Reaching Out ((Andrew Tremaine))

Whenever Elijah heard ‘old Camp Jupiter camper’, his stomach did somersaults.  He wasn’t exactly popular with the whole crowd.  Sure, Calix was like a brother to him and Mia was a good friend, but Calla detested him and Sienna still wasn’t too happy, though they were working on that.  As a Praetor who hadn’t been a part of the old camp, he was pretty sure they tended to judge him.  That was why, when the boy heard there was another new-old camper coming in, he decided to reach out first.  Maybe if he did that, he could prevent a hostile relationship from the start.  Because the son of Discordia didn't want to be the bad guy, as he had been far too many times in this situation.  Legionnaire Andrew Tremaine of the Fourth cohort looked fine on paper.  He had been away at college before choosing to return to camp...he had a friendly face and a good record.  But that didn't mean Elijah wasn't terrified.  The last thing he needed was another legionnaire hating him.  But he had to keep reminding himself...that was why he was doing this.  That was why he was building a bridge before it had the chance to burn.

Elijah figured that, rather than call Legionnaire Tremaine to the Principia, he would visit him in the Fourth Cohort barrack.  That way he was on the other's home turf, and it didn't have the negative feel of being called to the place of the people in charge.  It was pretty much like being called to the principal's office in school.  Again, Elijah didn't want to be the big bad wolf...he didn't want to seem threatening or like he was throwing his power around or...any of it.  There were all these things the small boy didn't want to do, or say, or be.  Which meant he had to concentrate on how to do things right.  His biggest issue was that even when he tried to do things right, they often went awry.  It was one of those things that Elijah attributed to his chaos.  But he had to try.  Try really, really hard.

Although there were physical descriptions of legionnaires in their files, there weren't any actual pictures.  Elijah often wished that was a thing, though most of the time he was fine.  Besides, he always knew a new face because...he had never seen a face before.  Not to mention the way word spread like wild fire around camp.  Demigods were typically far from subtle.  Whether it was because the new guy or girl was good looking, or bad looking, how they carried themselves, or anything under the sun, it was bound to spread quickly amongst campers.  Elijah had heard about Legionnaire Tremaine because he was, as the girls said, very cute...and very nice.  It seemed like the two rarely went hand in hand.  Hopefully that 'nice' spread to accepting Elijah as a leader of camp.  Because some of the old campers didn't like a "new" Roman in the post they saw as belonging to one of them.  Elijah could use a dose of nice right about now.

Outside of the door of the Fourth Cohort barracks, Elijah paused for just a moment.  This was kind of a big deal...at least it suddenly felt heavy like that.  Gods, hopefully Legionnaire Tremaine was even in there.  This felt like a whole different type of courage, and Gods only knew when it would come around again.  With a deep breath, the boy opened the door, poking his head in.  There was only one person in the barrack, and it was just who Elijah was looking for.  He let out a soft sigh of relief...the Gods were looking out for him.  Walking into the barrack, the small boy cleared his throat, leaning against a post support.  "Legionnaire Tremaine?" it always felt weird to address people so formally, but the son of Discordia tried to do that until he knew what someone was most comfortable with.  "Praetor Emmanual...but please call me Elijah.  I just wanted to introduce myself...and make sure you were feeling okay with your return to camp," trying to sound normal, Elijah smiled, sending up another silent prayer for this to go well.

Andrew Tremaine lay in his new bed in the new Fourth Cohort barracks. It was nothing like he remembered from camp, but it was serviceable. He’d been lucky enough to choose a bed without someone on the top bunk, which was a relief honestly. Being new to camp, you could never tell what you were going to get in terms of lodging. And he’d noticed that all the good beds were taken when he’d gotten to the new camp. But a bed was a bed, and he couldn’t complain. It could’ve been much worse. The barracks were empty at this time of day. Being newly returned to camp, he hadn’t received his daily duties yet, which allowed him to familiarize himself with the new campgrounds. He’d explored much of Camp Half Blood, and he had to admit that he appreciated the place where Camp had relocated. Sure, he missed California, but New York was as good a place as any. Well, it was a bit chilly, but apparently the Greek camp director took care of that too. And so Andrew lay in his bed in his barracks, contemplating his new lot in life.

He thought about all of the people he’d met while at the new Camp. He thought about his old friends that he’d seen. He’d seen Calla in the city, and there had been a whole set of emotions upon their meeting. The emotions had surprised him, if he was being honest, but at the same time they hadn’t. Calla was a close friend, had always been so, and so it was natural for his heart to have gone where it did. He’d been crestfallen to hear about her boyfriend though, but he was happy for her because she was happy with him. And he’d do his best not to secretly wish for them to break up.

Then, there was Robyn. He wasn’t sure what was going on there. Something, he knew, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Their time together by the Sound had been special, but had that been just their other emotions leading them to poor decisions? Or had there been something more cosmic happening there. Gods, could the gods have been the ones playing with them? She was a Greek demigod, after all, and he was a Roman legionnaire. He didn’t know enough of the inner workings of the camps to know whether that was something that could happen. He could’ve walked into a Capulet and Montague situation without even knowing it. The whole situation was more trouble than it was worth, but at the same time, he was getting older. Parts of him wanted to find that one person to settle down with. Could a Greek be so bad?

He lay there, pondering his predicament, when he heard someone enter his barracks. The newcomer was short, shorter than Andrew—who was shorter himself. He had purple hair and blue eyes, which Andrew found odd for a Roman demigod, but then again who could say what influence Greek culture was having. The two had mixed well in the past, and they were in some ways very similar. Still, the flamboyant nature of that color was bit dramatic for the normally subdued Roman countenance. Andrew knew this soldier, having seen him in passing on the Principia when he had reported that he was back at camp. Andrew stood from his bed and walked over as the Praetor called for him. Drawing near, Andrew stopped and saluted his superior as was proper. “An honor to meet you, Praetor,” Andrew replied after his salute. “I appreciate your coming by to check on me. It speaks a lot that you would do so.” He could feel the eyes of his cohort-mates on him as he spoke with Praetor Emmanuel. “If you would have me call you Elijah, then you will have to call me Andrew.” He smiled at Elijah and nodded toward the door. “How about we go for a walk so we don’t disturb my cohort. They’ll be coming back soon, and I don’t know how they’d feel about finding a Praetor in their barracks.” Most legionnaires wanted to unwind from their day and to relax in their barracks, but having a high-ranking member would mean they’d have to show respect and to behave. Still, Andrew would follow Elijah’s lead. He was the higher ranking of the two.

Sometimes, Elijah hated being a Praetor.  Despite the fact that he was a good and just and smart leader, there was a whole social aspect that often scared him senseless.  The boy had never been one for anything social...he had never had a friend in his life until he got to camp and met River.  He was awkward, very emotional, dangerously volatile, and many other dangerous aspects in some ways.  He had learned a lot in the past three years he had been at camp, but meeting someone new tended to turn his stomach.  Especially in the situation he was finding himself in.  Campers who had been a part of the old Camp Jupiter...had been there in it's heyday, it's destruction...things Elijah had never experienced.  It was barely over three years that he had been at camp at all.  Things had changed a lot in such a relatively short amount of time.  But talking...well, on the best of days...

But it was all a part of Elijah's job...his responsibility.  Sitting in the Principia taking care of paperwork and camper conflicts were one thing, but that didn't cover all of it.  And the boy strived to be the best at what he did, and there were many different facets of the job to cover.  At this point, a lot of it boiled down to bravery.  The small boy had spent way too much of his life in his own little comfort zone bubble.  Sure, it was much different from others' opinions of comfort zone, such as his choice to wear his makeup the way he did, but the son of Discordia really tried to do what was best for him.  And although he wouldn't really choose to go out of his comfort zone, Elijah knew he had to.  Not just as a Praetor, but in life in general.  The thing was, in the past few years, it had gotten him a lot of really great places.  And someday, when he returned to the mortal world, he was going to be great at making the best and most responsible life choices.  It was best to learn in a safer environment anyway...like Camp Jupiter 2.0 was.

When Legionnaire Tremaine saluted, Elijah felt his face heat up a bit.  Some of these things he still wasn't entirely used to, or made him feel a bit awkward...superior or not.  "It's nice to meet you now," the boy said awkwardly.  "Back safe and sound and all..." with a deep breath, Elijah smiled, feeling a bit more relaxed with the other's words.  "I'm sure it's a big adjustment...the old Camp Jupiter, to the mortal world, to our new location here..." the small boy waved his arm around, motioning about it all.  Feeling more comfortable in a situation, with new people, meant he would start to use hand gestures.  Talking with his hands was something Elijah had always done...though it was one of those things he always tried to avoid at first.  Even without those things, the Praetor could be larger than life.  Though in stature he was tiny, the intricate makeup and purple hair spoke volumes.  Elijah was loud, and strange, which was a turn off for a lot of people...but that was just who he was.

"Andrew, then," Elijah said with a timid smile.  It felt like they were already off to a good start.  "I do appreciate it.  I'm not really one for formalities, though I try to respect those boundaries with others.  It's easier to start off more formal and move on from there," during his time at camp, the boy had come to realize how different that sort of thing was for everyone.  There were so many who preferred to be addressed in the formal way, though just as many who preferred to be addressed in anything but.  For the most part, Elijah preferred to be Elijah rather than Praetor Emmanual, though he definitely had some boundaries of his own.  But this sort of thing?  Elijah was a lot more relatable than Praetor Emmanual.

Elijah was feeling better and better about this whole thing.  "A walk sounds like a good idea," the boy nodded.  He knew from experience that legionnaires could feel uncomfortable with a Praetor in their barrack.  The last thing Elijah wanted was for anyone to feel uncomfortable.  And of course, going for a walk meant fresh air, which could definitely help keep the small boy's head clear.  It seemed like a smarter way to stay calm.  "Besides...Gods know the weather is nice enough...we should certainly enjoy it," Elijah motioned at the door.  He was already sensing a good start to things with Andrew...which was truly a relief.

Andrew stood and listened to Elijah’s comments, noticing the slight discomfort in the young man’s eyes. He was pleased to see that there was something about being Praetor that just didn’t sit well with Elijah. It meant that this young man had the potential to be a tremendously effective ruler. Andrew hadn’t really minded the previous Praetors, but he’d heard stories about the brief tyranny that had taken place at camp. He didn’t know all of the details, only catching the small bits of information that had reached him via the grapevine, but he knew enough to know that Elijah Emmanuel was a literal godsend. Both he and Praetor Kiril had been selected by the gods to lead this camp. Who was Andrew to argue?

Immediately, the small seed of resentment in him because of his not being claimed tried to take root. This happened often when he thought about questioning the gods. He did what he normally did, as he walked out of the barracks and into the sunshine that he was becoming accustomed to as a part of Camp Half-Blood’s charm; he stomped on that small seed and buried it down deep, refusing to let it see the light of day. He’d heard the stories of demigods turning on the gods and the terrible trouble that caused both Romans and Greeks. He could not let himself fall into the same trap. “I have noticed that the weather is abnormally clear here at camp,” Andrew commented as he made his way through the various buildings and down the paths of the new Camp Jupiter.

“I heard the Greeks have something to do with that, some kind of magic.” He let the comment hang in the air as they walked. “We never needed that help out in California, though I guess that was more to do with location than our ability to toughen out any weather condition.” He smiled at the slight joke he was making about the Greeks. It was the kind he’d started making back at the original Camp Jupiter. Perhaps, he should be more careful with them now that everyone was so close. The situation could become volatile quickly, and Andrew didn’t think the legion had fully recovered after the move. It would be a while longer before they were back to full strength.

“So, Elijah,” Andrew added as they walked, “if I am to serve under you, what should I know about you? What is commonly known about you that I might hear from others? I’d rather hear that from you and get your take on the matters. I know how legionnaires can be; they gossip about their leaders like any other solider. I want to make sure I know the truth about one of the men under which I serve.” They were walking out of the populated areas of camp, which was why Andrew was being more bold with his conversation topic. “I’ve known Calix… I guess I should call him Praetor Kiril now… since the old camp, so I’ve got a measure of the man he was. You, however, are a mystery that I’d like to get to know.” He delivered all of this in his usual calm town, trying to pour as much of his charm and friendliness into the words as he could. He was genuinely interested in this young man, and he guessed that not many people were. Power isolated people, but Andrew was never one to care about that. Flashing his most winning grin, he waited for Elijah’s response.

So far, Elijah wasn't sure what Andrew thought of him...opinions hadn't been spoken and the other didn't necessarily give a lot of cues.  But hopefully the small boy had made a good first impression and was continuing to make one.  And of course, there was the fact that he was pretty sure he wasn't predicting himself as just a Praetor.  Yes, that was the boy's "title", but it wasn't what completely made him up.  Elijah knew he was a complicated person, with many different facets to his personality.  He truly tried to make that clear when it came to others.  Jack did his fair share of teasing his boyfriend, but that didn't take away from how the boy had to handle the rest of camp.  Andrew, this unclaimed legacy, had no idea what the son of Discordia was like, both as Praetor and as person.  And it was the small boy's job to properly present himself as both.  And as far as Elijah was concerned...so far, so good.

Of course, he could be interpreting everything incorrectly.  Gods knew Elijah wasn't always the best at subtle cues, and he could definitely be completely missing something.  But now was definitely not the time to be showing insecurities.  Both Praetor Emmanual and Elijah the person had to stay strong, and not get their worries get the best of them.  Elijah wasn't always the most confident person, but he had to work through that.  Andrew seemed nice enough anyway...he wasn't going to judge and hate the small boy like Calla and Sienna had.  Possibly missing cues or not, the Praetor was pretty sure about that one.  And that was definitely a relief in the first place.  In his short life, Elijah had seen his fair share of people he didn't want to deal with.  He had had his fair share of interaction with them as well...many of which he didn't want to repeat.  And even if he wasn't feeling confident, he know how to make it seem like he was.  "I'm from Maine..." the boy smiled.  "I've been here for over three years and I'm still not used to the summers."

"Right," Elijah nodded.  "They have some sort of magical weather protection.  Though I think it's mostly a matter of rain and snow and all.  The temperature...not so much," it wasn't like the boy liked the snow in Maine much anyway.  And the winters were so drastically different that he was mostly okay with that...he had never liked the cold of Bridgewater much either.  Weather talk was easy enough, though...a nice way to slide into the more important stuff.  Elijah had heard plenty about the original Camp Jupiter.  Some of his closest friends had started off there, like River and Calix and Mia.  There was a lot to say about the former California location.  And the Praetor was pretty sure he had heard most of it.  Sometimes it made him feel a bit down that he hadn't seen it for himself.

Andrew's next question was a little more uncomfortable for Elijah.  What should he know about him?  Oh Gods...that was a whole can of worms the small boy wished he could have left unopened.  "Bracchae," he mumbled.  Though in all fairness, it was probably better that the other boy heard it from him rather than the gossip that Camp Jupiter 2.0 definitely harbored.  And if the son of Discordia had made it this far as a Praetor with some of his...issues, nothing was really going to change that.  Or so he hoped.  He thought about all the violent episodes he had been involved with here...and how most of it had been worked out okay.  There were some exceptions, of course, but...well, honesty had to be the best policy.  “I am…slightly…dangerously…volatile…” he said slowly.  Gods, that sounded awful.  “I don’t beat people up as much as I did in the mortal world, but I have…you know…caused some damage," hopefully that didn't get a laugh.  Elijah knew he didn't look like the type to be considered dangerous, but he had a lot of chaotic violence in his power.  If Andrew pushed for more...Elijah would have to tell him about the broken bones and scars left and all.  At the very least, the boy owed him that.

Elijah tried to smile, feeling a bit nervous, though.  "I'm really an open book," he assured.  "It may not be pretty, but I promise I will always be honest."

The curse left the Praetor’s mouth, which gave Andrew some pause. He knew the word, but he was not one to use curses in Latin when he needed to. Instead, he’d just swear in plain ole English. Though, he never really thought he needed to; he chose to use swear words only in moments of extreme emotion. Andrew had a tendency to project his own reasons on people he’d just met, so when Elijah swore, Andrew wondered if he’d asked something too personal. He knew that was a possible result of his line of questioning. Elijah was his superior, after all, and they walked a fine line of forging a new friendship—if that was what they were forging—while at the same time maintaining the hierarchy necessary for the legion to run smoothly.

The response Andrew got from Elijah was not what he had expected. The level of frankness and transparency was what Andrew had been hoping for, but he hadn’t really expected it. Looking at Elijah, Andrew wondered just exactly what was hiding underneath the surface of this young man. “Well, I’ll keep that in mind, and thank you for sharing,” Andrew replied. “I’m guessing other demigods witnessed this side of you, which is why you’re telling me. I would’ve heard anyway, but I’m glad I know it from you.” Andrew walked in silence for a moment before turning to the Praetor and adding, “And I want you to know that I won’t hold your previous actions against you. From what I can tell, you’re a good guy, and you don’t want to hide your past.”

Smiling, Andrew decided to change the subject. “But enough about your past, what about your present, Elijah?” he asked. “When you’re not, you know, running the legion, what do you do with your spare time? Who do you hang out with? What do you do? I’m so new to camp; I’m not familiar with what people do around here for fun.” Andrew did his best to smile and seem friendly. He filed the information Elijah had shared into the back of his mind, compartmentalizing it for future consideration. He didn’t want Elijah to feel concerned that what he had shared would color their relationship, and Andrew didn’t want it to either. But he would have to think about it more when he had the chance.

((Congratulations to Andrew Tremaine, legacy of Ceres Suavis! Enjoy your earthy powers, dude!))

Andrew hadn’t realized that someone had popped into view while he was talking to Elijah. He’d missed the woman’s appearing from nowhere, so he kept talking and asking his questions. He truly was interested in life at Camp Jupiter 2.0 now that he had an idea of what he was dealing with. So much of this camp seemed so foreign, but there were pieces that made sense, parts that were not too far removed from the life he lived at New Rome. Plus, he’d been gone so long that Camp Jupiter probably would’ve changed even if he had gone back to camp in California, or that was what he told himself at least. Any consolation helped.

When he did finally notice the newcomer, Andrew was immediately struck by her dress. The waving, moving colors blended together as they hung on the goddess (because he could place no other moniker on the beauty before him), and he caught small glimpses of wheat ready for the harvest, autumn leaves falling, and flowers blooming. Ceres—this woman had to be Ceres, but why was she here? He was still processing her presence, so his brain had to catch up to her words, working overtime to understand just exactly what was happening. The stalk of wheat above his head was a help, and Andrew smiled broadly—a rare, full-toothed smile—when he finally realized what was happening.

The praise his grandmother Ceres bestowed on Andrew was enough to kindle the part of him that had ever hoped to be claimed. After years at camp, he’d given up the expectant desire to be claimed. A small part of him had wanted to know where he’d come from, but he’d learned to be content with the person he was as a legionnaire. Now, with Ceres standing in front of him—praising him for his kindheartedness—that was the best gift she could ever give him. Then, she gave him the knife, and he took it from her outstretched arm with awe. He enjoyed the simple look of the blade, and he cradled it in his hands with almost reverent devotion. Her words continued, and Andrew tore his gaze from the blade to his grandmother, soaking in her final praises and nodding his understanding at her last command before she disappeared.

If she hadn’t given him the blade, he would’ve thought he’d imagined all of it. A part of him, now that he knew whose child he was, instantly felt the earth around him embrace him as Ceres’ child. There was life all around him, which he was now aware of, as if a part of him that had long been asleep was only now waking. “Holy crap, Elijah,” were the first words that he could speak since seeing his grandmother. “You saw her, right?” he asked ecstatically. “I didn’t just imagine what happened, did I?” His brain was reeling. The solidity of the knife in his hand helped ground his thoughts in reality. “I am a grandson of Ceres.” And as if speaking the words himself were enough, he felt the title settle on his shoulders, a mantle that he could never lose and one that would define him and his family forever.

It was very reassuring that Andrew wasn't judging Elijah on his past actions.  In fact, he was quite understanding of it all.  "Yeah..." the small boy mused.  "They've seen it...and the people that matter have long since forgiven me," the Praetor thought about Calix and Jack...important people in his life who he had hit and they still loved the son of Discordia.  "I'm glad you know it from me, too," Elijah let out a soft chuckle.  "I'm sure you'd hear very exaggerated stories through the rumor mill," and the boy knew this, because he had heard some of the stuff people had to say about him.  Sometimes the boy felt it was a wonder he still held his Praetor position.  But Calix understood Elijah and his nature...and aside from the occasional fit of violence, Elijah was a good leader.  And as far as he was concerned, that was the important part.

"I do appreciate that, though," Elijah smiled.  "I find people are often quick to judge...especially if they hear about me before meeting me," not that it mattered at times.  People often imagined a big, scary guy when they heard of the volatile Praetor.  And when they actually saw the boy, they were puzzled on how someone so tiny could do the sort of damage Elijah did.  After all, he was ridiculously short and scrawny...he was lucky if he was over 100 pounds soaking wet.  Clearly he was not a threat...but what did they know?  Honestly, the boy wasn't sure if that worked in his favor or not...or if it wasn't so black and white.  The boy always had so much gratitude for people like Andrew.  That sort of kind, understanding nature wasn't everywhere, especially with how Romans tended to be.  They definitely had a sort of hard edge there.  Elijah wasn't sure he was much better, though he had softened up a bit in the two and some years he had been with Jack.  His boyfriend wasn't a stereotypical Roman, and had often mused that he'd make a better Greek.  Either way, Elijah wasn't as cold as he once had been.

Elijah smiled as Andrew questioned him about his life.  If anything made him a person rather than a Praetor, it was getting to talk about personal stuff.  "Well...I train a good amount.  And I love to read...I prefer reading in Latin.  And of course, being with people I love," the boy always felt he had pretty boring hobbies.  "I have some great friends- Mia and Calix, who you know.  My best friend, River, takes a lot of my free time, but my boyfriend, Jack, gets most of my time in general," of course, Jack and Elijah didn't spend every second together, but they were still together a lot.  They had been together for nearly two and a half years, and the small boy cherished every moment.  Hopefully, Elijah's sexuality wouldn't be a problem with Andrew.  He hadn't run into any problems with anyone yet, but the son of Discordia was concerned the day would come someday.  "I lead a pretty boring life," the boy laughed.  "But I definitely like it either way.  My 'home' was never really that.  Camp became my real home quite quickly.  I mean...I never had a friend before I got here.  I'm grateful for all that," the final statement was said softly.  Elijah always got pensive like that when he thought about it all.  Camp Jupiter 2.0 was definitely his home, and more importantly, where he had blossomed.

Thoughtfully, Elijah gave a slight smile.  "I don't know if what we do here is any different from the old Camp Jupiter," the boy mused.  "But obviously I don't know for sure.  People do their own thing, you know?" it was something the boy loved about camp...the freedom, the independence...it was absolutely amazing compared to everything in the mortal world.  Elijah had never done well with tight schedules and expectations.  Someday, the boy wanted to return to the mortal world.  He didn't want to be at camp, or in New Rome, forever.  He wanted to go to college and teach...raise a family with Jack.  And someday, he'd be ready.

Out of the corner of his eye, Elijah noticed someone else joining them.  His jaw dropped when he turned to look at the woman...the Goddess.  It only took a moment looking at her dress to figure out who she was...Ceres was appearing to the two.  And Elijah had been claimed years ago, so there was no question who she was there for.  The boy gave a respectful bow of his head to the Goddess, watching with a smile as she claimed Andrew as her grandson.  It was certainly apparent that the older boy inherited a lot from his grandmother.  As Ceres vanished, Elijah bowed his head again before turning to Andrew.  "Yes, I saw her!" he laughed.  "You didn't imagine any of it...congratulations, grandson of Ceres," the boy could remember his own claiming...the excitement of discovering who he was...where he fit in the world.  "There's no question you've inherited all the best of your grandmother," he smiled.  Elijah stood by, waiting to allow Andrew a moment to soak it all in.  That was an important thing...and Elijah wanted to make sure Andrew got it.

Andrew was still reeling from everything that happened. He was sure that Elijah had said something important before Ceres appeared and changed Andrew’s life forever. The Praetor’s compliment, however, did not fall on deaf ears. “Thank you for that, Elijah,” Andrew replied, a smile splitting his face from ear to ear. “I always wondered who would claim my family, and it’s good to know that I have enough of her in me for others to see.” Now, if only she’d have seen it herself that much sooner, maybe life would’ve been different, but he couldn’t really be upset that it took her as long as it did. Ceres had appeared genuinely apologetic that she’d gone so long without claiming him. Andrew had never thought that living among mortals would obscure him from his grandmother. Heart racing, Andrew slowed his breathing and came down from the euphoria of having such a big question in his life finally answered.

Thinking back on their conversation, Andrew realized what Elijah had shared with him that had been particularly poignant. Jack—Elijah’s boyfriend, so Elijah was gay. Andrew had his share of gay friends while at school, so he didn’t really think that was a big deal. However, he did know that some people felt nervous about sharing their sexuality with new people. Andrew felt special that Elijah would share such details with him. “I’d like to meet Mia, River, and Jack, by the way,” Andrew said after calming down. “It’ll be fun to introduce myself as a grandson of Ceres for the first few times.” Andrew flashed a wink and chuckled, euphoric still at how hid life had changed. “And we’ll have to meet each other in the sparring ring if you’re interested,” he punched Elijah playfully, which in retrospect was probably not what the other demigod was used to. Andrew was just too excited to think straight.

“Either way, it’s good to be home,” Andrew added, looking out to the buildings and moving campers. “You’re right. This place is home, real home, and the location doesn’t really affect that. It’s the feel, the people, and I’m glad to meet some of the new ones anf to find out they’re pretty cool, too.”