𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑, percy jackson

CHAPTER 87! they weren't being chased by monsters at every turn

"you're a creep." percy replied, with a smile.

written at the top of the paper, in big bold letters, was 'percy jackson will do your quests (in exchange for college recommendation letters) ((his girlfriend will also help she helped me make this poster i love my daughter in law))'

cherry wrote that last bit.

"zeus said if i wrote you one that would be unfair, and so i told him he was a cunt, and he told me he was gonna smite me." cherry remembered, snd looked down at herself, "i'm not smited yet."

"unfortunately." percy replied. "i'm joking! that's nice of you. who knows? maybe they'll be small quests, like picking up garbage on the highway on saturday or something."

"godly community service? not something i'd wanna do."

"doesn't matter. this is a me thing. i'm not gonna drag you into it."

"did you not read the poster? i dragged myself in. i wanna help.

"i enjoyed that second sentence."

the pair continued their discussion that changed from subject to subject in a mere matter of seconds.

cherry enjoyed being in his presence.

they weren't on the verge of death. they weren't being chased by monsters at every turn.

they were just sitting. it was unusual. but it was comfortable.

"hey, you two. want to help with dinner?" sally called out to them from inside.

"of course." cherry grinned, and climbed back through the window.

she didn't wait for percy.

percy often claimed that sally liked cherry more than she liked him. cherry adored his mother. they hung out surprisingly often.

sometimes, percy would plan out a dinner date, and cherry would reply she already had plans with his mother.

paul was chopping garlic for the stir-fry.

he wore an apron with the quote 'a recipe is a story that ends with a goodmeal, pat conroy'.

obviously, cherry also got along with paul really well.

"i love that apron. fashionable." cherry grinned.

"as usual." paul replied, with a smile.

"percy," sally called, "would you set the table?"

percy nodded.

he grabbed five mismatched pastel-colored plates. he got the blue one, always. he grabbed one more plate, a dark red one. he'd purchased it for cherry when they were in a grocery store.

cherry helped him set up the table.

percy appreciated the simpleness of it all.

sally retrieved a bowl of marinated tofu from the refrigerator.

the doorbell rang.

percy and cherry almost fell over at the speed they used to get to the door.

"hi, grove! annie!" cherry greeted.

"hey, cher." the pair replied in unison, matching her smile.

"i brought strawberries." grover's nose quivered. "is that tofu stir-fry?"

"hello to you, too," percy said.

"i love tofu stir-fry!" grover trotted around him and made a beeline for the kitchen.