The Mechanic

"You? You're the mechanic?"

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"I … I sorry I just didn't think someone like you would be a mechanic."

"Because I'm a girl?"

"No—I mean, ah, you're… pretty, that's all."

"Oh, well … Anyway, do you know what's wrong?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, let's see … Oh my gods what did you do?"

"I… nothing?"

"You've messed it all up. I don't know how easily I can fix her."

"Her?"

"The car."

"Oh. Well, what's wrong?"

"Everything. I mean, you've really taken poor care of her. Is your head full of seaweed? Why'd you let her die like this?"

"I guess we can't all be mechanics. And seaweed? We're nowhere near a beach."

"And yet you've got a surfboard in the back, hence seaweed."

"Original… most people would've probably said sand."

"Well I'm not most people, seaweed brain."

"As I've noticed, wise girl."

"Is that all you can come up with?"

"We can't all be geniuses like you."

"Granted, but you really need to take better care of this car. She's too beautiful to let die like this."

"I guess you'd know how to take care of her? Oh, now you've got me doing it too."

"Yeah, of course I do. I'm not called a mechanic for nothing you know."

"So, can you fix this?"

"Pfft, yeah. I mean it's not going to be easy and you'll have to pay me a damn fortune, but yes. I can do this. I like a challenge, but I wish you'd never bought her to me like this. I almost can't bear to look at it."

"You're dramatic."

"And you're a car-destroyer, so we're even, seaweed brain."

"Well, you got me there. How long will it take?"

"Hmm… a month, probably. Parts for this don't come cheap and out here, it's hard to get them easily. You'll have to be patient."

"So I guess I'll have to stick around for a while."

"Yep. There's a nice B&B out on Demeter's farm."

"Demeter? Like the Greek Goddess?"

"You got a problem with that?"

"No, it's just kind of crazy. My dad's called Poseidon. I'm pretty sure he has a cousin called Demeter."

"Well, that would be a hell of a coincidence. Still, it's nice out there. I can give you the number."

"Thanks. So, I guess I'll see you around … ?"

"Annabeth."

"Percy."

"I hope that's not short for Perseus."

"I… how did you know that?"

"Is it really? Oh, wow, that's classic, Perseus."

"Please, call me Percy."

"If you say so. Leave your number up the front and I'll keep you up to date on your car."

"Can't I just give it to you?"

"…"

"Don't laugh at me."

"Sorry, that was actually pretty smooth. And, of course you can, but only because you're cute."


A/N: You wouldn't believe how fun these things are to write. Anyway, I've actually written a few of these already and thus I'll be posting a few a week until Christmas. I'm aiming for around 10-15 of these, but we'll see how I go.