After Percy and Annabeth broke up, everything seemed to shift in ways you hadn't expected. The first surprise came when Percy showed up in your room in the middle of the night, hours after the breakup.

You blinked at him in confusion, not sure what to think—after all, the two of you had barely exchanged more than a few words. But there he was, standing awkwardly in your doorway. But still, it felt odd.

That night, you sat together in the quiet darkness as Percy poured his heart out. He spoke in a low, rough voice, his words tumbling over one another as he tried to make sense of everything that had happened. When he finally finished, he pulled you into a hug, holding on a little too tightly before mumbling a quick goodnight and heading back to his room.

You thought that would be the end of it—a one-time thing, just Percy needing someone to talk to in the aftermath. But then it happened again. And again. Every other night, Percy would knock on your door, gently pulling you out of bed to walk with him under the stars.

At first, it was easy to see it as just friendly comfort. But then Percy started to get more comfortable around you. His jokes became a little more flirty, his touches lingering a little longer than they used to. He’ll hug you out of nowhere, his hands resting on your shoulders just a beat too long. You couldn’t help but wonder if this was just Percy being Percy, or if there was something more to it. Was he trying to make you his rebound? He’s just being really friendly, and you’re reading too much into it. But still, the timing was suspicious. Why had he started seeking you out right after the breakup?

On another night when Percy came to your cabin, you decided you couldn’t put it off any longer. He pulled you out of bed, as usual, and the two of you wandered around the Argo under the glow of the moon. The silvery light cast long shadows across the deck, illuminating the tension you felt building inside. You walked side by side, the night’s silence amplifying your heartbeat in your ears.