Lake stroll and some attempted flirts (private, George and me)

Oddly enough, Jax had found himself strolling down the lake area. He almost never went there, because it was a place to go with friends and/or your partner in bed in life. His few friends were like him and didn't really like the lake, and the second he didn't have. Which was a huge relief. Relationships = expectations. Expectations=effort. And effort sucks. Really bad. Or not. Maybe it actually didn't.

Anyway, the point is why he went there, right? Well, he hadn't went there in a long time. Routine got boring after some years so he thought to himself, why not go to the lake. If he was lucky he'd be there alone to reflect upon his life choices- who am l kidding? He'd just find the chance to fanboy about the DB Super episode with no one in sight. As he reached the lake though he found out he was wrong. There was also a HAWT really attractive girl there too. Well... if it's something being a son of Janus had taught him is that it's never too late to change your mind and just...get the hell out of there. He started naturally backing off slowly.

Crap. Spotted! spotted! Abort mission, l repeat, abort mission! ln other words, he gave up on leaving since she noticed him. Which was really stupid, because he'd only come across as rude. And he didn't really care wether he seemed rude or not. In all fairness, sometimes he was. A lot. But encountering females? No matter if it was a 3 yeal old, a 15 year old or a 100 year old, he'd no idea what to do. Except run away. Why do we not do that again?

Was she talking to him? He looked behind himself to check if there was anyone. No luck. ""Hey, l don't bite. " Why did he have trouble believing that? Like, he should have no trouble approaching a friendly and astonishingly beautiful girl that for some reason wanted to break the ice with someone like him, which on second thought made no sense. So, he looked around for the cameras or anyone with a motive to watch him make a fool of himself. In the end he found nada and proceeded to cautiously approach the girl with caution, thinking of any bad joke to make, or a sexist atrocious pick up line to use to get rid of her. He hoped that the fact he was approaching without talking would give him extra creep points and she'd leave.

Jax coughed. He really couldn't stay silent. He'd risk being attacked and getting beat up. The Ares kids covered that need of his more than enough too. So, well, time to shine and socialise. "Oh, uh... sorry. Where are my manners? I'm your best friend, and your worst enemy... and l really should stop making that weird intro, dad does it so much better. Anyway, l'm Jax. You can call me Jax, Jackson, Devitt or whatever pg term you feel like. Son of Janus, at your service." he said, surprisingly not sounding nervous, almost smiling. Of course that'd raise the questionwhy he had acted like a freak before, but he didn't really care.

"Oh, you had me freaked out for a second there! Dimwit," Laure broke into a relaxed chuckle. It was true, the dude had scared her -- however her insult wasn't serious and it could be heard in her tone. She came a bit closer and pushed her shades up into her hair. "I'm Laure, from Camp Jupiter," she told him, holding her forearm out and removing her bracelets to show her tattoo: SPQR, a saffron flower, and four bars. "Have you been here long? Cause I admit I'm a bit lost in the woods around the lake."

Jax smiled. "Dimwit is alao accepted." he joked. Then the girl proceeded to come closer. Great. Just... great. She introduced as Laure and said she was from Camp Jupiter, which explained why he had never seen her around. Her tattoo was a flower -cliche- which meant she was probably an Qphrodite -wait, excuse me, Venus- kid. Well, that kinda justified him always thinking how good she looked despite being more scared than anything. Then she kinda asked for directions. He was half-tempted to dump her there and run away, but that would probably start a war or some sht. "Been here long enough to have been lost myself many times. Luckily my sense of direction has improved." Then he leaned on a tree and looked at her in amusement. "But everything depends on where you wanna go. In other words, a choice to make. So, what will it be, Miss Rome?"

Laure tilted her head to the side -- she wanted to go back to the Big House, where she was residing at, but she felt that familiar warming sensation in the pit of her stomach and knew that again, she wouldn't be able to resist.

"How about the beach?" she said, knowing it was about a mile or two from here. "You Graeci are so lucky to have your very own beach, all we have is a lake."

She had her swimsuit with her of course -- she had been on enough summer holidays to know she had to keep one in her bag at all times, as well as a beach towel and sun lotion. But more than that, she wanted to spend time in the company of a guy who wasn't Damian. Ever since Richard had broken up with her, she had taken less and less pleasure in their making out sessions. Of course, she loved being in Damian's embrace and in his bed, but now that the whole secret aspect was gone, it simply was less thrilling. Stealing kisses, sending ambiguous texts, exchanging meaningful glances, hiding away from both their partners, that had made all the spice of their affair; now it just felt flat, like champagne without bubbles. With Richard breaking up with her, it simply wasn't as fun anymore -- of course it was different for Damian, who still had a girlfriend, but that just made Laure feel like the sidechick. And she didn't like that.
So, it was time to play a new game.

That mere moment when she thought about it was golden. He understood how dad felt qhen forcing everyone to male life and death choices, that feeling of evil pleasure. Even though it was way less important in that case. It still applied because...he was mean? Anyway, she chose to go to the beach. Meh, what else would a tourist choose? Then of course... oh Gods, he'd have to accompany her till there! That was awful. And was it just him or she was looking at him in a funny way? Like he was a toy or she had reconsider 'biting' him or anything of the sort. He was unlucky, wasn't he? He tried not to show but he was rely displeased. "Alright then, follow me." he mumbled.

Laure let her lips part into a slow smile and gazed at him from under her eyelashes. "Aw, thanks! That's totally sweet of you."

Fortunately, these small woods weren't nearly as thick as their forest -- no thorns to dig into her clothes, no random thick bushes to block her way. She could walk comfortably down the paths in her heels, right next to Jax.

"Why did you back away earlier though?" She asked him, smirking. "Did you do it to scare me or do I just look that ugly?"

As he said that, the Laure girl smiled at him. Legit, she was pretty enough to be considered scary. Or maybe his weak mind couldn't comprehend the hotness levels. Or she was just really, really scary. At the moment it was hard to pick. Then she claimed that deciding to get her out of the woods was 'sweet'. Nah, it was just...polite, right? Not something sweet. He was just acting on what was 'the right thing to do' for once. Yeah, she was just being girly in her vocabulary or some sht. Or she wanted to distract him as part of conspiracy that would take him out in their endeavours to achieve world domination. Gods, my train of thought is so messed up [s]I[/s] he thought.

Then she asked the questions. *Batting eyelashes or sth* 'Oh, Jax, why were you a creep before?'. It didn't happem exactly like this and it was phrased differemtly, but this would be the romantic comedy adaptation of it, so good enough. Well, maybe if he complimented her or something she'd hopefully shut up? Nah, he wouldn't risk looking even more creepy like 'Nah, l was scared cause you are as hot as *insert analogy here*'. That'd go so well. Plus, he didn't even particularly like her and she might tale it the wrong way...and what? Flirt him? Ha! She'd probably already have five boyfriends or something. Simultaneously. "Uh...no particular reason. I tend to be antisocial, l guess. And if you're looking for compliments, you ain't ugly." he said, as casually as possible.

"Aw, you're really very sweet," Laure said, giving him another slow smile, then ducking away to avoid a low branch. "Ah, I see, not a people person." That's exactly what I need right now. "I hope I'm not annoying you then," she added, adjusting the pin at holding her bun.

There we go again, he thought. At least Jax had concluded she was indeed just looking for compliments and was very conscious of being ridiculously attractive. Proof: the way she smiled at him, like slowly and all model/Godess of love -like or whatever of the sort. Point is, probably if he kept thinking she was hot, he'd end up her easily manipulated pawn. And that wouldn't even be hard for her to do, apparently. He almost felt the need to get his dice out of his pocket. Then she pointed out he wasn't a people's person. That wasn't and was true at the same time. Like, he was a people's person. When he could play card games with them or piss them the freak off. And then, again with that kinda seductive fake cuteness thingy that girls did to make you their mindless, love dependant slave [OOC: uh, l hope it doesn't come across as sexist. It's not a valid opinion, just a charrie freaking out] she said she hoped she weren't annoying. And as a good mindless slave he was, instead of replying 'Yes, you are. You are scary in many ways, all connected with your appearance and weird will to approach me' he replied: "Nah, if you were, l'd have actually left probably." Just great, me. Just great.

She smiled, lightly touching his shoulder as she overstepped a dead branch on the ground.

"You seem quite site-savvy, how long have you been here?" she asked, remembering how long it had taken her to know her way around Camp Jupiter. Camp Half-Blood looked much more free, it seemed like you could just walk about anywhere you wanted without getting punished or reprimanded for being in the wrong place, like in Camp Jupiter, when you accidentally entered the back door of the Principia. (She still had ashamed feelings from that mistake.)

She smiled again. Then touched his shoulder. Luckily he wasn't a freak who hates physicall contact but still like, the way she did it was attractive and creepy at the same time. Then she even tried to throw a bad compliment that would probably have anyone else brag. About anything, it didn't matter what. They just would. He had started debating whether Laure was an Empousa, since he had nevwr felt that much dread and attraction towards a person simultaneously. She really had a way of somewhat pushing his buttons. Only explanation he had found as to why he hadn't left her yet. "Been here for three years now. I guess it's long." he simply replied. He really didn't wanna go all talkative mode.

Three years, one less than her, who had arrived at Camp Jupiter at 12, exhausted and dirty from her trip across Sonoma. Laure had some quite vivid recollections of that time.
They arrived at the dunes shortly after and Laure turned to Jax, some loose curls framing her face.

"Thanks, you've been a marvellous guide," she smiled, tilting her head to the side. "We should hang out some time." With that, she gave him a cheerful wink and took her heels off, walking barefoot up the first dune.