The Curse // pjo

Chapter Eighteen // Not the Christmas I Was Hoping For

 After being given clean clothes and taking showers, Percy and I reconvened in one of the many courtyards, sitting quietly for a bit.

I could tell he was thinking about the whole quest because that's what I was doing.

That and it was almost time to go home to the apartment and never leave until school started back up again.

"Sally?" Percy murmured, pulling me out of my daydreams of curling up in my bed with my sixty blankets and a thousand throw pillows.

"Percy?" I looked at him.

He licked his lips and said, "I'm sorry about before the quest. Like...all of it. Just me being the worst brother ever and being a jerk. Like I really don't blame you if you hate me for all the shit I have—"

I punched him in the arm, "Shut up."

He looked at me like I was crazy, "I was just trying to—"

I gave him a look, "Just because we don't like each other sometimes, doesn't mean we don't love each other..." I sighed, "I could never hate you, Percy. And yeah, you were a whole ass dingus, but I love you too much to hate you."

His lips tipped up in a smile, "Really?"

"Really," I chuckled. "I mean, you helped me not get crushed by the sky. I think that's enough to show that our love is stronger than our differences."

"I would second that."

We just grinned before I pulled at a gray streak in my brother's hair, "You and Annabeth are gonna be the hottest couple with these streaks in your hair." I changed my voice into a Callie from the Valley impersonation, "Couple gooaalllsss!"

His face went red, "Shut up. We're not–We don't even–What has she told you?!" Then he shook his head, "No, I don't wanna know! But..."

I exploded with laughter as I pulled my sweater closer and said, "I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. Girl code, bro. Besides, you're a gross boy. Annabeth needs a man."

He rolled his eyes, "Stupid girl code..." Then he froze and smirked, "Well, I guess I can't tell you about Ric."

My laughter was cut short as my eyes widened, "What do you mean about Ric?"

He stood, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, "I dunno, what do I mean about Ric?" He started to move away, "Bro code, Starfish Face! Bro code!"

I climbed to my feet, stomping after him, "You're impossible!"

"Says you!"

I caught up with him, shoving him into a pillar, and then he tripped me, and we both just started laughing again like two six-year-olds.

Percy gasped a little after a few minutes and said, "I guess...I guess we should make some calls before we join the party again, right?"

I lifted a hand to him, asking him to pull me off the ground without words, and nodded, "Probably."

So we did.

We called Tyson first (who was beyond excited to see us, by the way) and told him about our adventures and Bessie (who he immediately wanted to meet and know everything about) and reassured him that Annabeth was safe and sound.

And at the end of it, Percy, fiddling with his watch, explained what had happened with manticore and his shield.

"Yay!" Tyson exclaimed, looking relieved. "That means it was good! It saved your life!"