the archer - percy jackson x reader

viii.

chapter eight

don't like anticipating my face in a red flush

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*Just a little disclaimer, I apologize in advance because the beginning of the chapter will seem extremely repetitive considering it is copy and paste from the lightning thief but it is a conversation between Percy and Grover that I can't change because it eventually leads to different, more important topics. So just wanted to advise and apologize in advance*

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"Growing soft on me, are you Sunshine?"

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After running deeper into the forest near the Hudson, the four teens were about 100 yards from the main road in an area that had clearly been previously used for parties due to the cans and red beer cups littering the grass. They camped in a marshy clearing, the smell of the river was not as noticeable as before.

They were very miserable that night. They'd taken some food and blankets from Aunty Em's, but didn't dare light a fire to dry their damp clothes. The Furies and Medusa had provided enough excitement for one day. They didn't want to attract anything else.

They had decided to sleep in shifts and Percy volunteered to take first watch. He felt it was only reasonable, feeling guilty for everything that had gone wrong during their first day into this quest.

"Are you sure, Jackson," Y/n asked after he volunteered, "You can get some sleep if you want, I---"

"I'm sure," He nodded, cutting her off, immediately regretting his actions, "Sorry, I just can't sleep right now."

He was tense, sure sending the gods a little dark humored gift felt great in the spur of the moment but after some deep thinking, which doesn't happen very often for him, he realized that it was indeed reckless and was now constantly watching his back for a monster hiding in the shadows, ready to kill him and his friends.

She slowly nodded and walked towards where Annabeth was leaning up against a tree, attempting to get some sleep. As soon as she sat down and laid her head on her friend's shoulder, she fell into a deep slumber.

"It makes me sad, Percy." Percy jumped when he heard someone's voice speaking to him. It was only Grover whom was in fact not as asleep as he thought he was.

"Good lord, you guys have to stop scaring the absolute shitballs out of me," He panted, trying to regain his breath.

Grover giggled, "That's an interesting curse word"

"My mom taught me it," He laughed as well, remembering Sally, the only person he loved, "But anyways," Percy continued wiping the tear that had streaked his cheek without him even noticing, "What's making you sad?"

"This makes me sad." He pointed at all the garbage on the ground. "And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr."

"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist."

He glared at me. "Only a human wouldn't be. Your species is clogging up the world so fast ...ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan."

"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"

"Pan!" he cried indignantly. "P-A-N. The great god Pan! What do you think I want asearcher's license for?"

A strange breeze rustled through the clearing, temporarily overpowering the stink of trash and muck. It brought the smell of berries and wildflowers and clean rainwater, things that might've once been in these woods. Suddenly Percy was nostalgic for something he'd never known.