Hearts in Disarray

[Theodore Thatcher]

Theo's stride carried a tension that was uncharacteristic of his usually laid-back gait as he made his way toward the camp's lake, the site chosen for clarity and perhaps, absolution. Each step seemed to echo with the remnants of that heated night, a symphony of memories that played over in his mind like a song stuck on repeat. The raw spontaneity of their encounter had been a thrill, a surge of adrenaline that he hadn't anticipated, and the fallout was a complexity he was unprepared for. The evening air breeze did little to soothe the tightness coiling within him, a tangle of anticipation and the nagging weight of the uncertainty that hung between them.

As the lake's tranquil expanse came into view, Theo ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit that betrayed his composed facade. He wondered, not for the first time, what Asher expected from him, what he expected from himself. There was an inexplicable gravity to this meeting, a silent acknowledgement that whatever transpired could very well set the course for whatever it was that simmered between them. The thought should have been suffocating, yet there was a part of him that craved the reckoning. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the warmth of the night on his skin, and exhaled slowly. Whatever came next, he was resolute in one thing: he would face it head-on, with the same charm and resolve that had drawn Asher to him in the first place. It was time to see if that same charm could navigate the delicate dance of what lay ahead.

@ Asher Harrington

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher would never admit that there had never been a time before in her life when she had been as humiliated as she had been that day with Theo and Evelyn. She had hid it well, concealed her emotions with expertise, but that did nothing to soothe the feeling in her stomach that she had been taken for a fool and had paid for the consequences. She was angry but more than that, she was hurt and being hurt was an emotion that she was unfamiliar with. After all, people like her didn't get hurt. No one could touch her. She always kept her feelings and emotions close to her chest. She was incomparable when it came to matters of the heart. She could be cold and hard to read and her entire life, that had been the subject of most of her praise. She was calculating, brilliant and focused. There was no time for emotions.

But Theo had waltzed in with his charming smile and his relaxed demeanor and challenged all of that. Now she found herself second guessing her thoughts and her feelings and worst of all, her actions. She didn't regret what she had told Evelyn but she would have preferred never to have had the encounter to begin with. There was a small bit of shame that lingered and while that was hard to shake, it wasn't enough to make her feel regret. 

After everything was said and done, Asher had told Theo where they stood. If he wanted to change things, the ball was in his court. And if he didn't, she could walk away, and walking away was something she excelled at. No one had ever accused her of being sentimental after all. But here she was, willing to at least hear him out though she was unsure what was to come out of it. When she spotted him by the lake, she felt a heaviness in her chest that was more apparent with every step she took. This was not something she was going to find pleasant but she walked anyway, When she reached him, she stood by her side and turned to face him only slightly. "Hey."

[Theodore Thatcher]

Theo's eyes locked onto Asher as she approached, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. "Hey," he echoed back, his voice surprisingly steady despite the turmoil brewing inside him. In her presence, the chaotic puzzle of his thoughts began to align, sharpening into a clearer picture. He realized then, with a clarity that surprised him, that what he felt went beyond the thrill of the chase or the satisfaction of a conquest. Asher, with her complex layers and guarded heart, had become something so much more.

He took a measured breath, his gaze not leaving her. "I know things got... complicated," he began, his usual flair for words feeling somewhat inadequate under her scrutinizing gaze. "And I'm not great at this — at facing stuff head-on. But here I am, doing just that." He paused, running a hand through his hair again. "I can't change what happened, and I won't make excuses. But I want you to know, it wasn't just... nothing. It meant something, at least to me." His words felt like a plunge into unknown waters; uncharted territory for someone who usually kept things light and unattached. He searched her face for a sign, an indication of how his admission landed. The risk of vulnerability, of opening up to potential rejection, was a gamble. But for the first time, Theo found himself hoping for something more than the fleeting thrill of the moment — he hoped for a chance.

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Contrary to popular belief, Asher was not a fan of confrontation. She enjoyed when things ran smoothly and when there was harmony in her surroundings. She didn't like to get into arguments and she didn't like calling people's attention. She preferred tranquility but her job rarely led her to sit back and allow others to make the touch calls so she often made a choice. She would deal with her responsibilities and her obligations and leave the feelings and sentiments she had for her personal life aside. She wouldn't admit that she ran from confrontation in her personal life but it was true. So naturally, the last place Asher wanted to be at, was that moment. She was uncomfortable but she had taken a deep breath and just wanted to get it over with.

"Complicated doesn't begin to describe it," she said. "They got messy. They got dirty. I know you have a past but I don't want your past wrapping itself around your body as though it is the present. I like you, Theo. That night was special to me and it was honest. But I don't want to be with someone that surprises me and keeps me wondering at what point their dirty laundry is going to sneak up on me. So why don't you start from the beginning and tell me everything about you. We can start there, can't we?"

[Theodore Thatcher]

Theo nodded, absorbing her words, feeling their weight settle over him. He sensed the fragility of the moment, the precipice on which they both stood. "You're right, Asher. It's been messy, and I'm... I'm sorry for my part in that," he said, his voice laced with sincerity. He took a step closer, not to invade her space but to bridge the chasm that seemed to have formed between them. "Starting from the beginning, huh?" he mused, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, not out of humor but as a reflex to mask the nervousness that was starting to gnaw at him. "Well, my life's been a series of foster homes, run-ins with trouble, and finding out I'm the son of Hermes. I've always lived in the moment, never looking too far ahead. I guess it's made me good at avoiding stuff... feelings, mostly."

He paused, searching for the right words. "But with you, it's different. I can't just slide past it or charm my way out. What happened between us, it wasn't part of some plan. It caught me off guard because I... I didn't expect to feel something real. And that scares me, Asher, more than any monster I've faced at camp." He took a deep breath, a rare display of vulnerability peeking through his typically carefree facade. "I've got baggage, more than I'd like to admit. And I get it if that's... if that's too much. But I also know that I don't want to keep guessing with you. I want to be someone you don't have to second-guess. Someone whose dirty laundry... well, it's out in the open, and it's not going to sneak up on you." Theo's eyes held hers, steady and earnest. "So, here I am, no excuses, no running. Just me, wanting to be better. For you, and maybe a little for myself too."

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher sighed. She was expected to come here and have him say something that would annoy her and then it would be all too easy to walk away. But he was making it harder and she couldn't find it in herself to walk away at that moment. She bit the inside of her cheeks and then turned to look at him. She understood what he meant and she even sympathize with him. It wasn't easy to show emotions and feelings, especially when one was always on survival mode. Still, she knew that what he said was true and so there was not much to do or say but just listen.

"I don't blame you for hiding your emotions," she said. "I understand that better than anyone. I don't care that you have a past. Everyone does. What bothered me was that you didn't tell me. I don't like to be blindsided. I want to know everything so that when it comes up, I'm prepared. You made me feel like an idiot, Theo, and that is not something I can tolerate."