A/N: Hello people and thank you so much for your support, and welcome back to another chapter of our PerZoe work, this time, the final (unless I do an epilogue sometime in the future) part! It's been a fun write, thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!

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Percy and Zoe were amongst the last of their group as they made their way to the woods. Annabeth was by their side — Zoe's to be exact — and talking to the former Lieutenant of Artemis, whilst Grover and Bianca were a few feet ahead of them, leading the group. Percy had been content for much of the journey to simply be amidst his friends and listening as they spoke to one another.

Annabeth, especially, had done more talking than was typical of her. That interest she'd shown at the table was like when she'd find some new topic she'd never heard of before; usually, she'd go on to read a few dozen books thereabout afterwards. Percy supposed there wasn't some sort of epic book written about their journey or all of Zoe's that she'd had prior to the quest.

He wanted to be around when there was.

"Percy?"

"Annabeth?" he asked back in an instant, immediately aware of the fact that he hadn't at all been paying attention to what they'd been saying. Gods, he'd been happy just to walk to the woods with them while they were speaking; he was pretty tired too.

"You really gave the lion's pelt to Bianca?" Annabeth didn't sound doubtful as to whether or not she had. It sounded more like she was confirming something.

He shrugged and nodded a few times. "Yeah," he decided on saying aloud.

"Some people would have given you a fortune for it," Annabeth reached around Zoe's back and rubbed his hair, earning a huff from him while she spoke again. "That was very kind of you to do, Percy. Seriously."

For his part, he waved away those embarrassing words and hastened his pace a little bit. He liked getting compliments as much as the next person, he imagined, but that didn't mean he was all that good at receiving them.

"Might I say, 'tis not only you that claimed as much, Annabeth," Zoe said, finally having dropped the usage of Annabeth's last name; she had to be pleased, it'd taken a few more times since their dinner together. "When first he did so, I had said as much. Back then, I shall add that I thought him mad."

Percy looked over his shoulder at that, speaking when he noticed Zoe was taking a breath. "Why would I have been mad?"

"Have t— you forgot how you led away the skeletons, indestructible and relentless?" Zoe looked ready to continue, but Annabeth spoke, cutting the girl off with an apologetic look.

"Mad as in crazy, Percy. Not mad like you were angry. It's another meaning," Annabeth explained, her gaze flickering between the two. "And when I first met Percy, I'd thought he was a bit crazy too, so it's certainly not just you."

He saw his chance, and he took it. "That's mad."

And then, something extraordinary happened. Something he imagined to be a first, and something that made him set forth to tell jokes all the more often if they'd garner such amazing results.

Zoe, the stoic, serious and disciplined ex-Lieutenant of Artemis, laughed.

That was a point in his book, even if he'd had to look a bit dumb for the joke to work. He'd have to buy Annabeth Oreos or something later for the assist.

Eventually, their walk to the woods had come to an end. The group of five had entered a small clearing not more than a hundred or so feet past the treeline, where it'd still be safe from the monsters that seemed more prevalent the deeper one went. Sometimes, Percy would go in simply to practice, he knew he wasn't the only one either. There'd been plenty of others he'd seen doing the same.

"There's some blueberry bushes over here," Grover said as he led them to the back-left corner of the meadow.

"The trees are thick and close together, and the bushes make for natural walls," Zoe inspected, her findings spoken aloud. "I'd not be surprised if others had made use of this before us. Mayhaps it is they who planted seedlings so close together, or they who fostered the bushes that make for walls."

Grover seemed to agree with her findings based on his nodding. Unlike her, however, he didn't seem to have too many reservations about squeezing between a few bushes to enter the mostly concealed 'campsite'. "You guys coming?" he went so far as to ask when he turned and saw nobody else had followed after him thus far.

Percy wasn't sure about the others, but he followed after Grover in short order. It wasn't like anything could be hiding from them. It wasn't that concealed. After Percy moved, that seemed to break whatever had come over Zoe as she made to follow him, Bianca and Annabeth doing so too.

Another fifteen seconds or so later, and the five were inside the naturally-made camp. It was large enough for twice the amount of people they'd come with, which meant it'd be roomy. Percy grinned and reached for something he'd kept tucked away in the backpack he'd brought along.

It fit the evening, kind of.

"Smores, anybody?"

Annabeth and Bianca were all for it, Grover wasn't nearly as interested, and Zoe… looked perplexed.

"You've never had a s'more?" Bianca sounded nearly offended at the prospect, incredulous too.

Percy figured it made sense though. Zoe was… more experienced than all of them combined, but that didn't mean she'd had the same experiences as them. One only had to hear her speak to come to the same conclusion.

Zoe shook her head. "I can't say that I've so much as heard of one. As you might suspect, the Hunt is usually less luxurious than life within Camp Half-Blood, and it has been very long since last we visited."

I knew it, he grinned internally. "Well, I'll make you one," he said a second later. "I'll make one for everybody… Grover? You want one too?"

"I'd take some marshmallows if that's fine. They're tasty," Grover's latter remark came when Bianca's expression, now outraged, turned on him and away from Zoe.

Percy shrugged and tossed three over to his friend before deciding to just throw the other boy the whole bag. It wasn't like he'd only got one. He'd brought nearly a dozen to Camp, and of those dozen, he'd brought three this very night; the night was important, after all.

"Could you burn mine, please?" Bianca asked as she drew closer to him, enough so that she was all but standing over his shoulder and steering down as he stuck a stick through the first mallow. She elaborated a few seconds later when he'd gotten the marshmallow firmly on the stick and started reaching, hesitantly, toward the fire with it. "I like it crunchy!"

As for the fire, it'd been very quickly started by Zoe after they'd gathered a few rocks and ensured they had dry wood to start it with.

"You like it crunchy?" Annabeth asked with a wrinkled nose. "That sounds horrible. It's supposed to be soft and squishy and melted. Haven't you seen the ads or pictures?"

Bianca huffed and set her hands on her hips as she stared at Annabeth. "Crunchy's best, try it. I'm older than you."

I've been waiting for that one, Percy thought as he coughed, hiding laughter. I wonder what they'll do when Zoe pulls that card.

"Technically, you're correct, but in terms of experience I'd have to contest that," Annabeth began, and from there, a very long-winded conversation with a lot of math and effort occurred.

If he was telling the truth, Percy had zoned out for just about all of it. He only really regained his focus when he'd accidentally set aflame one of the marshmallows, the stick to which it'd been attached accidentally going lower than he'd wanted it to.

"Dibs on that one!"

Percy blinked and looked at Bianca. He swore he saw a mosquito that got too near her get sucked into the flames when he did so. "You really want it? I t— nah, here you go," he'd just about been ready to say he'd thought she'd been joking, but he'd caught and stopped himself as he gave her the marshmallow for her to assemble her own treat.

The last thing he needed was another conversation about how best to eat a s'more.

"Here," he said a few seconds later, and when the perfect four had been created. "Lemme know what you think, Zoe."

Zoe took the smores he'd made for her carefully, avoiding the running chocolate and the melted marshmallow as it began to seep out the edges of the treats. Tentatively, and with a few pairs of eyes on her as she did so, Zoe took her first bite.

Her reaction was almost comical. Zoe's brows raised, her eyes squinted before they focused on the offending food, and then, she took a second bite. That bite was followed by a third, and without half as much hesitation as there'd previously been.

"What else might you show me?"

Zoe's question was directed at Percy, and he wondered if there was more to it than how simple it had sounded. He figured it was, but he wasn't sure how… he'd ask Annabeth or Grover later for their thoughts since they'd been here to hear her.

As he'd suspected might happen, by the end of their time together, it was only Percy and Zoe left. Annabeth had been the first to leave, her reason being that she wanted to get plenty of sleep for the day ahead so that she could wake up early and get back into her old schedule.

After her, Grover left. He'd been pretty secretive, and while Percy had wanted to know more, he settled for not doing so. He didn't need to be nosy. Sure, he might know it was about a girl already, but he wouldn't pry beyond that; of itself that was already the most important information to satiate his curiosity.

And then, lastly, was Bianca. Bianca had left nearly thirty minutes after Grover, who had left fifteen or so after Annabeth. Bianca, as could be expected of her, was very inquisitive and energetic, the smores likely feeding into the latter quality more so than anything else. Still, eventually, she'd grown tired and remembered that before she went to bed, she'd promised to spend a bit more time with Nico.

"Do you find the pale light of our Lady Artemis as entrancing as I?" Zoe asked, her vision focused on a beam that came down in nearly a perfect circle a good thirty or forty feet further into the forest. The beam was, as one might deduce, created from nought but moonlight.

It hadn't been there originally, or if it had, it hadn't been nearly as bright as it'd become. It was almost like those shows or games where aliens would beam down and take somebody away… maybe not blinding, but noticeable.

"It's pretty," Percy said as he looked at the aforementioned beam. It didn't hold his attention for very long. Naturally, that returned to Zoe as one might suspect. Again, he couldn't help but think of how stupid he'd been to not recognise her beauty. "You really liked the smores?"

"It's not oft I get to enjoy delights as sweet as they," Zoe answered. "As I've come to expect from you — I've been introduced to yet another first. Mayhaps I should come to recognise that every new happening henceforth shall be with you at my side, introducing me thereto."

Percy grinned. "I think I could think of a few more things… you've never seen a movie, have you?"

From there and as they walked in the pale light of the moon back to their respective cabins, the two talked of many a different experience. There were many that Percy had thought up that he'd like to introduce her to, and as one might suspect, Zoe too was of an opinion that there was much she could show him.

What each failed to see in the midst of their joyful conversation, was the shape of a figure, still, watchful, and grinning, as they took their leave.

Percy woke without a sense of urgency or nervousness. Instead, when a state of consciousness was returned to him, he rolled over under the warm covers of his bed and stretched his arms up and over his head. He had his cabin to himself, as was oft the case, and Zoe wouldn't yet be around for another fifteen minutes at the earliest.

They'd sort of formed a schedule, Zoe and Percy. Zoe would rise first, something she'd been in the habit of for longer than she'd care to say, and from there she'd take a stroll around the treeline, and then the lake. After doing so, she'd return to Artemis' cabin wherein she'd check over her bow, fletch new arrows and attach unto them the feathers needed for accuracy.

Percy, meanwhile, would be sleeping. He'd be sleeping until those adjustments or extra arrows were crafted for the day, and thenceforth, the two would shower at nearly the same time. After doing so, they'd just meet up near the end of the showers and head off to the Mess Hall together.

It was perfect. Especially since it meant he got to sleep in without feeling like he was missing out on anything and Zoe was able to maintain her equipment to her standards. He was thankful his ever-faithful companion, Riptide, needed so little attention.

Again, Percy groaned and stretched, before finally, he tossed aside the covers of his bed and allowed the brisk air to get to him. In doing so, he felt more awake and attentive, and certainly far colder than he'd previously been… maybe he could reach back for those covers and catch a bit more rest.

I wish, Percy thought morosely. Time to get up and get moving before I fall back asleep.

And so he did. Percy rose, grabbed a change of clothes, and after making sure he wasn't too horrible-looking in the morning, made his way out from his father's cabin and onto the path that lay between them all. He took a look around upon exiting the aforementioned cabin, and as he did so, he basked in the light of the sun.

Today felt like it'd be hot. Enough so that he might take a trip down to the water to cool off and see if could come up with anything new whilst doing so. If only he could ask Zoe for help regarding that as well. Unfortunately, that was something he'd have to figure out as he went along.

Percy took one last deep breath, the summer smells bringing a fond look to his face, and then he started off towards the showers. In the span of ten minutes, he was shampooed, cleaned and dressed, and from there, he sought out Zoe by a large, prickly bush that was ten or so feet from the showers.

As he'd suspected, she'd beaten him there. He figured she'd do so just about every time. Percy doubted he'd ever compete with her in terms of agility or fluidity of motion, but he was strong, and he was fast enough; their time together had proven the group complimented one another too.

"Zoe," Percy greeted with a grin as he strolled over to her. "Morning."

"Good morning, Percy," Zoe returned as she pushed away from the tree she'd been reclining against to fall into step beside him.

Unlike when first she'd returned, the awkward nature wasn't nearly as prevalent as it'd once been. Instead, the two still had a lasting… tension? Maybe that was the word for the two, but it didn't quite feel right to Percy. She was just strange, sometimes, and others, as normal as he'd come to know her to be.

"You know the new year's coming around soon, right?"

Zoe paused for a moment, her eyes find him, and then a look of understanding passed over her. "By the current calendar, I believe that's the case. Why do you mention it?"

At that, he couldn't help but swallow as he thought about backing out of the plan's he'd made. Maybe he could ask her later. Or when it was about to start. Or while they were there.

He swallowed again and spoke them aloud; after his prior conversation with Zoe in the Strawberry Fields, there didn't seem to be any reason for him to beat around the bush.

"I was thinking," he started. "Would you want to go with me to the Amphitheater and the beach? There's usually some stuff we could do, like songs, fireworks and other things. We could picnic too. A lot of people do."

Zoe's brows rose at the mention of fireworks, though that wasn't to say the mention of songs went without notice either. Annabeth, in privacy, had told him what little she knew about Zoe's family, and so he figured the songs and dance might be familiar, comforting even, to her.

"Would this be something done in a formal capacity?" Zoe asked.

"Not really. I guess people usually just ask each other if they have a crush on the person, and if it's mutual, they go together and do whatever they'd want. Most of the time, people usually sit on a blanket and picnic, share a meal and watch some fireworks or listen to the people singing," he answered honestly. Gods, it really made it easier too when he knew that Zoe had at least already decided to give him a chance.

Zoe had been nodding along as he spoke, and when he finished doing so, her response came immediately thereafter.

"I'd like that."

And then they continued on to the Mess Hall, arms looped together as had become a habit for the pair whensoever they were together, and that'd been so very often as of late.

Percy poked at a few strands of hair as he looked in the mirror. They were being especially rebellious as he tried to make sure he looked a bit better than he usually did. Initially, he'd even considered seeking out help from a few campers from the Aphrodite Cabin — a horrible idea in and of itself — until he remembered how they'd react.

It wasn't necessarily bad, he supposed, but they'd always stare at him and Zoe when the two were together, arm-in-arm. He supposed it made sense, annoying as it was. Zoe was one of if not the only person to ever be released from the Hunt, and it'd come at the behest of multiple Gods after a quest that could easily be deemed one of the most important in recent times.

All the same, it wasn't really an option for him. Instead, he took a look through the clothes he'd brought and picked out a few good-looking pieces therefrom. They'd look better than the typical clothing of the camp or the casual stuff he'd brought, and he didn't think it'd be overly formal or anything like that.

Percy checked himself out one last time, dressed, adorned himself in cologne and finally, stepped out from his father's cabin as he'd done many a time before. It was livelier than ever, as one might expect from the New Year. The Crafts area was bustling, the Mess Hall was packed full and people were going between various cabins, their voices loud and carrying on the wind.

For the most part, what the others of Camp Half-Blood did as they went about their business didn't so much as get registered in Percy's mind. He blocked them out, by and large, and made for his group of friends he'd finally managed to pick out near the edge of the Mess Hall. He reached them in short order, spying a glance at the baskets they'd packed for the picnic they'd have together.

One of them, undoubtedly one meant for Grover, was filled with tin cans and cheese enchiladas. Percy'd never understand how the other boy considered the latter so much as a remotely tasty snack — he'd even tried taking a bite of one. Suffice it to say, metal would never have a spot in his stomach. From what Annabeth had said afterwards, that was probably for the best too.

"We're ready?" Percy asked as he glanced again at the baskets before his eyes settled back on the faces of his friends.

"We're ready," Annabeth responded as she carefully slipped away from the aforementioned baskets. "If you'd be so kind, Seaweed Brain."

Percy got the message, not that he'd really needed it. He stepped past Zoe, grabbed a basket, passed it along to Grover, and then grabbed the final two baskets. Grover's other hand was shortly thereafter occupied with the drinks they'd be having as well, leaving Zoe and Annabeth free-handed.

"Think they'd notice if I snuck a tin can?" Grover asked in a hushed voice, his tone, conspiratorial.

He looked at his friend then, and seeing the seriousness on the other boy's face, Percy couldn't but shake his head. "You know, Grover, something tells me they won't notice it."

When they arrived at the typically-called Fireworks Beach and made to set up their picnic for the New Year's show they'd be getting, Percy was proven right. He wasn't surprised.

It's too bad Bianca had to leave. She would have lived the fireworks, Percy thought as Annabeth set the very long and wide blanket they'd brought. She'd been very adamant that she do so; her words had been about ensuring the best angle so that nobody gets stuck atop rocks or mud or something else that'd be unfortunate.

"How long, Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"Oh, you know, just about two hours to go," he replied with a snicker, only just managing to dodge an acorn as she threw it — softly — at him. "Need any help, Wise Girl?"

"I can handle the monstrous blanket, thank you."

Grover, meanwhile, had been content to sit on the grass and spirit away another tin can when he hadn't thought anybody was looking. Percy wasn't sure why the other boy felt the need to try and do so secretly, it wasn't exactly like tin cans were the pinnacle of culinary arts.

On the other hand, the cheese enchiladas Grover had packed… Percy might go and accidentally trip mouth-first into one.

"You've seen fireworks previously, haven't you?"

It had been Annabeth to speak again, and her question was directed at Zoe. That was right. When they'd mentioned the fireworks, she hadn't acted inquisitive or surprised. Briefly, fleetingly even, he wondered how somebody could hear about fireworks but not hear about smores… it was unfair, it was an outrage!

"I have seen them many dozens of times, yes," Zoe confirmed, the number far surpassing that of his own and Annabeth's both; Annabeth's face gave that away. "And yet, I would claim that each time I have been fortunate enough to see them, they're so very different. Cease to amaze me, those that are without a touch of divinity will never stop doing."

Percy was with her there. But then again, he kinda felt like one of those people without a touch of divinity. He'd definitely lived the majority of his life sans the knowledge of his godly ancestry, just like most of the others at Camp Half-Blood.

"I can only imagine how mistifying they'd been when you saw them," Annabeth all but gushed.

Zoe's eyes seemed to flash. It was almost as if he'd seen the memory scurry behind the curtains of her eyes so that it might reach its destination; her mind.

"Many memories o'mine are mistifying," Zoe responded, and after doing so, she sat down. Unlike most, she didn't lay down or lay lengthwise. Instead, she favoured a crouch of sorts, one that he didn't think looked very comfy, but one that she maintained without fuss nonetheless.

Annabeth and Percy followed after her, and a few seconds later, Grover dusted himself down and joined them. Already, it'd begun to be quite dark, the majority of their light coming from torches and the like rather than the moon.

"Oh!" Annabeth exclaimed suddenly. "Grover, come with me, please. We forgot to pick up the cookies."

Grover rose to his feet again, the third time in the past few minutes, and with remnants of tin, mere specs really, falling to the ground below; he brushed them away before he started off after the already racing Annabeth.

"Percy?"

He turned to Zoe and acknowledged her by way of eye contact.

"I'd like to thank you for giving me some semblance of normality," Zoe said, her voice focused and words spoken slowly. "And for being kind as you have. It is as I said — few, if any, are as brave and true as thee."

She's slipping into that old talk again, he thought, only just suppressing a large, beaming smile; he didn't want to terrify her.

"I'm glad you th—"

Zoe gave him a side hug and thenceforth until Annabeth returned, time was but a blur. A beautiful, Zoe-shaped blur.