THIS IS ME TRYING

17: The Theif

AFTER TELLING Chiron that Percy was alive and continuing the Quest, Luna was sent back to stay in the Hermes Cabin. However, Luna didn't tell anyone about the lightning thief... she wanted to speak to Clarisse herself.

Luna approached Clarisse, who had just won against a Hephaestus kid on the climbing wall. Her curly black hair was tied back messily, a few strands falling down onto her face which gleamed with sweat. She had cut the sleeves off her Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, which showed her muscles off more; Luna couldn't deny how great she looked.

Luna cleared her throat, "Can I talk to you... alone?"

Clarisse smirked teasingly, looking back at her siblings who sneered at Luna. She followed Luna into the forest, "You're not gonna hit me again, are you, Red?"

"You're not gonna carve insults into my bunk again, are you?" Luna shot back as they walked.

"What?" Clarisse frowned in concern, "Someone carved-"

"I know you did it." Luna interrupted,"And the truth is, I don't care anymore. Because Percy's alive... I spoke to him."

"Oh, Gods." Clarisse sighed, sarcasm laced through her voice, "Maybe I should be walking you back to the Infirmary."

Luna paused, before explaining, "He spoke to me in an Iris Message."

"Great," Clarisse replied sarcastically, as she stopped walking, "You came and spoke to me... to tell me that your brother is alive? I don't care about Percy."

"No." Luna folded her arms across her chest, "That just adds to what I was gonna ask you."

"And what's that, Red?" Clarisse shot back, "What's so important?"

Luna grabbed Clarisse's arm and pulled her to a quiet spot behind a Cabin. She lowered her voice, "You took it, didn't you?"

"Took what?" Clarisse sighed, and it was clear she was getting frustrated.

Luna explained, "It was pretty obvious, I mean, you've hated Percy and I since the moment we arrived, you have some issues with your dad, and-"

Clarisse's body stiffened, she grabbed ahold of Luna's T-shirt, pulling her in towards her. She clenched her jaw, "I don't know what you're talking about... but I'm gonna pretend this never happened."

"I just wanted to know why." Luna replied, as she pulled out of Clarisse's strong grasp, "Why did you steal the bolt?"

"What?" Clarisse chuckled in disbelief, as she paused in confusion, "If you really think it's me, why haven't you told Chiron?"

Luna paused... for a really long time.

"That's what I thought." Clarisse began to walk away, as she called back, "Don't get in my way again, Red."

Luna groaned in frustration, her mind so confused and torn between Percy and her sworn enemy. She wanted to tell Chiron, to help her brother on his Quest, but she knew deep down that Clarisse didn't steal it... Or maybe she wanted to believe that she didn't- a part of Luna still had hope for Clarisse.

As she stormed back to the Hermes Cabin, the dead leaves on the pathway telepathically moving as the girl walked. It was freaking her out even more that she couldn't control her telekinesis under stress. She walked towards the Cabin 11, as she reached towards the door handle; then suddenly, the doors swung open with a great amount of force.

Luna's eyes widened, as a few Hermes kids stared at her in shock. Luke approached her slowly, "Whoa, what's up?" He paused, looking at the Hermes' kids scared expressions, "Why don't we take a walk?"

Luna explained everything to Luke: Percy being alive, the Iris Message, the lightning thief. Even though Luna had a tough time trusting people, Luke seemed to be quite trustworthy.

Luke frowned, "How'd you know?"

"They told me Grover got it out of Ares," Luna explained, then hesitated, "But... I need to tell Chiron soon."

"You don't want to tell him?" Luke assumed.

Luna exclaimed, "It's not that I don't want to... I want to help my friends, but-"

"Clarisse is starting to feel like your friend, too?" Luke guessed.

"No, no. She isn't my friend." Luna refused, "I don't like her at all."

"I never said you did." Luke replied, before pausing, "What I said about Clarisse waiting for you at the Infirmary every night... it was true." He explained slowly, "She cares about you, Luna."

"She fights people who she cares for?" Luna questioned sarcastically, "I think that goes against the definition of caring."

"Her father didn't show her much love, that's why she does it... to impress him." Luke explained, "The Gods aren't always so nice to their kids. That's why some of us grow to hate them. They aren't good parents, Luna."

Luna thought on that- it made sense to her why most half-bloods despised their parent.

Luke suggested, "Why don't I tell Chiron about Clarisse for you?"

"Really?" Luna questioned curiously.

"Sure." Luke nodded, "If I tell Chiron, then Clarisse will hate me... not you. And it will help Percy on his quest."

"Thanks, Luke." She paused, "Wait, and for the record, I don't care if Clarisse hates me or not."

"Then why'd you nearly blow the Hermes door off of its hinges?" Luke shot back sarcastically, as he walked to the Big House, leaving Luna in silence.

Luna liked Luke, though she couldn't shake a feeling of doubt away from her mind- Sally would've called her silly, Percy would've told her to relax. But something about Luke made Luna think he was being too nice, especially after she turned him into a farm animal.

a/n:
living off lunarisse CRUMBS.

sorry for the long wait, ive been so busy at the moment!