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[Annabeth's face is baffled, confused, and vaguely uncomfortable on top of a subtle curiosity. It's different when she can yell at someone like Leo to shut up, but Vanessa...is not like Leo. And she is acting like this is totally normal. IS THIS NORMAL.] Why are we even - you didn't have to tell me that. [Super awkward pause.] Is it - weird? [That she and Percy hadn't yet - though they seemed to be getting closer, and they both acknowledged how quickly things seemed to be going. But she can't stop thinking over the 'Wait, really?' like it's a surprise, and she needs to poke at it.]

I like Metal best. [And Water but w/e] Not exactly. It's... more of a tool than a fashion statement.

[It's normal. Girls talk about sex. Hell, people in general talk about sex. Doesn't Annabeth talk about sex? Is that why she looks so awkward? Oh God, why did she even start talking about it? She could have just ignored the whole thing.] I, uh. I know that, but I thought it would make you feel more comfortable if you knew? I swear, I don't just go around telling people that all the time. [This is terrible.] Weird to not have sex? [Vanessa shakes her head without hesitation.] I don't think so. I guess I just assumed if you were going to be living with your boyfriend without adult supervision, hormones would take over?

Metal's nice. Wood, too. I think I would have liked to live in Water, though. [Squint.] A tool?

[Though still red, Annabeth's face takes a surprisingly analytical look. She's quiet for a little, thinking, because that is how she deals. Is she more comfortable now that Vanessa shared that with her? Maybe a little bit - because she said it herself, it's not something necessarily so casually dropped. That means, what, exactly? That Vanessa felt comfortable enough sharing? That Annabeth was someone she felt enough at ease with? It's a nice feeling.]

[She doesn't have a lot of people like that, if so. She's never had great people skills. It's enough that Annabeth feels a little less tense and awkward.] I - thanks. [For the sharing. Is that the kind of thing you say thank you for?? Sharing the state of your virginity? Oh gods now she feels awkward again that probably wasn't something you give gratitude for. But it's moreso the attempt than the content.] But you're not the first to assume that, at any rate. [Coach Hedge would be over the moon if he were here.]

[and lbr, their hormones do take over more often than not, but they always stop before getting out of control. And she's still working on handling the first part still to bring up anything else along those veins to Vanessa at the moment. She's glad to hear it's not weird, though, and that relief shows on her face.]

Water would be my second choice. [She's distracted enough to admit that. Then she grins a little sheepishly.] I'd show you right now, but I've had pretty good luck keeping it under wraps from the general public. It helps mask my presence.

No problem. [Vanessa smiles reassuringly. She's more or less under the impression that the gratitude is for the expression of comfort more than anything else, and even if this conversation has been utterly awkward, she's glad she could... Help. Somehow. God, she hopes she helped somehow.] Yeah, that's because I'm pretty sure everyone else would come to the same conclusion of two hormone-driven teenagers living together without adult supervision. [Nodding to herself. It's a normal teenage thing, Annabeth. Don't worry.]

Because of Percy? [She smirks, a mischievous glint in her eyes.] Don't worry. You can show me another time when we're not in public. [Masks her presence...] Like it makes you invisible?

[YOU DID HELP VANESSA. The smiles helps, too, and Annabeth's awkward diminishes slightly again. Even if her face flushes over the use of 'hormone-driven.'] We're not that bad. [It's more of a grumble. Even if they totally are.]

[She tries to lineface, but there's the smallest hint of a grin.] Among other reasons. It was nice to visit before he got here. I like the style of the architecture a lot, too. [And then at Vanessa's guess, Annabeth gives a nonchalant shrug. She doesn't really mind sharing this with her, not after how much the other girl's already shared herself.] Everything but the shadow.

[Vanessa arches an eyebrow at her, her smile a little bit more knowing than reassuring now.] If you say so, but I know a thing or two about boys.

[You got it bad, Annabeth. She can tell. For a moment, it makes her think of Michael. Which is funny, because she barely thinks about him anymore these days.] It is really pretty there. Kind of soothing. Or, well. Before the decay began. [Das cool, Annabeth. Das super cool.] Must making sneaking around a lot of fun, as long as you're not standing around in brightly lit areas.

[...there's another stretched silence. Because Annabeth has definitely been the one to jump him first like, at least sixty percent of the time (with that intention). Maybe seventy. Maybe more. Oh gods what does that say about her?? But on the other hand, neither she nor Percy have ever really gotten the whole 'normal teenager' thing.] He's not - he's doesn't really... do that. [Does that even make sense?? But she knows the stereotypical boys and their sex drive and she feels the need to defend Percy against that, when he's always so concerned over her being okay, and she's usually the one to initiate things.]

[She's got it so bad it's borderline unhealthy HOW DID THAT HAPPEN. But she nods.] It's the least violent, too. [She beams a little, because Annabeth loves her hat so much.] You just learn to work around it. Or hope if people see it, they just brush it off as something imagined. Which has happened, to be honest.

[Vanessa has the good sense to be quiet and look thoughtful and innocent the entire time that Annabeth fumbles through the conversation. She comes to the realization, quickly, that probably not a lot of people have talked to her about this. In the sense of just friends having a heart to heart or teasing. As cut off from the people around her Vanessa had been, she at least still had her friends. So she's quick to offer up a grin.] Hey, don't worry about it. I'm only kidding, okay? [A pause. She almost asks 'why not, what's stopping him?'. But that's a little too personal.] I'm a little rusty on the whole teasing thing.

[Terrible life circumstances, that's how.] Non-violence is really nice. [Aw, Annabeth. So cute.] People don't like to think anyone - or anything - is out of the norm.

[Probably the only people qualified and close enough back home to even broach the subject were Rachel and Thalia (and both were basically sworn to chastity forever). She and Piper hadn't had enough time with each other while Percy was around too to get on it either. The entire thing is so overwhelmingly new, but as flustered as Annabeth is, she's grateful on some level for the experience and, naturally, filing away in her brain appropriately.]

[Her smile is wry.] I'm... rusty on the whole girl-talk thing. Actually, rusty is probably putting it mildly. [She doesn't really want to admit it, but she's pretty sure it's obvious enough by this point regardless.]

[She grins.] I've found that works in my favor more often than not, burning buildings or otherwise.

Well, I'm practically an expert on the whole thing. [After all, Vanessa's had the same best friend for ten years. Or she did. Until Catty abandoned her. She smiles, though.] That just means that I can help you out with something in exchange for the weapon lessons. We both bring something to the table! Not that you have to. That's not what friendship is. [Shut up, Vanessa. Shut up.]

Burning buildings? Just how much trouble do you guys find yourself in again?

[She grins, appreciative over how Vanessa's handling all this, but it's a little weak for her side, too.] Most friendships I have sort of revolve around both parties wielding weapons. [Because befriending people through combat and life threatening situations is easier, apparently.] But - you know, thanks. [Frandship?? She realizes she doesn't feel as weird about potentially going to Vanessa should she have any capital g-and-i Girl Issues.]

It's not us, exactly. Monsters attack, we need to defend ourselves. Infrastructure is unfortunately often collateral damage.

[She's a people person, even if she's a little all over the place. Handling things is her deal.] I have to say, I have not had this sort of issue with my own friendships. [Life and death situations do seem to be pretty good for the making of friends, though. Vanessa's done that.] Anytime. Seriously. I like talking with people. [I like not being alone.]

It's sort of you. They're attacking for a reason. [She grins.] I'm getting this crazy feeling that by falling in with you guys, I'm going to find more trouble than I was looking for.

You spend over half your life at a camp for demigods, it's kind of standard. [She says it kind of awkwardly, of her own experiences. Because wow that is still not normal. But she sort of nods and smiles at the Anytime, because it's not an offer she gets all that often. And from Vanessa, it doesn't sound like merely a polite and standard response.]

[She rolls her eyes, making a bit of a face.] To kill us, oh yeah. What a reason. [Then she shrugs a little.] You might want to run while you still can. Trouble's basically unavoidable for us.

Different experiences and all that. Your friendships are based on what's normal for your life. [There's no sort of judgement in her tone or anything. It's just an observation. Annabeth's life is strange, sure, but that's her sort of normal. Just like Vanessa's sort of normal is... Incredibly messed up, actually.]

I didn't say it was a good reason. [She laughs at the face.] No. I think I'm done running from trouble and pretending that I'm some average person. [It's probably the first time she's ever said that out loud, and it even surprises herself.] I can't change who I am here.

[That's... kind of nice to hear. 'Based on what's normal for your life,' because she's long accepted what happens as normal for her, but never really expected anyone else to understand that.] I guess that's how anyone's relationships would go.

I guess getting kicked out of school is better than dying over it. [She offers a sympathetic sort of grin.] I'm not sure I was ever able to pretend, to be honest. [Between the ADHD and the dyslexia, even without the monsters chasing her down.] I don't think anyone can, anywhere. But welcome to the trouble, in that case.

[Vanessa gives her a grin, eyes bright.] Yes, exactly! [It's probably why, even though people liked her, Vanessa was never close to anyone but the other Daughters. They were her normal. It's kind of sad to realized, she supposes, since she'd tried so hard to reject herself.]

It wasn't easy, to be honest. [She bites her lip, staring hard at the ground.] I had to lie to everyone. To my mom and my friends at school, to my boyfriend. Which, let me tell you, is really hard to do when you're trying to be in a relationship. [She glances back up with another smile.] No, but some people are pretty good at lying to themselves. But thanks.

[Her return grin is almost a smile and entirely genuine. This started out incredibly awkward on Annabeth's end, but now she's just... kind of happy.] I wouldn't trade my normal. Most of it, anyway. [Not with the people she's come to know through it. She could do with a little less high risk of death, though.]

[She frowns a little, sympathetically.] Keeping up a lie like that for a long time can definitely be harder than just, you know, leaving the school and never coming back. Though coming up with lies for the holes in your academic records is a pain, too. [Wait, did Vanessa say boyfriend?? She'll come back to that.] You build up a lie enough and it becomes true, to the person, at least.

Edited (typing and grammar are hard) 2013-06-02 00:37 (UTC)

[Vanessa would trade her normal, she thinks. If she could get a handle on what was supposed to be normal for her. Her life back home, though, right now it doesn't even seem real. Being here, on Tu Vishan, that's been more real than the past two years of her life. Pretty sad.

She shrugs, tucking a curl behind her ear.] Coming up with lies about why you've been missing for days or weeks at a time is just as bad. Especially when your mom is as overprotective as mine. But man, I don't think I would even know how to begin explaining away holes in my academic record. At that point, I'd just take home schooling. [Oops, did she? A pause.] Yeah, except for the part where real life keeps reminding you that it's not true. Not even a little bit.

[She wrinkles her face.] It would be harder if your parents weren't aware of it. With us, it's usually just lying to the schools. Percy's mom helped him a lot. [Then Annabeth sort of smiles, but it's a little weak.] I was kind of home schooled, for a while. I taught myself a lot of things - well, I still do, in a lot of ways - but, um, Camp Half-Blood was my primary source of education for years. [It's not like that's a secret - everyone knows she's been a camper the longest, if the nine beads on her necklace alone demonstrate anything. Talking about it is just weird.]

[tiny sigh.] Real life likes to remind us of a lot of things we might not want to hear.

It's definitely hard. [Her mother has no idea. She doesn't know what her daughter is, what she can do, where she's been the last few months. Well, the last few months prior to being taken on the back of a turtle.] Of course you did. You're like, some natural genius, aren't you? [There's a mixture of curiosity and awe in her voice. Vanessa's smart, but she's pretty sure she pales in comparison to Annabeth.] That's the camp where demigods go to, right? To learn how to do what you guys do?

[Man, having a goddess boot camp would have been rad.]

At least that's a universal fact, no matter who - or what - you are.

I hope it gets better. [There's genuine sort of sympathy there. Because parents. And it might be different situations entirely, but Annabeth will always feel for that.]

[She can't help but half-smirk at the natural genius remark though; she never gets tired of it.] All children of Athena are. [Because she picks up on the tone, too, and she can't help the implication of "but I'm the best" that slips out with her own.] But yeah, assuming you make it there alive, you learn how to survive being a demigod. I've been going since I was seven, and I was a year-rounder till I was twelve.

Small things to be grateful for, I guess.

Thanks. But it's probably not going to matter too much once I get home. [She smiles softly before kicking a rock on the ground. There's only two choices waiting for her back there, and either one will remove the whole lying to her mom thing anyway.

Vanessa glances back up, smirking in return. Yeah, she would recognize that tone anywhere. She's hung out with enough people who wear it like a cloak.] Is dying along the way a requirement? Because that sounds terrible. Why would anyone allow their children to die? [Gods, (fuu).] Wow, you've been there forever.

[Annabeth frowns a little.] Because the Atrox are no longer a threat?

It's not a requirement so much as the whole monsters tracking our scent thing again. If you're just a kid without any training, it's a lot harder to survive, especially if you're still confused as to what's going on. The gods don't really involve themselves in their kids' lives, and we're mostly supposed to get to Camp Half Blood on our own. [Then there's a somewhat awkward pause.] Longer than most. The average age most demigods arrive is twelve, and most of the population is teenagers.

[She's quiet for a moment.] Not exactly. Darkness is always going to exist, and so will Daughters. [She tries to not think about Adamantis, and how Stanton just let him go and escape back to Earth because he was too busy with Serena.] Other reasons.

[The look on Vanessa's face is pretty much a mixture of disgust and horror. But there's also a part of her that thinks about the whole hero thing, and if heroes can't find a way to make it, what use are they. Maybe that's how the gods think. It makes her think of Selene, and of the other moon goddesses, and how they'd only give vague hints of what the girls should do before sending them to face the darkness.] Parents of the Year, right there. What does it really matter to them, when you can just be replaced if you fail. [She raises her eyebrows.] I wonder why that is. Maybe you don't smell half as tasty as kids than as you do once puberty smacks you.

[She wants to ask, for both her own curiosity's sake as well as the fact that she just likes Vanessa and is kind of concerned. But boundaries are a thing she's worried over, because friends are hard when you don't come to trust someone over the possibility of getting eaten or killed by monsters. So she offers a commiserating sigh instead, goes with the safer option.] Kind of like how demigods will always exist.

[There's a somewhat wry smile, because Annabeth's own issues with both her parents have been so up and down forever. Not to mention her current growing frustrations with the gods and their lack of effort in saving the world on a general level.] They say it's because they're not supposed to interfere in the mortal world. Demigods are the only ones who can step into and effect both. Camp itself usually sends a Satyr to track us down and help us get there.

[As for monsters:] It tends to be tied into the realization of what we are. Once a demigod knows they're a demigod, monsters can find them a whole lot easier. Twelve's usually about when you start to notice more. [And she might have figured out what she was a lot younger than most.]

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omg this exploded idek

holy baby jesus

she just has a lot of sort of feelings??

feelings are good 8D

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