I don't own pj's world
Clarisse sigh and dropped her pen in the table with frustration, seeing as it rolled all over the table until it reached the border and fell. She had been working in her assignment about the second world war for what seemed like ages, but there was still 13 pages waiting to be written.
The fact that she had to write it on with a pen- instead of a computer like every other person did in her college- didn't help with her mood at all.
Stupid technologic and whoever decided that it should attract monsters.
She stretched out to pick up the pen again- after all the assignment was for the end of the week and wouldn't write itself- when the sound of footsteps outside caught her attention.
Her hand immediately reached for the knife in her belt, but her fingers frozen, barely touching it, as the sound of keys came of the other side of the door.
She closed her eyes for a second and breathed out. Even after three months of a well-known routine, and knowing by heart Chris's schedule, she couldn't put back her instincts even for a second, no after a whole life training. Monsters attacking them randomly now that they were outside the barrier didn't make things better, either.
She just wished she could have a brief once in a while. A day off, or something.
Seeing Chris coming in, she knew the luck was not by her side.
The first thing that Clarisse noticed was the bandage in his right arm, covered with a big bloodstain. Then, his pale face, and the hole in his pants.
She didn't look for any more details- practically jumping from her site, she hurried to help him reach the nearest chair, taking her bag in her way.
She looked for the emergency supplies she has always there and sitting in front of Chris she started to unwrap the bandage, revealing a cut from his elbow to his wrist. It wasn't really deep but has obviously made him lost a lot of blood.
She started washing the injury with nectar and was half away of wrapping it again when she finally asked what has happened.
"Cyclops. 2 of them." He stretched trying to reach her bag with his other arm without success while he was explaining. Absently, still concentrated in the bandage and his words, she gave it a soft pull with her feet so he could catch it. Rising it he rummaged until he found a packet with ambrosia. "They were kids, practically babies, but they take me by surprise in the way back home."
Finish with the bandage, she let his arm and looked at him, frowning. Cyclopses were not a strange thing in Arizona. Actually, they were everywhere with no real reason- maybe their preference for fire made they like hot weather too*- but the Cyclopses weren't the problem.
"You didn't check your supplies" It wasn't a question, but a statement. For her, It was pretty obvious, since the last time she makes Chris check them, he had only a few pieces of ambrosia and no nectar. He told her that he was going to replenish them later from their major supply in the apartment.
That was three weeks ago, and they were supposed to check them every week. If Chris didn't have ambrosia with him before was because he didn't check what he has run out of and replenish it.
Chris gave her a small sorry-for-messing-up smile and looked around, the pile of books and paper catching his attention.
"Oh, are you still doing that? How is goin'?"
She raised an eyebrow at what has to be the worst intent to change the subject that her boyfriend has ever done. Ignoring her gesture he took a book from the pile.
"'Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission**" he read "Just one more time, why exactly are you studying History?"
"Because is the only course that the only university that would accept both of us has that I liked. And is Military History***, no just 'History'. It not the same." She winced, her voice had come out more aggressively that she would like. She didn't mind using it with anyone else, but using it with Chris was something different, even if it was no her intention to.
"Uhum" he turned page after page, not really looking at them for a while before putting the book down and look at her again.
"You look kinda stressed" He didn't even look offended by her tone. He never did.
Contrary, he knew that it was a hint of her being upset, or tired. Or, just like in this case, of her stress. And he always tried to speak in a soft tone himself, knowing that telling her off for something like that will just make her feel attacked, and led to a fight.
He had seen it happen too many times with other campers and experienced it himself when they first meet, back when they were kids.
In the other hand, showing her that he didn't care or blame her for it give her the confidence enough to try to put her feelings in another way that doesn't end in any kind of argument.
With a sigh she passed her hand through her hair, taking off her bandana and starting to put it on again mechanically.
"Is just...that stupid assignment" she puckered her nose in disgust "Don't get me wrong, I don't have nothing against the topic, I swear, but there's so much that mortals don't know. I have to go between mortal's book again and again so I would write something that they don't know yet.
I can't even write about the real reason behind its start or put the big three's oath! It's...irritating"
Chris knew what she is talking about. It had happened to him, too.
Camp has a lot of books, all of them in greek, that were translations of mortal's book or written by demigods themselves about all the topics a person could think- he has found from normal science textbooks to one about how to pet a Hydra- so they had borrowed some to study.
It has made things easier, without having to struggle with dyslexia. But, before they finish every assignment they'd have to check them with their normals textbooks, as there was a lot of information that was impossible to prove to mortals, and therefore, not valid to put in their work.
It was impractical, irritable and totally frustrating, really.
So he stands up and smiling to her he extends his good arm:
"Then let's take a break. You can finish it later. It's almost the time of dinner, anyway."
She hesitates, giving to her books a quick look, but she finally takes his hand with a groan.
"I can definitely do some food"
Chris woke up with a moan.
He has rolled over his bad arm during the night on his sleep, apparently, and, even with the nectar and ambrosia of the other day, it was numb and every intent to move it hurt.
A purple, almost black bruise spread from a few inches below his shoulder, there where one of the Cyclops has grabbed him.
Dressing sounded like an impossible mission but he pushed himself over it. He could hear the sound of the shower so he led himself to the kitchen to prepare coffee for them both.
It was quite a routine now; she got up first, and while she was taking a shower he'd start making breakfast, that'd be finished by Clarisse, while it was his time into the bathroom. They prepare their things for the college the night before, in order to not lose more time, and they can leave right after their quick breakfast.
Just that this time he was taking back because of his injury, and it was starting to irritate him.
He was known for being fast, and for his skill in the battlefield gained after so much years training with Clarisse and her siblings.
He was used to the pain after a workout, the muscle pain, being tired, and all that that makes him lose his fluency...but this was different. Being unable to do anything with normality because an injury made him feel like a big fool.
So when he retched the bathroom and tried to shave the one-week beard that has started to grow during his tests, but cut himself instead, he loses it.
He dropped the razor on the sink with more force than the necessary and looked at the mirror were a frowning young man returned his look with frustration.
"Chris?" Clarisse's worried voice came from the kitchen. He didn't answer, still looking at the mirror, seeing the blood come out of the small scratch until she appeared in her sight "Everything alright?"
Her eyes went from him still frowning, to the razor and back at him and the cut.
"Everything is not alright" she decided. She went through the room and took some toilet paper to handle it to him. He took it and press it through his face with a sigh.
"I'm so tired" he confessed in a whisper, reluctant, while resting his head on her shoulder. He didn't like to tell her that he wasn't getting as much sleep as he was supposed to do. She already knew that and was doing everything she could to change it, even when she wasn't getting it, either. But sometimes he couldn't handle it anymore. "And this arm is not helping"
"I know, I know" Clarisse scratch his hair absently and he closed his eyes. The first time that he remember her doing it was while they were in the woods, after the titan war. They had sat under a tree, trying to spend some time alone when he decided to just lay on her lap, and to his surprise, she didn't say anything but move her hand to play with his hair.
He just stood there, seeing her with curiosity until she realized what she was doing and, blushing, stopped speaking and retire her hand.
She explained to him later, her eyes refusing to meet him, that she used to do it while he was in the basement. After that and some persuasion from Chris, it became a normal thing.
Now, he remained silent, trying to breathe out the frustration.
When she spoke again, her tone was soft and warm in the way that her voice always was when she was trying to calm down someone.
"Do you want me to do it? Shave you, I mean"
He opened his eyes at that and looked at her, curious "Do you know how to do it?"
She smirked, "My brothers always get injured. You'd be surprised by the things I had made for them while they were at the infirmary"
That made sense. Totally sense, actually.
"Ok, then" he shrugged and reached for the razor again. While he handled it to her he saw that he has smeared the shaving cream all over her shoulder and he grimaced "Sorry for that, by the way"
Clarisse glanced at her shoulder and made a derogatory gesture with her hand " I'll just change later. Now, pass me that"
She took the razor and the creme to apply there where it was necessary. Chris sit down on the toilet, closed his eyes and let her turn his head to the light.
It was quite an experience.
He had never had anybody to shave him after- well, with him conscious of it, he realized, as someone has had to shave him while he was insane.
He had never really thought about it, but now, feeling her firms, but yet soft hands in his face, moving with an unexpected dexterity he wondered if her brothers where the only one that she has shave before.
But, if she hadn't mentioned it before, he was not going to bring it now.
"There"
He opened his eyes again at the sound of Clarisse's voice. He thanked her before he stands up and walks toward the sink to wash his face. He winced at first, remembering why Clarisse has to intervene before, but he still washed and dried his face on his own.
He inspected the result in the mirror, passing a hand over his chin.
"Smooth," He said, smiling.
She rolled her eyes and made her way out of the bathroom.
"Breakfast is on the table, I'm going to change"
He waited for a second, just standing there, and then he called her:
"Clarisse?, I'm really mean it. Thanks"
Her 'I know' came from someplace on their bedroom, and Chris could have sworn that he had heard a smile on her voice.
Laughing he made his way out, too.
This was just going to be another no-too normal day for them, apparently.
*Just a headcanon. In my head it makes sense, I swear it.
**Real book. I haven't read it, I just google for some 2WW books and that one caught my attention…
***I did my research: Arizona University does not offer courses or a degree in that specific area. Or at last that is what I found after looking in their web site- for a moment I thought they did, but then I found that I was looking in Arizona State University's web as well, which, apparently, is not the same University.
But let pretend they offer it, for the sake of the story.
(If you has information that proves otherwise...you know what to do)
Also, I has always think in Clarisse like the type of Ares's daughter that read book about wars, even if is just to no make the same mistake in a battlefield or to look for new strategies,so, yeah, a degree in military history is what Clarisse is supposed to be doing in this story.
Bunch of headcanons here, and you don't imagine how much time this one took to be done. I think that I started a month ago...?
Anyway, I hope you have had a good valentine day, and if you didn't, I hope this day will be better (actually, to you all, have a great day today!)