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Astoria realized she screwed up when dinner time came around and Percy wasn't at his table. She hadn't had time to think about the quest or the council, she didn't find any free time to do so. She had gone back to her cabin and showered. Then she changed into a pair of black buggy pants and a white sweater on top. Her silver hoops -her favorite earrings- and her black boots followed.
Silena gave her hugs every two minutes -not leaving her side- and helped her get her bag for the quest ready. It was a black backpack that managed to be small and have the capacity of a suitcase. She filled it with hoodies, snacks, an emergency kit, and lastly made the decision to leave her skincare behind, and bring six water bottles instead -one for each questmate-.
Finally, she joined her step siblings at their dinner table. She filled her plate with mac 'n cheese, vegetables and cookies. The smell of her comfort foods was enough to fog her mind and make any negative thoughts dissapear. Shit talking the huntresses and gossiping consisted the talking around her -one that she did not participate in-, instead she looked for known faces in the crowd. Thalia was spotted easily in her respective table, Connor and Travis were joking around throwing bread at each other, Nico was seen leaning over his table towards the demeter one talking with Danaë, lastly she turned to look at Poseidon's table and Percy wasn't there.
She had no idea whether he wanted to avoid them or not but not showing up was a mistake since Astoria went looking for him. After alerting Chiron about what happened she grabbed another plate of what she was eating and a glass of blue lemonade and headed to Percy's cabin. When she didn't find him there she left the food on a small desk next to his bed and paced down the beach where she assumed he'd be at.
As her boots filled with sand and the cold wind hit her face -she thanked her lucky stars for deciding to braid her hair-, she noticed a boyish figure messing with the waves. Getting closer she realized it was Percy, he had taken off his shoes and allowed the water to touch him. He laid down on the ground and the moonlight was framing his face perfectly, his sea green eyes reflecting the stars and his black hair looking softer than silk. Astoria was overtook by a sudden need to be close to him, to talk to him and lay down beside him, which she did, her body leading her next to him.
"You didn't come to dinner." Astoria said finally reaching him, sitting down at his right side to look at him. If he was anyone else Percy was certain he would have received a sympathetic smile from her but it wasn't anyone else. He didn't need sympathy, he needed her real smile right now. The one that reached her eyes and left him staring at her like an idiot wondering how any person could be so enchanting. Sometimes he wondered whether she had any relation to Hecate, nothing else could explain why her simply being near him was so bewitching.
"No I didn't feel like it." He replied after observing her for a little. Her two french braids with the light blue bows were making her look as charming as always and her rosey lips somehow made his cheeks turn the same color although he wasn't wearing lipstick.
