z wants to be

Percy had tossed and turned for an hour just trying to get comfortable but eventually accepted that this was one of those nights where sleep wouldn’t come. It happened sometimes. When the last line of the Oracle’s prophecy rang a little sharper in his mind.

He groaned lightly and sat up, raking his fingers through his hair. The quest was over. His name was clear. Grover got his searcher’s license. Annabeth had her adventure. They’d done what they’d set out to do.

But, the prophecy wasn’t complete yet. And he couldn’t have peace of mind until he knew what it meant.

Percy huffed frustratedly as he fell back into his bed with a thud. But, the noise was masked by another: a knock on his cabin door.

Confusedly, he got up from his bed. Who would be here this late?

When he opened his door and found no one, he knew the answer.

“Annabeth,” he whispered harshly to the darkness.

The air rippled as she pulled the Yankee’s cap off her curls and became visible to him. She was smirking, an eyebrow raised. “Hey, Percy.”

“What’re you doing here?” Percy failed to hide his smile.

“Come on,” she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his cabin. “I want to show you something.”

“What can’t possibly wait until morning?” he chuckled as he trailed behind her, his hand still clenched in hers.

“Shhh,” she chastised. “It’s a surprise.”

They wove between cabins and she led him across the terrain past the dining pavilion until they reached the beach where there was a grey and blue checkered blanket laid out on the sand.

“Ta-da!” Annabeth smiled happily as she stretched her arms out in a show-and-tell way.

He glanced around. “What?”

She rolled her eyes playfully, still smiling. “Well, you asked me what I was reading the other day and I tried to show you but you didn’t get it. So, I thought, this would be a good way for you to learn about the constellations!”

Percy was a little dumbfounded. It had been yesterday that he’d found her reading in the strawberry fields and asked what the book was about. She had explained that it was about astrology and tried to read the description of the constellations to him, but without a visual aid, Percy couldn’t picture it. He didn’t think Annabeth would take it upon herself to teach him.

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she started and Percy watched her suddenly grow interested in the ends of her hair. “It’s just—it’s good to know them. Thalia used to show them to me and tell me the stories behind them whenever I couldn’t sleep.”

Percy realized what this was. Annabeth wanted to share something personal with him. A way to let him in on her past. And, well, Percy wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to spend time with Annabeth.

“No, this is really nice, Annabeth,” he smiled up at her. “Thanks.”

She returned his smile and they shared a moment of silence, staring deeply at each other. After a second, Annabeth breathed in sharply and turned to the blanket. “After you?” she gestured from him to sit down.

They both laid down, facing the clear sky and the smattering of bright stars against the dark purple sky.

“Well,” Annabeth began, leaning towards him, her finger pointing to a star, “that’s the North Star. Pretty important. It’s part of the Big Dipper.”

“Yeah, I know that one. Learned it third grade.”

“Oh okay, so you wouldn’t mind pointing it out for me then, would you?”

“Nah, you go ahead.”

Annabeth laughed and he smiled at the sound. He really liked hearing her laugh.

She continued on with the other stars in the constellations and explained the significance of all of them. Percy listened intently and occasionally added some commentary of his own that made her chuckle.

He continued liking hearing her laugh.

ALT

- Shailja Patel, 'Dreaming in Gujarati'

“I think that people are the sum of their illusion,”

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara + friendship

“I have been bent and broken, but - I hope into a better shape.“