cw: mini panic attack. It ends after the  ***

Percy had just thought both girls (plus the phoenix) were finally asleep when Sylvia sat straight up and curled into a ball. She stared at the floor and didn't say anything or even insult him--not that he was complaining. He was about to turn around and talk to the nymphs around them for a bit until he saw a tear glistening down her cheek.

Shit. What am I supposed to do now?

He debated approaching her, but he was pretty sure she'd tear his head right off if he so much as breathed loudly.

She has Fawkes, and she wouldn't appreciate my help anyways, he told himself. 

One minute later, her tears turned into hyperventilation. 

He pursed his lips, briefly considering leaving her like that. He knew he couldn't, though. He walked over and sat down about three feet away from her, taking great care not to touch her or get too close, in case that made her panic even more. She didn't say anything, but he caught Fawkes angling her head toward him as if commenting on his presence.

"Is it Bianca?" he murmured, not wanting to wake up Zoe. 

Sylvia shrugged, which wasn't exactly an answer but it was better than nothing. Her breaths sped up, becoming shallower.

"Hey, hey, it'll be okay. Everything will work out." Percy really didn't know what to say. He'd never been in a situation like this before. "I don't exactly know what's wrong, but it won't be like this forever. Life sucks right now, but it has to get worse before it gets better, right?"

Sylvia sniffled. Her breathing started to slow, and her shoulders relaxed.

"See, everything will be alright, and this quest will be over soon and we can go home."

"With Annabeth?" Sylvia's voice cracked as she said her friend's name. 

Percy had never understood how Annabeth could be friends with Sylvia. She was always so...mean. And annoying. But...seeing how much the daughter of Apollo cared, he started to get it. She seemed even more distraught than he was.

"Of course, we'll be with Annabeth. That's, like, the whole point of this. Plus, I'm pretty sure if we don't arrive on time, she'd end up escaping and finding us to yell about how late we are." It was a lame joke, but Sylvia's half-hearted smile made him feel as if he'd just said the most amusing thing ever.

"She's done that to me before, actually." Sylvia hiccuped. She finally looked up, and her eyes were very red and puffy. She had something Percy was pretty sure was called my-scars-a running down her face. Despite all of that, she still managed to look beautiful.

Not that Percy thought she was beautiful. 

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" Percy asked after a few awkward seconds of him just staring at her.

"No."

"Ok."

So they both sat there, basking in the silence--and possibly each others' presence.

***

"Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge."

They stood at the edge of the river, looking up at a curve of concrete looming between the cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam, looking so tiny they could be fleas in disguise.

I for one am not a fan of mortals, but even I can admit how impressive this is, Fawkes said.

The naiads left with a lot of grumbling--not in any language Sylvia knew, but she could tell they didn't like the dam blocking up their river. 

The canoes floated back downstream, swirling in the wake of the dam's discharge vents.

"Seven hundred feet tall," Sylvia said.

"Built in the 1930's," Percy added.

"Five million cubic acres of water." Thalia nodded.

Grover sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

Zoe stared at them. "How do you know all that?"

"Annabeth." Sylvia pursed her lips before continuing. "She liked architecture."

"She was nuts about monuments," Thalia explained.

"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled.

"So annoying," Percy muttered.

"I wish she were here," said Sylvia.

The others nodded. Zoe and Fawkes were looking at them strangely, but Sylvia didn't care. It seemed like cruel fate that they'd come to Hoover Dam, one of Annabeth's personal favourites, without her.

"We should go up there," Percy said. "For her sake. Just to say we've been."

"Then she'll feel left out after we find her," Sylvia pointed out.

"Sylvia, can you go three seconds without arguing with every fucking word I say?" Percy turned to face her.

Sylvia's eyes widened and she subconsciously took a step back, then cursed herself for showing weakness. 

She cursed herself even more as tears started to make their way to her eyes. 

Just when I'd started to think he wasn't so bad, she thought, blinking until the tears had disappeared.

I really don't know why he said that, Fawkes admitted. It doesn't make sense.

And I don't care. I regret any good interaction I've had with him.

"Bitch--" Sylvia started.

"You are both mad," Zoe decided. "But the road is up there." She pointed to a huge parking garage next to the top of the dam. "And so, sightseeing it is."

Percy raised his chin. Sylvia merely flipped him off and stood next to Lux, who had been silent during the entire conversation. She forced any sadness about what he'd said to hide in a guitar case. 

They looked half-asleep. 

"You tired?" Sylvia teased, nudging her sibling with her elbow.

Lux nodded. "A bit. That's not wh-what matters-matters, though. That argument with Percy seemed--" 

"You should definitely try to sleep as soon as possible, then," Sylvia interrupted. "Lack of sleep on a quest can lead to fatal mistakes on the battlefield."

"I just hope we don't have to fight again," Lux admitted. "B-Bi-Bianca..."

"She'll go to Elysium," Sylvia assured, pushing down her stupid emotions. "She's a hero, through and through."

Lux nodded. Their hand slipped into Sylvia's, and Sylvia squeezed it. 

They had to walk for almost an hour before they found a path that led up to the road. Sylvia and Percy glared at each other for almost the entire hour. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river that was about 700 feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.

Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything, but Sylvia was fairly certain he smelled monsters. At some point, Fawkes flew above to scout but didn't spot anything suspicious.

"There's a snack bar in the center," Thalia said suddenly.

"You've been here?" Percy stopped glaring at Sylvia and turned to the daughter of Zeus.

"Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues.

"They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Sylvia remembered. "A gift from Athena."

Tourists were clustered around them. They seemed to be looking at the statues' feet.

A bit weird, Sylvia thought.

"What are they doing?" Percy questioned, frowning at them.

"Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck."

"What in the foot fetish..." Sylvia murmured.

I agree with your previous statement. Mortals are strange, Fawkes said.

Lux let out a startled laugh. Sylvia grinned down at them.

"Why?" Percy frowned.

Thalia shook her head. "Mortals get crazy ideas. They don't know the statues are sacred to Zeus, but they know there's something special about them."

"Did they talk to you or anything last time they were here?" Percy wondered.

Thalia's expression darkened. Sylvia could tell she'd come here before just hoping for exactly that--some kind of sign from her dad. A connection of any sort. "No. They don't do anything. They're just big metal statues."

Just like Talos, Sylvia shuddered.

Do not worry, Fawkes said. I do not sense any malice coming from these statues.

And you sensed malice in the other statue?

I sensed malice everywhere in the junkyard, Fawkes admitted. It was difficult to tell the source of it.

"Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. Sylvia did a double-take. "We should eat while we can."

Ohh, she means 'dam' as in Hoover Dam, not 'dam' as in damn. That makes more sense.

"The dam snack bar?" Grover cracked a smile.

Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"

"Nothing." Grover failed to keep a straight face. "Sure could use some dam french fries."

Sylvia snorted.

Even Thalia smiled. "And I need to use the dam restroom."

Maybe it was the fact that everyone was so tired and strung up emotionally, but Percy and Sylvia started cracking up. They didn't even glare at each other because they were laughing too hard.

 Thalia, Lux, and Grover joined in, while Zoe just looked at them. "I do not understand."

"I want to use the dam water fountain," Percy announced.

"And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath but failed miserably. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt."

I want a dam knife to stab Percy with. Oh, wait...I have one.

"I want some--some dam peace and quiet," Lux said.

Sylvia and Percy busted up, and they probably would've kept laughing all day, but then Percy stood up straight.

Sylvia could've sworn she heard a faint mooing sound, but she blamed that on her delirious, sleep-deprived state of mind.

The smile melted off Percy's face. Grover stopped laughing, too. 

Grover looked around, confused. "Did anyone just hear a cow?"

Maybe what I heard wasn't just my insanity getting the best of me, Sylvia considered. Unless he's also insane.

"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.

"No," Grover said. "I'm serious."

"I thought I heard it, too," Sylvia admitted, "but I think it's just the rushing of the water playing tricks on us."

Zoe listened. "I hear nothing."

Sylvia glanced at Percy, who was frozen in place. 

"Percy, are you okay?" Thalia asked.

"Yep," he said. "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in."

"What's wrong?" Grover asked. 

"Nothing," he said. "I...I just need a minute. To think."

Everyone hesitated but watched as Percy jogged away, to the north edge of the dam.

That's suspicious, Sylvia thought.

I agree, said Fawkes.

"Let's go to the visitor center," Thalia decided. "We can wait for him there."

"I agree," Lux said.

Everyone but Sylvia, who was still staring at Percy's retreating figure, started to walk towards the middle of the dam.

"Sylveon, are--are you coming?" Lux asked, turning around.

"No, I'm gonna stay here," she announced. "In case anything happens to him, you know?"

"Aww, does someone care?" Thalia teased.

Sylvia merely shook her head. "Nah, it'd just be embarrassing for him if he died while surrounded by this much water."

Everyone snickered and made their way to the visitor center, leaving Sylvia to watch as Percy moved out of sight.

Percy Jackson, what are you up to? Sylvia wondered as she crept toward him.

Word count: 1.8k

Slightly edited (aka only Grammarly because I didn't feel like manually going over it so if there are any mistakes blame it on Grammarly and not me)

I'm so sorry I know I haven't updated in so long but I lose my TTC book so have been stuck waiting in line for the ebook for like five yearss

How is everyone?

Also, a lot of people have been reading this recently and I'd just like to say thank you and also we're already almost at 20k reads? Like when did that happen?

Anyways, how is everyone? Have you had enough water/food/sleep? If not, please go to that<3

QOTD: Favourite book series you've ever read (I may have done this before but idc)?

A: Percy Jackson, obviously. Specifically Heroes of Olympus because it's just the best and has lots of Nico and Leo.

Anyways, I have other schist to write (such as a Lego Ninjago fanfic and all of my homework)

Love y'all

~Aspen<3