★ kee speaks help i dont know when exactly the first chapter was published anymore but happy 3 yrs bozos. u are my sea you are my sunshine the stars the moooonnn but also this is inspired by kalawakan by juan karlos yasss i love my song fics

"A concert!?" Travis repeated, looking slightly bewildered. "All by yourself?"

"No, I have Y/N—"

"She's not the bestest most professional prankster in Long Island, though, is she?"

"No, but I'm the second most professional, bestest, and cutest prankster in Long Island. And I'm sixteen! With a fake ID! Multiple ones!"

I stood between the two brothers as they bickered, backpack slung over one shoulder, jacket half-worn on the other. Connor and I had planned to sneak out of camp for one night to sneak into a concert, one I had been talking about a lot recently, griping about how badly I wanted to go. I wasn't sure why Connor was putting in so much effort for this, let alone for me, but an opportunity was an opportunity, so I went with it.

It was illogical for Connor to be saying goodbye to his brother and co-head counselor of the Hermes cabin right before we left, however in a camp full of kids aged eight to like—I don't know, young adult age—it's not the most illogical thing that has happened here. Then again, I was acquainted with the two most devious sons of Hermes in a 5 mile radius. Probably.

Travis crossed his arms, leaning against the cabin's doorframe. Behind him, some kids jumped off a top bunk onto a makeshift trampoline they had crafted out of t-shirts and pipes. "Okay, and how do you plan to get there? We're in the middle of nowhere."

"We're not in the middle of nowhere! There's a CEFCO like...you can see it from the top of the Big House if you look closely enough," Connor replied, looking to the side, whining. "Oh my Gods, Trav, we'll be back before Chiron notices."

Travis chuckled, looking at me. "Fine. But do you trust this guy?" He asked, pointing at Connor. Unprepared, I stuttered.

"I-I, yeah, I guess, I mean—" 

Travis laughed. Connor turned to me looking betrayed. "Are you seriously ganging up on me right now?"

"No! I mean—" I gathered my words and pulled Connor's sleeve. "He can pull his shit together when he needs to," I told Travis defensively. 

He threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay, fine! Just stay safe, alright? Don't get trampled in the crowds either, and for the love of dad and everyone else on Olympus don't accept drinks from strangers."

I nodded along. "Can you tell my siblings to keep it shut, too? I'll bring them souvenirs if they do."

Travis nodded, then turned the porch light of Cabin 11 on. He pulled Connor into a rough headlock and kissed the top of his curly hair. "If you ever feel scared, just think, what would Travis do? Be safe, not stupid."

"Yeah, and then I'll do what Y/N would do." Connor shoved him off, almost tripping in the process. "You're acting like Mom." 

"You're acting like you're an adult all of a sudden. It doesn't mean that just because you have a better chance of faking a driver's license now—"

"Yeah, alright, enough! Bye!" Connor said, lightly punching his arm. He then took my hand and led me away from the cabin after I gave Travis a fist-bump. "Man, I'm starting to think he's the anxious one here," he muttered. "I bet he'll cry himself to sleep tonight."

Travis seemed to have heard that, fake-crying and letting out a wail as he covered his face with both hands when I looked back at him. I chuckled and turned back to Connor.

"This way," he said, letting go of my hand and pulling me to the side. We walked a path that wasn't in the clearing so no one noticed us leave. While we walked, we discussed that day's earlier volleyball game.

"Seriously, princess, I did not catch it."

"You learned to set like, 3 minutes before the game."

"I used three fingers! I tossed it!"

"You didn't jump."

"...I'm supposed to?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. But I made that other kid trip, right? Or is he supposed to do that, too?"

"I mean...yeah, but...okay, fine, it was a good game."

"You already said that. I'm the best setter, right, Y/N?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Say it! Say we'll make Stacy eat sand in the next match!"

"You're the best setter and we'll make the green team eat dust next week!" I affirmed, pumping my fist in the air to match his enthusiasm. Connor shushed me, grinning and shaking my backpack straps as he laughed.

After a little more walking, I could tell he didn't like the silence. He nudged me as we made our way to the top of the hill. "You played volleyball when you were younger? Is that why you're so good?"

"Don't kid yourself. I don't know, I've always been athletic," I shrugged. "Took me a while to get decent at this. Most people in camp play it."

"Hmm, yeah. Can't say the same for myself, I'm a fast learner!" He replied proudly, jabbing a thumb towards his chest. "Oh...by the way, what's our plan tonight?"

"I thought you knew?" I asked, raising an accusatory brow at him. As I said it, we reached the top off the hill and crossed the border, onto the road.

"Uh...we'll go to the concert," He gave me a big stupid grin like he always did. I felt a weird feeling in my chest, seeing him with only the moonlight, but brushed it off as pre-adventure jitters. "And I'll make sure you have the greatest night of your life!" He yelled, voice echoing across the forest. No people or monsters out there to be disturbed. Just us.

"Now...do you have a drachma?" He asked, turning to me.

I blinked, frowning, hands already searching my pockets as the crickets and bugs chirped. "I thought you did?"

"Princess, tonight will be worth a hundred drachmas. At least pitch in for our ride, no?" Connor said, trying to use a sweet tone on me. I rolled my eyes and handed him a silver coin. "Thanks. Also, I don't wanna dig in my backpack for one. Hope they'll let it slide, and also I hope they don't charge us extra since we're not exactly in NYC."

Connor wrinkled his nose, then tossed my coin onto the road. Or into? Anyway, it sank through the asphalt and disappeared. "Stêthi, Ô hárma diabolês!"

A few minutes later a banged-up taxi that seemed to be made of smoke appeared, with three even more banged-up looking raisins of old ladies sitting in the front seat. My heart sank and I glanced at Connor.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing towards the seat. I settled down in there, feeling nervous as the Grey Sisters screeched at us for our destination and complained about how far we were from the main city. I heard stories about how they drove, so I looped my arms through my backpack straps on my lap and hugged it tight.

"Sorry," Connor murmured bashfully when they were done with both reprimanding us and arguing with each other. "Um...King's Theater, please?"

"Fine!"

I cringed, seeing the singular eyeball swivel in one of the sisters' hands. I heard the gear shift, and I barely had time to process the car moving.

When one of them floored the gas, I was pushed into the seat, back flat against the worn material, and I tried not to throw up my dinner.

"Here you go, princess. Perfect for royalty like you." He pushed a dusty beaten-up wooden throne, its paint chipped away in places and when he patted the seat, a cloud of dust greeted us. He pulled up his own wooden chair, simple and plain.

I chuckled. "Royalty?" We sat at an abandoned part of the music hall with the rusty window pushed open; the dark room seemed to have been untouched for a while. The concert was starting and I watched from above as the huge crowd of people cheered and swayed along to the music and waved whenever the artist looked in their direction.

"Yep! You're my princess. Specialest girl. Favoritest person." He grinned his classic dumb grin of his and I laughed.

"Oh, don't be like that," I chided, pulling him out of his chair and into the wooden throne. I squeezed myself into it as well, because it was big enough for both of us. "You can be my prince, then. I'd like it better if you were by my side."

Connor let out a nervous chuckle. "I think this is a little more than by your side." He glanced at me, squished between me and the armrest.

I started to stand up. "Oh, are you uncomfortable? We can—" He pulled me back, shaking his head.

"No, no, stay." He patted my shoulder. He nodded towards the stage, where the artist was saying something as the song started to play. "You like the view? I snagged some binoculars for you from earlier, if you want close-ups." He set a pair of army-green binoculars on the window ledge in front of me, then went back to his original position, putting his hands on his knees.

I nodded, then turned my attention to the performance. The music was loud, and it was very loud. It reached all the way up through our window and still sounded very clear. It was like I was down there with all the other people.

Then the music changed, it sounded fuller and realer and I could feel the bass vibrating in my chest. At the same time, the spotlights flashed different colors, oscillating around the huge theatre. The crowd cheered excitedly.

My lips slightly parted in awe as I watched. "Woah." That was different. It was thrilling.

Connor picked up the binoculars and held them up to my face. I took them and saw a close-up view of the artist, smiling and pacing around the stage as the music played. The artist had a big grin on, mic up in front of them, eyes sparkling at the crowd.

The song was about space, the universe, and someone being that. As in, their world revolved around that one person, and they were as amazing and complex and beautiful as the galaxy.

I was mesmerized. I was enjoying it more than I expected to, honestly. The truth was I didn't know much about this musician, I just caught word of a concert in the state and decided I was going to make it everyone else's problem that I yearned to go. I wanted to experience normal people things.

And here I was, listening to the most heartfelt song I've ever heard, all thanks to Connor. What a crazy guy. All of this just for me? I didn't know he was capable of being so dedicated.

I wasn't a fan. I didn't even have a very definite taste in music. But this...watching from an abandoned room on the view deck of the theatre, sitting in an old chair that was probably for stage props, binocular in hand, it was more than I expected. Is this what normal teens did? Do they sneak out for reckless plans, too?

I looked over at Connor to thank him, but found myself eye-to-eye with the boy. I jumped, but then laughed. "Sorry," He said, leaning away and chuckling. "Having fun?"

"Yeah," I replied. "This is...this is a song...this is art worthy of Apollo's blessing. It's great songwriting."

And then both of our heads snapped towards the window, where a loud pop sounded out. Through the stained glass, I could see fireworks, sparks of color lighting up the night sky. Both of us gaped, delighted at the timing of both the best song of the night paired with the fireworks.

Just then, as many fireworks went off at the same time, the crowd cheered, and the music went on to play a part that made my heart flutter. "Ah...that's beautiful," I said, listening to the lyrics about the lover being one's universe, being worth a million stars, loving them to the moon and back.

As I stared at the fireworks, I felt a pair of eyes on me. "What?" I asked Connor, who was staring at me.

"Nothing..." He hummed, mocking innocence. I gave him a look and he raised his hands in surrender. "It's nothing, really! This just looks like something out of a movie, that's all."

"I know, right!?" I beamed. I felt so happy I could've burst. Then I thought of something. The idea made my chest feel warm, but I shook my head and did it anyway. I wrapped an arm around Connor's shoulder and gave him an awkward squeeze. I felt him tense up. "Thanks, Con. I'll never forget this." I whispered it, in the most tender way I could to show my gratitude.

"Aw...you're welcome, princess." He patted my shoulder in equal awkwardness. "Glad you're having fun. And..." I felt his breathing shake as he exhaled, and my brows furrowed in concern.

"You looked really pretty back there. I mean, until now. Seeing you happy makes me happy. I really...um..." He chuckled, then twisted his head to glance at me. "I like the song. Do you like the song?" He laughed again, then cleared his throat. "Um...um...you're...I-I can't..."

Taken aback, I felt my face go hot. Then I decided it was my turn, so I did what I could: I gave his arm a squeeze again, then put my head on his shoulder. He relaxed, and with a shaky hand, put his arm around my waist. We sat like that for a while, just us, the concert we snuck into, the fireworks. At that moment, that was my world. My whole universe, even. 

★ kee speaks ermmm heyyy ok that ending was kinda ew i feel like it was lacking flavor but anyway hope u enjoyed mwah

hey girls hehe also like . lowkey. what if i write. ermmmmm ghostface/vampire/whatever halloween element connor au for halloween 🤕 big feeling it'll be .. very spicy (sorry guys im a tumblr girl now) but then again im not 12 anymore so tell me if ure up for it mwah. no werewolf au because i wont be able to take that seriously