𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐚; percy jackson

𝟎𝟐 | mysterious boy

The evening had settled over Camp Half-Blood, and Meara Adair hadn't seen any of the Ares's kids since returning from the forest. Seated on the porch of the Hermes cabin, she absentmindedly fiddled with her hands, lost in thought.

It was about time Grover returned from the mortal world, she mused. Camp usually sent protectors for children once they reached about 10-12 years old, and Grover had been tasked with the responsibility this time.

"Meara!" Isla's voice broke through her thoughts. There was something off in her tone, though, as Meara looked up to see her friend's solemn expression.

"What's wrong?" Meara asked, concerned.

"I heard some rumors that you beat up the Ares kids," Isla said, sitting beside her.

Meara scoffed, shaking her head. "I didn't beat them up. I was defending myself, holding back even. It was all self-defense."

Isla gave a small sigh, avoiding eye contact. "Chiron wants to see you in the infirmary."

"Because of them?" Meara shot to her feet.

"I don't know," Isla shrugged. "I was just asked to pass the message. Good luck, troublemaker." She gave Meara a sudden hug, her words laced with affectionate teasing.

Meara chuckled softly, returning the embrace. "Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes." With that, she turned and made her way to the infirmary.

As she approached, she overheard Chiron's voice, sounding frustrated. He was speaking in a hushed tone, soon Grover's voice joined the conversation. Meara slowed her pace, her curiosity piqued. She could make out their words now.

"We need to find a way to bring them together," Chiron said, his voice laced with concern. "But we risk it having the opposite effect."

Grover hesitated before speaking. "They're my friends. I don't like talking about them behind their backs."

Chiron's response was swift. "Satyr, you don't understand the gravity of this situation. We have to consider the bigger picture—" He stopped abruptly. Meara froze, realizing he knew she was eavesdropping.

"Miss Adair," Chiron's voice cut through the silence, "it's rather impolite to listen in on conversations you're not a part of."

Meara stepped out from behind the door. "Seems like I am part of this one," she replied, her tone sharp.

Before Chiron could respond, Grover's face lit up, and Meara's mood shifted immediately. She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Meara!" Grover exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face.

"What took you so long?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

Before Grover could answer, Chiron interrupted. "You two can catch up later. Meara, you're here for a reason. There's a new camper who needs looking after." He gestured toward one of the beds at the back of the infirmary.

Grover waved at Meara as he left the room with Chiron. She sighed and turned toward the mysterious boy lying unconscious. A large, dirty minotaur horn sat beside him on the nightstand. She raised an eyebrow. Impressive. Whoever he was, he wasn't an average camper.

As Meara moved closer, she spotted some medical supplies prepared for her, along with the usual thick magic mash meant to heal injuries. She couldn't help but chuckle as she noticed the boy drooling in his sleep. Pulling up a chair beside his bed, she settled in to keep an eye on him. She couldn't afford to let him choke or something equally disastrous.

It didn't take long for him to stir.

Percy felt a dull ache as he struggled to open his eyes. Blinking, he tried to sit up but a girl's voice stopped him.

"Whoa, slow down, mysterious boy," the voice said. He could make out a blurry figure standing by his bed.

Before he could respond, exhaustion overtook him, and he slumped back onto the bed, his eyes closing once again.

He had woken up four times now, but each time, Meara used his brief consciousness to get him to eat the magic mash. Thankfully, it seemed to be working, and he was getting stronger. Finally, after two days, he woke fully, allowing Meara to get back to her usual routine.

"Hey, mysterious boy," she greeted him with a playful smile. "Finally awake?"

He rubbed his eyes, still disoriented. "How long did I sleep for?"

"About two days," Meara answered nonchalantly, shrugging.

"Were you here the whole time?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Well, yeah," she replied, a little confused. "Who else do you think was taking care of you?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "I'm Percy... Percy Jackson," he finally introduced himself, completely changing the subject.

"Good for you," Meara quipped with a smirk.

"No, I just... you kept calling me mysterious boy, so I figured you'd want to know my name," Percy clarified.

Meara's expression softened as she dropped the teasing. "I'm really sorry about your mom," she said quietly, offering him a sincere smile. "She's in a better place now."

Percy's face darkened, and his voice rose with anger. "How can you know that? I never asked to be here. If I wasn't on the way to this camp, none of this would've happened!" His voice cracked with emotion as he glared at her. ,,How do you know about that? Have you been reading my mind or something?"

"Reading your mind?" she scoffed. Meara's temper flared. "What, do you think? That I summoned you here?" she snapped. "And the only reason I know about your mom is because you talk in your sleep, dumbass." Her voice cut through the air. "And if you hadn't been on your way to camp, you both would be dead." With that, she stormed out of the infirmary.

Percy sat in stunned silence, her words still stinging. He knew he'd lashed out at someone who didn't deserve it, but everything was so overwhelming. His mother was gone, and he was in an unfamiliar place with strangers.

"Hey, Percy!" Grover's voice broke through the heavy thoughts, bringing a sense of relief as the only familiar face he'd seen in days appeared in the doorway.

"Grover!" Percy called out, his voice filled with excitement.

"Where's Meara? Wasn't she supposed to be looking after you?" Grover asked, glancing around.

"Meara?" Percy repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's her name?"

"Yeah, she was the one watching over you," Grover said, still looking confused. "What happened?"

Percy hesitated. "I kind of yelled at her... and she yelled back."

Grover's expression shifted to one of concern. "What did you say?"

Percy sighed, his voice faltering. "She said she was sorry about my mom, and I just... I couldn't handle it." He blinked, trying to push back the tears threatening to cloud his vision at the thought of his mother.

Grover sat beside him on the bed, his voice soft. "Oh, man."