Alternatively

To Shining Sea (iii.)

hour 88

He punched the vending machine, quickly grabbing it so the glass would stop rattling. A passing janitor gave him a look, and he thought it'd be the end of it. Grover was already asleep, curled under some seats, so he wouldn't be angry about him being hungry too.

Percy grabbed his Skittles from the bottom and loped back to the others, pausing with his teeth on the bag.

Annabeth watched him with a blank expression, hair frizzy from using her backpack as a pillow.

She was indifferent.

Clenching his jaw, he ripped the Skittles open and sat in a chair on the other side of the section; he didn't like the idea of her being indifferent to him.

hour 94

"You got everything?"

She nodded, hefting her backpack over her shoulder.

"You got, yeah, there's your laptop, good. Here," Grover passed her a bottle. "For the ride, I know you gotta drink it before you get to security, but-"

"Thanks," she stuffed the water in her bag.

The dry wind raked through the drop off zone, stray papers floating across the sidewalk and cars rolling by in a dull rush. They had already seen two surges of foot traffic as people hurried to catch their buses, seen many hugs and goodbyes and hellos and the sky wasn't even blue yet.

Percy yawned, his nose twinging.

"So...when's your car supposed to get here?"

"Soon."

"Oh," he shifted, looking between them. "The bus to L.A. is leaving soon, too. Like...now, soon."

"Then you better go catch it," Percy quietly said.

"Come on," Grover pleaded. "I'm sure they didn't sell your seats off, you guys can still-"

"I already bought my ticket to New York, man."

When desperate eyes turned to Annabeth, she just pursed her lips sympathetically.

So he sighed, deflated as he gave them both hugs goodbye. Percy squeezed him tight but forced himself to let go a few seconds sooner than he'd liked, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched his friend sadly trudge back into the station.

The doors sealed with a rush of air, and it was just the two of them.

"You don't have to stay out here."

He shrugged, leaning to look down the road for any approaching cars. "It's fine, my bus doesn't leave for another hour or so."

"Okay, whatever you say."

A couple vans and cars pulled up, each one dropping people off and picking visitors up, parking so bags could be hauled in and out of trunks. None were the red Sedan they were waiting on, and Annabeth was getting ansty. Percy drummed his fingers on his forearms, nervously chewing his cheek so he wouldn't ruin the departure with another fight; they were tired, they had enough.

She had cried that night, he recalled. She thought he was asleep and had run to the bathroom, already sniffling. Then, ten minutes later, she wandered back with tears still fresh in her eyes and a red nose and an expression that read 'No More of That'. He had squeezed his eyes shut and rolled over in his chair.

Because why wouldn't she cry, he should have cried. Grover was always crying almost every time he was left alone with his thoughts. They were sad, they were allowed to be sad.