Annabeth blinked, "Yes."

~

Percy grinned and closed the door behind Annabeth, whipping out his phone.

"Hello?"

"Guess what, Thalia?" Percy bit his lip.

"What?" Thalia grumbled.

"Annabeth has a date to the dance."

"I told you." Thalia yelled.

"I'm not done. And it's me," Percy taunted.

"Oh, come on!" Thalia cried.

"I will always win, Pinecone Face."

"Just shut up for once."

"Mmm.... No."

"Oh my gods, Percy. Okay, well I have to go. Jason is pestering me about driving him down to get his glasses fixed- Jason! Stop- Jason, dear lord! Put the dam kid down! She just- No! Put her down!- Anyways, yeah I have to go... Fix that."

"Yeah, bye Thalia."

"Bye, Kelp head."

~

Annabeth scowled, "Mitchel! Don't you want to see Malcolm? He'll be there."

Mitchel hesitated, "How did you know about that?"

"You just told me," Annabeth said smugly.

"Gods dammit, Chase. I'll be there." Mitchel hung up.

Annabeth grinned, "Malcolm!" No response. "Malcolm Pace, get your ass down here!" Annabeth yelled up the stairs. Malcolm was her foster brother, and he refused to go by Malcolm Chase, so he stuck with Pace.

"Coming!" he grumbled/yelled.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Mitchel is going to be here soon."

There was a silence before Malcolm ran down the stairs, face red. "What?"

"He's helping me find a good dress for prom...." Annabeth said slowly.

Malcolm stared at her, "Who are you going with?"

"Percy-"

"Jackson?"

"Yeah, why?" Annabeth asked nervously.

"You know he was a suspect for his own mothers kidnapping when he was twelve-"

"I know."

"And he blew up his school gym."

Annabeth hesitated, "I didn't know that."

"And he almost drowned a girl."

Annabeth froze while Malcolm continued.

"He also put a huge hole in the Arch. Also-"

"Shut up!" Annabeth yelled.

Malcolm went silent. "Sorry," Annabeth muttered.

Malcolm eyed her wearily, "I'm coming with you guys, wherever you're looking for dresses."

~

Annabeth crinkled her nose, "Too poofy, and much too sparkly."

Mitchel frowned, pushing the dress back into place. "What about this one?"

Annabeth shook her head, "I hate pink, Mitchel."

Mitchel frowned again, pulling another dress from the shelf. "Way too short."

And here's what the next hour was like:

"Mitchel, I said no pink!

Too poofy.

I do not want a sparkly dress,

What even is that?

Who does this?

Why does this even exist?

This is just pure sparkles.

"Oooh, I like that one!"

"Not your size, and they don't have your size." Mitchel frowned, and Malcolm stood in silence.

"Oh, what about that one?"

"That's a wedding dress, Annie." Malcolm finally spoke up.

"But it's so pretty!"

"Then get married." Malcolm rolled his eyes.

"But-"

"Just pick a dress, Annabeth!"

Mitchel grinned at her and pulled a silver dress off the shelf, tossing it to her. "Go try it on."

~

Annabeth exited the dressing room, blushing. Mitchel whistled and Malcolm smirked, elbowing him. It was strapless mermaid styled dress with little pearls where the dress poofed out. It had multiple layers, getting thicker all the way down.

"I don't know guys, I don't have enough money for this-"

"I'll pay the difference." Malcolm cut her off.

"But I also need shoes-"

"I got it." Mitchel volunteered.

Annabeth bit her lip, "Okay."

~

"Oh, please." Thalia scoffed, tossing Percy an apple.

"Be glad I didn't toss you an apple." Percy grinned.

Thalia thought for a moment before a look a realization crossed her face, "I wonder how many times you'll be throwing Annie apples before she finally says yes."

Percy blinked, "Who said we were getting married?"

"Oh, seriously? You guys already act like you're married. I'm one-hundred percent sure I already said this," she said impatiently.

Percy rolled his eyes, "We are going to a dance, and I'm not even sure she considers that a date."

"You're no fun, Percy."

"Did you seriously just say that?" Percy asked, letting himself fall backwards on the couch.

"Yes, yes I did."

"This is unacceptable!" Percy and Thalia looked over at the T.V.

"Well, I find that timing very convenient." Percy commented.

Thalia opened her mouth to say something, but a knock on the apartment door cut her off. She had moved in, Percy supposed. She had been staying there for a few days now, unfortunately missing Annabeth every time she came over.

Percy  hopped up and ran to the door. As he opened it, he shook his hair out of his face.

"Great hair flip, Perce." Nico commented.

Will elbowed him and he scowled. Percy blinked, "Uh- hi?"

"Nice to see you too, Percy." Nico said, pushing past him and into the apartment. Will followed after him, shrugging.

Percy raised his eyebrows, shutting the door behind them. He followed them into the T.V room, where Nico and Thalia were hugging and Will was standing there awkwardly.

"So, you guys just show up to watch T.V or what?" Percy asked sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Well..." Will started.

Nico frowned, now silent.

"You know Bianca, right, Percy?" Will asked slowly.

Percy nodded narrowing his eyes.

"Well, see...."

"Spit it out, Solace." Thalia hissed.

"She got hospitalized the other day."

"What? Why-" Thalia never got to finish her question.

"Nico got the call this morning. Apparently, she had a broken rib which ended up doing something to her lungs (HAHA SO DESCRIPTIVE DOCTOR. That sounded really flirty v.v), and she couldn't breathe. The doctors, stupidly, left her overnight, and she suffocated."

Nico stiffened, and Will continued, "She died, Percy."

I KNOW, I KNOW, IT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE BECAUSE NICO WOULD BE ALL RAINBOWS (not that he isn't rn lmao) AND UNICORNS IF BIANCA HADN'T DIED, BUT I HAD TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I love you guys, stop hating on meh x3