Fated To Fall: PJO

Bracelets

Silena stared down at the unconscious form of her newly acquired little brother and brushed a stray hair out of his face. Clarisse sat silently beside him.

Clarisse had been the one to find him, of course. She had been debating with one of her siblings about capture the flag when wood nymphs dropped his body in front of her.

Chiron had immediately ordered her to take him to the infirmary with Lee.

An hour later, Percy and Annabeth had burst into the big house to speak to Chiron. Upon finding out about Theo, Chiron had to send for Grover to calm them down.

That had been 2 days ago. Theo had been in and out of consciousness since then.

"Why would he do it?" She asked out loud. Clarisse gave a derisive snort. "Why wouldn't he? He's always been a sensitive dick."

Silena sighed. "Clarisse..."

"No. He's been here for five years, he knows how it goes. But he humiliates himself in front of Daddy dearest once and suddenly it's okay for him to wage war on Olympus? He's insane." Clarisse turned to look at her. "He's one of the safer ones too."

Silena placed her hand on Clarisse's shoulder and pretended not to notice the tears brimming her eyes as she looked at Theo.

"Did you know that every child of Aphrodite is given a bracelet by her?" She said.

Clarisse glanced at her and shook her head. Silena smiled as she began to tell the tale her former head counselor, Jacqueline, told her. "Contrary to popular belief, Aphrodite doesn't have kids with whomever she feels like. She stays with the person for a while and genuinely loves them. When it's been too long and she has to leave, she gives them a gift. Us."

Clarisse quirked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "And with her children, she leaves pieces of herself. Bracelets that hold her symbol that she came to associate with her relationship with the other parent. My bracelet holds a dove. I think it's because my dad has an innocent view on love."

Clarisse smiled softly at that, it was a nicer way of looking at life than her father's. "Theo has a pomegranate."

Silena nodded. "Which could mean many things. It's a lesser known symbol of Aphrodite, more commonly associated with Persephone but for Aphrodite it symbolizes fertility, and death."

"She saw her relationship with Theo's dad as death?"

"Maybe. Or maybe they fell in love in winter, or by a pomegranate tree. Who knows."

"He also has a swan."

"Maybe his father believes in eternal love."

Clarisse stared out the window at the campgrounds. Campers were packing and leaving all week, preparing to go to school in the mortal world with their families and leave the pain and grief of the divine world behind. She wasn't leaving this year. She couldn't.

The camp had already lost Luke. They were losing Annabeth for the winter and they needed someone to stay. Clarisse could do that. Her mom would approve of her decision. "Do you know if he's staying?"

Silena nodded, an unreadable look in her eyes. "He is."

Clarisse shot up to her feet. Silena quickly followed in concern for her friend. "Clarisse?"

Clarisse gaped at Theo before shouting, "Lee! Come quick!"

"Clarisse? What happened?" Silena asked. Lee came shooting through the door with his med kit. Clarisse gestured at Theo, "He twitched."

Silena looked at her brother looking for said twitch. They all saw it this time. Theo's face began to scruch up as he took a deep breath.
Silena let out a relieved laugh as Theo's eyes opened.