Alternatively

Spring Break

"So, uh," he gestured awkwardly. "You can put your stuff in my room. Oh, do you want anything to drink?"

She shrugged, suppressing a yawn. "No, I'm fine, thanks."

They both stood in the door way, the only noises being Sally putting up some dishes and the heater rumbling. It was late and the apartment was draped in shadows, only a few night lights haloed in the hall and the kitchen light bleeding across the living room. Her fingers curled around her backpack strap and rocked back on her heels. What she would have loved more than anything was to get her face washed and put on some pajamas. It was as if she could still feel the plane ride on her skin.

"So, I'll just...show you where to go," Percy nervously laughed, beckoning her to follow him.

Annabeth shuffled after him, taking in as much of the house as she could. Pictures spotted the walls and plants were outlined in the windows; it was kind of what she imagined the Jackson household to look like. Quaint, welcoming, gentle.

"It's a little messy, but I swear I totally remembered you'd be flying in today."

He flicked on the light and she squinted, looking at the posters and rumpled bedspread. There was a desk with an old laptop and two textbooks and she could see the structure of a fire escape out his window. It was familiar, despite her never having been there.

She then frowned, turning to him as he closed the closet door. "Where will you be?"

"I'm taking the couch," he shrugged.

"But I can't take your-"

"It's chill," he snagged a pillow from the bed. "We have a really comfy couch."

She pursed her lips but set her bag by the nightstand.

"The bathroom's across the hall, you get first dibs. Mom's rules."

"Thanks," she cleared her throat, turning as he bustled around the room. "Um, I-"

"And if you need anything, you know I'm a light sleeper," he chuckled, pulling off his hoodie and chucking it to the corner.

"Yeah."

He paused, tilting his head at her. "You good?"

She nodded, forcing the corners of her mouth to lift. "Yeah, thanks. I'll...just get ready. For bed."

"Oh!" he nearly tripped over himself as he dove to the nightstand. "I remembered you saying lavender keeps your nightmares away and Mom found this so I figured it'd be perfect. Okay. I'll leave you to it."

He set the...whatever it was, by the lamp and disappeared out the door before she could say anything else. Shaking her head, she wandered over to inspect the gift. A sleep mask, purple and pleasantly infused with lavender. She forgot when she even mentioned the fact and it made her smile that he had the care to remember.

"Annabeth?"

She set the mask down as Sally poked her head in. "Yeah?"

Her eyes were gentle. "Just wanted to say good night. I'll have breakfast around ten, I know you'll want to sleep in."

Annabeth's throat closed tight and suddenly, it was too hard to breathe. She rubbed her eyes, nodding and not really seeing her slip back into the hall. It wasn't simply fatigue from the trip; she had too many plane rides under her belt to react in such a way. There was something wrong, wrong with her. She was breaking.

She went through her nightly routine in a haze, only vaguely noting the tiny fixtures that so definitely personalized the home. The toothbrush with little sharks on it nearly broke her self pity. After washing her face, she stared at her blank expression in the mirror. Dark bags, chapped lips, weary eyes; she certainly had seen better days. Her hand absentmindedly touched the gray streak escaping from her bun that had been severely messed up during the flight. It was important to note that she didn't sleep on planes and that it had been her excessive worrying that raked strands of hair from the updo.