Anyone who knows Arya Jackson for more than five minutes knows her opinion of the world, and demigods not so fair place in it. Unfortunately, since the war Arya isn't that easy to get to know. To most she's little more than a legend.
Arya is fine w...
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22.
Third Wheeling
THERE WASN'T MUCH TO SAY.
Rome wasn't the city made out of love. Not that you'd be able to tell the difference when looking at Annabeth and Percy. Despite the blazing heat, large crowds, and uneven streets, the two always seemed to have some excuse to be touching each other, holding hands and whatnot.
Arya found it profoundly disgusting.
She didn't dare say a word.
Percy had confided in his sister that he was terrified for Annabeth to go off alone. He wasn't sure how well he'd handle it, and while Arya was here to wish her non-biological sister luck, she had more so come to make sure Percy didn't do anything stupid in an attempt to follow her.
So Arya stayed behind them, untrusting of every person they passed, trident in hand not much caring how it was perceived by other people. To anyone who was paying enough attention Arya would have looked like a bodyguard to the two teens in obvious love.
It took them hours to find the coliseum. Rome was as massive as it looked and now that they didn't have the colosseum in their sights it took a lot of asking for directions and wandering down the absolutely wrong street.
The only positive thing is that they got to see a good chunk of the famous buildings and tourist sights, even if it only was from a distance.
They stopped for a late lunch. Arya didn't eat, and watched as her brother made a fool of himself. She excused herself early when it became obvious Percy wanted to talk to his girlfriend alone. Arya took the time to call Ace, the conversation wasn't very long as Hazel still couldn't locate Nico. That didn't bode well in Arya's stomach, as soon as Annabeth was on her own she was racing to help the Nico search effort.
When she got back the two teenagers were talking to two old movie star looking people on a vespa. When Arya got an ear shot she overheard that the man was Tiberinus.
"Is this where you leave us?" Arya asked, a bittersweet tone in her voice.
Annabeth glanced around the circle that the group had formed, swallowing hard she nodded with attempted confidence. "I believe so."
Arya remembered twelve year old Annabeth who would have killed a man without a second thought to go on a quest of her own. For a while it was her lifelong dream, she would have died happy. Ironic, now.
