𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 | ᵖᵉʳᶜʸ ʲᵃᶜᵏˢᵒⁿ

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦

"You must be hungry," Medusa remarked as Enid, Grover, and Percy walked around the large table filled with different snacks. "I left snacks on the table while I get something proper going."

Enid moved closer to the table to smell the food, with Grover and Percy leaning in beside her. Percy spoke up, "You think it's safe to eat?"

"I have to admit, I'm much too hungry to think intelligently," Enid replied, her mouth watering. Percy looked at her with a half-smile.

"Percy, I'm really hungry too," Grover said as he looked at his friend. "And I'm ready to take that chance."

Enid turned when she heard the doorbell ring, and a smile formed on her lips when she saw Annabeth entering the dining room. "Hey, you came!"

"Told you, I'm not leaving you with her," Annabeth shrugged, stealing a glance at Enid before looking at the table.

"Thanks for coming," Percy said as he walked up to her.

Annabeth looked up at him. "This isn't the same for me as it is for you."

"Why?" Percy asked, genuinely curious.

They heard footsteps coming towards them again. This time, it was Percy who grabbed Enid's arm, lowering his head.

"You're concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena? You shouldn't be," Medusa spoke to Annabeth as she poured water into the glasses on the table. "We're not our parents after all. And you and I might have more in common than you think. Please, sit and eat."

Percy let go of Enid's arm as he and Grover approached the chairs to sit down. Annabeth watched them, rolling her eyes. Enid hesitated slightly before taking a chair too, feeling Annabeth's eyes on her.

"So you're not a monster, what are you then?" Percy asked as he started eating.

"A survivor," Medusa replied, her gaze lingering on Annabeth for a moment before turning back to the table.

"You must be a little more than that. There's a Fury out there that seems terrified of you," Enid exchanged a curious glance with Annabeth as Percy initiated a conversation with Medusa.

"Because she knows what I think of her. I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there than they planned for. The gift the gods gave me is that I cannot be bullied anymore," Medusa explained calmly.

Grover and Enid exchanged a look while listening to Medusa's words, sensing the tension in the air. They knew Annabeth wouldn't let that slide.

"What my mother did to you wasn't a gift, it was a curse," Annabeth stated firmly, her voice tinged with emotion.

"You are loyal to your mother," Medusa said, smiling at Annabeth. "You stand by her?"

Annabeth frowned, her expression unwavering. "Yes, always."

"You love her?"

"Of course, i do."

Percy, Grover, and Enid glanced at Annabeth, then at Medusa, munching on their snacks. Enid leaned towards the boys and whispered, "That's better than the movies."

"And so did I," Medusa confessed to Annabeth. "So did I. Do you know the story of how I came to be this way?""

"I do," Grover shrugged.

Medusa tilted her head, looking at him. "Do you?"

"Do I?" Grover looked at his friends, confused.

Enid frowned and took a bite out of her cereal bar as Medusa continued. "Athena was everything to me. I worshipped her, I prayed to her. I made offerings. She never answered. Not even an omen to suggest she appreciated my love. I wasn't like you, sweetheart. I was you. I would have worshipped her that way for a lifetime... in silence. But then one day, another god came, and he broke that silence."