of half-bloods and happenings
picking up pieces
.
"We'll see," she promised. "After this is over, you, Annabeth and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West Fifty-sixth."
"Le Parker Meridien," I said. "You're on."
.
Thalia wanders in through the doors, ridiculously conscious of the absence of her trusty bow and quiver of arrows - but of course she can't bring those here. And the war's over anyway; it has been for days, weeks, even. It's not like she'll need the weapons…but her heart still contracts, her mind still screams at the sheer vulnerability of it all.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
Thalia spots Percy and Annabeth at the table near the far end of the complex. She grins at them, and even from this far away she can see their entwined hands resting on Percy's knee, perfectly fitted together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The sight makes Thalia smile, but it also makes her sad. She thinks of Luke, and suddenly the sun isn't shining as bright as it was mere moments ago. She has an urge to run and scream and say why are you so normal because surely the world should stop turning as her best friend is dead.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
"Hey," Thalia grins, pulling out a chair and sliding into it with the ease born of being a Hunter. "You two look cosy." Her friends' shifting grins remind her of days long gone, of hours spent on the run, licking stolen ice-creams by a campfire, and stealing gentle kisses with Luke while Annabeth was sleeping. Thalia has a sudden urge to tell her two friends this - we had perfect lives, you know, until Grover came along - and to see the smiles that would unfurl across their faces as they agree that maybe Luke is right: maybe the gods do need to get their priorities sorted.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
"Um, yeah," Percy smiles, almost guiltily, and Thalia senses him squeezing Annabeth's hand beneath the table. "So how- how are you, Thals?" She considers his question; examines their surroundings to make sure they're alone.
"I'm actually better than I thought I'd be," she says softly, filling in the empty spaces between her words with a long look into Percy's sea-green eyes that conveys everything: don't be stupid, I'm not fine; I'm actually falling to pieces.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
"That's good," Annabeth pipes up, her soft voice startling and almost sending Thalia shooting back once more in to the past. She pulls herself together, gives herself a mental slap. The war is over. Luke is dead. Why can't you just move on?
"Yeah." An awkward silence descends, full of the soft nuances of first love between Percy and Annabeth and the nervous intruding of Thalia as she realises that maybe these two need some time alone. She decides to steer the conversation into safer waters; namely, a topic that doesn't include any thought tangents about Luke. Preferably. "So, Percy. You wanted to know what the Hunters had been doing?" She knows his answer, but sometimes it's just nice to ask.
"You remembered," he smiles, and perhaps for the first time, Thalia sees why Annabeth fell for the guy. His grin lights his whole being up from inside out, especially his eyes which shine like beacons, signalling out to sailors lost at sea.
"Of course."
"Well, I would so love to hear of your daring exploits, Thalia. What did you do; hunt a couple of deer? Rid the world of a few more boy-crazy teenage girls?"
And for the first time in a long while, Thalia laughs. Percy seems surprised; he thought she'd be insulted. But soon he joins in, then Annabeth, and then the three of them are giggling at nothing, trying to pretend that yes, everything is all right when in fact it's the opposite. At least for Thalia, anyway.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
What she does say is something different entirely. "Wouldn't you like to know, Perce. But seriously. We heard some-" Again Thalia looks over her shoulder, paranoia building as she makes sure they're alone. "-some rumours. Whispers. Stuff you might not want to hear."
Percy is immediately on edge. She can feel it in his razor sharp senses, can see it in the hard diamonds of his eyes. Annabeth, too, is stiff; her side pressed firmly against Percy's as the both of them lean in, closer, closer, jostling to hear what Thalia has to say.
Thalia pauses, building the suspense. "You know: rumours. Such as, let me see…that Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are a couple and I'm the last person to know?" She starts laughing again, long and low, trying to ignore the aching of her own heart as she thinks of Luke, telling herself that you're a Hunter, you're sworn off boys - especially dead ones - so pull yourself together!
Percy and Annabeth realise immediately they've been duped. Mirror grins slide onto both their faces, a puzzled, dopey one onto Percy's and a sparkling, astute smirk on Annabeth. "Very funny, Thals," Annabeth says dryly, but there's amusement in her voice and Thalia likes the feeling of making everything okay, if only for a little while. She knows that later, in the dark watches of the night when the Hunters are resting and getting ready for the morning, she will stare up at the moon and the stars and wonder how they can shine so brightly when the rest of the world is wreathed in fog.
But she doesn't say it out loud.
Percy recovers from the joke, and asks seriously what Thalia had been up to. She launches into an account of daring escapes, capturing renegades, hunting dangerous foes and the like. By the end of it, she's all talked out and slumps down into her chair, sipping on the milkshake she ordered halfway through her tale. Percy and Annabeth exchange glances and raised eyebrows - a silent conversation Thalia recognises all too well from her own with Luke. She realises that this time, they definitely need some time alone.
She stands, zipping up her silver parka and grinning down at her friends. "Gotta fly, guys," she says, breathing in the indoor air and already longing for the outside weather. "Don't say you had awesomer adventures than me, Percy, because that so isn't true." She smiles at the both of them then turns away, headed for the door. As she reaches it, she glances back at the last minute and winks at her curly-haired friend, the girl who's so important to Thalia she's almost like her sister. "And Beth," she calls back. "What'd I tell you? He's a keeper." And he's perfect for you in the exact way Luke was for me.
But she doesn't say it out loud, only closes the door and gets ready to face the day.
.
Author's Note: Hello? *crickets chirping* Anyone there? Well…this is embarrassing. I'm so, so ridiculously sorry for the long wait, but I had exams which I had to study for and even though I had an idea for this it took ages for me to get the words out how I wanted them, so… This one's for amazingirl96, who came up with this concept and who's supported me through everything. Thanks, m'dear. (By the way, the italics at the beginning of the fic are the excerpt from Last Olympian).
Also, a shameless self-plug. I have quite a few new stories I'd love for you all to check, out, so, here goes: The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes is Piper's life in snapshots, and even though I don't really like her character at all I found I could relate to her and thus this fic emerged. Definition of a hero is just some character studies of eight of our favourite heroes. He builds it up, you knock it down is a HP/PJO crossover drabble involving Leo and Molly II, which sprang randomly into my head and which I'm quite proud of. Sunshine and Saltwater is again another HP/PJO crossover series of drabbles involving Poseidon and Penelope Clearwater. And a couple of HP self-plugs include Is he in love with you yet? (a BillGinny sibling bonding fic), Bruised (Hermione-centric angst), Anarchy (good old Marauder fun) and your soft fingers play my skin like a piano (HarryGinny all in dialogue). So, yeah…sorry about this, just asking for some constructive criticism and a wider reading audience! Thanks! xoxo
And to anyone who read this far, you're absolutely fabulous! Review, tell me if you did and request a drabble or entirely new fic! I'm feeling generous. (: