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“Second one.” Percy grinned and raised his hand for a high five. “We got this.”
“Never doubted it,” Annabeth confirmed. Peleus snorted a puff of smoke from his nostrils in response, coiling tighter around the pine tree. The fleece sat snug on the same branch they set it on years ago, in the shade a soft gold like Annabeth’s hair. She was a little tan, a little burnt, and very pretty - her usual August combo.
Percy could see the day’s oncoming group start to trek over from the camp store, all of them gripping a rolled up orange shirt as if it were their childhood blankey. Katie Gardner stood in front of the shop, directing the herd with large gestures like the airplane dudes. It was a considerably big batch of kids.
He turned to Annabeth. “Do you want to start this time?”
“Yeah, sure.” She nodded, before twisting around and peering over her shoulder. Her mouth tilted into something like uncertainty.
Percy followed her gaze. Satyrs in their human-leg disguises were loading crates and crates of strawberries into a truck on the other side of the hill. One of them closed the back and gave the bumper a slap. The engine rumbled to life and the truck cruised off.
The camp was selling strawberries like crazy, shipping them out before the end of the season. They really needed the money, so Percy was really glad. That didn’t stop Annabeth from being so stressed about the construction, though. Since August 18th, the new cabins were already nearly done… which reminds him.
“Don’t forget Chiron wants you to ramble less this time.”
Annabeth groaned.
Percy clasped his hands together. “I beg you, for my sake and the campers’, save the architecture for when the tour is over. Chiron said the last group ended knowing more about insulation than what Capture the Flag was, so. There’s that. ”
She shuddered. “That sure was an interesting game. Fine, I’ll try my best.”
Percy couldn’t help but snicker at the memory. But if that centaur wants to put two ADHD ridden campers in charge of ten ADHD newbies - war victories or not - he’s not sure what Chiron expected.
“These kids don’t look like a bad batch,” Percy observed. He looks at Annabeth. “Can you believe we were that little?”
“You mean where you were that little?” Annabeth snickered.
Percy shouldered her. “Oh, come on.”
She was trying not to double over from laughing, and shook her head. “No, I can’t believe it.”
They really were that small before. Sometimes, when he lets himself think about it, Percy tries to imagine himself that size, holding a minotaur in one hand and a satyr in the other. And not long after…
“Remember when I gave you your tour?” Annabeth always seemed to read his mind.
“Of course I do,” Percy crossed his arms and smirked. “You were mean.”
“No, I wasn’t!”
“You said I drooled. I was twelve and insecure,” he pointed out.
“Oh, you’re so right…” Annabeth raised her hands in sarcastic defeat, and took a step back. “...but I can definitely say that now because you are sixteen and so very secure .”
“Sixteen and the same height as you,” Percy corrected.
Annabeth tilted her head to the side, and gave him a once over. Suddenly, she stormed right up to him until they were nose to nose, and Percy’s heart may have jumped to his throat.
She brought her hand to the top of Percy’s head and slid it forward until it hit hers. Annabeth tsked. “You still got some growing to do.”
Percy swatted her arm away and she hopped backwards, clearly enjoying her own height superiority.
“So, tall stuff - are you teaching sword today?”
“Nope. Mr. D has me supervising canoeing on Mondays.” Percy held out a thumbs down with an accompanying fart noise.
“Oh, I thought we would be able to spar,” Annabeth said, eyebrow raised. She turned away. “HEY GUYS!”
The tour group was at the base of the hill now, huddled together like penguins - their eyes were wide and set on Peleus. They made no move to continue over.
“Nothing to be scared of! Come on over!” Annabeth continued.
Percy waved them on. Some of the braver few, he guessed, started to head up.
“Sparring, huh? Annabeth, you really want to get your butt handed to you this early in the day?”
“Oh, you wish that was the case,” she retorted, before turning her attention to the gathering kids. “Hi everyone. I’m Annabeth Chase, head counselor of the Athena cabin. And this is Percy.”
“Hey, welcome.”
The small crowd didn’t look any more comfortable. Percy noticed how some of them were already cliqued up, muttering hushed jokes to one another. Others stood a bit separated.
Annabeth straightened up, putting on her I’m-In-Charge persona, which stacked her intimidating points impossibly higher. “We’re going to give you the counselor tour of Camp Half Blood, the only place for demigods in the world,” she announced, sounding as official as the last round. “You’re also going to have to learn our rules. Did everyone see the orientation video?”
There were big nods and scattered groans.
Percy didn’t even want to know what they were shown. As far as he knew, it could’ve been a war montage or Apollo singing a remix of Stayin’ Alive . He leaned over to Annabeth. “That bad, huh?”
“Consider yourself lucky,” she muttered back.
They visited the Big House first, which so far always consisted of struggling to keep all the campers together and telling them no, don’t go into the attic. Percy did his best to steer them clear of the pinochle game that was surely going on outside around the corner - he didn’t know if they’ve seen Chiron is centaur-form yet, or even met Mr. D, and he wasn’t going to let them have a repeat of his first year.
“We’re going to visit the most important parts of the camp right now,” Annabeth announced. “But there are a couple more areas you might get to know once you start your activities.”
“The sword arena is really cool,” Percy added, as they started towards the north side. Annabeth grinned.
“Oh yeah, Percy is the best swordsman here. You’re going to want to train with him if that’s your thing.”
A couple of kids from the group looked at him hopefully, and Percy felt himself blush. “Um, well. Camp is definitely not boring like school. Whatever you’re good at, we have it.”
“And if you need help,” Annabeth supplied. “I’ll teach you anything that you need to know.”
Her genuinity made Percy smile. Too often the elder campers credited Percy as the one who had this new era of Camp Half Blood under control, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Annabeth was really taking the reigns of this chariot, and the new campers, cabins, and challenges were monster metal birds. Percy was just trying his best to be a good teammate.
“I’ll be honest,” he said, raising his voice so everyone could hear as they marched on, “We have a lot of rules. And I know demigods aren’t known as the best… rule-followers. But let’s try our best.”
Annabeth shot a daring look over her shoulder. “Oh, they will. Right?”
The group straightened up.
“See that forest over there?” Annabeth pointed at the mass of trees. The kids peered around each other's shoulders to get a look. “That’s where we play Capture the Flag. First rule: ‘Don’t go into the forest unarmed or without a companion’. Monsters live in there, but so do dryads - so the next rule is, ‘no littering.’”
The new campers took in sights of the strawberry fields, the arena down at the far west…
“‘Don’t summon anything inside the camp’. ‘Don’t smuggle anything in’,” Percy listed. “And ‘don’t die’.”
“ Please don’t die, because as head counselors we would have to clean the mess.” Annabeth said, before winking at them. The group looked horrified, but she didn’t seem to care.
Sanctuary was found when they finally approached the familiar U formation of the cabins, now flanked by the new ones.
“These are the cabins, where you all will be staying. There is one for almost every god.” Percy took them through the center, where the statues were scattered about. He nodded towards the developing ones. “I’ve got a great joke about construction, but I’m still working on it.”
The newbies stared at him like he was the god of the dead and stole their mother. Percy cleared his throat. It worked whenever Paul said it.
Annabeth was cringing at his attempt. “Er, every afternoon the counselors come around with a checklist to see how tidy your cabin is. So, ‘keep your cabins clean’ - or you will get stuck with the bad chores.”
“Do everything you can to not get stable duty,” Percy warned. “Trust me. And my dad made horses, so...” He trailed off. Connor Stoll was in front of the Hermes cabin, waving at them.
When he caught Percy’s attention, he pointed at Annabeth, before waving again. Percy felt like gravity got a lot stronger.
She was still listing rules. “‘No boys and girls from different cabins are allowed to be alone’ --” Percy pat Annabeth on the shoulder. “Connor.”
Annabeth glanced over, and her expression turned grave. “Excuse me guys,” she said low, and jogged over.
They were too far away to hear what was going on. Connor said something, pointing inside of the cabin. Annabeth looked so concerned. She stepped in while the Stoll leaned against the doorframe, observing.
“Let’s go over here,” Percy found himself blurting, and led the tour to the other flank of cabins. “So, um - the newer cabins here are for the minor gods.”
“Sweet!” One of the newbies exclaimed. He shoved the kid next to him. “See? Minor god kids get it the best .” Their friend grinned and shouldered him back. Percy didn’t want to break the truth to them.
“Did the weird stuff in NYC from the news have to do with the gods?”
Percy blinked hard, and located the question from a mousy little boy near the front. “What?”
“The people… waking up all around the city, and the - weird damages everywhere,” the kid supplied, sounding less confident as they went on. Percy softened.
“Oh. Uh, yeah. Someone else can answer all of your questions about that after the tour, cool?” Percy started to walk backwards. “You can see the canoe lake over here, guys. And you’ll never guess what we use it for.”
Percy glanced over their heads to the Hermes cabin. Connor met his eyes and nodded his head no.
“Another… rule…” it felt like the words were getting stuck in his throat. “...is ‘don’t be out past curfew’.”
“Awww.”
A demigod stormed out of the Hermes cabin, Annabeth in tow. She had her hands up like she was no threat, but he took off towards the arena. Annabeth didn’t chase him. She exchanged another word with Connor, who nodded and went after the demigod.
Annabeth jogged right over. “He’s just antsy.” She sounded so defeated.
“That’s understandable. What happened?”
“He said after fighting with… Kronos, and especially after the new prophecy, he just wants out of here. I didn’t know much to say,” Annabeth crossed her arms and looked at the sky, lips twisting in frustration. This stress was the last thing she needed, but this demigod was only one of a few ex-Luke fighters that they took in. They were allowed back after they swore they were just lost, and manipulated by Kronos.
“We can’t expect them to just be a happy camper from day one,” Percy offered.
“Right,” Annabeth exhaled. “Chiron will keep an eye on them.”
“What new prophecy?”
Percy and Annabeth’s attention snapped back to their group that they totally forgot existed. Annabeth uncrossed her arms, and he could see the cogs in her brain try to think up an appropriate answer.
“Sometimes… our friend spits out prophecies for some campers to go on a quest. She said a new one recently.”
The Hermes girl looked us up and down. “Are you two in it?”
Annabeth clamped her eyes shut and Percy understood.
“No,” he said, firm. Half a prayer, half a demand. “We’re not.” He hoped his expression wasn’t too obvious but Annabeth was now looking at these kids like they would be dead in a month.
“Food,” Percy blurted. He reminded himself of Grover. “Where we eat. I mean. Why don’t we head over to the mess hall?”
Percy really poured himself into the tour at this point. He was actually glad that this go-around had the usual five minute why-is-there-no-roof conversation, promptly followed by the no-it-doesn’t-rain speech.
When they wrapped all the essentials up, Annabeth and Percy had everyone sit on the grass while they waited for the campers’ schedules. “While we’re stuck here,” Percy began. “I might as well start everyone's favorite part: The Percy Rules.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes. “And Chiron told me I should keep it quick.”
“Don’t make a deal with a Hermes kid. Sorry,” he winced an apology at the camper in the group. “Be nice to everyone for a good Capture the Flag team, that’s a good one. I’m going to double down on that don’t-die rule, too. Do not mess with Annabeth. And most importantly…”
He looked at Annabeth, and then back at the group. Percy was serious now.
“Don’t be scared to let us know if you need anything, or if something is wrong.”
Annabeth nodded. The crowd went quiet, very interested in the grass.
A hand went up. “Do we get to leave?”
Annabeth let out a relieved sigh. “Yes, if you get a quest or permission from Chiron.” She really looked at the kids, an odd sparkle in her eye. “You are in good hands.”
“We will do whatever we can to keep you all safe,” Percy added.
“And in a week - it’ll be even better,” Annabeth gestured wide, and started to get up. “We should go see what your activities are now!”
The water felt good.
Percy swung his feet in the canoe lake, shoes long kicked off to the side. The campers in their boats were battling, splashing their oars hard as retaliation - and he honestly had to laugh from his spot at the dock.
It was really nice to have a second to breathe. He was exhausted, and the water was refreshing, luckily. Still, he has been keeping himself busy. Percy hasn’t felt completely relaxed… ever. And it hasn’t been letting up recently.
The camp was overall loud at this time of day, with activities at full swing. It looked like the last tour group was fitting in just fine, even after a few days. He tried to ignore that it bothered him how easy it was.
“Hey Percy!”
One of the newer campers in a canoe waved at him, beaming. Percy waved back and smiled, but cursed himself. He should really know everyones name by now, or he’s a big hypocrite - no better than the gods just weeks ago.
For a second he wondered if the gods could read his mind. Have they before? He couldn’t seem to remember.
Annabeth would know. They were planning to meet up here tonight anyways, and he couldn’t wait. He had a lot to talk about and she said she needed to vent.
Years ago, they sat here drawing up chariots. Percy smirked when he wondered if there was anything he wouldn’t associate with them.
The kid was still motioning at him. He mimed a big swing with his oar and Percy understood. Signaled with a thumbs up. The demigod faced the rival boat. “JESSICA!”
One of the rowers turned. Percy focused.
The camper’s oar was slammed into the water, which generated a wave that turned into a sprinkler, gently-but-thoroughly dousing the opposing team. They got back to their own antics.
Counselors just finished afternoon checklists. Athena won over Aphrodite, so Flag would be interesting that week. The Poseidon cabin, AKA Percy, got next to last because Tyson wasn’t around. So, hot water wasn’t guaranteed come shower time, but that didn’t really matter. He could heat it up himself anyway. Cabin maintenance wasn’t his priority at all, especially with integrating all of the ex-Luke campers.
A canoe team paddles up close to the dock. “Percy, we have a question.”
Something in him tenses. “Shoot.”
“When we paddle together, we keep turning,” the hero at front started. They demonstrated, and Percy watched as the boat demonstrated what the wheels on the bus do.
“Okay. Try that J stroke I showed you. When you start turning, use your paddle to do a J in the water.” They offered Percy their oar and he took it, plunging it into the lake and drawing a J. “See?”
“Yes,” another said. She took back the paddle, but looked hesitant, like she wanted to ask something else. The rest of her team followed suit.
“Do you… want a boost?” Percy offered.
All of them nodded eagerly.
“Alright, hold on -- “ Percy leaned over and gripped the edge of their boat. The water at the bottom started to rise, before propelling them away in a spiral towards the center of the lake. They leveled out and then cheered.
Percy ignored the occupants of the other canoes, who were gaping at him. They must be newer.
Campers stared. And he always noticed. Annabeth insisted it’s because he radiates good energy but he knew better. Sometimes he still felt like a guinea pig.
There was movement in the corner of his eye. Percy looked and another group was floating near, like he was an alligator and they were Steve Irwin.
He recognized them from the latest tour group. One of their names started with an A… Aaliyah? Another was ridiculously white. He was racking his head when --
“Percy, have you ever littered?”
The question took him so off guard, he swore his brain got deleted for a second. Percy casted a glance at the forest. “No? Um -- “
“Oh man,” Ridiculously-White complained. He turned to his friends. “Well, I don’t think he died either! I’m going to lose.”
“I got one more to go,” the Hermes girl bragged.
“Uh, just wondering, can you guys let me in on whatever you’re talking about?”
The newbies flashed a look at each other, caught. Their mouths clamped shut.
Percy willed a current to bring them closer until they were directly in front of them. “Guys?”
Kids were easy to guilt. The mousy boy reached into their back pocket and produced a paper. Small, because it was folded into eighths. “The -- game -- “ Percy snatched it.
Printed on the unfolded paper was a four by four grid, each labeled with a Camp Half Blood rule -- he recognized it easily. Don’t litter , no boy and girl to be in a cabin alone …
“Bingo?” Percy didn’t remember this being an activity. Did the camp even have a printer?
“Yeah, the winner gets something from the camp store free,” the mousy boy said, jittering with excitement.
Percy’s heard that before. Hermes cabin kids always say that when they’ll instead steal it and then frame ya for it. “You guys really shouldn’t be breaking rules for a lame bingo card when I can get you anything from the store no problem.”
“It’s not us breaking it. It’s the camp orientation team.”
Percy’s first pathetic thought was, hey, I’m in the camp orientation team.
“It’s counselors-breaking-the-rules bingo,” the Hermes girl clarified. “We were told counselors that are dating were easier to target, and…”
“You mean me and…?”
She snapped her fingers. “Annabeth, yes! Since you are together, the Stolls were right that you would help us win in no time.”
Percy blinked hard once. Twice. It was easier processing the cluster fuck visual of Geryon.
“PERCY!” Another group called from somewhere off in the lake. With the flick of his hand they shot up into a small geyser, whooping.
Percy reread the card. The free space, a glaring box in the middle, said ANARCHY GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT . “Anarchy?”
“No, Annarcy . That’s your names squished together.”
Percy felt like he was going to throw up in his mouth.
He shot up to his feet, and scrambled to put his shoes on. “I’m going to. Nap. Drew is over there if you have any questions.”
“Percy?”
“NAP!” Percy shouted, and took off towards the cabins.
It took five minutes and two soaking wet Stolls to get to the bottom of this.
It turned out that a former undetermined kid came up with it a year ago, when Percy and Annabeth got closer before their tour of the labyrinth. They weren’t even together then.
But c’mon! The Stolls had said. We’re not blind.
Percy remembered a dark cavern, a hand slipping into his. He always got a little… felt a little funny when he thought about he and Annabeth’s relationship.
The guy who began it died in the war, though, so Percy wasn’t able to learn much more besides what the Stolls continued in the past months.
They’ve kept doing it because, yanno, what else are you gonna do when there’s no war?
Percy had to admit, it wasn’t an horrible idea - it was better than the games where they feverishly argued about what was the worst way for a demigod to die. They got morbid when they were bored.
No, it wasn’t a horrible idea, but Percy wished he wasn’t in the middle of it.
You two don’t even break the rules… that much, do ya?
No. He lied so easy.
They made a bingo card. This was so weird. Weirder than finally understanding the centaur in a prom dress story, or almost dying because of giant ants, or almost dying because of Luke -- and the fact it’s about him and Annabeth? He felt sick, space-food-from-D.C. sick.
In his bunk, Percy thought hard. What have they done in the past week that was bingo card rule breaking worthy?
Sure, his cabin wasn’t clean. He doesn’t smuggle anything in besides his mom’s homemade blue oreos, but no one saw that. They better not have.
If the campers caught Annabeth sneaking over --
Percy’s heart thudded.
But they just -- they just talk. His head was bustling with excuses, truths… They were finding time to talk which he now felt weird about because they’ve done it enough where everyone must’ve gotten that practically as a free space.
Oh, no. Oh, no. He doesn’t even want to know what the campers have seen. He and Annabeth were not the goody two shoes poster children.
The game started a year ago. His brain felt like it boiling over, bubbling, overflowing --
Wait. No. Percy turned his head. The fountain was gurgling like it was a rushing creek, splashing of water jumping out - the sea rocks that it’s made of practically turning red with heat.
When Percy unclenched his fists, it stopped.
Tyson fixed it from the first time he split it in two, but he was liking that thing less and less. Percy pushed off his bed, acknowledging another failed nap attempt. Dreams were never his friend, anyways.
He was bothered by this game, and to be honest, he had no idea why. But someone might.
The sun was still up even though it was late in the day. Kids were at ease and lazy, some coming back from taking a swim at the beach, which was a stark contrast to Percy power walking across the pavilion.
Annabeth was climbing the lava wall with such skill that Percy almost forgot why he was there. Her feet found hold on jutted out rock like that’s what they were made for. Even from where he stood, he could see her squint as she coordinated her next move, lean arms boosting herself up the wall and never missing. She rushed up to the top no problem.
When Annabeth got back down, Percy could see how her curly hair was loose, framing her face and stray strands sticking to the sweat on her forehead. She was so pretty. She had her resting kill-a-chimera face, but when she saw him, she smiled. Percy is pretty sure he lost all sensation in his body. He really needed to get a hang of this.
Her fellow campers high fived her as she sauntered over.
“Got something to say, Seaweed Brain?” She teased, before coming around and hugging Percy’s side in a greeting.
His brain fumbled for a response that made sense but instead kissed her on the cheek. He felt her smile. This was good. Someone whistled but he didn’t bother looking to see who.
“Good day?” Percy finally asked.
“Could’ve had a better record.” Annabeth said, taking a water bottle one of her siblings offered.
Percy shook his head. “You’re too hard on yourself.”
“No, not enough,” she managed to say, after taking a huge gulp. She scanned his face. “You look tired.”
He shrugged. Suddenly, he felt very aware of the campers around and really remembered what he came here for. She read right into him. “Percy?”
“Can we go to the beach?”
Annabeth eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Do you have anything else to do?” Percy pleaded.
“Shower,” she snorted. “And weren’t we going to the canoe dock later?”
Percy tried out that seal look she always talked about. It was too easy from there.
Since activities just ended, the beach was completely deserted. The sun threatened to set and the sand crunched satisfyingly under their shoes.
Annabeth plopped herself down near the shore, sitting up and stretching out her legs. Percy kept walking forward, until the ocean lapped at his feet.
He looked back, and Annabeth was watching him patiently. She pushed aside her grey hair from her forehead, which seemed white in the sun.
“Has anyone ever asked you about your hair?” Percy winced at how that came out.
Annabeth froze, her hand now going up to smooth it out. “What about it?”
“I mean the grey. Our grey streaks.”
“Oh.” She seemed relieved. “No. I haven't really thought about that.”
She began to etch a pattern into the sand. “Been too busy to think like that.”
Percy hummed in agreement, wandering over until he was next to her. “Matching grey hair really beats the matching couples’ novelty sweaters at the camp store.”
Annabeth snorted and shook her head. She swiped away her drawing, which was starting to look like a house. “I don’t know, Percy. Maybe I would rather take a sweater than a reminder that I held the sky.”
Percy considered that, and yawned. He could see smoke rising from the mess hall, dinner in session. This wasn’t the first time they skipped out.
“Sit down,” Annabeth said. He doesn’t. Instead she reached up and grabbed his hand.
Percy looked down at her. “Have you heard of the bingo card?”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Bingo card,” she repeated.
“The newbies are playing a game. They get a bingo card from the Hermes cabin with the camp rules, and everytime we break one, they cross it out.”
“We? As in you and me?”
Percy nodded. “Yeah. It’s out of all the camp counselors, but everyone thought we’re the easiest.”
Annabeth’s face scrunched up. Engine smoke could’ve been billowing out of her ears. “I don’t understand why just us.”
Percy bit his lip, and hoped his palm wasn’t sweaty. “Well… to put it in the Stoll’s words…” He used his free hand for air quoting. “‘ You make out more than dryads are trees. ’”
Her hand went stiff in his. For a second he got scared she would let go.
Annabeth’s eyes widened, and her expression contorted to embarrassment to anger within seconds.
“Oh,” she growled. “Once I figure out which one of those Hermes kids started this -- “
“Don’t worry who started it,” Percy added quickly. “What I can’t stop thinking about is like, are we really that obvious?”
Annabeth managed a smirk. “What, our rebellious, crime worthy rule breaking?”
“So what, that’s every ADHD demigod in the camp. I mean, are we that entertaining? We’re just people. I mean, half-people. Is this why, I don’t know, the gods focus on us so much?” He threw his hands outward, defeated.
Annabeth was quiet for a moment.
“Percy… the oracle gave us prophecies since we were twelve. It seems like we did petty tasks for every god at this point. Maybe we can just ignore this dumb game.
“Maybe.” Percy grumbled. “We’re pretty good at doing that anyway, huh?”
Annabeth cast her gaze to the ground. “Yeah…”
Her tone was enough for Percy to lower himself onto the beach next to her. She locked her arm with his, holding him close like any second he’ll disappear.
Percy’s face twisted in confusion. “Am I a bad boyfriend for making us break so many rules?”
Annabeth’s head snapped up to look at him, expression unreadable. Then she burst into laughter.
“Oh, okay.”
She gasped for air between snorting fits. “Percy,” she said, strangled. “I’m as much of a trouble maker as you are! This isn’t on just you, tall stuff.”
Percy lightly kicked her shoe with his, scuffing bits of sand up. She cuddled in closer, tucking her head in so he could rest his chin on top of her hair.
“I managed a couple minutes at your table all the time,” Annabeth bragged. “People wish they were us, we’re definitely so cool.”
Percy laughed. “Who knew bingo would be our next challenge. We’re never gonna catch a break, are we?”
“Honestly, a bingo card is a considerable break compared to a four year long war.”
Percy didn’t really respond to that.
They stayed there for a bit longer. Annabeth was relaxed, and he thought she fell asleep because she was breathing like it. He could always rest peaceful with her, whether it was in a zoo truck or in the sand.
“If people stalking us really bothers you,” Annabeth started, catching Percy by surprise. “We could stop the rule breaking.”
Well, he didn’t want that either. “So… no sneaking into my cabin?”
Annabeth craned her head up so her eyes met his, and tucked stray hair behind his ear. “Hm, nevermind. Maybe we just have to be extra stealthy instead.”
It was sort of funny until it got ultra weird, stalkery, and somehow worse.
Ridiculously-White found them alone in Percy’s cabin later that day. Percy had to hold back Annabeth while she threatened to stab him if he told Chiron, or if he poked his head through Percy’s window ever again.
Hermes girl laughed until she almost passed out when she caught them out past curfew kissing at the Mess Hall -- not cool. He still hadn’t asked what she was doing out late.
There was a ten minute argument the next morning about whether Percy’s everyday teasing counted as don’t mess with Annabeth … in front of Percy and Annabeth.
No, of course they didn’t sit at their respective tables. They don’t summon anything inside the camp, though.
In Percy’s circus of a life, he had a long list of embarrassing moments under his belt. Being an awkward teenager and having prophecies looming over him wasn’t a great mix. When Percy would hit a two day mark without sleep, he would say weird things. If he left friends alone with his mom, his dear, dear, mom, she would show them his baby bath photos.
But he was not sure anymore if that’s comparable to he and his girlfriend not being able to stop breaking the rules and constantly being stalked for it. Usually, Percy associated summers with nice weather and good training time, if he wasn’t on a quest.
Now, he felt like he couldn’t enjoy that without a newbie breathing down his neck with their bingo card in hand. The only thing in common with then and now was that he and Annabeth were always together, which was a relief.
Still, when he made a deal with a Hermes kid to change activity shifts so he could hang out with his girlfriend in exchange for help with a water-based prank, he heard an offhand Yessss emit from behind a bush.
Percy was really trying not to let the onlookers ruin the summer, especially this summer, for so many reasons that he felt like he didn’t need to list. He heard one of the players was close to winning, though.
“Fire,” Annabeth declared as quietly as she could. Percy scanned the pavilion for any drifting eyes.
“No way that's the worst.” They crouched down when a new camper passed, shrugging a quiver on.
“That has to hurt. Do you know how many nerves -- ”
“It does,” Percy confirmed. “But I’ve literally had lava thrown at me and I’m still here.”
He spun in place to prove it. They stayed tight to the edge of the forest. Where they were going wasn’t far, but they had to pass a hell of a lot of activities to get there.
“But you did some Poseidon stuff to escape it, so that does not count,” Annabeth wagged her finger at him.
Percy scoffed. “Sure it counts. I just think getting speared in the back is the worst way to die. Who wants to be a shishkabob?”
Annabeth smacked herself in the head in frustration. “You change your theory every time.”
After a day full of tours, lessons, and cabin checks, they just finished up stealing some strawberries and were heading towards the armory - one of their favorite secret spots. Oh yeah, they were getting there undetected like it was a life saving mission. Annabeth had her eyes ahead while Percy watched their six towards the cabins.
“You’re just biased because you can only die if someone stabbed your back.”
“Anyone can very much die from getting stabbed in the back,” Percy reminded. “Isn’t there like, important things back there?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
The archery field was dangerously close to their route. In their concerningly fleshed-out plan on how they would get to their destination, they considered just going through the forest, but both of them didn’t want to risk fighting anything. So, instead they were going to walk right on by, and pretend that they are on their way to the forges.
They marched right up, preparing their script of “we are very busy”s and “don’t mind us”s, but they didn’t even get a chance when Percy got shot by the arrow.
It hit his chest, so it bounced right off, of course. The impact was still enough to make him stagger. But even after an entire war of not being able to get a scratch, he wasn’t exactly used to not being able to die. His hands shot up to where he was hit, and pulled away - no blood.
Annabeth had her hand over her mouth and they both looked at the occupants of the archery field. A bunch of newbies were there, holding the bows all wrong with Will Solace trying to hold it together. Their eyes were the size of saucers, moving from Percy, to the arrow on the ground, to Percy again. Their bodies were tense with the very training he drilled into their mind.
The two kids closest to him were turning pale. One held their bow awkwardly, half twisted around and ended up aimed right at Percy, and the other marked a box on their bingo sheet before passing out cold.
Percy instinctively rushed over to help, and nearly bumped heads with Will, who had the same idea. The Apollo counselor sat the camper up, and Percy grabbed the bingo card. The new garbled X was crossed over the Don’t die square.
The demigod who shot him was now fanning their unconscious friend with a shaking hand, while Will shouted at the rest of the campers to put down their bows and go back to their cabins.
He wouldn’t look Percy in the eye. “Can you help me get him to the infirmary to rest up?”
Percy just nodded.
“I’ll help too,” Annabeth said, stepping forward. She kneeled and the four hoisted the kid into their arms.
When everything settled down, Will told him the newbie just freaked out, and he would be fine - he didn’t need ambrosia or anything. His prescription for the kid and his friend was no more archery for the rest of the summer. His prescription for Percy - Don’t get hit by any more arrows, please.
On the deck of the Big House, Percy leaned against the porch rail and looked out at the camp. Inside of the infirmary behind him, was a kid he scared half to death because he got hit by an arrow and just as well coughed.
Percy has seen people get killed but somehow making a camper faint made him feel like what he cleaned up from the stables.
Annabeth had pulled up a porch chair next to him, eyes never leaving his face. He hasn’t said anything since Will left and neither has she.
He felt dumb for thinking that his life at camp could be some sort of fun normal just because the war ended. No, he couldn’t even die.
Percy thought he was going to die when he first heard the Great Prophecy. And he was ready.
And then he didn’t, which is a good thing. He just wished it was an easier thing to bounce back from. They just finished a war with all eyes on them, and these kids stalk their every move with a bingo card because… “what else are they going to do”?
Percy and Annabeth weren’t a children’s coloring book. They’ve killed things.
“You’re breaking another rule, Percy.” One of her hands was fiddling with her camp necklace. “‘Let us know if something is wrong’.”
He focused on his breathing like all his school counselors always tell him to do. He faced Annabeth. “I don’t think I can ignore what’s happened to us, but I think that’s all people want us to do.”
It was her turn to observe the camp. Percy continued. “Ever since the war ended, it’s like I have to be two different people. The Percy that can move on and handle all the changes to camp, and the Percy that can move on and act like it's any other summer.”
Annabeth straightened up. “I know what you mean.”
Percy looked at her, really looked at her. He wondered how she’s been doing this five more years than him.
“Half of the camp knows who we are while the other doesn’t, and that’s not exactly what we are rushing to have them catch up with,” Annabeth contemplated.
“They’re playing bingo while we are…” Percy trailed off.
“Yeah.” She looked like she was going to cry.
Percy nodded. One minute he watched Luke stab himself and die, the next he was hosting arts and crafts, all while being completely invulnerable to death. Almost completely. He reached out and Annabeth grabbed his hand like it was second nature.
“You heard what Will said,” she supplied, struggling to gain stability to her voice. “He was going to explain what happened, so. Maybe this is a sign.”
“A sign for what?”
Annabeth let out a huff of a sigh. “To take a real break. Tomorrow we should just leave camp. We have been at it nonstop since the war ended.”
The idea was crazy to hear from Annabeth. “Really?”
She nodded, and stood up. She didn’t let go of his hand. “Iris message your mom. Let’s go up and just… sleep for a million years. I have leverage with Argus anyway.”
“Leverage with -- ? Chiron will probably freak,” he lowered his voice and shot a glance over his shoulder.
“We can break a few more rules. I bet make a centaur angry isn’t on the dumb paper. Besides, if anyone deserves this…” she took a deep breath. “Maybe it’s us.”
The air grew heavy with uncertainty. Her grasp became more solid. Annabeth put her other hand around his neck, a question, and Percy closed the space between them.
Percy could be hit with a dozen arrows while kissing her and really not care. Will can take his prescription back. He had all that he needed right here.
Annabeth pulled back and an idea popped into his head. He smiled.
“What?”
“Well, until tomorrow, I’d really hate to be hassled more. It sure sucks that everyone here can breathe underwater.” Percy feigned a sad look, before looking up with sarcastic shock. “Wait.”
His girlfriend rolled her eyes, but headed off the porch and towards the canoe lake. He stomped off the Big House steps. Annabeth walked slow at first, before turning back at him and taking off in a run. Percy grinned at the challenge and sprinted.
As far as he knew, underwater kisses were never against the rules - especially The Percy Rules. And Annabeth was right. They deserved something like this.