PERSEUS MEANS DESTROYER

Running Up That Hill

If I only could, I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places.

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"Hey— owww."

Annabeth chuckled, and pulled Percy's hair further out of his face. "You were the one who suggested this."

"It was a joke, Annabeth," he whined.

"But it looks good! Pass me the hair tie."

Percy sighed and pulled the elastic band off his wrist, passing it back to Annabeth. "Does it have to be so tight?"

"Mmm, no, but I'm having fun."

Percy huffed, letting out a little sigh of relief when Annabeth loosened her grip on his hair and started pulling it through the hair tie. "This is a pain, how do you do it every day?"

"You just haven't brushed your hair in nearly a month." She pulled a few strands loose from the band, tugging firmly from the bottom to make sure it didn't slip off. "There, what do you think?"

He peered over the edge of the fountain in the middle of the cabin—the one Tyson had managed to repair, putting gold leaf over the old cracks, now filled with cement—to look at himself in the mirror-smooth surface.

"Huh," he muttered, poking the bits of hair falling forward from behind his ears. "I... like it, actually."

He straightened back up, turning to smile at her. "Thanks, Wise Girl."

"Any time, Seaweed Brain. Here." She reached back and grabbed his crutch from where it was leaning against the wall, passing it across to him.

He grunted, but took it. "Breakfast?"

"Sure."

It was easier to ignore the rest of the dining hall when he was with Annabeth (maybe it was due to the fact that they knew they should be scared of her. Because as many times as people told stories about him,and as embellished as they eventually got, none of the new kids had actually seen him in action, and the older ones were used to the two of them by now).

Annabeth side eyed him. "Are you... going to eat those pancakes? Or can I have one?"

Percy met her eyes and slowly stuffed one in his mouth, chewing until he could swallow it. "If you wanted blue pancakes, you should have asked for them, Annabeth."

She rolled her eyes and took one anyway, swapping it for one of the pineapple fritters on her plate.

"Hey—!"

"Are you trying to tell me you don't want fruit deep fried in batter?"

Percy huffed indignantly. "Fine."

Annabeth snorted and pushed one of the pineapple slices off her plate and onto Percy's.

"Pass the ice cream, would you?"

He poked his tongue out at her, scooping a large helping out of the bowl before giving it to Annabeth.

"Seems a bit excessive for one piece..."

"Oh. would you prefer I burn my mouth?"

"... if it would make you shut up for a few minutes—" Percy made a face and playfully pushed her away from him.

"You wound me!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes and smiled. "Go cry about it to someone who cares, Jackson."