𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙗 | 𝙥. 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣

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Astrid settled into her old routine the next few days. It was like any summer camp if you don't count the fact they were taught by satyrs, nymphs, and a centaur.

She had missed spending time with her brothers and sisters, especially Drew who was nearest her age (even if she kept teasing her about the new kid). Arts and crafts was her favourite time. It was calming almost, the braiding, the sculpting, the drawing, the colouring. It was one of the down times where Astrid got to just sit down and breathe and talk. Never mind that it was the same routine she'd had for the past six years. She liked routine.

Forget archery however, all the grace she had in dancing suddenly forgotten whenever she held a bow. Don't even get her started on wrestling. She wouldn't touch the mat even with a ten-foot pole.

Keeping an eye on her best friend was a different thing altogether. Hell, she wasn't Percy, but she could almost feel the pressure the kid has on him. All the senior campers and counselors betting reaching her ear from her siblings before it even reached the pile. She worried about him, almost knowing that something was bubbling inside him. She'll just have to find the time for them to talk about it.

Aphrodite cabin wasn't there during the infamous sparring match where Percy managed to disarm Luke, but you wouldn't know it with how much they managed to spread it all over camp. And somehow, Astrid could already see the change her mother saw.

And at last, after dinner that night it was time for capture the flag.

Astrid, for the first time in her life wanted to participate. Try out if she'd improved one way or the other, even if it was using daggers from the weapons shed. She decided to back out after learning from Dimitri they'd sided with Ares. Honestly, she wasn't the smartest but after that talk with Annabeth at the pier, she knew the girl already had plans made and backups for backups. No way was she going to stand in her way for a camp game. And Percy? Was probably going to pull off some crazy shit that was totally his style.

Even from the forest border, those who sat the game out could hear the elated screams as they saw Luke race towards the boundary line with the red banner lifted high. Everybody converged on the creek as he crossed over to friendly territory. The other side exploded into cheers. Just great.

Astrid walked over to congratulate Percy for their win when the air shimmered beside him, and Annabeth materialized, holding her Yankees baseball cap.

And suddenly all Astrid could feel was Percy's anger.

"You set me up," he said. "You put me here because you knew Clarrise would come after me, while you sent Luke around the flank. You had it all figured out."

Annabeth only shrugged. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."

"A plan to get me pulverized."

Astrid held Percy despite his protests that he was alright, fussing over any other cuts. Then she noticed the wound on his arm sealing shut.

Annabeth noticed it too. "How did you do that?"