𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐂! percy jackson

xiv. Praetor For Two Hours

    "Yes, good. Your praetor's cape is an inch too low on the left. There━that's better. Where is my assistant? Julia!"

    The little girl ran out from behind the pedestal. She wore a green dress tonight, and her hair was still in pigtails. When she smiled, Percy saw that her front teeth were starting to come in. She held up a box full of party hats. Percy tried to decline, but Julia gave him big adoring eyes and Fiona didn't give him any choice. She picked up a blue crown and stood on the tips of her toes to settle it on Percy's head.

    "There you go, Barnacle Biceps," she grinned. Percy still had to fix it properly, because even on her toes, she hadn't fully managed to reach.

    Julia then offered Fiona a pink tiara, "I'm gonna be Percy Jackson when I grow up," she told her solemnly."

    As Hazel took a gold pirate hat, she ruffled the little girls hair. "That's a good thing to be, Julia."

    "Although," Frank picked out a hat shaped like a polar bear's head, "Frank Zhang would be good, too."

    "Frank!" Hazel scolded, but she was trying hard not to laugh.

    They continued to the forum, which was lit up with multicoloured lanterns. The fountains glowed purple, the coffee shops were doing a brisk business, and street musicians filled the air. The goddess Iris must have been in the party mood, too, for as Percy and his friends strolled past the damaged Senate House, a dazzling rainbow appeared in the night sky. Unfortunately, with it came a gentle rain of gluten-free R.O.F.L. cupcake simulations.

    For a while, Percy wandered the streets with Fiona, Hazel and Frank. Walking a little bit back, Percy could see Hazel and Frank continuously brush shoulders, and he wanted to give them some time alone. And not to mention, he also wanted to talk to the girl beside him, who was busy kicking a muffin across the streets and grinning to herself.

    So, finally, he said, "I'm a little tired, guys. You go ahead."

    Fiona quickly took the chance, and added, "Uh━yeah, me too. That battle took a lot out of me."

    Frank protested, but with a smack from Hazel, they got the cue and continued on. When Percy glanced back over his shoulder, he saw the two of them hold hands.

    Fiona quirked a brow at them, "She's so tiny and he's a moose. I love it."

    Percy smiled down at her. Fiona had taken her hair out of it's messy ponytail and instead loosely braided it down over one shoulder. "You're short, too."

    She quickly narrowed her eyes at him. "Shut up."

   They walked in silence for a bit after that, heading back towards the camp. Their fingers kept brushing each others, before Fiona took a brave step and took his hand, interlocking her fingers with his. Percy glanced at her, and gave her a small smile. She blushed, then furrowed her brows and looked away. He grinned. He found out that whenever she blushed, she hated it, and got annoyed, which only made her cuter.

    They stopped at the Fort gates and gazed out at the valley. It seemed so long ago that Percy had first seen Camp Jupiter from here.

    Still holding hands, Fiona swung her arm a little before saying, "So ... I'm taking a guess and saying that you don't have a girlfriend waiting back home?"

    Percy raised his brows, glancing down and smirking. "You seem pretty happy about that?"

    She quickly hid the fact, and just stared at him innocently. "Hmm? Do I?"

    He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and shrugged. Looking back out to the horizon, Percy let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Well, I guess I don't have a girlfriend back home, which means I guess I'm single, which sucks."