𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲 - Percy Jackson x Reader

-fσυя-

「"𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 '𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐲' 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟. 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 '𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥' 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐥𝐥... 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧."」

-⁺˖° 𝚿 °⁺˖-

[𝐘/𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕]

We made our way back out to the woods miserably. The ground was littered with flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers. We took some food and blankets from Medusa's, but didn't light a fire to avoid attracting more unwanted visitors.

We decided to sleep in shifts, Percy taking the first watch. Annabeth curled up on the blankets and was snoring as soon as her head hit the ground. Grover fluttered with his flying shoes to the lowest bough of a tree, put his back to the trunk, and stared at the night sky. I couldn't sleep. I'd never admit it, but this being my first time out in years; I was kind of scared. Just the slightest.

"Go ahead and sleep," Percy told him. "I'll wake you if there's trouble."

He nodded, but still didn't close his eyes. "It makes me sad, Percy."

"What does? The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"

"No. This makes me sad." He pointed at all the garbage on the ground. "And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr."

They continued to talk. About Pan, about his searchers license, about his father and his uncle Ferdinand. How dangerous the search is. Part of me didn't want him to go, but I wanted him to be happy. Happy and safe.

They talked about Annabeth, and how Grover failed to protect Thalia. After that, I zoned out, I thought about what Medusa told me. Some nerve. Things just weren't fair to gods that weren't Olympians. I found it crazy we don't even get our own cabins, we're underestimated, forgetful. I wouldn't be that. I'll make sure nobody underestimates nor forgets me.

"I know you're awake." I heard Percy say behind me. I had my back turned to him so I wasn't sure how he knew.

"What of it?" I said back.

"You okay? You seemed kind of bothered after Medusa."

"Medusa doesn't bother me. I'm not bothered." I shot back swiftly.

He hummed. "Okay."

I sighed and turned around, sitting up against the tree next to me. My hand found it's way into my pocket fidgeting with the stone Cameron gave me. "Well what about you? How do you feel about the quest so far?"

He shrugged. "I just don't want to screw this up." He paused, contemplating whether he wanted to say his next sentence. "I feel...pressure. I don't want to be the weak 'big three kid'"

I felt in a way bad. We were at opposite ends of the rope. He's 'overimportant' being a son of a big three god, and I'm 'under important' being a daughter of a minor deity. We both just want to make good impressions.

"Look," I started. "I never met Thalia, but still try not to feel like you need to live up to her legacy...even though she's currently a tree. Just be you cause you don't really suck that much." I wasn't the best at words of affirmation so I hope he got my point. I took out the sunstone from my pocket and stared at the rock shining against the pale moonlight, a faint smile painted over my lips.

"Thanks." He responded. "Where'd you find that?"

"Huh? Oh, Cameron gave this to me, he's an Apollo kid. It's like a 'good luck' charm."