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ANDROMEDA DIDN'T KNOW HOW DEMIGOD DREAMS WORKED. because she was finally having some sleep through the night. which was good, because the next morning they were going out in manhattan to implement percy's plan.

she still didn't like the thought of rachel down there with them. she hated it even more that she didn't. the girl had done nothing to earn her hate, but she still couldn't stop the ill will that flowed. for her and for calypso.

she understood calypso might like this as less as she did, perhaps even more less. but her consideration transformed into jealousy at the thought of percy falling in love with her. how can you even fall for someone in such a short amount of time? mere weeks.

andromeda packed her bag with the essentials, and she went over half-blood hill to meet annabeth, percy and argus, who would drive them down to manhattan. annabeth sat ahead, leaving an awkward silence between the two in the back.

andromeda looked at annabeth through the rearview of the van, and she looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep.

"bad dreams?" she asked.

annabeth looked at her and percy through the mirror. "an iris-message from eurytion."

"eurytion!" percy gasped.

"is something wrong with nico?" andromeda asked nervously.

"he left the ranch last night, heading back into the maze. nico was gone before he woke up. orthus tracked his scent as far as the cattle guard. eurytion said he'd been hearing nico talk to himself the last few nights. only now he thinks nico was talking with the ghost again, minos."

"he's in danger," percy deadpanned.

"no shit." andromeda scoffed. "minos is one of the judges of the dead, but he's got a vicious streak a mile wide. i don't know what he wants with nico, but -"

"that's not what i meant," percy said. "i had this dream last night. . .luke was in the maze, he'd mentioned quintus, saying he would come through. one of his dracaena had found a half-blood alone in the maze."

annabeth's jaw clenched. "that's very, very bad."

"so what do we do?"

"well then," andromeda began. "it's a good thing you have a plan to guide us, huh? you sure your girlfriend would help us, though?"

"what?" percy echoed, his face heated. "she's not my girlfriend."

"oh, that's great!" andromeda grimaced. "because i don't know about her, but i would definetly have dumped you for falling for another girl in two fucking weeks."

"good thing you're not my girlfriend, then."

"yeah, good thing."

"guys," annabeth intervened. "if i have to witness this old-married-couple-arguing for a moment more, i will disembowel you both."

andromeda shut up, purely because she wanted her tongue to stay intact to hurl more jabs at him later.

they arrived at sally jackson's house. and the woman hugged percy so tightly, andromeda suspected his ribs were cracked. she gave andromeda a hug that as usual made her never want to let go.

"i told them you were all right,"

she said, speaking like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

she sat them down at the kitchen table and insisted on feeding them her special blue chocolate-chip cookies while they caught her up on the quest. percy tried to water down the frightening parts (which was pretty much everything), but somehow that just made it sound more dangerous.

when he got to the part about geryon and the stables, his mom looked like she was going to strangle him. "i can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables?"

andromeda laughed, "maybe you should hold us hostage every once in a while, should get him motivated."

sally chuckled.

"i wouldn't even complain," annabeth said. "will cookies be available?"

"ofcourse," sally put a hand to her heart. "what kind of captor do you think i am?"

the three of them laughed. and andromeda saw percy gazing at them with a wonderous look, entranced. he snapped out and narrated the rest of the story.

"so," sally said when percy was done, "you wrecked alcatraz island, made mount st. helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you're safe."

andromeda adored how optimistic she was.

"yep," percy agreed. "that pretty much covers it."

"i wish paul were here," she said, half to herself. "he wanted to talk to you."

"oh, right. the school."

andromeda remembered how percy and rachel were in such a hurry the day she came to manhattan. she knew what had happened, but she hadn't focused on what the aftermath would be for percy.

"what did you tell him?" percy asked.

sally shook her head. "what could i say? he knows something is different about you, percy. he's a smart man. he believes that you're not a bad person. he doesn't know what's going on, but the school is pressuring him. after all, he got you admitted there. he needs to convince them the fire wasn't your fault. and since you ran away, that looks bad."

andromeda looked at him with empathy, even after being a child of the goddess that could manipulate mist, she had to tirelessly work to be able to do it constantly. she couldn't imagine the struggle percy had to go through being a child of the big three.

"i'll talk to him," percy promised. "after we're done with the quest. i'll even tell him the truth if you want."

sally put her hand on percy's shoulder. "you would do that?"

"well, yeah. i mean, he'll think we're crazy."

"he already thinks that."

andromeda smiled, her statement reminding of percy's humor.

"then there's nothing to lose."

"thank you, percy. i'll tell him you'll be home. . ." she frowned. "when? what happens now?"

andromeda's cookie split with the grip she held on it. "percy has this plan."

percy told his mom the plan.

she nodded slowly. "it sounds very dangerous. but it might work."

"we're hoping it will," annabeth nodded.

"you have the same abilities, don't you?" percy asked. "you can see through the mist."

sally sighed. "not so much now. when i was younger it was easier. but yes, i've always been able to see more than was good for me. it's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. just be careful. promise me you'll be safe."

"we'll try, ms. jackson," annabeth nodded.

"keeping your son safe is a big job, though." andromeda crossed her arms. "mister hero's favourite extracurricular activity might just be exploding volcanoes he jumps in."

sally laughed, and andromeda felt very accomplished.

but then, percy spoke up. "correct me if i'm wrong, miss savior -"

"you're wrong."

"oh my gosh," he clenched his fists. "i hate you so much."

"touché, my hero." she gave a grimace.

"what's going on with you two?" sally intervened. "have you been fighting?"

"she's mad at me, but won't tell me why. how can i work with that?"

"i'm not mad at you."

"so you're just treating me like shit for nothing?"

"percy."

"sorry, mom."

andromeda sighed. "i don't want to talk about it."

percy gestured to her, looking at his mom. "see? i can't -"

andromeda stood up. "i want to you the bathroom. could you tell me where it is, ms. jackson?"

sally looked between the two of them. "down the hall."

andromeda nodded.

"but remember," sally said, and andromeda stood to hear. "your friends are counting on you two."

"i know."

the fact that they had answered this simultaneously made it all the more awkward. andromeda wanted to drown herself in the sink water. annabeth sighed, facepalming. andromeda excused herself.

she went to the bathroom, freshened herself up. she was about to enter, but she heard sally and annabeth in conversation, she had a feeling they would stop if she entered. so she stayed back and listened.

"i'll go crazy!" annabeth complained. "i mean they fight, it's a regularity. this time it's serious, though. andromeda doesn't realize it, and percy doesn't recognize it! it's like setting up a woman who's husband died with a man who's probably never dated before because he's so oblivious."

sally was laughing. "they'll come through."

andromeda cleared her throat as she entered.

"we were just talking about you," annabeth planted her face on her palm, propping up her elbow on the table.

"i know," andromeda nodded. "i was eavesdropping. do i really seem like a widow?"

annabeth laughed. "a little, yeah."

"i'll have some wine to cope, please."

"we can have your eighteenth here," sally chuckled. "i have wine loaded."

andromeda smiled, then she noticed something. "where's little jackson?"

"he's making a call to rachel." annabeth said nervously.

"oh," andromeda looked down.

sally layed a hand on her shoulder. "you're a little lost. your feelings are all over the place. but you need to understand that sometimes, in the pursuit of doing what's right, you have to push your desires aside."

andromeda looked up at her, and she was giving her that jackson-grin. the one that could probably hypnotize her and make her their slave.

"you talk like a writer, you know. i mean that in the best way possible."

sally smiled wider. "i might just tell my son to bring you home more often."

percy entered the room.

"so?" annabeth prompted.

"times square in an hour,"

● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

andromeda munched on the blue cookies that sally jackson had given them. she was convinced sally was made as an apology for all the other humans, and andromeda had no complaints with that. she could spend hours on end praising sally jackson.

andromeda noticed percy staring at her through the rearview. she turned to him, extending the paper bag. he raised an eyebrow, but fished out a cookie and bit into it.

andromeda put her hand in, but there were none left. she frowned.

"have a half," percy said. and before she could oppose, he broke the cookie in two, taking the side he had bitten off, and passing the rest to her.

she took it from his hand, and instead of backing away, his thumb sweeped over her bottom lip, and she saw a glimpse of brown chocolate on it before he licked it clean.

"are you serious?"

the two of the looked ahead, at annabeth, who looked absolutely ready to be out of the cab.

"what?" percy asked. "it's chocolate."

annabeth sighed.

andromeda shrunk into herself, gulping. and it wasn't the cookie. she hated how he had that affect on her. just a touch from him was capable of melting her.

they reached time square to meet rachel, and found her covered head-to-toe in gold. from her clothes to her skin to her hair. all gold.

"you sure she isn't just a statue?" annabeth asked.

she was standing with five other kids all painted metallic - copper, bronze, silver. they were frozen in different poses while tourists hustled past or stopped to stare. some passerby threw money at the tarp on the sidewalk. rachel's skin glinted gold, flecks of it shimmering in her copper hair. it reminded andromeda of those old greek statues.

"she looks like one," she answered annabeth.

the sign at golden girl's feet said, urban art for kids, donations appreciated.

the three half-bloods stood there for five minutes, staring at rachel doused in gold, but if she noticed them she didn't let on. she didn't move or even blink. andromeda had no adhd like other demigods, but even she couldn't achieve that. apart from the gold of her skin, rachel's eyes were the only thing actually coloured. an eccentric forest green with hues of sage. so bright, so pretty.

"she has pretty eyes," andromeda admitted.

"does she?"

andromeda raised an eyebrow at him. "you never noticed?"

percy shrugged. "i told you, i barely know her."

"yeah, but," she began. "eyes are easy to remember. first thing noticeable about a person. don't you remember that kind of stuff?"

peecy shrugged. "i remember yours."

just then, a kid in silver walked up from the hotel taxi stand, where he'd been taking a break. he took a pose like he was lecturing the crowd, right next to rachel. rachel unfroze and stepped off the tarp.

"hey, percy." she grinned. "good timing! let's get some coffee."

they walked down to a place called the java moose on west forty-third. rachel ordered an espresso extreme, annabeth and percy got fruit smoothies, and andromeda got a chocolate shake. the four sat at a table right under the stuffed moose. nobody even looked twice at rachel in her golden outfit.

"so," she said, "i only know one of you. alexandra, right?"

"andromeda," andromeda corrected, arms crossed.

"annabeth," annabeth introduced herself. "what was the gold?"

"oh, that," rachel said. "we're raising money for our group. we do volunteer art projects for elementary kids 'cause they're cutting art from the schools, you know? we do this once a month, take in about five hundred dollars on a good weekend. but i'm guessing you don't want to talk about that. you two are half-bloods, too?"

"shhh!" annabeth said, looking around.

"go announce it out loud, why don't you?" andromeda hissed.

"olay." rachel stood up and said really loud, "hey, everybody! these two aren't human! they're half greek god!"

andromeda was ready for some monster to jump out at them, but nobody even looked over. rachel shrugged and sat down. "they don't seem to care."

"if you want to kill us," andromeda started. "just say it."

"things aren't as easy for us." annabeth intervened, casting a scolding look at andromeda. "this isn't a joke,"

"i was serious." rachel insisted. "every time i'm around him -" she pointed at percy. "- some monster attacks us. why would i be joking?"

"look," percy began. "i'm really sorry about the band room. i hope they didn't kick you out or anything."

"nah. they asked me a lot of questions about you. i played dumb."

"did you learn that from him?"

rachel smiled. and andromeda wondered why percy hadn't made her his girlfriend.

"rachel, we've got a problem." annabeth said. "and we need your help."

she told rachel about the labyrinth, and how they needed to find daedalus. what had happened the last few times they'd gone in.

"so you want me to guide you," she said. "through a place i've never been."

"you can see through the mist," percy said. "just like ariadne. i'm betting you can see the right path. the labyrinth won't be able to fool you as easily."

"and if you're wrong?"

"then we'll get lost. either way, it'll be dangerous. very, very dangerous."

"i could die?"

"yeah."

"i thought you said monsters don't care about mortals. that sword of yours -"

"yeah," percy said. "celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. most monsters would ignore you. but luke. . .he doesn't care. he'll use mortals, demigods, monsters, whatever. and he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."

"nice guy," rachel said.

"he's under the kronos' spell." andromeda defended, stirring her drink.

"he's been deceived." annabeth agreed.

rachel cast a look at each of them. "okay," she said. "i'm in."

andromeda shared a look with percy. that was easy. "are you sure?"

"hey, my summer was going to be boring. this is the best offer i've gotten yet. so what do i look for?"

"we have to find an entrance to the labyrinth," annabeth said. "it it would have the mark of daedalus on it. a greek Δ, glowing in blue."

"like this?" rachel drew the symbol delta in water on the table.

"that's it," annabeth said. "you know greek?"

"no," rachel said. she checked her pockets for something, which she apparently didn't find, because she groaned.

"what?" percy asked.

"daaniel!" rachel called, her expression a little angry. "give me my hairbrush back!"

andromeda didn't expect it to be daniel, the only person of her age she was friends with at school. but he was the one that stepped in, twirling a blue plastic hairbrush between his fingers as he grinned. he spotted her. "andy?"

"dan," andromeda grinned. "what are you doing here?"

he walked over to them. "well, i was just chiming in to get my friends out of their metallic get-up." he turned to rachel, "and i didn't take it this time, you forgot it."

rachel snatched the hairbrush away from him.

"and your parents let you dye your hair!" andromeda mussed his platinum head of hair.

"yeah," daniel combed through hair using fingers. "i think i was too annoying, eventually, they just gave in. they think i got influenced by you. that trip to the salon we took for dyeing you hair seemed to have made them think is what made me want to dye my hair."

"didn't it?"

"it did. but it wasn't really your fault." he touched the gray strands of her hair that now stood out violently against the rest of her hair. "speaking of which, we should go again soon. you need to get it dyed aga -"

"i don't think she needs it," percy interjected.

"what?" daniel asked, like he was just noticing percy was even there.

"i don't think she needs to dye it," he repeated. "it looks good on her."

daniel raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them. "well, ofcourse, it's her choice. i'm just assuming she wants to dye it again."

"we'd better get going," rachel said, brushing out the gold from her auburn hair.

"where are you guys going?" dan asked.

"i'm taking them to the marriott," rachel announced, pocketing the hairbrush.

"why?" daniel made a face. "you guys like standing as statues?"

"we love a creative process, you know," annabeth smiled convincingly.

"whatever," daniel shrugged.

"i'll be right behind you guys," andromeda urged. "catch a taxi."

annabeth nodded, she and rachel were the first ones to leave, percy lingering behind.

"what?" andromeda asked.

"making sure you don't mess up the plan,"

andromeda rolled her eyes. she pulled out some mortal cash from her pocket and walked upto the counter, daniel following.

"you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend," he commented.

"i don't," andromeda looked around for someone to hand the cash to.

"that guy back there isn't your boyfriend?" he pointed a thumb to percy.

"ugh, no."

"well, the way he looks at you, he looks like he might want to be."

andromeda fixated him with a look. "he doesn't."

"did he tell you that?"

"do you want me to dunk the leftover drinks over your shiny dyed hair?"

daniel raised his hands in surrender. "just sayin',"

"stop talking." she handed the cash to the person who'd served them. turned to walk out of the shop. "see you at school?"

"unfortunately," he nodded.

"i hate you."

"the feeling's mutual."

she gave him a smile and a wave as she walked out.

annabeth and rachel were waiting outside a cab, percy came out from behind her. the two of them sat with rachel in the back while annabeth sat ahead.

"so why are we going to the marriott with you?" andromeda asked. "not all of us dress up like statues, you know."

"there's an entrance like that in the hotel basement, where we store our costumes. it's got the mark of daedalus."

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guys no matter how hard i try i can't make an oc that hates rachel like i love my girl and my oc will love her too. sure she'll be jealous, but that won't mean she'll hate rachel. and that's not bad, adds more drama if you ask me.