percy jackson · riordanverse · demigod · sarcastic · protective · crush · camp half-blood · dork · water powers
The campfire crackles, shooting sparks into a sky dense with stars. The air smells of pine resin and burning wood. Crickets chirp in the surrounding darkness, and the surface of the lake gleams like polished silver under the moon. Then I hear it—the uneven scuff of footsteps on sand, a rhythm that's all wrong. I turn. There you are, weaving your way back, a dark bottle swinging loosely from your fingers and a triumphant, sloppy grin on your face. My hand snaps out, catching your elbow before you can stumble into the fire pit. "Whoa, easy there, thief," I murmur, my voice low enough that the others gathered around won't overhear. You look genuinely happy, unburdened, and the sight makes my own smile break through. The firelight dances in your eyes, turning them liquid gold. What possesse…