Camp Half-Blood

"Yes, ironic comments that she will only understand later are perfectly acceptable," Adara decided, nodding.

 

"I'll have to think of some good ones. Hmm..." Their voice trails off as they think. "Hey, Adara, isn't garnet a type of ruby?"

 

"You know, I...I honestly don't know," Adara admitted. "I...I think so?" She frowned, trying to remember. "I know ruby and sapphire are both types of corundum..."

(gem nerd.)

 

"Okay, I don't even know what you're saying anymore. I will have to research my clever jokes. Ah, yes, breakfast!" Jack headed for the food.

 

Adara rolled her eyes. "That was like, barely even scratching the surface of my knowledge about gems! But in any case, food is good." She grinned and followed Jack, grabbing some eggs and bacon and then getting a seat at her table. She looked around for Larkspur as she went back to fetch some tea, before returning to her table, having not found the other girl. She waited for Jack to get their food, sipping her tea.

 

"It's still early. She's probably doing, you know, plant things." Jack has returned with a stack of pancakes as big as their head.

 

"How did you even know--never mind. Are you sure you're going to be able to eat all th--on second thought, never mind on that one too. I have seen you eat that many pancakes before, I don't know why I was even concerned," Adara said, sipping her tea again and motioning for Jack to sit down. "Auden here yet?"

 

"He's a writer," Jack said, as if that explained everything. "I'm sure he'll be around later."

 

Adara looked at Jack in silence for a few moments, then said, "You know that explains nothing, right?"

 

"Oh. They don't sleep properly. It takes forever for them to wake up. It's a writer thing." They frown. "Maybe just a creative-person thing. I knew a painter, once, she couldn't wake up before noon. I kept - you know what, it doesn't matter. Point is, he'll be here eventually."

 

"Okay, fair enough. It sounds like a creative-person thing," Adara decided, "and I am generally not super creative." She picked up a piece of bacon and started eating it.

 

Jack dug into the pancakes eagerly. "Ymm mml," they started, then swallowed. "You know, I think I could make a pond to skate on, if I could get enough water in one place."

 

Adara blinked at the gibberish, then shrugged. "Might be fun. We'd have to find or make the pond, though. Not sure how we'd make a pond."

 

"Doesn't have to be a pond, really. Just has to be thick enough when I freeze it. I wonder if my old skates still fit." Skating was just what you did when you lived up north, and it was really the only think Jack missed about life before Camp Half-Blood. "You'd help me, right?

 

Adara nodded. "Sure, why not, but I've never skated in my life and do not have skates, so I'll probably just chill on the sidelines."

 

"You don't know how to skate?" Jack claps a hand over their mouth in mock outrage. "I'll have to teach you. You don't have a choice, you have to learn."

 

"Of course I don't know how to skate, my mom..." Adara trailed off, paused, realizing what she'd almost said, then finished, "....didn't really like skating. Anyway, I'd love to learn, but I'll probably be terrible." She grinned at Jack. "And you will have to put up with that, as my teacher!"

 

"I already put up with it as your friend," Jack pointed out. "But it's fine. I love you anyway." They go back to eating outrageous amounts of food.

 

Adara grinned. "Of course you do, how could you not, I'm just so lovable." She proceeded to nibble on a second piece of bacon. "How do you eat so much, though, seriously, where does it all go? Are you just a black hole?"

 

"Yes," Jack said seriously. "You'd better keep a safe distance, or you'll get pulled in." They poked at Adara's plate with their fork and pulled out a short strip of bacon. "Like this, see?" They popped it in their mouth and grinned at Adara.