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Amy already knew Annabeth was having one of those days because Annabeth sat down at her desk and immediately said, “Percy tried to help.”
Amy winced. “Oh no.”
“Yeah.”
They didn’t explain. They didn’t need to.
Amy slid her coffee over without looking. Annabeth took it automatically, like muscle memory had kicked in.
“Okay,” Amy said. “What flavor of ‘help’ was it?”
“The ‘I swear this will work’ kind.”
Amy nodded. “Jake does that. That’s his favorite kind.”
Annabeth blew on the coffee. “Percy once tried to distract an enemy by talking about blue food.”
Amy didn’t even blink. “Jake once tried to distract a suspect by ranking Die Hard movies.”
“…Did it work?”
“No, but Boyle cried.”
Annabeth laughed into her cup. “Percy once said ‘I’ve got a plan’ and then immediately asked me what the plan was.”
Amy leaned back. “Jake once said ‘trust me’ and then whispered ‘Amy what do I do’ while already running.”
They stared at each other.
“Oh my god,” Annabeth said. “They’re the same person.”
“Different fonts,” Amy said. “Same document.”
Jake’s voice echoed from across the bullpen. “BABE, IS IT BAD IF I ACCIDENTALLY—”
Amy didn’t look up. “YES.”
“…Okay but hypothetically—”
“NO.”
Annabeth rubbed her temples. “Percy once tried to pet something that was actively on fire.”
Amy’s eyes lit up. “Jake tried to hug a perp because he thought they were ‘having a moment.’”
“Was the moment real?”
“No. He got tased.”
Annabeth wheezed. “Percy once smiled at a monster and said ‘we can talk this out, right?’”
Amy nodded seriously. “Jake once smiled at a guy with a knife and said ‘you seem cool.’”
“…Why are they like this?”
“I ask myself that every day.”
They sat in silence for half a second before Amy added, “They’re also both weirdly good under pressure.”
Annabeth groaned. “Don’t. That makes it worse.”
“It really does.”
“Percy’s instincts are incredible,” Annabeth admitted. “He just… refuses to use them responsibly.”
Amy snorted. “Jake solves crimes like a raccoon with a badge.”
“That’s—”
“—a compliment,” Amy finished. “Mostly.”
Percy wandered past, pointing at something on the wall. “Hey, Annabeth, did you know that—”
“No,” Annabeth said immediately.
Amy added, “And stop touching things.”
Percy paused. “…Okay.”
He walked away, immediately touching something else.
Jake popped up beside him. “So what’re you guys whispering about?”
“Nothing,” Amy said.
Jake narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like that.”
They left. Again.
Annabeth watched them go. “We should start a support group.”
Amy smiled. “We already have. It’s just us.”
Annabeth laughed, this time full and unrestrained. “Same time tomorrow?”
Amy raised her coffee. “Absolutely.”