ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ʙɪᴛᴇꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴄᴀʙᴇᴛʜ/ꜱᴏʟᴀɴɢᴇʟᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ

xʟɪx ᴘᴇʀᴄʏ | ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴛɪᴍᴇʟʏ ᴇɴᴛʀᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀʟɪᴀ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ

"Thanks," says Annabeth when Percy magically dries her off.

"No problem. Tattoo all good?" he asks.

She offers a weak smile. "Yeah, thanks."

This could be a good moment to ask her about why the dagger from Luke is on her thigh, but Percy decides to let well enough alone. That can be a conversation for another time. He's lucky he got this far with her today.

Percy puts his undershirt back on before they leave. "I didn't get to eat much at dinner. I know it's late, but do you wanna grab something with me?"

"Nah, I'm okay. I ate my sub and half of yours, remember?"

"Hmm. Sounds familiar." Percy doesn't even consider stepping into the elevator when he sees someone trying to keep the doors apart for them.

He waves the kind stranger off and follows Annabeth up the stairs.

Percy's not sure what he's doing right now; he'll probably change, tend to the potential stain in his shirt, grab a snack and then go out with the guys, which at this point, is more than likely to end with him taking care of an intoxicated Annabeth. It's happened every single night so far. Is it unreasonable to think it could happen again?

Still, he's not sure what his intentions are when he comes to a halt outside Annabeth's room.

"Well, I think I'm going to finish off the mango White Claw and turn in early," she says as if she didn't just cry in a suspiciously warm swimming pool.

Percy scratches the back of his neck and says, "Thanks."

"For what?" Annabeth asks.

"Just... for today. I..." I missed you? That's not quite it. This isn't the girl he left at Camp Half-Blood ten years ago. She's moved on. She's all grown up, and so is he.

And that's great.

"I like this new Annabeth," he says finally.

Annabeth offers a small smirk. "You barely know her." She cracks open the door and looks down the hall, checking to see if there's anyone else in sight. "Um-"

Percy never hears what he wants because the door adjacent to Annabeth's, which he thought led to a vacant room, opens up.

"Well isn't this just a heartfelt moment?" Thalia Grace saunters towards Annabeth and Percy. They're both taller than her now. Gods, when's the last time anybody's seen her?

"What? Am I interrupting something?" she asks when neither of them answers.

Annabeth starts. "Thalia! Hi!" They hug.

"Look at you guys, all grown up!"

"You haven't changed a bit," Percy says. It's true. She hasn't. She's still sporting her leather combat boots, leather jacket, and leather everything, really. She's even got a septum ring and some piercings through her eyebrow. Woah, she looks kind of like Annabeth.

Or rather, Annabeth looks more like Thalia now.

Thalia rolls her eyes. "No shit, I haven't. Gods, I love the ink, Annabeth!"

"Oh, this little thing?" Annabeth tilts her leg into better lighting. "Just felt like changing it up."

Thalia gives an approving nod.

"Okay," says Annabeth. "Well, this has been great, but I'm going to go to bed."

She disappears inside her room and slams the door.