Snow On The Beach ✷ Percy Jackson.

01: Waves Crash To The Shore.

  
MIRABELLE MARRIS BARONE WAS not a sore loser! If one were to ask Mira about her reaction to being defeated in battle by an opponent, she would tell them she trekked away from her loss with her head held high and a new source of motivation running fiercely through her veins. She didn't pout nor demand a rematch— her ego was not bruised. Mirabelle knew how to accept loss!

    However, if Percy Jackson were to overhear the lies the daughter of Athena spewed in order to protect her pride he would hastily jump in and recount the sparring match that was spectated by a dozen and a half cheering campers. He would tell you about how she childishly accused him of cheating as a form of verbal denial.

  "Not fair!" Mira cried from her spot atop the frosty grass. Percy Jackson had her pinned down with the tip of his sword. "You are a cheater, Jackson."

Percy, despite the venom lacing Mira's words, grinned in triumph. "How the Hades did I cheat, Barone?"

   Mirabelle turned her head, focusing on the gaggle of nosy campers who had periodically gathered beside them, intrigued by the intensity of the match.

The flush on Mira's cheeks was not just from the frigid temperature, but also the several eyes that had witnessed her temporary downfall. As a self-conscious daughter of Athena, losing to anyone in anything was a harsh blow to her ego— with that said, losing to her annoying rival in a round of training she'd requested was like a complete slap in the face.

"Just help me up," She demanded, fighting the near-demonic smirk pulling on her lips that had begun to grow blue from the cold "Now."

   Percy sighed but eventually shrunk Riptide into its pen form and pocketed it, then he reached his gloved hand out towards his rival. Mirabelle laced their fingers together before tugging the boy down beside her. He landed with a pained grunt, one of his clothed arms falling across her chest.

    Mira pushed herself from the ground quickly. She stood and dusted the back of her dark-washed jeans, ridding the fabric of the powdery snow that clung to it. All of the observing campers laughed loudly, fueling Mira's sly grin to grow by a tenfold.

"Oops," The Athena girl muttered, adjusting the lavender ski cap resting atop her silky waves. "My bad, Sea Prawn."

   Percy Jackson glared up at the older ( by 9 months!) girl. He hoped Mirabelle was intimidated by the dark storm he willed to brew behind his irises.

  "Shut up, Nerd," he sat up, recovering from the ache his fall caused. Mirabelle drew her sword and pressed the sharp end of it to the base of his throat, forcing him to lay back until his body was pressed against the hard snowy surface of the earth.

  "How's the weather down there?" Mira snarked, cocking her head. "Cold, I assume?"

  "What if I drown you?" The Jackson boy queried. "I can like— summon the canoe lake over here and kill you."

Mira threw her head back and laughed, "Oo-kay, Auqa-Man, pipe down!" 

She wasn't taking what the boy said seriously, considering in her eyes, he was a pathetic amalgamation of empty threats and fauxly terrifying water powers.

Mirabelle would soon regret thinking his words were satirical.

    Percy actually summoned the contents of the small stream a few several feet away to wash upon the grassy shore and douse Mira's heavily bundled figure.

    It was the end of November, three days after Thanksgiving, therefore it was cold. And being bathed in several gallons of icy water during the peak of winter was not on Mira's bucket list.