AN: Surprise ;P

Percy was bewitched. Like an eidolon, the mystery woman lingered in his mind, flickering in and out of his thoughts with the grace of a flower swaying enchantingly in the wind. He told himself the jacket was the reason he couldn't stop thinking about her. She'd taken it, after all, and he wasn't the type to let things go. Not when they mattered. Not when they were his. It was restitution he wanted, for certain. Anyone would've been hard-pressed to forget the face of the thief who stole something dear.

And what a face it was.

"Percy!" a familiar voice shouted from below, jolting him out of his reverie. "You alive up there?"

Shaken, Percy shuffled to the edge of the roof and peered down at his carpenter-turned-companion. Robin stood below, hands on her hips, her expression hovering between exasperation and amusement.

"Alive and well, why?"

"You've been ignoring me for the last twenty minutes."

"Sorry," he called down, rubbing the back of his neck. "Got lost in my head for a minute… Need something?"

Robin squinted up at him, the low sun framing her in fiery orange. "Yeah, can we call it? It's nearly dusk, and we've been working non-stop for days."

"Sure. I'll be right down."

"Great, I'll grab the ladder and—"

Before she could move, Percy stepped off the roof.

Robin let out a startled yelp as he dropped to the ground in front of her, landing with a soft thud. A plume of dust shot up, sending Robin into a fit of coughs while Percy chuckled.

"You're… insane." she managed between coughs.

"Insane? Nah. Just efficient," Percy said, brushing himself off. "Why waste time with a ladder when you can just… not. Besides it wasn't that far of a drop."

"It wasn't not a far drop either!"

Percy shrugged, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "What's your point?"

"My point is you're unlike any out-of-towner I've ever met," Robin replied, starting them off in the direction of the road. "If I hadn't seen the way you sign your name, I'd think you were superhuman."

"Would you believe me if I said it's all genetics?" Percy asked, choosing not to address the nightmare that was his signature.

"Not in the slightest."

"What if I told you I went to a really good summer camp as a kid?"

"A summer camp for what? Future Olympians?"

Percy snorted, trying and failing to hide his amusement. "You're not too far off."

"No, but seriously," Robin said, suddenly sober, as they reached the threshold of the archway she'd constructed, "most people who move here from the city don't last long. They think it's going to be some kind of vacation, then they realize how much work it actually takes, and they're gone just as fast. But you? I don't think I've seen you take a break since you got here."

Percy realized this wasn't something she was going to drop. Reluctantly, he sighed and gave a vague half-truth. "I like staying busy. Keeps me out of trouble."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Trouble, huh? What kind of trouble does a guy like you get into?"

"The kind that's best avoided," he said, his tone light but his eyes distant.

Robin didn't press. She was good like that. Instead, she patted her pants in that way you did when you were clearly ready to leave, but didn't want to broach the actual subject of leaving. It was in that moment that Percy hesitated and, rather than offering a goodbye, succumbed to a sudden desire for company at his table.

"Hey, Robin," he began. "What would you think about joining me for dinner?"

She blinked, clearly surprised. "Don't you think we already spend enough time together? I mean, seriously, I'm starting to forget what my family looks like."

"Then let's cut a deal. You come in and eat a nice, home-cooked meal you don't have to make, and I don't have to eat alone for once. I swear I can cook. Sort of."

Robin laughed. "Sort of? You're not exactly convincing me here."

"Fine, how about this. You join me for dinner tonight, and in return, we can take tomorrow off. It's a Win-win-win."

Robin considered him for a moment, her head tilted in mock suspicion. "You mean it? Tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday—all to myself? I don't have to see you at all?"

Percy frowned. "You could at least pretend to be sad about that."

"Not a chance," she said, already striding past him and heading for his front door. "Now, what're you making?"

"I make one thing, and I make it awesome," Percy replied.

Robin glanced over her shoulder, a hint of worry in her expression. "Why do I suddenly regret saying yes?"

"Trust me," he promised, "You'll love them."

"Oh my god, Percy, I love these," Robin said, already halfway through her second pancake.

"Told you," Percy replied smugly, leaning back in his chair.

"I have to ask, though," she mumbled through a mouthful. "Why're they blue?"

Percy shrugged. "It's part of the recipe."

Robin swallowed and set down her fork. "Let me rephrase. Why is blue food coloring part of the recipe?"

Percy's smile flickered before it disappeared completely. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze moving toward the window. The sun was setting, but inside, the room felt quieter than it had a moment ago. He picked up his fork but didn't immediately dig into his own plate. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

He hesitated, but Robin's gentle curiosity won out. He took a breath, and then, "Growing up, my mom didn't make much money, but she did everything she could to make sure I didn't go without. When I was little, she married this guy named Gabe." He spat the name like poison. "He brought in some extra cash, but he also beat on us for damn near anything. Being late, being early, being on time, it didn't really matter: He was just looking for an excuse to be an asshole.

Anyways, one day my mom brings me home a bag of blue candy because she knows it's my favorite color. He sees me get all excited, and the last thing in the world he'd want is for me to be happy, so he goes absolutely ballistic. Starts screaming at my mom saying blue food wasn't real, that it was stupid. That she was 'spoiling the brat'." Percy shook his head and laughed bitterly, "The dumb motherfucker'd never seen a blueberry or something."

Robin's expression twisted, but Percy didn't meet her eyes. He stared down at the pancakes, his fork scraping the plate almost too loudly.

"But my mom," he said quietly, "she was the type that didn't back down. The next morning, she made me pancakes—blue as the open ocean—her way of sticking it to him. It kinda became our thing after that. No matter how bad things got, she'd find a way to make something blue for me. At the time it was just fun, but I think she wanted it to be a reminder: No matter how bad things get, we always have to search for joy in the little things, because often that's the only place we can find it. So… Yeah. That's why they're blue."

Robin's misty-eyed smile spoke volumes. "Your mom sounds incredible."

"Yeah," Percy nodded slowly, his throat tight. "She was."

Robin took another bite, savoring it more now that she understood the meaning behind the food. "Well, for what it's worth, I think they're perfect this way."

Percy's lips curled into a smile, quieter than before, but warmer too. "Yeah," he murmured, "I think so too."

The Saturday morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and wildflowers as Percy made his way down the dirt road toward Pelican Town. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a golden glow over the valley and bathing the fields in soft, warm light. It was the kind of morning that made you want to stop and breathe it all in, to let the stillness of the world settle into your bones. But Percy wasn't in the mood for stillness. His mind was restless, buzzing with thoughts of the so-called 'Egg Festival'—and, if he was being honest, thoughts of her.

As he rounded a bend in the road, he spotted a familiar figure up ahead. Robin was walking with her family, her easy stride and cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the more reserved postures of her husband, Demetrius, and their kids, Maru and Sebastian. Both he and Robin's family lived on the outskirts of town, so it was no surprise running into them, but he hesitated all the same. Hoping to respect her family time, Percy tried to skirt around them on the path as discreetly as possible, but Robin, ever the astute observer, shattered his hopes of maintaining such cordiality in record time.

"Oh, Percy!" She shouted as he walked by, waving him over, "Are you headed to the Egg Festival too?"

"I, uh—Yes?"

"You should join us!" Robin said, "We can make a day of it."

"I thought you said we already see enough of each other?"

"We do, but you don't see enough of anyone else. If you don't make other friends, the townsfolk are gonna start talking. Now c'mon! Socialize a bit!"

Percy hesitated, glancing at the little family in her wake. Maru and Demetrius were mid-conversation about the migratory patterns of fruit bats, and Sebastian trailed behind them, headphones firmly in place and nose buried in his phone. It dawned on Percy that Robin's invitation was born less from kindness and more from sheer boredom.

"Alright," he relented, feeling sympathy for his friend, "I'd love to."

"Great!" Robin declared, clapping her hands together. She fell into step beside him, leaving her family to their respective distractions, and wasted no time in taking advantage of his willingness to actually speak with her. "So, are you excited for the Egg Festival?"

"A little," he lied, giving a half-hearted shrug.

"Careful now," she teased, "any more enthusiasm and I might actually believe you."

"Sorry," he said, "I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, but… What the hell even is an 'Egg Festival'? Because to be honest it sounds like a rip-off of Easter."

"It is an Easter rip-off," Robin admitted cheerfully. "But it's more about community. Less commercialized, more secularized, you know? No church services, no sugar highs from marshmallow peeps. Just an excuse to gather, hunt some eggs, and eat good food.

"That's…" Percy paused, chewing on her words, tasting the simplicity of it. "That actually sounds kind of nice."

"I couldn't agree more," Robin said. "So, does that make you a little more excited to go?"

"That depends." Percy said, half-joking, "Is anybody fun going to be there?"

Robin's smile turned knowing, her eyes glinting as she leaned in. "Who are you hoping will be there?"

"Oh, nobody in particular," Percy said quickly, waving a hand. "I'm just looking to meet the rest of the town while I'm actually sober."

"Bologna. If that wasn't someone, you wouldn't've asked."

"Fine," Percy huffed, suddenly feeling very self-conscious, "So what if there is?".

"I knew it," she said, satisfied, her grin wide. "What's her name?"

"How'd you know it was a she?"

"Because guys your age don't care if other guys are there," she said, almost smug. "They want to know if the woman they fancy will be. And earlier today? A UFO could've landed, and you wouldn't've noticed. It's a woman. And one you have a crush on, too."

Percy frowned, cheeks warming at having been read so plainly. He crossed his arms, hoping to close the open book he so clearly was.

"Your kids ever get annoyed by this?"

"All the time," Robin said without missing a beat. "Now—spill. Who is she?"

"To be honest? I don't really know. I bumped into her my first time visiting town. Like, literally bumped into her. She took my favorite jacket, called it ugly, and then stormed off before I even got her name."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Ah. Sounds like Haley."

"Haley?" Percy repeated, trying to place the name.

"Yeah… that's her."

Percy frowned as he tried to think. "So, what's so bad about her?" he asked, sensing something in the way Robin said her name.

Robin paused and pursed her lips, clearly choosing her words with care. "Nothing bad, per se. And I can't say I blame you for having her catch your eye, it's just... Haley's complicated. She's got this... armor she puts on, you know? Hard to get through." She glanced at Percy, seemingly gauging his reaction. "Her parents have always been gone, always working or off on their fancy trips, and she and Emily? They've practically raised each other, without much support from anyone else." Robin shook her head slightly. "It's a tough spot for a kid to be in, but that doesn't make her any easier to put up with sometimes."

She paused, running her hand through her hair, the shift in her voice subtle but there. "Some people around here judge her for it, and I get it: What age do we become as responsible for our issues as the parents who gave them to us? But me? I've always felt sorry for her. People either give up on her or want her for all the wrong reasons, so she's learned to shut everyone out from the start. It's a defense mechanism."

"I've known people like that," Percy said, his voice quieter now, as his thoughts drifted. To Silena. To Piper. To a life so far from here that it felt like a dream. "So used to people caring only about what's on the surface."

Robin nodded. "Then you know how hard that can be on someone. How it shapes you, if you let it. She's got a good heart, really. She just... well, she's been let down too many times by people who were supposed to care."

"So she's just... avoiding it all, huh?"

Robin nodded again, the corners of her mouth curving up with a bittersweet smile. "In a way, yeah. And then there's Emily," she added softly, almost like an afterthought.

Percy leaned in a little, recognizing the shift. "Yeah, I heard you say that. D'you mean Blue-hair Emily? Works at the Stardrop Emily? Won't stop smiling even if the meteor hits Emily?"

"That's her," Robin said, her voice suddenly lighter. "And if you met her, you know. She's different than Haley. Quirky, warm, enthused. The kind of person who wants to know everyone and be friends with the world. She didn't shut herself off. She became this force of nature. She didn't want to be alone, so she found a way to make herself impossible to ignore. And she succeeded."

Robin paused, letting the weight of it settle. "But both of them? They're just wearing masks. Trying to protect the parts of themselves they don't want anyone else to see."

Percy stayed quiet, letting her words sit heavy like rain clouds before a storm. It felt too familiar. Like seeing someone else's reflection in the mirror, the details blurry but the feeling sharp.

"Sounds like a lot to deal with," he said finally, breaking the silence.

Robin let out a soft bark of laughter, but it was quick to fade. She glanced back at her family, her expression growing tender for a moment before her gaze returned to Percy, a flicker of something—almost like a knowing affection—in her eyes. "Yeah," she murmured, a somber smile tugging at her lips. "Aren't we all?"

And who was Percy to disagree? After all, he, more than anyone, knew what it was to hide. To stuff your anguish into a box and bury it so deep you almost forget it's there, only to dig it up when the rain hits, and you need something to hold. He understood what it was to suffer so mightily in the face of your world that you have no choice but to forge another. He too knew what it was to seek, and yet fear being found.

The town wasn't as he remembered it from last Friday, and in that difference lay the magic. Where silence and solitude had once ruled, now life had broken through. Streamers of every pastel shade rippled against the sky, an expanse of blue so open it made Percy's chest ache in a way that felt almost nostalgic. The booths lining the square were as mismatched as the town itself, offering small treasures—handcrafted trinkets, jars of amber-colored honey, faded postcards that felt like they whispered untold secrets of a time long forgotten. The air buzzed with laughter, shouts of kids half-hidden behind painted masks, and the occasional cheerful bark of a dog caught up in the commotion. It was chaos, yes, but it was alive. And alive was something Percy hadn't been in a long time.

It was strange to say as a New Yorker, but he wasn't generally a fan of crowds these days. Most often they reminded him not of the sprawling streets of home, but of swelling battlefields where the carnage extended as far as the eye could see and yet never strayed further than the tip of your blade. And so, he stood at the edge of it all, feeling like an outsider looking in. Back at Camp Half-Blood, life had been a series of battles, each one fought in the shadows of raging deities and world-ending stakes. Here, in Pelican Town, the battles were smaller, quieter, but no less real.

And yet, there was something about the way the town came together, the way it celebrated life together, that made him feel like he was standing on the edge of something he'd forgotten how to be a part of. He realized, with a pang he wasn't sure how to hold, that this was exactly what he had left behind when he chose to disappear into himself for so long: a world filled with people, with community. A world he had distanced himself from out of a half-assed sense of self-preservation. A world he had come to this valley to rediscover.

Robin was beside him, her presence as steady and grounding as the earth itself. Her gait was easy, as if she was walking into the heartbeat of her home. "You ever notice how some places just know who they are?" she said, her voice soft enough that he almost missed it beneath the hum of the crowd. "This is one of those places. The kind that doesn't apologize for being itself. It just is. And I think that's why people love it."

Percy didn't respond right away. He was too busy letting the energy of the festival wash over him, reminding him of things he hadn't realized he'd lost. The loneliness he carried—the kind that felt like wearing someone else's coat, too big and too heavy—seemed quieter here. It didn't disappear, not entirely, but it shifted, like a shadow retreating in the face of the sun.

His eyes drifted over the crowd, landing on a group of kids who were balancing eggs on spoons, their faces alight with concentration and glee. Nearby, a man with a bushy mustache was cracking open boiled eggs with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for treasure chests. He didn't know what to make of it, but he didn't get a chance to ask. Robin was already scanning the crowd, her eyes searching for something—or rather someone.

"Over there," she murmured, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow. "you see her?"

And see her he did. Haley stood off to the side, half-hidden in the shadow of a food stand. Her arms were crossed, her posture stiff, like someone waiting for a bus they didn't really want to catch. She wasn't laughing, wasn't a part of the general noise of the festival. Instead, she appeared to be lost in thought, alone. Only one person—a sporty-looking man Robin identified as Alex—was standing next to her, trying, and failing, to start a conversation.

It was her detachment that got to him. That look of someone trying to stand still in a world that wouldn't stop moving. He knew that feeling like he knew the scars on his own body. Maybe that was why, when Robin all but shoved him in her direction, he didn't resist.

"Go on," Robin said, her voice low but firm. "Talk to her."

Percy paused, looking back nervously. "What do I even say?"

"Something honest," Robin replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And for God's sake, don't overthink it."

He took a deep breath and walked over, his heart pounding in his chest. Haley hadn't noticed him yet, her gaze fixed on some distant point in the crowd. She looked like a painting, all sharp edges and soft shadows, beautiful but untouchable.

Percy stopped a few steps from her, hands stuffed in his pockets and unsure of what to say. Luckily, she still hadn't clocked him amid the mass of milling townsfolk. He thought back to their last meeting—the collision, the jacket, and the strange way her eyes had narrowed, like she was sizing him up—hoping to think of something clever… Fuck, he had nothing. What did Robin say? Something honest?

"Hey," he said, stopping a few feet away. His voice was softer than he'd intended, almost lost in the noise of the festival.

Haley turned to him, her expression unreadable. "You again."

"Yeah," Percy said, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "Me again."

"What do you want?"

"I just… wanted to say I'm sorry. For the other day. And to see if I could get my jacket back."

Her expression didn't soften, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward in something that might've been a smile if you squinted hard enough. "I don't have your jacket with me, which you should thank me for that, really. And as for the other day… don't worry about it. It's fine. My sister fixed the dress."

"Glad to hear that. And thanks, I guess?"

"You're welcome."

Percy nodded, unsure of what to say next. The silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward, until he finally blurted out, "So… you come here often?"

Haley stared at him, her expression flat. "Really? That's the best you've got?"

Percy winced. "Yeah, that was bad. Let me try again."

Haley sighed, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "You're not very good at this, are you?"

"Not really," Percy admitted. "But I'm trying."

She raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed. "And why's that?"

"I don't know. You looked bored.'"

"Yeah, well, you're not wrong. This whole thing is kind of... not my scene." She gestured vaguely to the festival around them.

"You're here anyway," Percy pointed out, tilting his head. "Why?"

Her gaze flicked away, landing somewhere in the middle distance. "Because everyone expects me to be. And Alex wouldn't shut up about it."

"Ah." He nodded, watching her carefully. "So you're here out of obligation."

"Pretty much." Her tone was dismissive, but there was something underneath it—a hint of frustration, maybe. Or resignation. "Not like there's much else to do around here anyway. But I was born into this. The real question is why are you here?"

"The festival or Pelican Town?"

Haley shrugged. "Both, I guess? But I meant this festival. It's so Pelican Town, it hurts me."

Percy crossed his arms, a challenge in his gaze. "So what? You're too cool for all of it?"

"No, I'm just... not interested." She sighed, glancing around, clearly looking for an exit. "I'm more excited for the Flower Dance, honestly. At least that'll be worth the time."

Percy let a small silence hang between them for a moment before speaking again. "You know, it's okay to actually enjoy yourself sometimes."

Haley's eyes snapped back to him, her expression sharp. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Just saying, maybe it's not the festival that's boring. Maybe it's you."

Her jaw dropped slightly, and for a second, Percy thought he'd gone too far. But then she laughed—a real laugh, bright and unexpected. "You've got some nerve, you know that?"

"It's been said," he replied, thinking back on the many times he'd been told the very same thing by an enraged deity.

Haley shook her head, a small smile still playing on her lips. "Alright, Mr. Big Talk. If you're so confident I'm the problem, prove it. Go have some fun. Because I assure you this is one of the most boring events this insufferable little town has to offer."

Percy thought for only a moment before an idea struck him. If she wanted a show, and she clearly did, she would get one. With a manic grin, he turned towards the registration table for the Egg Hunt. He was almost certain that no one over the age of seventeen had ever signed up for this thing before, but maybe that was the point.

Her gaze flicked toward him, then followed his to the registration he was spying, amusement dancing in her eyes all the while. "Seriously? You? A grown man, signing up for an egg hunt with a bunch of kids?"

"I am." He said with a nod. "You should join me."

"Absolutely not."

"Why? Scared I'll find more eggs than you?"

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes. "Like I'd waste my time."

"Exactly," Percy said, stepping away. "So I guess I'll just have to win by default."

She laughed again, the sound chasing away some of the tension in her posture. "You're ridiculous."

"Maybe," he admitted, glancing over his shoulder at her. "But at least I'm not boring."

He tried to ignore her gaze drilling into his back as he headed for the registration table. Sure, maybe he was making a fool of himself: He was an adult, a demi-god, a thrice savior of the world, and this was a stupid little kids' game. But it was also about making a point to himself as much as to some girl. It was about living—really living—in a way he hadn't let himself in far too long.

AN: Yeah that's right. I'm alive. And with something new? Insanity. Hope y'all enjoyed!

Until next time,

Peace