Ready to Archive Fireworks, Fall 2021

[Sage Roberts]

Sage was just so tired of how much Levi could be a bully.....he just burned her buttons!!!!!! Her face probably looked like a sort of mix between a blowfish and a unhinged psychotic killer. Loukas was in over his head right now, as Sage was ready for a fight. He had tried to stop her but she just went for it anyways! Yelling at Levi felt so good and just right in that moment. Someone had to stand up to him and apparently it wasn't MK. Looking at the older Nike child, she had a disappointed look as normally she was the one standing up to him. What had her acting so different???

Raising an eyebrow at Levi, the glare was one that she wished would turn the Aphrodite child into a frog! "Still, you are such a bully, one of these days you will get what is coming to you" crossing her arms with an angry expression. She totally missed the firework going off. That was when she felt the hand of Loukas on her should trying to bring her back but she was still glaring at Levi. As she took her fingers and put it to her eyes then to his. As if she was saying.....I am watching you Levi Jone. 

Turning she looked at Loukas "You are right, I can't let that jerk get to me...he just makes me so madddddd" she said huffing and puffing. But when Loukas winked at her she couldn't help but smirk and then laugh. He was right, they could get him back later. "Okay okay well then let's go sit down so we can enjoy ourselves then." She finished saying as she made her way to an empty spot on the beach close to the others as she took her seat. Leaning back on her hands she looked over to Loukas with a smile. 

 

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas watched intently as the other three campers traded barbs with each other. He started to grow a little worried watching Sage get so worked up, but he also admired his friend's passion for standing up for the outcasts. After all, she had grown into one of his closest friends for that very reason. Where other campers avoided him either for his oddities or because he was a Hecate child, Sage had reached out and accepted him from the beginning without any reservations. He always looked back fondly at their first meeting, when she ambushed him one evening, pen and paper in hand; with a never ending list of questions. 

Trying to reason with the girl, he was glad to see her face calm. Besides, he had meant what he'd said about them pranking Levi back sometime; the man's ego had it coming. "Yes, let's" he responded as they linked arms again and headed off. Though this time something felt different, Loukas wasn't usually one for being arm in arm with anyone but he put up with it for Sage. This time though, he actually felt a mix of excitement and nerves as she led them to a quiet spot on the beach. Just close enough to the other campers so as not to seem standoffish, but far enough away to offer the young couple some privacy to enjoy the show. As each firework went off Loukas found himself looking less at the show and more at Sage's face. Finding enjoyment at seeing her grin, as the colors of the show washed over her face...and lips....wait...hold on...why was he looking at her lips?!?

It was like a firework had gone off in the boy's chest as he suddenly realized that maybe...just perhaps...his feelings for Sage were not entirely just based in friendship. But would she even feel the same way? He didn't want to lose the strong friendship the two had built up over the last two years. What was he to do? That's when he noticed her hand, small and gentle laying not far from his. Maybe if he..... Taking a deep breath Loukas decided to be brave and take the plunge. His hand inching it's way over to hers and then finally letting his fingers slip in-between hers as he watched waiting to see what her response would be.

Edited November 10, 2022 by Loukas Makris

[Sage Roberts]

Getting comfortable on the beach was nice after getting all worked up! Part of her hated seeing the injustice of it all with Levi. He always seemed to get what he wanted no matter what. Well, maybe that had something to do with his charm speak but  then again he also had so many girls wrapped around his little finger.......how she disliked guys like that! Thank goodness Loukas wasn't like that! As she watched him taking a seat next to her on the beach, her gaze went to the firework show.

Back when she first got to camp half-blood she watched a lot of different campers before she picked the person who she wanted to be her best friend. Sage made this calculated approach as she had been hurt by those that said they loved her before. The rejection of her father was something that cute her deeply so she wanted to make sure to pick someone who she could say was a decent person. Loukas had been super reserved but there was just a kindness about him that took her by surprise. Well if that wasn't enough she then bombarded him with interview questions just to make sure he was the right one for sure!!!!

 Sitting there she was just thankful to be able to call camp half-blood her home. A place of safety and comfort.....a place where her and Loukas could just be super silly together. Sage hadn't noticed how Loukas was looking at her but when she felt a hand intertwine with her own. She turned to look at him quickly as her looked down and began to blush. He was ummmmmm holding her hand. It was as if the breathe was taken right out of her lungs as she was such in shock. 

Of course she had gotten a crush on him a long time ago, he was a boy that was always so kind to her plus put up with her silly behavior. But in no way did she ever think he liked her!!! Sage Roberts, the girl who could get on his nerves with the ba-gillion questions she was always asking or the amount of energy she woke him up with on their days off. Her reaction was simple, she tightened her hand holding him giving it a squeeze with a shy smile that looked back at him. What should she do? ummmmmm well what did most couples do???? They ummmm gosh her brain was one that was not thinking clearly right now!

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas’ mind had been racing as he felt his heart rate spike. He had no idea what her reaction would be and the second his fingers had interlocked with hers he had wondered if he’d made the right decision or not. He was committed now though, there was no turning back at this point. It was a quick relief when he felt her squeeze his hand back. She didn’t pull away! He thought to himself with delight. No disgusted or confused glances either, in fact…that looks like a smile. He could not help but beam back, a goofy smile, but one that hid none of the joyful emotion that was behind it. She liked him back!

Oh wow…she liked him back….what should he do now? He had not really thought that far ahead yet. His brain had gone to all the worst case outcomes that he hadn't planned out for it going well. That’s when all his joyful emotions were quickly mixed in with some very nervous ones. What should he do now? He certainly enjoyed the feeling of her hand in his, the softness and the way she occasionally kept squeezing it; as if she was reminding them it wasn’t a dream.

Well, if it had gone well this far, then he should ask her the question that was already forming in his mind. “Would you maybe like to go do something sometime? Like…together…as in just the two of us? I think I might like you! Like a friend…NO I meant MORE THAN a friend!” Wow……he thought to himself. That did not come out nearly as smooth as he had imagined it in his head. Then again, this was Sage he was talking to, if anyone could appreciate a little spastic'ness it would be her…he hoped.

[Sage Roberts]

Holding Loukas's hand was something that sent butterflies into her stomach as she felt his hand tighten on her own. Was this real? Or was someone playing a prank with the mist? Sage couldn't help but look at Loukas as he smiled back in his goofy way. This had to be real, right? I mean she had seen that look on his face so many times before when the two of them had joked over the years. She would stop and see him smiling like that at her, but then she had never given that a second thought. Had he liked her for some time?

Hormones are a strange thing that made the brain do very strange things or not do anything at all. It seemed the two of them both were at a loss of words at first but then Loukas spoke. Her eyes watching his lips as he said he liked her.....OMG he did like her and this wasn't just magic at work!!!!! But then she laughed when he said he liked her as a friend but no he liked her more than a friend. "Hormones will do that to you" she said with a smirk "But yes I would ummmmmmm love to do something just us two being more than friends." Sage began to bat her eyelashes as she smiled at him. 

Then leaning into him she felt her own heart rate go up as she began to wonder "What kind of things?" she whispered to him as she just had to know. Was this like a date sort of thing or just their normal day to day thing. Biting her lip she leaned back as her eyes were locked on him. Should she scoot closer to him???? Or was that totally weird?

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread over his face as the girl he'd just admitted feelings for revealed that she had them too. Yet another firework went off, illuminating the girl that had been there for him through many difficult challenges at camp. The girl who made him feel like he could not only survive the experience, but thrive in it. Sage had always pushed him to believe in himself and not allow his broken past to define him. As he pondered these things it felt only natural that he should want to bind his fate with hers because at the end of the day, life was just better with her in it.

Now then, where and what would they do?? It had to be something special, something more than any old normal activity they'd do together as friends. Despite any nerves at having to think on the spot Loukas was able to quickly put a plan together. "I'll pick you up at your cabin, say...around lunch time? I've got the perfect place in mind to take you. It'll be outside so dress accordingly. For now though, let's enjoy the end of the show." With that, he drew closer to her, holding her hand and staring up into the night sky. And for the first time since he'd arrived at camp, Loukas felt truly content.

[Sage Roberts]

Sage had to fight the horrible voice in her head that told her all of this was too good to be true. Loukas was looking at her like she had always dreamed he would but what if she was dreaming.......to wake up to her just being only his friend. I mean that wasn't bad but this was so much better. Her heart would be so broken if somehow he said he felt this way and then he didn't. But from the way he looked at her that didn't seem to be true. Her face softened as she smiled back at him. Loukas had been her steady rock these last few years, from helping her with her trauma from her dad to to doing leg work with her case files. He was the best person in her life and she wouldn't know what to do if he was not in it.

Feeling herself being a bit nervous, as she leaned into him, a eager look was on her face as she was curious what the answer would be. "Ohhhh that sounds nice" looking curious she squinted at him "ummmm a nice place you say, does this place have trees or water?" She questioned him wanting to know. A part of her didn't like surprises as she felt like she needed to know everything. But Loukas seemed to want to go back to the show. Feeling him draw a bit closer to her, her face went a bit more red as she looked back to the sky. Seeing the display from Cabin 9. "I still want to know Loukas" she had leaned in whispering with a smirk on her face.