It All Started With The New Students... And The Murder

Bonus Chapter : Rooftops

Quick refresher:

"I love the stars" Percy said simply, sounding content. "Hi Zoë. Bob says hi,"

Annabeth looked over and saw tears welling in his eyes.

"Who's Bob?" She asked cautiously.

"Guess it's time for a story then."

—————

Percy's POV

For someone who loved the stars as much as Percy did, he often noticed that he was rarely up on the roof of the Shack. But as he told the story of Bob to Annabeth, a story he had never told anyone before, his emotions threatened to boil over.

He felt horrible as he told the story. He'd given Bob amnesia when he, Reyna and Nico fought him, but Nico was the only one who ever checked up on him, with him being the Hades household butler.

"So Bob was once an ally of Luke's, but you then gave him amnesia and convinced him he was your friend?" Annabeth asked him, sounding slightly impressed.

Percy stared into her enchanting grey eyes, tears welling in them, just like with his, and nodded.

"He lives in the basement of Nico's house, and Nico lives somewhere where you can't see the stars at night..." Percy choked. "When I visited Nico a few d- days ago, h- he asked me to t- tell the stars I say hi."

"A- and Zoë? W- why did you say hi to her?" Annabeth asked. Percy couldn't help but appreciate how cautious she asked her questioned.

"W- when she died, Artemis named that constellation after her." Percy replied, pointing to Zoë's constellation.

The Huntress shooting her bow as clear as always in the night sky.

"Artemis? As in our P.E. teacher assistant Artemis?" Annabeth asked in shock, moving slightly, leaning her head on Percy's shoulder.

Percy felt a tear roll down his cheek. "Y- yeah. T- they were dating."

"What were they like?" Annabeth asked.

"They were perfect for each other. Zoë was one of the few people who could put up with Artemis' childish antics. Her d- death... it changed Artemis." Percy sighed. "She became much less childish and more serious. S- she turned into me." 

"W- what do you mean she turned into you?" Annabeth asked.

"She turned into a ruthless, unemotional killer." Percy could no longer contain his tears, closing his eyes. 

He'd never talked about any of this to anyone before, and perhaps that had been a mistake, but he was raised to never show any emotions.

"That's not all you are, Percy." He felt himself get turned to the side.

He opened his eyes and was met with the deep, hard grey eyes he'd come to love, falling more and more and more every time he saw them.

"I don't care what you think, I see you for who you really are." Annabeth whispered, pulling him into a hug. "You're so kind and caring, and you love your friends more than anything."

Percy felt her beginning to cry.

"Y- you more than anyone taught me what a loving family is." Annabeth whispered. "The way you are with Estelle, Reyna, Sally and Paul... that's who you truly are, Seaweed Brain."

He began suspecting that her home life might not be as happy and cheerful as she always said it was.

"It- it's what family is supposed to be." 

Suddenly, Percy remembered Annabeth saying something about having issues with her stepmother.

"Your stepmother, right?" He asked, trying to be as cautious as she had been earlier.

Annabeth nodded and Percy felt her grip his shirt tighter as he felt tears run down the side of his neck.

"Not tonight... I promise I'll tell you, but not now." Annabeth replied.

"You don't ever have to tell me if you're not comfortable-"

"No. I want to." Annabeth interrupted him. "Just not now. Can we enjoy the stars for tonight?"

"I'd love to." Percy replied.

Annabeth pulled away and Percy leaned his forehead against her's, a show of affection he and Reyna had traded many times.

"M- maybe I could tell you over dinner sometime?" 

Percy was stunned for a moment, but then decided to do something he thought he'd never do again.

"Yes. I know just the place."

Annabeth's eyes lit up, glistening and shining, a half formed tear still in one of her eyes.

They laid back down onto the roof, watching the stars in comfortable silence, subconsciously intertwining their hands at some point.