𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬; percy jackson

01

ISABELLE LOWERED HER HEAD, SHE VAINLY TRIED TO HIDE IN THE TALL GRASS.

"He's here, Isa, and I assure you, he will ask questions" Grover gushed out, being clearly out of breath. Isabelle could easily decipher that she was the first who he ran to after his sudden arrival.

She stretched out lazily, letting the sun kiss her freckled face as she grinned up at him. "And how exactly did you find me, oh great tracker of demigods?" she asked, conveniently ignoring the real issue at hand while standing up. The area from her head to her chest was shortly revealed through the grass, and with that, also the camp Half-blood's orange T-shirt which she had to wear.

Grover wasn't having it. "Seriously, Isa, you need to prepare an explanation." His voice carried the familiar edge of exasperation, his shaggy curls bouncing as he shook his head.

A sigh slipped past Isabelle's lips, her fingers nervously tugging at the grass. "I don't know if I can just drop everything on him, Grover. It's been so long, and I've changed so much... I mean, what if he thinks I'm totally different now?" She flashed a grin, trying to brush off the nerves. "Plus, if he can't see me, he can't ask me anything, right?" Her eyes sparkled with playful mischief.

Grover hesitated, his goat ears twitching slightly in confusion. "Isa, don't try to—"

"Annabeth," she declared, revealing her sudden idea. "I'll ask my dear sister to let me borrow her—"

"No," Grover cut her off, already seeing where this was headed. "That's not a good idea."

"Oh, come on," she whined playfully. "You know I'm not ready for this reunion yet. I just need to buy myself some time." Isabelle shot him a dazzling, innocent smile, the one that had gotten her out of trouble more times than she could count.

Grover groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Fine. But you're going to have to talk to him eventually."

"Eventually," she echoed sweetly. "Just... not today."

He sighed in defeat, but Isabelle could tell he wasn't giving up just yet. Unbeknownst to her, Grover had already made up his mind. One way or another, Percy Jackson was going to notice Isabelle Moore. What she also didn't know was that Percy's mother had disappeared, and Grover, not wanting to dampen her mood, hadn't brought it up. Still, their long-overdue reunion might be exactly what the blonde boy needed to feel better, whether she was ready or not.

•

As soon as Isabelle stepped into the Athena cabin, she made a beeline for Annabeth. "Annie!" she called, throwing herself onto her half-sister's bed.

Annabeth, who had been pretending to read—because, really, she was just flipping through the pictures, arched a brow. "What now?"

Isa plopped down beside her, batting her lashes dramatically. "I need your Yankees cap."

Annabeth blinked. "You're not hiding from someone, are you?"

"Absolutely not!" Isa gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "I am simply... avoiding an emotionally charged confrontation that I am in no way prepared for."

Annabeth gave her a knowing look. "So the new Minotaur slayer Percy boy is the one you've been telling me about?"

"Minotaur slayer?" Isabelle gasped, ignoring the rest of the sentence, unable to contain her surprise.

A sly grin tugged at the corner of Annabeth's lips. "Oh, so it is the same boy you couldn't stop gushing about when you first got here?"

Isabelle gasped, feigning shock. "Excuse me? I was not gushing!" She tried to hide the amused smile tugging at her own lips.

Annabeth leaned back on her elbows, all too pleased with herself. "I remember that week perfectly. He was all you talked about. I thought you had a massive crush on him or something."

"Right. As if that ever happened," Isa muttered, snatching the cap from Annabeth's hands. "I'm taking this, Cupid." She twirled it teasingly before heading toward the door.

Annabeth grinned. "Going to check him out?"

"Not dignifying that with a response," Isa called over her shoulder before pulling the cap over her head and vanishing from sight.

•

Sneaking through camp was second nature to Isabelle, but finding Percy wasn't as easy as she hoped. After scanning the usual spots, an uneasy thought crossed her mind. If she couldn't find him...

He was probably in the infirmary.

The realization made her stomach twist. That would mean he'd been hurt on his way to camp. And if there was one thing Isabelle Moore hated, it was seeing the people she cared about in pain.

When she stepped inside the building, her eyes landed on him immediately. He was sitting on the infirmary bed, looking like the same goofy boy she remembered, wide-eyed and scruffy-haired. But there was something different now. He was a little taller, a little stronger, but his face still had that same boyish charm. His eyes were the same bright ocean blue, filled with the same curious spark she'd always seen.

Shaking herself from the trance, Isabelle snapped back to reality. She had come here for one thing, just to check if Percy was alright. Now, she could see he was. A weight lifted from her chest, and she allowed herself a small, almost guilty smile.

Still, she needed to leave before he noticed her, before she had to explain herself.

Slipping quietly toward the door, she spared one last glance over her shoulder. It was a mistake. As she turned, her foot caught the old, creaky floorboard, creating a loud creak.

Both boys immediately snapped their heads in her direction, their eyes scanning the room, but there was no one to be seen.

Isabelle froze, eyes darting around, calculating her next move. She needed a quick plan B.

Grover's grin widened with realization as he stood up. "Well, it's time to go introduce you to the camp members, Percy. Come on." He flashed an innocent smile, but Isabelle could tell he was up to exposing her.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear that? These floors are ancient."

Typical, Isabelle thought to herself. Percy's voice was still as high-pitched as ever, completely unaffected by the changes in the rest of him.

Grover nodded, his grin turning sly. "Right? Wouldn't it be a shame if we bumped into someone right now?"

"What?" Percy was still confused, clearly not picking up on what was happening.

Isabelle, knowing this was her chance, silently moved toward the door, this time stepping more carefully. Grover wasn't finished, though.

"Such a shame," he mused with a dramatic sigh, his eyes scanning the room for her location.

Isabelle didn't wait for any more theatrics. She bolted out of the door, the moment her foot hit the dirt path she took off, running as if her life depended on it. Behind her, Grover chuckled softly, watching as faint footprints appeared in the dirt, vanishing as quickly as they'd come.

"Well," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a grin, "that didn't go quite as planned."

"Grover, buddy, I think you're losing it. There's no one else here. Are you trying to talk to the bedsheets, or...?" Percy raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with teasing confusion.