A tender moment/ His moonlight tears fall like rain/ Right into her heart

[Henrietta Abbot]

Henry had seen it all go down. She had watched from a safe distance, ignoring the flickering campfire in favour of Liam Santos's expression. Feelings she had never seen in him before painted over his angelic features in the dim light: fear, anxiety, hesitation. To see him that way made her heart ache; he was supposed to be her rival, a frustratingly unstoppable force! He was supposed to be the cocky victor, smirking and winking down at her. So why did he look like a lost little kid in front of Ares? After the bonfire and the talk with Ares, all of Cabin 5 had been quiet and hostile, sulking off to different parts of the camp in small groups. Liam, though, went alone. 

His silhouette, strong and squared, cut through the landscape of the lake. The sun was set, blinking just below the horizon line as Henrietta approached the boy. She didn't know why she did it; she hated him, after all. He was an arrogant nuisance who played with her heart just to triumph in battle! But something about the fear in his eyes as he stood before his dad haunted Henry. She didn't know what she was going to say to him, but she was drawn towards him like a moth to a flame. She sat beside him, hugging her knees to her chest in the cold. 

"Santos, I... are you okay?" She looked out over the lake, knowing that he wouldn't want to make eye contact with her right now. She was the same way when she was upset: vulnerability was terrifying. In a move that surprised Henry herself, she lowered her head onto his shoulder, leaning against him under the stars. "I'm sorry, Liam."

@ Liam Santos

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam's gaze remained fixed on the spot where Ares had disappeared into the shadows. The god's words lingered in his mind, stirring emotions he hadn't anticipated. The campfire's flickering flames danced before him, their light casting shifting patterns over his features. The usual confidence that adorned his face had been replaced by an unfamiliar mix of apprehension and reverence. The camaraderie that was once around the bonfire seemed distant, drowned out by the weight of his thoughts. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the lake's surface shimmered in the waning light. Liam remained lost in contemplation. The words his father had spoken, the memories of the chaos and destruction caused by the god, painted a new perspective on his heritage as a child of Ares. The rush of combat had always fueled him, but now, a shadow of doubt clouded his perception. I mean his father did tell the campers to knock it off right? He too was getting upset when they said those things to him but then again....some of the campers could have been killed. It was mercy from Ares they all lived at all.

Unexpectedly, a voice reached his ears, drawing his attention. Henry, his rival in camp, stood by his side. Her presence was a surprise, a soft contrast to the usual tension between them. As she asked if he was okay, Liam's gaze remained distant, fixated on the lake. He mumbled a response, attempting to shrug off the unease that gripped him. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He was trying to play it off because he didn't want her to know he was too soft. He was a child of the war god! That was when she rested her head on his shoulder. The touch he normally got from Novalie but this time was Henry. Made him glup and look away "Ittttt it isn't your fault,  I mean.....I don't even know what I am trying to say." He words were gumbled as he was feeling weird things towards Henry he had never done before and well maybe he liked it a bit. That was when the guilt hit him about Novalie as she would be pissed seeing this. Gosh why did life have to be so complicated as fuck? Putting his hand on his face he tried rubbing his eyes and head to clear his mind. "It isn't like we ask for this life, your parent abandons you and then someone might show up to expect things out of you...it's a weird feeling." 

[Henrietta Abbot]

Liam's body had tensed at her contact, but Henry didn't pull away; she could just tell he needed somebody right now, and if it had to be her... well, she supposed she'd do it. She had almost expected him to shrug her off and make her go away. That's what an Ares kid would usually do. But maybe Liam wasn't as typical of an Ares kid as he seemed... Henry listened as he garbled, trying to articulate his thoughts even as they came from his mouth. Once he had finished, Henry exhaled. 

"It's bullshit," she replied quietly, somehow feeling the strength to share her own feelings. "They don't care about us until we're old enough to, like, represent them." Henry tilted her head, watching as the last dregs of sunlight slid out of view. Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle tactics. It was the pressure of her mum's legacy that made Henry so competitive: she felt like a complete failure if she ever lost. "Santos, you know... ugh! You know you're incredible, right? In battle? You're a huge prick and a total asshole, obviously, but... you're the only person here that can beat me. If Ares can't see that," she whispered the god's name, as though he might appear in front of them. "he doesn't deserve you as a son." 

Henry convinced herself that she spoke from her mother's distaste for Ares, and not out of affection for Liam. That made the words easier to speak. Henry lifted her head a little to look up at Liam. "You look like shit, by the way. Death warmed up levels of shit," she added. He didn't really, just tired and worn down. He had bags under his eyes and a withdrawn look to his face. Still, were his eyes sparkling? Or were the stars just reflecting in them? Who cares.

[Liam Santos Rare]

The weight of Henry's touch ignited a storm of conflicting emotions within Liam, causing him to wrestle with a surge of anger that he struggled to contain. Instinctively, he attempted to shrug off her presence, his actions betraying a lifetime of guardedness that had become second nature. Frustration coiled within him, urging him to retreat into the familiar solitude he had long relied upon. His jaw clenched as he battled the urge to push her away—needing her touch was not something he was prepared to admit. Henry's words, a blend of honesty and irritation, stoked the flames of his aggravation, threatening to engulf his self-control. A sidelong glance in her direction revealed his sardonic response, dripping with a layer of sarcasm designed to deflect from the vulnerability that was threatening to break through. The fading light cast elongated shadows that mirrored his internal turmoil, a tumultuous sea of emotions crashing against the barriers he had erected.

As henry continued to speak, the edge of his anger dulled slightly, yielding to a begrudging acknowledgment of her candidness. Beneath his irritation lay a begrudging appreciation for her ability to pierce through his defenses, to see beyond the façade he had so carefully crafted. Yet, he couldn't let her words pass without a retort, an attempt to regain a semblance of control. "Incredible, huh?" he shot back, the beginnings of his signature smirk tugging at his lips. "I suppose even the gods can't help but be awed by my unparalleled magnificence." The playful tone masked the complexity of his emotions, a brewing storm beneath the surface.

Despite his internal struggle to maintain his distance, there was an undeniable pull in the banter they shared. While his anger and instinctual desire to withdraw warred within him, he couldn't deny that her presence offered a unique solace, a momentary respite from the tempest of emotions that Ares had unleashed. "Ohhhhh is that so Henrietta" he smirked as he knew she hated her full name being used. But he could not help but try and pick on her.  "Well this death warmed upped of shit wants to try and forget the bonfire" He nudged her arm with a smirk, the cocky one he wore quite a lot! 

[Henrietta Abbot]

"Gods, you're insufferable!" Henry snapped, exasperated at his response. She had been trying to make him feel better, and he had the nerve to deflect by being arrogant? She lifted her head from his shoulder and scowled out over the lake. "I could parallel your 'magnificence' with my hands tied behind my back, Santos." she retorted, her arms crossing over her knees. Her head felt strangely heavy without Liam's shoulder beneath it. Seething, Henry shook her hair from her eyes, recalling exactly why it was she hated this boy. He had been easy to pity for a moment, but now? He was the burly, infuriating Ares boy she'd always known him to be. 

"Don't call me that, you overgrown thyroid," Henry scowled, hating that Henrietta sounded so natural in his voice. Sweet and slow-flowing, like honey. That bastard probably practised saying it like that. She nudged him back harder, her pointy shoulder meeting his squared frame with a recoil that made her wince a little. That cocky smirk of his mocked her constantly. "No bonfire, got it." Henry muttered reluctantly. She was tempted to tease and push back, but even she recognised this as a line not worth crossing. Instead, she settled for a different line entirely.

"So... How's that girlfriend of yours? Obedient as ever?" Her tone had a hint of resentment to it that she couldn't hide. Resentment over what, she had no idea. She wasn't jealous of Novalie, definitely not. Simpering over Liam day and night? No fucking thank you.

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam couldn't help but relish the momentary victory of getting under Henry's skin, his smirk widening as he deliberately used her full name. Her exasperated response only fueled his amusement. "Oh, come on, Henry," he chided, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I thought you liked hearing your name. It's so... elegant. especially from my lips" He nudged her arm playfully, the familiar banter temporarily easing the tension that had been building within him. Her retort, however, was swift and unyielding, hitting its mark with precision. The smile on his face faltered as he met her scowl, realizing that his attempt at lightheartedness might have been misjudged. He watched as she turned her gaze toward the lake, her posture a clear indication of her irritation. A pang of regret tugged at him, a reminder of the fine line he had been walking between their camaraderie and the fragile nature of his own emotions.

Her nudge hit harder than expected, and he felt the impact reverberate through his shoulder, though he did his best to hide the wince that followed. The interaction held a strange familiarity, a dance they had perfected over the years. As she conceded to his request about the bonfire, his gaze softened briefly before her next words cut through the air. The mention of Novalie caught him off guard, a flicker of guilt mixed with annoyance crossing his features. "She's not..." he began, his voice trailing off as he tried to find the right words. Resentment laced Henry's tone, and Liam's jaw clenched as he felt his own frustration rise. "Don't start, Henry," he shot back, his voice tinged with defensiveness. "You don't know anything about it. Plus are you jealous or something? Didn't think you want a piece of this" He pointed to himself with a smug look as the cocky Ares boy had always been. 

[Henrietta Abbot]

Henry shook her head, exasperated at his retort. She was grateful for the low light, hiding the pink in her cheeks as he called her name elegant. Nobody had ever said that about it before, least of all a rival like Liam. She hated the name because it was what people called her when they disliked her; her father, kids at school, teachers... she was troublesome, annoying, prickly 'Henrietta' to all of them. It was said almost without connotation by Liam. Like it was a term of endearment, rather than her given name. She almost liked it. Almost. "Your lips have no business tarnishing my name, Santos." Henry retorted, but she said the words without the usual sting. There was a slight smile in her voice, an element of teasing rather than argument. That was short-lived though. His tone as he defended Novalie made Henry's heart sink a little.

"Start what? Everyone knows she's your little pet. If you didn't want that, maybe fuck a little quieter," she scowled, something within her shifting towards the bitter and angry. She hadn't expected him to be so defensive. She looked up, attempting to read his expression in the moonlight. Anger -- pretty standard -- and even... guilt? There was a slight upturn in his strong eyebrows. Was he scared of Novalie seeing them together? Embarrassed? Henry shook off those thoughts, though a strange ache remained. "Jealous? You wish, you halfwit." Looking away, Henry bit her thumbnail. Jealous. What an awful word. 

[Liam Santos Rare]

The low light masked the subtle changes in her expression, but he caught the slight smile in her voice, a glimmer of a connection that seemed to bridge the gap between them, if only momentarily. He chuckled at her retort, unable to suppress the return of his cocky attitude, even amidst the turmoil he felt. "Well, I'll be sure to ask for permission next time, Princess," he countered with a wink, his own lips curving into a brief grin. The shift in her tone was palpable, the atmosphere growing heavy as her words took a sharp turn. His defensiveness had struck a chord he hadn't intended, and the stinging words she flung at him cut through the banter like a blade. He felt his own frustration rise, mingling with the guilt that had been brewing since Novalie's name had been mentioned. The bitterness in her voice dug at him, a reminder of the tangled web of emotions he was navigating. He turned his gaze towards her, trying to decipher the myriad of emotions that flickered across her features in the moonlight.

The mention of jealousy, whether spoken with sincerity or not, cast a shadow over their interaction. He let out a rueful laugh, her retort hitting a nerve he hadn't anticipated. "My pet.....HA you are funny" his lips were in a snarl. "No I won't fuck any softer, just admit you wish it was you and not her on my cock." Liam knew that him and Novalie hadn't been suttle with their relationship but fuck he didn't want it to be. They had been friends with benefits since she was around fifteen years old. Since then everyone knew the two were exclusive but not on dating terms due to himself of course. "Oh yes I think you are so jealous. Maybe the fact that she has looks and you dont or is it that she has me and you don't?" He was pushing buttons now. Maybe it was from the fact his father had wound him up and he wanted to push Henry to get the truth out of her. Would she say the thing he wanted to hear or would she fight him tooth and nail. 

[Henrietta Abbot]

The sharp turn in the conversation's tone was reflected in the environment. Suddenly Henry was aware that the stars were burning rather than sparkling. The crude way he spoke, the personal insults, his insistence of her jealousy... she was burning with a fierce rage. So typical of an Ares kid to be like that! Well, she wasn't about to back down. "Oh yeah, 'cause I need your shrivelled little raisin dick so bad!" Henry growled, sarcasm dripping from her voice like hot tar. "You're pathetic. You can't comprehend that someone might actually see through all your bullshit to the sad little kid you are inside. You put on some fucking show, but it doesn't work on me." Henry couldn't help but draw her fingers towards the belt loop she kept her dagger tucked in. She didn't pick it up just yet, though. 

The comment about her appearance made Henry falter with hurt. Her eyes stung, but she refused to let it show. She drew the blade and held it at his neck. "I don't want you, Santos. I PITY you." Her shoulders were heaving with breath, heavy and laboured with the strength of her emotions. Her fondness for him was eclipsed by his cruel words, and her hurt was making her act rashly. Why was she so upset? Why did the words 'she has looks and you don't' keep ringing in her ears like an awful bell?

[Liam Santos Rare]

The range of emotions that was flowing through him right at this moment well was a FUCKING RAINBOW. Wouldn't Petal be proud at how he was trying to come up with communication. Liam could care less how she saw his dick but the way she was calling him pathetic just made him blood boil. "You act so tough, but we all see through the facade, Henry.  Your insecurity is practically written on your forehead." he said laughing with his angry in full swing. "No wonder you're always alone, Henry. You push everyone away so damn hard, you've probably forgotten how to let anyone in." Liam was just done at this point as he was not holding back anymore. His eyes took in where her hands were going to her dagger and he was waiting for her to make a move. Both of them are on edge at the moment.

"Good, pity me then. I don't care, but don't you DARE put Novalie down when she has done nothing against you" his words trying to get at her like a knife being slashed at in the night. Her eyes looking at Henry to see if she would dare to say anything else about Novalie to him. "I don't mean you are ugly Henry" he looked to the side away from her trying to hide his eyes. "You are pretty, So don't take it as that....I" he started to "I like you or something" he could feeling himself getting red in the face. 

[Henrietta Abbot]

He had chipped away the final piece of her facade, and it only made Henry more angry. Maybe she was insecure and guarded, and less than Novalie? Maybe she hated Liam because he saw the real her, and she couldn't face that. "The only thing I have against Novalie is her terrible taste!" She snapped, trying to keep her voice steady. As upset as she was, she couldn't let her anger be redirected to Nova. She knew nothing about her, and Henry wouldn't let the catty cliche of hating some boy's girlfriend catch up to her. She knew she was above that. But Liam's backtracking caught her off guard.

She flushed as he tried to take back what he'd said about her looks. She wouldn't let him lie to her like that, just to save his own guilty conscience. "Whatever, you don't mean that. You're just like everyone else, Santos. I hate you! I-I hate..."

A tear fell down her cheek and, instinctively, she brought her hand up to wipe any trace of it away. Instead, the knife she was holding caught the bridge of her nose. She gasped at the unexpected pain, dropping the blade and pressing on the wound to stem the blood. Then the tears began to fall, her resolve shaken by the injury and the overwhelm of Liam's words. 

[Liam Santos Rare]

The verbal barrage had escalated beyond control, and as their heated exchange continued, it became evident that their words were sharper than any blade. Liam's attempt to provoke Henry had been successful, but the satisfaction was short-lived as the realization of the damage he had inflicted hit him with full force. His anger had driven him to hit Henry where he knew it would hurt the most, but now, as he watched her reaction, the aftermath left him grappling with a sense of guilt he couldn't ignore. Her retort about Novalie caught him off guard, but he couldn't let the conversation veer in that direction. He needed to salvage what was left of their interaction, even if he was struggling to control his own emotions. As the tension lingered, his attempt to backtrack stumbled out clumsily. The words about her appearance had been a low blow, and he regretted it almost instantly. He struggled to find the right words, to make her understand that he hadn't meant what he'd said. But the sincerity in his voice was overshadowed by the flood of emotions they were both grappling with.

Her tear-stained face was a stark contrast to the fierce Henry he had always known. He watched as the blade caused an unexpected injury, shock and concern washing over him. In that moment, the animosity and anger seemed to fade into the background as he moved towards her, instinctively reaching out as if to offer support. The sight of her tears and the blood mingling seemed to erase the lines they had drawn between them, leaving only a raw vulnerability that had been hidden beneath the surface. "Henry" his words were quick as he moved over to her as he caught her in his arms. "Hey talk to me, Henry are you okay."  He put his hand on her face as he wiped away the tears as he tried to figure out how to fix what he had caused. 

[Henrietta Abbot]

Henry was too overwhelmed to be embarrassed or to erect her usual walls. It was becoming so clear that she couldn't keep Liam out. He saw her, and that was scarier than any monster she'd trained to fight. The tears kept spilling, faster than he could wipe them away. His hands were warm against her face, cradling her jawline with a gentleness she hadn't known he was capable of. How strange, that a child of war could be that way... something about what had just happened had changed everything. The look behind his eyes had shifted instantly from rage to concern. To care. "I'm okay," Henry managed, looking up at him. She felt as though she was seeing him for the first time. Every complexity, every thought that whirled around in him. Everything he, like her, tried so desperately to hide. 

That was when she did it. It was as though someone else had control of her body, like some greater power - one of the gods themselves - had decided what she needed to do. Henry cupped Liam's face in her own hands, and leaned in to kiss him. Her lips connected with his in an explosion of passion and relief. She realised with this motion what she had wanted all along, what she had been fighting for years... him. He was everything. She continued, tender but hungry, letting her hands tangle in his hair. She pulled back slightly to mutter, "Fine, Liam. You win," against his lips, looking at him, eyes shining with adoration.

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam's heart pounded as he held Henry in his arms, her tear-streaked face a testament to the intensity of their exchange. The moment felt surreal, the animosity that had filled the air mere seconds ago now replaced with a shared vulnerability that seemed to bridge the chasm between them. Her reassurance that she was okay brought a mixture of relief and confusion, a whirlwind of emotions he struggled to process. He gazed into her eyes, searching for the truth behind her words, a truth that seemed to elude both of them. "You can tell me the truth Henry, I promise." Then, in a twist that he never could have anticipated, Henry's hands cupped his face, and her lips met his in a kiss that shattered the boundaries they had erected between them. His mind raced as her touch ignited a fire within him, a whirlwind of passion and relief that swept away the remnants of their argument. The taste of her lips was electric, a mixture of longing and desire that he hadn't realized he'd been suppressing. As her hands tangled in his hair, Liam responded with an urgency that matched her own, the weight of their emotions manifesting in their shared embrace. He felt her pull back slightly, their lips parting but their closeness remaining. He did not see this one coming as he thought henry hated his guts. "Win what?" Of course he wasn't the brightest crayon in the crayon box as he looked like a lost puppy. A guilt started in his gut as he thought of Novalie. What did this all mean????? Fuck what was he going to do?

[Henrietta Abbot]

"Gods, Liam, you idiot..." Henry chuckled softly, endeared by his cluelessness. It was nice to have him speechless for a change. "You just win, okay? Take it, 'cause I'm never gonna say it again." She kissed him once more, their lips reconnecting like puzzle pieces uniting. She felt dizzy, her skin still salty with tears and red with blood. The moment was so surreal it felt like a dream. She could easily have been convinced it was a dream, from how weightless she felt. Eventually, she pulled away, reality crashing around her. Had she made a big mistake? It had felt right in the moment, but there were so many things complicated this... Novalie, her own pride, even Liam himself. She still couldn't tell how he felt, and she was terrified. If she'd humiliated herself, she resolved to run into the woods, beyond the barrier. Maybe she could get eaten by a hellhound or something, if the gods were feeling merciful. 

The new distance between them provided a clarity that Henry didn't want to confront. She blushed and shook her head, looking down. Drops of blood fell with little spattering noises onto her skirt. "Sorry, I... must've been the shock or something... Don't tell anyone." The last bit was a whispered plea, something so unlike Henry it took her by surprise. How had this happened? She'd only wanted to make sure he was okay after Ares's visit, but this? She felt stupid. Of course he didn't feel the same way.
 

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and conflicting emotions. The intensity of their kiss had left him breathless, a sensation he was struggling to process. Her words, a mix of humor and tenderness, pulled him back to the present moment. Her admission that he had won left him stunned, a mixture of disbelief and wonder crossing his features. He could still feel the warmth of her lips on his, the taste of her mingling with the lingering tension that had existed between them for so long. His heart raced, a mix of excitement and trepidation surging within him. "I... I don't even know what to say," he managed to utter, his gaze locked onto hers, searching for some semblance of understanding. The weight of her words settled on his shoulders, a newfound connection forming between them that he couldn't quite grasp.

As she kissed him again, Liam felt himself getting lost in the moment, the world around them fading away. He returned the kiss with a fervor that matched hers, the barriers that had kept them apart dissolving further with each passing second. It was a dizzying mix of emotions, a collision of feelings he had long kept buried. When she pulled away, reality crashed down upon them, and Liam was left grappling with the aftermath of their impulsive actions. Her laughter and subsequent apology brought him back to the present, a mix of guilt and uncertainty welling up within him. The sight of her blushing and looking down, the drops of blood falling onto her skirt, was a stark reminder of the mess they had created. "Henry, I... I won't tell anyone," he replied softly, his own embarrassment evident in his tone. He reached out and gently lifted her chin, meeting her gaze once more. "But... what does this mean for us?" The question hung in the air, a weighty uncertainty that neither of them seemed fully equipped to answer. He slowly began to move to get up as he knew they might now have the answer now. "Just let me know......." his words trailing off as he had to figure that out for himself. The fuck was he going to do now? Part of him did not want to deal with this but sooner or later both girls would not be okay for him to be with both! YEAHHHH NOPE. Shaking his head he began to walk backward as he got mad at himself for being in this predicament. Rubbing his head he looked back at her looking at her longingly as he made his way back to the cabin. What was he going to tell the boys.

 

The End