𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

042

(chapter xlii - off to a great start already)

"HEY THERE, PRETTY GIRL."

"...Percy, it's one o'clock."

"So?"

"....In the morning."

"Oh," Percy's misty face seemed to flicker for a second — no doubt Iris is probably very pissed she had to wake up earlier than planned to keep this IM going. "Well — oopsie! Y'know what they say — Manhattan never sleeps!"

Selene groaned, "No one says that. Why are you Iris-Messaging me at one AM, exactly?"

"I had a demigod dream," Percy told her — the joking undertone in his voice was long gone, replaced with a hint of concern, and anxiety. "A bad one."

Selene sighed. Ever since Percy moved back to the city to live with his mother during school, their nightly Iris-Messages became...sort of a weekly thing. One of them would have a nightmare, and then call the other, and normally they would just stay awake, talking to each other — until they both fell asleep.

However...it seemed to have gotten worse lately.

Especially with Percy. Selene felt horrible — horrible that he had to put up with this shit, even with all the shit he's already done. It was infuriating. First, Chiron won't let him read the lines of a prophecy that is literally about him, next, he has to fight a literal Titan when he's still a teenager, and third —...he's been the gods' main hero to torment for what....four years now? Gods know how much quests they will send him on...even after this.

She couldn't help but feel frustrated. She hated just standing by helplessly while the gods throw thing after thing after thing at the poor boy. He's already lost so much, and —

"Hey," Percy's soft voice cut through her speeding thoughts. "Were you listening?"

Selene met his gaze — even through the fuzzy Iris-Message, she could still clearly see the worry washing through his sea-green eyes. "I'm sorry," She whispered — biting the inside of her cheek. "No, I wasn't, I was just —"

"Thinking?"

"...Yeah. About you."

Percy snorted, "Okay. Bold much?"

Selene giggled, shaking her head, "No, no, that's not what I meant, idiot."

Percy grinned — he put his elbow on his desk — his head in his hands as he studied her. "What do you mean then, huh?"

"I just think it's stupid," She told him — glancing down at her hands. "Stupid that this prophecy has to be about you. Stupid that the gods treat you like trash. Stupid —"

"Hey, hey. Cool it, Star Girl."

"But it's just —"

"Unfair?" Percy finished. "Yeah, I know. I know, but — I have to take it. I owe it — to Nico, to Bianca. I owe it to every demigod there — at camp. I owe it to you —"