A little brother bonding..

[Mateo Sanz Rare]

Mateo hadn't left his cabin most the day. There wasn't really a need to do such a thing when he didn't want too and there was a fact that he didn't want to see Helena right at the moment. They hadn't spoken about happened at capture the flag game and he was a little worried that she had gotten her feelings hurt a little because she wanted a more than he was willing to offer at the moment. It wasn't that he didn't want to, okay maybe it was because he didn't want to because he didn't want a repeat like he had with Megan. That was a whole mess that he had to deal with and he was still slightly dealing with that now. She hadn't pulled anything just yet, but he had this odd feeling that in the next week she would be at his door once again. All because he was doing things with Helena now. 

He moved from from his bunk to the living area where most of his other siblings were. Which was a little strange but then again not much since it was still pretty much still day time out and much of the cabin loved being out when it was night since it was when their powers worked better. He found himself a seat and soon began chatting along with his siblings.  

@ Loukas Makris

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas had only been at camp for three years now and though that first year had been incredibly difficult, the subsequent two had not been as bad. In part because he had slowly gotten to know which of the campers to befriend, and which to avoid. He was surprised how well he had gotten along with his half siblings too. Though strangers at first he had slowly developed a kinship with them due to their shared parentage. The one thing he still could not stand was the classes revolving around magic and using his unique “gifts”. He still struggled to accept this part of him, this part that had denied him a normal childhood, that had gotten his father killed. Loukas did not understand why it was so important to the staff that he attend these and frankly he did not care to know. All he knew was how way behind he was with whatever perceived standard the camp staff had set for him.

This was the state of mind he was in as he opened the Hecate cabin door storming into the room in frustration heading toward his bunk. He had been “strongly encouraged” to practice after hours, something other Hecate children seemed to enjoy, but he tried hard to avoid doing. Loukas had actually tried to practice just an hour ago, the results had been…less than desirable.

[Mateo Sanz Rare]

He was just sitting there, talking to his other siblings when he noticed one of his brothers storming into the cabin. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the view. Something seemed to be pretty off about him, and it got the older boy a little curious about what was happening in the younger ones life. He gave his other siblings a little nod of his head as he stood up to head over to his other brother. He had never had anyone in his life growing up, he was thrown into different houses but they couldn't keep him because he was so much trouble. So having his family here made everything a little different from him. He didn't want to lose any of them. He was soon leaning against another bunk with his arms crossed over his chest. "You alright there?" He questioned him curiously and softly. Very unlike Mateo if he was out and about in the camp, but again this was his little brother and he wanted to make sure that everything was okay. "What's got you bent out of shape?"

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas had been boring a hole into the wall with his gaze when Mateo approached him, startling him out of his thoughts. What did have him so bent out of shape, he thought to himself. The week had been going well but by the end of it Loukas was….well he wasn’t sure what he was, he couldn’t put a name on the emotion or even the cause of it. His mind felt like a tangled knot of strings with no idea what thread led to where or why it did, and no idea how to even begin untangling it to find out. “Frustrated” he mumbled, answering Mateo's first question. He knew that wasn’t the best answer but it was honestly the only word he could form in the moment.

Frustrated, saying the word out loud had more effect than Loukas expected. It was like it was just the right pull his mind needed to begin loosening the knot. “I’m frustrated because I’m way behind where I should be with magic, years it feels like” he continued. He had been practicing with his older siblings Shadow and Akemi and that had been helping a lot, but he still couldn’t push back the feeling that it wasn’t enough. “I’m frustrated because there’s this girl I like, and I guess it’s going well but…I don’t know…” It was true he and Sage had been growing as more than friends but the relationship was still very undefined and Loukas, pessimist that he could be, worried it was only a matter of time until something went wrong. The knot loosened more until he felt like he could form a more clear sentence. “I don’t know if I belong here and I don’t know what my purpose is in life or if I’ll even find that here at camp. Life is confusing lately and I don’t know how to navigate it.” He was a little surprised at himself, opening up, even just a little bit had started to form what his overall problem was.

[Mateo Sanz Rare]

An eyebrow shot up when his brother said that he was feeling frustrated, and it was mumbled. He couldn't help but sigh a little. Seemed like they were all in some kind of downer. What was it was him and his siblings. "Wanna talk about it?" he questioned curious as he took a seat on the other couch in front of him. He knew what it was like to be that way. Heck he was that way now. There was all kind of things that made him frustrated. Like girls. Well one girl that was. He shook his head, because now wasn't the time to bother Loukas about his love life. He was a little worried about his brother not wanting to put more stress on him. 

It didn't take long for his brother to start talking about the things that was bugging him and he couldn't help but tilt his head. Oh, so this was about magic and a girl. Well, he didn't know what to say about the girl since he was still in the same predicament himself. But the magic thing he could totally help him with. "Don't worry about the magic, not everyone is going to be great at it. I'm not that great at it myself, I've practiced my while time here" he began and smile. "There's going to be some magic that you're not going to be good at and some that you will be. You just have to find that out, and don't overdo yourself with it either. Take sometimes away from practicing all the time. You can lose the magic you got." he said trying to warn his brother. "I know that you don't want to do that." he told him with a small smile on his lips. "As for the girl, man I'm just as lost as you are with it." he laughed at himself. "I don't know if I'm the right guy to even talk to about a girl. But lay it on me. What's she like?" He was curious to know who his brother had found. Then his brother began to let it all out and it made Mateo sit up. Putting his elbows on his knees and crossing his arms loosely. "Well, I can say this." He began. "You do belong here, if you didn't our mother wouldn't have claimed you." he told him the obvious reason that he was here. "Besides not knowing what you're going to do with life is fine. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough." He told him as he closed his eyes thinking about it more. "You might not find it at camp, you might have to go out and travel the world to find something that you really want to do. It will hit you in the face sooner or later, but right now, you're young enjoy it while you can, because life will hit you soon enough."

[Loukas Makris]

If he forced himself to think on it Loukas could admit that there were still plenty of positives to being at Camp Halfblood (besides the obvious safety from monsters). One such positive thing was that his fellow half-siblings all seemed to genuinely care and offer up help when he opened up and shared; first Shadow, then Akemi and now it seemed Mateo too. Sharing was always easier when it was apparent someone honestly wanted to listen and offer help. In truth, even though it started out as a bit of a ramble, Loukas felt like he had hit the root of his problems; belonging.

“Really?” he said in a surprised tone, “I guess there were enough talented magic users here that I had assumed everyone had a natural talent for it. I suppose there’s some comfort in knowing that not everyone picks it up as fast. The truth is I do feel like I’ve been over exerting myself in trying to catch up. Perhaps I could use a bit of a break between Shadow and Akemi’s back and forth lessons.” This realization managed to cause Loukas to smile a bit, maybe a short break was just what he needed after all.

His face lit up when Mateo asked him about the girl. “Oh wow she’s fantastic! Her name is Sage and she’s an Athena camper. She’s really really smart and very pretty, she’s got this amazing smile that always makes me forget what I’m about to say next.” He paused for a moment, both to catch his breath and because he realized he was starting to sound rather rambly. “Sorry, I guess what I’m getting at is that the two of us have been friends for a very long time. She was one of the first campers here that I got to know, and now that things are beginning to become more serious between us, well I’m worried about losing that. I’m worried when is the best time to let her know I want us to be more than friends, how will I know when it’s right? What if I forget the right words to say and they all come out in the wrong order? Have you ever had to make decisions like that?” As Mateo patiently listened he also reassured Loukas that he did indeed belong here at camp. “Thanks Mateo, that does mean a lot.I guess I do have time on my side. Time to figure out what it is I’m supposed to do, and who I’m supposed to share life with.”

[Mateo Sanz Rare]

Mateo hummed a little thinking about his own magic that he did. It was shocking to him sure; he wasn't the best at it but still, he was able to do some and didn't practice all the time as he was a little afraid of him losing his powers. So of course, he didn't try hard enough. He did during the war games only because he really needed to, to help him and his team. He grinned at his brother and shook his head. "I would take a rest every now and then. Don't overdo it for yourself." he said and sat back on the couch. He studied his brother a little more and then laughed. "Well, with Shadow and Akemi, I can imagine that you are tried." he grinned knowing how they could be.

He watched his brothers face light up when he spoke about this girl. Her name was Sage, and he was now curious about it. Not that he was going to invest himself into his brother's life no, he was however, pretty happy that his brother had found someone that he liked. He grinned bright as he watched and listened to Loukas talk about Sage. "It's always nice to find something with someone you've known for a long time." he said to him as he nodded his head. It was Loukas that as about how would he know when the time was right and what if he forgot the right words and Mateo couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Well, let me just say this. It's always the right time to say something especially when you have the feeling to." he said like he knew what he was talking about. However, he would never admit that he wasn't going to do the same thing with Lena. He could rather bite off his own leg than tell her he loved her at the moment. Even though he knew that she knew that at the moment. Damn her mom and their powers. "I think I'm in the same boat at the moment, but not really ready to tell anything at the moment. I think she already knows and is waiting on me to say something about it." He shook his head and then sighed a little. "I think I should take my own advice sometimes." he laughed at himself. That was something that he wouldn't do but giving it was something better. "You always have time. We're still very young." he told him as he pointed at the both of them. "And don't worry about thanking me, sometimes we just need to be reminded." 

[Loukas Makris]

Loukas nodded, taking Mateo's advice to heart. It was clear that he needed to find a balance in his life and not overdo things when it came to practicing magic. He was grateful for Mateo's understanding, especially since it was apparent that he had his own struggles to deal with. "Yeah, a break every now and then sounds like a good idea," Loukas agreed, feeling a little more at ease with the thought of not pushing himself too hard. Mateo's words about love and timing resonated with Loukas. He realized that there might never be a perfect moment to confess his feelings to Sage, but he also recognized the importance of being honest with her. "I guess you're right," Loukas said thoughtfully. "Maybe I should just take the leap and tell her how I feel. It's better than keeping it bottled up and wondering 'what if,' right?" He appreciated Mateo's candor, especially knowing that his older brother was struggling with similar issues.

"It's always easier to give advice than to take it ourselves, isn't it?" Loukas said with a chuckle, acknowledging Mateo's admission that he should follow his own guidance. It felt good to know that he wasn't alone in his struggles, and it made him feel more connected to his siblings. "We're all just figuring things out as we go along, I suppose." As they continued talking, Loukas felt a sense of relief wash over him. The weight of his frustrations seemed to be lifting, and he knew that much of it was due to Mateo's support and understanding. The bond he shared with his siblings was truly a unique and special thing, and he was grateful to have them in his life. "Thanks, Mateo," Loukas said sincerely. "Your advice and support means a lot to me. I think I'll try to work better on finding a balance in my life and not be so hard on myself. And I'll definitely consider taking that leap with Sage! After all, life is too short to be filled with regrets right?."

[Mateo Sanz Rare]

 Mateo nodded his head in agreement. There was always something that could be done, and breaks were just that. It was strange giving his little brother a word of advice for love when he didn't really understand it all himself either. It was a lot, and he didn't know what he was going to do about the whole Lena thing himself. He had been fighting the feelings that he had. He knew that things would finally come out in the end but what kind of end would that be for him. He smiled a little at his brother and nodded his head. "That sounds about right to me. Always be true to yourself." Right, like he could do the same. He wanted to bet himself up for giving advice that he couldn't even take. 

The older camper laughed at his brothers' words. "Tell me about it. I can give the advice but never do it myself." he shook his head thinking about it. He needed to learn to do that. He turned his head from looking at the wall to his brother and smiled. "That is what everyone is doing in life." he told him with a small smile. He didn't want his little brother thinking that everything should be easy like that. He blinked a little when his little brother thanked him. Mateo smiled once again and nodded his head. "You don't have to thank me, but I do wanna hear about how you wooed this girl into being with you." he told him with a wink. he knew that his brother had it in him. He just needed to get that part of him going. "Tell me when it happens yeah?" he said with another wink.