Till Sunrise┊Luke Castellan

18 .·:· The Eve of Change

Tretchikoff, Vladimir. 'Dying Swan II'. 1951 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Words:  1,435

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1 day before the summer solstice

The embers of the fire drifted gracefully upwards, soaring over the amphitheatre and into the night sky. The last camp-wide campfire was being held.

The warm and inviting glow of the flames illuminated the faces of the campers as they enjoyed one final night in the comforting warmth of the fire before the chaos that would be the morning. The sound of laughter reverberated through the valley, blending perfectly with the soft rustle of the trees and the content sighs of the demigods.

Amidst the lively atmosphere, Phoebe found herself seated by the fire, with Will nestled between her legs. Ever since he had seen her braided hair yesterday, he had been eager to have the same. Now, the blonde-haired camper sat patiently as Phoebe deftly began to plait small sections of his hair. The firelight danced upon their faces, casting shadows on his golden hair as Phoebe's nimble fingers weaved intricate patterns through it.

"Can't you make one big one like yours?" Will asked, trying to look back at her. Phoebe quickly grabbed the sides of his head to still him, ensuring her newest braid remained intact and didn't get lost amidst his locks.

"Sit still, Will," she gently scolded him, her voice heavily laced with amusement.

"If your hair was longer, she could," Lee said mildly to him, giving him a gentle nudge.

Will grumbled something, prompting a smile to rise on Phoebe's lips. "Lee, look how good it looks."

Lee leaned over to get a better look. "Oh, yeah. Very nice," he agreed, putting on a show of nodding enthusiastically.

Will instantly straightened his posture, excitement brimming in his voice. "Really?! Show me!" he exclaimed eagerly.

"Not yet, bud. She's still doing it," Lee said, patting Will's cheek affectionately, causing him to deflate slightly.

Phoebe huffed in amazement at their interaction. "How many braids do you want?" she asked, leaning over to catch a glimpse of Will's face.

Will tried to turn to look, but Phoebe's tight grip on his hair kept his head facing forward. "Ten," he declared.

Phoebe's eyebrows rose in amusement. "Ten?" she repeated.

"Wait! No, fifteen," Will quickly amended, his enthusiasm evident. Beside them, Lee snorted, unable to contain his amusement.

"Well, I've done twelve. Is that enough?" Phoebe asked, releasing her hold on his head. Will's hands instantly shot up to feel the back of his hair, nimbly tracing the small braids littered throughout.

He thought for a moment before smiling. "Yep," he confirmed, turning to Phoebe with a beaming grin that transformed his face into sunlight. "Will it stay in for tomorrow?" he asked eagerly.

"Maybe, if you're gentle with them," Phoebe said, nodding. "I can do them again on the bus if they come undone though."

"Do you think Dad will like them?" Will asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation as Phoebe and Lee quickly exchanged looks.

"I don't know how much time we'll have with him, Will," Phoebe said gently. Will instantly deflated, and seeing his disappointment Phoebe swallowed a lump in her throat before speaking again, "but, I bet he'll love them."

He instantly perked up again, his eyes widening hopefully. "Really?"

Reaching over and ruffling his hair affectionately, Lee grinned. "Oh, definitely," he affirmed.