Day One;

[chiseler]

[He's already been here longer than he would like and it hasn't been that long. Still, demigods never do well being trapped and while he ponders on an escape plan he finds himself filled with a bunch of pent-up energy.

As it turns out, the best way to use that energy is to run laps around a track. On occasion he'll sprint, leap over invisible targets and change his direction entirely. Overall it probably looks a little strange and more like he's running from something. But that doesn't matter. It keeps him busy for about an hour and a half before he finds that he's a little worn out. Constantly being on the move like that isn't something he's used to anymore.

The other thing he finds is that he's kind of gross and sweaty now which really doesn't help the situation. He sighs to himself, running a hand through his hair before disappearing from the gym all together. He's not aware of anyone who might be watching and maybe he doesn't even care. Instead, he heads back to his apartment for a change of clothes before ducking into the bathroom.

The bathroom at this hour seems blissfully empty, so he doesn't bother hurrying through anything. Why? They have all the time in the world here, it seems, and he's out of his sweat-drenched clothes shortly after before wrapping a towel around his waist to grab soap/shampoo/etc.

The broken shower door gets his attention though and he's eyeing it curiously, fingering at the hinges before laughing to himself. This is what he finds himself doing when he suddenly hears footsteps behind him and he turns his head a fraction. Upon seeing who it is though, he only gives a tiny smirk in response.]

You know…we should probably stop meeting like this.

Comments

[chiseler]

[Thanks for that, Adam. Demigods are much more resilient, but the thing about them is that they are still half-mortal. He's nodding just a bit at Adam's suggestion and steps past him, taking his clothes to duck back into a stall to change. While he's doing that he responds from behind the door.]

I have a few people I'm keeping an eye on and a few people I find interesting. One of my roommates has a crossbow. Another one's got a sword. Met this girl who tried to tell me she's one of the strongest people in her world and I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want my card to say "skilled at causing other people pain." ...saw another profile whose skill listing included torture so that was weird. Little things like that. [He steps out again, dressed in jeans and tugging a long-sleeved shirt over his head.] One of the things on my own card includes breaking promises and I have no idea what that's supposed to mean.

[He's intrigued by that offer though.] Are you gonna go first? We have a deal then.

[antietam]

[ He can finally breathe once Luke goes back in the stall so that's nice. ] A lot of the people here seem to be skilled in fighting, don't they? Plus coming with weapons... [ He can't really talk but. ] What, you don't think you've ever broken a promise? Wonder how many you have to break to make it a skill.

[ He doesn't trust Luke, really. The profiles may be to set them against each other but it's all fairly suspicious and Luke hasn't denied a lot of them. That doesn't mean he can't get to know him, though. After all, Adam isn't skilled at all in fighting but Luke apparently is. ]

You didn't ask anything specific. I'm not an expert but I know they're old. Older than the gods, I'd imagine. They're powerful, but... I don't know what's made them weaker. They're still able to make themselves known, though, not just to me but they'll start taking out electricity and talking to everyone. I got amnesia with them once too... Anyway, is that enough?

[chiseler]

And then you have some of us who're skilled and didn't come with weapons and those of us with weapons and maybe no idea how to use them. [A meaningful look. He's not sure if Adam knows how to use the gun in his inventory, but he's curious all the same.] I would remember if I ever broke a promise, so I think whoever wrote those things did it just to make me look bad.

[Trust no one, really. He doesn't have too much to hide since he knows at some point Adam will stop believing him. It's just...Adam hasn't hit that point yet somehow. He listens carefully about the leylines, finding that it's an answer without answer but the way Adam talks about them makes them sound sentient. It's bizarre to him. He wants to ask about the amnesia, about the leylines talking to everybody, but he'll save that for another time.] It's enough for now. Now we're even.

[And with another smile he turns on his heel and begins leaving the bathroom.]

[antietam]

[ Adam raises his eyebrows. Does Luke really think he wouldn't know how to use a gun? He wonders what he must think of him. Probably sees him as weak. ] Sounds like those types of people to team up. Maybe the crazier people with axes won't get them.

[ He waits for Luke to explain and he probably shouldn't be surprised when Luke just... starts walking off. He let himself fall into that trap, honestly. But Luke has been sharing with him enough, he didn't have a reason to doubt now. So he scowls because he's making him look stupid and rushes to catch up to him, reaching to grab onto his wrist. ] Hey. Didn't anyone ever teach you manners? Maybe they really meant deal-breaker on your profile.

[chiseler]

[He doesn't acknowledge the comment about teaming up or about axes. Instead, he walks and he hears Adam behind him, not at all surprised he's being followed. He feels Adam wrap a hand around his wrist and he turns, arching an eyebrow almost elegantly as he patiently waits.]

That's entirely possible. [He doesn't elaborate while leaving the statement to apply to just about anything. He does attempt to shake his wrist loose though to continue moving. Come along, Adam.] You don't really think this is the place where manners actually matter, do you? What's the point in that? If you want something, you learn how to take it.

[antietam]

[ He's worried for maybe a second that Luke will hurt him and grabbing strangers who are part-god will end up not being the best idea he's ever had. But nothing happens and Adam slowly lets him go, following behind him. ]

Easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. If you want me to tell you things, you could try not being an asshole. Or someone who just says whatever anyone wants to hear. I've gone to school with guys like that, it gets old.

[chiseler]

[Don't take your chances, Adam. But still, Luke settles for rolling his eyes as he leads them on toward the rec room.]

I think the only one who thinks I'm an asshole is you. Everyone else here seems to put up with me just fine. [A beat.] How'd you handle those guys then?

[antietam]

Really? Maybe they're not as honest about it. Or maybe you're better at telling them what they want to hear. [ But he's still following, still talking to him. It's entirely possible he's been taken in the same way. ]

I ignore them. Isn't that what you should do when people annoy you?

[chiseler]

You're not gonna let that go, are you? [He's also not taking it seriously because yeah. Adam's still here, still talking to him, still putting up with him. He's not surprised by much anymore.]

It's a lot harder to ignore people at camp unless you're really sneaky about it, especially when summer session's over. So maybe.

[antietam]

Not unless you give me a reason to. [ He strides enough to catch up with Luke and walk by his side. ]

Tell me about your camp then and I'll go away.

[chiseler]

[His hands slip into his pockets.] There're a lot of things about camp I can tell you. Be more specific. You already know where it is and who lives there.

[antietam]

[ He wants to know a lot and it's hard to word it all but he seems to think hard on it. ]

What purpose does it serve? How long were you there for? Do the gods really ignore a place housing a bunch of powerful kids? ... Is that where you last remember being before you came here?

[chiseler]

It's a camp for training demigods to become heroes. I've been there since I was fourteen. Yes, the gods ignore their kids and usually quite frequently. Doesn't matter if we're all at camp. And yeah...I was there just getting ready to go somewhere else. Guess this was the somewhere else. Weird, isn't it?

[Into the rec room they go and he's allowing himself to look for something, picking up a deck of cards not long after. He has a plan, but he wants to see what Adam says first.]

[antietam]

Heroes... what does that mean? [ He frowns at the thought of anyone being at a camp for five years. ] How do you train for that? Your... quest?

[ He barely notices they're in the rec room, so he just blinks slowly at the deck of cards in his hand, then looks up in question. ]

[chiseler]

What do you think it means? Gods always need demigods to do their bidding for them even if they won't bother talking to their kids. They call us heroes...it's kind of a joke. Just like our quests are nothing but a big joke. You train and you train and you train and you learn to fight monsters and be faster and stronger than any mortal and in the end...that's it. [And on that lovely note...he's jumping up onto the pool table, shuffling cards and dealing out one face down and one face up for both of them.]

...tell you what. You ever play 21? I'd ask about poker, but this is more my speed.

[antietam]

[ So Luke seems to be against all of it. The gods, the quests, the camp? He can't blame him if it's what it sounds like—beings you've never met expecting you to do things for them because they're family. He suddenly wonders where Luke's scar came from, but he's not going to ask about it.

Actually, he looks pretty amused when Luke asks him to play a game. ] Sure. It's not like it's that complicated. [ He walks over and leans against the pool table next to his cards. ] So why do you stay? Why do you listen to them?

[chiseler]

[He holds up a hand to stop Adam from continuing the questions.] Hold on. We're playing a game. You stay under or get 21, you can ask me whatever you want. You bust, I get to ask the questions. Do we have a deal?

[antietam]

[ Adam raises his eyebrows and then laughs. Why is this a game? ] If you like that better than talking like adults, sure. Aces high or low?

[ The face-up card is a 9 and then he turns his card over for a jack. He frowns. ]

[chiseler]

[Talking??? How about no.] Aces low. [He lets Adam flip his cards and he leans back on the pool table with the deck shifting from one hand to another. He lets out a low whistle.]

Tough call. [Especially when his face card is a five.] Hit, stay? [He doesn't offer a double-down option because that seems silly. Why are they doing this? Shh, just go with it.]

[antietam]

Stay. [ It's the only thing he can do since he isn't a risk-taker. He hops up on the pool table as well, next to his cards. He watches Luke's cards closely. ]

You're not hustling me, are you?

[chiseler]

Do I look like the kind of person to hustle somebody? [He says as he flips the card with an almost elegant flick of his wrist. A five and a six. He narrows his eyes, flipping another card and dishing out a ten. He smiles to himself before glancing up at Adam.]

Probably should've mentioned that those rules also apply to me if I win. So. [He's taking the cards and shuffling again.] You mentioned a school. It's not some weird magic school, is it? [Luke has zero place calling anything weird but you know what, that's happening.]

[antietam]

Absolutely. [ And his look only gets more suspicious when Luke manages a perfect 21. He's now that he's being played but he's not sure how since he's watching. So he just rolls his eyes, waiting to be able to call him out. ]

Do you think I'm a wizard? It's a normal, all-boys prep school. I think you know that people aren't really into the idea of magic. I'd rather not get burned at the stake.

[chiseler]

I thought they stopped doing that. [Hmm. Oh well. He's dealing out their cards. Two nines for Adam, and another five for himself with his face-down card.] I have no idea what prep school means by the way. For all I know you could be learning wizardry there.

[He's mostly joking around but...he...really doesn't know what prep schools are for. Help him.] Hit or stay?

[antietam]

I don't know. Haven't seen any witch accusations lately. [ He frowns up at Luke. He's going to break the rules. ] College prep. Does your camp have school?

[ He purses his lips down at his cards but still he's not going to risk it. ] Stay. [ Surely Luke can't get another 21?? ]

[chiseler]

Nope. Not really. Camp's usually for summer session but those of us who lived there year round just figured it out as we went. [Or maybe that's just Luke. He flips his face down card to reveal an 8, chewing his lip before drawing another card. It's a two. He can get closer, right? One more draw...and it's a queen.]

Shit.