Unclaimed [Percy Jackson]

viii. grover isn't good at pep talks

WHEN the half bloods and the satyr reached Thalia's tree, they noticed Chiron was waiting there for them in his wheelchair.

Argus, the camp's head of security was next to him.

Amelia knew he was created by Hera and has for now a few decades or maybe centuries? been posted at Camp Half blood. His hair is blonde and his eyes.... His hundred eyes blue. He wasn't a talker, people believing the reason of this because he had an eye on his tongue.

Amelia knew that Argus was the one to drive demigods to their demise, sorry to their quests. As far as she knew, the last one he ever drove away from Camp was Luke.

And he gave off that vibe, wearing a chauffeur's uniform, only showing the extra eyes on his hands, face and neck. She was certain the Mist was going to hide all his eyes over.

"This is Argus" Chiron told them, specifically to Percy who kept eyeing the giant, "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things"

Footsteps ran from behind them.

The questers turned around, seeing Luke running up the hill, carrying a pair of shoes.

"Hey!" Luke called, panting. Amelia sighed, tapping her thighs impatiently, rolling her eyes at Annabeth's obvious crush by the blush on her cheeks, "Glad I caught you. Just wanted to say good luck" he looked at Percy, "And I thought…um, maybe you could use these"

Luke handed Percy the shoes, a pretty normal object. But the normalcy went out of the window the moment Luke spoke, "Maia"

Percy looked startled the moment white bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, dropping them to the ground. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up, disappearing.

"Awesome!" Grover exclaimed.

Annabeth and Amelia looked unfazed, eyeing the shoes in some sort of distrust.

Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad" suddenly, his expression turned dad. "Of course, I don't use them much these days..."

Amelia looked up to Luke and silently observed him interact with Percy. She knew that Luke took the boy under his wing the moment everyone started ghosting him when he was revealed to be a forbidden kid, taking his training into personal classes in order to prepare Percy for the world wanting him even more dead than your usual half blood.

He had even suggested for her to keep being his friend, not that Amelia wanted to; Percy was tolerable at most, not at Adelaide or Lou Ellen level. However, she knew Luke cared about Percy.

Amelia looked at Percy who looked awestruck by the action of his former cabin counselor and... Was that a blush?

Amelia looked between Annabeth and Percy and rolled her eyes upwardly.

I'm surrounded by idiots, Amelia thought in dismay.

"Hey, man" Percy said, "Thanks"

"Listen, Percy" Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just…kill some monsters for me, okay?"

They both shook hands.

Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a good-bye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out.

When it was turn to hug Amelia, she raised a hand to him with a warning look. Luke smiled at her mischievously, swatting slightly her hand away to engulf her in a hug.

"Make our cabin proud, Melia" Luke whispered in her ear, "And most of all, yourself"

Luke let her go, flashing all of them a small smile before leaving.