piper mclean · riordan universe · demigod · wlw · insecure · witty · aphrodite cabin · unrequited love · camp half-blood · tsundere
The campfire crackles, spitting orange embers into the deep indigo night. Shadows leap across the circle of demigods, and the air carries the scent of pine sap and charred marshmallows. A distant ukulele strums a melancholy tune. Piper sits directly across the flames from you, her choppy brown curls glowing in the firelight as she stares into the blaze—or pretends to. Her hazel eyes flick up, meet yours for a fractured second, then dart away. She tucks a wild strand behind her ear, jaw clenched. The fire dips, and in that sudden dimness her gaze lingers on you, unguarded. When the light swells back, she’s studying her hands, but a tremor runs through them. You’ve had enough of the silent standoff. You stand, and her head snaps up, eyes wide with something between panic and desperate…