The Child of Hera

Chapter 26-Birdie

The group made their way over to the woods.  They separated into their respective teams, and Birdie was a little disappointed that she wasn't on Luke's team.  Chiron discussed the rules, and then told team captains to figure out their battle plans.

"Ok, blue team," said Annabeth, "I want Dionysus, Aphrodite, and Zeus defending the flag.  Hera, Athena, take offense.  Nike and Dionysus, you're a decoy.  Everyone else defend the creek."

Birdie found it interesting that she was the only one who wasn't an Athena camper, that was taking offense.

The whistle was blown, and she found herself running through the woods.  She jumped the creek and hid in the shadows of enemy territory.  She rushed through, and remembered to pull her pendent.  The silver armor built its self around her as she was running.  

Eventually, she reached a clearing.  There was the Ares flag, standing in the middle.  

This is too easy, she thought.  There was only one camper defending it.  A trap?  Birdie looked around.  No one was in the surrounding trees.  So it seemed, they had Hecate on their team.  In that case who knew?

She cleared her throat.  She actually wanted to try.  The lone camper whipped around, and she found a sword pointed at her throat.  Of course it was Luke.

"Watch where you point that thing, genius, you could hurt somebody," she said.

"That's kind of the the point," said Luke.

"Nice pun," Birdie countered, "did it take you all day to think of that one?"

"It'll take you longer to get this flag."

"Good to know," and the fight began.

Birdie slipped her bracelet off, and it elongated into her whip.  She lashed out, and it wrapped around Luke's sword.  They both pulled at the same time, but Luke was stronger and the whip flew out of her hands.

Unfortunately for him, he was a little too strong.  He pulled so hard that his sword flew over his shoulder with the whip.

"Oops."

Birdie pulled the last thing in her pocket out.  Unfortunately, that one thing was a banana.  She wielded it like it was a dagger, and Luke started to laugh.  He laughed so hard he was rolling on the ground.

She took her chance.  She ran towards the flag, but he caught her ankle in time.  She toppled over, and he lay on top of her, so she couldn't get up.

"Luuuuke," she groaned.

He flipped her over and pinned her down.  She stared up at him with a pout, and he smiled.

"I win!" he said.

"Game's not over yet."  

She flipped him over, onto the ground, and a huge wrestling match started.  They kept rolling over each other, and at one point, Luke pressed the sapphire on Birdie's breastplate, and it shrunk back into a necklace.

Finally they ended, with Luke holding her on top of him, squeezing her into his chest.  She tried to get up, but failed.  

I wonder, she thought.  She must have been crazy for doing something so preposterous.  Whatever.  Might as well go for it.

Birdie brought her lips down to meet his, kissing him.  She wasn't quite sure how to describe something so wonderful.

A brief moment in Luke's Point of View:

Whoa.  Just...whoa.

Now back to Birdie:

She didn't want it to end, but she felt his grip slacken, so she wrenched herself free, and rushed towards the flag.

She ran as fast as she could to the creek, leaving Luke on the ground, stunned.  She jumped the creek, and found that the flag changed from a gross red, to a peacock blue, with a lotus tipped staff on it.  

Birdie's lips still tingled from the kiss.  She hoped he didn't hate her now, for doing something so strange.

Her team hefted her up onto their shoulders, and when she finally came down, Luke was there.  He pulled her into a big hug, and there were a few wolf whistles.  They broke apart, blushing.

He extended his hand, bowing.  She took it, and they walked hand in hand to cabin two.

"So," he began, "I guess we could've chosen a more romantic spot for our first kiss."

"Yeah."

"I suggest we make the next one count."

"Ok."

They stood there for a moment, not sure of what to say, until he pulled her in.  His lips were warm and gentle.  They couldn't seem to stop, their arms wrapped around each other, almost too tightly.  She never wanted to leave him.  That moment seemed to last for eternity....until Repair Boy had to ruin it all.

"Oh man!" laughed Leo, as Birdie and Luke broke apart, "I TOTALLY CALLED IT!  BIRUKIE FOREVER!"  He ran off to go tell everybody.

"I'm gonna kill him," growled Birdie.

"Let's go!" said Luke excitedly.

So they ran off, hand in hand, to go murder Repair Boy, and she couldn't help but think, that this was the best birthday ever!

YES LEO! YES!  BIRUKIE FOREVER!  FIRST KISS!  YAAAAAAAAY!  WHO'S HAPPY?!  I KNOW I AM!  ALL CAPS!  WE GOT TO THE FIRST KISS!  WOOHOO!  BIRUKIE!