𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 ꨄ

F i v e

"You didn't have to do that, you know." 

They were sitting on the porch of their cabin, watching the moon as it waxed the dark sky above them. Their cabin mates were long asleep, the day's attack and drama probably a hefty weight on everyone. No doubt they should have been sleeping too - but Luna had picked up Game of Thrones in order to distract herself, and because she could read in the dark, had stayed up later then intended. That was when she'd noticed Clarisse's bed was empty, and had found her outside. 

"Tantalus is such a dick," The Ares girl grumbled. She ripped a few strands of grass from the ground and rolled them between her fingers. 

"Still," Luna said. "Would you really have preferred to not win at all?" 

Clarisse turned towards her. She had this expression on her face - a mix between anger and worry. "Don't you get it? We didn't win. It wasn't a fair race - Jackson and Chase left in the middle of it. And Tantalus-" she growled, then stopped herself. 

"I don't get what he's playing at," Luna sighed. 

"I'll tell you what he's playing at," Clarisse spit out. She hadn't realized how angry the Ares girl was until now. "He's not favoring me because he sees something in me. He's doing it because he hates Percy and wants to get back at him. Maybe he thought I'd be flattered, that I'd be vain enough to believe him." She swallowed. "But I know a liar when I see one." 

Luna wanted to be that kind of person that reassured their friends no matter what - even if she had to lie about it. But Clarisse was right. Tantalus had no real interest in her, only in what she could do for him. 

"That's why you didn't want the laurels," Luna muttered instead. 

Clarisse scoffed. "I was hoping he'd get angry and not give them to either of us. I was hoping he hated you enough. Then at least he'd just leave me alone and find some other way to torment Jackson. " 

Luna couldn't believe she hadn't made that connection. She couldn't believe she hadn't realized how bothered Clarisse really was about all of this - about how much she had the right to be.

Luna wasn't used to not knowing, and it bothered her. 

"I'm sorry," She said. 

"For what? It's not like it's your fault." 

Luna shrugged. "No, I'm sorry that Tantalus is such a dick and that you have to deal with him," 

Clarisse laughed. 

OoOoOoO 

That night, the Apollo cabin led the sing along at the camp fire. The flames were low and dim, reflecting the mood of the campers around them, burning a somber grey. Cabin seven tried their best to lighten it by strumming their lyres and guitars, but it was a hard feat to achieve after today's attack. They'd sung all of their best songs - "Down by the Aegean," "I Am My Own Great-Great- Great-Great-Grandpa," "This Land is Minos's Land." - but the best they could get out of the other campers was a low murmur that barely passed for singing. 

When they were done, Tantalus rose, that same horrible smile on his face. "Well, that was lovely!" 

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to pluck it off, real casual-like. But before he could touch it, the marshmallow flew off the stick. Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow committed suicide, diving into the flames.  Luna had to look down to hide her smile. 

He turned back toward them, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule." 

"Sir," Percy interceded. He had a determined look on his face as he rose, Annabeth with him.