daylight | percy jackson

here comes the goat, all dressed in white

"He's not my brother!" Percy snapped. "And he's not a monster either!"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows at him. "Hey, don't get mad at me! And technically, he is a monster."

"Can you guys just stop!?" Aria exclaimed, fed up with both of them.

Percy turned to her. "Well, you gave him permission to enter the camp."

"Was I supposed to let you die? Stop blaming everyone around you just because you're a shit excuse of a brother!"

Percy seemed taken aback by her comments and he drew back in surprise. A flash of hurt crossed his face.

Annabeth spoke up. "It's not your fault cyclopes are the most deceitful, treacherous-"

"He's not!" the blonde shouted. "What have you got against cyclopes, anyway, Annabeth?"

"Just forget it," Annabeth said. "Now, the axle for this chariot-"

"You're treating him like he's this horrible thing," Percy said. "he saved my life."

Aria thought that that was a little hypocritical for the son of Poseidon to be saying.

Annabeth threw her pencil down and stood up. "Then maybe you should design a chariot with him."

"Maybe I should."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Annabeth stormed one way and Percy trudged the other way, both their fists clenched at their fuming sides. If this was a cartoon, both demigods would have smoke coming out of their ears.

Aria pulled out of the team the next day.

In the upcoming time before the race, Aria spent some time with Tyson. She couldn't deal with Percy and Annabeth right now, both of them giving each other the silent treatment.

The day before the race, her and the cyclops walked along the lake-side, eventually sitting down and dipping their feet in the cool water.

Out of the blue, Tyson spoke softly, almost as if worried. "Percy...like me?" he asked, blinking one eye at Aria.

The girl gently smiled. "Of course Percy likes you! He's just been a little distant recently. He has a lot on his mind at the moment." Aria normally wouldn't defend the son of Poseidon, but seeing the sorrowful look on Tyson's face, she realised she couldn't tell the full truth.

Tyson beamed, fully convinced. "What is on mind?"

Aria carefully thought. "Finding out you have a sibling you never knew you had can be a lot to take on. I think he's just thinking through some things."

"I hope I am good brother."

Aria took his big hand in hers and patted it. "You are, Tyson. You are."

That night, Aria crept into bed, pulling her yellow covers over her aching body. She fell asleep almost instantly, her subconscious pulling her to an odd place.

The same dark cave that she had seen so many times in her nightmares appeared vividly before her.

In front of her, someone in a white wedding dress was hunched over, a long veil covering their shaking body. Their hands were clasped together as if in prayer and Aria moved closer to the figure, attempting to overhear what they were saying.