Percy
"We're lucky it's just a broken leg," Caitlin said to Annabeth and me. I gave my girlfriend a reassuring squeeze in her hand and she gives me a tired smile in response. "Just give it, maybe, six to eight weeks to heal before you put weight on that foot."
"That long?" Annabeth frowns at that. I was surprised at how slow it took mortals to heal. We were both so used to the advanced technology of demigods and ambrosia and nectar, that we never even stopped to consider this. Gods, this was all my fault. If I was paying more attention to Annabeth, it was unlikely this wouldn't have happened in the first place.
"Yes, but it might take even longer, depending on how well the healing process goes. But if all goes well, you'll stay here for a few days and I'll give you some crutches."
"Okay," I said, looking down at a dispirited Annabeth. "Thanks for your help, Caitlin."
She gives the two of us a sympathetic smile, "Anytime." And she leaves the two of us alone in the med bay.
I look at Annabeth somewhat hopefully, "Hey! It's fine! It won't be as long as you think you will. Just let me get some ambrosia-" I begin to walk out the room, wanting to get the bundle of ambrosia in my backpack but Annabeth grips my hand before I can leave.
"Percy, you can't. Be logical. They'll find it suspicious if I'm suddenly healed within one or two weeks."
"I'm aware of that, but are you sure?" I bend down next to her bed, getting to eye level and she nods as she shifts to get comfortable. But she immediately winces and her hand flies to her leg from the sudden movement.
"Okay, you know, I wouldn't mind just a little for the pain," she laughs halfheartedly and I grin, running out of the med bay towards my backpack.
I notice Barry's eyes follow me as I come back to the med bay, but I ignore him. I was just focusing on Annabeth. "Here," I crack a very small piece of ambrosia, less than what she would normally get as a demigod, since she wanted to make sure nobody got suspicious.
Annabeth drops it in her mouth and closes her eyes as she savors the small piece. As I'm wrapping the ambrosia in some Saran Wrap, Barry finally comes up to us. "What's that?" he points his chin to the demigod food in my hands and I stuff it in my bag quickly.
"Just some candy I bought," I shrug. Barry doesn't seem like he's going to ask for some, so I let out a breath of relief. But of course, Cisco was listening in to our conversation. He hops out of his chair, "Candy? Aw, man, I want some!"
I look at Annabeth who stares back at me with widened eyes. Barry still stands at the doorway and I didn't know what to say. "It's expired!" I shouted, hoping that would work. But it doesn't.
At that, Barry makes a face, but doesn't question it. He saw me give Annabeth the piece. "Oh, that's fine!" I'll still have some."
"Cisco!" Caitlin slaps him in the arm. "You're not supposed to eat expired food."
"She's right," I said. "If you eat it, it'll make you barf!" I cringe at my own lie.
"Ugh," he exasperated. "Fine. I won't have candy. Such party poopers."
I give him a face but Cisco doesn't see it because he's grumpily leaving the Cortex. Barry eyes me skeptically, and I hold his bitter gaze for a moment before turning away. Don't look at him and he won't question it, I think to myself. I could feel his agitation radiating off his body and I grew stiff, my movements slow and minimal. I was surprised that it worked because he left the med bay within seconds, leaving the two of us alone.
I let out a breath, my eyebrows knitting together. "That was close."
———
I left Annabeth to go to sleep. It was late, not necessarily late, it was only 9pm but I felt so depleted, I needed the rest, except I wasn't very tired. I tried my best to sleep in the plastic chair in the med bay, but it wasn't exactly what you'd call comfortable. I could've gone back to the hotel room but I didn't want to leave Annabeth alone.
But before I could try to find another place to sleep at this time of night, the crime-alarm rang through the speakers. I wasn't thinking about the crime itself, but I was thinking about how the alarm would wake Annabeth up if it continued blaring. I stood up frantically, and ran into the Cortex. Cisco and Caitlin were gone, and Dr. Wells went back to his house to rest from his wounds. They were the ones who knew how to operate the computers. I wasn't exactly tech savvy.
Gods. I run behind the desk, and just slam my hand at the keyboard, in an attempt to stop the alarm. Shockingly, it worked. I let out a sigh of relief and I slouch against Cisco's revolving chair. (He's very strict about people sitting in his chair).
Through the glass, I saw Annabeth was still sleeping soundly. At that, I smiled and I looked at the screen before me. I had no idea where Barry was, but I guess I'd have to do this on my own. I squinted, trying to read the small typed writing on the screens. After a slow few minutes, I knew where I had to go. I put on my suit and kissed Annabeth on the forehead.
But I had no idea what to do first, I wasn't exactly used to the whole vigilante thing yet. So I decided the best thing I could do at the moment was to call Barry. I dug my phone from my pocket and called him. "Barry!" I gasp out when he picks up his phone within four rings.
"Percy? It's so late, why're you calling me?" His groggy voice asks. I could tell he had slept early too, from the way he spoke.
"There's a crime at Jitters." And at that, Barry's up and awake. I didn't actually know what the crime was, since the crime-alert thing didn't say. Well, actually, it probably did say but I was struggling to read any more so I didn't. That's a fault on my end.
"I'll meet you there," Barry says hurriedly but I chuckle at myself.
"Actually, could you pick me up? I'm in the Cortex." And he groans. And it was barely thirty seconds after I hung up the phone that I felt myself being rushed away.
We halted in front of Jitters, where two masked assailants raised their guns at a lady who just seemed to be closing up the shop. And the lady, you may ask, was indeed Iris.
The two masked figures wore all black and ski masks, showing nothing but their eyes. But their masks were useless up against a speedster.
The front doors were shattered open, the glass laid on the floor of Jitters, and for a bunch of thieves, they talked very loudly. We could hear their entire conversation from the outside. "Empty out the registers!" The larger one shouted at Iris. But that's all he could say before Barry rushes over and knocks out the man. He's tying him up when I decide I want to have a little fun too.
Before I let Barry take out the other one, I summoned forth some water, probably from the sewers, but the guy deserves it. I run towards Jitters, the water following me. And I let it flow in the building in a thin stream. It curls around his body, and before the man even realizes what was happening, I clench my hand in a fist, the water following my hand movements. When he's tight and secure, I throw him against the wall and he drops in a disheveled heap.
And Barry finishes the job by tying him and his partner together with some rope. It wouldn't last for long, but long enough for the police to take hold of them. As if they were summoned, we begin to hear the faint sound of police sirens. They always come at the worst timing.
"Hey! Teamwork!" Barry holds out a fist and I bump it with my own. His head turns to the cash register where Iris seemed to have shook herself out of her shock and came running towards us. "We should really get going. She can get really nosy sometimes and it's hard keeping my identity around her, even though I can vibrate my voice. But for you, on the other hand, it's riskier," he whispers for only me to hear, but I shake my head.
"Wait, give me a second. I need to clarify something with her real quick."
Barry gives me a look but shrugs it off. Iris pants as she looks up at me, smiling widely. It's funny how she barely spares Barry a glance. "Thank you so much, Hydro and Flash." She says that but keeps holding eye contact with me, as if Barry was invisible. I resisted the urge to laugh at that.
"Yeah, no problem. But one thing, no offense, but Hydro is a horrible name."
Iris seems taken aback but not offended. "Well, got any ideas?"
"Literally anything but Hydro."
She scowls at me. "That's not helpful."
"Well, why don't you brainstorm?"
"All right, then." She looks at the ceiling, thinking. It's another minute before she speaks again. But what she says next almost makes me jump out of my suit. "How about Riptide?"
Iris notices the obvious bewilderment plastered on my face. "Do you not like it? I think it has a nice ring to it."
I grin. "No, no. I love it. It fits perfectly," I said, thinking of my sword, who was coincidentally named Riptide as well. "What made you think of that name?"
"Not sure. You just reminded me of a Riptide: unsuspecting and sly, as if you were never there."
"Well, I approve. I expect to see the change on your blog soon." And Barry takes that as a good time for us to leave because we're running back towards S.T.A.R. Labs.
——
Once again, thanks to WIldman98
That's it for this chapter :)