Chapter Text
“Damn, I did not know that.”
“Really? I thought it was obvious. You have a girlfriend, right? I’d start saying goodbye.”
“But…” A sigh, “Yeah, that’s probably for the best. I knew I was dying, but this is…wow.”
—
“Hold up, no way.” Thalia said, interrupting Nico. “There’s no way Percy’s dying. He seems fine, like he always does. Who was he even talking to?”
Nico shrugged his shoulders, glancing at Hazel who was next to Frank. All of Percy’s “trauma buddies” (aka, the seven plus Nico and Thalia) were sitting around a table, discussing how Percy had changed recently. More distant, less happy, more evasive of questions. They were all concerned, and had decided to all talk about their findings.
“I don’t know,” Nico replies, “I only heard them, but it was definitely a woman. They sounded familiar enough for it to not be a god.”
Frank shook his head, glancing at Jason who was thoughtful. Annabeth spoke up hesitantly, “What if…he’s not telling us things. Everyone has secrets, but this seems pretty big.” She was concerned. Whoever this mystery woman was, she was telling her boyfriend to say goodbye, which could possibly mean break up with her. But why? Percy hadn’t shown signs of wanting to break up with her, and he didn’t keep big things from her either.
While she continued contemplating, Leo threw in his two cents, “What if something's wrong? Like, what if she’s manipulating him?”
Hazel hummed before shaking her head. “I doubt it. Percy isn't easy to manipulate. Nico, did you hear or see anything else?”
The boy in question shakes his head. “No. I was just going to sneak up on him, but then I overheard…” He trails off, shaking his head again.
“What matters is that clearly something is up,” Thalia states firmly, arms crossed over her chest, “Percy is dying, and some woman is involved. We need to ask him about it. Annabeth, do you think we would be best to ask?”
Annabeth shrugs, still thoughtful. “I’m not sure. If Leo’s right, then maybe it would be better if Hazel and Frank asked.”
Piper nods her head, speaking up, “If something's really wrong, then we need to approach this carefully. No offense Annabeth, Thalia, but you might be too close. He won't want to worry either of you. Maybe me and Leo should go. Nico, do you have powers that can tell us if Percy’s dying?”
Nico shakes his head. “I do, but it seems like everything's fine. He doesn't seem ill, or close to death at all.”
“Grover,” Annabeth says, face-palming like it was obvious, “Grover should ask! He’s closer with Percy than anyone, even me. And they have an empathy link. If Percy’s dying, or would be able to ask him about it, Grover would be best.”
Thalia punches the bridge of her nose, disappointed in herself for not remembering. “Of course!”
—
It was decided that Jason and Thalia would confront Percy about his apparent death. Grover, when asked and brought in on the plan, said the same thing as Nico, it didn’t feel as though Percy was dying. So, on a calm Saturday evening, Thalia and Jason went to cabin 3 and knocked.
There was no sound inside, but after a few moments, Percy opened the door with a calm expression, his hair slightly disheveled with a pen behind his ear. “Hey, Thals, Jay. What’s up?” He sounded almost too calm.
Jason started, “Hey, Percy, can we come in? We want to have a talk.”
Percy considered for just a bit too long, before responding, “Uhh, yeah, sure. Just,” He pauses, pursing his lips, “Don’t freak out.”
Jason and Thalia glance at each other, matching raised eyebrows before nodding their heads. Percy opened the doors enough to let them both in, and to their shock, there was a woman there. She was sitting on the floor, back against one of the bunks with books strewn about the floor around her, notebooks with notes and diagrams written inside open, displaying how much work was happening in the room without any of Percy’s friends noticing.
Neither had seen the girl before, but she looked so much like Percy that they could be twins, only difference that she was a few years older, maybe 22-25. She had features that resembled Sally Jackson, as well, which just made it all the more confusing. She wasn’t wearing a camp shirt, but instead a “world’s best mum” shirt, the words clearly hand stitched by a child who didn’t know what they were doing. It was messy and barely legible, but the woman seemed to wear it with pride.
She waved at the pair, eyes lingering on Jason, on his visible SPQR tattoo before looking back at her book. “Percy, come ‘ere.” She didn't share Percy’s new yorker accent, instead sounding more British. But she waved Percy over and he delicately manoeuvred through the pages and books and notes to sit by his friend (??) and look at whatever passage she had highlighted in the book she was reading. He nodded his head thoughtfully before grabbing a notebook nearby and scraggling some notes down on it before handing it to the girl and standing, gesturing for Jason and Thalia to sit on a bunk and he joined them.
“Uuh,” Thalia gestured to the random woman in his cabin before Percy snapped his fingers and nodded his head.
“Right, yeah, uum. Long story, but this is my sister.” He gestured towards her. “Say hi, Lucy.”
“Hello, son of Jupiter, daughter of the hunt.” Lucy replied, not looking up before glaring at Percy. “And my name is Penelope, dipshit.”
“Yeah, yeah, pot and crack, whatever,” Percy waved her off before turning back to cousins, “So, what’s up? Why’d you want to talk?”
Thalia and Jason glanced at each other before nodding. Jason started awkwardly, “So, Pers, Nico overheard something concerning the other day…”
Thalia interrupts, “Are you dying? And if you are, how dare you not tell me.” Ever the blunt one.
Penelope and Percy both froze in shock, looking at each other and seemingly having a conversation with just their eyes before Percy turned back to them with a bashful and a bit sad expression. “You guys talked with everyone, didn’t you?” He asks, to which Thalia and Jason nodded their heads. “Well, it’s a bit of a story, and I’d prefer not to say it more than once.”