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Percy’s mouth opens and shuts, at first not sure what to say – before landing on, “Where are you?”
Annabeth squints at him, the odd light in the (stall?) making her eyes look black. The wall behind her looks like a bathtub, tiled, with soap stuck in between the cracks. Percy even catches a glimpse of a plastic curtain hanging next to her. Annabeth just waves her hand.
“Percy. Focus on what I’m telling you. It’s not cool to just Iris message me whenever. Some things are private. What if I was in the shower or something?”
Percy sticks his tongue out, gross, before thinking – “But… you are in a shower.”
“Yeah, to get a rainbow to lecture you! My stepmom could’ve seen you.”
It wasn’t really on purpose. Percy didn’t feel like eating dinner anymore, the first day at Meriwether Prep looming over tomorrow, and the rain was just lifting outside his bedroom window. Good, he thought, too much rain makes him think of lightning, but then the clouds separated and out came a rainbow, and in the back of his mind Percy thought of a coin, which he fished out of his pocket without really noticing.
Annabeth Chase, he said. San… Diego? Wait, stop! San Francisco!
The last time he saw her was at Half Blood Hill, running down to her dad’s car. Percy felt happy for her, secure that he found a new friend.
The rainbow outside shimmered before the image became clear in the sky: A family, if Percy’s ever seen one. Annabeth’s dad, a woman that he’s never seen before, two boys, and Annabeth. All on the couch, and it seemed like they’re watching something that Percy can’t see.
Percy jumps when he knocked into the window, not realizing he was leaning closer. Jeez, he said, then froze – Annabeth’s eyes locking on his.
She got up quickly to swish away the call before Percy could get another word in.
He was left in his room, even tripping backwards on some video game console he left on the floor. Percy was thinking about how he shouldn’t have bothered her in the first place when Annabeth called back not too long after.
“You doofus,” she continues, shaking her head. “Just. Don’t call in the middle of the day. It’s TV time, and they’re kinda weird about that, and if they saw you they would remember how kinda weird I am – and – oh. I guess I should’ve started with something like, ‘how are you’, huh?”
Percy shrugged. “I’m more curious about how you made a rainbow in the shower.”
Annabeth dropped her head. “How did I ever deal with you?”
“Perseverance and Medusa’s french fries.”
Annabeth’s trying hard not to smile, but she mutters sarcastically, “Sure...”
Percy watches her eyes wander behind him, and suddenly he gets insecure about his room. After things with Gabe got… rocky, he finally had a chance to decorate it however he wanted. White Keys posters were up, along with a small TV where he could game. “Um–” Percy started.
“So, you needed to call?” Annabeth says. Percy shrinks, “needed” being a strong word, but – “Yeah,” Percy confesses. He sits on his bed. “Do you have… school, soon?”
Annabeth rolls her eyes, before leaning back against the shower wall. “I already started. Haven’t gotten attacked yet, so. Phew, right?”
“Yeah. Phew.” Shoot, Percy nearly forgot about that part. A tingling anxiety starts at his fingertips and makes its way to his chest. He thinks of a school full of people and not knowing if, or how many, were monsters. The last thing he wants is his final resting place to be at a school.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to last though. It’s a fancy school in the city, and the kids here are super snooty,” Annabeth scrunches her face in annoyance.
Percy nods, “Oh, I get that part.”
Annabeth moves hair out of her face, and Percy realizes that she isn’t wearing it up in a ponytail. “Why do we live in the most uptight places in America?”
Percy peaks outside at the city below. He catches glimpses of neighbors walking their dogs, chins up, and expensive cars speeding fast with somewhere to go. “‘Cause we have no choice. Well, I mean – Nevermind, you do.”
His friend blinks, her expression flickering into something Percy can’t read. She opens her mouth a little, before licking her lips. Percy literally sees her reset. “You got school coming up?” Annabeth asks, voice quiet.
Right. Percy sighs. “Yeah… Tomorrow.”
The way her expression softens embarrasses Percy, and maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up, the whole thing making him seem like he can’t deal with it.
Annabeth is quiet for a while, resting her head back against the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest. Percy could practically see the gears whirring in her head.
“You know,” she starts, “I try to make it a game. Guess The Monster. It makes it less…” Annabeth falters, before shrugging. She looks away, to the right somewhere, and Percy thinks he hears someone else talking in the distance.
“You got to go?” Percy says. Annabeth looks back at him, her face a wall. “Dad is wondering where I am. But Percy – give the game a try, okay? Maybe it’ll help.”
Percy blinks, then nods. “Yeah. I’ll try.”
Annabeth smiles, which makes it worth it, though the mist is faltering. “Tell me how it goes. See you later, seaweed brain.”
“See you,” Percy says, the image disappearing, then left with the same old rainbow as before.
He’s going to need more drachmas.
Don’t ask Percy how this became a regular thing. Annabeth asked him to keep her updated, and he wasn’t going to be a liar, a bad friend, and not call her back. From there it just became… a habit. Which isn’t a bad thing – or weird either! What they talk about isn’t a big deal. The calls usually start the same way anyways.
“Where are you now?” Annabeth asks, herself at a gas station like the first time Percy had ever seen an Iris message. He’s sitting on a bench, a rickety one not far from home. “On my way back from school.”
Annabeth crosses her arms, amused, the view of the mist shifting with her grip. “Survived another day, I see.”
Just barely. Percy doesn’t trust his teachers the second he walked into that school, which somehow makes it even harder to do his schoolwork. “Every day is like that stupid quest. Except I’m doing it alone.”
Annabeth’s mouth slants. “I’m sure you’ll make friends soon, Percy. You had us within a minute.”
Except you’re the only person who talks to me right now besides my mom, Percy thinks, biting his lip.
As if Annabeth read his mind, she shakes her head. “I don’t care that we became friends over a quest you were forced to go on. Whatever happened, happened, and now you got us and we’re sticking around.”
“Where – wow! It’s so bright out there,” Percy gasps, looking at the sky behind Annabeth. Her image shimmers in his bedroom mirror, the park she’s at scattered with people who have no idea there’s a floating Percy in some place in San Francisco.
“That’s what a three hour time difference will do to ya.”
Percy frowns. “I want to go to San Francisco someday. Wish I could go on planes more.” Percy thinks, then gasps. “Annabeth, what are jumbo jets like?”
“Where are you right – Oh my Gods, aww!” Annabeth nearly squeals, and Percy nearly jumps out of his skin – up against his mom, who he’s sitting with, head on her shoulder. The TV keeps playing whatever game show is on, Percy doesn’t care, and he scrambles to the other side of the couch to his mom’s confusion. He waves his arm and shakes his head, mouthing big LATER! before standing up and judo kicking the mist message away.
“What was that?” His mom startles, squinting at Percy. He freezes, gawking.
“Um. A bee.”
“Where are you right now, Percy? Focus on that.” Annabeth’s voice echoes in Percy’s room, and from where Percy is laying on the floor it sounds so weird, so he curls up tighter. If he cared at the moment, he would’ve freaked out about how this was such an embarrassing position to be in, but he doesn’t care, can’t care, can’t stop thinking about those monsters and how no one knows, and how he is this freak that no one can understand. Every time he closes his eyes he remembers the Oracle, remembers nearly being tagged into tartarus, remembers Hades’ wicked face.
“I can’t breathe,” Percy croaks, knocking his head back into the carpet.
“I know, but you can. Now answer me, where are you?”
Percy shudders. “I’m in New York. In our apartment.”
Annabeth sighs, kind of like relief. “That’s good, Percy. All it was is stupid Halloween costumes, right? It’s all dumb. Don’t forget that dumb one you’re wearing.”
Percy looks down at himself. “I’m not wearing mine anymore.”
“Oh, I thought your lame face was some type of gorgon, but…”
When Percy’s body relaxes it’s a shock, and he shakes, before creaking out a laugh. “Shut up.”
“Just focus on your ugliness.”
“Annabeth!”
He’s sure she’s smiling now, but he hasn’t looked up to check.
“Now Percy,” Annabeth starts, sounding a little off. “Repeat after me. Fuck everything.”
Percy blinks fast, before sitting up halfway. The Iris message shimmers on his ceiling. Annabeth was in the shower again. Her face strangely serious.
“You want me to swear?”
“What, you don’t? Aren’t you a New Yorker?” Annabeth pressed.
Percy’s mouth gaped, before he sat up with determination. “ Fuck everything.”
Annabeth shakes her head. “No, no, chicken. You got to say it louder than that.”
Percy stands up, squinting at Annabeth in defiance. “ FUCK everything!”
“Perseus Jackson! ” A voice hollers from beyond his door. Percy covers his mouth fast.
“Sorry mom!” He calls back between his fingers. Percy looks back at Annabeth.
She let out a sigh, and just now Percy realizes her eyes are shining. “That’s the guy I know.”
“Where are we?” Percy asks, walking through time as if it was water. The air around him was gray, and he could almost hear cries, like people calling out. He knew Annabeth was with him, even though he couldn’t see her.
“Hold on, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth says, said, will say – “You’re not getting away from me that easily.”
Everything around Percy stops, before something pulls him up, up, up, through the thick atmosphere like jello –
When Percy wakes up, he says a name, but he forgets it as soon as he says it.
“Wait, where are you going?” Percy stares at the mist at the park fountain. Annabeth grins. “The memorials, specifically. It’s going to be so cool, I’ve never been to the Capital before! But – I won’t be able to I.M. as much, Percy.”
Something in Percy’s heart gave way, which was weird, so he ignored it. Say something, he thought, even though he doesn’t know what that would be. Say something!
“Don’t worry,” Annabeth says, twirling her hair with her finger, an excited habit Percy only recently found out about her, “I’ll send you a picture. The buildings are so beautifully put together, I can’t even start comprehending the design features and details I’m going to learn about.”
Percy grins at her enthusiasm, genuine. “That sounds great.”
Annabeth flops on her bed, clearly ready to daydream about whatever monument she’s going to study like no tomorrow. “Alright, Percy. Talk soon!”
For a second, he thinks about bringing up his dream to her, but – he doesn’t want to ruin her trip, right? “Talk soon, Annabeth.”
The mist starts to fade, and Annabeth waves at him, and suddenly Percy thinks, wait, wait, wait, and he digs in his pocket for a drachma but comes up empty, and when he looks up the image is already gone.
He stares at the water fountain longer than he should. Tyson is probably waiting for him at the school gates. Percy grabs his boring bookbag with his boring notebooks, scanning the school campus in the distance. Annabeth would make fun of the architecture, probably roasting its pillars or something. Who knows – maybe she would want to visit sometime.