[2] 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 ― l.valdez ✓

002.

「002. and the memories bring back...  」

BARBIE ALLEN had never felt so nervous. the only thing she could actually compare to what she was feeling right now was a few years ago. one of her older siblings had went on a long quest that was approximate to take two months and barbie had missed them so much. at the start, she'd been sad without them, moping around until she eventually immersed herself back into training. but a week before their announcement of the fact they were coming back- barbie had spiraled into nerves. on one hand- she'd been overjoyed. they were coming back. she got to see her sibling again, she got to see them after so long. but then there were worried too- was their sibling okay? where they hurt? did they have any injuries? were... were they okay?

the same thing applied to barbie now. except a lot more was rushing around in her mind. her stomach felt like there was helium in it, threatening to make her fly away. her heart was beating fast out of excitement or fear- she couldn't quite tell. but she couldn't contain herself. she'd seen percy.

as they walked off the ship (with a very grumpy cherry since the screaming statue seemed to think that goldie was apparently 'a weapon'), barbie watched a sea of hastily assembled demigods part for them as they walked through the forum- like they were celebrities or something. some looked tense, some looked norvouce. some were bandaged from their recent battle with the giants,  but no one was armed. no one attacked. entire families had gathered to see the newcomers. barbie saw couples with babies, toddlers clinging to their parents' legs, even some elderly folks in a combination of roman robes and modern clothes. were all of them demigods?

she guessed they were, thought she'd never seen a place like this. at camp, most demigods were teens. and if they survived long enough to graduate high school (or in barbie's case- finally get annabeth to stop tutoring her. she was still working on that, by the way) they either stayed on as councillors (like barbie) or left to start lives as best as they coil in the mortal world. here, it was an entire multigenerational community.

at the far end of the crowd, barbie spotted tyson and couldn't help herself but grin so widely she felt like her face might pull off. he waved at her brightly, grinning back at her.

in front of her, the demigods made way for a girl in full roman armor and a purple cape. dark hair tumbled across her shoulders. her eyes were as black as obsidian. reyna. jason had described her well. even without that, barbie would have singled her out as the leader. medals decorated her armor. she carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze. barbie recognized something else in her face, too—in the hard set of her mouth and the deliberate way she raised her chin like she was ready to accept any challenge.

reyna was forcing a look of courage, while holding back a mixture of hopefulness and worry and fear that she couldn't show in public. annabeth knew that expression. she saw it every time she looked in a mirror. the two girls considered each other. her friends fanned out on either side. the romans murmured jason's name, staring at him in awe.

then someone else appeared from the crowd, and barbie's vision tunneled. percy jackson. water boy. her water boy. the little bubbling fairytale in her mind began to grow larger, and she could practically feel herself glowing, her eyes probably bright pink, the blue not seen.

he looked around at all them, smiling brightly. his sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. his dark hair slightly wavy and looking freshly washed and far too attractive. he literally looked like a god (perhaps that was a bit too much- no. probably not). he had changed in six months- but it was welcomed. he was slightly tanner and taller, and looked leaner and more muscled. basically, he was hot as fuck. and barbie felt like he was definitely way out of her league.