𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

004

(chapter iv - thalia fails her driver's test)

"WAIT...DID THAT actually happen?" Percy spluttered, his words barely coherent as he struggled to breath.

"Yes! It did!" Selene insisted. "Then Clarisse never looked my way again."

"I guess I wasn't the only one she tried to give her signature swirly, then." Percy said, sighing as he recovered from his laughing fit. Then, as if someone flicked off the 'Percy is Happy' switch, his mood changed.

Selene furrowed her brows as his smile shifted into a frown. He stared longingly at the horizon, playing with his fingers.

She suddenly seemed very awkward. Making sure she didn't overstep, she casually huddled closer to him, raising a brow. "Hey, what's up?" She questioned softly, leaning her head down slightly to stare at him.

Percy stared back at her. "It's nothing."

"Shut up, it's clearly not nothing," Selene huffed in reply. "What does the prophecy kid have on his mind, Hm? Of course, you don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable—"

"No, it's not that," Percy quickly assured. "It's just — I feel like I failed."

"Failed what?" She whispered.

"Everything!" Percy groaned. "This extraction was supposed to go well. Instead, Annabeth is gone, and one of the demigods we were supposed to extract wandered off into the eternal girl's club."

Selene frowned.

"What's even worse? I've been on two quests before. Two! And — and you were better at this stupid thing that I was. I was upset that Thalia came back, so she could steal the glory, but maybe it's for the best."

"Hey, don't think like that." Selene argued. She reached up and rubbed small, comforting circles on his back — rather awkwardly. "You still are the prophecy kid, in my eyes. You don't need a bunch of sentences to define who you are. The prophecy didn't fight the Minotaur, did it? Did it return Zeus's lighting bolt? Travel across the Sea of Monsters?"

Percy shook his head, and Selene nodded.

"Exactly," She said. "You still are Perseus Jackson. The strong, heroic and...brainless, fourteen year-old boy."

"Hey!" Percy protested, slapping her knee. She could still clearly see the smile rising on his face though.

He then stared at her for a bit, his brows slightly furrowing in wonder. At this, Selene couldn't help but raise a brow.

"What? Do I have something on my face, Barnacle Boy?"

Percy shook his head. "Nah. You just have that same thing your mother does."

Selene tilted her head.

"In the moon," Percy explained. "It's like you....you glow." She could feel blush rising to her cheeks. "It's...it's really pretty, you know."

She beamed at the compliment. "Thanks, Percy. You don't look that bad yourself."

Percy grinned. He was about to say something, but then, Thalia and Grover came over, ending their conversation short.

Thalia groaned. "Artemis assured us dawn was coming, but it's still dark. and snowy. and cold."

Grover nodded silently in agreement. "Mind if we sit with you guys?"

They didn't wait for an answer. Thalia and Grover both huddled up on either side of them, Thalia on Selene's side while Grover was at Percy's. They said nothing, for a moment, the chattering of teeth and crackling of  fire the only noise.