A/N: Hey guys! Back on time this time (finally), hope you like it!

Percy Jackson never quite felt like he made sense. A mismatch of…something, put together with too many problems and not enough answers.

Perhaps he was insane.

He certainly felt it so as he walked into a bar on a Wednesday night. He ordered one beer and took one sip the entire time he was there. He walked out an hour later feeling just as dissatisfied as he did coming in.

Maybe he was…lost. Though he had enough figured out to have a decent job and a decent apartment filled with decent food, if you could call the ample amount of Hot Cheetos he had decent.

But not enough to feel…content. He had friends, and a caring mother and a dog. But despite all that he felt…

Restless.

He must be going insane. To have all that and still feel…what was he feeling?

It was a mixture of everything and nothing and it was thoroughly unsatisfactory.

He walked into the same bar again a week later. Ordered his one beer and took his first sip.

"I certainly hope you're going to finish that this time," a voice said. He quickly looked up to meet the eyes of the young bartender.

She nodded towards his drink, "it'd be a real waste if you didn't."

"How-" he broke off not knowing how to phrase his question.

She smiled, a rather nice smile, and gestured to their surroundings. "It's not that busy, and a young man who walks in and only takes one sip of a beer and leaves is a curious incident."

She was wiping glasses as she talked, blonde hair thrown in a quick ponytail. She was young too, he noted.

"So, what is it that's eating you? Job, money, girlfriend?"

He let out a huff and took a second sip. "None of those," he finally responded.

She shrugged. "Those are the most common ones, of course there's the tragedies." She regarded him over her task.

"Do you have a tragedy going on?" she asked doubtfully.

"Tragedy?"

"Death usually, or something chronic or incurable."

"No, I'm in the clear."

"Well," she said, setting down the glass and turned to him. "I'm curious now, what is it?"

"I'm…not sure," he answered truthfully.

She nodded wisely. "The quarter life crisis."

"What?"

"You're just…unsure, is that it?"

He considered the statement. "Yeah I guess so."

"What you need," she said picking up the glass again, "is a change."

"What do you mean?"

"Complacency, it'll get you, you need to do something different, instigate a change in your life."

"Like what?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, whatever you want, pick up a hobby, get a new pet, move, if your single, meet someone, change your job, just something."

He looked at her doubtfully. "How do you know?"

She smiled. "You learn things with time and experience."

"We can't be that far apart in age!"

"Probably not, all the same, we all go through things at different times.

He was silent for a moment as he contemplated the words. Then he drank half his beer.

"You sure about this?"

She shrugged again. "Can't be sure about everything, but it can't hurt now can it?"

Her eyes were twinkling and her smile was sincere.

"Aright then," he said leaning forward. Something was starting to form, he wasn't sure yet, but it was something…

"Will you go on a date with me?"

She seemed surprised by the question and for an agonizing moment he felt the something fizzle.

"I guess I brought that upon myself didn't I," she responded.

He shrugged and downed the rest of his drink. Without waiting for a further answer, he started to get up and walk away.

"Hey!" she called after him.

He turned around.

"You never mentioned a time or place."

He smiled. Something started to form again. He walked back.

"How about we start with a name."

-.-

Perhaps he wasn't really insane. Perhaps he just needed something, someone, to help him re-engage. It was like he was an engine that needed to be powered, and Annabeth was his gasoline.

A/N: So what did you think? Complacency isn't always good, it doesn't foster growth, because for growth you need change. And it can be anything, even something others might feel is small, it can still lead to growth. And I just wanted to write on the subject matter (as is often the case with these little drabbles).

Please Review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

And as always, thanks for reading!

See ya! :)