Flower Food || [P. Jackson] ||

Chapter 6: Curfew is For Dweebs

Percy had been warned about the patrol harpies and how they preferred to eat the eyes of misbehaving demigods who broke curfew, but he couldn't care less about that at the moment.

He just managed to wipe out Clarisse and her friends without even meaning to. That was the second time something like this had happened, where water had a hand in his victory, and he knew he had to tell someone.

Which was why he was currently sneaking around the back of Demeter's cabin, throwing stones at the windows and desperately hoping Calli wasn't a deep sleeper.

Thankfully, it was only after the third rock did the window open and a frowning Calli poked her head out to spout, "you nymphs always give me trouble! I already told you I can't grow a - Percy! What..."

"Let me in," Percy hissed from where he was crouched in a nearby bush. He was sure his face was desperate as she softened. "Please."

She reached down but her arm was a couple feet too short. She muttered something under her breath and Percy tried not to yelp in shock as the ground rumbled below him before the bush began to overgrow, its branches and leaves thickening to gigantic proportions.

One branch in particular grew bigger than the rest, and it scooped Percy up and reached towards the window, sliding him in and dropping him onto his feet as soon as he was past the glass.

Calli blew a kiss to the shrub and it wiggled its branches at her happily before it began to recede back into its normal size.

"Don't tell me this is a regular thing."

Percy nearly jumped out of his skin as he whirled around and saw Will sitting on the lone bed in the corner, looking unimpressed with his arms folded across his chest.

Percy glanced back at Calli, who only seemed exasperated as she closed the window and turned around to say, "Will, stop it."

"Nothing against you, Percy," Will shrugged one shoulder. "It's just that flower girl over here has enough creepy admirers already."

"Hector was not creepy," Calli said smartly as she walked over to the bed and climbed onto it next to Will, looking unbothered with how close they were.

The more Percy looked, the more bizarre it all was.

The cabin itself was beautiful, but it was also noticeably empty. Where the Hermes cabin was overstuffed and cramped but full of life, it was quiet in here, almost deafeningly so. The walls were decorated with plants and flowers that grew on their own, and there were dozens of pots and vases full of plants he couldn't even name, but there was only one bed and one chest.

And the things that stood out the most were of course Calli and Will themselves. They both seemed totally at ease with each other, their shoulders brushing ever so slightly, and it dawned on Percy that while he was usually pretty oblivious, he wasn't that stupid.