OH, CHÉRIE!¹ percy jackson

007

a while after, there was a knock on the window above her head. she sat up.

"can i?" percy sounded muffled through the glass.

ivy nodded, opening the backseat door and scooting to the other side of the car. percy slid in, his big coat made him look like he occupied a lot of space.

"thalia kicked me out," percy said, leaning his back against the car door. their legs were tangled together as ivy had the same same position as him.

ivy snorted. "what did you do?"

"i brought up luke."

"it's a miracle you're not a fish stick then."

there was a few moments of silence.

"i'm sorry," percy blurted out.

"about?" ivy asked. she hoped he was meaning to apologize about him getting angry of her indecision to join the hunters, she was still a bit salty about that.

percy sighed. "i– i was being unfair... i should have thought about your feelings with everything going on at camp and with luke. i didn't think you would hide what was really going on. i– i'll support you with any decision you make, that's what i should've done to begin with."

ivy analyzed him in the dim light. he truly looked apologetic of his action. she wouldn't forgive him if he wasn't sincere.

"it's okay," she told him. "you couldn't have known if i didn't tell you. and... thank you. i really needed to hear someone supported me." ivy smiled softly at him.

he returned the smile with the same delicacy. "thalia said we're going to san francisco."

ivy winced. "i haven't been there in a while..."

a while was an understatement. she hasn't been in her home city since her father's death. mostly because she wasn't eager to go, but also because of the mountain of despair. full of lingering titan magic, and vicious monsters.

"did she tell you about the mountain of despair?" she asked.

percy shook his head. "that's when she kicked me out."

ivy laughed, pulling her hair out of the ponytail that's been sitting on her head for too long.

"annabeth's dad is moving to san francisco," he said. "that's what she wanted to tell you in westover hall."

"oh."

percy nodded. "but half-bloods can't live there. so she's... pretty bummed out, you know."

ivy hummed in acknowledgement . she massaged her aching scalp, taking tight ponytails out was the worst. her best friend has been working on rebuilding her relationship with her dad, ivy had no doubt annabeth took it hard if her father wanted to move to the one place she couldn't live safely in.

"she can live there," she said. "i did. it's just... a bit risky. she could do it though, if she's careful. but why didn't she tell me earlier?"

"she wanted your advice. so she wanted to tell you in person, i guess. and you'll give her advice when we get her back." percy said the last part with force, like he wanted not only her to believe it but himself too.

ivy swallowed thickly before yawning. she sat up from her slumped position against the car door, seating herself properly in the backseat. percy stayed leaning against the car door, ivy lifted his legs and placed them on her lap so they both could stay comfortable. she wanted to sleep a bit but was too scared to be pulled into another dream of annabeth being in danger.

"oh, don't be afraid of dreams," a voice said from between the front seats.

she looked up from her lap. somehow, ivy wasn't surprised to find the homeless guy from the railway yard sitting in the shotgun seat with his elbows propping his head in the storage compartment. his jeans were so worn out they were almost white. his coat was ripped, with stuffing coming out. he looked kind of like a teddy bear that had been run over by a truck.