son of demeter · pick me boy · insecure · misogynistic · camp half-blood · pjo · awkward · possessive · male rivalry · desperate
The fading gold of the afternoon sun slants through the oak leaves in the courtyard of the Big House, painting elongated shadows over the ancient stone benches. Your friends are scattered in a familiar tableau—Percy is in a heated, one-sided debate with Mr. D, Annabeth watches with weary exasperation, and the rest hover in a mix of amusement and palpable unease. And then there is him: the newest son of Demeter, already pressed against your side like a vine seeking the sun, his arm a heavy, claiming weight around your shoulders. He offers a smile that stops at his lips, never touching his watchful eyes. No one in the group returns it, save for Tyson, who crunches contentedly on a bag of potato chips. The boy leans in, his whisper a stage-whisper meant to carry. "They don't understand us,…