Percy POV-
Training and commanding always got me rallied up, so I was in a pristine mood when we all walked to lunch. I walked beside Annabeth ahead of the group and enjoyed the little time we had together alone. Or at least as alone as we could get.
"I'm sorry I haven't been available to talk about the wedding much." I said.
"It's fine Percy, I know you've had a lot on your mind. We've all been busy." Annabeth said, squeezing my hand.
"How about we make up for some lost time?" I smirked.
"And what does your mysterious plan involve?" Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How about we ditch lunch and go down to the lake?" I smiled, whispering in her ear and bringing a smile to her face as well.
Annabeth was holding my hand, and although I expected her to agree I didn't expect her to pull me along to the lake right that second.
We ran together, away from the others and ready to relax for the first time in a while.
-/-/-/-
Neville POV-
Percy and Annabeth ran away from the group, which momentarily shocked all of us, but because the Ares kids shrugged and continued walking (while making jokes about what Annabeth and Percy would be doing), we did the same. Minus the jokes.
The rest of the walk was relatively silent among the magical folk, most of their feet trudging along after working out. But not me. My adrenaline was high, as it has been for quite some time.
As we walked closer to our tables I found that I was the only one at the Poseidon table. Both Harry and Draco had wondered off to their friends at the other tables. I was fine with it.
Or, that's what I tried to convince myself of. In truth, it's lonely. Sure, I could go sit with Luna or something, but none of them invited me over, so surly I'm not wanted.
Or maybe I'm just to prideful to admit that I need the company of others.
So I sat there and ate my lunch.
The minutes ticked by, and I soon began to wonder how long lunch actually was. No one ever specifically told us, we just left when we left.
I tapped my foot to an invisible beat and ate up some energy.
And then, I was saved.
"Your Neville, right?"
I looked up from my meal, and to my surprise, a Demeter girl sat in front of me.
"That would be me." I said.
"That's good, it would be really awkward if you weren't." She said, then stuck out her hand. "I'm Sam."
Sam had medium lengths blue and purple hair, freckles galore, brown eyes, and was wearing a Camp Half Blood shirt with the sleeves cut off and jeans shorts.
I shook her hand and shared a smile with her.
"Is their a particular reason you decided to come over here? Did I do something wrong? Have I offended someone somehow?" I asked, confused.
"What? No. I saw you at the Lava Wall when I was passing by and thought I'd talk to you." She said.
"Oh. That's embarrassing." I said, blushing.
"Yeah, you were bad."
Sam's eyes widened, realizing what she said, then quickly added, "But we all were once of course. Your not the only one. Besides, you did better then most of the people in your group."
"It's okay, I know I suck." I said, a little embarrassed.
"No, really. You'll get better."
"I hope so."
-/-/-/-
Percy POV-
"I don't think we should invite to many people." Annabeth said, "Just the camps and your parents."
"That's basically everyone we know I said.
"True." Annabeth shrugged.
"Why do weddings have to be such a hassle? We could get married right now, right here."
"Do you know how many people would kill us if we did that?" Annabeth snorted.
"I see your point."
I tightened my hold on Annabeth and brought her closer to me as we laid on the sand and looked up into the beautiful sky.
"We should get married here." Annabeth said.
"A perfect beach wedding." I smiled. "I love it."
"And the cake will be blue with macarons on top. And Demeter's kids can do the floral arrangements. And Tyson can make the rings. And someone that's not Hera can marry us. Oh Percy, it'll be perfect."
"Anything you plan is perfect. And anything with you in it is more than perfect ." I was sure my smile would never go away, as long as Annabeth was there.
"Oh shut up Seaweed Brain."
-/-/-/-
Neville POV-
"Your one of the luckier Wizards." Sam said.
"I know, I'm still amazed that I got to come here." I replied, eating grapes.
"No, I mean, you got put with Percy. Don't get me wrong, everyone else is amazing. But Percy? You really are going to get to the top of the lava wall."
"No ones told us everything he's done yet."
"That will come with time and trust."
Sam reached for my plate and stole a grape, plopping it into her mouth.
"Hey!" I said.
"They were right there. How could I not take one?" She shrugged.
I rolled my eyes and pushed my plate to the middle of the table.
She smiled and started digging in.
BANG
The table shook and everyone turned wide eyed to the source of the noice, most already reaching for their weapons and standing up in a fighting stance. Including Sam.
But no monster was in sight.
"Do you guys like my new hammer?" Said Leo, hand on a giant hammer at the front of the Pavilion.
I looked back over to Sam, who relaxed and set her two knives on the table.
"What the fuck Leo?!" Thalia exclaimed, flipping out.
"What?" Leo asked, clearly confused. "Lunch is over."
Thalia glared and Leo and motioned for her group to get up, then started walking away.
"Do you know where I'm supposed to go?" I asked Sam, who was putting her knives back in her boots.
"Nope. But I bet Percy will be here soon."
"Okay." I said, staying seated.
Sam reached over the table and plucked up one more grape to eat. She plopped it into her mouth then started walking away.
"See you later Neville!" She said, waving goodbye before turning back around and walking to the Demeter group.
My grapes were all gone, so I just sat at the table with nothing to do.
Everyone slowly filed out and soon the only people left were Annabeth's group, Draco, and Harry.
"Hello Neville."
Luna's voice drifted towards me, and I turned around and saw her walking towards me.
"Why'd you sit all alone?" Luna was confused, adding, "We would have been glad to have you sit with us."
I shrugged and said, "I know, I just didn't feel like siting with all them."
"Oh." She said. "How have you been? I haven't been able to speak to you recently."
"I'm good, I'm glad I got to come here."
"That's great. The Demigods are very ignorant. The camp is full of Nargles, and they've done nothing about it!"
"Thats a tragedy." I said, trying not to sound uninterested.
"I know! We need to teach them everything!"
"What'd we miss?"
Percy's voice rang through the mostly empty Pavilion, tragically interrupting Luna and I's conversation.
"Leo." Hermione said, proud to know more then someone else.
Annabeth shrugged and motioned for us all to get up and come towards them.
"I don't know what Percy is doing, but Hermione, Luna, Goyle and I are going to go practice bow and arrows. Maybe, if your good, I won't get Solace to shoot apples off your heads." Annabeth said, walking away as her group reluctantly followed.
"We are going to have a workout." Percy said.
Draco groaned, and Percy simply rose an eyebrow.
Draco rolled his eyes, but stayed quiet.
"Follow me wizards." He said, turning around without even bothering to glance at us twice.
"And if we don't?" Draco asked.
"Then I hope you enjoy your new sleeping arrangement." Percy smirked.
I guess Draco decided he didn't like his odds, so he hurried up with the group.
Percy led us to the beach, where I had a bit more excitement then last time.
"Swimming?" I asked. It was weird, knowing that it was only this morning that I was here last.
"No." Percy said, "Drop and give me 20."
After about 10 seconds of my brain registering what he said, I did as he asked.
They weren't good, mind you, but they could be coincided push-ups.
Draco and Harry however, did not. They apparently assumed it was just me.
"Neville, good job following orders. We've got to work on your form a bit, but otherwise nice attempt. That's what counts." Percy said. "You two however, not so much. You to incompetent souls can give me 40."
They looked like they were about to protest, but after they saw Percy's face they shut up and attempted to do as they were told.
Around 20 was when they started to give out. Neither could make it to 35.
"Get up and do more." Percy said.
"I can't." Harry glared.
"You need strength, and you need to follow orders." Percy said, his arms crossed.
"You might, but I don't." He said.
A look of anger passed through Percy's eyes, and before I could blink he took a pen from his pocket and uncapped it.
Before I could even register that a pen was suddenly a sword, he threw it to the ground.
"Pick it up." He said.
Harry and Draco both looked confused, Harry most of all.
I'm pretty sure I didn't though. Percy always has a reason.
After a few moments of confusion, Harry leaned over and picked up the sword. He was still shaken up from the push ups, and you could tell. He didn't expect the weight of the sword and it showed. His hand was wobbly and he had to place both hands on the hilt to steady himself more.
Didn't work as well as he hoped.
"Now," Percy said. "Point it at me"
The confusion deepened.
Harry's wobbly hands brought the sword inch by inch, closer and closer to his heart.
Percy was a foot and a half away from the swords tip. And it didn't scare him one bit.
Harry's hands were so wobbly he could drop it any minute now.
"One hand."
One shaky hand dropped. The sword shook more. Then, it dropped.
It hit the ground with a clang, and Harry wouldn't meet Percy's eyes.
"Strength is important." He said. His point had been made. "Now finish your push ups."
And so they did.
-/-/-/-
We worked out for a long time, and once we were done with that we were told we would be going straight to the strawberry fields to pick with the Demeter kids.
Maybe, if I was lucky, I'd get to see Sam again. She seemed to be the only one other then Percy and Luna willing to have a conversation with me.
It was,however, on the completely opposite side of camp. Which was...not fun.
It was a relatively silent walk. Once it started silent, no one wanted to break that silence.
Once we did get there, I almost shouted with glee. That's a lie. But I was happy.
We each grabbed a basket, and walked towards the lines of strawberry bushes.
I scanned the crowed for Sam, but she was no were to be found. So, I walked toward the nearest plant, and started picking. And let me tell you, after an hour of working out (or "warming up" as Percy called it) bending down to pick strawberries did not do wonders for my back.
And after about 20 strawberries, my back got into even more pain.
It started when someone shouted "Boo!" From behind me and grabbed my shoulders.
And obviously, I fell. And that brought whoever scared me down with me.
Right. Into. A. Strawberry. Bush. A pretty big one actually, undoubtedly helped out by a Demeter kid to be extra extraordinary. Normal Strawberry bushes are about 50 times smaller.
My shout of surprise was followed by a girls laughter. And I knew immediately it was Sam.
I was currently face planted into dirt and vines, and she was on top of me, the bush engulfing us.
Despite the pain I was in, I couldn't help but laugh.
"You looked like you needed a smile." Sam said, shifting off of me and residing next to me as I turned to face somewhere other then the dirt.
"You certainly accomplished your goal." I chuckled.
No one seemed to notice our absence, so we stayed where we were, enjoying the break.
"How was your warm up?" She asked.
"You and I have very different definitions of warm up." I replied.
She laughed and said, "You'll get used to it. And when you get back to your world, you'll see the world as we do. A beautiful but damaged place filled with lazy people with boring non-life threatening first world problems."
"Maybe being here will help me figure out some of my boring non-life threatening first world problems." I said, smiling into the sky.
"Such as?" She asked.
"What I want to do with my life. Best way to cram for my NEWTS. That's our end of the year exams. Oh, and then there's that whole issue with where in the world I'm going to live after a graduate, which won't be long after we leave. Don't really have any time for apartment hunting. I guess I could crash at the Weasley's, but Ron's been a bit of an ass lately."
"No parents to go home to?" She asked. Not exactly with a pitiful voice, but understanding.
"Their not exactly...the people they used to be." I said.
"I understand, mine died when I was young. My Satyr was the only reason I'm alive today." She said, wistfully.
"Those are the people that scout out for demigods, right?" I asked.
"Yeah." She said. "What about you? You don't have to answer, of course."
"Na, its fine." I said, still facing the sky. "They were tortured until they went insane. They don't even...never mind. It's not important."
Sam reached for my hand and squeezed it once, letting me know that she was there.
"At least we know that we're not completely alone in the world, despite what we might have felt at first." She said.
I smiled, knowing she was right.
We stayed in silence for a while, until it was eventually broken.
"Do you have any idea who the wizard that's coming today is?" She asked.
"No clue. Could be lots of people. Most of us have all lost someone." I said.
"Well let's hope he doesn't stir up to much trouble." She sighed.
I realize how hard it must be for all the demigods, having to share their camp with a bunch of ungrateful people who can only complain. I would hate to be in their situation. In our case, Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia didn't complain. We were the ones complaining from the start.
"I have a feeling he will. In a good way." I reassured.
"I don't know what you mean by that, but lets hope your right."
...
•2570 Words•
•Posted October 17th 2017•
Ive got a couple things to say. First, I hope you all enjoyed that chapter.
What are your thoughts on Sam?
Secondly, I recently started a joint account with Lupis_Mare_Luna called Lupis_Books_181 . We're writing a pretty unique (I'm pretty sure at least) Percy Jackson fanfic that has updates every week (for real, I know it's hard to believe that I can keep a schedule. But my true self will undoubtedly be revealed during exam season when I have time for nothing but cramming for tests)
Ive also recently posted a One-Shot about the book Geeks Guide to Unrequited Love. I enjoyed writing it, and I hope any fans of the book enjoy it to. I'm also going to be posting a Magnus Chase one-shot called The Chase Space sooner or later.
Oh! And I changed my Username. I am not ThatOnePezz, to distinguish from all the other Pezz's you undoubtedly know. I also really disliked my old username. When I originally made it, I forgot it would be public and wrote the first thing that came to mind, then just stuck with it.
That's enough talking for now, so I'll leave you with some APUSH memes. (This is what I was doing instead of doing my APUSH homework. There's one of the only memes I understand, because I'm not really apart of the Meme Lifestyle)
Okay, yeah, I'm done