𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚔𝚒𝚍 - percy jackson x oc

016

XVI - JUST DANCE

VALERIA HAD NEVER had such extreme nightmares until that winter.

Then, Valeria would wake up with tears streaming down her face and her skin clammy and pale.

She would usually find herself trapped at the edge of that mysterious pit where the voice of Kronos would try to lure her in. He would say stupid things like:

You're going to be my salvation.

Or even better.

You will be what Perseus Jackson could not.

She quite liked that one.

Then he would show her horrifying things—playing in a sort of film reel—of people dying, cities burning. And he had the nerve to say it would be her doing unless she joined him.

And then there were the flashes of her past.

That was the only way she could explain them. She could not remember what was occurring or why, but she knew the little girl to be herself.

So needless to say, Valeria was quite exhausted when she stood on the corner of 85th in Manhattan, leaning against the street sign, when Percy's mom pulled up in her white Mazda.

Valeria was bundled up in a thick tan coat and brown jeans. Her hair was pulled up in her typical I-may-or-may-not-die-on-this-quest look and she had white fluffy earmuffs protecting her ears—what? She got cold.

With the snow partly covering her vision, she stepped forward and yanked the back door open, only to find Percy in the backseat.

He let out a shout of protest as she shut the door, walked around, and slid into the passenger seat.

"Hello, Ms. Jackson. I am Valeria; it is a pleasure you." Valeria threw her most dazzling smile towards Percy's mom who introduced herself, saying she has heard so much about her.

Sally raised her eyebrows like, so this is her? Isn't she such a sweetheart? in the mirror, causing Percy to blush.

Their next stop was camp. Valeria made casual conversation about the best and worst neighborhoods in New York—they both agreed Queensbridge was horrid—as they drove through the storm.

Percy grumbled something that sounded a lot like suck up. Valeria turned around and fixed her golden stare on him.

"Is there something you would like to share, Jackson?"

He stayed silent, but not before sending a glare her way. She smiled innocently and turned back around.

Soon enough, Thalia Grace and Darian Kamiyama had joined them.

Valeria was not sure what to make of Thalia. She thought that she was a bit confident for someone who had spent seven years as a tree, but maybe that was just her.

As for Darian...well he was not so bad.

"Hey, Valeria," he greeted, sending her a blinding smile. Valeria hesitantly smiled back.