DRESSˏˋ°•*⁀➷ || p. jackson

three

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

pip stood next to annabeth, her bow ready with an arrow. her helmet felt awkward on her head, the blue horse hair plume adding to her uncomfort.

a conch shell horn was blown and chiron began to annouce the game.

"heroes... it's time. the game begins. the first team to retrieve the opposing flag and return it across the river shall be the victor. as always, there will be no maiming and no killing. i trust these rules will be respected. any magical items you may possess, are permitted as well. every camper who is not injured... has to play. prisoners may be disarmed but may not be bound or gagged."

"let the games begin." he annouced.

clarisse's team- the red team- let out a threatening yell. pip rolled her eyes.

luke and percy joined annabeth and pip.

"all right, we have twenty minutes before the second conch and game-on, you know what you're doing?" annabeth asked.

"yes ma'am," luke responded.

annabeth grinned, "hey, today feel like a winning kind of day to you?"

luke returned her grin, "i'll see you on the other side."

"company! move out!" he turned and called to the rest of the team.

percy went to follow him but pip grabbed him by the arm, "not you, sunshine. you're with us."

a light flush rose to the boy's cheeks at the nickname, following silently behind the two bestfriends.

the group of three walked off and followed a trail into the woods. as they were walking along percy tripped and fell onto his knees. annabeth and pip paused and turned to stare at him. he stared back at them.

"i'm fine, thanks, but i appreciate you, you know, standing there silently." he said, sarcams laced in his voice.

pip rolled her eyes and offered him her hand which he took. where their skin touched, pip felt an odd spark like warmth. she tried to shake it off when she released his hand once he was back on his feet, but the warmth lingered.

she noticed the strap on the front of his armour wasn't fully in place. pip reached up and thread the leather strap through the buckle, giving it a small tug ensuring it was in place. she then turned to catch up to annabeth, leaving percy standing, dazed, in the centre of the path.

"listen, i-i get it. okay. you guys are better at this than me, but i need this to go well today," percy blurted out, jogging up to the two. "so, if you're gonna expect me to know how to something i don't know how to do... and i end up falling flat on my face, i can't really have that right now."

a small smile rose on pip's lips and annabeth turned to face him, "you still don't get where you fit into all this, do you?"

percy looked confused, his eyes flickering between pip and annabeth, awaiting an explanation from one of them. the two were silent and the second conch shell was blown.

annabeth smirked, "game on."

the dark-haired girl reached for her navy new york yankees cap and fitted it onto her head. the girl's body disappeared- she was invisible.

"wait, what?" percy said, leaning forward to try to see her.

annabeth lifted the cap off her head and she came into view again.

"gift from my mom," she explained. "don't worry, you'll do great."

annabeth vanished again, footprints in the dirt signalling she had left.