Hello, sorry one little author note before the chapter. I recently started graduate school and it has been a little hectic. So that is why I haven't been updating. I've been writing peer reviewed papers and stressing about midterms. I am not done with the story and am not giving up. I just have to space out my time when writing now. Any who. On to the chapter.
Annabeth:
Percy had somehow convinced my step mother and dad to show up in the middle of the night to step in as babysitters. I could easily tell that dad had been asleep prior to him arriving at my house. Based on how slumped his eyelids looked and his complaint about his pre-bedtime nap being interrupted.
On the other hand it probably didn't take my step mom much convincing as she adored Daphne more than the boys and I lately. She always claimed that being near her first grandchild gave her healing powers and made her feel more youthful.
My dad mostly agreed but in this instance I could tell that he preferred the idea of falling back asleep on my couch than staying up in case Daphne woke up in the middle of the night questioning where Percy and I had gone.
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Percy had driven himself and I towards the northeast side of town and we wondered into the Chinatown Night Market looking for a stall or restaurant still open.
The market was fairly busy with people walking in and out of buildings and the few stalls open gathering food and drinks. As we walked the streets, a Cantonese restaurant with one of the lights flashing in the sign grabbed Percy's eyes.
"How does that place sound?" Percy asked.
The sign was written in Cantonese and while my brain was wired for Greek the closest word I could make out in the restaurant name was four. The little building wasn't very appealing from the outside but my stomach was growling from the smells in the streets.
"Sure." I answered.
After being seated Percy and I settled into looking at the menu and drinking from the bottle of white wine we ordered. If I remember correctly Percy had a high tolerance for alcohol and could down three full bottle before the effects of the first bottle would kick in. He poured himself half a glass before pouring more than half for myself.
"Well, cheers to 'moving out' in two days." Percy said while raising his glass.
"Technically three, but who's really counting." I raised my glass to clink with his.
"So, you won't have to put up with me for the time being."
"You haven't been too terrible of a guest."
Percy's eyes bulged slightly before he started to laugh.
"I'm sure I'm doing better than most of Hermes' cabin when it comes to terrible guest." His words really barely audible through his laugh about his long ago cabin mates.
"You know I went straight to the Athena cabin when I arrived, right? I never really got to experience the Hermes cabin outside of the stories Luke told about living there."
"Luke hated being the loudest cabin, the smell from most of the kids sneaking food in, and never being able to find his own possessions."
Percy chuckled remembering his brief time in the Hermes cabin and Luke.
"He loved his siblings and campers, but man did he hate living there year round." Percy's voice trailed off at the end.
We let the sounds of the restaurant fill in the space in from his last sentence. As much as Luke hated living there year round we both knew he couldn't go home.
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When we finished our food, Percy and I strolled through the streets taking in the shops that were still open on our way back to the car.
"Annabeth, is that you?" Called out an all too familiar voice.
I turned around to see Dan standing in front of a pop-up shop with a sign saying Fortunes Told Here
"Hello Dan." I tried my politest to not sound too upset to see Dan out of a work setting now.
"It's so good to see you out. Is this your brother?" His question was pointed towards Percy.
"No, this is Percy. Percy this is my new coworker, Dan."
It felt weird calling Dan a coworker, but that was his new title now. No longer a guy I hooked up with out of frustration but a guy who miraculously started working on a cross company project with.
"Well, if you want to call me that Annabeth then that's fine.
I wasn't too sure if my eye roll was being properly conveyed but also tried my best to not show how my emotions in the moment.
I looked over at Percy trying to gauge his thoughts. Percy looked as calm as possible and held his hand out to Dan.
As they shook hands I swore I could feel a change in the wind.