happy trails.
date: 25 january 2018 where: somewhere in the California wilderness a day’s walk away from New Rome who: wes / z / wally { ft. the ghost of blossom }
Once upon a time, two gay dads, their gothic child, and their myriad of house-pets were backpacking through California...
@onciroi @spellbindingbeefcake { @peacefully-blossom }
It was an expeditious retreat for some, but few left as quickly or as efficiently as the trio of children of Hypnos, Hecate, and Thanatos. Upon collecting their things in boxes and loading them up in a combination of magic, a delightful stallion named Rhubarb, and their arms, they set off on a voyage toward Berkeley. It was close, according to Wally, and would serve as a temporary place of refuge until they could get any word from the other Greeks. There were many people with whom they had to regroup and plans would have to be made to keep as many innocent citizens safe. For Z, this meant preparing himself to handle the wounds of those around him that chose to stand up against the Romans should they aggress further.
As they wandered, the mewling of a kitten drew attention away from the expanse of road they would be traversing. Z’s eyes locked on Elwood, whose sweet, unassuming face beamed up at him from inside the box in his arms. Marble rested right beside him in the cardboard, curled in on herself. “I envy you,” the man murmured, loud enough for his cousin and his lover to hear. “For lunch, we should have a sit at the nearest Maccies. I could stand to shove a few chicken nuggets down my throat.” He tried to keep his tone light.
Wally was a little distraught, to say the least. Having to up and leave New Rome wasn't that bad, to be honest. Was he mad about it? Yes. Was he pissed off that someone was muddying the waters of Roman and Greek so they could create a bigger divide between the two sides? Oh yes, you bet your drachmas and dollars he was. Wally was ready to just start throwing every curse, hex and charm he could think of. Anger and magic seemed like the perfect combo for handling New Rome’s senators. But of course, he wasn't a completely loose cannon.
For Wally though, abandoning your home in search of another wasn't a big struggle. He had to leave his home when he was a child so that he could come to Camp Half-Blood. When he was old enough, he had to leave there and go to New Rome. Then he decided to escape and go to New York, then he ended up on Circe’s island. Wally wasn't a stranger to exploring. With his magic and some money behind him, there was no reason to worry about finding shelter. “We’ll find someplace with chicken nuggets, don't worry. What about you, Wes? What do you want? I figure we can put ourselves up in a nice hotel for a few days. Then we'll have to figure out where everyone else is.” Wally looked ahead of them, keeping a hand on the horse.
When Wes first received their cousin’s text about leaving town, automatically assuming they were coming without even asking, they’d been a bit surprised, though not remotely bothered. In fact, Z’s readiness to have them along was a heartwarming thrill. Despite the horrific surroundings, they had something to be happy about. Their only hold up had been Blossom. Departing Camp Half-Blood for Camp Jupiter without her hadn’t been a problem, knowing that she’d still be there whenever they came back; until she’d surprised them by coming to Camp Jupiter herself. There were threats lurking behind their departure this time. They were being forced out. Naturally, Wes had wanted to hang back and make sure their best friend made it out okay. But Blossom wouldn’t have it, so Wes had acted upon her wish that they go ahead of her, and here they were, backpack-clad with one of the couple’s boxes in their arms, walking in step alongside their cousin with no clue where they were headed.
Their eyes had been settled on the top of the box in their arms for some time. Content to be along, but haunted by quiet worry for their friend, they’d been in a trance of thought until Z spoke. The few words and the mewling around it snapped them to attention, and soon enough they were peeking into the kittens’ box from where they stood. “I’m cool with anything, really,” they glanced over to Wally. “You can’t go wrong with chicken nuggets-- unless you’re a vegetarian. Then you’re fucked.” The corner of their lips tweaked into a grin. “A hotel would be good, but I don’t know of many that take horses. No offense, Rhubarb.”
“McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!” Z chanted in his soft, somewhat breathy voice as he continued to walk, smiling to himself the moment Wes got closer to peer inside the box. Elwood seemed equally as pleased with their presence, raising a paw up and attempting to stand on his hind legs before falling back down due to lack of balance. “Rhubarb is a taxpaying good samaritan. If they don’t offer him lodging, they’re not deserving of our money.” The way he spoke this time seemed indignant and he held his chin up a bit as he strode, but that confidence faltered a bit with him hunched over. He couldn’t remember the last time he had to walk this far. It helped to consider this his cardio for the week. His calves would be impeccable. Something dawned on him and his brow furrowed. “What exactly did either of you pack, anyway?” he asked rather suddenly. “If we’re stopped by the police right now, none of us would be arrested for biochemical terrorism, would we?”
Wally smiled tiredly at the two demigods next to him. He kept his eyes forward and on the path laid out before them. “Personally, I'm a fan of Burger King nuggets--” he paused mid-sentence. “Fuck, no more Burger Loft either now, huh? That's fucked up.” Wally shook his head. Thankfully, with all the packing and running around he'd done, there wasn't a ton of energy that would allow him to do a big power explosion right now. “I can transform Rhubarb to look like something else, or I'll turn him into a dog.” Wally looked in the box he had under his arm. “Just weapons and potions. I don't know about you guys, but stealing is an option for me. If we have to, we can take some clothes from the store. And I have enough money to get us fast food for a few days -- along with the hotel. I think we need to be more worried about monsters though. We're out of camp borders, we're pretty vulnerable. The best thing for us to do now is to get to a hotel, I'll put up some magical charms to hide us as best I can. That means, if you guys can help it, no leaving the hotel room.”
“Sorry, Wally. I’m with Z. Can’t beat McDonald’s.” Wes smiled at the kitten’s attempt to stand. They had a particular soft spot for animals. For the most part, they found them to be far better company than people. “A dog would be cool. A cute dog. Nobody can say no to a cute dog.” The question of what they’d brought had Wes blinking for a few seconds as they recalled what they had shoved into their backpack. “Uh, some clothes, toiletries, makeup, some journals…” they shrugged and looked to their cousin. “Like I told you, I don’t have much.” If it hadn’t been for Wally’s comment, they may never have remembered the threats of the mortal world. They’d lived in the Legion long enough to set aside thoughts of the dangers beyond the border, because they hadn’t considered having to cross it again so soon. “Oh, right. Well, I’ve got my scythe, so if a monster does come along, I think I can put up a decent defense. And if you ever need help committing a bit of theft--” All of sudden, Wes vanished into thin air. Out of all the gifts they’d inherited from their father, the invisibility was undoubtedly their favorite. They needed a bit of fun, and maybe the guys did too, so Wes took extra care to be stealthy as they snuck around behind the son of Hecate and cradled the box in one arm to pluck a hair from his head, only to reappear a second later at the spot where they had been, flashing a mischievous grin.
The mention of Burger King only elicited a scoff from Z, and he nodded along with Wes’ agreement that the golden arches held the superior nugget. “Somehow, the aesthetic of two gay dads, their gothic child, and their myriad of house-pets backpacking through California is oddly comforting. Very mortal,” he reasoned, once again to himself. Upon hearing what they were carrying, he found himself not even remotely surprised. “I couldn’t even bring myself to pack my new kitchen knife set and you both brought weapons?” To think they would travel like ordinary people, free of incriminating items, was a foolish notion. Neither of the people he had surrounded himself with embraced the human side of their being. Evidence lied within the fact that most of their possessions were enchanted by magic to be easier to carry and the fact that he blinked and Wes had disappeared from sight. A moment later, they returned and Z shook his head, humored. Their abilities made him feel much safer knowing they’d be out in the world with monsters for an unknown amount of time. “I’d affectionately call you two my heroes and swoon, but I’m not sure what message it would send to Plato and his ethics if I praised you two for offering to commit theft. Although...” Z trailed off. “...the three of us do have the perfect skill set to rob a bank. Interesting.”
The son of Hecate winced when he felt something pull on his hair. “What the f--” he saw Wes reappear and smiled a little more to them. “Impressive, that'll definitely help us out. But, now listen, we don't know how long we'll be on the road or where we're officially going. We take what we need, if we need it. For now, we need to eat, get shelter and get the cats some food. We also will need to buy some heavy fragrances to keep the monsters from catching our scent. The nastier, the better.” He nudged Z a bit. “This one’s already got his old lady smell down pat.” The light tone they managed to keep was impressive. But it wouldn't last long, he imagined. As they made a path through the forest, Wally had to wonder. “Where is Lupa’s house?”
“Yeah, so mortal,” Wes’ silver eyes rolled in their sockets over a breathy chuckle. “Gotta admit though, we’re a pretty hot fam aesthetic.” Z may not have been your average battle-ready demigod, but his cousin wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes they needed a little normal. A little mortal. Wes had given up that part of themself to start fresh and put past lies behind them. The revelation of their godly parentage was the restart button they’d never known they’d needed. “Meh, bank robbing’s too obvious. We’d get caught a lot easier. Better to hit a lot of smaller venues over time,” they said to Z, “and thanks,” to Wally. “Sounds like a plan to me, not that I’m at all a fan of catching some repulsive scent, but whatever it takes, I guess.” The question of Lupa wasn’t expected in the slightest, but grabbed the young one’s curiosity no less. “The Wolf House?” Blinking, they paused and turned where they stood, heading off the trail in search of a somewhat sizable rock. When they found one, they crouched to inspect it and hummed once they had analyzed its surface. Moss always grows on the north side of stone -- it was one of the few tricks they’d gotten out of Boy Scouts. “It’s up that way, to the north,” they straightened and pointed in the mentioned direction, their head tilting as an afterthought. “Why?”
It was moments like these that made Z fear what was to come next. He couldn’t see carefree skies on the horizon, only darkness and unfortunate agony. For now, though, he could find himself scowling playfully at the blond or unabashedly smiling at the antics of his companions. “You must find old lady pheromones to be irresistible then, love,” he mused as he quickened his pace to plant a soft kiss to Wally’s cheek. He went back to the earlier stride immediately after. No use wasting energy with his rather short legs. “Won’t the horrendous smells we need to mask our scents from monsters also put a damper on your plans of stealing any essentials?” The name Lupa didn’t immediately trigger any memory in Z’s mind. He looked over to glance at Wes to ask what Wally was speaking on, only to find them breaking away from the path for a moment. Where were they going? “Uhm…” he practically hummed, more confused by the moment. When they returned, he finally set out to pose the question he’d had for a few moments now. “Who exactly is Lupa and why is their home referred to as ‘the wolf house’? Shouldn’t we be avoiding wolves considering we’ve got three prey animals with us?” Valid question. Ignorant, but valid.
Wally nodded when Wes was able to answer his question. He stopped moving and held the horse by their saddle. “Lupa was the wolf who raised Romulus and Remus. She's stayed with Rome and New Rome. When Roman demigods come here, they are first trained by her and her pack of wolves. I was just thinking, about if she'd attack us or not. But really--” he was caught off guard by a buzzing from his pocket. “I think I'm getting a text.” Pulling his phone out, Wally stared at the screen and his eyes froze for a moment. “We gotta go back.” He turned around, sighing. “It's Percy. He said to come to the lake, where I built it.” Wally turned back to his friends to tell them about what he, Percy, and Caspian had done. “We made it as a training ground, under the lake. He said that's where they're meeting up. I guess they aren't leaving the city. We should go back. It won't take us too long, and we'll still be with the rest of the Greeks. What do you two think?”
The kiss that Z planted on Wally’s cheek coaxed a faint smile from the child of Thanatos. Wes was glad for their cousin. They didn’t know Wally, considering they’d only just met, but Z trusted him and loved him, which led them to trust him too. “I don’t think Lupa would attack. Whether or not she’s aware of what’s been going on back in New Rome, the three of us alone don’t exactly pose a threat. Besides, there’s plenty of prey in these woods for her pack to feed themselves. If she wanted to attack us, we’d probably be dead already.” When the blond said he was getting a text, Wes glanced at him out of habit. The look that flashed across his face had them guessing that something was wrong, and when his urgent announcement to them followed, that suspicion was more or less confirmed, leaving the youngest member of their party with a nervous itch. Blossom hadn’t texted them of her departure yet, and if she still hadn’t left… “Yes,” their posture stiffened in a sudden attitude shift to graveness. “If the Greeks are still in New Rome and we’re being called to an underwater training facility -- which is awesome, by the way,” they couldn’t resist slipping the compliment in there, “--that must mean bad news… right?” The dormant weapon hanging from their neck started to seem an awful lot heavier than usual.
Z watched as Wally looked down to his phone and tilted his head, curious about what was going to be said before the device’s interruption. Was Lupa such that dangerous of a being? If she worried Wally this much, she had to be, right? When the statement for them to go back was in the air, the man’s leg rose and he spun on his heel, already walking back the way the trio had come from. “We won’t know what sort of news until we get there... but let’s hope it’s not bad. Come on then, Rhubarb,” he murmured, lulling his head to the side as he wandered. His eyes flashed a faint purple and so did the creature’s before it also turned and began walking back. “I sort of wish we’d at least gotten to Maccies. I could’ve ordered an inordinate amount of chicken nuggets for the meeting. The dipping being done would have been ludicrous.”
Wally smiled at Z and Wes. He rubbed Z’s back and turned around with him. “Don’t worry; once we do get chicken nuggets, they’ll taste so much better.” The son of Hecate looked back along the way that the trio had come. “I’ll get us in there. We don’t have to worry about that. Remember though, we’ll be heading back into a hostile land. Whatever happens, we all need to stick together and follow our instincts.”
Z’s continued commentary on chicken nuggets was one of the few things that was allowing Wes to keep their cool. Hostile land, Wally said. What kind of hostile? Wes wondered. Wally’s words were answered with an absent nod as they trekked along at their cousin’s side. It was easier to count their steps and cast the occasional look at the kittens than it was to think on all the possible scenarios that could have prompted their return.
Ten minutes or so later, Wes had just about set their worries aside. They’d been on the brink of asking Z if they could carry the kits for a little while, when there was a strange shift in the atmosphere around them. The pendant of the moon necklace Blossom had gotten them turned especially cold against their skin, and for a moment they turned an anxious glance over at their two travelling companions. They didn’t appear to have sensed anything different, so what…
“Wes?”
It was just a whisper, hardly audible, but the child of Thanatos honed in on it with the same innate instinct they had for detecting the presence of spirits, only this was one spirit they had never expected to see. “B--?” They stopped dead in their tracks, pale eyes blown wide as they took in the spectral form of their best friend. “Wes, I-- I’m so sorry. I love you.” When Blossom flinched and her spirit flickered, Wes seemed to snap back to their senses. If she was here, like this, that meant…
“No--” Wes gasped under their breath as equal doses of fear, anguish, and anger pulsed through their bones. “Blossom, don’t. I’m coming back. Just hold on, please--” But before they could finish, she spoke up once more, and as Wes stood there trembling, they could practically feel their heart freezing in their chest. “I just want you to know none of this was your fault. I was stupid. I--”
“B--!!” Wes shouted.
And that was it. As quickly as Blossom’s soul had appeared, it was gone. Wes could hardly breathe. They dropped the box in their hands, the world outside of the spot where Blossom had appeared faded to black. They stumbled backwards once step-- two. Paused. Caught a breath and a half. Then, the panic fueled something far more productive. Their hands clenched into fists at their sides. The ground within a one-foot radius beneath them had already been drained of all life, and they pulled on that life force to propel themself forward, but not before straining their lungs to scream at the empty sky above them. “Don’t you touch her!!”
They bolted, siphoning their energy into their legs; yet, as impressive a start as it was, in true Wesley fashion, their clumsiness got the better of them. A slightly raised root threw them off balance and caused them to crash forward onto their hands and knees.
Wally had taken his hand off the horse and let his other personal belongings levitate next to him as he opened up his spellbook, going through the pages until he found a few charms for shielding yourself. He was tracing his finger along the instructions -- some of them faded from past users, when Wes caught his attention. He looked to see that the demigod had stopped a few feet back, looking horrified. Immediately, Wally drew closed the book and raised a hand, mist already pooling at his feet. He was ready for a fight.
When his eyes looked to where Wes was looking however, he saw nothing. No person, no monster, nothing. Not even a gust of wind. Confused, he became even more alarmed when Wes started to call out for Blossom. Likely, it was the same Blossom he’d met here and gotten to know just a tad. “Wes, what’s going on, dude?” His voice might as well have been muted, because Wes paid no attention. It was clear that Wes was becoming unhinged. Wally pulled Z back and started to pull on the horse when the ground around Wes died. The grass withdrew into the ground and even the dirt turned black. They made a leap forward and that was when Wally extended his hands out to aim at Wes. “What the hell is going on, Z?” Wally watched as Z’s friend crumbled to the ground. “Wes! Shut it! You can’t yell or someone is gonna hear.” Wally looked around and cursed. “Z, calm them down, please.”
Events were played out in too quick of a succession. In one moment, the air felt warm and cozy, like the cruel hands of war had not yet touched on the shoulders of a familial unit. Then one of three fell out of synchronous step. Wes’ lack of movement had certainly caught the eye of their cousin, but Z imagined it might have been the product of something grasping onto their attention briefly. It wasn’t until he heard their cry out that his spine straightened and he could feel a choking chill in the atmosphere.
Z turned to see what was going on. The first thing he noticed was the rather vacant stare his cousin had in a set direction. He recognized it to be similar to the gaze they’d given spirits in the graveyard on their first official meeting. On any other day, this may have seemed par for the proverbial course but today was different. Today, Greeks were being forced out of their homes in New Rome and into the fray of a cruel and unforgiving world. If Wes now communed with any departed, it could only spell something wicked. From the look on their face or the broken sound of their breathing, it was most likely far worse than Z could possibly imagine.
The air grew colder, denser, and it threatened to choke Z in the second of his appraisal of the situation unfolding before him. Grass browned and then greyed. The soil seemed lifeless and, for a moment, the sky appeared to weep. Suddenly, things didn’t feel right. They felt sickly. Perhaps almost powerless. Then Wes sprung, the only beacon or semblance of life in a sizable radius around them, in the direction they’d all been moving. The speed of which nearly gave Z whiplash as he shifted his head to watch them pass by. He was stunned. It hadn’t occurred to him that he could even use his voice until Wally’s rang beside him. His lips parted and he went to call out to his cousin only to watch them unceremoniously tumble onto the ground.
“Wes…” he whispered, tucking the box of kittens under one of his arms and dashing forward after them. His legs ached and threatened to buckle underneath him at how quickly his pace was altered but he moved through it. He was at their side within moments, box set now on the ground as his eyes flashed the faintest of cream and he exhaled out a thick aura of his own calm. “Wes... slow down.” His voice had an edge to it that bordered on a command. “What’s going on? What happened? You can’t just dart off like this alone.”
Wally’s voice had gone straight over Wes’ head. All that they could make out beyond their sight was the static in their ears. More accurately, like they were hearing voices on the ground from underwater. They could hardly even feel their own body as they surged forward, so hellbent on a single goal that they had forgotten about their surroundings. Forest paths weren’t the flattest or straightest. The root that tripped them up came out of nowhere, and before they knew it, the earth was under their hands rather than their feet.
Being knocked off their feet had been like hitting a brick wall. The energy they had been expending no doubt played a part in their delirium as well. They wanted to get up, to keep moving, but their body betrayed them, refusing to function and forcing them to catch their breath. While they rested there, their senses started to come through again. Their tunnel vision eased up, and the ache of their muscles and the stinging of their hands and knees began to register. But it wasn’t until a wave a warmth washed over them -- or perhaps it was the chilled aura around them dissipating -- that their breathing began to even and Z’s voice reached through the static, growing louder with each word and clearing the static, and his cousin’s mind.
“Blossom...” Wes coughed, practically wheezing while their eyes squeezed shut and their fingers curled in the dirt. Luckily, this patch wasn’t dying like the last. They were too spent to perform another such stunt. It wasn’t clear whether they were coughing or crying -- both, most likely -- as their answer croaked from their throat. “She appeared to me, she-- she was dead, or dying, I don’t know--” they sucked in a heavy breath. This time, the tears were certain. They could feel them stinging the corners of their eyes like frigid acid, each gasp for air rattling their bones. “She disappeared-- she disappeared, and I don’t know what happened. What if he took her? --Fuck!” Wes sat back on their heels and pressed the inside of their right wrist to the corresponding eye. Both palms were covered in dirt, but the left had been cut on a stray stone -- nothing major, though it would need cleaning and bandaging, at the least. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry--” Already, Wes’ waterproof eyeliner was proving to be not so waterproof.
Wally pressed his lips together and walked over to Z and Wes, slowly. He was careful not to put his guard down. He didn’t like that Z was so close, because anything could happen. Wes could turn on them, he had to allow that to be a possibility. The demigod didn’t know this other demigod. And what was to stop Romans from poisoning the minds of Wally’s supposed allies? While he was able to listen to them, Wally’s heart grew heavy as he heard Wes talk about Blossom. He moved away, letting Z comfort Wes so that Wally could make sure no one had heard this outburst. Wally kept his hands pushed out, trying to detect with a charm any signals of human life.
After a few minutes, he came back to them. “If you’re okay, Wes, we need to get moving. We should hurry up and try to get back to the lake before nightfall.” Wally looked to Z. “Is Wes gonna be alright to keep going?” He didn’t mean to sound inconsiderate, but things would be a lot less chaotic if they could get to the stronghold.
Tears fell and Z instinctively brought one of his hands to rest on Wes’ shoulder and the other rested on the jut of their jaw. He knew Blossom rather fondly, but he couldn’t imagine the closeness his cousin might have had to the girl. Either way, it hit the heart especially hard. She was special. Few were half as kind as she managed to be every day. To know that she passed, or was passing now, was a heavy blow. Z wanted to know how and why. To whose hand was she removed from this world? He figured they would learn as much when they returned. For now, he needed to get Wes to stand.
Wally spoke from behind them. The words, like before, felt distant. Z could feel himself suspended in water but still being able to breathe just barely. The same could not be true for Wes. They might as well have been drowning. “We’ll expedite our journey back…” he murmured as he finished with his surveying of Wes, ruling that he’d have to check up on their knees and hands when they were able to rest for a breath. He remembered packing the kit of emergency medical supplies Cat had given him for Christmas. “Can you stand? If not, I’ll help you get on Rhubarb.” He removed his hands and stood, holding one out to help Wes up.
Wes knew Wally didn’t mean any harm by urging them to move. They were vulnerable outside the borders as it was, and now with their shouting and the power they had stirred up, they were at even greater risk. Then, there was simply getting to the lake where they had been called, and hopefully, hopefully, they would find their friend more alive than dead. The thought of losing her was crippling. They hadn’t even realized just how much she’d meant to them until now. She may as well have been their sister, though-- she always had been, in a way.
Z’s touch had offered comfort that Wes sorely needed. As they let their tears go, they began to slow, and they could feel themself steadying, at least enough to resume their journey. Once he stood, Wes was left sat there wiping aside their ruined eyeliner with their shirt sleeve. Honestly, it wasn’t the worst makeup mishap they’d had, but it left them with an added irritated grumpiness all the same. “I’m fine,” they mumbled the words with a bit of attitude and sniffled before taking their cousin’s hand and rising to their feet. “I can walk.” To be sure, they closed their eyes to inhale and exhale a long breath -- a technique Blossom had taught them for calming down, centering themself... whatever you wanted to call it. And once they felt more confident on solid ground, the child of Thanatos found the box of kittens Z had set down and picked it up so that the trio of demigods could continue onward. “Okay,” they gave a final sniffle and looked back to the others. “Let’s go.”