⊹ ࣪ ˖ Camp Half Blood - Active Roleplay ˖ ࣪ ⊹ discussion
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Elio Lark, having nothing better to do on this sunny day, found himself at the forge. Sure, he could swim laps in the sparkling lake or sit by the campfire with his siblings. He could even rot in his cabin, underneath the covers of his bed while an AC blasted throughout the room. Yet the thought didn't appease him today, and he found himself drawn to the sound of metal clashing against each other, the burning heat of the hot coals, and Hephaestus children hard at work.
Elio didn't particularly enjoy swordsmanship. He'd practice, of course, yet he didn't enjoy it as much as he loved hockey. Using a sword just reminded him of a fight, which of course brought up Charlie. Elio crossed his arms across his chest, today sporting a simple Boston Bruins t-shirt. He watched the blacksmiths, his eyes landing on one girl in particular.
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Leila wasn’t the type to linger in hot places for long, but after what felt like an eternity in the forge, she was starting to regret her choice. The air was thick with heat, the rhythmic clanking of hammers against metal a steady backdrop, and despite the constant presence of fire, she swore the most irritating thing in the room was the relentless ticking of a clock somewhere.
Forty-seven minutes. That was how long she’d been here, picking up tools, examining half-finished projects, and occasionally prodding at scraps of celestial bronze like they’d magically turn into something interesting. The forge wasn’t her usual go-to for unwinding—too much like work—but when she’d tried to escape to the arts and crafts hut earlier, she’d found it overrun with people. The moment she spotted glitter and paint flying, she turned right back around.
After half an hour of wandering camp, the forge had seemed like the best option. Empty, quiet (well, mostly), and blessedly free of distractions. It had been a good call at first. But now, nearly fifty minutes later, she was sticky with sweat, her already messy bun was completely falling apart, and—worst of all—she was bored out of her mind.
Gosh, I’m bored.
That thought had barely solidified before the forge door slammed shut, jolting her so hard she might have jumped a full foot in the air. Instinct had her ducking behind a large anvil, peeking out cautiously to assess the intruder.
If she was lucky, it would be one of her half-siblings, someone who’d respect her space and work on the other side of the room. But of course, luck was rarely on her side. One glance at the newcomer confirmed he was not a Hephaestus kid. He looked completely out of place amidst the heat and metal, standing there like he’d wandered in by accident—though the way he wore that Boston Bruins shirt almost made her forgive him for the intrusion.
Gods, really? A Hermes kid? And he has to be stupidly attractive too?
Leila sighed, rolling her shoulders back. Alright, you’ve trained for this.
Emerging from behind the anvil, she attempted a smile—though from the way it felt, it probably looked more like a grimace. “Hey. Who are you, and what do you want?”
Fantastic. You sound like an interrogation officer.
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Elio wasn't even sure why he was here-- It was hot, humid, and full of sweaty forgers. Clearly, the girl in front of him had also caught him staring. Yet she seemed to be... hiding? The moment he stepped in, she had ducked behind an anvil. Elio briefly smiled to himself. The thought humored him, seeing as he considered himself harmless.
The girl popped up from the anvil, attempting a smile. "Hi," he waved briefly, the corners of his lips quirking up. "I, uh-- I was just wandering around. I'm Elio." He'd tried to rack his brain to see if he recalled the girl from anywhere. Maybe at the dining pavilion? The lake? Surely she'd been around somewhere. The camp wasn't as big as it used to be, especially after the war.
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(( SHES LYING DONT LISTEN TO HER also im not matching that shii, love u )
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Elio Lark, having nothing better to do on this sunny day, found himself at the forge. Sure, he could swim laps in the sparkling lake or sit by the campfire with his siblings. He could even rot i..."
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bro im js realizing now i meant to include more on the swords part like it was explainign why he was there bruh)
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(this why u lost mod privileges 🤧🤧 spreading rumors smh... )
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Leila squinted at him, arms crossing instinctively over her chest. He was smiling—grinning, really—like he found something funny. Great. Just what she needed, some cocky idiot kid loitering in her forge.
“Elio, huh?” she echoed, still eyeing him warily. “You always wander into random places, or is this a special occasion?”
She wasn’t sure what irritated her more—the fact that he had caught her ducking like some startled prey, or the fact that he was standing there looking entirely too good for someone who clearly didn’t belong. Because everyone new annoying people were not pretty, especially boys. It was just a fact of life. The quirk of his lips wasn’t helping. Neither was the Bruins shirt. Her team. That was just unfair.
Leila exhaled sharply, scrubbing a hand down her face before nodding toward the door. “Well, unless you’re here to commission something or—gods save us—actually make something, you might wanna rethink your life choices. This place isn’t exactly...for recreational use.”
She tilted her head, waiting to see if he’d take the hint—or if he’d be one of those campers who made themselves way too comfortable where they weren’t wanted. Booo.
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( at the nd of the dya were just fangirls sigh)
(( KIT STOP I SEARCHED HIM UP to do my daily share of ogling AND I NOW I KEEP FINDING michal mrazik as jason todd fanart what do i do ))
(( (view spoiler) ))
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(HOLY SHIT WERE COOKED)
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"Yes, Elio." He said, noticing the girl becoming irritated throughout their short interaction. Elio, either enjoying himself from her personality or the fact she kept eyeing his t-shirt, let his arms hang and began inspecting some of the metal. "I'm just looking-- getting away from the craziness out there," he waved his hand in the direction of the door. "That's not a crime, is it?" He asked smugly. "I'm not bothering you, nor am I being a distraction. I don't see the issue," Elio continued speaking as he walked around.
He should've left, but with the other treating him the way she was, well... He wanted to have a little bit of fun. Elio couldn't recall the last time he'd willingly had human interaction. His mother urged him to make friends, and he'd to just about anything to make her happy. So maybe, just maybe, he could give it a shot. Of course, he wouldn't tell the other half-blood about this.
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Leila’s eyes narrowed as Elio started poking around, his tone just smug enough to make her fingers twitch. She could already tell he was one of those kids—the ones who liked to push buttons and make messes just for the fun of it.
And then—oh, for the love of Hephaestus—he reached for a piece of metal.
“No, no, don’t touch that!” she snapped, lunging forward so quick she nearly tripped over a toolbox. She swatted his hand away before he could grab anything important. “That’s molten celestial bronze, genius. You don’t just go handling it like some shiny souvenir—unless you want third-degree burns.”
She shot him a look, half-exasperated, half-challenging, like she was daring him to test her on this. “And for the record, you are a distraction. People don’t just ‘look around’ in a forge unless they actually know what they’re doing.”
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He let out a small yelp at her lunge, certain she was going to impale him with whatever weapon she made. Not his finest moment. Elio reeled his hand back immediately, ”Gods, okay, sorry!” He held them up defensively. “Don’t touch anything, got it.,” he mumbled.
Elio rolled his eyes, “Okay, well, I’ll look around with my eyes, infact…” He held his hands behind his back. “Better?” Elio asked, his eyes narrowing playfully. “I never caught your name, by the way.” He’d made his way towards her, away from the celestial bronze and sharp objects. Someone should really child-proof this place.
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Leila let out a short, unimpressed huff, eyeing him like he was the world’s most annoying inconvenience. At least he had the sense to back off. She crossed her arms again, watching as he dramatically tucked his hands behind his back like some kind of troublemaking kid pretending to behave.
“Much better,” she deadpanned. “Now if only you could keep your mouth shut too, we’d really be making progress.”
But, of course, he wasn’t going to let up that easily. He was still grinning at her, still looking way too comfortable despite nearly giving himself a free trip to the infirmary. And then he had the audacity to ask for her name.
“You never caught my name because I never gave it,” she said simply, tilting her head. Leila debated ignoring him entirely, but something about the way he looked at her made her bristle. Fine. If he was going to stick around like an annoying little shadow, she might as well give him something to work with. “Leila.”
( ASH, LEILA IS SO SO SO SO GORGEOUS OMGGG )
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"Unfortunately, I have a chronic illness where I can't shut up," he replied, "So I don't think we're going to go anywhere with that." Truth be told, this was partially true. Elio had been told countless times he talked too much for others enjoyment. This didn't stop him, however.
"Leila?" He repeated. "Huh... Leila. Does it mean something?" Elio asked, countinuing to inspect the forge. He had zero idea what half of these objects were, yet they all intrigued him.
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Leila gave him a flat look. "Yeah, it means 'girl who’s running out of patience.’"
She wasn’t sure why he was still here. Most people got the hint after a few glares and some sarcasm, but Elio? He was just lingering, poking around like he belonged, despite knowing absolutely nothing about what he was even looking at. It was kind of impressive, in the most annoying way possible.
“Seriously, are you actually interested in this stuff, or are you just here to bother me?” she asked, arching a brow. “Because if it’s the second one, I really have better things to do.”
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"No, it doesn't," Elio snorted. "I like your sarcasm," he decided. "It's refreshing compared to the happy go lucky's I'm constantly surrounded by." Elio stop investigating. "A little bit of both, but uh... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall you doing anything before I got here. You know, other than hide," he teased her.
The cabinmates Elio had were... nice. Some of them he assumed put on a fake smile every day like him. But Leila? She was up-front. She didn't hide or change her personality for him.
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Leila scoffed, unimpressed. "Oh, so you’re one of those people," she rolled her eyes. "The type who thinks being an inconvenience is the same thing as being charming." She huffed, muttering under her breath about 'happy go-lucky's' and 'prejudiced little boys'.
She turned away from him, pretending to inspect a half-finished blade on the workbench. Why was he still here? He was clearly enjoying himself way too much, like he’d just cracked the code to the universe. And worse—he wasn’t entirely wrong. She had been doing absolutely nothing before he walked in.
Not that she’d admit it.
“I wasn’t hiding,” she shot back, finally looking at him again. “I was—” She hesitated. “I was thinking. You should try it sometime.”
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
"Now you're just making assumptions and you haven't even gotten to know me, Leila." Elio hardly scoffed, his voice holding the teasing tone from earlier.
Elio's grin returned, his dimples forming on either side of his face. "Thinking, right. Well, I'll have you know I'm thinking plenty of times," Elio replied. "Do you like hockey?" He finally asked, "Or just the bruins?" He'd seen her eyeing the shirt. And as much as he'd rather talk about something else, he really didn't want to get on a Hephaestus' kids bad side.
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( I LOVE THIS both of u are so talented
meanwhile here i am trying to figure out html )
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Leila raised an eyebrow, leaning against the workbench. "Oh, really? You think sometimes? That’s impressive,” she teased, the corner of her mouth twitching.
But then his grin returned, and she couldn’t help but notice the dimples. Get a grip, idiot.
When he asked about hockey, she narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was just trying to get under her skin or if he was actually genuinely interested. "Yeah, I like hockey," she replied, crossing her arms. "Been a Bruins fan since like forever." She gave him a quick look up and down. "You too, yeah?"
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
Elio resisted the urge to say something about the possible smile forming on her lips. Maybe she does have a sense of humor, he thought to himself.
"So have I-- I mean, obviously, granted I'm wearing a Bruins shirt..." He trailed off. "I used to play, too. Had a full ride to college as long as I played for them," Elio told her. Before he'd left, his coach sat down with him, told him scouts were there. He was only a junior, yet eyes were on him, ready to accept him into their colleges.
Elio realized how that sounded and cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to come off as boastful, I just... Sorry." Shit, pull it together, El.
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Leila blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Oh. Oh. Okay, that’s actually kind of impressive. She wasn’t about to say that out loud, though. Instead, she gave a slow nod, playing it off like it was no big deal—even though, yeah, it kind of was.
"Full ride, huh?" she mused, tilting her head. "Not bad."
She kept her expression neutral, but she definitely wasn’t blind to the fact that a guy who played hockey at that level? Yeah, that was . . . something. Really something. Clearing her throat, Leila uncrossed her arms and nodded.
"You don’t have to apologize," she added. "It’s not boasting if it’s true." Then, after a beat, she shrugged. "I mean, unless you suck and they just felt bad for you."
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
Elio simply nodded, "Yeah. Not bad at all." What was the point in feeling ashamed, anyway? Elio had no plans on returning to hockey, nor going to college for it. Sure, when Charlie woke up, he'd be pissed with him. But quitting was for the greater good.
This time, Elio laughed. His head titled back slightly and he actually laughed. He couldn't recall the last time he'd felt pure joy, and perhaps it was the absurdities of talking to this girl, but something felt different. Even though they'd only been talking for a short amount of time, it was like a temporary weight was lifted off his shoulders.
"Yeah, I don't know if I sucked. You think they'd let me be team captain if that happened?"
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elio doesnt realize it but bro is down bad
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Leila barely managed to keep her expression neutral, but internally? Oh, come on. Full ride and team captain? This was getting ridiculous.
Her smirk faltered for half a second before she caught herself, masking her reaction with an unimpressed scoff. "Oh, team captain too? Right, of course you were." She rolled her eyes. "You must have been so insufferable with that kind of title," she teased. "Your poor team."
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
Elio swore her expression changed. But in the blink of an eye, she was back to her typical self. "Insufferable? Never. Who do you think choose team captains?" Elio asked her, his arms crossed over his chest once more.
"If you really want to know, my teammates are totally devastated. Losing their best player? Yeesh." Elio was clearly joking about having such a high ego. His teammates were upset that he wasn't coming back, but devastated? He wasn't so sure. "So, uh- have you ever played before?"
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Leila rolled her eyes, but there was an unmistakable flicker of amusement. Oh, he definitely thinks he's hot shit. And annoyingly? He probably was.
“Wow, devastated, huh? Must be so hard for them,” she deadpanned, shaking her head. “Bet they built a shrine in your honor. Moment of silence for the lost ones before every game, all that.” She couldn't help but wonder why he had left, at least she was assuming he did by how he was speaking in the past tense. If he was that good, why not take it all the way?
At his question, she hesitated for half a second before grimacing. “Nope. Never had the chance," she shrugged. "Plus, if you leave me on the ice for even a second I'll fall down.” She gestured around her, the heat which had been forgotten in the moment returning with a force. "Big difference."
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
Elio laughed again, "A shrine? Really? Come on, Leila, if you think I'm some sort of god, just say so." Elio wondered what his teammates were doing right now. Taking a break from the cut-throat off season? Going on their usual trip to six flags? Or even just hanging out in someone's basement, playing the newest GTA game. The thought alone made Elio's heart ache.
"Seriously? Hockey's everywhere in Minnesota-- I can't imagine you not having anywhere to try." He scratched his chin, imagining Leila on skates. He tried to keep his grin down, "Right, right, more of a heat person."
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“Oh yeah, Elio, you totally got me,” she drawled, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’ve been worshiping at the altar of your hockey greatness this whole time. You got me.”
Despite herself, she couldn’t help but notice the way his expression flickered—just for a second—when he mentioned his old team. Interesting. She wasn’t about to push, though. If he wanted to be mysterious and broody about whatever made him leave, that was his problem, not hers.
“Yeah, well, not all of us had the luxury of spending our time at the rink,” she said, shrugging. “I had other things to focus on.” she raised an eyebrow at his other comment. "Minnesota? I grew up down south in Wisconsin."
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? ───
"Busted." Elio held up two finger guns pointed at her. He mimed blowing out steam from them, like they did in the westerns he and Charlie would watch when desperatly bored.
"Ah, of course." Elio nods his head slowly, "No wonder you're a Bruins fan. How you guys don't have a team amazes me," he said with a sigh. "I've been around that area before for games. It's not half bad. How'd you end up here?"
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Leila rolled her eyes at his finger guns, but the corner of her lips twitched upward. Dork.
She scoffed at his sigh, crossing her arms. “Yeah, well, tell me about it. We get stuck in the middle of hockey country with no team to root for. Closest we got is the Wild or the Blackhawks, and trust me, I am not about to root for Chicago.” She made a face, shaking her head.
At his question, she hesitated for a split second before shrugging. “Same way as everyone else, I guess. One day, everything’s normal—next thing you know, you’re getting chased by some freaky monster, and bam—welcome to Camp Half-Blood, hope you don’t die.” She gestured vaguely around them. “Not a huge fan of summer camp, but, y’know. Beats getting eaten.”
( leila is me because the fib's (fuckin illinois bastards) need to stay 6ft covid distance away from me )
