NOW

Chapter Two

That night Percy laid on the floor with open eyes. His giant wings were stretched out under him and touched both walls on either side of the room. He tried laying in his bed for a while but it was too comfortable. He sunk into the mattress too much. After months of sleeping on the ground or in trees, he wasn't used to comfort and having it now felt strange.

He had opened his window to let in the cold air. The lights of the city shed light on the rooms interior. After spending that long time in places, where only the moon and stars lightened his surroundings, it was weird not seeing them. The sky was clear and still he couldn't see any stars because of the city's lights. He didn't liked the fact, he already missed them. Too easily he bonded his life to the stars. On day he would be up there with them.

"You could be right now", a female voice said but didn't disturb the silence, it was too smooth. Percy didn't need to look at her to know who she was. "You, too. And still you are here." He sat up and finally faced the intruder. Psyche's face was lighten up from the lights outside the window. Even without highlighted senses you could see her silk like skin and full lips. Her beautiful eyes, with a colour like the sky while the sun is setting, reflected the lights and made it look like her eyes were sprinkled with stardust. Her salt and pepper hair was up in a messy bun and gave view on the colour matched dress she was wearing. You could easily say Psyche was the most gorgeous woman you have ever seen, but for Percy no-one could beat his Wise Girl.

"What are you doing here?", the black haired asked genuinely curious. "Here for the good air", she answered jokingly on which he only raised a brow. "You know, I could ask you the same question." She was serious now. What was he doing here?

"I am visiting my family. Sorry, I didn't know I wasn't allowed to." He stood up and folded his arms. Starring right into her eyes, everyone else would have backed away, but not her.

"Of course, you are allowed to, but it will just make it harder. Percy, you will have to let them go sooner rather than later. Do you really think it will make it easier for them to lose you another time?" He knew she was right. Eventually he had to leave this world behind and maybe it would have been easier for them to say goodbye when he didn't show up.

"I can't leave now.", he stated and she nodded knowingly. "I know." The silence that followed wasn't awkward. They didn't need to talk to understand the other. "But if you decide to stay longer, I have to sent Aria back to you. I can't understand how you manage to stay calm with her.", she disrupted the silence half jokingly.

Percy smirked, the thing that came the nearest to an actual smile, thinking about his companion. Somewhere between Iceland and Norway he picked her up. She didn't fit any category, but was something in between. She was a little like him. No one could tell him what she was, not even she herself, but she was. One of the sweetest creatures he had even seen. She was also quite annoying. He had put her under Psyche's watching eyes, thinking she might not be the best guest to bring along when visiting his mother. But apparently Aria was not liking that and gave his partner a hard time.

"Maybe she just doesn't like you?", stated Percy sarcastically and received a glare from his partner. "Not funny", she grumbled but started to smile again right after. Yes, the little creature was very annoying at times, but it also managed to make her partner and friend smile from time to time. And that what something she would forever be grateful for.

The two of them sat back down on the floor. For some time they just sat there, looking at the empty sky. "At the farm I grew up, the sky was always clear. On good days you could see so many stars, the sky didn't look dark anymore" Percy didn't knew much about Psyche's life before this one, so he turned to look at her surprised. In the cold light her features sharpened. But it were her eyes that captured his attention. When he looked at her now, she looked hurt. "Don't forget I know what you are going through. You don't have to do it all alone" Psyche stood up, knowing he would need time and space to think. And with a small light she disappeared, not before telling him to try to sleep a little.