matthewmurtaugh

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tom holland's gq photo shoot as percy jackson quotes: a thread from the official lightning thief musical instagram (1/2)

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Tom Holland photographed by Michael Schwarz for ICON EL PAÍS (2019)

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sandraxjones‌:

Sandra should have suspected that Matt was only trying to placate her, to tell her what she wanted to hear so that she might not spiral into a panic attack in the middle of this camp. But there was something about him- a sincerity in his voice- that gave her the impression he meant every word he said. And it was this sincerity that did more to calm her nerves than his assurances. It was so clear that he cared- cared enough to promise that she was safe, that she would learn, and that he would help. “Do you mean that?” She asked, though she was sure he did. “That you would help me, I mean.” 

She hoped he meant it, rather desperately if she was honest with herself. She had only recently met her cabin mates, and while they were nice enough, she knew it would be all too easy to get lost in the crowd of Hermes and unclaimed campers. Somehow, Sandra knew it would be different with Matt. Perhaps she assumed too much of him, or perhaps it was wishful thinking, but Sandra suspected that he wouldn’t forget such a promise should he make one- that he wouldn’t simply forget about her. 

Matt tried to recall what it had felt like, being a new kid at camp. Those days had been so different, his body smaller and his heart questionably bigger. He remembered the claiming on the second night of his arrival and how all of the other Ares kids had gawked at him, like he was some ridiculous anomaly. On his third day, he had been in 6 different fights. It had been overwhelming and panic inducing and he thanked the Gods that at least Sandra was welcomed into the Hermes cabin. Really, most of the cabins would be more welcoming than his had been. He hoped that would even matter.

“Scouts honor,” he said, holding up the standard three fingers as he made his promise. It was half an acknowledgement to her question and half a promise, that he’d take the time to ensure she felt comfortable and happy. It’d probably cut into his and Diego’s ‘perfect planned summer’ that Diego had planned out, but-- hell, maybe inviting Sandra in with some of the shenanigans might make her feel a little more normal.

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corinne-asommers‌:

She grabbed one of the daggers from the set, twirling it while it appeared as if shadows were creeping up on her hand. Corrine had been at camp for 3 years and this was the most she could really do. Play with some shadows. But it was a lot harder for him to knock that weapon out of her hand then the physical one. “Oh you know me, I’m always ready for a good fight.” She said, slowly making her way toward him as the shadows began to take form in her hand and actually became a functioning weapon. 

Matt watched as the shadows formed a weapon. He was pretty impressed at the girl, knowing that while his own affinity for fighting could be seen as a special power-- it really wasn’t. He was just like all the other Ares kids, good with a weapon, good in a fight. And that was pretty much it. (Then again, he had no idea just how much his anger was capable of affecting those around him.) “Good. Because I’ve had to fight my mom all summer and I’m tired of getting my ass handed to me.” With one more flourish, Matt charged.

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mrdiegofuentes‌:

“Holy shit! I can’t believed that worked!” Diego laughed for a second before hastily coughing, going back to his touch guy demeanor. “I mean, told you I have a few tricks up my-ow!!” Diego howled as Matt’s foot came down on his and he stumbled back. “Damn! When did you start wearing steel toed boots?” Diego hissed through clenched teeth.

Diego stumbled back and Matt took a quick second to rub his neck, just making sure there wasn’t an accidental nick during that scuffle. His hand came up free and he threw Diego a confident grin. “You noticed? My mom got ‘em for me a couple weeks before camp.” They were standard military issue, not too heavy that they’d hold him back, but heavy enough to hurt. “You’re not gonna trap me that easily, dude.” But despite the confident air he held, he was also really proud of his friend for that tactic.

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sandraxjones‌:

We’re done playing. Sandra held Matt’s hand so tightly, she feared for a moment it might be painful for him even if she couldn’t bring herself to loosen her grip. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant it, but she held on as if merely letting his fingers slip through hers might allow him to change his mind. 

A deeper sense of relief washed over her as he laced his fingers through hers, an unspoken promise passed between them that they were in this together, the two of them against all the rest. In that moment, his red plume and her blue didn’t matter, they were their own team and Sandra hadn’t felt safer since before the monster attack at the school pep assembly. 

Sandra let Matt lead her through the woods- not bothering to pay attention to their surroundings. She was hopelessly lost and instead focused on watching the ground in front of her, careful not to trip on roots or the uneven earth underfoot lest she slow Matt even more than she undoubtedly already was. it also served as a welcome excuse not to meet his eye as fresh tears threatened to spill down her cheeks at his apology. “It’s not your fault-” she said, shaking her head at herself, embarrassed “I wasn’t ready.” 

Matt moved for quite some time. Taking the long way around meant they had time and though he knew people would miss him in that game, he doubted anybody thought twice about Sandra. “Don’t blame yourself, either. They shouldn’t have put you out there.” Not that he thought it was her cabin counselors fault, he was sure with the strategy they were using that Sandra was in the safest place she could have been. More so, she should have been allowed to sit this one out.

He was careful not to go too fast because while he knew that walking this terrain felt natural for him, Sandra still was adjusting to the life at camp. When they got close to the edge, enough that he could see the faint glow of the sun and the injured campers working their way out of the woods, he stopped. They were close enough the edge they wouldn’t be bothered by monsters, but far enough away nobody would be able to peer in and see them. “Hey,” he said softly, finally putting away his dagger.

His hands reached out like he wanted to comfort her, but once again he saw the blood on his hands. He also saw where the blood had smeared onto her, just from their short time interacting. It was this part of himself that he hated, and he hated that she had to see it so often. “Take a minute. We have time.” His hand dropped to his side and he wondered if this was a good time to quick clean his weapons. He hated letting the blood settle, worried that the tint would stain the celestial bronze.

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adara-davis‌:

Adara nodded curtly and started walking in the direction Matt had indicated, slinging her gastraphetes from her shoulder so it was ready for whatever they should encounter. “My pleasure.” She said glancing over her shoulder to flash him a grin. “Let’s get going, then, and you can tell me all about how you plan to capture this flag singlehandedly. 

Matt led the way, his dagger in hand. He was pretty quick to the draw if anybody came at them, but he’d be faster if he had a free hand. “I didn’t-- it’s not my intention to capture it singlehandedly. I just, I think I’m right about this. And if nobody else will go with me, then hey, I’ll do what I can do.” He wasn’t the best fighter in camp, he had siblings older than him who trained much longer who would always be able to kick his ass, but as an Ares kid, he definitely could hold his own.

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mrdiegofuentes‌:

Diego grinned, sending vines at his friend, hoping to wear him out enough. The vines weren’t actually strong enough to do any real damage, but they could keep Matt busy until Diego was ready to strike. After a while, Diego thought it was about time to take a chance. Using the vines as cover, he made his way toward Matt, taking out one of his daggers and pressing him against a tree. “I’ve learned a thing or two from you.”

“Shit, Diego.” Matt hadn’t been expecting Diego to come out from the vines like that. Caught by surprised, he lost his rapier and felt the bark against his back and for a moment, he wondered if this was it. It was the start of the game, was he really going to get taken out so early? He still had his dagger, which was perfect for up close combat, but with Diego’s against his neck, he had to be careful. Thinking quick, he did the only thing he knew would open up his friends hand. He stomped on his foot.

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mrdiegofuentes‌:

“Yeah, that’s what I was talking about.” Diego mumbled with a roll of his eyes. “Can you just…give me a second?” It was a good thing Matt was his best friend, any other Ares kid would have flattened Diego without a second thought. Diego turned around, slapped his cheeks a few times to psych himself up and then turned back. “Alright, Murtaugh. Let’s get it on.” Diego grinned, playing along with Matt’s dumb boy joke. He pointed a cupped hand at the ground, forcing every will he had at those vines. Thick and green, they shot from the ground, swirling around Diego like some sort of weird flailing octopus. 

Matt watched as Diego turned around, taking that time to seriously consider his friend. It was clear that Diego was off his game and Matt had a few suspicions as to why, but he wasn’t going to mention it now. He could at least wait until after the game, after the celebration, but it was clear they needed to talk about whatever this was. Diego finally turned around and Matt offered him a shit-eating grin, giving a small extra flourish with his rapier. “That’s more like it.” And just like that, the soldier persona was back and he was charging, cutting down vines when he was able.

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sandraxjones‌:

She should have been terrified of him. Seeing Matt covered in blood with a dagger in his hand- her first instinct should have been to run from him. But she couldn’t. Despite it all, the only thing she could focus on was his hand reaching out to her- a lifeline in all of the chaos around her. Do you trust me? How could she not? Since the moment they’d met he’d done nothing but go out of his way to protect her. 

“Of course” she breathed, taking his hand with both of hers, gripping it tightly and praying he wouldn’t notice the way hers shook. She recognized this feeling from their trip to the gas station only a few days ago- she was in shock- and why shouldn’t she be? She stood lost in the middle of the woods surrounded by children fighting one another with real weapons, causing each other real harm. 

“I don’t want to play anymore.” Sandra admitted shakily, trusting Matt wouldn’t make fun of her for her lack of bravery. Something in his eyes told her that he understood and that he had long forgotten they were on opposite teams. 

Sandra took Matt’s hand and even though he had been able to hear the tremors in her voice, this was a completely different thing. It reminded him of his episodes, when the anxiety was too much to handle and all he could think about was the bad, his body would shake almost uncontrollably. He squeezed her hand, sparing one last glance over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t seen. “We’re done playing.”

It was a finite sentence, one that he meant. It didn’t matter that nobody else heard them, nor did it matter that they would be a pretty unusual sight. It didn’t even matter that Matt could see the feint glow of the blue flag, just across the way, close enough he could end the game with a victory. They were done, and that was that.

He let his fingers intertwine with hers so they wouldn’t get separated before he started moving in the direction of camp. They’d take the long way, away from any traps that might be set up from either team. Any leftover ambushes wouldn’t see them, he’d be sure of that. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment of silence, sparing Sandra a glance. His soldier persona still held strong, which meant there was no uncertainty in his voice. “You shouldn’t have had to go through that.”

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adara-davis‌:

Adara nodded along at his explanation. Strategy was never really her forte, but she could appreciate the line of logic. “And you’re just going to run off by yourself, are you?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. Sure the majority of Blue Team’s troops were in the opposite direction, but they would hardly leave their flag unguarded. “I can’t stray too far myself, but I can cover you a good bit of the way if you want.” 

Most of his siblings were giant fans of brute force and they assumed that the other team would do exactly what they did-- surround the flag by a giant army. It was one strategy and it wasn’t necessarily a bad one, but Matt knew from experience that the Athena cabin liked to think outside of the box. “The rest of my squadron thought it best to go that way.” Or rather, they didn’t believe Matt’s theory. “Some cover sounds fantastic.” Matt knew how good he was when he wanted to be, but he couldn’t take on everyone.

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A Matthew Murtaugh playlist

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sandraxjones‌:

Donald Jones was not a soft man, but there was a relative softness in the way he spoke with Sandra now and again. That softness had been there the day they met in the hospital after her mother had passed, the father’s day she had presented him with a handmade card, and it was there now as he conveyed his relief at hearing her voice again after fearing the worst. “I’m okay… sort of” she assured him, though she supposed it was all relative.

That softness that had colored his words slowly disappeared as Sandra did her best to explain where she had been the last few days- everything from the Nemean Lion at the school pep rally to running across state lines all the way to a place called Camp Half-Blood. “They’re saying I’m- I’m one of them, Grandpa, a- a demigod…. like the greek myths and they keep saying the gods are real and my dad- they’re saying he was one of them but that’s…. impossible… right?” 

Her own tone had dropped low and urgent, but there was no mistaking the hints of panic leaking through. Even if she had wanted him not to notice, of course Grandpa Don did- he always did. She did her best to breathe deeply and evenly as he chided her to calm down, Sandra but his usual gruffness still hadn’t fully returned, and he only sounded tired. I was afraid this might happen one day. The words sent a chill down Sandra’s spine despite the warm summer sun beating down on her. Her grip tightened reflexively on the phone as she glanced nervously around her. “Wha- what do you mean?” 

Sandra had heard the story before- her mother running off with that no good, deadbeat father of hers. How she went and got herself pregnant despite everything Grandpa had done to try and stop her- the threats he had made. How he hadn’t wanted to make good on those threats the day he kicked her out, but what sort of father would he be if he couldn’t teach his daughter that there would be consequences for her actions. And that was where the story had always ended- until today. 

Matt should have seen the creature the moment it stalked out of the woods behind the gas station. He should have heard the low growling from a mile away, but he was distracted. He was trying to pay attention to everything, to keep an eye on the man with the roaring motorcycle, to make sure the family got in their vehicle and drove away, to make sure that Sandra was okay. His eyes kept sweeping from one sight to another. From the gas station clerk to the couple who had appeared from the other side of the building, there was too much happening. And even then, he could still hear her, panicked and confused.

It made sense, the overwhelming need to make sure none of this was real. That these crazy things happening was just some prank, or a wild dream. But Matt had learned long ago that this life would just keep pulling you in, no matter how often you tried to deny it.

“Look, mommy! A doggy!” The voice of the small girl snapped Matt out of his stupor, his eyes falling on her before following her little finger. It was on the other side of the building, closer to Sandra than Matt. At first, it looked like a dog. A giant black mastiff, with piercing eyes and it’s teeth bared into a growl. To the others, it probably looked like a feral dog and nothing more, but the more Matt stared the more he could see it for what it really was. Shit.

“Wrap it up, Sandra,” Matt said quickly, his hand moving to his belt as he finally moved closer to her. More than anything he wanted to make her end that conversation then and there, but he knew how important this was to her. Hellhound or no, she should at least be able to tell her Grandpa that she loved him. He started to unsheath his weapon when he saw the creature gear up, before it lunged directly at Sandra.

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mrdiegofuentes‌:

Diego groaned. “Come on, now you’re just rubbing it in!” He whined, gesturing to Matt’s perfect execution. “I can’t do all that flippy mojo and you know it!” Diego loved Matt, but sometimes it was totally unfair how cool of a demigod he was. “It’s embarrassing, man…it really is.” 

“Embarrassing for you, maybe.” Matt pointed out, a grin still settled on his expression. Though really, as much flippy mojo as he had, he wouldn’t go to say he was any cooler than his friend. After all, on a good day, Diego was capable of summoning vines and shit like that. All Matt had was his ability to fight. “Do you need me to turn around? Wait for you to get it up?” He meant the vines, obviously, but he figured his friend would appreciate a good dumb boy joke.

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sandraxjones‌:

Sandra felt useless. Totally and completely useless just standing in the middle of the woods shaking like a leaf while she watched the two Ares campers attack each other. It was clear that Matt’s brother hadn’t expected it, though he had recovered fairly well if you asked Sandra, matching Matt blow for blow even if Matt was too quick for him. There were times she wanted to cry out- reacting as weapons cut into flesh and each drew blood from the other- but she remained frozen with the fear that even the slightest distraction might mean Matt would lose. 

She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until Matt’s sibling dropped unconscious to the forest floor and he stood victorious. “Matt” she breathed weakly, shaking her head with the rush of emotions washing over her. Relief that he had won, guilt she hadn’t so much as lifted her sword to help, fear that she still stood in the middle of the woods while the ringing of metal against metal could be heard in all directions. 

“Go?” Sandra asked, her voice shaking as she glanced around them. She didn’t even know where she was, how was she supposed to know where to go? “I- Matt- I’m lost.” She admitted miserably, her vision once again blurring as tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know which way to go.” 

She was so scared, it was so clear. Even without looking at Sandra he could tell that she was petrified and... Gods, why was she even out here? It was her first week of camp and she was carrying a sword that was far too heavy for her. Placed too close to the flag-- even if she was out of the way. Really, the fact that she was required to participate in the first place was bad enough, but he wasn’t one to argue about it.

He sheathed his rapier, ignoring the way the blood stained the sheath. He’d deal with that later, it just wasn’t important right then. She was the only thing that mattered at that moment. Quickly, he took a few steps towards Sandra, only looking away when he threw a look over his shoulders (just making sure no one was there yet.) “Do you trust me?” He asked, offering her his hand.

He wasn’t sure what she saw just then. Did she see a bloodied soldier who would do whatever it would take to win in a fight? Someone who didn’t care who they hurt? Or did she the boy he wanted to be-- someone who’s first instinct wasn’t to fight. Someone who just wanted to protect. He knew what he looked like, covered in scrapes and bruises, blood all over, dagger still in his other hand. But hopefully none of that mattered.

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adara-davis‌:

Adara shook her head at Matt’s modesty. “Brute force has gotten us all the way into the heart of Blue Team’s territory. I’d say there’s something to be said for an Ares offense.” She watched as he sheathed the rapier- a beautiful piece she had enjoyed refurbishing recently- and nodded. “I’m glad to hear it, just be sure to care for it like I showed you. It should keep for the summer at least.” Glancing over her shoulder at her siblings, Adara made a motion with her hand for them to scatter and take to the trees, effectively holding their position in enemy territory. “So what’s the plan, Matt? Where are you off to next?” 

“We definitely love winning,” Matt said with a grin, knowing that despite it all he was enough like his siblings where it counted, including loving the thrill of a good win. And of course he couldn’t deny that they were good, him and his siblings. Their strongest capabilities was their knack for fighting, which definitely helped during games like these. “I’m no longer needed here, but I’ve got a theory I want to test out. Most of their army is sanctioned over there,” he gestured to where most of his siblings had run off to. “But I’m willing to bet they’ve got their flag in a completely different area.” And he had seen some blue plums in the east. “So I’ll be heading that way.”

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sandraxjones‌:

The conversation quieted between them as Sandra fell deep into thought. If Matt’s mom had known who his father really was, it stood to reason that Sandra’s mother might have known as well. Of course, she couldn’t ask her, but there was someone else she could ask and that very someone was only a phone call away. 

As the gas station neared, Sandra found her pace quickening, her eyes scanning for the payphone and she nearly forgot Matt at her side until he stopped. Make your call, I’ll keep watch. Stopping in her tracks, Sandra turned to him and flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you, I’ll be right back.” 

She practically ran to the payphone- as if to claim it for herself before anyone else might swoop in and take it first when she could hardly wait a moment longer to hear his voice. Lifting her leg, Sandra yanked her shoe off and dumped the spare dime into her hand. She held it tightly in her fist as she dropped her shoe and shoved her foot back inside, the dime was her lifeline back to home and she only had one chance to reach him. 

It was with shaking hands she lifted the dime to her lips, kissed it for good luck, and let it drop in the slot, silently praying that he would be there, waiting by the phone. Dialing the number she knew by heart, better than any other, Sandra held the phone to her ear and counted each ring. Only two before that familiar, gruff “Jones residence, who, may I ask, is calling?” He sounded tired, a sadness coloring his words Sandra remembered from their first meeting when he came to pick her up from the hospital that fateful day. “Grandpa! It’s me- it’s Sandra” She cried into the phone, hot tears of relief spilling down her cheeks that she reached to swipe away quickly. “I don’t have much time to talk.” 

Wanting to give her some space, Matt turned away from the payphone. A big part of him wanted to shove his hands into his pockets so he wouldn’t look so suspicious just standing there, but he knew he needed to have those hands available in case anything happened so he fought off that urge. Instead, he let them just hang at his side, grazing the handles to his weapons. He wondered what the mortals saw in his belt. The dagger could probably pass for a lot of things, if the mist was heavy enough, but his rapier was so long and it hung at such an unnatural state.

Nobody seemed to pay them mind, anyways, so Matt took a moment to just survey their surroundings. The gas station itself was beat up, a relic of it’s time. It needed new shingles and the paint was cracking from the sun constantly beating on it. The people were another thing altogether, each unique in their own way. The family were just exiting the store, looking scarily like the American dream. A father and a mother held hands as a little girl clutched her teddybear to her, her eyes wide as she thought about all the treats they had bought. Behind them, with a bag in hand, was a boy who had to be older, but not by much. He was dragging his feet and kicking at rocks, clearly upset by something. Matt guessed it was the fact that he had to hold the bag full of their treats.

Besides the family, there was a couple on the other side of the building. While currently shrouded from sight, Matt knew they were pressed against the building and each other. He wasn’t sure why teenagers would come to a gas station to make out, but he wouldn’t question their motives.

Lastly, and the most suspicious, was a man on a motorcycle. His leather jacket and tattoos suggested that he was trying to give off a bad vibe, which was exactly what Matt was getting from him. His sight lingered on that gentleman longer than the others, simply because he knew if anyone-- mortal or not-- were going to give them trouble, it would be this man.