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[hr][sup][color=851f1f][b]#851f1f[/b][/color][color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color][b]armory > party [/b][/sup][/center][hr]

[color=#cd5c5c]"Yeah, I hope so since Ares wants me to be a proper warrior and... disagrees with how I control myself, but I think I am just fine."[/color] 

Despite the leftover rage when speaking about his father, Duke nodded. He could see how that could get under anyone’s skin. [color=851f1f]“Well I think it’s admirable. You paving your own path, controlling your emotions and impulses.”[/color] Duke had seen Liam’s rage take him into a trance and Trinity’s love of battle. Breaking Ares’s influence was no easy task but Leo chose to.

[color=#cd5c5c]"Okay, Hephaestus okay. Wait, Hephaestus never met you? Uh, I figured the gods would visit their child. I mean, Ares visited me."[/color] Duke’s jaw tensed momentarily. Even Ares visited his kid and if that wasn’t suffering by comparison then he didn’t know what was. But everyone was different and had their motives and at the thought he relaxed. He wasn’t about to have daddy issues now. He didn’t know the guy so he couldn’t resent the guy.

[color=#cd5c5c]"So, have you wanted to meet with your father? I know it can go south, mine did, but maybe yours won't."[/color] While nice and only trying to do him a favor, Duke found the questions and pep talk a little left-field and even projective. [color=#cd5c5c]"Your father is not the god of war, so maybe he will be more... friendly or welcoming than mine was."[/color] Well there was that.

[color=851f1f]"Maybe,"[/color] he said, more to be agreeable than his own actual belief. [color=851f1f]"I think I’m at a stage where I don’t really care whether I meet him or not,"[/color] he stated carefully with furrowed brows. [color=851f1f]"You know the important years have been and gone, he’s not going to impact my life now. Hephaestus works behind the scenes and so do I, I guess. Besides, I’d have no idea how to contact him."[/color] He added on a lighter note.

[color=#cd5c5c]"Since your father was Hephaestus, and I know I got some power from Ares. What can you do, and did you make the weapons and armor in the armory?"[/color]

Now they were shifting to more comfortable territory, Duke was able to smile and pat the frame of the armory. [color=851f1f]“I made the armory itself. It’s had a couple demolitions, and we can’t have camp without weapons and armor so…yeah.”[/color] Duke eyed all his crafts contently. As for what he could do… [color=851f1f]“I basically craft things really well and make fire.”[/color] Duke summoned a small ball of flame in his palm before smothering it by closing his hand.

He knew what the kids of Ares could do for the most part but in case there were any hidden talents and in order to keep conversation flowing, [color=851f1f]“What about you?”[/color]

Eventually, the men parted, bidding their goodbyes. At least he had met one new camper and it was a son of Ares. Outwardly, that had to be the most intimidating guy to meet and Duke was pretty sure he was on side.
 [hr]

The hour for the party came around and even if he wanted to avoid it, he couldn’t. His cabin wasn’t as close as Nelly’s, but he’d hear it and catch the human traffic coming from the east side of camp. Might as well embrace it. Duke walked to the field, seemingly as one of the early to arrive which was not the intention. He smiled a little embarrassedly to the others when they looked towards him. 

Usually at parties they'd reach a point where Alex would flirt and claw at him uncomfortably before gliding to someone more reciprocating and he'd exchange a look with Ajax. The boys would grab a few more drinks and talk if he wasn't with Andy and maybe Theo would join but none of the Valises were here and Theo was MIA. It was different. Duke glanced at Andy wondering if she'd feel Ajax's missing presence too. She deserved to move on but the Valises had been such a norm for a long time. It was even oddly quiet and felt tame without Alex...or it could have just been that this was still the early hours and he was one of the top five who arrived first.

Duke drifted to the table with food. Usually he was more carnivorous but those cookies the newer guy had laid out looked especially delicious. There was a brief fight to be modest and let the girls get one first but the oreo treats would be a hot sale and the rest of camp had a lot less restraint. He kind of wished somebody else took one first but the girls chose to be by the drinks and the man with the hair bun chose an activity. Duke picked one up and at first bite, he closed his eyes and moaned. This could convert him to a sweet tooth. 
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[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] Leo [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] Nelly, Andy, Trinity, Elysium[/color]
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