synopsis in which percy shows up to readers window battered and bruised, and she patches him up
angst and fluff
wc 311
────﹒♡﹒────
a light tap on my window interrupted me as i lulled into sleep. new york in winter was no stranger to the rain, so i ignored it.
but the taps became heavier, and became hard hitting knocks. i shifted in my bed to face the window, and the outline of a human figure made me still. i was scared, but realised it was percy.
'oh my god,' i mumbled, half asleep.
reluctantly getting out of my bed, i walked towards the glass and opened it to see my boyfriend covered in wounds and bleeding out of all of them on my fire escape.
'oh my god percy,' i gasped, pulling him into my bedroom.
'hey baby,' he grinned.
'why are you smiling right now,' i breath out exhasperated.
he suppressed his smile in response as i guided him to sit in my vanity chair while so i could gather some first aid supplies.
i stood between his legs and my eyes teared at the sight of him.
'you dont need to patch me up y/n,' he comforted.
i ignored his comment and started wiping his blood away with a wet cloth, 'you cant keep doing this to yourself perc,' i whisper.
'you know its bigger than me,' he said softly, putting his hands on my hips.
a beat passed.
'im just worried about you,' i say quietly.
'i know,' he replied, brushing my hair out of my face.
it was quiet while i worked on him, interrupted by an occassional grunt and squeeze to my waist whilst i stitched him up.
'you tired, hm?' he commented.
'yeah,' i whispered, my eyelids falling.
'lets go to sleep baby,' he offered.
we walked towards the bed, and i headed straight under the covers. i was practically asleep when percy joined me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pressing his chest to my back.
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
˚ʚ ꒰🗣️꒱ i can't believe this is the last chapter omg. anyway thank you for reading and stream second wind by daniel seavey!!
sun, are you brighter today? you mentally asked as you and percy started your walk home. sky, you too. actually, everything. the array of colors on the buildings and victorian houses of cape may were as vibrant as ever. you hadn’t noticed it before, but the palette was just so diverse. it really was incredible. this town was beautiful. the world was beautiful, actually.
but nothing was better than the scent of the ocean that’d hung both in the air and lingered on percy’s hoodie—the one she’d lent you this morning. there was absolutely no way you’d ever let yourself take this off. that’d be the second souvenir, along with the ones in the bag she carried.
just before you got to the door, percy spoke. “hey, should we do our double date today? at second wind?” something in her jaw tensed at the mere mention of the place.
your chest went light. “definitely.”
percy smiled, something more shy about it than before.
as soon as you got inside, you finally fulfilled your need to skip or run or something, dashing up the stairs. you placed an ear to drew’s door—it wasn’t like you and percy were the only ones who could’ve had a great night. when there was nothing but the sound of a zipper, you figured you’d go in.
you opened the door to see drew packing her stuff. she looked up at you. her eyes narrowed knowingly. wait, were you smiling? shit. because she mirrored it.
“babe, you need to tell me everything. i need to know from the moment foreplay started. in fact, tell me from before foreplay. fore-foreplay.” she zipped up her suitcase. “here, i’ll help you pack.”
the two of you walked into your bedroom. as you folded the clothes neatly, you filled her in on every single detail—including meeting andrea, to which she was incredibly envious of. for the first time in your history of telling her a percy story, drew had smiled and cheered. a wolf whistle was snuck in there, too.
“oh, and i forgot to mention, we’re going on a double date this morning. second wind, one last time,” you said.
drew gasped. “wait, you know what this means, right?”
before you could answer, she’d ran off. in the distance, zippers were pulled, and something was shuffling. she returned holding the one and only box with the list. she set it on your dresser. you ran up. drew unrolled the list, laying it as flat as she could.
“do the honors.” she handed you the marker.
“oh my gods, okay.” you took a breath.
summer fling, check. first kiss, check—technically.
“we’re giving this one two checkmarks,” you said.
you checked off double date.
drew checked off double date.
and the list was complete.
“let’s go!” you pulled her into a hug.
you both gave the list a kiss before rolling it back up and placing it back in its ceramic box.
“now, we have a date to get to,” drew said.
⬿•☀️•⤳
the double date was everything you wanted it to be. full of laughter and amazing coffee, you knew the younger version of you was smiling, even if you couldn’t see it from her directly. with just an hour to spare before you had to head to the airport, annabeth had insisted on one final stop.
she’d led you all to a small area with a single fence full of locks. love locks. your chest went soft. her and percy went up to the stand. meanwhile, you and drew stood behind, watching the two women who’d made your summers unforgettable and list-fulfilling.
“i’m so proud of us,” you said.
“me, too,” drew said.
they came back. percy handed you the purple, heart-shaped lock. okay. it was time. she held the marker but didn’t move. you furrowed your eyebrows. she took a breath and looked at you, something firm yet nervous in her eyes.
she spoke. “the night we met, i knew you were the only one i’d want to ask this question to. as we worked together, that was only confirmed. obviously, what we had this summer—even just yesterday—just made me feel like an idiot for not asking it sooner.”
your heart raced in your chest. every breath felt like another agonizingly slow second passing. finally, she straightened her posture.
“will you be my girlfriend?”
you place your hands around her waist, the lock hanging from your finger. “of course i will.”
with that, you pulled her into a kiss. a long kiss. she wrapped her arms around your neck. you smiled. everything in the world fell into place in that single moment. drew and annabeth cheered, merely a sound with your closed eyes. you hugged her closer.
clink!
you opened your eyes to see the lock had fallen. “shit.”
percy picked it up. “it’s not broken.” she tested it to be sure, pulling the metal.
she unclicked the marker and wrote a ‘P.’ then, she handed it to you. you took it and wrote the + alongside your initial. then, you approached the fence.
“ours is in the lower corner,” annabeth said.
once you found it, you clicked it on, officially locking you and percy’s relationship into a part of cape may history.
next may (epilogue)
“martini!” percy shouted.
the slate clicked in front of the camera. “action!” you shouted next.
the actress, a student in your film class, delivered her final line. you remembered the exact day you wrote it: towards the end of the summer, sitting on the beach with your laptop, percy surfing in the waves in front of you. you shut your laptop and, thankfully, received a congratulatory kiss.
you smiled at the memory. then, you yelled, “cut!”
you looked to percy. “do you want to, or should i?”
she fastened her navy baseball cap, clutching her call sheet clipboard to her chest. “let’s do it together.”
“that’s a wrap on our film!”
the whole set erupted into cheers. you went around to hug everyone from the cast and the crew. once that was done, you practically ran to percy, desperate to do one and one thing only. and she had the same idea in mind—judging by the way she pulled you right into a kiss.
you two had gotten together a little less than a year ago, but the feeling of her lips against yours elicited the same reaction every time. you were convinced you’d never get enough.
“ahem,” a voice—drew’s—called.
you pulled away to see drew and annabeth standing together. annabeth had a small frown on her face, looking around at the set longingly. it was another piece of her excellent work. meanwhile, drew’s nails clicked against her phone. then, she pointed it at you. “let’s take some wrap pictures.”
you took one with every member of the cast. then you took one with percy. according to drew’s PR stuff, the director-AD couple thing was actually useful for the promotion. you didn’t mind that at all. in fact, that was the best possible outcome.
“posted.” drew turned off her phone. “hoping this year’s theater will be a little fuller.”
“it definitely will be,” you said. “are we submitting to anyone else, or only cape may?”
hopefully cape may, because every time you saw that tiny lighthouse on you and percy’s caps, you were brought right back there.
percy furrowed her eyebrows. “only cape may. anywhere else would be wrong.”
annabeth spoke. “as much as i’d love sundance or somewhere major, i have to agree.”
you all laughed.
“alright. cape may it is,” you said.
⬿•☀️•⤳
once you and percy left set, you stopped for coffee at second wind’s brooklyn location. after a toast, you took a sip.
“percy, remember our apology, and how it was settled over this exact same coffee? man, this stuff really gave us a second wind.”
percy furrowed her eyebrows. she slowly turned her head to look at you, stopping in occasional increments. curiosity was written on her face as she said, “say that again?”
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
˚ʚ ꒰🖋️꒱ 2.2k words
˚ʚ ꒰⚠️꒱ FLUFF. suggestive themes, swearing. this chapter does fade to black at the very end, but all touching is waist up!
you clutched a surfboard between your arm and torso, the tip of it dragging in the sand under the dark sky. next to you, percy also carried a surfboard. you set them on the approaching waves. poverty beach was quiet this late at night, with waves light enough to make them ideal for surfing.
once the two of you reached a deep enough spot, you relaxed. your still-dry bags floated next to you in the water. laying on your boards, you both looked up at the sparkling stars. the night was clear and they were as visible as ever.
as you listened to the rippling water, your stomach sunk. this was your last ever summer night—at least, the summer nights that actually mattered, which were in cape may—and you two hadn’t even talked about what was next. of course, as your mind flooded with dopamine and fresh romantic memories, the answer was incredibly obvious. you’d marry this woman right here, right now, if you could.
but, there was still a part of you that had some sense, and that part told you to wait. but how much longer could you wait? who knows what the rest of the summer would hold once you were apart? you gulped.
“i seriously can’t believe it’s the last day of the good part of summer,” you said.
“me, neither.” percy’s chest fell with a relaxed sigh. “but, this is the best last day of summer i’ve ever had.”
you furrowed your eyebrows. “what happened on the other ones?”
she tapped the side of her surfboard. the sound was obvious in the nighttime, accompanied only by the distant crickets and surrounding waves–and her breathing, now. it’d sped up. you hadn’t even realized you were keeping track.
“my first prophecy came true on the last day of summer,” she said. “a friend did, in fact, betray me.”
percy brought a hand to her forehead, visoring from absolutely no light. “it’s dumb. i should move on. i’m not hung up on it or anything. it’s just a reminder.”
your stomach sunk. as much as you wanted to pry every detail of that story out of her, the way she’d tensed had suggested that might not be a good idea.
“i don’t think it’s dumb,” you said.
you turned to lay your stomach on the board, relaxing the side of your face on your hands. for once in your life, you were free. maybe this was also your best last day of summer. meanwhile, percy raised her eyebrows, now being the prying one.
you spoke. “just the bead ceremony. i always felt dumb getting mine. it’s not like i did anything. and everyone was all sentimental, crying and hugging, wishing they could stay forever. complaining about school. that’s still crazy to me. meanwhile, drew and i were high fiving.” you laughed, thinking back to that.
percy hummed. “fair enough. what’re your plans for the rest of the summer?”
“no idea. i might get a headstart on my next script. see a couple of movies, study film, watch taxi driver a few more times.”
“wait, who directed that again?”
you let out a long, audible, exaggerated groan. “do you seriously want a future in film? be honest.”
percy’s face broke into a smile. a small flush spawned, too. “kind of. i am planning to declare a film major.”
oh, shit. oh. shit. holy shit. you fought the urge to hop up onto the board and throw your arms into a victory v and scream on the top of your lungs, ‘MY CRUSH SWITCHED HER MAJOR TO MINE!!’ instead, you swallowed, as your whole body tingled with excitement.
“seriously? what made you choose that?”
“a certain director.”
she’d be your AD, you’d be her director, and it’d be just like before. you might even have classes together. then you could study together and spend more time together. and she could join you for your monthly rewatch of taxi driver, and hear everything you have to say about that. and you’d be a cute director-AD duo, all flirty on set. and your workflows would be great, and…
you could go on forever about the possibilities, but a tiny furrow appeared between percy’s eyebrows. right.
“wow.” a beat. “but, seriously, you need to watch taxi driver before your first day of classes. it’s kind of a film school prereq. like, if you don’t know that was scorsese’s work, you will be chewed out by film bros. and the professor.”
“professor smith would never.”
you held your hands up. “maybe not with his freshmen, but i’ve heard he’s pretty serious with upperclassmen.”
percy laughed. she clutched her stomach. you couldn’t help but watch. she really was so gorgeous, everything about her—the way her lips curved, the left side dimple you’d never noticed, the mere sound of her laugh. you’d never wanted to record a moment more. but maybe you wouldn’t have to. maybe this would never go away, maybe you’d hear her laugh daily. your stomach filled with butterflies.
she met your eyes as she came down from her laughter. yeah, there was absolutely, positively, no way this was going to stay in cape may.
but, first…
“what about your summer, though? plans?” you asked.
percy retreated into herself slightly. “i think i’m going to take up surfing. not as anything serious, just a hobby.”
something in every limb of yours eased. suddenly, you pictured kissing her on the beach, or cheering her on, or even learning with her. damnit.
“what about skateboarding?”
“i need a water aspect. i hadn’t realized that until i came here.” something wistful was in her eyes.
there was officially nothing stopping you. no camp, no lifeguarding, nothing. she’d be in new york, you’d be in new york. she’d have free time, you’d have free time. you’d both have your own things. and even if it was too early to ask, you figured you would. especially when percy looked so beautiful, under the night sky, floating in the ocean.
she looked down to your lips, and that was as much of an invitation as you needed.
“would you want to, i don’t know—”
a bright flashlight in the distance interrupted your train of thought. you looked up to see what was clearly a cop on the beach. of course. he shouted something indistinct, but definitely angry. you and percy looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“hold that thought,” percy said, starting to paddle back.
⬿•☀️•⤳
“it wouldn’t be a quest without questionable sleeping arrangements,” percy said.
you followed her into a motel room that was cold and humid, somehow. a king sized bed laid in the middle. questionable indeed. you turned on the sole lamp in the corner, the gold bathing a brown patterned wallpaper and a bed with yellow sheets. it looked like hadn’t been remodeled since the 70s, save for the ac.
“this is definitely questionable.”
you plopped down onto the bed, setting your bags on the floor. percy walked right into the bathroom. as soon as she shut the door, you laid down fully. the mattress was surprisingly comfy. or, maybe all of the walking had tired your limbs out.
you sighed. you’d definitely been holding that thought. you held it as you and percy dragged your surfboards upshore whilst being scolded by the beach cop, and as you returned the rented surfboards to the shop, and the entire walk to the motel. but that didn’t change your opinion. you had to, and were going to, ask.
the sink turned off behind the door. suddenly, the humidity became much more obvious. you could’ve sworn your skin was covered in precipitation. did percy’s drying powers wear off or something? any minute now, she’d open that door, and you’d part your lips, and you’d speak. you’d ask the question that would determine the rest of your summer.
and the rest of your life, technically. because if she said no to being your girlfriend, she’d probably say no to being your AD again, and then your student film would crumble as you tried to figure out someone else’s workflow—because the AD literally makes a film—and you’d have no career in film, and you’d end up a film student stereotype working as a barista. you groaned into your hands.
the back of your eyelids flooded with a golden light as the door creaked open. you removed your hands from your face, the room much brighter than you remembered. percy leaned against the doorway. she’d changed into a navy blue hoodie and blue sleep shorts. she yawned, and then stretched her arms above her head, making her hoodie creep up just enough to show off a hint of her hips. your whole body filled with butterflies.
she plopped onto the bed. right, because that was going to make everything better. you already forgot how you were planning to word the question. you moved over, allowing her enough space. it was like every single time she moved, her hoodie did, too.
“so, which was your favorite beach?” percy asked.
you blinked. oh, right, you’d had an entire day before she came out in that outfit. an entire life, actually. and a question to ask. “let me think about it.”
you thought back. meeting the andrea, second wind owner, at higbee. the gift shop at sunset where you and percy’d bought matching caps. swimming at cove and that kiss. everything at the promenade and that kiss. poverty beach, finding out she was switching her major. shit.
percy looked down at you, sitting up against the pillow. she looked great at that angle. stop. two questions now, you reminded yourself.
“probably the promenade,” you said.
percy smiled. “even after i bit your lip?”
“because you bit my lip, actually.”
she hummed. “glad i could help. mine had to be poverty. before the cop, it was so nice to be out in the water that late.”
you sat up, appalled. “you’re insane. poverty was literally the least eventful of all of them. you visited all of those and that was your favorite?”
“gods forbid a girl enjoy a simple conversation under the stars.”
you rolled your eyes.
percy added, “with a pretty girl.”
as soon as those words left her lips, your whole body tingled in a way that was practically begging to hear them over and over again. if you had no self-respect—and no question to ask—you probably would, in fact, request that. instead, you tilted your head. “did you enjoy the girl part or the beach part?”
percy sent a glance down your entire body. “both.”
with the silence that followed, and her eyes on you, it would’ve been a great time to ask the simple question. an excellent time, actually. the loud AC clicked off and drenched the room in silence, leaving it quiet enough to hear both of you breathing. quiet enough to hear the way your clothes rubbed against the blanket as you moved closer to her. quiet enough to hear percy’s hand lay against the side of your face and pull you in for a kiss.
your hand found her waist, without thinking. your bodies were quickly pushed flush together. as you kissed her, all you wanted to do was pull her close enough where your heartbeats and breaths were indistinguishable.
percy’s hand carefully slipped under the fabric of your shirt. your breath heaved. a warmth spread all throughout your body. her touch started at your hip, her thumb acknowledging the bone. then, her palm rubbed up your ribcage, and the side of your bra. you couldn’t help but make a small whimper.
she rolled you over, straddling your hips. somehow, your lips stayed connected as her hand trailed back down and tugged at the hem of your shirt. without her fingers on your skin, you could finally think clearly. clearly enough to say…
“wait.”
percy looked up, her adorable blue eyes slightly doey. “did i do something wrong?”
“no. i just…told myself i’d ask you this before we did anything.”
she tugged at the hem of your shirt. without thinking, you raised your arms, and she removed it. the moment fell silent and the question fell stale.
“ask me what?” percy moved her hand to the back of your bra.
“would you want to see me?”
she unhooked the bra completely. her fingertips led the straps all the way down your arms. goosebumps followed her path.
“see you…?” she tilted her head.
“see me. like, uh, shit, would you want to see me for the rest of the summer?”
percy parted her lips to say something, but stopped short. then, she said, “of course.”
she bent to kiss you again. your lips were grateful for the release of tension you hadn’t even realized was there. your hand found the back of her neck. soon, her lips went down to the corner of your lip, then to your jawline. percy pressed slow kisses all along the bone.
your hips bucked. she smiled at that, starting to kiss down your neck. just as she was about to reach your breast, she got up. you pouted—unintentionally.
percy pulled her hoodie over her neck and discarded it on the floor. same with her necklace. suddenly, you’d forgotten everything you were ever sad about, or any time you’d ever been without her, right in front of you. she restarted kissing your neck.
she moved onto your collarbone and eventually your nipple. as soon as her lips met you, you couldn’t help yourself.
“oh, gods,” you whispered.
percy looked up. she released her lips, painfully. incredibly painfully. “no way.”
you rolled your eyes, unable to help the smile on your face. “look what you’ve turned me into.”
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
you descended the stairs, rubbing your eyes. the combination of the skinny dipping and the ruminating shower made waking up much more challenging than it had to be. but, you had to talk to percy today, there was no denying it.
your mind wandered. how would you approach her? would she see you first? would she smile? would she say your na—
“hi.” a voice that was not drew’s spoke.
you met percy’s eyes and every organ in your body dissipated into mush. she stood right next to the couch, her arms crossed like a shield over her chest.
“hey.”
“can we talk? drew said i could take her place for the coffee run.”
for our last time ever at second wind? there was no way you’d ever be able to pay drew back for this. you took a breath. “yeah, of course.”
percy grabbed the front door for you. you gave her a sheepish ‘thank you.’ this wasn’t going to be nearly as easy as you imagined it. as soon as you descended the porch steps, every second spent in silence became increasingly painful.
“about—” you started.
“i’m so—” percy started, at the same time.
“go ahead,” you said. no way you were going to cut off her apology.
“i’m sorry. for running away in the morning, and the double date, and for all of this. i just got this really overwhelming urge to go back to camp, and everything just…exploded, i guess.”
the crosswalk came up, and you both stopped to wait for cars to clear. it didn’t take long, thankfully, because you were practically begging to hear the answer to the one word that’d been haunting your mind since that night—why. once you got across, she spoke again.
“i shouldn’t have avoided you in all of that time. but every time i tried to convince myself to talk to you, i couldn’t. we were doing so well and then it was camp that pulled me away. but not a minute went by where i wasn’t thinking about you. that was one of the best nights of my life, truly.
“so i’m beyond sorry. i really like you, and if there’s anything i can do to make it up to you, i will. i’ll do it a million times over. but i also understand if you don’t want to continue.”
percy was out of breath by the time she finished speaking. you somehow continued walking as you listened, despite the way your knees felt weak at half of the points. your heart had finally relaxed, same with your brain. at least you’d gotten the answer, the why. but that hadn’t changed the meddling worry.
you had to ask, otherwise you’d never sleep again. “what about the double date? as in, the one you”—you eased your tone—”made a deal with me to go on.”
percy grimaced. “i was scared. i have no excuse for that. i’m sorry. i’m serious, i’ll go on a million more. it wasn’t personal, i promise. none of this was.”
that wasn’t helpful, but, it was too late now.
“i knew it wasn’t personal,” you said. “that’s the shitty reason why i didn’t question anything you did. i just figured, i don’t know, i wouldn’t be able to fully understand you, considering i never had all of the quests and the prophecies and all of the stuff you did. i didn’t have anything at camp to grieve. you had everything..” you chuckled. “and i’m sorry, as well.”
you two walked alongside the beach. the waves were calm and the beachgoers were talking and laughing. what you wouldn’t give to be someone as simple as them, not dealing with a literal apology at this point.
percy furrowed her eyebrows. great. your stomach sank.
“you do understand.” what? “and that was horrifying at first. but now it’s refreshing to be around someone who i can…hate camp with.”
every thought in your head stopped. you paused near the door of the cafe. did you hear any one of those words correctly? you parted your lips to speak, but nothing came out. first of all, you understood? there was no way. and there was no way she also hated camp.
“you hate camp?” you asked, finally. right, because that should be your first question.
percy answered immediately. “yeah. somewhat. of course i also love it, in a way.”
she had every right to hate it. in fact, she may’ve had more of a right to hate it than you did. everything you’d assumed about her had disappeared right in that moment. you took the door handle to steady yourself.
“wow,” you said. “that’s crazy.” that was all you could truly manage.
“i kind of miss when you would’ve told me to move on.” a small smirk played onto her lips.
you lightly shoved her shoulder. “shut up. okay, we’ll talk more about this, but over coffee.”
you took your order number to an outdoor table for two. it was on the pier, the waves next to you. and, for once, percy wasn’t looking at the waves, but rather, at you, and you only. your heart raced. you’d never felt the weight of her uninterrupted gaze before.
“i literally never would’ve thought i’d hear you say you hated camp. i mean, it makes sense, but…wow,” you said.
“is it the necklace? i’ve been through way too much to not constantly wear something proving that.”
you rolled your eyes. “that definitely doesn’t help. no, it’s just…everything. i don’t know. sorry. this is weird.”
a barista set two mugs and two to-go cups down for drew and annabeth. she also set down a bag of four croissants. you set one on the saucer. it was hot and fresh. you’d never been more thankful for a moment to pause. both of you took sips of your drinks.
percy spoke. “i’ve never actually said i hate it out loud. like, i hate camp.”
you smiled. “keep saying it. it sounds good.”
“i hate camp. i hate camp. i hate camp.”
you laughed, and she did, too. for a moment, it just felt regular. even though you were technically talking about camp, there was something you wanted to keep about it forever. something tender in your chest and heart.
“i think we should try again,” you blurted out.
a small flush found itself on percy’s face. “couldn’t agree more.”
finally. fucking finally. you fought the urge to jump for joy, or pull her into a celebratory kiss, or cheer. instead, you two sat in comfortable silence for a few moments. you ripped off a bite of fresh croissant, placing it in your mouth.
you finally found it to ask, “so, did anyone drown while you were a lifeguard?”
“no, but there was this one incident…”
⬿•☀️•⤳
the rest of the breakfast had gone better than any of your past ones. you laughed at every story of percy’s, and she found the whole list thing adorable.
but she hadn’t mentioned it again until the end of the walk home, when you were both on the porch, you holding the coffees and her fetching her key.
“i totally want to make the double date thing happen while we’re still here. but we can do that tomorrow morning. for today, if you’re free, i was thinking i could help you understand my experience a little better,” percy said, something dragging at the end of the statement.
you weren’t sure whether you were supposed to be aroused or concerned or excited. “and what might that be?”
“pack an overnight bag and meet me down here at 10.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
you and percy walked on a sand path through a forest. she refused to tell you where you two were headed, despite the fact you’d literally packed an overnight bag and were willingly hauling it around town.
“we’re going on a quest,” she said. “a quest for the best beach in cape may.”
you stifled a laugh. “a quest? that’s what we’re calling it?”
“yes, actually.” percy straightened her posture as you continued forward, the distant waves getting louder. “we have a prophecy, too. if you’re interested in taking this seriously.”
a prophecy? childlike excitement came through you. a quest. a real life quest. with a prophecy and all. giving her a tiny smile, you looked over. “i am. i promise. what is it?”
“through cape may they trotter, the children of wine and water. the best beach will be decided by each.”
you raised your eyebrows. “wow. that really sounds legit.”
you descended the path and onto the first beach: higbee. the coast was lined with tall, untended plants, while the other half was sand. there had to be at least ten dogs. all of them were various breeds, shapes, and sizes. some on leashes, some not. some wild, some calm.
“so, what exactly is the plan here?” you asked.
“pet dogs?”
“the dogs determine what the best beach is?”
percy rolled her eyes. she started walking towards someone, and you followed, unsure. she turned look at you. “it’s not about the actual land. just the beach in general. the people, too.”
the two of you approached a big, fluffy golden retriever, laying half-up on the sand, panting . you couldn’t blame him. the woman sitting next to him and holding his leash looked up as you approached. she looked familiar, but you weren’t quite sure from where.
“could we pet him?” percy asked, already crouching down to his level.
“go for it.” the woman nodded.
percy started without hesitation. a small smile was on her face as her hand stroked the dog’s furry head. his soft fur glided under the touch. her eyes were brighter than you’d ever seen them, and you couldn’t help but get butterflies. if you could keep that look on her face forever, you easily would.
“his name is buddy,” his human said.
suddenly, you realized you were staring at percy and not the dog. you flushed and quicky started petting buddy. with his fur slightly warmed from the sun, your racing heart eased.
she continued. “i’ve been trying to get him used to the beach. i’ve been trying to get myself used to the beach. i just opened a coffee shop down by the pier, actually. and buddy is a city dog. born and raised in new york. so, it’s been a bit of a culture shock.”
you furrowed your eyebrows. “wait, what’s your coffee shop called?”
percy looked between the two of you, confused.
“second wind coffee. familiar?”
“no way! we’re just visiting, but my friend and i go there like, almost every morning. the coffee is legendary.”
she smiled. “thank you. i’m not in nearly enough to learn regulars, but as soon as i get this whole dog thing dealt with…nevermind. where are you two visiting from?”
“also new york,” percy answered before you could.
“that’s where my first location is. brooklyn. same coffee. same beans, same roast. i’m there a little less, but i trust those baristas with my life. and my coffee, clearly.”
you chuckled. “it was so great to meet you. and buddy.”
“you as well. i’m andrea.”
you and percy introduced yourselves. you gave two last pets to buddy before heading off. but, you did wait until you were out of earshot to fangirl.
“drew’s going to be so jealous that i met the literal owner of second wind. she says it’s the best coffee she’s ever had. that’s not an easy feat. you should literally see her coffee collection.”
percy nodded. “you two really seemed to get each other.”
was she jealous? no way. yet, something in your stomach fluttered—at the idea, if anything.
“we did. is that a problem?” you couldn’t hide a smile.
“a little.”
“a little? i mean, you look pretty disturbed. i just want to be sure.”
she stopped. her eyes flickered to your lips, then back at you. the lowest point of your stomach tingled. percy turned to you, moving ever-so-slightly closer. a small smile played on her face.
“i think you’ll like the next beach.” her tone was sickeningly sweet. “only one way to find out.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
still riding on the high that was the combination of meeting the second wind owner and seeing percy jealous, your chest fluttered the whole walk to the next beach. there was a pretty obvious favorite. nothing would be able to outdo that.
until you approached the light blue building in the distance, its windows golden this time, backed by a tall white lighthouse—sunset beach.
“you remembered,” you said.
percy had a small smile on her face. “of course i did. hard not to after everything that happened.”
you walked through the door and were greeted with just about any and every article of clothing and souvenir imaginable, all cape may themed. under the sunlight-esque overhead light were miniature lighthouses, racks of t-shirts and hoodies, sea creature plushies, and, of course, baseball caps.
“actually, i need a new cap for my next film,” you said.
you headed towards the shelf, percy following. you had no idea where to start. the baseball caps were so similar yet so different. you couldn’t be a spielberg-wannabe without a hat that matched the theme of your film, so you hummed thoughtfully.
“spielberg actually wears a different hat for each film he directs,” you said, without even realizing you were speaking. “but i don’t even have an idea for my next film.”
percy was looking at the neighboring section of various themed trinkets before she turned to you. “the taxi driver guy? is that movie really that good?”
you groaned. “no, not the taxi driver guy. even you know that’s wrong. martin scorsese directed taxi driver. spielberg has directed some of the biggest films of all time. like E.T. and jaws. and, yes, for the record, taxi driver is a masterclass in filmmaking.”
percy laughed. she really was so beautiful—in every context, but especially when she was laughing, looking so carefree. the sight made your heart speed up.
“i was fucking with you,” percy said, finally.
you shook your head. turning back to the baseball caps, you scouted the shelf. the first one that you saw was a light blue one that read ‘CAPE MAY’ in big letters. you placed it on your head, checking it out in the mirror. the combination of the color and the distracting letters—and the fact you weren’t creating a cape may themed film—made you say…
“nope.”
you traded it for one with a shark design. cute, but you weren’t directing jaws. then a simple, blue denim cap, which looked like it should’ve gone out of production the last day of 2000. you laughed as you adjusted it in the mirror.
“it’s not terrible,” percy said. she was now completely immersed in this process, apparently.
“not good enough.” you took it off. “wait, why aren’t you trying anything on?”
percy’s blinking sped up to at least double it’s speed, pulling an alarming amount of your attention to her long eyelashes. “i don’t need one.”
makes sense. you picked up one that was an obnoxious, highlighter-neon yellow. it stuck out of the rack like a sore thumb. and, to make it worse, there was no design on it. just a plain eyesore. as soon as you placed it on your head, you shielded your eyes from its neon.
“that’s the one,” percy said.
you took it off and your eyes instantly relaxed. “that was an abomination.”
as soon as you set it back on the shelf, percy had picked up a different cap. it was a sleek black with a tiny lighthouse embroidered in the middle. the black would make you look incredibly professional as a director. but the whole lighthouse thing…
percy stepped in front of you. the entire world faded to nothing but the sight of her. her eyes on you, her face right there, her lips just inches from yours. she placed the cap on your head. your heart raced at the feeling of her hands, well, in your proximity. just as you thought she was going to back away, she fastened it.
“that’s better,” she whispered.
are you sure? it could use maybe one more adjustment, you thought of saying, because percy whispering was something you’d never get enough of, you learned in that moment. unfortunately, she stepped back, letting you look at yourself in the mirror.
the hat perfectly complimented you. it fit in your hair, blending with the color. it was the perfect balance between professional and fun—in the same way a student film was. the lighthouse was tiny enough to not stick out too much. it did scream director.
before you could say anything, percy spoke. “slate in!”
“action!”
as soon as those words left your mouth, you furrowed your eyebrows. “what the actual fuck?”
percy smiled. “it’s perfect.”
she picked up the same lighthouse-embroidered cap, except in a navy blue. “we can match.”
“i thought you said you didn’t need one.”
though, seeing her in the reflection, the way the navy accentuated every beautiful feature of hers, it was hard to care about anything being needed or not. percy rotated it, checking it out.
“yeah, but, in case i’m ever your AD again.”
she pursed her lips. a pure look of terror covered her face, draining it of its color. you furrowed your eyebrows. first of all, your AD? like, not an AD, but yours? at least you weren’t alone in that…sentiment. second of all, again? meaning, you’d see each other after this summer? you fought the urge to ask.
percy turned on her heel, already walking away. “let’s find some stuff for drew and annabeth.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
you and percy stood on cove beach. the lighthouse towered to your left, miles away, but as big as ever. you couldn’t go anywhere in cape may without it following. you held the bag of souvenirs, while percy was already walking into the waves.
“are we just going to leave this bag here, or…”
percy looked at you like you were dumb. “i’ve got it.”
the water was already halfway to her knees. you stood where the end of the waves were gracing your toes. uh…did she really want you to just believe that?
“i just have a feeling you don’t.” you narrowed your eyes at her.
percy wrapped her fingers around your wrist, her skin slightly warmed from the sun. your skin was very warmed from everything but the sun. she looked up at you. oh, right, you were supposed to be walking.
before you even realized it, you and the bag were submerged into the ocean. the souvenirs were probably damaged. but no way you were going to worry about that stupid stuff when there was this beautiful siren luring you in.
percy stopped once the water reached your waist.
you furrowed your eyebrows. “wait, shit, our clothes.”
“you’re completely dry.” she jutted her chin to your shirt.
up there, yeah. you looked down. your shirt was, in fact, dry. percy’s outfit was also dry. and her hair was, too, despite how she’d lightly dipped her head back.
“damn.” you eased further into the water.
nothing changed, aside from the liquid surrounding you warming. percy watched you, the laugh she seemed to be holding back gradually revealing itself. as a final test, you submerged your head. completely dry.
“i give up,” you said.
“good, because nothing was going to work anyway.”
you picked up the bag, pulling it from the heavy water. when it came up and floated on the surface, it was, in fact, dry. even the souvenirs.
“this is so sick.” and, before you could stop yourself, “wait, does this mean you can shower in clothes?”
percy tilted her head. walked right into that. “are you trying to ask me what i look like in the shower?”
“actually, yeah.” by the way her cheeks were lightly flushed, it seemed like a question you’d be asking much more often.
“i’ve never tried it.”
and that was somehow the worst answer she could give. your mind wandered, but you quickly refocused on the world in front of you—the water, the sunshine, percy. and most of all, the silence. you two were so far away from everyone and everything.
“i haven’t tried any of my powers outside of whatever that wine drinking one was.” you said. “i don’t even really know what i can do.”
percy submerged to let the come up to her neck. “i think we still have that wine in the fridge.”
right. that stupid wine. the one that brought a smile to percy’s face as she talked about it. for once in your life, you weren’t mad. in fact, you were tempted to laugh.
“i’m sure it’s expired and gross by now.”
“maybe you can un-expire wine.”
you stilled—well, as still as you could be in water. unexpiring wine. useless, sure. you tried to picture it. taking a sip, all of the flavors falling rotten. then doing whatever and they all taste great again. all because you did some effortless thing that just…fixed it.
you smiled, slightly. “yeah, maybe.”
all you wanted to do was sit there and talk. ask endless questions about your powers or literally anything else. and, as you looked at percy, completely dry and tranquil in the summer sun, suddenly, this moment was what you wanted forever. actually, wholeheartedly, forever.
you swam closer to her. she smiled, casting a glance to your lips. the questions dissipated from your mind. her face was right there. your face was also right there. your lips were merely inches away. even though you knew how they felt on your skin, you wanted to feel them again.
she didn’t have to ask, because you just nodded. she submerged her hands underwater. eventually, they found your waist. it took a surprising amount of fighting gravity to finally feel her against you. you eased into the kissing rhythm. it was so soft and slow, while also dripping with passion. all of your past kisses had been rushed. for once, you could just relax.
as the kiss progressed, your hands only got more and more desperate. well, your whole body was throbbing, actually. you tried to focus on her lips. in reality, you wanted all of her against you. you wanted to wander your hands all over every place they’d already gone, over and over and over again, for the rest of your life. you didn’t want even a chance for this feeling to become a memory.
“i could make us a bubble, if you wanted to, y’know…”
in front of the poor sea creatures’ salad? “tempting, but i feel like i’d get motion sick.”
percy nodded. “next time.”
“next time…” you said that as if you were trying it out. “wait, there’ll be a next time?”
“i was just suggesting.” she shrugged.
you smiled. as you both floated in the water, tingles filled your body. the way her hair was completely dry, the way her skin was—you now realized—the only thing glistening on her, making her look even better…maybe that bubble was tempting. nope, you reminded yourself.
“where are we going after this?” you asked.
“well, it’s not really a beach, but it’s a beach by proximity. i think you’ll like it.”
you both cast another look to each other’s lips. all you wanted to do was just touch her, one more time.
percy started swimming. “let’s go.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
it was crazy to think that the promenade was such a small plot of land. there were only a handful of shops, and yet, you’d never felt more in the timespan of who knows how long, post-kiss percy by your side.
you’d started in a salt water taffy store—which, as percy explained, was to ‘bring our blood sugar up.’ the walls were lined with shelves of taffy in just about every flavor you could imagine. as you and percy filled a bag with anything that looked good, an idea came to your mind. since you’d already kissed once, what was one more?
“you really think this is going to work?” percy asked.
the two of you sat on a bench, the fresh sunset behind you yet lending its warmth onto your backs. you unwrapped a piece of blue raspberry taffy that’d been warmed from sitting in your pocket for a few minutes. giving it a small squish, the texture was incredibly promising.
“i’m positive.” you struggled to get the wrapper off completely, the melting candy sticking to it.
carefully, you bit just into the edge. percy closed the gap, biting the other side.
you fought a laugh as you tried to move closer to her. nothing happened. percy did the same, her jaw unlocking then locking. she broke off a piece. and, at the same time, she bit your bottom lip. you winced, a metallic taste creeping in.
percy swallowed her side of the taffy and moved onto a proper kiss. you quickly sent yours down your throat. no way you were going to let a single obstacle between you and her lips. once everything was out of the way, you could finally taste the remnants of the blue raspberry on her lips.
her tongue grazed your bottom lip. your entire body flooded with sparks. okay, this is happening, here. she licked the tiny, stinging wounds. just as you were about to reciprocate, she pulled away. you furrowed your eyebrows.
“really?” you asked.
percy shrugged nonchalantly. “i didn’t want to start something i couldn’t finish.”
you moved on to one of the arcades. it didn’t have a fourth wall, meaning the near waves were still audible, even with the neon lights and blaring music from the machines.
after getting your tokens, you looked to percy. “whoever wins the most picks dinner.”
percy nodded.
and it was on. you battled in various racing games, going three rounds—because of your ‘best of three’ protest. also because percy looked weirdly hot behind a steering wheel, her focus on the game and the game only. you did end up losing.
you moved on to throwing games. you’d won the basketball one and percy had won ‘down the clown’, making your ratio 2:1—you losing, unfortunately.
the final showdown was on a dancing machine. you had won. and the 2:2 tie was broken with a quick game of rock paper scissors, which you’d also won. but dinner aside, you wanted anything but for this night to end.
after dinner at a beachside restaurant, the sun was fully down. surely it was a little late to be out, despite the fact you were energized to no end. something about percy had a way of making you want to stay awake for hours, days even, just being with her, in her presence.
“so…where exactly are we sleeping?” you asked as you exited the restaurant.
“you’ll see,” percy answered. “we have just one more beach to visit.”
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
you stood at the tip of a boat, leaning against the railing. the overly bright afternoon sun looked down on you. a cold breeze from the ocean flew past.
you still couldn’t stop thinking about percy.
how she’d stood you up and ruined the most important night of the trip—intentionally, too. everything was intentional with her, no matter what.
drew approached you, holding two pina coladas. she handed you one.
“thank you so much.” you took a sip, and an undertone of rum lingered. exactly what you’d needed.
drew took the empty railing spot across from you. “of course. now, let it out.”
“i just want to know why.” you set your glass on the ledge. “i have an idea as of why. i mean, it’s the why for genuinely everything in her life. but, still.”
the boat parted through the waves of the vast blue. supposedly, this was a dolphin watching boat, but you hadn’t seen any yet.
drew looked at you supportively, waiting for you to continue. you took a sip to rev up.
“camp. it’s all camp with her. since the day we got here, it’s just been camp, camp, camp.” you set your drink down to talk with your hands. “the thing is, if i had known she was this…hung up on camp, i would’ve lost feelings months ago. but i didn’t. i didn’t know. she was so normal when she was my AD. it was like we both completely forgot about camp.”
and that was the truth. aside from that one night and its stupid conversation, your interactions with percy on set were normal. even if you’d glance at her necklace and be reminded of the true version of her.
“but summer starts, or the fucking ocean talks to her, or however you want to word it, and she’s gone. normally, she makes me laugh, and we talk and talk. i just want the normal version of her back.”
your hands tingled with exhaustion. you took a long sip of your drink. the cold fruity beverage went down your throat, cooling down not only your vocal chords, but your mind, too. meanwhile, drew shifted her stance.
she asked, “when was the last time you talked to her?”
you set your drink back down, the fire in your chest coming back just at the thought. so much for a cooldown. “midnight before the double date. i’d just finished my everything shower, y’know, that i did all for her. i go downstairs, and she’s sitting on her laptop. i just asked her what she was working on and she said ‘something for a job.’ which, now that i say it…”
you facepalmed, and drew chuckled.
“i should’ve seen the sign. no one fills out a job application at midnight unless it’s for a job they shouldn’t have.”
you looked out at the ocean and wondered if percy was sharing the sight and how close she was to the waves, if her eyes were full or if they were thinking-of-camp-empty. if she—somehow—saw the boat and wondered if you were on it, too.
“i just hate this. camp ruined literally everything.”
drew nodded. “every single thing.”
“i honestly don’t know how we’re expected to live normal lives. like, you and i will be making up for the time we lost at camp…forever. this list is one thing, but we missed out on so much more normal mortal stuff.”
you slouched slightly. drew’s eyes flashed with sympathy. it was the truth. camp had brought out the worst in both of you, and it had ruined both your lives just about equally. you never would get the time back.
before drew could respond, someone yelled ‘dolphins!’ everyone turned to the sound of a splash. the glossy, gray backs of the dolphins reflected the sunlight in their airtime. their curved body made a seamless transition back into the water. and, as if they could hear the cheering, they made one last jump.
after it calmed down, you turned back to drew.
she spoke. “now that that’s over with, i’ve been meaning to tell you that we have a perfect distraction. i may’ve gotten us started by buying snorkeling tickets.”
you couldn’t help the smile on your face. “really?”
⬿•☀️•⤳
“the time has come,” drew said.
you sat on her bedroom’s carpeting. afternoon sunlight came through the flowy beige curtains. the occasional breeze propelled salt air into the room.
drew opened her drawer and pulled it out. you immediately burst into a laugh. “good lord.”
in her hand was—an attempt at—a clay box that held the first, only, and official copy of your dream summer list. the box was coated in an oversaturated pink. as drew set it down on the floor, you got a closer look at the way the sides were full of unsmoothed bumps, making it look a mess.
you and drew had carved your initials on the front. they’d been filled in with a purple paint that’d bled past the edges. and, to top it all off, a matching pink lid with a sphere knob. it was ugly but, in its own way, cute.
and it was made for this exact moment.
“i don’t remember it looking this bad,” drew said.
“me neither.”
a warm gust of salt air came through the windows. drew looked at you, wrapping her fingers around the handle.
“count me down.”
you spoke. “okay. 3…2…1!”
she pulled the lid off, revealing what was expected—a small roll of paper, tied in place with a hair tie. you held it up. drew smiled. you pulled the hairband off,. the paper carefully unraveling. you and drew flattened it with your hands.
“oh, geez.” drew sniffled.
there, laying in front of you, bathed in pastel sunlight, was every single thing you and drew vowed to accomplish on your first mortal summer. a tear fell on drew’s cheek. you fought the urge to make fun of her. but, as you read down the list, you couldn’t help but join her.
the handwriting was the first thing you’d noticed. it’d become neater as the list went on. and the wishes matured, too. the double date was towards the bottom of the list.
“beach bonfire with nice people,” you read from the top of the list. “man.”
you still remembered adding that—of course you had. it was the reason you’d started the list in the first place. your first bonfire was terrible. everyone was talking about things you didn’t understand and you ended up sitting alone. but, it was where you met drew.
“baby’s first bonfire,” drew giggled.
“shut up, little miss ‘whole day at the beach.’”
she handed you a marker. “you can do the honors of crossing the first one off.”
oh, shit. oh, shit. another tear from your eye. you took the marker from her, keeping it between your trembling fingers for a few seconds. “this is genuinely so dumb. why am i even crying?”
but, you knew the answer to that. it was the memories that’d played through your head as you uncapped the marker. the ones where you were isolated, watching everyone else live a happy life you’d never understand. you set the felt tip on the paper. and, with a sore yet tingly bundle in your chest, with that bonfire memory replaced with laughter and your friends…
you checked the box.
and here came the waterworks. you handed the marker to drew. she hovered, hesitating the same way, before checking it off.
“go surfing.” you read. “oh, i definitely went surfing.”
“a whole day at the beach doing nothing.” drew checked off.
“double feature.”
“scuba diving.”
“get on a boat.”
you continued checking things off the list. finally, you reached the ones in much neater handwriting.
“break a heart,” drew read hers. she ran a hand down her face.
you offered her the marker. she shook her head. “nope. i think that one might the only one we don’t check off.”
something on drew’s face was dreamy. you knew that glow, you knew it better than anything. it was the same one she had on her face when annabeth was walking into the restaurant the other day. it was the one she always had on around annabeth, actually. you simply smiled. your best friend deserved that more than anything.
“attend a party.”
drew grimaced. “i mean, annabeth and i did go to that mixer after the film fest, if that counts.”
you two exchanged a glance for a moment before bursting into laughter. she checked it off.
“joint spa day, check. that leaves us with…skinny dipping, a summer fling and a double date.”
‘double date’ was written in its massive bubble letters. the hope was practically leaking off the page. your stomach sunk, but drew took your hand. she gave you a steadying look.
“don’t let that discount everything else we’ve done. we made the summer of our dreams.”
but her words didn’t hit. sure, you’d gotten everything done, but half-heartedly. you weren’t in many of those moments. all because of percy. another tear fell down your face.
drew pulled you against her shoulder, and for a moment, you just laid there, letting tears fall but not forcing them out. all you could do was ask why. why, after you’d done so, so much, did you still want more? why did it all have to be perfect? and why did camp have to ruin everything?
you should’ve just been able to put all of this behind you. it was stupid to plan your whole life around camp. and, yet, as you cried, it was the only thing on your mind.
drew muttered, “for the record, we still haven’t gone skinny dipping.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
hot water rained down from the showerhead. with all the lights off, there was nothing but a small window overlooking the night sky you’d just been under. skinny dipping with drew had been a success. you’d stopped in her room to cross that off the list, leaving the two percy related things on it. other than that, the night had a lot of smiles.
but now that you were surrounded by four walls, silent aside from the sound of running water, you were doing anything but smiling.
if you had just asked percy why that one morning. or even at midnight, when you got a second chance to. maybe she wouldn’t have chosen the job. maybe you’d have some sort of insight into what was going on in her head. and maybe you wouldn’t be spending the last two days of summer without her.
you leaned your head against the window. even if you had asked why, it wasn’t like you’d understand her anyway. she had a different experience—one that she was somehow able to miss. one she was able to miss so much that she’d work on vacation, or bring it up every single time it got quiet, or let it steal her from so many good moments.
the hot water continued streaming down as you stared out into the darkness. percy was lucky. at camp, at least. she had everything. she was the poster child. she went on quests and she got prophecies and she was always the hero. was it weird to wish you’d gone through that stuff, just so you could be somewhat on her level?
you stood up straight. nope. it was one thing to miss percy, it was a whole other if you were going to start going down that road. that was ridiculous. it was over now—thankfully—and you’d never get that time back, making it useless to think about.
but there had to be way to get percy back—even just for the last day. if it meant letting her talk about camp, maybe you could tolerate it. there wasn’t time to get caught up in pettiness—not if you wanted her back.
okay, you reasoned with yourself, but i’m not bringing it up. it’ll come up if she brings it up. you placed your hands over your face, letting the water rain on you. and if i have anything mean to say, i just won’t respond. just smile and nod.
it’d been a while since you and drew had gone on a coffee run—at least, to second wind—since you refused to be near the beach percy worked on. but you had agreed that your last coffee run would be back at the original. and, maybe tomorrow, you would need that second wind.
you groaned into your palms. what on earth were you getting yourself into?
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
you bounced your leg underneath the restaurant table. overhead, an acoustic guitar sounded from the speakers. in the air lingered a scent concoction of salt and fresh seafood. ocean waves crashed against the window next to you.
the only thing missing was percy.
“any minute now…” drew said from her chair next to you, tapping her fingers against her napkin.
sure, you and drew were early, but you couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in your stomach. the same thought had been on repeat all day: should i have talked to percy? you hadn’t exchanged a word with her all day, yet again. the good news was, nothing had changed. the bad news was, nothing had changed.
every table in the restaurant but yours was filled with people—laughing, talking, pointing forks at each other for emphasis. meanwhile, the two seats in front of you were empty. it was safe to say this was not at all how you’d pictured this date. then again, nothing on this trip was going as you pictured.
you picked up your phone. “she hasn’t even texted me,” you said. “has she texted you?”
drew didn’t respond. were you getting nationwide silent treatment? her entire body was facing the dining area. sure enough, annabeth was walking in. she wore a short evergreen sundress and her hair looked as beautiful as ever. she was definitely made for hollywood, behind the scenes or not.
you nudged drew, stifling a laugh. “who’s that girl?”
drew absentmindedly shoved your hand away. “fuck off,” she whispered.
as annabeth approached the table, you waited to see percy following her. she wasn’t. okay. you weren’t going to let yourself completely panic. not yet, at least. not until there was concrete evidence that percy wasn’t going to be here. maybe she was running late. she wasn’t always the timeliest AD, sometimes showing up a little after call time. maybe she stalled getting ready. or she had to take a pit stop. or anything else.
you took a breath, the weight in your chest as heavy as ever. at least you could live vicariously through drew for a while. annabeth sat down across from her.
“hi.”
“hey,” drew said, her face flushed. “you look…you look beautiful.”
you pursed your lips to avoid bursting into laughter. flustered drew wasn’t something anybody saw. annabeth smiled.
“you as well.”
drew’s eyes wandered around annabeth, until she cleared her throat. “where is that dress from?”
as they continued flirting, your thoughts only raced further. the overhead lighting was starting to make you sweat. where the hell was percy? there were no more logical excuses you could make. you gave one last glance past drew and to the dining area. you scanned every table and wished you could zoom in on the door and see each person who came in.
a waiter disrupted your frame.
“welcome to sunny isles seafood. my name is cole, and i’ll be your server today. may i fetch you ladies a beverage?”
annabeth spoke. “i’ll have a san pelligrino, please.”
you furrowed your eyebrows. “aren’t we waiting for percy?”
“i’ll explain in a second.”
you didn’t have a second. your skin fell clammy, the weight in your chest now burning, too. what was there to explain? either she was coming or she wasn’t. it was a yes or no question. nothing about this date could go wrong. and for fuck’s sake, you didn’t have a second.
“and for you, ma’am?” the waiter’s voice jolted you awake.
“uh…” shit. “just a water.”
as soon as the waiter walked away, your racing pulse was the only thing you could hear.
annabeth grimaced. “percy got a job as a lifeguard. and she’s working as we speak.”
what? “what?”
“i know, it’s weird. but it was the only way she agreed to stay.”
your blood toxified, spreading a burning rot all throughout your limbs. a revolting scent of seafood crawled up your nose. the acoustic guitar had never been louder. this couldn’t be real. there was absolutely no way. all aside, percy wouldn’t work during a double date, let alone the double date.
but, based on how annabeth’s expression didn’t falter, there may’ve been some truth.
“uh…where exactly was she going to go?” you asked, forcing your voice soft.
annabeth sighed. “back to camp.”
why? you leaned back, slumping against your chair and almost rocking it backwards. you stared out at the ocean. you should’ve known. you should’ve known that, no matter how good things were going between you and percy, that she’d never pick anyone or anything over camp. why did you ever expect it to work?
your eyes fell warm. what about me? sure, what you two had was nothing but a one night stand and one date, but…was that not enough? were all of the memories you’d made not enough? were you not enough? was anything enough for percy? the vast ocean’s waves crashed against the glass, each one feeling like a bullet to the brain.
“why would she work now?” you asked, not meaning to say that aloud.
before anyone could answer, the waiter arrived. he set the drinks down. “are you ready to order?”
⬿•☀️•⤳
you parted from the warm, golden-lit restaurant into the cool, salty, and dark night. every limb of yours was heavy. as the waves crashed next to you, you finally understood what percy saw in the ocean—an inescapable pull towards something you couldn’t see. it didn’t matter where you went, because it’d always be there.
drew and annabeth followed you out. you leaned against the wall, staring at the beach. a few brave swimmers swam under the freshly navy sky. the lifeguard towers were planted amongst the sand. you wondered if percy was in one of them. and if she were, would she come running over to you?
you shook your head. that was stupid to think about. drew approached you.
“genuinely which beach does she even work at.” your question came out more like a statement. you needed to check on percy. or at the very least see her face.
“i think the one near our house.” when you straightened your posture, drew placed a hand on your shoulder. “look, babe, i don’t know what’s going on with her, but i wouldn’t check on her. not tonight, at least.”
“i won’t.” those were the most painful two words you ever uttered. “i just wish…i don’t know. i just wish she didn’t pick tonight. she literally had to know what she was doing.”
“she definitely did.” drew started walking, and you hadn’t even noticed that you did, too. she leaned her head lower. “hey, you know i love you, you’re my best friend, but—”
“don’t even justify it.” you waved her off. “gp get your girl.”
drew ran two steps to catch up to annabeth. they instantly fell into a conversation, laughter starting soon after. you couldn’t help but smile, too, even as you walked behind them. at least one of you was happy.
as you walked parallel to the beach, your mind woke up again. what if percy had come to the dinner?
what if she’d sat across from you, her skin bathed in the warm light? what would she have been wearing? a blue dress? what kind of dress would it be? how would it exactly compliment everything about her? how would her hair look? would it be up? down? half and half? what kind of jokes would you exchange?
the ocean in your peripheral only reminded you of one thing, and that was that you’d never know the answers to those questions.
˚ʚ ꒰📖꒱ (full work summary) it's your first summer away from camp half-blood and your first one in cape may. you and drew have a list of everything you'll do to make it your best—yours including a summer fling with percy. with a mutual memory of a wonderful night, you can already feel a second wind approaching.
but, as you check off the entries, you realize camp will stay in the way of everything and everyone you've ever wanted.
something wet was on your arm as soon as you opened your eyes. blinking the blurry white light into focus, you followed the feeling to find that it was simply percy, fast asleep, drooling on your arm.
you’d somehow ended up the big spoon. your mind recalled all of the events leading up to that. all of the kisses, the laughs, the presses of skin on skin, the sounds that’d escaped from your throat, the hip twitches…how had the night gotten so dreamy?
percy looked like an angel. her long eyelashes curled upwards as she slept. her lips were slightly swollen from all the ways she’d used them on you last night. somehow, through everything, the scent of the ocean lingered on her skin—the same one that’d been there the first time you were in this same position.
your bladder spasmed. great. painfully, you started to move your arm out from under her. she shuffled awake, blinking a few times. you stilled yourself.
“good morning,” you fought a laugh.
“good morning.” she looked towards the window.
before you could say anything else, percy hopped out of bed. her side of the mattress fell cold. she slipped her clothes on like she was being held at gunpoint. you froze, watching, because, what else could you do?
once she was fully dressed, she took her camp necklace from where it’d been discarded on the floor—because, of course. she ran up to the vanity to tie the necklace back onto her neck. in the process, she looked at you from the mirror.
“you didn’t want to go to breakfast, right?” she fastened the necklace and ran to the door.
as you answered, she had wide eyes and her hand on the doorknob. “uh…no. no worries.” not like i have a choice now.
she opened the door. “see you arou—”
she was out before you could hear the entire statement.
you threw your hand to cover your face. out of everything you were expecting to happen on the off chance you and percy hooked up again, that was not it. in fact, you thought you’d be the one running—especially after the whole wine thing last night. but, you saw the way she looked out the window, her eyes drawn to the ocean. of course.
of course. it was destined to be that way. there was a reason the only way she’d ever get herself to stop talking about camp was by putting her life on it. you sighed. as you listened to her footsteps racing down, all you could wonder was how she lived like that.
⬿•☀️•⤳
“can i get the middle and ring fingers a little shorter than the others, please?” drew asked the nail tech.
the nail tech furrowed her eyebrows but nodded. thankfully, you’d pre-prepared the outfits for the double date, meaning all that was left was nails—and an everything shower that you were already dreading. but, it’d all be worth it, once you could cross off the entry written in huge bubble letters.
you looked to drew. “i was unfamiliar with your game.”
“femme tops are underrepresented.” she lowered her head. “speaking of, how was last night?”
the nail tech began to file your nails. you tried to gesture with your head that there were people around. drew widened her eyes in a way that meant something in between ‘so?’ and ‘just tell me.’ there was no way to tell any part of the night without sounding like a crazy person.
“it was really great.” you couldn’t help but smile just thinking about it.
“okay. babe, you’re going to have to give me every explicit detail later. for now, i’ll settle for all about the date beforehand.”
right. the date beforehand. you started from the top, omitting the wine and the whole camp conversation. just thinking about those left a bad taste in your mouth.
“wow,” drew said. “okay, tomorrow’s going to go great, then. you two clearly hit it off.”
no point in hiding now. “not exactly. there may or may not have been two not-so-good moments that involved camp. because, of course. oh, and, everything that happened this morning.”
drew rolled her eyes. “elaborate.”
cold acetone coated your nails. “well, first of all, she bought us wine. and that was fully intentional. i could just see based on the look on her face when i drank it. and, unfortunately, it did work. i tried the wine and it was an experience.”
“good? bad?”
“great. i could taste every single note in it one by one. i could practically see the fruit. it was a literal trip.” you blew air from your mouth. “second, camp did end up being brought up, though. and, i don’t know, it could’ve gone much worse. we stopped talking about it almost as quickly as we brought it up.”
“but you two still ended up in your bedroom. i mean, it couldn’t have gone that badly.” drew shrugged.
“i guess not.”
you couldn’t help but share a laugh with her at that statement. for a moment, it was just the two of you, in a nail salon, preparing for a very important summer night in your lives. one you’d dreamed about and used to encourage each other many, many times. there was nothing to be ungrateful for. you’d finally made it.
“anyway, how are things with you and annabeth?” you jutted your chin to her nails. “i assume well, considering…”
drew smiled, a flush creeping onto her cheeks. “they’re going well. we’ve just been clicking more and more with every interaction we have. i’m hoping to seal the deal tomorrow night.”
what you wouldn’t give to have that with percy. a small pang of jealousy ran through your chest. enough. she was your best friend, she deserved for you to be happy for her. yet, you couldn’t shake that feeling.
drew sighed dreamily. “i’m going to get her flowers and everything. and then we’ll blink and be a graduated power couple in hollywood. i can see it, us meeting at the paramount lot, both having our respective jobs.”
as you listened to her describe this dream with annabeth, your heart swelled. drew deserved it. drew deserved the world and so much more. camp wasn’t kind to either of you, but she’d had it especially bad.
but she’d get a happily ever after with annabeth, and that was what mattered. even if you didn’t get your own, seeing hers would make it all worth it.
“wait, what happened this morning?” drew asked, suddenly.
“oh, it’s nothing,” you said. no way you were going to ruin this moment.
drew gave you a suspicious look. “just tell me.”
you proceeded to fill her in, and at the end, all she could say was, “what the fuck?”
“so, are you going to talk to her, or…?” she asked.
your stomach sunk. you could talk to her, theoretically. but if you did talk to her, anything could go wrong. and you needed her presence for the double date—even if she was completely silent.
“i can’t.”
⬿•☀️•⤳
you gripped the railing with a superhuman strength. thanks to the humidity and rigorous positioning from the shower, every limb of your body was on the verge of collapsing. and while that would’ve been ideal right before bed, you were way too thirsty to shut your eyes.
midnight darkness loomed over the living room, but the massive white sectional sofa shined in the darkness. windows let in the sight of the nearby ocean, along with the sound of its slow ripples. you descended the stairs slowly.
something came into view. you squinted to get a better look at…percy, bathed in the light of her laptop screen. of course. of fucking course. because you’d managed to avoid talking to her all day, but it was tomorrow already. and the universe just had to.
your saliva thickened with thirst. you could sneak past her in silence, but that’d be creepy. but there was absolutely no way you could talk to her. the double date had to go well—after that, you’d work out what was going on.
thankfully, whatever percy was doing clearly held her attention—her eyebrows were furrowed and she seemed to be biting her lip. the kitchen wasn’t far. you could do this.
you took the final step off the stairs. not sparing another look at her, you nonchalantly made your way to the kitchen. her keyboard clicked and clacked. the light switch was just to your side. if you were going to sneak past her, the least you could do is let her know who was there.
as soon as light bathed the kitchen, percy questioningly called your name. shit.
“hey,” you said, surveying the cabinet of glasses with an intensity you never had before. which one would keep the water the coldest? were these all bought from the same manufacturer? they were similar in shape. why did the owner of the house choose these shapes specifi—
“hi.”
you chose a random glass. the thirst was, in fact, not going away. percy clicked something. your own breathing was fragmented. she could speak again at any minute, and you were not ready. just keep it light, you reminded yourself.
obviously you wanted to understand what had happened that morning, the why. like what possesses anyone to ask ‘you didn’t want to go to breakfast, right?’ in that exact format. and what she would’ve done if you’d said yes to that. and why she’d ran. but no.
the water dispensed at a mockingly slow rate. you looked up at the ceiling. hurry up, hurry up, hurry up! your heart raced.
tomorrow, percy could talk about camp the whole time, and it’d be fine. but the double date just couldn’t not happen. not after you’d looked forward to it for so long. it couldn’t go wrong. it absolutely could not.
before you could stop yourself, you asked “what are you working on?” the words came out way more insulting than you hoped they would. but that was light enough. right?
the glass of water was just about half full, and you were honestly contemplating grabbing it and running. she had stopped typing.
“just something for a job,” she said.
okay then. the glass was full enough. you took it. you stared at the fridge, ignoring the distant, distorted reflection of the white light coming from her laptop.
“good luck.”
you turned to walk out of the kitchen, flipping the light off in the process. you brought the water to your lips as you continued forward. your pace was as fast as your tired limbs would let you.
as you hit the first step, percy answered, “thanks.”
hey heyyyyyy !!!!!! Could I pls grab a matchup for Vox Machina and/or mighty nein ?? (Either/or :3) lmk if this wasn’t a lot for info, I’m new to this lol
I use they/he, and I’m transmasc and generally queer
Type of matchup: I’m chill with anyone!
Hobbies:
- Art, specifically digital art and oil pastels rn (GO TEAM COMEDY ARTFIGHTTT)
- Speculative biology, and all kinds of Sci fi writing :3
- D&D!! I’m a dungeon master for two campaigns rn and I love my parties
- Video games, specifically Sci-fi and fantasy rpgs, but I have horrible reaction time and can’t play a lot of shooters/racing games without sucking lmao
Personality:
- I’m generally a cheerful person, although I get really caught up in what people think of me, and my general anxieties
- I tend to hyper focus on one thing for a week, so I’m very much willing to discuss my interests, and that’s actually how I get closer with people as a whole
Likes:
- Bugs, rocks, anything cool in nature
- Music and theatre, I’ve been in a few bands and backstage crew for a few productions and it’s always a blast
- Aquariums, art museums, and neat exhibits
- Furbies and taxidermy, I have a collection of creepy things that I find really fun
Dislikes:
- Hot weather (rip to anyone else in the heatwave rn)
- Loud noises (other than music)
Tysm!!!!
Percy Fredrickstein
He quietly wanders into your workspace just to see what you’re creating
He won’t interrupt, he’ll simply watch until you notice him
He is far more interested in your speculative biology than he’d admit
He’d ask questions like, “How would this creature circulate oxygen?” and suddenly you’ve been talking for two hours
Your sci-fi writing fascinates him because it approaches invention from a completely different angle than his engineering
Percy is surprisingly comforted by your cheerful energy
He tends to overthink, while you naturally bring a little more light into conversations
He becomes your first beta reader
His feedback is incredibly detailed, but he always makes sure to tell you what he genuinely loves before offering suggestions
The two of you spend quiet evenings working on separate projects together without feeling pressured to talk constantly
He happily attends theatre productions with you, even if he pretends he’s only there to analyze the stage mechanics
If you stop to admire an interesting rock or bug, he stops too
Eventually he starts pointing them out before you do
Whenever your anxiety convinces you people secretly dislike you, Percy gently reminds you of all the evidence to the contrary
He understands intrusive self-doubt better than most
Your hyperfixations become one of his favorite things because he gets to watch your face completely light up when explaining them
Essek Thelyss
Your conversations regularly begin with “I had a weird idea…” and end four hours later after spiraling into magical ecosystems, alien civilizations, or bizarre biology
Essek secretly loves watching you DM
He’s fascinated by how effortlessly you weave stories and adapt to players’ unpredictable decisions
He often sits beside you while you draw, quietly watching over your shoulder or working on his own research
When you excitedly show him an unusual insect or fossil, he listens with genuine interest rather than pretending
You both accidentally enable each other’s hyperfixations
One interesting topic becomes an entire week’s worth of discussion
Music nights become a tradition
Whether you’re listening together or you tell stories from being in bands and backstage, he enjoys hearing about that part of your life
Since you dislike hot weather, Essek jokingly claims this is simply proof that colder climates are objectively superior
He never pressures you to be more outgoing than you want to be
If you’re socially drained, he’s perfectly happy spending time together in comfortable silence
When anxiety convinces you people are judging you, Essek gently reminds you that the people worth keeping around are the ones who enjoy hearing you ramble about bugs, speculative biology, or D&D
Museum and aquarium dates become a favorite
You both read every information plaque, compare favorite exhibits, and somehow spend six hours somewhere most people finish in ninety minutes
He genuinely admires how passionately you care for your D&D groups
Seeing you invest so much effort into creating fun experiences for others reminds him that intelligence and kindness aren’t mutually exclusive
