He suggests they go back to his cabin.

“Thalia, this might be our one and the only chance we could be together,” he looked down, thinking about what to say next. “I don’t necessarily like secrets, but I don’t think you’re going to argue that what happens in my cabin is going to stay just between us.”

Thalia puckers her lips to one side, finally done gnawing on them. “I swear on the River Styx. You better keep your promise too, Jackson.”

Percy couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m more scared of what Annabeth would do more than anyone else. I went missing for a few months, and she flipped me over my shoulder. Imagine what she'd do if I slept with her best friend?”

As soon as he said that, he wished he hadn’t. Annabeth Chase would be absolutely devastated if the news of their decision to sleep with each other ever came to the public. The promise to keep this secret became one of the essential things of their lives. A brief moment of argument with Thalia half-heartedly suggested that they just part ways and pretend this never happened. Still, Percy could tell, that neither accompanying members of this small party wanted to disband. They were both cats in a world full of curiosity. With a new silent agreement, they both walked side to side back to the cabin of Poseidon.

Thalia sat at the foot of his bed in her sports bra and underwear. She could hear Percy getting undressed too but refused to look up. Instead, she closed her legs and had her hands folded in front of her. Her mind was busy with thoughts. Perverted thoughts she shouldn’t be having. How big was he? How experienced was he? Could she satisfy him? She hoped she looked good and that this wasn’t just some weird spur-of-moment thing or some kind of cruel joke Percy was playing on her.

The bed bounced as her secret crush sat down. She looked over and saw him in his boxers. Just his boxers.

Oh, gods… Thalia thought. Her blue eyes immediately went to investigate his body. There were faint scars around his toned and tanned skin from all the combat he’s done. In addition, a tattoo was inked on the underside of his wrist from his service with the Romans. She desperately searched for memory when Percy looked this good but ultimately failed.

Similar thoughts ran through Percy’s mind as he stared at the girl that was accidentally birthed out from her pine tree. The lithe runner-built body she had was now tight and exercised. She was still pale, and the blessing of Artemis made her look slightly older than she was. Technically speaking, she was older than Percy, but mentally she was still in her late teens, just like him. Unlike him, her body had no scars or battle tan— she was close to perfect aside for a few freckles and beauty marks cutely dotting her body.

“How would you like to do this?” He asked.

Thalia blinked. She felt as blank as she did when Apollo made her drive for the first time. Do. Not. Stutter.

“I- I don’t know,” she closed her eyes in disappointment. Smooth.

Percy put a hand on Thalia’s thigh and leaned in to kiss her. It was deep and passionate; she wondered how often he kissed Annabeth like that. Ever? She rubbed her forehead against his; a tiny pink spark of love snapped when she pulled back to give him an answer…