"Hello?" Percy called, knocking on the doorframe. The garage's massive doors were wide open; sunlight streamed into the cluttered workspace. He couldn't make sense of most of it; the center of the garage that was Leo's pride and joy was occupied by an entirely gold chariot with a broken wheel. A pair of tanned legs and cutoff shorts stuck out from under it.
"Hello," Calypso called, wheeling out from under the broken chariot. Her cinnamon hair was piled messily on her head, and chain grease left smears all the way up to her elbows and across her nose. "You're back," she said, jumping to her feet and grabbing a rag from a table covered with weaponry and sketches. She smiled shyly at him from under her freckles.
"Yeah," he said, smiling back. "Is Leo here?"
"Chef Leo is," she corrected, and picked her way over wheeled contraptions, blueprint sheets, scattered tools and a sleeping Festus to the back wall. She banged on the wall in a series of strategic taps. Percy cocked his head. Morse Code?
A second later, there was a series of responding thumps. Calypso rolled her eyes. "No lo sé. Ven tan pronto como sea posible , la reparación chico!" she yelled. Leo yelled back in Spanish, his words muffled.
Calypso turned and, in stark contrast to the harsh yells, smiled charmingly. "He'll be out in a minute."
"Thanks," Percy said. He gestured to the workshop around her. "From gardener to mechanic, huh?"
"New world, new me," she replied, sitting on the edge of a table. Percy leaned against the chariot. It had been a while since they'd talked. Some awkwardness lingered even after all these years. It always took a solid conversation to warm up to her again.
"The girl from Ogygia probably wouldn't be fixing chariots," he said, tone light.
She shrugged. "I changed. You changed me. Leo changed me." She spread her hands. "This world is a very different place from the one I left. This is where I fit in now."
"I know." He said, still lightly.
She smiled wryly. "I know you do. I was so angry when you left, but…It helped me to figure out who I was. And when I came back, and could see why you left, I wasn't even jealous. Annabeth completes you. She's much better for you than I would ever be, better than I could've ever been."
"I second that. The part about Annabeth, I mean," Percy added hastily. She laughed musically. Festus lifted his head and creaked. She creaked back, slipping off the table.
"Remember trying to sing our way into the Underworld?" She asked, stepping over some prototype and snatching up a pile of odd bolts.
"Was I ever outmatched. You and Piper practically had to carry me down there after we got the door open," Percy exclaimed. She grinned. "Now that was a Seaweed Brain moment."
A few years back, Percy had wound up on a quest with Piper and Calypso. Now that was a match—his sister(practically) and his sort-of-ex all jumbled together on a journey involving magic beauty cream, a reborn Chimera, and one run-in in Central Park involving Orpheus' gate to the Underworld, which could only be opened by music. Percy wound up goofy-eyed listening to the charmspeak song of both girls, and they'd wound up fighting their way out of the Underworld, dragging him along. Percy had forgotten how handy it could be to have an immortal daughter of Atlas around. That had been a quest of confrontations: dealings with personal demons, worst nightmares, Tartarus flashbacks (it'd been the first time Percy and Annabeth had been separated since—that place) and one explosive yelling match on a Denver rooftop.
After that, Percy and Calyspo had buried the hatchet.
"Annabeth liked that story," he remembered.
"How is Annabeth?" Calypso cocked her head, laughter dancing in her eyes. Percy opened his mouth, then narrowed his own eyes. "How did you know?" He exclaimed. She burst out laughing.
"For one thing," she exclaimed, "the two of you look like you've been conspiring to win Capture the Flag for weeks.I knew there had to be some reason behind it. For another, I noticed her switch champagne for apple juice."
"That's all it took?" Percy marvelled.
"I have a very tuned in baby radar," she countered, and crossed her arms. "I'll hear the story later." It wasn't a question.
"Amigos!" Leo yelled, bursting into the garage. He grinned, bearing a platter of his demigod-famous tacos. "Lunch break. How was the honeymoon?"
"Excellent," Percy said, grinning. Leo set down the food and they clapped each other on the back.
"What can I do you for?" Leo asked, as Calypso snagged a taco and a kiss on his cheek. He held up a hand to Percy-just a minute—and snagged her arm, turning her around until he could kiss her.
Festus set his head down with a thud and a mechanical eye roll. Percy looked away, flushing.
"Guest," Calypso exclaimed, breaking away.
"It's just Percy. Besides, he and Annabeth make out in front of us all the time."
Calypso rolled her eyes, smiled at Percy, and stepped over to the other side of the garage, humming cheerfully.
"So when are you putting a ring on it, Valdez?" Percy asked, as Leo pushed his tacos out of the way and drew a screwdriver from his tool belt.
"Whenever Zhang gets the ring for Hazel," he replied easily. Percy laughed. Frank was taking a famously long time to actually propose, although the marriage question had been settled months ago.
"Weapons trouble for Mr. McShizzle?" Leo asked, business-like.
"Shield hit during sword practice," Percy admitted. He unstrapped his wristwatch; yet another gift from Tyson, who was always carving new shields depicting new adventures. "It only assembles part way now."
"Easy gear jam. Tyson's work, right?" Leo asked, examining the watch.
"How'd you know?"
"All craftsworkers have their own distinctive handiwork. I can tell." Leo expanded the shield and set to work. "So where's Annabeth?"
"Running plans for the museum by the Senate."
"You'd think they wouldn't even have to check her blueprints. Olympus' architect, for Zeus's sake." Leo's nose caught on fire as he concentrated. Percy decided against mentioning it.
"I think she likes it this way." Percy smiled to himself. "Always moving."
"What about you?" Leo looked up, giving Percy that serious look that was still slightly unnerving. "Where are you moving, Fish Head?"
Percy shrugged. "I don't know. I like training recruits. But I miss the sea."
"Think you'll move out there some day?" Leo unscrewed a tiny dented gear with deft fingers.
"Probably not," Percy admitted. "I've got this degree in Marine Biology, you know? I feel like I should be using it."
"You won't find a lot of opportunity for that in New Rome," Leo pointed out, a little glumly.
"To be honest, I don't really want to use it. If I want to study sea creatures, I can just go out and hang with them."
"Here's one for you," Leo said, jabbing a wrench at him. "If you could do anything with your life, no limitations, what would you do?"
"I'd like to be happy," Percy said firmly. "I'd like to be left alone by monsters and Olympians. And I really would like to live happily with my wife after all that."
"I can't blame you for that one. Man, we'd all better have much happier endings than the original Greek heroes." Leo summoned a welding flame to his left index and set to work.
"We have duct tape," Percy pointed out. "They didn't."
"Excellent point, amigo. Voila!" Leo compacted the shield into wristwatch form and expanded it again. It worked perfectly.
"Thanks, man," Percy said, distracted by his own thoughts.
"Anytime." Calypso appeared again, waving a screwdriver. "Leo Valdez, did you hide this from me?" She demanded, light in her eyes.
"Uh," Leo flushed, clearly guilty. "I can't help it if you have good taste in tools, sunshine."
Calypso rolled her eyes, resisting a smile. She turned to Percy. "We'll see you tonight?"
"What's happening tonight?"
"Fireworks," Leo exclaimed. "Did you forget? It's the annual dangerous explosives show." He flung his arms wide. "Best day of the year!"
"Oh right," Percy remembered. It was July, after all—fireworks season. "We'll see you later, then."
"Bye," Leo said. Calypso waved. Percy caught another kiss between them as he headed down the avenue. It was nice to see them happy.
"Did you know it was fireworks night?" Percy asked Annabeth.
"Of course," she replied, smiling at him. Her skin was deeply tanned, her eyes sparkling. She tilted her head, fastening another earring. It was that evening. Percy was trying to find a decently nice clean shirt. Most of his stuff was still crammed in his duffel. Annabeth's was already washed, folded, and put away, naturally.
"How was your day?" He asked, coming up behind her and resolving to distract her as much as possible by kissing her temple multiple times.
"Excellent. The Senate approved my blueprints. They're breaking ground in September, and they'll need me for most of the up front stuff. The building should be done by March, at which point, hopefully, they won't need me."She twisted to face him, eyes excited. "I saw the doctor today."
"And?" He prompted.
"He says February 24th," she replied, turning to the mirror and grinning at him. "And that everything is perfect."
Percy kissed her again. "I'm really happy, Wise Girl."
She smiled. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I'm glad." She turned and pulled a fresh shirt almost out of thin air (actually the dresser) and tossed it to him with a knowing grin. "Same Seaweed Brain."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," he replied. She turned back to the mirror, hunting for an elastic, when he caught her wrist and spun her to face him.
"Hello," she exclaimed, then quieted as he kissed her. "You're in a good mood," she said breathlessly, breaking away.
Percy shrugged. "Leo pointed out something to me today."
"Yeah?"
"He asked me what I wanted most in the world, and I realized I have it."
"And what do you want most, Seaweed Brain?" She asked coyly, pulling a nice pair of shorts from her drawer.
His eyes sparkled his reply at her. She laughed as he swept her up and off her feet, as though she were falling in love all over again.
FLUFFFFFYYYYYYY. Next chapter is a very special fireworks night, followed by a chapter set in New York, and probably a giant time jump after that. Requests are being accepted! I'm officially looking for monsters and quest locations, as well as funny elements to past quests that will be referred to throughout the story. As you saw in this chapter, demigod adventures don't stop with Gaea. Wedding ideas for the Jasper wedding are in high demand, and any cute Frazel moment ideas are also wanted. Review & keep reading!