this is what hell looks like (open|Harper)

[jethro midgin]

It was cold. Way too cold.

And he could move his arms... branches? What was that about? What... oh no...

He was dead. He remembered dying. He remembered jumping in to save the his best friend, Harper, and feeling himself die, turning into bark and leaves.

He new he was starting to hyperventilate, he could feel his throat closing in around him.

What time was it? The sun was either barely rising or barely setting. He couldn't tell.

He stepped out of the trees, tree, his tree, he was no longer a tree... he was standing at the edge of the forest and facing Camp Half-Blood.

Someone had brought him back from the dead.

Someone had brought him back from the heaven of Satyrs and Nymphs.

Back to this hell.

---

Harper Jones (and whoever else you want in! Maybe Char or Cail or whoever)

[Harper Jones]

When was the last time Harper saw Jethro? His tree? Far too long. Physically? Even longer. Had she even gone to see him once she came back from camp? She couldn't remember. Everything was just blurring together. And with her life seeming to be a giant chaotic mess since she got back, maybe it was time to pay him a visit. To get some clarity out of all this. Jethro was the logical and sane one out of the two of them. Maybe his tree would provide some guidance. Or maybe tell her to stop making out with so many guys.

So she started to head towards the forest, but she paused when she saw and outline among the trees. A way too familiar outline. Harper stopped in her tracks as she looked at him wide-eyed. "Oh my gods..." she whispered to herself. This couldn't be. It had to be a joke. She watched him die in front of her eyes. She watched him turn into that laurel tree that she planted in the forest. And here he was standing just a little bit in front of her. "J-Jethro?" she called out as her voice shook.

[jethro midgin]

Jareth knew that voice... but he felt like his eyes were still adjusting. "Har-" he started, but his voice was incredibly raspy from not being used for so long. He coughed, blinking his eyes hard, and then held both of his hands out to her. "Water?" he asked, trying to reach for her, if that even was her.

Oh Gods, oh Gods, please let this be a dream. The only way Harper would be here would be if he was dreaming, right? This couldn't be real. It was too horrible to be. Being back here. Back in the world. Being back at camp wasn't that bad, neither was being with Harper but... this. This place. No, he couldn't be here.

[Harper Jones]

Why was he here? He shouldn't have been here. Why was he out of the laurel tree? But it was him. She knew that voice. It was one she couldn't forget ever even if it was a little raspy. She started walking towards him as she brought a hand to the canteen that she brought so she could water his tree. Well, that wouldn't be needed tonight.

Once she was close enough to him, she handed out her canteen towards him. She wanted to touch him. Put her hand on his shoulder and hug him, but she was afraid. What if she was dreaming? What if this was some cruel illusion? If that was the case, she couldn't let this end.

[jethro midgin]

She reached for a canteen and he lifted his hand toward her, careful to take it without letting their fingertips touch. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that. If they touched then that would prove that this was real and he didn't want that. He didn't want to be a part of any of this.

He loved Harper, of course, but he had come to terms with his goodbyes. He was happy. But now... everything would be different. Especially if they touched. He opened the canteen and drank almost the entire thing before lowering it and looking back up at her. "Hi," he said softly.

[Harper Jones]

As soon as Jethro took the canteen, Harper pulled her hand quickly away from him. She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him. She half expected for him to disappear in front of her eyes like it was some cruel joke from the gods. But the more she was around him, the more she was convinced that this was real and not some joke or dream. She pressed her lips together as she watched him drink from the canteen. Her eyes studied him and he was everything she remembered him to be.

But once he was done, he spoke and her eyes snapped back to his face. She couldn't let her guard down now. Not when something like this could still be a joke. "Hi," she said a bit guardedly as she readjusted her arms.

[jethro midgin]

She said hi back, but he knew that tone. She was wary... as she should be. So was he, of course, "I... I'm not sure what I'm doing here," he said in all honesty. He didn't want to lie to her and act all brave and stuff, that would be stupid. "But I need to sit down," he realized it as he said it, and he wavered. He reached a hand out, clasping onto her arm, not really aware of whether or not that was a good idea. He was dizzy, exhausted and... well, in all truth, incredibly distraught about all this.

[Harper Jones]

"Your guess is as good as mine," Harper said with a sad smile. If Jethro was back, he had to be back with a purpose. Just how Xenos and Cody were back to... She couldn't allow herself to think of that right now, especially since Jethro was looking particularly shaky at that moment. She dropped all of her thoughts when he said that he needed to sit down as he clasped onto her arm. She quickly maneuvered herself into a human crutch for him before she led him over to a tree stump so he could at least sit down for a moment or two. After being a tree for so many years, having legs was probably quite a shock for him.