The Sun and The Sea

Into the Maze

"Lee," Finley insisted as she got her things together for her quest. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" He persisted in a worried tone as he spoke to his little sister. "You've been working harder than anyone else. Finny, you could use a break. You don't need to go on this quest-"

"I'm fine, Lee," she hissed, as she zipped her bag quickly. "I'll rest when Kronos is gone and Luke's head is on a stick."

"That's my point, Finny!" Lee called as he followed her. "You're going to run yourself to the ground in exhaustion."

"I'm not sitting out on this quest," Finley stated as she continued to make her way across camp. "I've been on countless quests within the past three years-"

"But your death is more likely in this one than the others!" the blonde finally caught up to his stubborn light brown-haired sister. 

"People die in war, Lee-"

"Finley! Stop!" Lee grabbed her arm, spinning her around to look at him. He towered over her by a few inches, but he knew she could easily have him whimpering in pain. 

"What?" Her hazel eyes bore into her brother's blue ones. 

"Please be careful," he said softly. "No risks-"

"I don't take risks-"

"That's a lie, Finny," Lee said. He attempted to make it lighthearted, but it didn't work too well. "No risks. No dying on me."

"I won't," Finley nodded at her brother's soft tone. 

"Finny," he said urgently. "I mean it. I can't lose my little sister-"

"Lee," Finley teased. "You have tones of little sisters. And judging by dad's rate of reproduction-"

"Don't finish that sentence."

"-you'll have more!"

"And you finished it," Lee gave her a sarcastic look. 

Finley grinned, thankful for the moment of amusement. 

"Finley," Lee began again in a serious tone. "Please be careful."

"What am I gonna do? Hang out in a volcano?" Finely joked. "Maybe watch it blow up?"

Lee didn't look impressed. 

Knowing Finley, and her best friends, it was a great possibility. 

"Finley," Lee pulled his sister into his arms. "Please come back. The war is coming and out of all of my siblings, I want you to come out the other end. You need to survive. I can't lose you."

"I'll try, Lee," Finley agreed. "And don't go all soft on me."

Lee ended up following Finley all the way to Zeus's Fist, where the quest group agreed to meet. 

"Do you have everything?" Lee asked his little sister. 

Percy, who was off to the side, listened. He loved the idea of having a sibling who clearly cared more than it normally appeared. To have someone to fall back on. To have a sibling. He had Tyson, of course, but with Finley and Lee, it was different. Finley didn't have her mom, but Lee had clearly been looking out for her for years. 

"Yes," Finley nodded, twirling Light Bringer on her finger. 

"Ambrosia?" Lee raised a brow. 

"Okay, so I may have forgotten something..." Finley frowned. 

Much to Percy's amusement, Lee held out a brown paper bag and a water bottle that looked to be holding nector. 

"This has your ambrosia and nector," Lee explained as he handed her the bag. "There's a sandwich in there along with some snacks-"