🎧 Say Yes To Heaven - Lana Del Rey ”In the storm i stay clear, cause I got my mind on you.”

The relentless demands of life as a demigod weighed heavily on Clarisse. At Camp, she was renowned for her strength and combat prowess, yet few recognized the toll it took on her spirit. The constant battles and the pressure to uphold her divine legacy left her weary. The image of the fierce warrior masked the internal struggle she faced daily.

Tonight, the burden felt especially unbearable. Seated on the edge of her bunk in the Ares cabin, Clarisse clenched her fists, her breath came in shallow gasps as she fought against the overwhelming sense of despair threatening to consume her. The weight of expectations—from her father, her siblings, the entire camp—pressed down upon her, making it hard to breathe.

For a fleeting moment, the thought of surrender crossed her mind. To lay down her weapons, to escape the unending cycle of violence and duty. But then, amidst the encroaching darkness, a single thought anchored her: you.

You, who had seen beyond her hardened exterior. Your presence had become a beacon in her tumultuous world. The way you listened without judgment, the way your eyes held genuine concern—it all pierced through the armor she had so carefully constructed.

She recalled the moments you’d spent together, the quiet conversations by the campfire, the shared glances during training. Unbeknownst to you, those instances had become her refuge, a sanctuary from the chaos of her existence.

As she sat there, battling her inner demons, the cabin door creaked open. She looked up, startled, to find you standing there, concern etched across your face.

“Clarisse?” you called softly, stepping closer.

She tried to muster her usual brave face, to shield herself behind a facade of strength. But under your gaze, the walls crumbled. Her shoulders sagged, and for the first time, she allowed herself to be vulnerable.

“I… I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.