Avatar of Manzanilla

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Recent Statuses

1 yr ago
Current My ass? Fat. My aura? Threatening.
5 likes
1 yr ago
Therapy is too expensive, I'll just gaslight myself
4 likes
2 yrs ago
The good thing about having a dead parent, is that I can disappoint only one of them now! :D
5 likes
3 yrs ago
If you're still alive, you're not struggling with depression. Depression is struggling with you.
9 likes
3 yrs ago
Don't be ashamed of who you are! That's your parents job <3
7 likes

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Most Recent Posts



Hopefully the last one I'm making c:




Location: Tyche's Cabin
Collab Between @Pyxis & @Rodiak
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There had always been something about the boy next to her that she couldn't quite place.

He had always been so different. Had always been so quick to smile. The way it reached his eyes when he saw her or the tiny pull of his lips when he made her tea early in the mornings. A smile that he still gave her despite how hard she had pushed him away in the past. He always came back with gravity, and when she couldn't hold it together anymore, he was always there.

Reaching over, Anzu's finger trips traced over his features. Her fingers danced over his eyebrows lingering on the scar there before moving to the bridge of his nose down the cupid's bow and lips. She could feel it, the pull of his lips under her fingertips, his warm breath tickling her skin. Anzu moved her hand down to his jaw and down his neck until they rested over his bare chest.

"Like what you see?"

Carlos had had his eyes on her for a few seconds now. The warmth of her skin against him had lulled him into a sleep-like trance, their bodies tangled against each other. The sunrays that peeked from the crack of the blinds illuminating the room with warm light, warm enough to push away the thin blanket that covered them both. The hand that draped over Anzu's hips pulled her in closer against him as he buried his face into the pink of her hair. It smelled of jasmine and coconut, a smell he had associated with home for so long now.

"Idiot." Anzu rolled her eyes as she pressed her cheek against his chest. "Of course I do." A smile graced her features as she pulled back, the blanket falling from her shoulder and pooling around her waist. One hand held her up while the other stayed over Carlos's chest as she stared down at him.

She didn't want to look away, just a few more minutes to memorize the curve of his cheeks, the pink of his lips, and the darkness of his eyes. As dark as the night sky, so dark she could get lost in them forever. Anzu had finally wrapped her head around the idea that he'd be gone for a week. 7 days that she'd have to endure without his stupid jokes, or oneliners, or the feeling of his skin against hers.

"You're doing it again," Carlos lifted a hand to her face, cupping her cheek tenderly. "I'll be back before you know it, Zu." She didn't have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking. To anyone else, Anzu was like a cipher, a puzzle in an ancient and forgotten language that no matter how hard you try to figure out, you couldn't get it. But to Carlos, she was an opened book, a door wide open. She had a way of moving, almost invisible to others, but in plain sight for Carlos. He could see the way her eyes softened and the slightest change in her tone, the way she held herself all told him what he needed to know.

"I know." Anzu could feel the corners of her lips tug the slightest. "I know." His hand felt warm against her porcelain-like skin, almost like it was hot enough to burn. Sometimes she wondered how he always managed to figure her out. Know exactly what she was feeling without having to voice it.

"We should-"

"Just a few more minutes." Carlos pulled Anzu back down into the bed and against him. His hand trailed over her spine with feather-like touches, and his lips covered Anzu's forehead, cheeks, and jaw until they found her lips.

They laid in Carlos's bed for a few more minutes. Anzu knew they were wasting time, but the bags were already packed, and weapons were ready to go. Any minute now, they'd have to get up from bed, get dressed, and say their goodbyes to each other. Anzu was still unsure who would be part of the rest of the group aside from Carlos and Zeru. Brandon would be the next person Erin would have asked, knowing that they were close, and then... Tyler. Her older brother. It hadn't dawned on her until now. The three people who meant so much would be stepping outside the camp's safety and across the world in search of a fucking dove.

"Zu," Carlos nudged the girl besides him. He could see it in her eyes again, the same look she had when Erin asked him to with her on the quest. "I think I should get ready now," he pulled back, shivering at the loss of Anzu's warmth. He turned his back to her as he walked over to his closet and pulled a fresh change of clothes. He could hear her get up from the bed behind him and gather her clothes from the floor.

"Promise to bring you a souvenir from Italy," Carlos looked over his shoulder toward her direction. "Maybe a shirt that says I Love Italy or a mini Leaning Tower of Pizza." He pulled on a dark shirt over his head, now finished getting dressed.

"Just a coin. An Italian Lira," Anzu slipped on the large white shirt she had been wearing. One of the many items she had stolen from Carlos's closet and claimed as her own. "Might be hard to find, but just one would be nice." She reached down for the black skirt, pulling it up to her hips and tucking in half of the shirt into it.

When she was done getting dressed, Anzu walked over to Carlos, reaching up to push some of the stray curls away from his eyes. "Keep an eye on Ren and Ty, please." She could already feel it rise on her throat again, forcing her to swallow down the emotions threatening to slip out. Anzu had to trust them, all of them, that they'd come back safe and sound. Carlos had luck on his side, after all. That didn't mean he wouldn't get badly hurt. What if he broke something, or was badly wounded, or-

No. Carlos would come back just fine.

"And it's Pisa, not pizza." Idiot. She smiled.

"I know, and I will." Carlos took her hand in his, pressing her knuckles against his lips before leaning in to kiss her. Tender and full. He pulled back, smiling down at Anzu before he pulled away to gather the rest of his things. A backpack with enough clothes to last him a week, some snacks, and his weapons. He was glad now to have taken them to the forge just a few days ago to get them sharpened, and his bow tightened. He still felt unprepared; Carlos knew he wasn't the best at fighting, and those rare times he had won against Anzu or Zeru had just been his luck at hand.

"I'll bring you that Italian Lira." Carlos said as he fastened the backpack's straps and patted his sword's sheath. His trusty Spartan sword at his side and bow neatly tucked into the bag.

Anzu had taken a step back to look his over, tucking a few strands of the pastel pink behind her ear. "You're missing something." She turned around and hurried over to the wall where her swords were resting neatly on the floor. She picked up the wakizashi, the shortest of the two swords, and pushed it against Carlos's shoulder. If her grandmother knew she was giving away the wakizashi to him, she'd never hear the end of it. Her two swords were meant to stay together, to show others that she was a worthy Onna-Bugeisha, but she didn't need it. Carlos would get better use of it than she would.

"Take it; you'll need it more than I will."

Carlos stared down at the sword being presented to him. He knew how much it meant to her family, and most importantly, to Anzu. He didn't know what to say, really. "Zu, I-" He couldn't say no. She was trusting him to come back, to deliver that Lira, and to return her sword. Alive.

"Thank you," His fingers wrapped around the sheath of the sword tightly, the engravings of it marking his palm. The metal felt cool against his skin, almost like Anzu's skin. Smooth. "I'll take care of it."

Anzu nodded, taking Carlos by the shoulders, pulling him closer, and wrapping her arms tightly around him. Seconds passed before she pulled back, dark gaze staring back at his own. She didn't have to say it; he already knew. No promises or goodbyes, because then it would mean there might be a chance he wouldn't make it back. Anzu didn't want that.

"Come back to me."

Carlos nodded, reading her with a simple glance.

"I will."

Both left the cabin, hand in hand.




Collab Between @Pyxis & @Rodiak
Mentions: @King Kindred


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The fire was gone now and had been replaced with something she hadn't felt in a long time. Fear.

Anzu watched Erin walk away from them for what felt forever. The hand around her waist grounded her, but she still couldn't shake off the feeling in her. It wasn't safe outside the camp. Carlos, Erin, and the rest of the group would be in constant danger, and Anzu couldn't do anything to help. When Anzu finally turned her head to look at Carlos's shoulder, unable to meet his eyes yet, her lips parted to say something but nothing came out past them. Fuck. She hated how weak she was acting. How weak she really was. Anzu gave up and looked back down at the sword she still held in her hand.

"You must keep your mind and body separated from your heart. Your heart will lead you to make mistakes. To make you irrational and stupid. Don't be stupid, Anzu."

"We should get going. Make sure you're all ready and set to go." Anzu took a step forward, taking the hand that had been resting on her waist. With the other hand, she put her sword on her back next to the other and began to lead the way back to Carlos's cabin. She didn't turn back to look at Carlos, afraid he would see how afraid she really was. Afraid that he would change his mind and decide not to go. Separate mind from the heart, she kept telling herself over and over.

Carlos kept his eyes on Anzu. He could see the cogs in her mind turning. Turning non-stop. He didn't say anything else as she led the way back to his cabin. He wanted to say something, wanted to comfort her, to pull her in, and wrap his arms around the girl. Tell her that he would be fine, that he would care for Erin, and he wouldn't be by himself. But she would just push him away. It was what she did when she couldn't handle the emotional burden from certain situations. Instead, Carlos squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. He hated seeing her like this, but he also couldn't just say no to Erin.

Just before them, the one and only Zeru were looking for walked out of the fighting arena just after a furious looking Dave. Carlos could see Dave's greatsword split in half-, oh shit. Well, it wasn't the first time he had seen that. Zeru was ruthless in the arena. Both of the boys would train from time to time, and Carlos had to rely on his luck for him to even come alive from the pits. The son of Zeus was a great fighter; he could even say he was in the same level as Anzu. Then again, he was a bit biased on that end. No one was better than his precious girlfriend, Zu. She could kick his ass any day and he would say thank you.

"Should we tell him now?" Carlos turned to glance at Anzu before watching Zeru make his way towards the cabins. His eyes followed the guy's figure until he walked up to the Apolo cabin. Ohhh. He exchanged a quick glance with Anzu, giving her a knowing smirk. "I think we should wait for him to-"

"No time." Anzu cut in, giving him a look. "We should at least tell him Erin is looking for him." She nodded her heads towards Zeru's directing before dragging him along the path to the cabin. Zeru was probably going after Fiamma. Anzu had seen them together before the girl left home, they weren't really hiding it, and it was so obvious that they had a thing going on. And now that Fiamma was back, Zeru would be gone for a week. She felt bad for them, finally reunited just to be pulled again for another week.

When the duo finally arrived at the cabin, Anzu looked at Carlos, shooting him a look to indicate that he should tell Zeru. When Carlos shrugged and shook his head, Anzu rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to get the boy's attention. "Williams," she took a step forwards but didn't let go of Carlos's hand. "Erin is looking for you." She didn't want to say anything else. Zeru was a smart boy; he would know what that meant. He would know he had been chosen for the quest.

Carlos rubbed the back of his neck and shot Zeru an easy smile. "No rush, well there is a rush but take your time here, Zee." Fiamma had just arrived, and he didn't want to rush their reunion too much. Erin still had to get around telling the rest of her group, so they were probably not going to leave until tomorrow, hopefully. He wanted more time to spend with Anzu, make sure she wouldn't be worried sick for the rest of the week or until they finally made it back. Carlos was sure that Zeru would want the same for himself and Fiamma.

"Well, just have fun for now and look for her later." Carlos shot Zeru a wink. "Don't take too long, Zee-" He let out a groan when Anzu elbowed him on the side.

"See you around, Williams. Tell Fi we said welcome back." With a roll of her eyes and a small smile, Anzu pulled a groaning Carlos away from the cabin and down the path to their original destination.









COLLAB BETWEEN @Rodiak, @Vicier & @Pyxis

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Anzu had let go of Carlos's hand long ago and was now pacing in front of the Hades cabin. Black eyes darting from the door to the window and down to the ground in front of her. She could feel it, deep in her core eating away at her gut all the while her blood boiled under the sun. Her fingers were kept busy by tracing the patterns of her sword's sheath. The tiny intricate patterns that were engraved in Anzu's mind already were not helping her keep her cool. Carlos had tried as well, and even he knew when to back off and let her simmer for a few minutes. And despite her the bubbling anger in her core, Anzu was worried sick for Erin.

She couldn't imagine what the other girl must be going through at this moment. To know that if she failed, she'd be turned over to the God of War and be at his mercy. Fuck. Anzu groaned, kicking one of the rocks in front of her and watching it skit away and down the small trail of cabins. That's when she spotted Erin walking down the stairs of the Ares cabin.

Anzu wasted no time. She didn't even let Carlos know as she bolted towards Erin. Her hair whipping behind her in a pastel pink trail and katana in hand. When she finally reached Erin, she said nothing as she threw her arms around the other girl tightly and held her there for a few seconds.

"Fuck him. Fuck him and his stupid face." Anzu huffed. After a few seconds, she finally pulled away to examine Erin. Her eyes softened, but the heat in her only grew when she saw the state Erin was in. Gods, it broke her heart. Anzu reached up and ran her slender fingers through the dark hair. "Talk to me, Ren." Her voice was now soften, gentler. She hated seeing her friend like this.

The feeling of Anzu's arms wrapping tightly around her lithe figure; Erin froze. Her body stiffening.

The blur of bubblegum-pink an unexpected obstacle, though... it wasn't as though it was unwelcome. Even still, she didn't feel as though she deserved this. Any of this. She didn't deserve the onslaught of love and support she was getting, not when she knew damn well how much of a bitch she was to almost everyone in the camp. Friends not excluded. But after a few more moments of contact... she couldn't fight against it any longer. Tears once more glistening in her dark eyes; Erin closed them. Her arms raising to wrap tightly around the other girl's figure; gentle at first, but it wasn't long before she tightened the hug. Holding her friend - and pretty much her only female friend - almost desperately against her.

Fingers splayed at first; Erin gently curled them. Her head dropping down to bury into the crook of Anzu's neck, her voice was a soft mumble. The warmth of her breath flowing out over the girl's skin.

"..I-... I didn't do this... I swear on Styx..."

Carlos approached the two girls quietly. He knew how much Anzu loved Erin, how much she cared for the girl, and how badly she wanted to protect her. Despite Anzu's cold and abrasive outer shell, she had managed to slither her way past Erin's walls. It was a friendship he had never seen coming, and yet here he was watching the two girls embracing each other as if it would the last. Carlos stood there, giving the two of them a few minutes to themselves. He didn't want to but right in, not yet anyway. He understood how badly a much-needed hug Erin needed at the moment.

A few minutes passed before he cleared his throat and place a gentle hand on Anzu's shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to swear on Styx. We know you didn't do it, Erin." His voice was low, almost smoothing. "If we can help in any way, you tell us, okay? You're not alone in this one."

Anzu had buried her face on Erin's dark hair, eyes tightly closed, holding back her own tears. Her hands held Erin tighter when she heard those words. She didn't have to say that; Anzu knew Erin hadn't done shit. She was an innocent woman being put on trial for a crime she had not commit. The more she thought about that, the more Anzu felt the lump on her throat rise and her skin boil. She wanted to scream and curse at the real guilty party, tear them down, and rip their insides for doing this to Erin.

Carlos's hand, cold against her warm shoulder, made her snap out of the trance. The contact made her realize that they had been in this position for a few minutes now. She pulled back slowly and tenderly cupped the sides of Erin's cheeks, using her thumbs to wipe any trailing tears. "We know, we know you didn't do it." Anzu shook her head just a tad, strands of her colored hair falling over now soft gaze.

The gentle touch against her cheeks, ridding her of her tears, and Erin couldn't help it as her gaze drew back up. Her dark eyes rising to meet with the two figures that were stood in front of her. It was something she wasn't sure she was going to get used to- all day she'd had company. From the moment she'd left- no... fled. She'd fled the Big House, and the freak in the attic. And now-...

"..I-..."

But the words were stuck in her throat. It was just-... Why was it so hard..?

Asking for help was supposed to be natural- something that everybody did. And yet, it almost physically pained her to so much as think about it. She knew it was pride. She'd never had such hubris until four years ago, but still. Closing her eyes, her brows furrowed and head angling slightly, showing physically the struggle she was going through over her features, Erin drew in a breath. And letting it out slowly, she tried again. Her voice soft... broken, "..I-... I need your h-help..."

It truly was heartbreaking seeing the two of them like that, especially Erin. Carlos had always seen the daughter of Hades act so distant, and it was no secret that the girl could be a bitch, but now... Now that Anzu had gotten close to Erin and by association, he had grown closer to her as well. Erin didn't deserve this; she already had enough on her plate. Carlos stepped closer, careful not to overwhelm the girl in front of Anzu, and nodded tightly.

"Of course, we'll help you in any way we can." Carlos smiled, "Name the time and place, and I'll be there, right Zu? I'll be your lucky charm." He was trying to lighten up the mood a bit, cheer up the girl and show her that even in situations like this, she couldn't let them get the better of her.

The corner of her lips turning up in the smallest shadow of a half-smile; Erin's soft laugh was more like a scoff as his words hit her ears. It couldn't even be helped. The reaction was involuntary; though she did manage to refrain from rolling her eyes at the irony of it all. Here she was, struggling to even think about asking for help, and he was just offering it up on a silver platter. And he didn't even realize it.

"..how about as soon as possible..?" The words tumbling from her dark lips before she even really thought about them, Erin shifted her gaze. Focusing it more directly on the man standing in front of her, even as her fingers curled over Anzu's side; hands having slipped down as they pulled away from the hug they'd been entangled in, "..packed... and-... and ready to come with me..?"

As soon as Anzu heard the words from Erin's lips, her head turned to look at Carlos. Her lips parted, but no sounds came out. Carlos? But he couldn't leave, not without her. What if - no. It would be selfish of her to try to hold him back. To not allow him to go and stay at her side. Anzu lowered her hands down to her side and away from Erin's face as she fully turned to look at Carlos.

"You'll come back with Erin when this is all over." She already knew the idiot would agree to go with Erin. Carlos wasn't one to shy away from an adventure. Especially one as big as this. "Take care of Erin," Anzu looked at the girl, the tiniest smile ghosting her lips. "You'll have the camp's lucky charm with you." She took Erin's hand with one hand, and with the other, she tucked some of the dark hair behind the girl's ear. "Don't let him get in too much trouble, okay?"

Anzu had a sick feeling in her gut when she said that.

"Yes." Carlos didn't even have to think about it. It had crossed his mind when Erin had, for the first time ever that he knew, asked for their help. While he had thought that she'd be asking Anzu, he was surprised to see Erin turn to him. Anzu was by far a superior fighter than he was. She had been trained since birth, following her family's tradition. At the same time, Carlos was glad that Erin had asked him and not her. He'd come back. He had enough luck in his pocket to know that he wouldn't die out there. Anzu didn't. Despite all of her training and discipline, he was always afraid he would lose her.

"I'll come back, Zu, don't worry." The hand he had resting on Anzu's shoulder gave her a little reassuring squeeze. He'd never forgive himself if he didn't come back. "I'll be a good boy."

"..I promise..."

Nodding her head a little stiffly, the slightly nauseating feeling she'd had earlier in her cabin returning, though this time, she knew it was out of guilt. It was more than clear that Anzu didn't want him going- as much as she put on that front, the girl cared deeply and with every fiber of her being. And knowing that she was the reason behind the worry-... Erin's stomach churned at the thought. Fingers curling, she gave a gentle squeeze of her friend's hand as though in an attempt to reassure her that she'd at least try her best to keep Carlos from getting into trouble. Just another weight to add to the already heavy load on her shoulders.

"..you guys know I wouldn't ask if-..." She let her words trail off. They all knew where she was going with it anyway. She'd just never ask. It was as simple as that.

"Shhh, we know." Anzu caressed Erin's cheek, the smile returning to her lips once more. "It's okay." She had to get over her fears. She didn't want to lose Carlos. She didn't want to lose Erin. Or anyone she so deeply cared about. Anzu took a deep breath, hand moving from Erin's cheek to her shoulder. There were no ill feelings towards the girl in front of her for choosing Carlos. He was the lucky one, after all.

"And you, you better take care of Erin, okay? When she comes back, I better not see a scratch on her." Anzu whipped her head to look at Carlos with her dark eyes. It was a warning to him, too; Carlos wasn't allowed to get hurt. They would have to talk, go over everything and make sure Carlos promised her properly that he would return to her no matter what. Because if he didn't, he'd force either Erin or Spencer to open a portal to Tartarus so she could drag his ass back.

Anzu's eyes soften for a second or two before turning back to Erin."Want to go to Carlos's cabin? Relax a bit before going back over there?" Anzu glanced back at the cabin Erin called home for a second.

He could see it in their eyes. Both of them. Both girls had their own thoughts and feelings bottle up for their own sake. All Carlos could do was put his luck to use and help Erin get that stupid bird and come back. He saw it when Anzu looked at him, and the warning as well. That girl would go through all versions of hell for the people she cared about. Carlos loved that about Zu.

"No hair on Erin's head will be hurt." Carlos chuckled softly, moving his hand to rest on Anzu's lower back. "You're welcome to come over," He nodded, offering Erin a smile.

It was tempting- so fucking tempting. Though even as the thought of accepting the offer entered her mind, it was quickly overshadowed and drowned out by Brandon's familiar voice; echoing the same words that he's said to her before she'd left him to get on packing while she searched out the others.

'Either way, we gotta hurry up and get a move-on, Ren. Time is of the essence.'

Time... it was a bitch. And it was currently working against them.

"..I want to- I really fucking want to... but I can't..." She couldn't believe the words were coming out of her own mouth; and shaking her head lightly, Erin closed her eyes. Heaving out a heavy sigh before her dark gaze returned to the duo before her, "..if-... if I put this off, I'll just end up changing my mind..." Trailing off, she drew her hands back into her body. Once more slipping them into the pockets of the hoodie she'd not long ago 'borrowed' from her childhood friend, "..I should really deal with what's waiting for me in my cabin... D-Do me a favor, though..? If either of you see bolts for brains... tell him to come see me..?"

Nodding, Anzu let Erin pull away. "If we see him, we'll let him know." She took a step back, her back pressing against Carlos's side. It wasn't a surprise that Erin had decided to take Zeru with them on the quest. He was a capable fighter that had the ability to fucking fly. It was pretty much a given that he would be a vital member of the group.

"Go, I'm sure you have a lot of people to talk to." Anzu would have to help Carlos pack, make sure he took enough pair of socks and a toothbrush. Make sure he'd be ready to leave camp when Erin and the rest were ready. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt of her sword tighter at the thought again. She could hear her O bāchan scolding her all the way from Osaka for being so weak.

The hand Carlos had placed on Anzu's back wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer against him as he looked at Erin. "We will. I'll be ready when you are, Erin." He offered the girl a smile and a nod. He was excited, Carlos couldn't help that. He'd be leaving camp in a few hours, and he wasn't necessarily the best at hiding his emotions. And he wanted to show Erin he wasn't afraid of going out there. That wasn't the problem, anyway.


I know the personality isn't completed yet, but I wear I'll get it done sometime soon!
Didn't want to push it back anymore so here he is.



Collab Between @Rodiak & @Pyxis

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The day had started slow for Anzu. She had spent the night out in the cabin's roof, an occurrence that she had developed in the past few years. The night sky, the cool air on her cheeks, and the sound of the trees dancing around her lulled her into a better sleep than her brother's snores. Falling asleep under the same night sky - the same one as the one back home - made her feel like Anzu was back there. Just for a few minutes before sleep took over.

That morning she had woken up to the sun shining down on her face and Ume's tiny teeth nibbling her fingers. After finally managing to shake off the sleep with the help of the sun, Anzu picked up Ume and placed the rat on her shoulder before climbing down the side of the cabin. It was one of those days for her. She had promised Imani and Carlos she'd see them in the arena today and watch Carlos get his ass kicked, but the hole in her chest was too much.

Anzu missed her home. She had been for years now. She had thought that living with so many people would keep her mind busy and preoccupied, but that hadn't been the case. She missed her O bāchan's miso in the mornings, her aunts gossiping by the gardens and her father's oden. Anzu had been planning to visit this summer, but her grandmother had denied her request to visit. She still had much to learn.

After breakfast, Anzu picked up one of the books she had borrowed from Erin a few weeks ago, her swords, and made her way to her spot on the beach. There was a little nook by the side of the cliff, just big enough for two people to sit in. She let Ume sit on her lap as she began to read. The words and taken over her, painting the majestic landscapes and colorful characters into her mind that she had forgotten about everything else. It wasn't until Ume began to get fidgety that she placed her bookmark in the book and decided to make her way back to camp.

Instead of heading to her cabin, she decided to pay someone a little visit. Carlos was probably still in the arena trying to compete for that stupid ring. Anzu took the opportunity to climb in through the window. Her eyes looked over that familiar interior, a place she had spent so much time in that it had become more of her cabin than the one she shared with Tyler. There were little remnants of her all around. One of her hair brushes by the nightstand, a pair of sandals by the door, some of her mugs on the counter, and her second favorite sweater thrown over the couch.

Anzu removed her boots and placed them neatly by the door before walking over to the bed. Immediately Ume jumped off her shoulder and down to it. Anzu did the same, making sure Ume was out of the way as she laid there and stared up at the ceiling. Her mind trying to make sense of the wood patterns on the beams over her until her head began to ache. Still, she continued to stare until she heard the door open.

Carlos took a deep breath before he rolled his eyes one last time at Elias's direction and began to make his way to his own cabin. He wanted to relax for the rest of the day and forget about losing the ring to Pierre. He really had to work on concentrating on one thing at a time. If only he had paid more attention and not messed around like the rest of the campers, he could have won. Too bad his luck didn't make him smarter or sharper. Elias was right, he needed to pay more attention during training.

When Carlos finally arrived at his cabin, he pushed the door open and immediately kicked off his shoes, throwing them against the wall where he didn't see the pair of black boots. He let out a yawn as he stretched and made his way to the cabin's small kitchen. There he opened the mini-fridge and pulled out one of the soda cans. Cherry coke. He was about to take a sip when he noticed the figure sitting in his bed. He jumped, spilling some of the soda on his shirt and the floor.

"Gods! Zu, I thought I was about to get mugged!" He turned around to put down the can and pick up a rag to clean up the spill. Seriously, that girl was a fucking cat. She could sneak into anywhere, and no one would even bat an eye. How the hell did she do it?

"Hey," He finally looked at her, frowning when he saw that distant look in her eyes. Carlos sighed and put down the soda can before making his way to the bed. He looked down at Anzu as he reached down and brushed some of the pink hair out of her forehead. "One of those days?" he knew them all too well. They had been occurring a lot more often. It worried Carlos.

Anzu didn't say anything. Her eyes locked with his for a second before they began to take in his other features: his eyebrows, the warm eyes, the high cheekbones, and strong jaw. That scar on his right eyebrow she had given him the first time they went on a date. Anzu nodded, reaching over to tug his shirt and pulling him down with her. Carlos had been one of the few sources of comfort for her in this place for so long now. He knew her so well, knew her better than she did. He always managed to make her laugh in the most fucked up situations. He knew how to ground her when the panic attacks hit- as rare as those were, he had always been there.

"Ew, you're all wet." Anzu pulled back when she felt the front of his shirt. She glared at the shirt as if it had just insulted her and her family.

"Yeah, wonder how that happened." Carlos rolled his eyes but smiled down at the girl in his bed. He pulled back just enough for him to take off his shirt and throw it to the side. "I didn't see you in the arena." He settled down next to Anzu, turning his body towards her. He already knew where she had been. Carlos didn't mind that Anzu hadn't been there to see him compete. He hadn't won anyway, so that spared him some teasing from the girl next to him.

"Mmm," Anzu wiggled her body closer to Carlos and pressed her forehead against his chest. "Beach. I was in my little hole. Reading." Her hand slipped around his torse and began to draw little circles on his lower back. "Finished the book Erin let me borrow." She already felt so much better. Carlos had always had that effect on her. Make her forget, even for a little while, of her home and how much she missed the Japanese beaches. She pressed her face further into his chest and closed her eyes just a little longer like this.

"When you say 'your little hole,' I really picture something else." Carlos snorted. Anzu should really come up with a better name for her spot on the beach. Calling it her "her little hole" really made minds wonder as to what the hell she was doing. "Call it the Zu Cave, or Super Secret Hideout, oh or call it Awesome Hole- no scratch that one." Gods, Carlos was horrible at coming up with names. The last time he had been allowed to name his team in capture the flag, he had called the group Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies. The funny thing was, they had won, and now that name was written down for everyone to see.

Carlos looked down, watching Anzu relax against him. He always loved seeing her like this. So carefree and relaxed. Unworried of the pressure her family had been putting on her for so long. He understood why he missed them, but he also didn't get why she was so eager to go back. Anzu knew it wasn't safe; she had to. It worried Carlos from time to time that she would finally get fed up with the camp and leave without telling him or her family. Carlos sighed softly as he ran his fingers through the pastel pink of Anzu's hair.

Anzu laughed softly, pressing her lips against the tanned skin in front of her to muffle her laughter. "Shut up, idiot." She pulled back to look at Carlos. "Mr. Team leader of the Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies. I can't believe they let you name the team and lead it." She reached up to gently pinch Carlos's nose playfully. "Idiot." Her voice tender and full of affection. She leaned in, pressing their lips together for a few seconds.

"... Thank you." Anzu sat up, shivers running up her spine from the now missing warmth of Carlos's bare chest. "I should get going. Return the book to Erin before she kills me." She looked around, looking for Ume. The rat was bundled up in Carlos's shirt that he had thrown at the floor. "Dinner at my cabin? I told Tyler it was my turn to cook." She stretched her arms over her head and let out a soft groan as her back cracked.

Carlos had been taken back by the kiss. He hadn't expected it. Just the night before, the two of them had had a fight and an ugly one at that. It had also been the reason why he had been so surprised to see Anzu in his cabin when he first came in. If he had known that this was the reason why he would have kept his mouth shut the night before. "Uh, right." He sat up, looking at Anzu with a frown. "You weren't here to hear it from Mr. D." He reached over and took her hand. He knew Anzu was tougher than she let on, but still... "Erin was blamed for stealing Aphrodite's Dove this morning. Ares blamed her, and she was given a week to get it back."

"What. The. Fuck." Anzu looked back at Carlos. Erin? Seriously? That girl wouldn't steal shit, let alone leave the fucking camp to steal some stupid bird. For Gods sake, that was the dumbest accusation ever. "You're fucking kidding me, right? You got to be. Son of a fuck nugget you're not." But the expression on Carlos's face told her no. He was not kidding. Not one bit.

"Should I go to her? Fuck, she must be freaking out." Anzu pulled her hand back and began to pace in front of the bed. She was worried, rightfully so; she knew Erin wasn't capable of that sort of thing. It was a setup. It was so fucking clear.

Carlos shook his head. It wasn't a good idea for Anzu to head over to Erin right now. "She has people with her right now. Tyler and Kyrin are with her. Some others too." He knew how bad Anzu's temper could get. It was just a matter of time for her to explode in anger and frustration. Better him to bare the front of it than Erin and a bunch of guys. Anzu would probably waste no time and just drag Erin out of camp without mercy.

"We'll go see her when she's calm." Carlos stood up, walking to her and pulling her against his chest again. "We can wait outside if you want." He brushed a hand through her hair, trying to calm her.

Anzu let Carlos wrap his arms around her. She knew he was right, but her hands were already shaking, itching to grab her swords and storm her way to Erin and drag her out to complete that fucking quest. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm down. Carlos was right. Wait until Erin was calm. Wait outside the cabin and make you she was okay.

"Yeah." Anzu nodded, looking at Carlos. "Let's go." She wasted no time as she picked up Ume and walked over to her boots. The rat snuggled closer to her cheek as if trying to comfort her. When she was ready, she adjusted the swords that hung behind her and nodded at Carlos, letting him know she was ready.

Carlos returned the nod once his shoes were on. He opened the door for Anzu and followed close behind her, keeping his eyes on her. He had to make sure she didn't slip again. They made their way past a few other cabins until they made it to Hades' cabin. There he pulled Anzu under one of the trees and away from the sun. There was no need to "You know she's a tough kid, Zu." He reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly. "Have you seen how she sends her hounds after some people? She's got this in the bag."

"I know. I fucking know." Anzu kept her dark eyes on the door. She knew Erin, but that didn't mean she wouldn't worry about the girl. Her fingers gripping Carlos's hand. "I'm still going to worry."
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