Coffee buddies

Chapter 14: Star gazing

-------------Percy's Pov:-------------

When I woke up the next morning it was around 2-ish in the morning. The cold breeze was all that I woke up to, the sweat on my face quickly drying with the surrounding temperature. 

I pushed myself out of the burning bed and further into the open air of my room. It was barely lit, the light from the moon and streetlight's covered my things like a thin layer of dust. I looked over just as a gust of wind pushed my hair off my shoulder. My blue curtain was flapping in the wind, making the fish on the bottom of the curtain look like they were actually swimming. 

My head started to swim again from my nightmares mere moments before. Flashes of the others perishing before my eyes haunted my every sleeping moment, and to add to the fun, Tim was now there, somehow making this worse.

I groaned, pressing my hands against my eyes and seeing the imprint of my dreams in my eyes. I immediately dropped my hands before gently pushing myself out of the bed, my feet meeting the floor gently. A small shock went through me as the cold seeped in. Slowly I made my way out my room and down the hall. All I need was some reassurance while it was here. 

I peeked my head around the corner to be, thankfully, met with the sight of everyone asleep, even Nico which was a blessing within itself. I was thankful that he had finally gotten comfortable enough to sleep around us. I had to admit, it had been a very hurt filled time period while I tried to get over the awkwardness when Nico confessed to me a while ago. Apparently he had a crush on me at some point in time, but after some time it all kinda faded and everything's good between us. 

I felt a small smile grace my lips before I walked silently past them and out to my "balcony" In all honesty it was a glorified staircase up to the roof, though I personalized it with some plants from the kids back at camp. It was amazing how they haven't died yet. 

I pulled myself up the metal stairs, and a couple stories later I had made it to the roof. I sat down before pulling my legs up to my chest, I turned my attention up the stars. They hung in the air like small bubbles in the water, only they didn't disappear, instead they stayed, making beautiful patterns around the dark sky. 

"Bob says hello" I mumbled quietly. I said this phrase once every night, and I admit the first hundred times I said it, I ended up running back to Annabeth sobbing from the memories that usually came flooding back, but now the saying only brought me peace. It was a way to fondly remember a friend and rest a wish.

I let out a sigh and a plume of fog appeared, floating up while slowly becoming less visible. 

In this silent state, with only the sounds of the city to accompany me, I heard something that didn't quite fit in. I heard the sound of grumbling and footsteps. I looked down from the stars to see a guy on the other side of the street, he was on the other buildings roof, his suit looking vaguely familiar. He seemed a bit annoyed from his hunched posture and angry grumbling but hey, I could tooooottally be wrong.

"Yo! Vigilante dude, you doin okay?" I called out, deciding that maybe this guy could use a faceless therapist. 

The mans head snapped to me with astounding speed and I could see his facial expressions change from even under his mask. A minute later he calls out "sure, I guess"

"Well you wanna talk about what's not included in that sure?" I asked, knowing that "sure I guess" was never a confident response. 

 He shrugged and pulled out a grappling hook from his belt and a second later the man was in front of me. His hair seemed to be messy, and I could see a couple things out of place proving he'd gotten into some sort of scuffle tonight. 

"Whoa, dude you look kinda crazy, you sure you doin okay?" They guy paused but nodded. 

"Yeah, just got into a bit of a fight with the Joker and his goons. Nothing much" He was obviously trying to make his voice lower but to anyone with a trained ear it was so awkwardly obvious. 

"Come and sit, tell me about it" I pat the ground next to me. 

He seemed conflicted but shook his head "actually I have to go. I have people waiting on the other me" He replied. 

I stared at him as my brain tried to figure out who he was before it suddenly clicked. He had helped me back a while back, like so far back that I had just met Tim. It was kinda weird that I used my time with Tim as a tracking of time but I'll go with it. 

"Hey, you're that dude that helped me a long time back, and if I'm remembering properly I still owe you some sort of thanks." I paused trying to think back to my apartment for anything worth giving but at the moment my most expensive item was the pan my mother got me cause she was scared I would pass away without a way to make food. Bless her heart. 

"Oh, no no I'm okay, I do this to help, not for thanks." He put his hands up.

"Well, fine, but feel free to come to me at anytime for anything. If you get in trouble with the cops I'm here man, I'll hide you okay?" I said in a joking manner but I was deadly serious. 

He chuckled and the chuckle once again sounded horribly familiar but I chalked it up to our last meet up. "Thanks, but be careful what you offer cause I might just hold you to that" He smirked. 

"Oh, I see we aren't all good. Scandalous, I see you Mr. Vigilante" I punched him on the shoulder lightly. 

Even behind the mask I could see the eye roll. " Alright calm down. I best be going though. Sleep well ma'am" He waved before running off, not giving me time to say goodbye. I smiled as he disappeared into the city.

With a small sigh, I looked back up at the stars allowing for the breeze to comfort me as it blew against my side, almost like a hug. I allowed myself to relax as I knew that in an hour or well in Leo's case a couple hours, I'd have to deal with a bunch of super powered toddlers. So with my time to myself, I continued to star gaze.

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1137 words

Y'all I got the Rona, it's all good, breathing is a little difficult and I have a 4 day headache but I promise everything is onkie donkie. Please have a good morning, day, or night!