"Send me! Send an army! Send a thousand ships! I don't care, just bring her home. I hate being without her."
[ PERCY JACKSON x FEMALE OC ]
[ PERCY JACKSON SERIES ]
cover by @humaneity !
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0006. | THEIR FEARS GROW GREATER THAN MERE MONSTERS
Octavia stared out the window as the train pulled into the station. They were on the wrong side of the train to see anything interesting, and all she could see for her view was bland buildings and cement walls. It was dull to look at but it was better than facing forward and seeing the looks Percy was giving her. She didn't like it. He looked sympathetic but also cautious. She didn't know why he was looking at her like that, but she knew she didn't like it. That feeling of becoming a ticking time bomb returned to her and she had a feeling Percy was waiting for her to blow up. It was uncomfortable, so she resigned herself to looking out the window at the bland station stop.
The intercom announced that they would have a three-hour stopover before continuing to Denver.
Octavia was hardly given a chance to stretch her legs before Annabeth hooked her arm with hers and dragged her out of her seat. She almost shoved Grover into an old man trying to get through to Annabeth.
"Sightseeing!" Annabeth said gleefully. She shoved a brochure in her face. Octavia took it and scanned it. She could hardly read any of the fun facts that were advertised, but she did recognise the pictures. At the centre, where Annabeth aggressively shoved her finger, was the Gateway Arch. "We're going there!"
Octavia looked at Grover and Percy for help. "I don't know if exploring is such a good idea." She said.
Grover frowned, straightening out his rasta cap that had fallen off during a snooze and almost revealed one of his horns. "What's the problem with exploring?"
Sometimes being the only person present who had ever been on a real quest before was a curse. At least for the others, it was helpful. The lessons Octavia had learned from her siblings were invaluable and she finally had a chance to use them. It was exciting to finally be able to put her knowledge to practice. "Well, firstly, there's a chance we might get separated." She said. "Secondly, if we start walking around, we'll be spreading our scent all over the place. The more we do that, the more monsters we have the possibility of attracting."
"It makes sense." Annabeth said, but her voice sounded horridly disappointed that she wasn't going to get the chance to see what she wanted. "Logical..."
Octavia hated herself for how easily affected she was by Annabeth's disappointment. She didn't want to let her down. She sighed, giving in far too easily. "I suppose going one place wouldn't be the end of the world." She muttered. "As long as we stay together." She bartered. "And buddy up in case we get separated."
Annabeth's grin made all Octavia's betrayed morals worth it. "Yes!" She beamed. "The Gateway Arch, it's all I want to see, I promise!"
Octavia nodded, giving in. "All right. Fine. Let's buddy up." She shoved her finger against Percy's chest, hitting his sternum bone. His eyes focused on the finger planted against his chest. "Percy, you stink the most, so I'll go with you." She released him. "Annabeth, go with Grover."
