300 Years

Chapter 7

Percy whistled as he walked along the corridor. He turned a corner and saw Bianca leaning against the windowsill, looking out on the city. "Hey Bia. What'cha doin'?" She started slightly. "Oh hi Percy. I was just... thinking." Percy accepted her explanation without question, though the wistful look on her face didn't go unnoticed. "Hey do you want to go flying?" Percy asked suddenly. Bianca sighed. "I can't." "Why not? As far as I can see you keep your wings in perfect shape." Bianca looked away from him, returning her gaze to the multicoloured lights of the city. "It's because of my dad." She said quietly. Percy shrugged. "Don't see what you're worried about, Zeus can't get you here." "It's not that. Children of Hades belong on the ground or under it. Not in the air. We all fear heights to some degree." "But you have wings, and you've used them before during training and drills, there's nothing to worry about." "But what if I can't do it?" "I believe in you Bianca, you can do it." Bianca hesitated. "That's different though, its never high up." She thought for a little longer before giving in, "Okay. Just this once, if this goes badly I'm not flying again." "Alright!" Percy grabbed her hand and dragged her up the tower. He climbed up onto the windowsill and pulled her up after, before pulling himself up onto the roof with practiced ease and helping her up. "Woah. Nice view." "Yep! I love it up here. Now, let's try flying. So you need to put your feet like this, arms out for balance, stretch your wings, jump and flap as hard as you can." Percy demonstrated and flew up a couple feet before swooping back down. Bianca hesitantly extended her wings, flapping them warily. 

 Percy hovered over the edge of the roof, his wings flapping just enough to support him. "You need to flap harder." She jumped and flapped her wings hard, but just fell back down. "Try getting a run up." Bianca backed up to the edge of the roof and ran forwards, stopping and jumping before she ran off the edge. "Run off the edge." Percy said suddenly. "If it doesn't work I'll catch you." Bianca eyed him warily, deciding whether or not she trusted him enough to catch her before she tumbled to certain death. Deciding she could trust him, she backed up again and ran forwards, gathering her courage before throwing herself off the roof. She flapped her wings clumsily and for a terrifying moment, she free fell through the air, covering her head with her arms, but then her wings caught her and she rose into the air. Percy swooped down to her, cheering. Bianca hovered, breathing heavily for a few moments before grinning breathlessly at Percy. He smiled at her and flew off, calling to her, "Follow me!". She flew after him, her wings flapping clumsily and her path uneven. He flew into a cloud, performing his entire repertoire of tricks while Bianca watched him, flying along below him. He swooped down to her, flying on his side beside her. "Can I show you something?" She nodded and he grinned at her, diving down towards the ground. She followed him and they landed on top of a building. He stood on it and spread his arms, gesturing at the view. Bianca looked around at the view, awestruck. "Stay here!" Percy instructed, before diving backwards over the edge. He flew down to the ground and returned a minute later with two slices of pizza from a vendor and two small white cones filled with mini donuts, drizzled with rich melted chocolate. (those donuts are the best, they sell them at fiestas in Spain) He handed her one of both and they sat on the edge, enjoying the food, the view and each others company. 

Luke knocked and poked his head around the door. "Hey Zoë. I was wondering if you wanted to go to the café with me?" Her head whipped upwards, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you asking me on a da-" "No!" Luke hurriedly cut her off, his cheeks flaming red. "As friends," Zoë nodded, her cheeks dusted with a light blush. "Yeah, I'd like to go. I'll meet you in the hall in a few minutes." Luke nodded and withdrew his head from the doorway. 

Zoë stood and walked over to her mirror and began brushing her hair, then swiftly braided it, hesitated and then decided to do a different style than her usual. She unplaited her hair and quickly did a more intricate dutch braid, pinning it carefully into place with a silver pin. While she was doing this, she thought about how when she'd first joined the army she'd hated all the boys except Percy. After a while, about fifteen years or so, she decided that the boys on the team, while being idiots, weren't the type of males Artemis had preached against. She had become closest to Luke out of all the boys, but this would be the first time they'd hung out together outside the group. The idea gave her an uncomfortable, but somehow pleasant, fluttering feeling. She brushed it off and shrugged on her coat, making her way downstairs to where Luke was waiting. 

They walked through the park in awkward silence, trying to think of something to talk about. They reached the coffee shop and walked inside. They sat down at a table together and the waiter came over to get their order. He took Luke's order, a milky coffee with two sugars and a chocolate crossaint, then turned to Zoë and said, "And what will the pretty lady have?" Zoë glared at him and ordered a black coffee. The waiter went to make their coffee's and returned a minute later, setting them down in front of them and winking at Zoë as he slipped a biscuit onto her plate. Zoë glared at him as he returned to the kitchen and grabbed the biscuit off her plate, crumbling it up and throwing it in the bin beside her. "Hey, I could have eaten that!" Luke protested. Zoë huffed angrily and stirred her coffee vigorously. Luke started cracking stupid jokes in an effort to make her laugh and was eventually rewarded with a smile and a small laugh. 

( i apparently forgot to write an ending this so yeah, here ya go ig)