madness and ecstasy // leo valdez

-carnival games and the disrespect -

Teqi huffed and ran her hand through her hair, she was tempted to shave it all off so that she didn't have to worry about knots and the clumps of dried blood in it anymore. She would never get it shorter than it already was though, she couldn't look like-

The fog had faded around the ship slightly, but it was still there, the humid drizzle making everyone sticky and annoyed as they worked.

There was too much stuff to clean up after the Argo II had been ransacked, but the crew made a start, bringing everything back over the gangplank and putting the mostly broken crates in their original places. It took them longer than Percy wanted, for whatever plan he kept insisting they had to do. Teqi didn't care very much, but everyone kept skirting around her like they were scared of annoying her. Everyone except Leo, Piper, and Jason, that is.

As they worked, she kept glancing at the dark choppy sea, hoping there wouldn't be any more fights. She just wanted some proper sleep for once, after Percy had finished ordering them around that is. Leo was limping along and fixing little things, the bruises on his face fading a little, but he was still badly banged up. He had come over at one point and taken Teqi's knife pouch for repairs, kissed her on the cheek, and made a dolphin pun.

Jason was fine, he just looked ashamed he had been knocked out again.

Frank was down in the kitchen making omelette cheese fold overs for everyone. They were planning to try and go back to sleep after they ate and get a few more hours of rest. Coach Hedge had a field day on the enemy ship, breaking absolutely everything he could find with his baseball bat.

When he was done, Percy loaded the enemy's weapons back on the pirate ship. Their storeroom was full of treasure, but Percy insisted that they touch none of it. Teqi crossed her arms and frowned, her suspicion about what the boy was planning growing tenfold.

"I can sense about six million dollars' worth of gold aboard," Hazel said, squinting at the pirate ship. "Plus, diamonds, rubies—"

"Six m-million?" Frank stammered, wiping his hands on a tea towel as he came up to the now less blood-stained deck. "Canadian dollars or American?"

"Leave it," Percy said sharply. "It's part of the tribute." 

Teqi licked her lips and cocked her head, trying not to start another argument, she was too tired for this, blood still caked her, well, everything, and her hands were shaking. "To who, exactly?"

"Oh, Kansas." Piper nodded with frown, wrinkling her nose at Percy a little. They were talking about when Percy, Piper, and Jason met Bacchus in the corn fields, surely. Teqi wasn't sure exactly what the god had done to deserve six million dollar's worth of gold.

"Remind me Percy, why does he get a pirate ship?" Teqi asked quietly. Annabeth shifted on her feet as well, glancing at her boyfriend. There was a beat of silence as Percy waited until Coach had stopped yelling so he could be heard.

"Chrysaor and the dolphin men thought you were Mr D right? We have to give him credit for that." Percy shrugged, and then he lowered his voice like the god might over hear him. "And if he does like it he might help us against the twin giants."

Annabeth opened her mouth to argue, and Teqi watched as she shared a meaningful look with Jason. Teqi didn't know what it was about, but neither of them voiced their thoughts. 

Piper snorted, "But Teqi was the one that actually killed them all?"

"Apparently saving his dumbass isn't enough though, my father would get the credit for what I've done." Teqi snapped, turning around and walking towards the door to the ship below. "It seems we've travelled back in time to the nineteen twenties."