―✧―

"𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐄'𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐘."

"you're lying!" annabeth looked up from her notes. "ninety-nine cent frosties in the summer are everything! did he not have a childhood?"

"wendy's was established in like 1969," i reminded her.

"oh yeah," she muttered, leaning back. "he was already a capsicle then."

the two of us were hanging out in annabeth's room, working on different things. she was trying to figure out the different uses of the mint that frank had gotten from his cousins, while i was compiling together the research on ecvs.

there was a lot to think about, including how often it was done, how strong it was, and any external factors. was there a trigger word? a trigger sound?

if i could find a way to get that information, i could try and reverse the effects of the ecvs.

clacks and clangs sounded throughout the ship, signalling that theo and leo were working in the wall. no one had any idea what they were doing, but we all let them be.

jason was in sickbay — he'd collapsed again the day piper and i returned from sparta. piper, hazel, frank, and percy had gathered in sickbay with him, playing monopoly to try and ease his mind off of the pain.

annabeth and i had begun the game with them, but were kicked out when we started emotionally manipulating the others to trade properties.

it had gotten really intense.

"if i was practicing to be an esthetician, would you let me practice my brazillians on you?" annabeth asked suddenly.

i blinked, looking up from my research, "say what now?"

"you know, if you want to be an esthetician, you need to practice and stuff, right?" she began. "so, instead of practicing on random people and potentially messing up, would you let me practice on you?"

"if you mess it up on me, that's fine?" i asked.

"it's less awkward to tell you then to tell a random person," she shrugged.

i scrunched my nose, "dude, are you even planning to be one? i thought you wanted to be an architect."

"it'd make a nice side hustle," she shrugged. "besides, it's so much easier to do it myself if i really need to."

i tried picturing it, but i could only shake my head.

"dude, you have no idea how weird that situation would be," i told her.

"how?!"

"you'd be seeing my butt cheeks!" 

"so?"

"that requires a whole 'nother level of friendship," i held my hand up. "one we haven't unlocked yet."

"we literally went through hell together," she said.

"doesn't mean you can wax my no-no square," i shook my finger.

annabeth huffed, going back to do her own research. i shook my head to myself, laughing slightly as i continued learning about ecvs.

it was quiet as we continued our work, until i looked up at her.

"would you be doing your services for free?" i asked.

"you're literally a billionaire!"

"inflation is a real problem."

"gods, fine," she shrugged. "i'd wax you for free."

i nodded, "honestly, i'd think about it. won't make you any promises, but i'd think about it."

annabeth was about to say something, when the ship nearly tilted. the two of us stared at each other, our conversations about butt waxing completely forgotten.

"what the hell was that?" she asked.

"don't know, but it looks like we need to check it out," i responded.

the two of us made our way upstairs, unprepared for the rain and wind and waves that immediately attacked us.

"holy shit," i yelped as the ship tilted, grabbing on to a railing.

percy, hazel, piper, and frank made their way up, weapons out and ready to fight. they looked around, seeing no monster.

"it's just a storm!" i told them.

of course, it wasn't just a storm. it was probably the worst one we'd encountered yet. 

in no time, the wind had increased, making the rain almost horizontal. giant waves spread towards our ship, but percy stood at the center, fighting them off by making giant fists of water and punching them away. whenever the ship tilted one way, he forced the waves to keep us steady by tilting the other way.

hazel stood at the railing, trying to help, but turning green every time the ship moved. i ushered her to sickbay, telling her that we got it. theo used his magic to try and repair anything that was falling off, but as soon as he fixed one thing, another thing got destroyed. leo, piper, annabeth and i ran around the ship, trying to untangle the oars and get it airborne. frank had turned into a gorilla and was untangling the ropes with his strength.

we worked together, but we weren't making much progress. the storm was so loud, we couldn't hear each other, and honestly, the only reason we were still afloat was because of percy.

i took out my dagger, cutting apart some seaweed which was caught in the ship's netting. i felt more than heard footsteps next to me, and i turned, just in time to see percy jump over the starboard rail.

i'd seen him jump into water enough times to not be worried by now, but i still leaned over, as if i could see where he'd gone.

he disappeared in the water without a splash, but i couldn't see anything beyond that.

i looked to the side, only to see jason — his head covered by a storm spirit — following percy and jumping over the rail.

i leaned over again, but the two of them were gone. 

"well," i muttered to myself, "time to keep the ship together."

the good news was that percy and jason had gotten percy's sister — kim — to stop attacking us. jason even promised her an action figure.

the bad news was that the ship was in horrible condition, groaning and moaning every time we moved. 

i'd talking to J.A.R.V.I.S. about the damage, but he said that the ship would have to be back in a workshop and taken apart to completely fix. we didn't have time for that, so we continued on.

after three long days — filled with monster attacks and ship repairs — we made port at the island of mykonos. leo and i had fixed the ship enough that we could finish the journey, as long as there were no more attacks.

"c'mon seaweed brain," i slipped my hand in percy's as we made our way ashore. "we don't have all day."

"when i walk normally, you tell me to walk slow," he complained. "and when i walk slowly, you tell me to walk fast. what is this?"

i laughed, "it's not my fault you have longer legs than me. you could've just been short."

"or you could've grown like a regular person."

i rolled my eyes as we entered the town.

percy had volunteered the two of us to scout the small island. considering hedge was no longer with us, and buford and his projection were in the engine room, no one had any objections. in fact, annabeth had actually pushed the two of us towards the island and told us to leave immediately.

i swung our hands a little as we walked through the town. for the first time in a really long time, it was just the two of us.

i smiled to myself as i realized it was a little date.

no monsters, no end of the world, just me and percy enjoying a walk through the island. and the birds.

"why are there so many pelicans?" i muttered, moving closer to percy as one walked a little too close to me.

percy laughed, "oh come on. don't tell me you're scared of these birds." he held out a hand full of grapes, throwing it out to one of the passing pelicans.

"no, don't do that!" i cried. "now they're all gonna follow us!"

percy laughed, "oh my gods. you're scared of birds? you literally have a pet bird! besides, i thought you said your dad bought so many randoms things you weren't terrified of any animals."

"i'm not scared of ucello," i scowled at percy. "and i'm not scared of pelicans either. i'm just absolutely creeped out by the way they look."

"you're scared," percy teased.

"am not."

"are too."

"am not."

"are too!"

"i'm being bullied," i shook my head. "can't believe i'm thinking of this as a nice little date with my boyfriend while he bullies me mercilessly."

percy wrapped his arm around me, still keeping my hand in his, "it is a nice little date. but i think you know by now that our relationship is based off of merciless bullying of each other."

i swatted him with my free hand, laughing a little. "shut up."

i jumped as something nudged the back of my knee, moving to the other side of percy. the pelican which touched me was small, squawking loudly as it followed me.

"oh gods, no!" i shrieked, jumping up on percy, wrapping my legs around his waist as i tried to get away from the oversized bird.

percy began to double over in laughter, but i swatted his shoulder, pleading him to stay upright.

"okay, okay, better?" he asked, hoisting me up and carrying me.

i clung to him as he picked his way through the crowd of pelicans. we turned a corner — which was finally free of pelicans — and i climbed off of him.

"thank you!" i smiled, kissing his cheek.

percy kissed the side of my head, the two of us continuing our little walk around the island. it didn't take us very long, and we'd scoured the rest of the island in less than two hours.

"ooh! ice cream!" percy pointed to a gelato shop.

"we should get some for the crew," i led him to the store. "they'll be happy."

"i'll be happy too," percy agreed.

and so we set off to the ice cream store, on a mission to make everyone happy.

REY WRITES!

thanks for reading!

filler chapter, but yeah

also, i finished reading the chalice of gods
yesterday and it was so nostalgic i freaking 
cried (mark spoilers pls!)

thoughts?

comments?

questions?

headcanons?

theories?