five; pretty girl

                                    

                                          


                          
━━━pretty girl
                          
.・゜゜・───・゜゜・．
                          
Cal sneezed. 
                          
The wind coming off the ocean flew into Cal's eyes and nose, and she sneezed again. Besider her, Percy snorted. 
                          
"You ok?" He asked, eyes mirthful. 
                          
She nodded and rubbed at her nose, wrinkling it. "Yeah, just tickles." 
                          
He smiled at her, his arm across Annie's shoulders. The two of them were dressed in Camp Half-Blood shirts, looking like they had never left the Greek side. Annie's sunshine hair was up in its regular ponytail, and Cal focused on her jawline and slim throat. Her chest rumbled and walked forward, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist. 
                          
She smiled, "you're really pretty." she whispered into the blonde's ears, and watched as a blush spread across her cheeks. 
                          
Callahan turned to Percy and raised a brow. The boy smirked, nodding. 
                          
"Very pretty, Lucky." his arm tightened around Annie's shoulders, "you put the world to shame." He whispered in her other ear. 
                          
Annie's face was fire truck red by the time the eight of them convened on the deck. Callahan couldn't stop giggling, and Jason was staring at the lipstick on Annie's neck like it was a bullet wound. Hazel squeaked at Percy's ruffled hair and vicious grin. 
                          
Cal winked at the two as she moved to her spot beside Frank, and Annie and Percy blushed. 
                          
"So," Jason said, clearing his throat, "What's the plan?" 
                          
"I want to check the highway," Piper said, "Find the sign that says Topeka 32." 
                          
Leo grinned, winking at Cal as he answered Piper, "We can do that. We're not far, and Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"
                          
	Piper explained what she'd seen in the knife—the man in purple with a goblet. She kept quiet about the other images, though, like the vision of Percy, Jason, and herself drowning. Callahan hummed under her breath, staring hard at the floorboards. 
                          
"Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines on his hat? Sounds like Bacchus."
                          
"Dionysus," Percy muttered. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr. D—"
                          
"Bacchus isn't so bad," Jason said. "I don't like his followers much...."
                          
"But the god himself is okay," Jason continued. "I did him a favor once up in the wine country."
                          
Percy looked appalled. "Whatever, man. Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?"
                          
Frank grunted. "The gods haven't been very good at following that order," he noted. "Besides, if the gods have gone schizophrenic as Hazel said—"
                          
"And Leo said," added Leo.
                          
Frank scowled at him. "Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."
                          
"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "Well...you guys have fun. I've got to finish repairs on the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, Annabeth—I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."
                          
Annabeth looked apologetically at Percy and Callahan. "He's right. I should stay and help."
                          
"I'll come back to you." He kissed her on the cheek. "Promise."