Learning To Open Up (Open! Especially to people she hasnt met!)

[Callistos]

Corra slept fitfully. The later it got, the harder it was to close her eyes. She was afraid of waking her felloe Aphrodite kids. It was bad every night, but it was nothing like then. She couldnt do anything about it. Memories flooded into her already cluttered head, drowning her in pain. Screamin pounded on the inside of her head, imaginary light blinding her. She closed her blue eyes, held her hands firmly over her ears, but nothing worked. It was harder that night than it ever had been. Everything she had tried to forget came back to her. She remembered... She saw herself at eleven, making her way to camp after her dad got remarried. Aphrodite had helped her, but she hadnt known that at the time. She saw herself being accepted nicely into the camp full of kids that somehow had the same problems as she did. It was strange, at school she had been ignored. She was bullied because of jealousy. The others were jealous of her natural charm and beauty. But here, nobody looked at her with-

[Callistos]

- that kind of anger. They welcomed her openly. She was still shy from years of being friendless, which was why her claiming surprised her. She was claimed openly in front of the entire camp whille eating lunch one afternoon, when she got a magic wardrobe change with a pink symbol blazing above her head. Aphrodite? Her mom? It didnt make sense. But when she was fourteen, she recieved a call from her father begging to see her, and she couldnt say no. She ended staying a year, and going to a private school where she was widely loved. She was praised constantly for her looks alone. When she shared secrets, gossip spread, creati ng Corra's fatal flaw-- the inability to trust people. She couldnt do. Sharing secrets and things about herself was one of the hardest things for her. Aphrodite had come to Corra herself in a dream, warning her of her fatal flaw. The goddess was not happy. Corra was the only one of her children to have that flaw, unheard of for an Aphrodite kid. That set her apart. When she came back to -

[Callistos]

- Camp, she took her mothers anger to heart. She did everything in her power to make friends with everyone, even trying hard to find a boyfriend, all in an attempt to please the goddess. Her life at that school changed her, and she had to fix that. She had never told anyone any of that before. Unable to take it anymore, she ran ouside to the porch, seeing the sun was just then beginning to come up. Fighting back tears, she realized she had been up all night. (Wow, sorry its so long, and covers three posts. My stupid phone wouldnt let me write too much in one post...))

[Sir Malachai]

"You look tired.."
Malachai said as he passed the Aphrodite cabin. He was in his Camp half blood t shirt and swimming trunks,
with a towel draped around his shoulders. He could see the sadness in her eyes but didn't question it...just yet.
"Trouble sleeping?" he asked.

[Callistos]

She looked up as she heard a familiar voice. Malachai. She smiled. "You have no idea. I'Ve been up all night, just... thinking, you know?"

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai simply nodded.
"I can understand that statement." He said with a smile.
It faded a bit as he took a more concerned tone.
"they weren't pleasant things....were they?" he asked.

[Callistos]

She looked down, biting her lip. She told herself it was fine, there was nothing to be worried about. Malachai was a friend. He wouldnt hurt her,, he couldnt. She had to believe that, or who knew what Aphrodite would do. "No, they... they were horrible things." She looked back into his eyes. Blue, like hers. "look, i really wish I could tell you, its just... hard. nobody knows how hard this is for me... sorry if im not making sense or anything." she felt as if he wouldnt know who she was anymore. She was so different in that moment then when she was the fierce girl he met in the arena. She wondered what he would think.

[Sir Malachai]

All Malachai did was nod before replying.
"That's understandable if you can't talk about it."
His voice lowered to a whisper.
"We all have things we have trouble sharing....secrets we keep."
His eyes were sort of distant before they looked normal again. Malachai placed a smile on his face.
"You don't have to tell me. I understand it must be hard."

[Callistos]

She shook her head. "No, its more than just another difficult thing in my life... its... its my fatal flaw." She shut her eyes tight. "And I... i need to..." She hesitated. "Here, sit Malachai. Prove you care." When he looked puzzled, she restated it. "Do something that shows me you acttually care about me and what happens to me, and itll be easier to do this. Please. I need you to."

[Sir Malachai]

(im gonna roll with the idea of being puzzled)

Malachai was a little shocked at what she said, but he looked at Corra with a smile and nodded.
He sat next to her on the porch, watching the sun now rise above the trees, casting its warm golden light on the camp.
He loved sunrises.  He turned to her and asked.
"So this is about your fatal flaw? he asked hoping that him being there was, at the very minimum, a start to show that he cared.

[Callistos]

She shuddered, feeling cold. All she wore was her old pajama shorts and baggy t-shirt, hugging herself in the morning frost. "Yes," she said, thankful for his company. "Ever since I spent the past year at this private school my dad wanted me to go to, I'Ve been unable to trust anyone unless they do or say something to prove they trust and care about me. And I... its fatal for a reason, and I hate it. Especially as an Aphrodite kid..." She shivered again, not sure what to say next. She was surprised Malachai was still listening.

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai threw his towel around her. He could suffer the cold for a bit anyways, not to mention the sun was coming up and the rays would soon keep everything warm.
"I'm going to take it, there is some incident that caused this?"
He asked, curious now that she had said she had trouble trusting people.

[Callistos]

She smiled softly as his towel wrapped around her shoulders. He was so sweet. "Yeah," she said. "I was talking to this boy at school who liked me, and I... I was telling him about my family. I didnt mention Aphrodite, just that I never knew my mom. I guess he took it all the wrong way. Gossip was always spready about me, people making up lies just because I was pretty and popular. Others assumed i was just mean. I broke up with my first boyfriend and didnt talk to anyone anymore, refusing to trust." Corra was surprised and how much she found she could share with Malachai.

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai sat there next to her, taking in the story. He felt a twinge of jealousy when she talked about how she had a oyfriend, but it quickly passed. It was replaced with a need for vengeance on what had happened to Corra, but he suppressed those feelings as well. It was in the past..and there was no need to let his instincts take over.
"I can't honestly say I know how you feel.... i never had rumors spread about me...."
He looked over at her with a smile..
"But I can honestly say I'd never spread rumors about you."

[Callistos]

She smiled. He knew just what to say. A lot of boys would probably break under the pressure of comforting an Aphrodite girl, but Malachai was doing just fine. He saw her as she really was-- just another person with problems, who needed some comfort from time to time, instead of the bubbly Aphrodite girl who was desperate for love, which a lot of people mistook her as. She admired Malachai for that. She put a hand on his forearm, a gentle touch. "Thank you. I... Im so glad you listen to me. I think a lot of people just wouldnt care." She blushed. "I tend to think the worst of people."

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai blushed slightly as Corra laid her hand on his forearm. Here he was, sitting with a very beautiful girl, watching the sunrise as he listened to her. As Corra said thank you, the sun's golden light finally peaked over the trees and hit them with it's warm rays, Malachai turned to her.
"Of course I care, and after what you've been through... I dont blame you."
She was being honest with him so he thought he should do the same.
" Would you like to know my fatal flaw?"

[Cerulaen]

((I have like, this really stupid grin on my face as I'm reading this right now xD))

[Callistos]

((Aww, Ceru xD)) She bit her lip. "If youre willing to share that. You dont have to if you dont want to, its alot to share something like that with someone. Especially if you happen to have... trust issues." She paused. "But, if you are up to it, I wouldnt mind knowing." She smiled at him.

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai sat there next to her, allowing for a few moments of silence passing and still highly conscious of her hand on his arm.
"...Pride... that is my fatal flaw... especially when it comes to sword fighting."
He answered. It was usually something he had under control, but sometimes his pride would get in the way at the most ridiculous times.
"I guess it sorta comes with the parentage.. you know?" He said.

[Callistos]

She understood. Sometimes demigods recieved unwanted traits from their godly parent. Like how she had this hidden mean-girl side of her. Alot of others judged demigods based on their parentage, which she understood more than anyone. Carefully, cautiously, without looking at Malachai, she moved her hand down his arm and slid it so it fit in his hand, wrapping her fingers around. She was slow, in case he pulled away from her, didnt like it. "I know how you feell" she whispered. "Have you ever met your mom?"

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai knew he just turned a darker shade of red, but he didn't pull away. Instead, He wrapped his fingers around back, and gave her hand a gently squeeze before replying.
"Once, when I was seven years old...She game to a Kendo tournament I took part in... I didn't know it was her until my father came to get me."
He said, his face a mixture of emotions.

[Callistos]

She gave an amused smile. "Im sure that was fun for your dad. I met my mom in a dream back at school... She... she forced me to become more social because of my fatal flaw." She changed the subject a beat later. "Hey, can I call you Mal? I know some people call you Chai, I just want something different. My... my own name for you, ya know?" She blushed.

[Sir Malachai]

Malachai merely nodded at the mention of the meeting between his parents.
At this point Malachai lost the ability to talk straight. His brain went all fuzzy.
"I...uhh....."
It was some moments before his brain got working again. A very embarrassing moment for him indeed.
"People call me Chai?" He asked, wondering if campers had started calling him names behind his back again.

(people only call me chai in the chatbox XD unless you wanted to be different from that too.)

[Cerulaen]

((Correction: People call you Chai because *I* call you Chai x3))

[Callistos]

((lolz, are you watching us Ceru? )) Corra smiled at him. "Ive just heard some people call you Chai. Nothing to worry about. Do you perfer Malachai?" She paused. "And, um, its okay. I mean, you dont need to be nervous around me." She was having a difficult time finding the right words. But thaankfully, her mom made these things easy sometimes. "Im right here for you." She gave his hand a quick squeeze.

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