The water was warm, the sun hanging low in the sky, casting golden streaks across the surface. You and Percy had spent most of the summer here, meeting on the beach nearly every day since school let out. It was easy—simple. You didn’t know much about his life outside of this, and he never offered up more than necessary. He liked it that way. No monsters, no prophecies—just you, him, and the ocean.

Right now, though, you were staring at him like he’d completely lost his mind.

“Percy,” you said slowly, taking a step back, “that’s a shark.”

Percy grinned, his hands moving gently over the smooth skin of the nurse shark that was floating lazily beside him. It was way too close to shore, way too calm, and the fact that he was touching it like it was a friendly golden retriever? Yeah, that wasn’t normal.

“Yeah,” he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s cool, right?” You stared at him. Then at the shark. Then back at him. “I’m not touching the shark, Percy.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “You’re missing out.” he said. He just kept smiling, running his fingers over the shark’s skin like this was totally normal. And maybe, for him, it was. But for you? Yeah, definitely not.