²𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘. percy jackson

VIII.

MΛЯK ӨF ΛƬΉΣПΛ

DESPITE SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT SHE WAS RESTLESS. It felt like only seconds had passed from her shutting her eyes to the ringing of the breakfast bell.

"Yo, Lucia!" Leo knocked on her door. "We're landing!"

"Landing?" She sat up, Allowing the sun to rejuvenate her through the window. Her head throbbed mildly. She thought back to her dream. And Prickles ran up her spine.

Leo opened her door and poked his head in. He had his hand over his eyes, which would've been a nice gesture if he hadn't been peeking through his fingers. "You decent?"

"No seas cochino Leo!" She chided, throwing her pillow at his face. Don't be dirty/gross Leo

"Sorry." He grinned. "Hey, nice Power Ranger shirt."

"Thanks." Lucia hummed, "It's Percy's."

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, we're setting down a few miles outside Topeka, as requested. And, um..." He glanced out in the passageway, then leaned inside again. "Thanks for not totally hating me, about blowing up the Romans yesterday."

Lucia rubbed her eyes. The feast in New Rome had been only been yesterday? "That's okay, Leo. You weren't in control of yourself."

"Yeah, but still...you didn't have to stick up for me."

Lucia avoided looking at his eyes, "Of course, I'll stick up for you. You shouldn't be blamed. You were powerless in your own body."

"Uh...thanks?" He said, then looked at his feet, "Perdoname por lo que te dije... You're right you've got nothing to explain. Sometimes I can speak without thinking. And I don't want you to start hating me—" Forgive me for what I said...

"It's alright." Lucia shook her head, she had a feeling apologizing was out of Leo's comfort zone. Along with talking to actual people. He was more of a machine guy, Lucia could see that. But she didn't think Leo was a bad guy. Just a little bit of a big mouth. "We're cool Leo. You don't have to worry."

"Yeah?."

"Yeah," Lucia confirmed, she rolled her eyes. "I'm still on Team Leo. You're a friend."

Leo laughed before his face twisted in concern, Almost as if he saw an incoming tsunami approaching, "Hey, Percy isn't still mad about that is he..."

Lucia couldn't help but laugh.

From above, Coach Hedge yelled, "Thar she blows! Kansas, ahoy!"

"Holy Hephaestus," Leo muttered. "He really needs to work on his ship speak. I'd better get above deck."

༄

AFTER LUCIA'S SHOWER, she changed into a pair of jean shorts, an orange camp tank top, and leather brown sandals. Once fully dressed, she pinned her hair back and applied a limited amount of makeup. Amid her getting ready she received an Iris-Message. In front of her, her sister Aurora smiled through the mist.

"Lulu!"

It was surprising, but Aurora had now gotten into the habit of calling Lucia almost every day. It was a big change from last winter, but it was one she welcomed happily.

Aurora and she hadn't talked much since the end of the battle of Manhattan. Then she had disappeared and gone completely awol on cabin 7. Lucia was worried about her sister until Aurora reappeared and everything seemed perfectly fine.

Things changed when Percy disappeared, Aurora seemed to know her sister needed comfort and softened up. But still...it wasn't the same.

Lucia didn't push when she felt her distance, she figured she was going through too much with her mom. She knew that losing a parent was like losing a limb. Living life after required adjustment. It would have been selfish of Lucia to prosecute her sister's suffering.