Willow Iris Hazelwood

Killian's teasing completely removed the gift in his hands from her mind. Her curiosity abated and she became completely focused on the embarrassing situation his words were creating. "You're going to make people think we're dating or that you want to." Willow's cheeks were bright red with embarrassment. "People will get the wrong idea." She propped her guitar case up. Her embarrassment only deepened as Killian revealed that he was perfectly fine. Me checking on him didn't help with that impression either. Killian did not commit to women. He flirted, he enjoyed their company, had intimate moments, and then he left. That was his pattern. Willow was more than aware of that fact. The fact that he had been flirting with her consistently since Aislynn's party in the summer was perhaps the longest she had seen him show interest in anyone. But it's also the longest anyone's gone without giving in to his charm. She reminded herself.

Willow had been lost in her thoughts; when she finally came out of them, she realized that Killian had suggested a sleigh ride. At first her instinct was to say no, because how many romantic comedies had she seen with the couple in a sleigh ride? But as she looked over at the park, she could see that there were friends and families in the sleighs too. "I... Sure." She said with a soft smile. "I suppose there's no harm in a sleigh ride before we head back to camp. Lead the way." She said and lifted her guitar to gesture that he should walk ahead.

Samantha was a reasonable person. That way why Willow had sought her out. She wouldn't judge Willow for wanting to save her heart for the right person, if anything Samantha would push for it. That was the girl Willow had been anticipating. Maybe because they were friends, Samantha was trying to be less pushy. On a typical day, Willow would have been really proud of the maturity it took to put aside her personal feelings to support her friend how she needed it. Right now, though, Willow had really been anticipating the girl who was all about purity to tell her how foolish she had been and come up with a plan to fix things. The change wasn't exactly something she was going to complain about, but it was strange and was throwing her off. This wasn't the conversation she had anticipated.

"I don't know..." Willow admitted. She really wasn't sure what she wanted. "I mean... in a perfect world, I suppose... I want someone to love me. Not just lust for me, or think I'm a challenge. So, if it was going to be him I'd want his interest to be genuine." And in all honesty, she didn't believe that were possible. Killian had a reputation for being a terrible womanizer and flirt. Willow was fairly certain that his interest would dissipate if she ever gave in. "I'd want for him to stick around after I gave him what he wanted. If I did."

She hadn't exactly admitted to having feelings for Killian. But it was the closest she had ever come to admitting there was a possibility she could. If it weren't for his reputation, Willow probably would have been easy prey for Killian. She wanted to fall in love with someone. Killian was incredibly charming. Willow hadn't just kissed him for no reason. He had drawn her in with his efforts and charm. And if it weren't him, she would probably be overjoyed at the fact that they had kissed. She would have probably given in and dated them. But Willow was terrified of putting herself out there and letting him hurt her when she knew the reputation he had.

"But that won't happen. He's Killian. He will get what he wants and move on. He always does. So what's the point in pretending this is anything more than what it is to him?"

Azrael left to go dance with Lilythe without refilling her glass. Willow frowned slightly, wondering if he was in on things with Killian, depriving her of her next beverage. But she smiled as he passed the bartender duties on to the next person. Willow beamed over at Shadow as he asked what she had been drinking. "It was a Strawberry daiquiri." Willow looked back over at Killian and blushed. "You keep showing up..." She chewed on her lip nervously, and looked into his eyes. "I... I didn't think you even noticed me before, but now you're everywhere."

Willow's cheeks flushed. She was just tipsy enough to have lost the filter when she was speaking, but not so tipsy yet that she didn't realize what she was saying. "I'm sorry, that sounded like a complaint. I... I just meant that... I'm seeing so much more of you, and it seems like we get along well. I... I hope we can really be friends." She offered him a soft smile.

Willow was chewing on her lip by the time Samantha stopped speaking. "Samantha... I can't date him." She said, a little surprised her friend was even sort of okay with the idea. Oh no! He's gotten to her too. For Willow that was the only reasonable explanation that Samantha--the camp puritan--would even remotely support the idea that Killian had changed. It was much easier for her to believe than the possibility that he actually might have changed. "It's a nice thought Samantha, but come on... The camp's biggest playboy falls for the camp wallflower and changes his ways? Please. This isn't a high school drama." She said with a wry chuckle.

"I haven't been able to leave my cabin because I'm afraid I'll run into him." Willow dried her eyes. "I just feel so stupid. You know? I was doing such a good job of not giving him any reason to think I would be one of those girls. I had such good boundaries in place. And I threw it all away! Why? Because I tripped and his face was a couple inches away?" She had been getting out of the sleigh at the end of their ride, Killian had been the perfect gentleman and so sweet, but when she tripped her face was inches from him. Her heart raced, her cheeks flushed, and her hormones took over. Willow pressed her lips to his and that was that. "Also, I panicked after that. I... I don't know if I could even look at him again." Willow continued to chew on her lower lip. "Samantha... help."

@Child of Apollo,

Thanks for being the most supportive siblings ever! I'm so lucky to have you all in my life. Let the music guide you!

Love always,

@ Samantha Adams ,

Thanks for being my shoulder. You're such a wonderful friend! This year we should do something exciting! You pick the adventure, and I'll bring the entertainment. I hope this year brings you all the joy in the world. You deserve it!

Love,

@ Killian O'Connor ,

You're so sweet and charming. I know someday you'll make someone really happy if you decide to settle on one girl. Thanks for being my friend this year. Let's forget about that thing in Central Park, okay? I'm sorry, it was dumb of me.

Always,

"Yes, you." Willow said with a small giggle. "I said your name." Willow did not drink at all, and that daiquiri was going straight to her head. Looking over at Killian she listened as he answered her question. His response only served to confuse her, however. Me? Nice to have around? She felt like she was running into him all around camp, and had no idea how he hadn't gotten bored of her presence yet. "You say that to all the girls, don't you." She said with a playful tone. He was a notorious flirt after all.

"Slow down? I don't even taste the alcohol. I'm sure it's not that strong." Willow said confidently. Looking over at Azrael she added. "Can I have another?"

Willow looked at the bag in his hand and saw the shop's logo. The idea that the gift could be for her hadn't really entered her mind. She was confused at who in his life was a musician for a moment before she remembered his sister. "Oh! That must be for Ash, right? She's into music. You're a great brother." Willow had a genuine smile on her face.

That was, until he refused to take the money back. "Killian!" She blushed bright red. "You can't say things like that! People will think..." Her cheeks were bright against her pale skin. He folded her hand over the money and she knew that she had lost the battle for now. When he removed his hand from atop hers, she flushed and started to pack up her guitar and placed the money from Killian in the outside pocket. She would find a way to get it back to him somehow. Maybe she could convince a Hermes child to reverse pickpocket it back into his wallet.

She had just finished packing up her guitar when she noticed that his cheeks had turned red. "Are you sure, I think you might be getting cold..." Willow raised her hand to his cheek, but it felt warm. "Oh! Or maybe not. I... I just assumed..." She blushed. "Sorry..." She bit her lip nervously and looked down to her feet. "What was it you wanted to do?"

32

12

The betrayal

18

30

Killian... *pouts*

24

20

Willow smiled gently as she nervously perched herself on the stool next to Killian. He asked her what she wanted to drink, but Willow had no idea. She sort of shrugged, but just as she was about to speak to tell him that she had no idea, Azrael came to her rescue by placing a Strawberry Daiquiri in front of her. "Thanks." She said, blushing softly and taking her first sip.

Everyone knew that Azrael was Lilythe's, or he should be anyway. Those two were meant to be together. That didn't stop him from being handsome to look at though. Willow was shy enough, but between Killian and Azrael she couldn't look up from her drink until she had drank more than half of it. She completely ignored Azrael's advice to drink it slowly. It was too delicious and tasted like a strawberry smoothie. How could this be dangerous? "Killian... Why did you call me over?" She said as she lifted her head, tilting it to the side. She pulled the straw back to her lips and continued to drink it down, finishing it before too long.

Willow's cheeks continued to flush as he complimented her. "Killian... you don't have to... I'm not that great." She chewed her lower lip. Her fingers continued to dance gently across the strings of her guitar as she nervously plucked them. He seemed to keep complimenting her lately, and during Capture the Flag he had acted so valiantly in her defense. She wasn't sure what was going on completely, but she knew that she'd attracted his attention somehow and she didn't know how to handle it.

"I... I haven't had a chance to play it for them yet." She said, continuing to chew on her lip as she finished. "This song? Oh... I mean, yes. Sort of." Nobody had asked her about her lyrics before. Not that wasn't a sibling, anyway. So it was the first time that she was able to really talk about it. She lit up with excitement as she spoke. "It's just kind of about when you watch your friends do something you know they shouldn't. Mostly jumping into a relationship they weren't ready for, or one that isn't right for them. Sometimes I really wish I could be the kind of person who had the courage to speak to people like that." Willow looked down at the porch beneath her dangling feet. "I mean I don't want to be a know-it-all or anything, but just standing up to people. Or even telling people how I really feel. I'm not very brave with those things..."

Willow couldn't stop herself from crying. She was convinced that she had ruined everything. It was comforting that Samantha was able to be there for her and not scold her, but truly understand why it was that Willow was upset. Or at least, seemed to be willing to try to. It took all her effort to rein the crying in enough to be able to speak clearly. "Well... You know how he's been showing extra interest in me lately." Willow sniffled, and chewed on her lip looking down at the ground. "I... I've tried to ignore it. But you know how he is. He's so charming and sweet when he wants to be." Killian was capable of saying some of the most romantic things in the world when he was attempting to woo a lady, and couple that with his accent and most girls fell hard. Willow had always wondered what he might be like if he were ever serious about the woman he wooed, because she was certain that the poor woman wouldn't stand a chance. "I was busking in New York after visiting my family. And he found me. So... we hung out. I enjoy his company when he isn't just flirting so... I thought friendship might be an option." Willow looked up at the roof above her on the porch, and gasped. "I feel so stupid..."

It took several deep breaths before she was able to continue. "He offered to take me on a sleigh ride through central park. And... I don't know, we were talking, and he was just so sweet, and... I... I kissed him." Willow was wringing the bottom of her shirt pretty hard between her hands as she spoke. "I know he doesn't mean any of this. He... He'll move on to the next girl as soon as I give him what he wants. He always does." She chewed on her lower lip. "But... I don't want him to..." Willow confessed. In spite of herself and her better judgment, she could feel herself falling for Killian. The boy who, most assuredly, would break her heart if she let him. "Killian doesn't date, let alone fall in love."

As she waited for Samantha to come to the door, Willow chewed on her lip. The sensation reminded her of the other evening, in New York, where she had run into Killian. He had been so incredibly sweet and charming, and after months of his attention, Willow found herself unable to resist. She had let herself kiss him on the sleigh ride in central park. Now she was having a complete internal crisis because she was convinced that she had ruined any chance of him going back to ignoring her.

Samantha was just the person to help her bolster her resolve. At least, she thought he was. "I'd be doing better if I hadn't done something incredibly stupid right before Christmas." Willow started to tear up, and looked at her friend. "You're going to be so disappointed. Please spare the lecture, I know I messed up. I just need some support right now." Willow said, some tears starting to slip from her eyes and down her cheek. "Samantha... I... I... I kissed Killian."

Willow had always believed that Killian's interests in her were fleeting and would go away once he tired of chasing her. She truly believed that if she gave in to his flirtations and offered anything more than friendship that Killian would 'love her and leave her' as the expression went. It was what he was known for around camp. He was likeable enough, and he had never been cruel to any of the girls he had slept with--that Willow was aware of anyway--but that wasn't the kind of girl Willow was. She wasn't as strict as Samantha about purity, but she didn't want to sleep with a man who didn't truly love her either.

Willow lost herself in the song, as she always did. When she played she felt like she was transported somewhere where it was just her and her guitar. When she finished the song, she had almost forgotten that Killian was there. As she looked up, she saw him and blushed. "So... what did you think?" Willow chewed nervously on her lower lip. She didn't share her personal songs very often. Most of the songs she sang publicly were covers or folk songs. Willow felt vulnerable having shown Killian her personal works. "I... um... I haven't shared it with anyone yet." Willow pulled a lock of hair back behind her ear, before absent-mindedly strumming at the guitar strings once more.

Killian had been nothing but sweet to her since the night of Aislynn's party. He had sacrificed his own well-being to protect her during capture the flag. It was hard not to be impressed and drawn in by all his charm. His presence made her nervous because Willow didn't understand why he suddenly seemed so different around her. Before he hadn't paid much attention to her. He had never been cruel or even unkind, but distant and not necessarily as interested in her as he seemed now. She wasn't quite sure what kind of interest he had in her right now. But she could definitely tell that there was a desire to be around her and spend time together. But why...?

58 

Willow had gone into the city and visited with family for the holidays. While out there she had been busking for money and ran into Killian. He seemed to come up everywhere, and Willow was having the hardest time resisting his charms. She knew better. He had a reputation for sleeping around and that he didn't keep interest in a woman for long after he got what he wanted from her. But when he was around her, Killian seemed to be the most genuine and thoughtful man. She was convinced it wasn't sincere, but she also thought it would have faded away by now.

There was only one other person she could think of at the camp who would understand exactly why Willow was being so resistant to Killian's efforts: Samantha. The girl was known for her distaste for promiscuity. And while Willow wasn't opposed to premarital relations, she was opposed to giving herself to someone who didn't truly love her. So she could relate, in part at least, to Samantha's distaste for people who flit from person to person and never took intimacy seriously. So she believed that in this moment, Samantha might be the only person who could help her keep her resolve not to give in to his charms.

Because he is so... very... charming...

Knocking firmly on the door for Cabin 6, Willow called out. "Samantha... Are you there?" She bit her lip nervously. "I need moral support!"

@ Samantha Adams

Willow had gotten completely lost in the music. She hadn't even realized that Killian walked up and began to listen until he spoke to her. Her eyes widened, and she blushed as she turned to face him. "Killian?! W...w...what are you doing here?" It seemed like everywhere she went these days Killian was there. Just when I stopped thinking about him... Willow had been convinced that Killian's attentions would shift after time. He always had flit from girl to girl in the past. His continued interest in her was strange, and she wasn't sure she trusted it. But I want to...

Bending down, she set her guitar in the case and grabbed out the cash that Killian had just put in there. "You... you didn't need to... I sing for you at camp all the time." She said, holding the money back out to him. How could she accept money from someone she knew? It seemed strange. Willow knew it was just another way he was trying to flirt with her. She still couldn't understand why he hadn't lost interest in her.

Killian's words only served to deepen her blush. She could understand why girls fell for him. Between his charisma, accent, and way with words they didn't stand a chance. If she didn't know his reputation, she probably would be one of them. "I'm just glad I was able to return the favor." She stated, trying not to give him any room to continue his flirtations.

"Oh! Yes, well..." Willow couldn't think of a good reason to ask him to leave that wouldn't sound incredibly rude. And he really didn't deserve to be treated poorly. He was flirty, sure. But if she never gave in, then what harm could he really do? "Alright, well... this one is one I wrote."

She had written it for some of her friends around camp. Willow watched as a lot of her fellow campers fell for people that just weren't right for them.

Willow had gone into New York to do some busking to earn money for Christmas presents. There weren't too many campers she felt the need to buy gifts for, but Willow did have a few. She mentally went through her list in her head. An old-fashioned camera for Lilythe, so she can capture memories in low-tech and safe ways. A necklace for Larissa. A collapsible music stand for... The list went on for a bit and then she found herself thinking about someone she hadn't planned on. Killian.

Killian had recently wormed his way into Willow's life. He was often by her side. It was fairly clear that he was flirting with her, but Willow was convinced that the flirting would subside when he inevitably lost interest in her though. Killian's reputation preceded him wherever he went. The man hadn't had a stable girlfriend that Willow knew of, and she'd been at camp nearly as long as him. He flitted from one girl to the next, however his fancy struck him. Willow refused to be another notch on his bedpost. She was a relationship girl, or at least she knew that she didn't feel comfortable sleeping with anyone that wasn't committed to her. Right now she was denying him and it was a challenge, that had to be it. He would lose interest soon enough.

Still... Killian had protected her with his life, at the cost of severe injury during capture the flag. He treated her like a gentleman at every interaction. Including Lilythe's party where she had gotten beyond wasted. Willow blushed thinking about how embarrassing that night had been for her, but Killian hadn't batted an eye and just kept making sure that she was okay. Maybe... She shook her head and grabbed her guitar. You don't need to think about that right now. Just do your busking. She strummed a few chords and began to sing.