugging off her grip, distancing himself from her by a few feet. He shook his head to clear up his clouded mind, but needless to say, it didn't work. It didn't help that his cheeks felt warmer to him than ever either.

Get a grip on yourself. How pathetic--getting worked up by such a little thing.

He stumbled slightly, his arm reaching out to hold on to the tree for support. No matter how much he mentally scolded himself, he still couldn't shake off that tingly feeling washing over him just a few moments before. "What was that?" he whispered softly, looking at the ground. Caleb cleared his throat, looking up at June with his lips set in a tight line. "What was that, Prenston?"

Caleb needed an answer. If it was one thing he hated, it was a misunderstanding. He wanted to be clear on everything, especially with this daughter of Ares. He valued honesty, proven by how blunt he can become because of it. This kind of relationship with June wasn't something he wanted to dissolve so quickly, and he especially didn't want it to break because of some stupid miscommunication. June meant a lot to him, she really did. He just needed to know how she felt towards him, and how much.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

There were times when Caleb wished he was a young boy again. It meant fewer things to think about, fewer problems to contend with. He missed the times when his biggest problem used to be picking out the right crayon for his doodles. The world was so much simpler then. Caleb didn't know what he was thinking when he wished he would be older than he was. It only complicated things. It only proved that the world was a much bigger place that had worse problems than getting your coloring perfectly.

He stole a glance at the daughter of Ares, his face stoic and unreadable. What was she to him, really? An ally. A confidante. A friend. Just a few words he could use to describe the most complex human being he had ever encountered in his whole life. She was that girl with an 'exotic dancer' for a mother. That girl who all but shunned everyone away, causing them to shun her away. She was misunderstood in more ways than one, and Caleb feared that this instance was one of those. It was frustrating to think, especially for him who was trying to understand her. June made it a lot harder for him. June wasn't a problem, truthfully; she was the complete opposite. But figuring her out took a lot more than just choosing the right color for his drawing.

Caleb clicked his tongue. "I think you're crazy for thinking that I'm actually likable." He laughed, but it was more sour than anything. Didn't June know that he hadn't been like this to anyone? She was smart though. He knew she figured it out at some point. "I trusted you once, didn't I? Who said I can't do it again? I know, I know... Because you blinded me and you keep blaming yourself for that. By the way, that's supposed to be my job. To blame."

The son of Momus shook his head fiercely. How can he make June understand him if he can't even understand himself? How can he make her see the bigger picture when he wasn't even done putting it together, piece-by-piece? Unable to stand hearing her talk about how she caused him pain, he suddenly blurted out, "Stop wallowing in your self-pity and stop thinking that you're hurting me. That has to stop. It's getting us nowhere."

He studied June for a few moments. Gods, why were they even talking about these things when she was bitten by a venomous snake? He could see traces of weakness in her, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the bite or something else. Only one thing to do to know for sure. "Let's go. Get your snake bite treated. Get someone to look over my legs," he suddenly declared, starting to limp where June was while keeping his eyes fixed on some spot in the distance to avoid looking at her directly. It only sounded logical to him, after all. With her injuries gone, he would at least know for sure what exactly caused June this little show of weakness.

"We're not done talking about this," Caleb said, shooting her a nearly blank look. "We're going to get things straight sometime, but now is definitely not the right time." He winced as pain shot through his leg when he almost hit one of the tree roots that were sticking up the forest floor. He stopped in his tracks, looking back. "Are you coming or what?"

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb scoffed a little. Of course she hadn't noticed. "If it means anything, I'm surprised myself." Surprised that I don't really blame you for anything, he added in his thoughts, too much of a coward to say it out loud. Ha, did he just become a coward? Berating himself for even thinking that way, Caleb tried to walk while not putting as much weight on June's shoulders. He didn't want her to think that he was weak and pathetic. He wasn't supposed to be, was he?

Caleb chuckled, something that almost sounded real. "Dead people feel nothing. They're dead," he stated, trying not to smirk at that. He paused for a few moments, remembering the Underworld. "At least, most of them don't. Not the ones in the Fields of Asphodel, anyway. Aren't they supposed to lose their identity in there?" He didn't miss the yawn coming from the girl beside him and the innocent gesture scared him. How long had it been since she was bitten? Had the poison spread enough within the time they spent talking? His injuries were minuscule compared to this new threat and surprisingly, Caleb barely spared himself a glance. Was he actually putting others first?

He was only half-listening when June asked about his failing eyesight. How can she think about that when she was basically dying? Caleb found it amusing, but only slightly as he was more preoccupied with other things. "Maybe. It'd be easier to fight without these glasses," he said, though a little distracted by June's weakening condition. He felt hurt just by looking at her. Caleb didn't want to lose June. He already lost her once. He wasn't about to let that happen again, not when...

Shaking her shoulders a little, Caleb forced them to move faster even with his limp. "Don't sleep," he said in a much sharper manner than usual. He sounded different. Was it the desperation seeping into his voice? "Don't close your eyes. You'll be alright... as long as you don't.." Whoa, he was actually trying to reassure someone. An achievement, perhaps? As Caleb listened to his words, he noticed and hated how desperate he seemed to sound. "I'm not in any state to carry you around, you know," he added quickly in an effort to cover up for his short moments of weakness. Or at least, what he thought was weakness.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Gritting his teeth, Caleb narrowly avoided the root that almost made June fall over. He wobbled slightly on his feet but managed to remain standing. He looked over at the daughter of Ares, noting just how white she had become. "Do or do not. There is no try," he quoted in a barely audible mutter. "I'm fine. My sense of balance is far better than yours at the moment. You look like a pale corpse who's about to collapse."

The whole situation was starting to draw out the rough side of his tongue. Caleb was getting annoyed at so many things. The way June's features betrayed her and showed that she was weaker than she let on. How she did have a point in saying that they shouldn't walk faster. The irritatingly slow pace she set, because at this rate they'd never reach the infirmary in time. The gods who seemed to have nothing better to do but cause and watch their suffering. Those damn tree roots that seemed to make it their lives' mission to trip them.

Unable to handle slowing down, Caleb pushed himself to move faster despite the protests of his bleeding legs. "How far is it?" he growled but not realy expecting an answer. Craning his neck, his teeth clenched at the reality of being unable to see through the thick trees obscuring his vision. A sudden stab of pain from the sole of his foot almost made him fall but he still stubbornly refused to put most of his weight on June. She looked so delicate that it seemed to him like any dependent movement on his part would cause her to break. Perhaps he got the feeling from how her face was drained of any color or how her voice became softer at each passing moment. Damn that snake venom. It just became another addition to the endless list of 'The Things that Infuriate Caleb Wright.'

"We'd better hurry up before there's no one for me to look out for," he suddenly blurted out. His hands shook slightly as he spoke but he quickly regained his cool before it became too obvious. The possibility of June dying became very real to him now. Caleb felt like he was losing a game of chess. Even if he tried to put on his best moves, the impending threat of a checkmate still loomed over them. A small slip-up might turn into the biggest mistake that would ultimately hand him over to the jaws of defeat. Any wrong move and June might be taken away for good.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb couldn't help but snort in dry laughter. "This is already wrong, Prenston," he said simply. The whole situation was wrong. They shouldn't be fighting for both their lives in this isolated forest path. June wasn't supposed to be dying because of a snake bite. He wasn't supposed to be bitten by dogs. Everything was so utterly wrong and out of place. All thanks to those gods. Can't they find somebody else to laugh at?

He carefully treaded through the forest floor, his eyes trained on the ground to avoid even the smallest of tree roots. "Some gods just made it a habit to screw us over, didn't they? First they wipe our memories clean then they send some animals to do their dirty work for them. I mean, they must really want us killed." He quickened his pace and tightened his grip around June, as if holding on to her was enough to keep her from slipping away. "No matter. Like you said, we're a team... do you know how weird this sounds coming from me?"

Shaking his head, Caleb finally realized how the trees were thinning and giving him a better view of what lay ahead. He carefully pictured out how it would be. A lot of people would probably be wearing shocked faces once they caught sight of the unlikely duo. And he was prepared to bet that not one of them was going to attempt to help them. They were the least liked people in camp. Caleb wouldn't even be surprised if their mere presence was enough to make the others flee.

"We're not out of the game just yet," he said quietly, as if trying to convince himself. The pain from his leg was barely noticeable now and Caleb didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "We never were. I'm not going to stop fighting until they kill me. I can say the same for you."

The sunlight flooding in would've blinded Caleb if it weren't for his shades. It took him a second to realize that they were already out of the path. That was good. A sign of progress. Now to begin the trek to the infirmary. Who the hell made it so far from the courtyard, huh? And just like that, Caleb found another person to blame. Shrugging the thought off, Caleb urged June to move even faster (if it was even possible), trying to ignore the stares they got from the others. They knew nothing about the two demigods clinging on to each other as if their lives depended on it. They were just spectators, watching the show unfold. It hadn't occurred to Caleb that someone would go up to them in an effort to help, but what do you know, it happened.

The camper was fairly young. Maybe half his age, Caleb thought as he saw him up close. The boy had that look of Aphrodite around him and Caleb held no doubt that this was a son of the love goddess. The boy looked rather new and didn't look like he recognized any of them. The look of concern on his face disarmed the son of Momus so much that he almost stopped, if not for the burning desire to get June to the infirmary asap. Then the boy did something even more unexpected. He rushed to June's side and held her arm to support her as they carried on.

Caleb raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. Well, he needed the extra help anyway. The boy was so clueless. Would he have done this if he knew who they were? But try as he might, Caleb couldn't help but think that it was some sort of cryptic message, how the son of Aphrodite went to help them without hesitation. He easily put that thought in the back of his mind though, realizing a newer problem. How would June react to this total stranger helping them?

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

Caleb risked a glance at the children of Ares throwing glares at their direction. My my, it sure looked like he was in for a brawl right after he left the infirmary. If he left the infirmary. Perhaps the dog bite was more fatal than it looked and killed him then and there. He almost laughed at himself for having such a ridiculous thought. "We're already dead. We've been dead the moment the gods decided to mark us down. Your siblings are nothing compared to that."

He snorted, almost stumbling on his own two feet but he managed to stay up. "You didn't think that way when the arena almost got destroyed. I think you even said something about being a team back then. Desperate situations call for desperate measures." It was simply amazing how desperation could do to people. Two hours ago, Caleb would have laughed at your face if you told him that he'd get mauled by dogs and end up going to the infirmary with a snake-bitten June. Amazing how things can change so easily within a short span of time.

Carefully sneaking looks at the innocent kid helping them, Caleb couldn't help but try and figure out his motives. What would drive someone as young as that to help the two of them anyway? Unable to hold his curiosity in any longer, he shifted June slightly so he could look the boy in the eye and asked, "Hey, kid, what brought you over?" His tone contained a slight edge to it even if he didn't mean to. Great. That was more than enough to scare the squirt away. Caleb wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly staggered back and ran away. But he didn't. The boy cocked his head slightly to the side in confusion. And if that wasn't enough, what he said next was enough to disorient the son of Momus.

"You looked like you needed the extra hand," he said quietly, his voice shy with an innocent childish quality to it. It was Caleb's turn to look confused.

"You don't even know us." Caleb didn't know why it seemed like he was trying to get rid of the only help he might get. Maybe it was just his thirst for answers driving him to keep on asking, to strangle an answer out of that little kid.

The boy shrugged, the little motion almost making him fall under June's weight. "My papa said that I should help people whenever I get the chance," he whispered, meeting Caleb's intense gaze. He turned away then, looking straight ahead while supporting the daughter of Ares and leaving Caleb in stunned thoughts. The kid's innocence was just so... enthralling. What if they were monsters in disguise then? Squirt would've gotten ripped to shreds. But still, if it weren't for the boy's naivety, well, he was sure that they wouldn't have been moving as fast.

Caleb Austin Wright
Son of Momus

---

He smirked at how wide the boy's eyes got. Typical. Most little kids still believed that all parents were nice. In fact, Caleb's were rather okay, barring his immortal lineage. That was the bad side of it. June was worse off. Imagine having a father who sent snakes to kill you. It almost looked like Ares didn't want June around anymore. He'd understand his encounter with the dogs, seeing he was the son of another god, but June? He didn't think the war god would stoop that low to harm his own kid. Well, Ares did have the guts to turn against his own family by stealing the master bolt. Maybe the thing with June wasn't that low.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into. See those mean kids over there?" Caleb told the boy as he jerked his head to the direction of the Ares kids slowly fading from sight. "They'll come after you for this. Send you back home to daddy in tears and sporting a couple of broken bones. Aah, doesn't it suck to be you?" He smirked even wider at how pale the kid got from the threat. Of course, he knew that it sucks more to be himself at the moment, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

Caleb could feel the weariness creeping in. How much longer did they have to walk? He can barely feel his legs now. The fact that he can still walk was only thanks to some automatic instinct that drilled his feet to keep on moving. He released a deep breath that spoke of a clear message. He was exhausted. Any moment now and he can just pass out. But that wasn't an option, he strictly told himself. Fainting now would only kill both his and June's chances to see the light of the next day.

His mind was muddled enough for him to almost miss what June said. Caleb rolled his eyes stubbornly. "All that talk of being some sort of team and then you say that? Are you afraid that daddy will get even madder when we stick together? Is daddy that scary?" he mocked. It was like he was talking to a preschooler from the sound of his voice. "Didn't think you were such a scaredy-cat, Prenston."