bakerstreet | ❄ snowfall

Must've missed it.

[ Truth be told, he hadn't even been looking. Leo can fly a bronze dragon just fine, but cars? They'd never been good on his stomach. He might even be thankful the thing broke down if it wasn't for the weather. ]

[ Natalie knew the ins and outs of driving and offered take the wheel herself (never mind not having a permit or a license). It hadn't even been too difficult, hot wiring the car, but the jalopy couldn't hold out long enough. Of course.

She sighs tiredly and hopes they're not duped by a demon at this rest stop. Her hand brushes the her hidden quiver briefly, as if making sure it's still there. ]

I never hear from my mom and now I have to go on a quest for her.

[ He makes a face. ]

Aren't they all like that? I only heard from my dad once, when I was on that quest a while ago.

[ Fat lot of good that did, too. Praising him for a project from seven years ago? Warnings that were too vague to be useful? Yeah, thanks a lot, Hephaestus. ]

I last talked to my mom when I moved into the new cabin. She was there to oversee the finishing touches.

[ Sometimes she appeared to her in dreams, but sometimes it was hard to tell if it was her or a figment of her own imagination. ]

I think she knew I was going to be a counselor or something. She said to watch the stone above the door.

They explode if they fall, right? Hope we never get an earthquake at camp.

[ All of her kids can; why not the cabin? He's heard rumors, but never seen it, thankfully. ]

[ She snickers. ]

Or turn people nearby into trees. [ So she said. There could be worse consequences. ]

I'm still discovering weird things about the cabin.

Because we don't have enough of those running around already.

[ Seriously, those dryads can be rude. ]

Like what - magic notebooks that attack on sight?

[ Laughs. He's read Harry Potter; he knows how that works. ]

Still working out all the buttons and levers in our cabin, too. And the tunnels. And Bunker 9.

Not yet. [ There's a laugh. ] I could make that happen without Hecate's help.

[ She's about to ask if she can come, but she doesn't exactly want to be caught alone in the cabin with her boyfriend, even if it is to honestly explore. Besides, there's a motel on the horizon. ]

Hey, look.

Remind me to never visit your cabin alone.

[ Leo's face lights up at the sight of it, and he walks a little fast, eager to get out of the snow. ]

About time!

[ She hurries alongside him, picking up the pace because she is one breath away from actually freezing her butt off. ]

Wonder of wonders, it looks normal. [ Natalie comments idly. Time to concentrate on something she's been working on for quite some time. Even if this lasts a minute, it will be worth it. In a few moments, with the usual green glow about her, there's an actual chaperone-looking person behind them, blank-faced but authoritative. ]

So they don't question two kids checking in.

[ He eyes the mistform appraisingly before turning to smile at her. ]

Have I ever told you that you're awesome?

[ The blank face is a little on the creepy side, but it was better than any he'd seen from the other Hecate kids, and she's right. There's no way a motel would let a boy and a girl stay without an adult... and if they do, it's probably not a place either of them want to be staying. ]

Yes, but feel free to keep saying it.

[ The woman follows them both across the snow-filled parking lot. She looks like a cross between her mother (Diana, not Hecate), and a few vague television moms. ]

I'm working on personality. [ She mumbles to Leo as the pushes the door open to a tinkling bell. The mistform follows her to the front desk. ]

Hi. Uh, our car broke down. Got any vacancies?

Not that she needs much just to babysit for a minute.

[ He shrugs and extinguishes his flame before following them both in. The motel doesn't look like anything special, but they only need to ride out the storm. Hopefully the abominable snowman won't get hungry and come after them while they're stuck here. Doesn't look like the place will hold up if it does. ]

Thanks.

[ Within minutes, Natalie's checked them in for the evening. It's pretty old school here, with keys hanging on the back wall. There are only a few taken rooms and apparently theirs has a decent view of the woods in the back.

She privately has a minor freak out because she's actually sharing a room with Leo but pushes that thought to the side when she hands him the second key. ]

[ He'd be lying if he said the idea of sharing a room didn't send his heart racing, just a little, but Leo's doing his best to ignore it. It's easier when they're in the room - a little chilly, but way better than outside - and he flops on the bed, facing the ceiling. ]

Finally, I can stop being a Leocicle!

[ Natalie unzips her parka and flops into her own bed, back to the sliding doors, facing him with her cheek over folded hands. She closes her eyes briefly, still wide awake. She left the mistform at the door, letting their fake chaperone disintegrate while she recharges. ]

They have a pond through the clearing, the lady said.

[ With a snort, he looks over at her with an incredulous expression. ]

We just got here, and you want to go swimming?

[ Natalie snorts and reaches for one of the decorative pillows, chucking it at his arm. ]

Skating. I can fix our shoes to make them safe for the ice. After I rest, anyway, if you want to go.

[ Reflex has Leo moving his arm to block, and it hits with a quiet noise. He laughs. ]

You'll have to teach me.

We've got time for that later. Our deadline is three days from now.

[ Natalie shrugs her coat off and flops onto her stomach, covering her head with her large hood. ] I'd like to have some fun before we get back into finding one of my mom's pets.

[ He makes a face. ]

We've had worse deadlines. One little break can't hurt.

[ Probably. The gods aren't exactly generous. ]

[ Hopefully, when she gets assigned a quest to retrieve demigods herself, it will be in Hawaii or something.

She peeks at him from under her coat, smiling a little fondly before disappearing again. Sustaining her mistform took more energy than she would like to admit. ]

Is there coffee here? Or in your toolbelt?

[ Humming thoughtfully, he reaches into a pocket as a test. When all it produces is a bottle of water, he shrugs and pushes himself up. ]

Guess I have to work for caffeine. Back in a minute.

Take your time, no pressure.

[ Natalie closes her eyes, just her nose peeking out through the fake fur, and dozes off lightly, instantly. It's okay, she can easily snap to attention if needed. ]

[ Snickering quietly, he heads out to ask the lady at the front desk about coffee for Nat. There's a pot simmering behind the counter, and after giving him a cups, she sends Leo back to deliver it to his mom back in the room. His mom. Ha. The mistform didn't even look like him.

Back in the room, he closes the door softly behind him and plops back on the bed, careful not to spill the coffee. It doesn't look very warm, but it's nothing a little fire can't fix. His hands tingle with warmth until the mug starts to steam. Then he waits, keeping the it warm and watching the snow through the window. Sitting still for so long is a challenge, but he doesn't want to spill Nat's coffee or let it get cold again, so he's quiet for now, even when he pulls out a few things for his empty hand to play with. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject