Until I Met You (Again).

[Shadow Moore]

Little is known about Shadow since he left camp so suddenly other than the known fact by a few that it was over a heartbreak. He absolutely loved the person who spends her time being a role model to the youth in and out of camp borders but he continued to crave for more. He was beginning to see that the people she surrounds herself with are red flags and simply deemed them an obstacle in the way of their love. They take up her time which takes up their time, despite that he is more than happy to entertain his friends, half-siblings, and campers. He did not mind at all, but his needs mattered to him more than her own which was the very fact he overlooked in his possessive persona. He did not know what was he aware of doing until they parted. Until she spoke to him and expressed her need for them to take an... indefinite break. The thought crossed his mind as his legs carried him up Half-Blood Hill, his eyes laid on the Doric columns wrapped in overgrown vines from the base. On top of the columns is a frieze to which the words Camp Half-Blood onto the sculpture, an indication that he made it back home- his second home.

As his figure passed the columns, he looked down onto the entire camp area a smile curling his lips to see that nothing has changed since he left. The cabins, the lake, the amphitheater, the Big House... He was quite excited to see new campers and some who had grown to be exceptional demigods. And most importantly, he wanted to how much he had changed to a particular member of the Hermes' Cabin. His light- @ Lilythe Rayne . Once he finished absorbing the the scenery from the top of the hill, he continued downhill and made his way towards the Hecate Cabin so he can unwind first. The trip to camp was not exactly eventful but all that hype had got him somewhat exhausted not to mention facing a monster on the way. The several campers from afar caught his attention- from dueling to arts and crafts to sports, it reminded him of his youthful past especially when most of it was before Percy made a deal with the gods. He was glad that the Hermes cabin was not as crowded as it was before but it still can be messy from time to time. And Lilythe did not seem to mind either.

Finally reaching the lodging area, he stood before the bonfire that resided in the middle of the twenty surrounding cabins. Any camper can see his standing figure nearby and those whom are familiar with him are free to say hi. Currently, he is lost in his reminiscence- thinking about the time of his claiming. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Shadow Moore

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Lilythe had finished running some campers through the woods scouting some animals. Tracking was an important skill to have, and she made sure most demigods knew at least the basics. It could be crucial to their survival. That being said, she tried to make the lessons fun at least. Today she had made balloons filled with colored powder and handed them to the kids to throw at her once they managed to find her. As a result she was covered in colored powder from head to toe. Lilythe didn't mind though. It had made some of the  younger campers giggle, and the laughs were just enough to raise the spirits after what had been a very confusing, roller-coaster of a week. End it on a high note. Or so she had thought.

Making her way from the woods to the showers, she saw someone heading towards the bonfire. Curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to make her way over to see who it was. If she had been paying better attention, she probably would have noticed the way that he walked or the familiar way he carried himself. But she was tired, and it took her far longer to realize who was walking over there than it should have.

By the time she got close enough to realize who it was, she was well within auditory range. She gasped softly, not expecting to see him, absolutely giving away her presence and she knew it. No, no, no... Lilythe didn't hate Shadow. Even after their break-up, she still cared for him. But this timing was super inconvenient. Things with Azrael were confusing enough without her ex-boyfriend in the picture. You cannot be serious. Fates, give me a break! Lilythe chewed her lip nervously, before speaking. "Shadow?" She wrapped her arms across her chest, holding her elbows with her hands. It was clear from her posture that she was anxious. "I thought you were heading back to your dad's until the dust settled." Their break-up wasn't that old. Just a few months. Shadow had left at the beginning of summer, and Lilythe had thought he would be gone for a while. After all, the break-up was hard for both of them. 

[Shadow Moore]

It was not until his ears picked up a nearby voice that sounded way too familiar. It made him smile- a sound that he long to hear since he came back to camp. It was music to him. His legs turned his figure around to where it had came from - his eyes now laying on his ex-girlfriend who is apparently covered in colored powdered as if she is on one end of the rainbow. The mere sight of her became initially funny, evident by a soft chuckle that parted his lips. Though noting her body language, it was the same when she broke the news to him. It soured his mood a bit but it's inevitable when he was the one who made her uncomfortable to the point where she could not stand him anymore.

"I did return to my father, yes." He responded. "Even took up new hobbies to occupy myself. Some of them worked, some of them did not... but it is something that I have to accept eventually. I came back because of how much I missed this place. It was my second home and the campers helped made it so." Therapy had crossed Shadow's mind but he did not pursue it simply because he believed he is too big for that. He preferred to try to settle on his own. Now, he did not want to approach her just yet. Not until she is more comfortable in his presence. "I know you're probably tired from holding a class so I'll keep this short."

"I could not say this before, but I want to say it now. I..." Shadow gave himself a deep breath, suddenly becoming nervous. He was not like this before, so why is he like this now? Is he... afraid of her lashing out on him? No, he needed to say it. Let bygones be bygones. He wanted them to be on good terms more than anything. "I'm sorry. For everything I have done to you. I was a terrible person back then but I am a changed man. You don't have to believe me, no- but I seek for us to be on good terms again. Just like old times before we were together."

There was a pause. He did not know what to say next other than wanting to catch up with her.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

She stood there completely in shock as the last person she had expected to see this week stood right before her. Azrael had left to head into town to get tickets for their date on Friday, and she had expected that things would settle down in his absence for a couple days. Some normalcy while she got her head on straight. This man before her threatened to undo all that with his very presence. Her heart pounded in her chest. What is he doing here? Why now? She had always known he might come back someday, and she had been prepared for that. For all his faults, he wasn't an awful human. Just toxic for her. Lilythe had, however, assumed she would have at least a year. They had been together for several years, she thought it might take at least one before he would be able to handle being around her again. And since they both knew Camp Half-Blood was her only home. 

All she could do was listen as he spoke, but she hardly processed it all, such was her surprise. She felt like she was dissociating again. It wasn't until he apologized that she managed to snap her attention back to the present day and time. "Shadow..." Her eyes teared up. She looked at him and tried to imagine the future he was offering. It was exactly what she hoped for, if she was being honest. If anyone had asked her what her preferred outcome would have been, it would be this. To be able to have everyone she cared about back in her life, no love lost between them, and able to be friends again. Her family, whole. 

"Can you handle that? Being around me, I mean... I don't want you hurting. And I don't want to lead you on with false hope if you're thinking that we might end up back together..." It wasn't that she didn't trust Shadow. She, for the most part, did. Lilythe just also knew that he had been so very possessive not that long ago, and she wasn't certain he could handle being around her as just a friend. Especially not with Azrael back in the picture. She wasn't going to tell him just yet that Azrael was back. And she certainly wasn't going to tell him that they had a date planned within the next couple days. However, it would be hard for him to remain completely ignorant of it the longer he stayed at camp. There were bound to be whispers. Rumors travelled fast around Camp Half-Blood. "I would like it very much, Shadow. I would. I just... am worried that you'll get hurt if we try being friends too soon."

[Shadow Moore]

Shadow would be lying if Lilythe was not the only reason he came back to camp for but his desire to make up everything to her was strong and so was coming home. He never felt at home as much as it did back at his father's place which is perhaps why his stay was put to an abrupt halt. He needed to see her again and prove that he was not the man she had saw before. The man who left camp. Of course, he is conscious enough not to approach her right now because if he did then it would feel like forcing himself upon her like he did before and he did not want to make the same mistake again. Just friends, he made a mental note, just friends. Though when her began to tear up, she caught him off guard. Was it something that he said? He didn't want to hurt her and he certainly hoped that was not the case.

"Yeah." He paused, giving her a rather enthusiastic nod. "I can handle it. I did not... expect for us to get back together after what had transpired. I just wanted to make sure we are on good terms." Shadow was confident that he could be around her now and even more so once she became more comfortable around his presence but he has not once thought about the possibility of her and Azrael being together. He was convinced that she could not like someone who pushed her boyfriend, at the time, down a hill during that capture the flag game. So if the two of them are still friends to this day, then he could handle being friends with her. So with that, he was even prepared to reconcile with him and make sure everything is water under the bridge. He'd normally have a grudge if someone did that but when he is friends with Lilythe, then it is a different story. "You're right. It's okay." He resumed his soft tone. "I can wait. We have all the time in the world." She didn't seem like she's tired so he ought to engage in small talk with her - while she's still here.

"So how have you been doing? How are the campers doing these days? I hope you guys haven't gone questing without me." It was all he could ask at the moment since he wanted to be careful and preferred not to probe her for the answers he wanted to hear. Still, he wanted to ask about the campers if he wanted to rekindle and reinstate his role as a role model.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

He was saying everything she wanted to hear. Lilythe wasn't sure how honest he was being--not that she believed he was lying, more that she wasn't sure if he knew himself well enough to be as sure as he sounded. But she wanted to believe in him so badly, that she was willing to give it a shot. "If you feel you're ready, I'd really like that." She said with the first smile she had given him in a long time. Walking up to him, Lilythe let herself throw down the barriers she had built over the last few months. She wanted her family back, and Shadow was part of that. Sure, it would be different now, but she truly it was better to have him in her life than not. "You know more than anyone how important my friends are to me."

Lilythe was visibly more relaxed now. He hadn't come back just for her, or at least that's what he was saying. He seemed a lot more reasonable than the last time she had seen him. At least, to her. Her heartrate began to slow back to normal, and Lilythe began to feel more at ease. She took in the image of Shadow. It was strange, the feelings that she felt in the moment. She knew that they couldn't work--his possessiveness when they had been together had been proof enough of that--but that didn't stop her from having residual feelings for him. There was still a part of her that was sad things hadn't worked between them. He was her first love, and she knew he would always have a place in her heart.

"The campers are mostly well, and no I haven't even heard of any prophecies from the oracle for quests. I'm sure we're long overdue, but I count it as a small blessing for now. As for me? I've been... okay. It's been a week full of surprises." She wasn't sure how much she should tell him. Shadow had never been over fond of Azrael, but it wouldn't exactly do him good to keep it from him. He would find out eventually that Azrael was back. He would find out that Azrael had confessed his feelings for her. There was no keeping it hidden for long. "Azrael came back. He... um... well. He told me the truth about his feelings." She hoped that would be enough of that topic for now, but she was prepared for an onslaught of questions should he have them. 

[Shadow Moore]

Shadow was not even one hundred percent sure if he feels that he is ready - more like he managed to convince himself that he is yet he was determined not to make the same mistake again. Not to be too controlling and that there are other people she cares about other than him and as much as him. If he can keep those two things in mind, then he was sure he can still be friends with her and she will wind up happy - something that he always wanted her to be. "I am ready. And I'm going to prove it to you during my stay here in camp." He responded without hesitation. It was something he somehow struggled with in the time before they broke up. He was craving her attention and the longer he spent without her company, the more he bore resentment towards the people she cared about just because they wanted her company. Coming back to camp, he also set a goal to focus on what he had. He had friends of his own as well - he just needed to rekindle a few connections and maybe even make new ones. After all, Lilythe isn't the only person who loves him as a friend. 

"Yes, I know." When Shadow left camp, he acted like it was not a big deal. That he could part from her without feeling anything but once he arrived at his father's home all he could do was sob at his room. He didn't like the way she was looking at him and he tone she used to break the news. He thought it was going fine if not perfect but it turned out his actions was hurting her the most and he despised himself for that. He certainly loved her but he manifested it in a way where she wound up being on the receiving end of his possessiveness. It was that very character that he needed to keep in check. And yet seeing her right now... her smile as she approached him. That smile. That darn smile. His feelings for her continued to remain. Maybe as not as much as before but some of them did. Still pretty and kind, the very traits that drew him to her.

It's a relief to hear that no one went on a quest since he left. No prophecies either and the entire camp has Rachel to thank for blessing them with the peace they deserve. He nodded in agreement but he was more curious to hear about her. "A blessing indeed." And what he was about to hear, he was not exactly prepared for that either. Azrael, the child of Nemesis, came back to camp as well and then confessed his feelings to her if not anyone else. That she said took him by surprise actually as he had never expected he had a thing for her but probably because he was busy being preoccupied in his own world. "I... I see." He gulped. There was no need to be mad or apprehensive. No need to give her a barrage of questions because if he were to ask, he felt she would give him an answer he may not want to hear.

"That's... that's great. I'm proud of him. Happy to hear that. Yeah..." He paused. "Are you guys going out now?" Instead, he needed to know where to place his boundaries.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Lilythe smiled softly at Shadow. She wanted to believe he was ready. She wanted very much for everything to be okay between them and for things to be moving forward with no animosity or hurt. Lilythe was desperate for the days when her life wasn't complicated by love, and her friends were there with her. "I really hope you can, Shadow." She said with sincerity. "You're very important to me."

The tension in Shadow's body was easily read when she mentioned Azrael. Lilythe knew that the two of them had some history. She wasn't entirely sure that she knew what happened between them--though now that she knew about Azrael's feelings she was starting to get a better understanding. It was clear that Shadow still struggled internally. His questions reaffirmed to her that he had not quite gotten over her, and that he wasn't ready to see them together. Still, she wasn't going to be dishonest with him. Rumors flew around camp half-blood faster than anything else. He would learn sooner or later. It should be from her. "We have a date planned soon. We are not in a committed relationship. I don't know that I'm ready yet." It was the honest truth. Lilythe had only ever been with Shadow, and she wasn't sure she was ready to be with anyone else quite yet. 

"But... I don't think it will do us good to talk about my dating life, you know? I think we should focus on being friends for now."

[Shadow Moore]

For everything to be okay - to be back to normal before they started dating - it was something he can live with. Perhaps he was certainly ready to get back together with her again and give it another shot, but with the time that had passed by, the wounds that were left behind still seemed fresh. He was just enduring it, convincing himself that he could make it go away with time. Though when she smiled at him, it felt like it had a much better effect on him than therapy ever could. You're very important to me, she said. The man could not help but smile back at her.

A date. Shadow blinked at her, pondering whether or not he heard that correctly. Yes, it's a date between them two. It's nothing to be excited about. It's not like people who go on dates are an item already. Right? He was still unsure of his feelings, he'll admit but she's already in the process of moving on and he felt he had no right to ask her to turn back. Giving her another soft smile in front of his sober expression, he wanted to be happy for them. "Either way, I'm glad you're moving on." With every moment passing, the topic is becoming more difficult to wander in.

"Right, yeah." He shook his head to drive out some unnecessary thoughts. "Anyways, it's nice to see you again. Really. Why don't we meet up for breakfast sometime? Or brunch? Your call." Shadow was growing antsy behind his calm composition. All he wanted to do was to lay down and ponder and wrap himself in a warm blanket so he can process this entire conversation properly before meeting her again prepared. Or maybe hang with the other campers to keep himself distracted.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Am I? Lilythe wasn't sure--with Shadow here right in front of her--that she was really moving on. She wasn't denying the feelings she had for Azrael anymore. That was certain. But she still felt the need to reach out and touch the man standing before her; to hold him and comfort him while he was hurting. Lilythe couldn't deny that she missed the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, and the familiar comfort that would bring. 

Perhaps that's why, when he suggested they meet up again, she smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I would like that very much." She held him in her embrace for just a fraction longer than she probably should have. And let her lips press to his cheek. Perhaps she shouldn't have, she didn't want to send mixed signals. But they weren't exactly empty gestures. Lilythe would have happily stayed with Shadow if he had been able to get a grip on his jealousy. It hurt her that he couldn't and that she'd had to leave. "For what it's worth. I miss you too..." She said softly, and then turned to walk away.

As she made it across to the other side of the bonfire, heading towards Cabin 11, Lilythe called back. "You better set up that brunch Shadow." She grinned impishly at him. "Or I'll tell your siblings to make you sleep on the porch." it was an empty threat, she'd never really follow through. But she hoped it would bring him a smile.

~~~End~~~