ianxcartwrightโ:
To say Ian had been surprised to run into Moira Hardwicke of all people, and at the hospital no less, wouldโve been an understatement. Compounded to the fact that heโd stayed in contact with few from Camp Half-Blood over the years, he was thoroughly surprised, enough to temporarily forget the man whoโd been brought in byย Moira. Especially since seeing her in a paramedic uniform was almost jarringย considering heโd run out to the archery fields more than once for someone whoโd unexpectedly caught an arrow from the daughter of Athena.ย
Heโd never been great at making friends, but heโd always been kind to people, always been friendly. Even to the woman now seated across from him at the coffee shop, despite her seemingly hardened exterior. He recalled how heโd been better friends with others from her cabin than heโd ever been with her. In fact, he could place barely a handful of conversations between them during their time at camp. It wasnโt something to hold against someone, just a fact. But Ian was always looking for something โ- connections, maybe, that anchored him to thisย side of reality, this realm and the chance to catch up with someone was one he hadnโt turned down.
Laughing slightly at the comment, Ian lifted his shoulders in a shrug, unfurling the scarf around his neck. New York may not have descended into the bitter cold of winter yetย but it was cold enough to turn the city into a wind tunnel. He stuffed the black material into his coat pocket and shook his head, hands wrapping around his mug for the warmth.ย โDoes it have to be either or?โ he smiled at her, brows scrunching together a bit.ย โMaybe I donโt like people that much and enjoy helping poor unfortunate souls. What about you? Do you enjoy not having a normal schedule like the rest of the world?โ He glanced down at the mug, at the smoke piping up from the black coffee before returning his gaze to hers,ย โnever wouldโve guessed youโd be a paramedic, Hardwicke.โย
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ย ย ย ย โ no, the two are not mutually exclusive. โ she lifted the mug to her lips and swallowed a mouthful of warm, too-sugary coffee. itโs how she always took itย ---either black with nothingย or with cream and more sugar than was really necessary. no in-between.ย โ i do enjoy being on an opposite schedule from everyone else. it fulfills my internal desire to avoid as many human beings as possible, and all of the awkward questions and conversation that comes along with it. โ and that was always true of her. back in camp half-blood she stuck to the walls, the dark corners, and watched. sheโd had noย desire to make connections, to pour her soul out and gush about how extra neatoย it was to be the kid of a god. strange. her mind was too skepticalย for that, even with the proof coursing through her veins. she wondered if athena admired her daughterโs wilfullness or detested it.
ย ย ย ย โ yeah, i donโt know. my dad wanted me to do something bigger. maybe like you? being a surgeon in the trauma ward or something. or a big corporate lawyer ... something that took brains and skill to do. not that being a paramedic doesnโt require either of those, but it was a fight to do even that. โ sheโd have been content with wasting her life, her talents, if it meant keeping her individuality. even nowย ... even now if she thought too hard on it she imagined she was just a shellย of a person ---a mold, made by athena, to do greatย things. that somehow the path she had taken was no different from any other of athenaโs children, that she was just a copy, a little clone with a different appearance, lacking any individuality. but sheโd promised her father. and if there was anyone in the world sheโd loved with all of her heart ... it had been him. and now?
ย ย ย moira swallowed another mouthful of coffee, mused at ian with squinted eyes as if she were taking him into more heavy consideration than she had before. gone was the appearance of the awkward boy from camp, replaced with a man whoโd clearly grown into himself. his eyes were warm, comforting, though she refrained from holding their gaze too long at any given moment. why did she invite him out for coffee? give him her number?ย she was surprised heโd used it, agreed to come out. but thankful, all the same.ย โ have you been behaving, doctor cartwright? i imagine medical school has kept you busy. you look good in that setting, though. calm. like you belong in the middle of it. โ















