Till Sunrise┊Luke Castellan

Winter's Embrace⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Hamilton, A.J (@thetogfather).'Dont shoot thy messenger.' 2019 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Words: 719

.·゜゜·

Happy holiday everyones,

sorry for the very late Christmas Special.

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╔═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╗

23rd December 2007.

(138 days till Poseidon claims his son)

The snow draped the pine tree forest in a pristine cloak, muffling the sounds of Camp Half-Blood in serene stillness. A pair, underrated by the winter chill, trudged through the snow-covered path, the soft crunch beneath their boots harmonising with the quietude of the night. Luke, his breath visible in the frigid air, carried a tangled bundle of Christmas lights.

"How do you manage to persuade me to do your bidding?" Luke asked, the corners of his lips quirking up as he continued along the snowy trail. Phoebe responded with a playful grin, eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"My good looks and charms," she teases, her shoulders dancing in a playful shrug. "Plus, think about all the kids tomorrow when they see our decorations," she said as she looked up at him gleefully.

Luke shook his head in response to her infectious enthusiasm. "Do we have to do the big three cabins though?"

"Yes! It would completely ruin the vibe if we don't. Plus on the off chance that some random kid gets claimed by one of them, I don't want to have to do all this again," she insisted.

As they continued to trudge through the snow, navigating the snow-laden path from the Big House, where the decorations were, heading towards Cabin One. The house of lighting. As they approached, Phoebe stared up at the tall roof, contemplating how they would ascend. Her mind briefly wanders to the idea of using Luke's flying shoes.

"Do you want me to lift you up?" Luke offered, breaking her thoughts. 

Brightening like the sun at the suggestion, Phoebe beamed up at him. Dropping down to one knee, he formed a cradle with his hands, and she placed her foot upon it. As he started to lift her, she steadied herself with a hand on his shoulder, mindful not to disturb their delicate balance and fall into the freezing snow.

"You're definitely the only person I would do this for" he muttered, his strength lifting her towards the roof.

"And I appreciate your sacrifice."

Once she could reach the railings, she hoisted herself up, looking down at him with a radiant smile. In response, his grin broadened into a smile he thought might split his cheeks.

"How are you gonna get up here?" she called down to him, her voice echoing in the tranquil night.

"Don't worry," he replied confidently. "I've got this". With a graceful ascent, he scaled the stone pillars of the cabin, leaving her staring wide-eyed at his display.

"Easy as pie," Luke declared, his snow boots landing on the roof with a soft thud.

"That's fucked you can do that," Pheobe remarked, her eyebrows furrowed at him. Luke raised his arms in mock surrender, a wide grin stretching from ear to ear.

With the snow-laden roof beneath them, the pair set to work, carefully weaving the vibrant Christmas lights around the eaves of the cabin. Their laughter harmonised with the soft crunch of snow beneath their boots.

As they completed the intricate pattern, the roof transformed into a spectacle of lights and colour. They started their descent down, Luke ever graceful,  jumped down first and then caught Phoebe as she slowly lifted herself down the roof.

"Do you think we can risk turning it on, or will we wake up the kids?" she asked him.

"Oh I reckon we could get away with it" he answered, holding onto the button in his hand. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he pressed it, and in an instant, they were enveloped in the soft glow of the lights. A mesmerising display against the backdrop of the winter night. As the radiant colours painted their faces, he turned to congratulate her for the idea of doing this, but the sight of her bathed in the ethereal glow made his heart skip a beat. A lump formed in his throat, and he swallowed, trying to catch his breath as he stared at her in awe.

She was full of Apricity.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said, her gaze transfixed by the twinkling lights.

"Yeah... it is"

In that moment, his head filled with thoughts of her. Her face, aglow with gentle hues, became the only beauty his eyes could ever see. It was ineffable.

She had bewitched him, body and soul.¹

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.・゜゜・Transaltions

¹ "Apricity"
(n.) the warmth of the sun in winter

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¹ Austen, Jane. 'Pride and Prejudice'. 1813