The Lightning Thief || Percy Jackson x Reader

06 | orientation and pinochle

"But why..." Percy tipped his head back slightly, sudden dizziness overcoming him.

Y/N helped him with the glass, bringing the straw up to his mouth.

He recoiled at the taste, not expecting it to be warm when there were ice cubes, but quickly came back and finished the whole glass. Y/N remembered the first time she'd had the drink. She'd done the exact same thing.

"Was it good?" Grover inquired.

Percy nodded.

"What did it taste like?" Y/N added.

He suddenly felt guilty. "Sorry, I should've let you taste."

"Oh, no!" Y/N quickly reassured. "That's not what we meant. I was just wondering what it was for you."

Percy smiled ruefully. "Chocolate chip cookies. My mom's. Homemade."

"And how do you feel?" Grover asked.

"Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards," Percy said with feigned seriousness.

Y/N laughed. Only Percy would make a such a comment after nearly dying.

"That's good... That's good. I don't thing you could risk drinking anymore of that stuff."

Grover took the empty glass from him and set it back on the table carefully like it was an explosive. "Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

___

To be clear, Y/N didn't dislike Dionysus.

Despite his dry humor and distaste for adolescents, Y/N considered him a good acquaintance. Not a friend, not an enemy. Just another immortal living out the rest of eternity.

Percy still seemed pretty out of it, and Grover offered to at least hold the horn, but Percy seemed pretty protective of the minotaur horn, and Y/N didn't blame him.

The porch wrapped around the Big House, and as they walked around the other side, the beautiful shore of Long Island came into view. She noticed Percy seemed entranced with the glittering of the water and the ancient Greek architecture. It was the afternoon, so the camp was filled with kids all in the signature bright orange t-shirts like the one she too was wearing. It really was a sight to see the satyrs and demigods all running around, playing in the sand volleyball pit, canoeing, shooting with bow and arrows, and learning how to ride the pegasi.

Sitting at a card table near the front door of the Big House was Mr. D all decked out in a Hawaiian shirt, Chiron in his wheelchair, and Annabeth was leaning against the banister, overseeing the game.

"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to Percy, giving him a quick cliff notes. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron..."

"Mr. Brunner!" Percy exclaimed.

The man turned and smiled. "Ah, good, Percy. Now we have four for pinochle."

Chiron offered Percy the chair to the right of Mr. D, who, unsurprisingly, looked at him with bored, bloodshot eyes. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."

Mr. D didn't acknowledge Y/N uniquely. He kept the same blank, uninterested look on his face.

Percy looked a bit uncomfortable. "Uh, thanks." He scooted his chair a little father from him subtly.

"Annabeth," Mr. Brunner called, and she came forward. "Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."