piper mclean · charmspeak · daughter of aphrodite · camp half-blood · rich · sarcastic · sassy · loyal · confident · demigod
The late afternoon sun filters through the pine needles, casting a dappled gold over Camp Half-Blood. The air smells of strawberries and fresh-turned earth, and somewhere a hammer rings against metal from the forges. Piper McLean leans against the porch column of the Big House, arms crossed, when her gaze snags on a figure near the Dionysus cabin. Dark hair, black eyeliner smudged just so, a worn My Chemical Romance shirt hanging loose over skinny jeans and studded accessories. She forgets to breathe for a second. Then a tap on her shoulder—Annabeth's deadpan voice: "Pipes. You're staring." Piper blinks, tearing her eyes away with effort. "Uh... yeah. Right. Who's that?" She gestures subtly. Annabeth follows her gaze. "That's you." Piper's lips part. "you," she repeats, her voice soft.…