𝑆 𝑂 𝑁 𝐺 𝐵 𝐼 𝑅 𝐷 - p. jackson

c h a p t e r f i v e

edited

chapter five

ah yes, let's swim to death

after a while annabeth left to go sit below deck, for sailing didn't suit her. salem stayed up top with percy, helping him to keep watch. percy had tried to keep his eyes on the water, but they kept drifting towards salem; whatever aphrodite did to her, he found her impossibly more gorgeous, in the most respectful way. 

salem must've caught him staring, because she turned her body towards him and leaned against the side of the ship, a smirk plastered across her pink lips. "whatcha looking at, waterboy?" 

percy stuttered to answer her. "oh, uh-nothing! nothing, you just, uh, you look really pretty."  he mentally cursed himself for being so flustered; they were in the middle of the most dangerous waters in the world and yet his biggest challenge was speaking to his questmate.

"i know." she said simply.

percy let out a nervous chuckle and salem smacked his arm, "i'm just joking, fishface. lighten up." she smiled a genuine smile and percy's crush on her grew even more. "but seriously, thank you."

after a few moments percy spoke up again. "so, i have a feeling you were lying when you said 'im fine' ?"

"well of course i was lying." she chuckled dryly. "it wasn't a big deal, no need to mention it."

"sounded like a big deal to me."

"dude, all it was was a dislocated shoulder and then some bruises, i've had worse."

"and you didn't think to tell us?" he pressed. "just because you've had worse, doesn't mean it's unimportant."

"percy, demigods can't let simple injuries stop them. we can't be weak. being weak is what gets us killed. i haven't left camp since i was probably six; i've had more injuries than i can count and that is what prepared me for the real world. training will only get you so far. sure, you'll learn to fight, but if you hurt your fighting hand, you're screwed."

percy simply stayed silent until he could find a new topic.

the two children conversed for the following hours, talking about all sorts of different things. surprisingly, salem seemed to be warming up to the boy. she wasn't really sure why, but i guess that's what being on a deadly quest together does to you. 

"okay, so last year for my birthday the stolls made me a cake, and i was so excited because they told me it had marshmallow flavored icing, but in reality it was garlic flavoured!" salem told the boy, causing both to burst out laughing.

"so wait, when is your birthday?" percy asked between laughs.

"april 16" salem told the boy. "i'm an aries."