"Hi?" The kid repeats in a perfect rendition of Percy's voice.

[percy’s eyes widen a little] i’ve never- um- okay. hi. not gonna be freaked out by that. [he surveys the kid for a second, mid-teens, maybe 15/16?] okay. hi, i’m percy. [he stuck his hand out for a handshake]

[Will waves a hand] im guessing you need a bit more time [he says with a smirk, glancing down at the shoe]

[percy laughs a little, nodding] i, uh, i couldn’t find socks. [he’d look at him, slightly raising an eyebrow] i like your hair? [he’d look says it a little uncertainly, he’s not sure if will did it on purpose]

Thats why I wear flip flops [will advises unhelpfully, wiggling one foot before dropping it a frowning in overexaggerated irritation as he nods] thanks. I dont. [He deadpans]

okay, so you didn’t do it on purpose. [he’d raise an eyebrow] camp prank?

Yep. I seem to be maybe their favorite target for those kinds of things [he reads to tug a blue curl resentfully down into his own eyesight before letting it go back]

[small laugh] sorry, sorry i shouldn’t laugh [he’d shake his head] if you want, we can add ‘get dye remover’ to our list today

You can laugh [will shakes his head] its better if someone gets some enjoyment from it yeah? [He says but nods] for sure. And maybe a couple more socks for you?

[percy laughs again] yeah, sounds good [he bends down to finish tying his shoe] i swear i used to have more, they just keep going missing

Have you tried asking the naiads? [Will offers, knowing them and the other nymphs are oft to steal things] might be a bit soggy if thats what happened to them, but at least you'd have em back

that’s a good idea [percy laughs a little] i don’t know why i hadn’t thought about that. thanks [he’d look at will] ready?

Yeah. Being permanently ready is kind of in the job description [he jokes, starting to slowly walk backwards away from the cabin, giving Percy a last chance to remember if he forgot something]

[percy glances back at his cabin before pulling the door closed and following will] right, that makes sense. let’s go find you some audiobooks then [he grins at will]

And architecture material. [Will says, slowing down and turning to walk side by side with percy now] so it really just that and socks for ya, or was there anything else?

[percy hums] yeah, i think so. unless i suddenly get reminded of something while we’re in the store. [he’d shrug] making lists doesn’t always work that well for me

Yeah well my memory has been pretty bad [will shrugs right back, pretty sure it wasnt an issue when he was younger] so ive got the complete opposite problem where ill totally forget things if I dont make some note. Not lists though really. I think its more writing it than reading it

there’s always something missing from my lists, something something out of sight out of mind? it can get pretty bad. [percy smiles a little at will] i guess it just depends on how the adhd manifests?

Used to write on myself all the time and get in trouble [he shakes his head fondly, seeing thalia's tree in the distance] didnt stop though so Mama ended up getting me nontoxic pens. Which i lost but its whatever.

your mom got you nontoxic pens? that’s really sweet, actually [he follows will’s gaze to the tree] i used to draw random stuff on my arms, but i think my mom was okay as long as i didn’t get my hands on a sharpie [he laughs a little] annabeth does that too, though. she thinks of something she has to remember, so she just writes it on her hand

Yeah, shes the best [will says for maybe the second time since hes been interacting with Percy.] Oh gods. You didnt actually use sharpie did you? [He says with a grin, realizing that he could actually see that, oddly enough. The hero of multiple wars doodling on himself with sharpie as a kid.] Im lucky I grew out of it mostly before becoming head counselor and medic. Not the best example and all.

[percy smiles at will] sometimes all i had access to was a sharpie! [he’d laugh a little] but no, i know what you mean. my mom used to pick out just the blue candies for me. she still makes almost all my food blue. [his voice is very fond] to be loved is to be seen, or whatever, right? but, i dunno, considering all the other crap we go through, i don’t think writing on yourself would make you a bad example. you’re a really good head counsellor and medic.

[Will's head turns at the mention of blue food] wait is that why all your stuff is always blue in the mess hall?! [He chuckles, pointing with his thumb back at the cabins] we always thought it was a poseidon thing. There were jokes you'd die if food wasnt blue [he shakes his head. This makes a lot more sense than some supernatural glorific reason, though will had always assumed it was a get closer to dad thing the way bleaching his own hair was]

Your mom sounds great too. [He says as a memory resurfaces] wait was she the one with gun in the battle of manhattan?

[percy laughs a little] she was, i still have no idea how she knew how to fire that gun. [he shakes his head] my stepfather also killed some monsters with a random sword he picked up. but, as far as the food goes, it was always my mom. my first stepfather told her there was no such thing as blue food, and ever since then she made all my food blue. [he smiles fondly] i don’t think i’ve ever told someone this, but before i was claimed, my first night of camp, i offered some of my food to her, on top of the gods [he shrugs] though, to be fair, if my food wasn’t blue i might die of homesickness.

Gods thats awesome [will grins, the two of them just about passing the tree now and the guardian dragon] arent guns kind of intuitive though. Not that hard to figure out. Now the sword thing? Thats more impressive to me. I dont know how you guys do that

[Will elbows him a little as they pass the dragon] hey thats a good idea. I should do that and iris message my mom, see if she notices any difference [he says, and though hes joking about the belief that it might do anything it would be a good excuse to call her, since he hasnt seen her much since becoming a year round camper after manhattan]

[percy laughs] are guns intuitive or are you from texas? [he says it a little teasingly, not knowing much else about texas but its reputation for an affinity for firearms, nudging will back] you should iris message your mom, it would probably make her day. if she’s anything like my mom, anyway.

Actually I think that one's a dad thing [will loosely mimes the shooting of a small bow and arrow] i didnt get archery but gubs and throwing things into trashcans I can do. Not frisbee though [will adds quickly with a faint grimace before shaking his head] yeah honestly I might when I get back. Last time I did there was a truth curse and I think I freaked her out a little bit.

[percy laughs, nodding] right, i forgot [he smiles a little] sounds like maybe iris messaging her without a curse is a little overdue then. [he’d playfully nudge will] call home, solace, come on, who raised you [he’s teasing, it’s the same thing his mom says when he hasn’t called home in a while]

[Will rolls his eyes] im going to. [He laughs though at whats clearly a repurposed quote from someone else] it was literally only a week. And ive been busy. [Will says, the infirmary having had a number of problems specifically as a result of the camper that flooded the place with orange juice] when's the last time you called your mom?

[percy grins] last night after dinner. [he shrugs] i wanted to check in. see how she and paul were doing, say hi to estelle. but im also not running the infirmary and [he pauses, knocking on his head] i’ve got a bit of a break from having to prevent an armageddon.

Alright. Bragging. Someone'sbetter at this than me [he shakes his head with an amused grin] and yeah lets hope if fucking stays that way. Three wars in three years is already more than enough

[percy laughs a little, shaking his head] dude, you do not have to tell me twice. i’ve been involved in too many great prophesies for one lifetime. i’m looking forward to having a chance to be bored.

I cant even imagine being the center of all that. Being in one prophecy was bad enough and the prophecy wasnt even mine [the two of them reach the road outside camp halfblood and Will starts walking left, knowing there should be a bus stop around here, though what loops the mist must've gone through to make that a reality, he wasnt sure]

[percy follows him, shaking his head] sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, i guess. [it weighed on him sometimes, everything he’d had to do, everything that had had to happen. but he knew the choices he made were the ones he had to make. even knowing the outcome, he’s not sure he’d do much differently. he looks at will] by the way, man, just for the record, what you do now, and the way you’ve helped in the past? that’s crazy impressive.

I feel like whoever invented that phrase didnt intent for it to mean saving the world multiple times [he points out before fixing his gaze down the road at the next bit, biting at the inside of cheek a bit uncomfortably] well yeah, obviously. Im better than most mortal doctors at some things now. The nectar and ambrosia helps.

yeah, i guess it would. but not everyone can be a doctor. regardless of how good they are at understanding medicine. i feel like people don’t talk enough about how important it is to be someone that people who need help feel like they can go to. someone they almost want to go to when they need to. [he’d shrug, innocuously, before looking at will]

[Will actually doesnt respond to that for awhile, though his mouth opens and closes for awhile. Because it feels wrong but most of the things he can think to say to brush it off are technicalities. "I didnt used to be good at it", "im not a doctor", some joke about having taken enough hits to prove plenty of people didnt want his help, "its just practice", "plenty of doctors arent good people persons" "shoulda figured out how important it was sooner". But he cant actually put his finger on why it feels so wrong and uncomfortable to hear so instead he squints and points ahead at the bus stop] sometimes it says how long 'til the bus gets here. Can you see it from here? Theres a bit of a glare

[percy would shield his eyes with his hand and squint] it’s either a five or a seven. i think. could be a three. but i think we have to get on the 27, which i think usually comes through every 18 or so minutes. [he’d look at will] unless there’s a delay.

Good if we missed it I was going to riot. [Will laments, glad percy let the topic drop and clearly speaking from personal experience with this specific bus] or if its full of monsters, but mostly just if we miss it

[percy laughs a little] yeah, missing a bus always throws a wrench into plans. [he shakes his head] if the bus is full of monsters i might riot, actually

[Will laughs back at their agreement] everything on this trip has to go right or someone here is losing their cool [he reasons from their two statements as they reach the bus stop]

basically, yes. but i have hope. [percy laughs as he checks the sign again to make sure] bus should be here soon.

[Will glances up at the number that now says 1 minute after the time it took to walk there] yeah. Library first? [Will reaches in his bag, rifling around for something]

[percy nods, watching him for a second] library first is good [he is unsure if he can ask what will is looking for, so he cranes his neck to see if the bus is visible]

[Will finds what hes looking for and pulls out one of those stupid bus route maps, starting to unfold it] alright lets see. New York Public Library. Thats on City Island and Bay [he scans for it, trying to map out if they need to take another bus after this]

[percy would look at him] we’ll probably have to transfer once we get out of long island, but i’m used to the routes in the city, if it helps? [he tries to smile at will] we’ll probably have to take the d train.

[Will glances at percy from where he was squinting at the map. Map reading was fine, he didnt have any trouble with that, just all the labels] right [he folds the map a little in his hands, starting to see the bus approaching froma distance down the road] I forgot I had a local with me this time [he grins, folding the map again so it has more substance with which to amiably hit Percy's arm with]

[percy laughs, shaking his head] you learn to navigate the city pretty fast [he shrugs] it’ll probably be a bit of a ride though, the stops can add a lot of time

I havent learned yet. Just take the compliment, I wasnt even blunt about it [he chides] and yeah ive taken this bus out before. [He sets to folding the map back up]

[percy hums, thinking about the city a bit] i like the bus, but there’s nothing like the subway.

[Will face wrinkles, still remembering the mishap in the subway with his mom] not my favorite but I guess I cant make stupid train mistakes with an expert spotting me [he says as the bus rolls to a stop]

[percy looks at him, before nodding towards the bus] after you? [he didn’t want to press, feeling the change in will’s face when he mentioned the subway. he started thinking of alternate ways to the library. he knew there was a subway grate right across the street, but in the middle of the day there had to be plenty of buses. he shook his head, trying to clear it]

[Will isnt actually that serious in his dislike of the subway, its more a mild caution, having taken it plenty of times since then]

Thanks [will says, boarding the bus without getting out a metrocard, doubting anyone is going to check for the fare on a bus this far out walking backwards as he starts heading to the seat closest to an emergency exit, keeping an eye on Percy]

[percy nods, following him, not using his metrocard either, more of a habit than anything else. if he could get away without paying for something, he didn’t pay. he walked toward the back with will, but stayed standing, looping his non-dominant hand in one of the loops intended to brace standing passengers] i’ll keep an eye on the route?

[Will waves a hand] im guessing you need a bit more time [he says with a smirk, glancing down at the shoe]

[percy laughs a little, nodding] i, uh, i couldn’t find socks. [he’d look at him, slightly raising an eyebrow] i like your hair? [he’d look says it a little uncertainly, he’s not sure if will did it on purpose]

Thats why I wear flip flops [will advises unhelpfully, wiggling one foot before dropping it a frowning in overexaggerated irritation as he nods] thanks. I dont. [He deadpans]

okay, so you didn’t do it on purpose. [he’d raise an eyebrow] camp prank?

Yep. I seem to be maybe their favorite target for those kinds of things [he reads to tug a blue curl resentfully down into his own eyesight before letting it go back]

[small laugh] sorry, sorry i shouldn’t laugh [he’d shake his head] if you want, we can add ‘get dye remover’ to our list today

You can laugh [will shakes his head] its better if someone gets some enjoyment from it yeah? [He says but nods] for sure. And maybe a couple more socks for you?

[percy laughs again] yeah, sounds good [he bends down to finish tying his shoe] i swear i used to have more, they just keep going missing

Have you tried asking the naiads? [Will offers, knowing them and the other nymphs are oft to steal things] might be a bit soggy if thats what happened to them, but at least you'd have em back

that’s a good idea [percy laughs a little] i don’t know why i hadn’t thought about that. thanks [he’d look at will] ready?

Yeah. Being permanently ready is kind of in the job description [he jokes, starting to slowly walk backwards away from the cabin, giving Percy a last chance to remember if he forgot something]

[percy glances back at his cabin before pulling the door closed and following will] right, that makes sense. let’s go find you some audiobooks then [he grins at will]

And architecture material. [Will says, slowing down and turning to walk side by side with percy now] so it really just that and socks for ya, or was there anything else?

[percy hums] yeah, i think so. unless i suddenly get reminded of something while we’re in the store. [he’d shrug] making lists doesn’t always work that well for me

Yeah well my memory has been pretty bad [will shrugs right back, pretty sure it wasnt an issue when he was younger] so ive got the complete opposite problem where ill totally forget things if I dont make some note. Not lists though really. I think its more writing it than reading it

there’s always something missing from my lists, something something out of sight out of mind? it can get pretty bad. [percy smiles a little at will] i guess it just depends on how the adhd manifests?

Used to write on myself all the time and get in trouble [he shakes his head fondly, seeing thalia's tree in the distance] didnt stop though so Mama ended up getting me nontoxic pens. Which i lost but its whatever.

your mom got you nontoxic pens? that’s really sweet, actually [he follows will’s gaze to the tree] i used to draw random stuff on my arms, but i think my mom was okay as long as i didn’t get my hands on a sharpie [he laughs a little] annabeth does that too, though. she thinks of something she has to remember, so she just writes it on her hand

Yeah, shes the best [will says for maybe the second time since hes been interacting with Percy.] Oh gods. You didnt actually use sharpie did you? [He says with a grin, realizing that he could actually see that, oddly enough. The hero of multiple wars doodling on himself with sharpie as a kid.] Im lucky I grew out of it mostly before becoming head counselor and medic. Not the best example and all.

[percy smiles at will] sometimes all i had access to was a sharpie! [he’d laugh a little] but no, i know what you mean. my mom used to pick out just the blue candies for me. she still makes almost all my food blue. [his voice is very fond] to be loved is to be seen, or whatever, right? but, i dunno, considering all the other crap we go through, i don’t think writing on yourself would make you a bad example. you’re a really good head counsellor and medic.

[Will's head turns at the mention of blue food] wait is that why all your stuff is always blue in the mess hall?! [He chuckles, pointing with his thumb back at the cabins] we always thought it was a poseidon thing. There were jokes you'd die if food wasnt blue [he shakes his head. This makes a lot more sense than some supernatural glorific reason, though will had always assumed it was a get closer to dad thing the way bleaching his own hair was]

Your mom sounds great too. [He says as a memory resurfaces] wait was she the one with gun in the battle of manhattan?

[percy laughs a little] she was, i still have no idea how she knew how to fire that gun. [he shakes his head] my stepfather also killed some monsters with a random sword he picked up. but, as far as the food goes, it was always my mom. my first stepfather told her there was no such thing as blue food, and ever since then she made all my food blue. [he smiles fondly] i don’t think i’ve ever told someone this, but before i was claimed, my first night of camp, i offered some of my food to her, on top of the gods [he shrugs] though, to be fair, if my food wasn’t blue i might die of homesickness.

Gods thats awesome [will grins, the two of them just about passing the tree now and the guardian dragon] arent guns kind of intuitive though. Not that hard to figure out. Now the sword thing? Thats more impressive to me. I dont know how you guys do that

[Will elbows him a little as they pass the dragon] hey thats a good idea. I should do that and iris message my mom, see if she notices any difference [he says, and though hes joking about the belief that it might do anything it would be a good excuse to call her, since he hasnt seen her much since becoming a year round camper after manhattan]

[percy laughs] are guns intuitive or are you from texas? [he says it a little teasingly, not knowing much else about texas but its reputation for an affinity for firearms, nudging will back] you should iris message your mom, it would probably make her day. if she’s anything like my mom, anyway.

Actually I think that one's a dad thing [will loosely mimes the shooting of a small bow and arrow] i didnt get archery but gubs and throwing things into trashcans I can do. Not frisbee though [will adds quickly with a faint grimace before shaking his head] yeah honestly I might when I get back. Last time I did there was a truth curse and I think I freaked her out a little bit.

[percy laughs, nodding] right, i forgot [he smiles a little] sounds like maybe iris messaging her without a curse is a little overdue then. [he’d playfully nudge will] call home, solace, come on, who raised you [he’s teasing, it’s the same thing his mom says when he hasn’t called home in a while]

[Will rolls his eyes] im going to. [He laughs though at whats clearly a repurposed quote from someone else] it was literally only a week. And ive been busy. [Will says, the infirmary having had a number of problems specifically as a result of the camper that flooded the place with orange juice] when's the last time you called your mom?

[percy grins] last night after dinner. [he shrugs] i wanted to check in. see how she and paul were doing, say hi to estelle. but im also not running the infirmary and [he pauses, knocking on his head] i’ve got a bit of a break from having to prevent an armageddon.

Alright. Bragging. Someone'sbetter at this than me [he shakes his head with an amused grin] and yeah lets hope if fucking stays that way. Three wars in three years is already more than enough

[percy laughs a little, shaking his head] dude, you do not have to tell me twice. i’ve been involved in too many great prophesies for one lifetime. i’m looking forward to having a chance to be bored.

I cant even imagine being the center of all that. Being in one prophecy was bad enough and the prophecy wasnt even mine [the two of them reach the road outside camp halfblood and Will starts walking left, knowing there should be a bus stop around here, though what loops the mist must've gone through to make that a reality, he wasnt sure]

[percy follows him, shaking his head] sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, i guess. [it weighed on him sometimes, everything he’d had to do, everything that had had to happen. but he knew the choices he made were the ones he had to make. even knowing the outcome, he’s not sure he’d do much differently. he looks at will] by the way, man, just for the record, what you do now, and the way you’ve helped in the past? that’s crazy impressive.

I feel like whoever invented that phrase didnt intent for it to mean saving the world multiple times [he points out before fixing his gaze down the road at the next bit, biting at the inside of cheek a bit uncomfortably] well yeah, obviously. Im better than most mortal doctors at some things now. The nectar and ambrosia helps.

yeah, i guess it would. but not everyone can be a doctor. regardless of how good they are at understanding medicine. i feel like people don’t talk enough about how important it is to be someone that people who need help feel like they can go to. someone they almost want to go to when they need to. [he’d shrug, innocuously, before looking at will]

[Will actually doesnt respond to that for awhile, though his mouth opens and closes for awhile. Because it feels wrong but most of the things he can think to say to brush it off are technicalities. "I didnt used to be good at it", "im not a doctor", some joke about having taken enough hits to prove plenty of people didnt want his help, "its just practice", "plenty of doctors arent good people persons" "shoulda figured out how important it was sooner". But he cant actually put his finger on why it feels so wrong and uncomfortable to hear so instead he squints and points ahead at the bus stop] sometimes it says how long 'til the bus gets here. Can you see it from here? Theres a bit of a glare

[percy would shield his eyes with his hand and squint] it’s either a five or a seven. i think. could be a three. but i think we have to get on the 27, which i think usually comes through every 18 or so minutes. [he’d look at will] unless there’s a delay.

Good if we missed it I was going to riot. [Will laments, glad percy let the topic drop and clearly speaking from personal experience with this specific bus] or if its full of monsters, but mostly just if we miss it

[percy laughs a little] yeah, missing a bus always throws a wrench into plans. [he shakes his head] if the bus is full of monsters i might riot, actually

[Will laughs back at their agreement] everything on this trip has to go right or someone here is losing their cool [he reasons from their two statements as they reach the bus stop]

basically, yes. but i have hope. [percy laughs as he checks the sign again to make sure] bus should be here soon.

[Will glances up at the number that now says 1 minute after the time it took to walk there] yeah. Library first? [Will reaches in his bag, rifling around for something]

[percy nods, watching him for a second] library first is good [he is unsure if he can ask what will is looking for, so he cranes his neck to see if the bus is visible]

[Will finds what hes looking for and pulls out one of those stupid bus route maps, starting to unfold it] alright lets see. New York Public Library. Thats on City Island and Bay [he scans for it, trying to map out if they need to take another bus after this]

[percy would look at him] we’ll probably have to transfer once we get out of long island, but i’m used to the routes in the city, if it helps? [he tries to smile at will] we’ll probably have to take the d train.

[Will glances at percy from where he was squinting at the map. Map reading was fine, he didnt have any trouble with that, just all the labels] right [he folds the map a little in his hands, starting to see the bus approaching froma distance down the road] I forgot I had a local with me this time [he grins, folding the map again so it has more substance with which to amiably hit Percy's arm with]

[percy laughs, shaking his head] you learn to navigate the city pretty fast [he shrugs] it’ll probably be a bit of a ride though, the stops can add a lot of time

I havent learned yet. Just take the compliment, I wasnt even blunt about it [he chides] and yeah ive taken this bus out before. [He sets to folding the map back up]

[percy hums, thinking about the city a bit] i like the bus, but there’s nothing like the subway.

[Will face wrinkles, still remembering the mishap in the subway with his mom] not my favorite but I guess I cant make stupid train mistakes with an expert spotting me [he says as the bus rolls to a stop]

[percy looks at him, before nodding towards the bus] after you? [he didn’t want to press, feeling the change in will’s face when he mentioned the subway. he started thinking of alternate ways to the library. he knew there was a subway grate right across the street, but in the middle of the day there had to be plenty of buses. he shook his head, trying to clear it]

[Will waves a hand] im guessing you need a bit more time [he says with a smirk, glancing down at the shoe]

[percy laughs a little, nodding] i, uh, i couldn’t find socks. [he’d look at him, slightly raising an eyebrow] i like your hair? [he’d look says it a little uncertainly, he’s not sure if will did it on purpose]

Thats why I wear flip flops [will advises unhelpfully, wiggling one foot before dropping it a frowning in overexaggerated irritation as he nods] thanks. I dont. [He deadpans]

okay, so you didn’t do it on purpose. [he’d raise an eyebrow] camp prank?

Yep. I seem to be maybe their favorite target for those kinds of things [he reads to tug a blue curl resentfully down into his own eyesight before letting it go back]

[small laugh] sorry, sorry i shouldn’t laugh [he’d shake his head] if you want, we can add ‘get dye remover’ to our list today

You can laugh [will shakes his head] its better if someone gets some enjoyment from it yeah? [He says but nods] for sure. And maybe a couple more socks for you?

[percy laughs again] yeah, sounds good [he bends down to finish tying his shoe] i swear i used to have more, they just keep going missing

Have you tried asking the naiads? [Will offers, knowing them and the other nymphs are oft to steal things] might be a bit soggy if thats what happened to them, but at least you'd have em back

that’s a good idea [percy laughs a little] i don’t know why i hadn’t thought about that. thanks [he’d look at will] ready?

Yeah. Being permanently ready is kind of in the job description [he jokes, starting to slowly walk backwards away from the cabin, giving Percy a last chance to remember if he forgot something]

[percy glances back at his cabin before pulling the door closed and following will] right, that makes sense. let’s go find you some audiobooks then [he grins at will]

And architecture material. [Will says, slowing down and turning to walk side by side with percy now] so it really just that and socks for ya, or was there anything else?

[percy hums] yeah, i think so. unless i suddenly get reminded of something while we’re in the store. [he’d shrug] making lists doesn’t always work that well for me

Yeah well my memory has been pretty bad [will shrugs right back, pretty sure it wasnt an issue when he was younger] so ive got the complete opposite problem where ill totally forget things if I dont make some note. Not lists though really. I think its more writing it than reading it

there’s always something missing from my lists, something something out of sight out of mind? it can get pretty bad. [percy smiles a little at will] i guess it just depends on how the adhd manifests?

Used to write on myself all the time and get in trouble [he shakes his head fondly, seeing thalia's tree in the distance] didnt stop though so Mama ended up getting me nontoxic pens. Which i lost but its whatever.

your mom got you nontoxic pens? that’s really sweet, actually [he follows will’s gaze to the tree] i used to draw random stuff on my arms, but i think my mom was okay as long as i didn’t get my hands on a sharpie [he laughs a little] annabeth does that too, though. she thinks of something she has to remember, so she just writes it on her hand

Yeah, shes the best [will says for maybe the second time since hes been interacting with Percy.] Oh gods. You didnt actually use sharpie did you? [He says with a grin, realizing that he could actually see that, oddly enough. The hero of multiple wars doodling on himself with sharpie as a kid.] Im lucky I grew out of it mostly before becoming head counselor and medic. Not the best example and all.

[percy smiles at will] sometimes all i had access to was a sharpie! [he’d laugh a little] but no, i know what you mean. my mom used to pick out just the blue candies for me. she still makes almost all my food blue. [his voice is very fond] to be loved is to be seen, or whatever, right? but, i dunno, considering all the other crap we go through, i don’t think writing on yourself would make you a bad example. you’re a really good head counsellor and medic.

[Will's head turns at the mention of blue food] wait is that why all your stuff is always blue in the mess hall?! [He chuckles, pointing with his thumb back at the cabins] we always thought it was a poseidon thing. There were jokes you'd die if food wasnt blue [he shakes his head. This makes a lot more sense than some supernatural glorific reason, though will had always assumed it was a get closer to dad thing the way bleaching his own hair was]

Your mom sounds great too. [He says as a memory resurfaces] wait was she the one with gun in the battle of manhattan?

[percy laughs a little] she was, i still have no idea how she knew how to fire that gun. [he shakes his head] my stepfather also killed some monsters with a random sword he picked up. but, as far as the food goes, it was always my mom. my first stepfather told her there was no such thing as blue food, and ever since then she made all my food blue. [he smiles fondly] i don’t think i’ve ever told someone this, but before i was claimed, my first night of camp, i offered some of my food to her, on top of the gods [he shrugs] though, to be fair, if my food wasn’t blue i might die of homesickness.

Gods thats awesome [will grins, the two of them just about passing the tree now and the guardian dragon] arent guns kind of intuitive though. Not that hard to figure out. Now the sword thing? Thats more impressive to me. I dont know how you guys do that

[Will elbows him a little as they pass the dragon] hey thats a good idea. I should do that and iris message my mom, see if she notices any difference [he says, and though hes joking about the belief that it might do anything it would be a good excuse to call her, since he hasnt seen her much since becoming a year round camper after manhattan]

[percy laughs] are guns intuitive or are you from texas? [he says it a little teasingly, not knowing much else about texas but its reputation for an affinity for firearms, nudging will back] you should iris message your mom, it would probably make her day. if she’s anything like my mom, anyway.

Actually I think that one's a dad thing [will loosely mimes the shooting of a small bow and arrow] i didnt get archery but gubs and throwing things into trashcans I can do. Not frisbee though [will adds quickly with a faint grimace before shaking his head] yeah honestly I might when I get back. Last time I did there was a truth curse and I think I freaked her out a little bit.

[percy laughs, nodding] right, i forgot [he smiles a little] sounds like maybe iris messaging her without a curse is a little overdue then. [he’d playfully nudge will] call home, solace, come on, who raised you [he’s teasing, it’s the same thing his mom says when he hasn’t called home in a while]

[Will rolls his eyes] im going to. [He laughs though at whats clearly a repurposed quote from someone else] it was literally only a week. And ive been busy. [Will says, the infirmary having had a number of problems specifically as a result of the camper that flooded the place with orange juice] when's the last time you called your mom?

[percy grins] last night after dinner. [he shrugs] i wanted to check in. see how she and paul were doing, say hi to estelle. but im also not running the infirmary and [he pauses, knocking on his head] i’ve got a bit of a break from having to prevent an armageddon.

Alright. Bragging. Someone'sbetter at this than me [he shakes his head with an amused grin] and yeah lets hope if fucking stays that way. Three wars in three years is already more than enough

[percy laughs a little, shaking his head] dude, you do not have to tell me twice. i’ve been involved in too many great prophesies for one lifetime. i’m looking forward to having a chance to be bored.

I cant even imagine being the center of all that. Being in one prophecy was bad enough and the prophecy wasnt even mine [the two of them reach the road outside camp halfblood and Will starts walking left, knowing there should be a bus stop around here, though what loops the mist must've gone through to make that a reality, he wasnt sure]

[percy follows him, shaking his head] sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, i guess. [it weighed on him sometimes, everything he’d had to do, everything that had had to happen. but he knew the choices he made were the ones he had to make. even knowing the outcome, he’s not sure he’d do much differently. he looks at will] by the way, man, just for the record, what you do now, and the way you’ve helped in the past? that’s crazy impressive.

I feel like whoever invented that phrase didnt intent for it to mean saving the world multiple times [he points out before fixing his gaze down the road at the next bit, biting at the inside of cheek a bit uncomfortably] well yeah, obviously. Im better than most mortal doctors at some things now. The nectar and ambrosia helps.

yeah, i guess it would. but not everyone can be a doctor. regardless of how good they are at understanding medicine. i feel like people don’t talk enough about how important it is to be someone that people who need help feel like they can go to. someone they almost want to go to when they need to. [he’d shrug, innocuously, before looking at will]

[Will actually doesnt respond to that for awhile, though his mouth opens and closes for awhile. Because it feels wrong but most of the things he can think to say to brush it off are technicalities. "I didnt used to be good at it", "im not a doctor", some joke about having taken enough hits to prove plenty of people didnt want his help, "its just practice", "plenty of doctors arent good people persons" "shoulda figured out how important it was sooner". But he cant actually put his finger on why it feels so wrong and uncomfortable to hear so instead he squints and points ahead at the bus stop] sometimes it says how long 'til the bus gets here. Can you see it from here? Theres a bit of a glare

[percy would shield his eyes with his hand and squint] it’s either a five or a seven. i think. could be a three. but i think we have to get on the 27, which i think usually comes through every 18 or so minutes. [he’d look at will] unless there’s a delay.

Good if we missed it I was going to riot. [Will laments, glad percy let the topic drop and clearly speaking from personal experience with this specific bus] or if its full of monsters, but mostly just if we miss it

[percy laughs a little] yeah, missing a bus always throws a wrench into plans. [he shakes his head] if the bus is full of monsters i might riot, actually

[Will laughs back at their agreement] everything on this trip has to go right or someone here is losing their cool [he reasons from their two statements as they reach the bus stop]

basically, yes. but i have hope. [percy laughs as he checks the sign again to make sure] bus should be here soon.

[Will glances up at the number that now says 1 minute after the time it took to walk there] yeah. Library first? [Will reaches in his bag, rifling around for something]

[percy nods, watching him for a second] library first is good [he is unsure if he can ask what will is looking for, so he cranes his neck to see if the bus is visible]

[Will finds what hes looking for and pulls out one of those stupid bus route maps, starting to unfold it] alright lets see. New York Public Library. Thats on City Island and Bay [he scans for it, trying to map out if they need to take another bus after this]

[percy would look at him] we’ll probably have to transfer once we get out of long island, but i’m used to the routes in the city, if it helps? [he tries to smile at will] we’ll probably have to take the d train.

[Will glances at percy from where he was squinting at the map. Map reading was fine, he didnt have any trouble with that, just all the labels] right [he folds the map a little in his hands, starting to see the bus approaching froma distance down the road] I forgot I had a local with me this time [he grins, folding the map again so it has more substance with which to amiably hit Percy's arm with]

[percy laughs, shaking his head] you learn to navigate the city pretty fast [he shrugs] it’ll probably be a bit of a ride though, the stops can add a lot of time

I havent learned yet. Just take the compliment, I wasnt even blunt about it [he chides] and yeah ive taken this bus out before. [He sets to folding the map back up]

[percy hums, thinking about the city a bit] i like the bus, but there’s nothing like the subway.

[Will waves a hand] im guessing you need a bit more time [he says with a smirk, glancing down at the shoe]

[percy laughs a little, nodding] i, uh, i couldn’t find socks. [he’d look at him, slightly raising an eyebrow] i like your hair? [he’d look says it a little uncertainly, he’s not sure if will did it on purpose]

Thats why I wear flip flops [will advises unhelpfully, wiggling one foot before dropping it a frowning in overexaggerated irritation as he nods] thanks. I dont. [He deadpans]

okay, so you didn’t do it on purpose. [he’d raise an eyebrow] camp prank?

Yep. I seem to be maybe their favorite target for those kinds of things [he reads to tug a blue curl resentfully down into his own eyesight before letting it go back]

[small laugh] sorry, sorry i shouldn’t laugh [he’d shake his head] if you want, we can add ‘get dye remover’ to our list today

You can laugh [will shakes his head] its better if someone gets some enjoyment from it yeah? [He says but nods] for sure. And maybe a couple more socks for you?

[percy laughs again] yeah, sounds good [he bends down to finish tying his shoe] i swear i used to have more, they just keep going missing

Have you tried asking the naiads? [Will offers, knowing them and the other nymphs are oft to steal things] might be a bit soggy if thats what happened to them, but at least you'd have em back

that’s a good idea [percy laughs a little] i don’t know why i hadn’t thought about that. thanks [he’d look at will] ready?

Yeah. Being permanently ready is kind of in the job description [he jokes, starting to slowly walk backwards away from the cabin, giving Percy a last chance to remember if he forgot something]

[percy glances back at his cabin before pulling the door closed and following will] right, that makes sense. let’s go find you some audiobooks then [he grins at will]

And architecture material. [Will says, slowing down and turning to walk side by side with percy now] so it really just that and socks for ya, or was there anything else?

[percy hums] yeah, i think so. unless i suddenly get reminded of something while we’re in the store. [he’d shrug] making lists doesn’t always work that well for me

Yeah well my memory has been pretty bad [will shrugs right back, pretty sure it wasnt an issue when he was younger] so ive got the complete opposite problem where ill totally forget things if I dont make some note. Not lists though really. I think its more writing it than reading it

there’s always something missing from my lists, something something out of sight out of mind? it can get pretty bad. [percy smiles a little at will] i guess it just depends on how the adhd manifests?

Used to write on myself all the time and get in trouble [he shakes his head fondly, seeing thalia's tree in the distance] didnt stop though so Mama ended up getting me nontoxic pens. Which i lost but its whatever.

your mom got you nontoxic pens? that’s really sweet, actually [he follows will’s gaze to the tree] i used to draw random stuff on my arms, but i think my mom was okay as long as i didn’t get my hands on a sharpie [he laughs a little] annabeth does that too, though. she thinks of something she has to remember, so she just writes it on her hand

Yeah, shes the best [will says for maybe the second time since hes been interacting with Percy.] Oh gods. You didnt actually use sharpie did you? [He says with a grin, realizing that he could actually see that, oddly enough. The hero of multiple wars doodling on himself with sharpie as a kid.] Im lucky I grew out of it mostly before becoming head counselor and medic. Not the best example and all.

[percy smiles at will] sometimes all i had access to was a sharpie! [he’d laugh a little] but no, i know what you mean. my mom used to pick out just the blue candies for me. she still makes almost all my food blue. [his voice is very fond] to be loved is to be seen, or whatever, right? but, i dunno, considering all the other crap we go through, i don’t think writing on yourself would make you a bad example. you’re a really good head counsellor and medic.

[Will's head turns at the mention of blue food] wait is that why all your stuff is always blue in the mess hall?! [He chuckles, pointing with his thumb back at the cabins] we always thought it was a poseidon thing. There were jokes you'd die if food wasnt blue [he shakes his head. This makes a lot more sense than some supernatural glorific reason, though will had always assumed it was a get closer to dad thing the way bleaching his own hair was]

Your mom sounds great too. [He says as a memory resurfaces] wait was she the one with gun in the battle of manhattan?

[percy laughs a little] she was, i still have no idea how she knew how to fire that gun. [he shakes his head] my stepfather also killed some monsters with a random sword he picked up. but, as far as the food goes, it was always my mom. my first stepfather told her there was no such thing as blue food, and ever since then she made all my food blue. [he smiles fondly] i don’t think i’ve ever told someone this, but before i was claimed, my first night of camp, i offered some of my food to her, on top of the gods [he shrugs] though, to be fair, if my food wasn’t blue i might die of homesickness.

Gods thats awesome [will grins, the two of them just about passing the tree now and the guardian dragon] arent guns kind of intuitive though. Not that hard to figure out. Now the sword thing? Thats more impressive to me. I dont know how you guys do that

[Will elbows him a little as they pass the dragon] hey thats a good idea. I should do that and iris message my mom, see if she notices any difference [he says, and though hes joking about the belief that it might do anything it would be a good excuse to call her, since he hasnt seen her much since becoming a year round camper after manhattan]

[percy laughs] are guns intuitive or are you from texas? [he says it a little teasingly, not knowing much else about texas but its reputation for an affinity for firearms, nudging will back] you should iris message your mom, it would probably make her day. if she’s anything like my mom, anyway.

Actually I think that one's a dad thing [will loosely mimes the shooting of a small bow and arrow] i didnt get archery but gubs and throwing things into trashcans I can do. Not frisbee though [will adds quickly with a faint grimace before shaking his head] yeah honestly I might when I get back. Last time I did there was a truth curse and I think I freaked her out a little bit.

[percy laughs, nodding] right, i forgot [he smiles a little] sounds like maybe iris messaging her without a curse is a little overdue then. [he’d playfully nudge will] call home, solace, come on, who raised you [he’s teasing, it’s the same thing his mom says when he hasn’t called home in a while]

[Will rolls his eyes] im going to. [He laughs though at whats clearly a repurposed quote from someone else] it was literally only a week. And ive been busy. [Will says, the infirmary having had a number of problems specifically as a result of the camper that flooded the place with orange juice] when's the last time you called your mom?

[percy grins] last night after dinner. [he shrugs] i wanted to check in. see how she and paul were doing, say hi to estelle. but im also not running the infirmary and [he pauses, knocking on his head] i’ve got a bit of a break from having to prevent an armageddon.

Alright. Bragging. Someone'sbetter at this than me [he shakes his head with an amused grin] and yeah lets hope if fucking stays that way. Three wars in three years is already more than enough

[percy laughs a little, shaking his head] dude, you do not have to tell me twice. i’ve been involved in too many great prophesies for one lifetime. i’m looking forward to having a chance to be bored.

I cant even imagine being the center of all that. Being in one prophecy was bad enough and the prophecy wasnt even mine [the two of them reach the road outside camp halfblood and Will starts walking left, knowing there should be a bus stop around here, though what loops the mist must've gone through to make that a reality, he wasnt sure]

[percy follows him, shaking his head] sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, i guess. [it weighed on him sometimes, everything he’d had to do, everything that had had to happen. but he knew the choices he made were the ones he had to make. even knowing the outcome, he’s not sure he’d do much differently. he looks at will] by the way, man, just for the record, what you do now, and the way you’ve helped in the past? that’s crazy impressive.

I feel like whoever invented that phrase didnt intent for it to mean saving the world multiple times [he points out before fixing his gaze down the road at the next bit, biting at the inside of cheek a bit uncomfortably] well yeah, obviously. Im better than most mortal doctors at some things now. The nectar and ambrosia helps.

yeah, i guess it would. but not everyone can be a doctor. regardless of how good they are at understanding medicine. i feel like people don’t talk enough about how important it is to be someone that people who need help feel like they can go to. someone they almost want to go to when they need to. [he’d shrug, innocuously, before looking at will]

[Will actually doesnt respond to that for awhile, though his mouth opens and closes for awhile. Because it feels wrong but most of the things he can think to say to brush it off are technicalities. "I didnt used to be good at it", "im not a doctor", some joke about having taken enough hits to prove plenty of people didnt want his help, "its just practice", "plenty of doctors arent good people persons" "shoulda figured out how important it was sooner". But he cant actually put his finger on why it feels so wrong and uncomfortable to hear so instead he squints and points ahead at the bus stop] sometimes it says how long 'til the bus gets here. Can you see it from here? Theres a bit of a glare

[percy would shield his eyes with his hand and squint] it’s either a five or a seven. i think. could be a three. but i think we have to get on the 27, which i think usually comes through every 18 or so minutes. [he’d look at will] unless there’s a delay.

Good if we missed it I was going to riot. [Will laments, glad percy let the topic drop and clearly speaking from personal experience with this specific bus] or if its full of monsters, but mostly just if we miss it

[percy laughs a little] yeah, missing a bus always throws a wrench into plans. [he shakes his head] if the bus is full of monsters i might riot, actually