Masterpiece Theatre || James

[Charlotte Low]

Charlotte's always loved music, it was everything to her for the longest time but lately she couldn't seem to find any notes that would make her happy. All her muse was gone, she had plenty to write of, but whenever she wrote it wasn't to form meaningful lyrics. It was all broken in her mind, they didnt mix together for some reason. She decided the best thing to do would be for her to clear her head and take a walk.

Somehow she ended up in the fields. She had not idea how or why but it was peaceful and the crisp late fall air made it all worth the walk. Even in the harsher weather the plants still thrived, no doubt due to the Demeter and Dionysus kids. Ah, Dionysus. She looked around, she could pretty much envision where John had tried to ask her out. Her and Harper wandering the fields as she worked and she kept her company. Chasing her siblings around in the summer heat.

She smiled and looked up at the sky before finding a near by tree and sitting down. It was hard to imagine all the things that had changed in the last years but she knew it wasn't over. She started to write, forming her memories good and bad into what she felt and knew. It was her past, her memories. It was her own Masterpiece

[JAMES BEHR]

And there she was.

James glanced up to the hill to see Charlotte wandering among the strawberries, looking like an angel with the sunglow and the strawberries complimenting her. He watched for a moment, not realizing that he had stopped in the middle of a sparring lesson. His coach said his name and he flipped around, smiling with embarrassment. They finished their set and he was free to go.

The question was, should he go back to his cabin or go talk to her? He glanced around for some support, someone to give him a clue as to what to do. No one really even noticed him standing there. He took a deep breath, then headed toward the strawberries.

What was he supposed to say? 'I was in the neighborhood?' Oh Gods, what was he doing?

It was too late to turn back when he realized he was making a big mistake. He was already almost to the tree where she sat. He bit his lip, turning to look into the bright sun before glancing back at her to speak. "Got a lot on your mind, Char?"

[Charlotte Low]

Its funny how word blocks worked. Charlotte just drifted in her own thoughts, trying to find one word after another. Needless to say it didn't work and just ended up with her getting lost in her own subconscious. So lost she hadn't even noticed the boy that walked up next to her. She didn't jump, but she did shoot her head over at where the noise had come from. Oh it was James. At least she was pretty sure it was James.

She had been around long enough to know about the infamous doppelgangers. Him and another kid, Theodore or something like that, looked exactly alike. She usually could only tell the difference between the time of the year it was at camp and their mannerism. Whenever she saw James he looked like a small, over excited puppy.

"Oh hey." she said simply, giving the boy a small smile. "Sorta, just thinking really. What brings you out here?"

[JAMES BEHR]

Even though the smile was smile, it still made James feel warm in his cheeks. Get it together, James, he told himself. He was hoping that she recognized him, and didn't think it was his doppleganger that he had still yet to be at camp at the same time with. He didn't know what kind of relationship she had with the guy...

"Thinking is good. For your brain," what a stupid thing to say! He shook his head, nervously chuckling for a second before moving to sit on the ground in front of her, knees bent and elbows wrapped around them. "Just needing some air, I guess. Are you... everything okay?"

[Charlotte Low]

Charlotte watched as he sat down in front of her and spoke. His phrasing of words made her laugh slightly. She felt the same way when it came to forming words right now. The more she looked at him the more she didn't understand how people mistook the two boys. They may look alike but they are act extremely different. "Yeah that's why I came out here too. I needed to just clear my head."

Was she okay? Physically yes. Psychologically? That thought made her stop for a second. She smile half slipped from her face, barley enough to notice. "I've been better." she said simply, her own mind keeping her for preying on those thoughts for too long. "How are you though James?" she asked simply. They've never really talked before but she was still polite.

[JAMES BEHR]

'To clear my head'. That was a much more logical way of saying what he had been trying to say. As her smile started to slip away he regretted asking the question. He didn't want to make her upset about anything. But then he had to remind himself that it wasn't his fault. She had other stuff going on. "I'm okay. I just... anyway," he had really dug himself into a hole this time. He started this conversation, and they barely knew each other.

"Listen, I know I'm probably interrupting some soul searching I just... like to help, I guess," gaaaaah, he was so dumb!

[Charlotte Low]

Though she didn't fully understand why James cut himself off, Charlotte knew there was more behind it. She knew that from experience. That not being able to say what you want or what you think feeling. It was always in the back of her head. She just nodded as he cut himself off, not prying on whatever thoughts didn't make it out of his head.

The next thing he said is what truly made her stop for a second and think. "like to help". He had said it so simply, like it was just something floating in the back of his head this entire time. The last few months had been hard on the girl. Coming back to her friends mostly gone, her Best friend leaving, punching her in the face, leaving and coming back. She had guys flirting with her that wouldn't leave her alone, people she barley talked to, siblings that only saw her as the boss. Yet he just wanted to help. He had no hidden agenda( that she knew of), no reason to help. Yet he wanted to. She smiled, a fully real smile. "I'd like that." she said, he face filled with that smile. Maybe he couldn't help now, but maybe soon he could.

[JAMES BEHR]

As she smiled, a full blown smile that lacked no sincerity, he found himself smiling just as genuinely back. He nodded, "well, good. Good," he said with a happy chuckle trying to escape his lips, but he held it back. He was just glad to see her smiling. She hadn't smiled in a long time, he could tell. He had noticed, obviously. He always noticed. His heart was always sending her good thoughts, even though she didn't notice. It was okay though. It was almost easier pining after her from a distance than sitting here talking to her.

"You know, they say the best way to feel better is to eat something. It's true," he said, glancing around them to pick on of the ripest strawberries, holding it up to her with a bit of a pleading look in his eye.

[Charlotte Low]

Without a doubt James was one of the strangest people she had ever met. Charlotte never talked to him much before this, she was always either with John or Harper, or would be to busy with her cabin to give him more than a wave. Suddenly she regretted all of that by the sheer warmth coming off the smile that he gave her. It made her entire body feel warm, well warmer than normal. Spontaneous combustion had to be close due to how warm she was inside.

“Makes sense, i don’t see how anyone can be sad when they are eating food” She chuckled lightly as she watched him pick up a nearby berry. She carefully took the berry, not noticing how their fingers brushed. She took a bite trying her best not to make a mess of herself. It was no surprise it was perfect. Considering all the care the cabins put into the berries they were next to perfection. She looked around her before plucky one off the bush and pointing it towards the boy in front of her “Your turn.”

[JAMES BEHR]

He nodded as she agreed with him and smiled as she took the berry from him. He tried not to notice her finger gracing his, but he did. It was only the second time that they had ever touched, at least that he could remember. They were very young and he had helped her up from a fallen sparring match, or maybe she had tripped... he couldn't remember exactly. He could only remember her soft skin in that moment.

As she offered him a berry he took it, almost careful not to touch her this time. He took a bite and it was flawless, obviously, bred by the Gods and all. As was Charlotte, of course. He smiled when he was finished. "See? I bet you feel better now," he hoped.

[Charlotte Low]

Charlotte looked down at the half eaten strawberry and smiled to herself slightly. She did feel better. She had been spending so much time dwelling on the larger picture of her life; her mom dispersing, Harper, John, the attacks and the hardships. She never stopped to think about moments like these. Sitting and enjoying a nice day with good company. This was more her masterpiece than the rest of it.

"I do." she said looking back at James smiling. "Thank you." James was, he was something else, anyone could tell that but still. Charlotte felt bad for not realizing it sooner. "Thank you for wanting to help." she said eating the other half of her strawberry. "Believe it or not you are one of the first to try to." And gods was she over it. Colt hitting on her, her siblings, she was always on guard or in charge. This was the first time she let her guard down in a while.

[JAMES BEHR]

He nodded simply as she thanked him, but frowned as she claimed that he was the first one to try and help her. He had seen it, though. Seen her life falling apart and no one going to comfort her. He hadn't seen all of it, of course, but he knew enough. He wasn't blind to her, not in the least. He blinked, leaning forward slightly, "no one deserves to deal with hardships on their own. I mean, I've had my fair share," he added with a little shake of his head, "I don't want anyone to go through that. Not even you. So," he lifted another strawberry, offering it to her, "consider this your... 'strawberry fields' therapy. If you ever need to calm down, talk to someone or just have a good laugh this is where we'll meet. What do you think?" he raised an eyebrow at the girl. It wasn't hitting on, wasn't a trick. HE just wanted what was best for her.

[Charlotte Low]

No where in her mind did Charlotte thing that James could fix her problems. They were more complicated and they were her own burden to bare. That doesn't mean he couldn't be a shoulder to lean on. Heck, anyone that was willing to support her right now was something that she'd welcome. "'strawberry fields' therapy huh?" she said with a small smile playing off her face. Yeah, she could work that into her schedule. She wanted to work it in. James was sweet and seemed to actually care what she thought. She looked down at the strawberry in his hand, before looking back up at him. James was a character all right. Someone who had just never made it fully onto her radar before this, that was some thing she regretted now.

She looked down at his hand and put her hand on his, not taking the berry yet. "I think I'd love that." She said, giving a slight giggle and a smile before taking the berry in her hands. She leaned back so she was laying on the ground and looked up at the sky shinning through the trees. It was warm even now in the colder winter months. "Do you ever think that they know how it all plays out? Or are they just as blind to the fates as we are?" She asked, mostly to the air but also to the boy next to her, still turning the berry in her hand as she did.

[JAMES BEHR]

As she agreed to the idea, he felt his heart beat a thousand times per second. This was really happening. Okay. And he was brave enough to suggest it. That was a miracle in and of itself. He nodded, "perfect. It's official then. I am now your therapist," he chuckled. As she lifted a strawberry, leaning back into the field, he took a second to breathe and show all his emotions on his face.

Happiness, confusion, worry, exhilaration, love, especially love. Not that he was 'in love' with her per say, but that he felt a caring for her well being. That was important in a friendship, especially one that was just starting out. And she hadn't said she liked the idea. NO, she said she loved it. That meant this would be a good thing for her. For them. For him.

He snapped back to the present as she asked her question then sighed, shifting to lie down beside her. "In all honesty? I think they're more clueless than we are sometimes. They have the whole world to worry about whereas we only have our own paths, our little camp. They can't focus on it all. Plus, they're too busy making more siblings and cousins for us," he rolled his eyes with a light chuckle.

[Charlotte Low]

Regardless of who he was, James was something special. Charlotte didn't know why he was so willing to help, but she was glad he was. After all, the first step to getting help was admitting you needed help right? Charlotte gave a soft laugh as he laid down next to her and smiled at him. "Alright Dr. J." she joked before closing her eyes slightly and listening to him. Just as clueless as them? Well. She smiled slightly and shook her head. "Thats the last thing we need is more siblings and cousins. " she said jokingly as she looked over at him. 

"Our little camp." she said shaking her head. "Our little camp is getting crowded. Sometimes  I wish that they had the answers though, maybe at least someone would then"