The twentieth chapter! *Woot woot*
Heehee: I noted towards the end of the last chapter that I did not take it from The Hunger Games. Even though one of the prep team members was named that, and I'm also quite aware it was on there. My sister's middle name is Octavia, and it's Greek, so I threw it in there.
PJATOluver: Thank you very much! :)
I LOVE FINNICK: I know, The Hunger Games is a really good book. I can tell that you love Finnick, too, I'm not sure how. :P
EllaIncarnate: It does seem like the logical thing to think, good idea! I don't have many theories on Amon. But I've been thinking about one thing: When Katara is going to pass away. In "The Fortune Teller" episode, remember how Katara kept asking what her future looked like? Well one of the things the fortune teller told her was that she had her fourth grandchild while passing away in her sleep. That sounds like it's going to be somewhat soon, right? One, Tenzin and Pema already have three children, and Pema is pregnant with her fourth child, AND, she's well into her pregnancy. I'd say more, but, the comment response is already pretty lengthy. But still, I enjoy talking about this with you! :)
Jellie Smiff: A new reviewer! And thank you!
Happy twenty, everyone! This story has come so far, and it wouldn't have without you wonderful people!
Chapter Twenty: Late Night Dining
Percy shouldered the doors open, with a laughing Annabeth in his arms, he was even laughing a little, too. "That was the best party ever!" She shouted. It was well past midnight, since Annabeth kept talking and asking him to dance. "Perce! Put me down, before you drop me!" Annabeth squealed with delight.
He smiled a toothy grin, "Me? Drop you?" He tilted her backwards, and she screamed in surprise. She playfully slapped his arm, and she squirmed enough that he swung her back and set her down. Percy extended his hand out, asking her to take it. She took it, and they started to make their way down the many steps. But a seemingly genius idea popped into his head, "Wait a second!" He looked over to the railing, and sat down on it. "Who needs stairs when you have-"He gestured, "A bannister!" Percy slid down on it, leaving behind a gaping-mouthed Annabeth.
"Wuh-Percy!" She screamed, taking off down the steps after him, "You're going to get in trouble!" He got to the end of the railing and hopped off.
"Come on! Try it!" He encouraged.
She reluctantly sat on the edge of the bannister, and slowly started sliding down. Annabeth did it slow enough that she could put the brakes on quick if she had to. Percy was just about dying of boredom until she finally got to the bottom of the stairs, "It's about time…I think I was just about to wither up and die if you took any longer." Percy teased. Annabeth sighed and tugged at the straps of the heels she had been wearing.
"Ugh. Hold, please." She smiled sweetly and shoved them into his arms. Percy mocked her "Ugh" and asked,
"You hungry?"
Percy tugged Annabeth's arm as they wandered the nearly empty streets. "I don't think we're going to have much luck, Percy." Percy shook his head,
"C'mon, Annabeth! You've just gotta believe!" He said sarcastically, "And I think we found our spot," He leaned so his face was next to hers, and pointed, "Right-there." He was pointing to a hot-dog styled cart, but instead of it being labeled "Hot-Dogs" it read "Gyros". "Gyros- it sounds pretty interesting."
Annabeth looked up at him, "What? You've never had a gyro before?" He glanced at her, then back at the stand,
"Nope." He stated frankly.
Percy took out his wallet, and Annabeth snatched it up, "You'll just have to try one, then." She walked bare-footed over to the vendor, demanding two gyros. He overheard them talking,
"You're not serving? Why not?" She shouted angrily.
"I'm cooking them for daytime customers, and I need all the sandwiches I can make." The cook said, not looking up from his sandwich building.
"But he-"Annabeth raised her voice a little louder, "Has never had one before!" The vendor finally looked at her, wearing a face of shock. He wrapped the two sandwiches in foil,
"Here! Take them! Take them!" He cried, shoving them into her hands, "Before I have a fit! What type of human being hasn't had a GYRO before?" He started rambling in-tangible Greek and continued making sandwich art. She walked back with two sandwiches,
"And that's," She set a gyro in his hand, "How you get a sandwich for free." They walked in the direction of a park they knew of that was at the edge of the city. After finding a bench, Percy gingerly and slowly un-wrapped the foil on his sandwich. He heard Annabeth sigh beside him, she was quiet for a while, and finally said, "Why didn't you choose immortality?" Percy didn't know how to answer.
"I…there were more important things than immortality. All those unclaimed demigods were first. That's what Luke would've wanted me to do." Percy replied, doing his best to word himself carefully. They ate in silence, and Percy went over to toss his tin foil. He was about to leave the park, but turned and glanced over his shoulder, "I didn't choose immortality-because I wanted to be with you."
Dragging his feet and doing his best to keep his eyelids open, he made his way to his temporary house. Why would she ask that? Percy finally made it to his bed, and sleep found him quickly, but Annabeth's question still weighed down on him. Little did he know that Annabeth had snuck inside and sat down next to him. Taking his hand in her small one, she lightly caressed it, so she didn't wake him up. Her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier, too, and she rested her head on the bedside. Annabeth slowly joined him in sleep.