They return to the game. Annabeth notices something weird though.

That night, just after dinner, Annabeth goes to Percy as he segregates himself from the others. There’s a lot on his mind, and he wants to see Thalia one more time before she goes away on another hunt.

Annabeth couldn’t help but notice how flustered he seemed after she stumbled over him during the game of Capture the flag. He said he had a skirmish with one of the hunters but didn’t elaborate on what happened or where he was. She was used to Percy being a little bit of a clutter-head sometimes, but Percy forgetting who he fought or where he was, wasn’t like him…

Truth to be told, Annabeth intended to talk to Percy directly, but as she tailed him, she squinted and realized he was sneaking, not just walking… At first, he was going towards the cabins, but then he took a turn towards the camp where the hunters of Artemis were. Since there were so many new campers, Apollo’s cabin couldn’t spare the space for hunters, which was just fine with the hunters.

A few glances came in the direction of Percy as he stepped inside their camp. Unlike their first interaction with the hunters of Artemis, there was no strong distaste of displeasure of seeing a boy. Apparently, after all the sacrifices Percy had made for the world, they regarded him as something more than dirt.

“Percy has always been more than dirt,” Annabeth silently thought.

Annabeth watched Percy behind the thick forest as he approached the hunters. There was a small conversation that she couldn’t hear, but one of the hunters got up to go somewhere, leaving Percy alone with one of the girls. They continued banter for a couple for a few moments before the other hunter returned. But, of course, they aren’t alone either. They’ve returned with Thalia. Annabeth supposed that her choppy short hair seemed a little more…put together. And she looked a little more mature than the last time she recalled seeing her.

Annabeth moistened her lips and squinted. Most of Thalia's effort went into her punk wardrobe, but now it looked like she put more care into her physical appearance. Annabeth shifted her weight behind the tree and dug her nails slightly into it, watching intently as Percy and Thalia started to stroll off away from the hunter’s camp.

Once they got far enough from the camp, both Percy and Thalia started to talk more freely. Thalia giggled and verbally sparred with Percy in a much more friendly manner. Annabeth smiled, glad to know that her best friends were this close together. Though, there was a slight tinge of jealousy she was feeling in her stomach. She fought that feeling for a little bit, but then she lurched and had to fight the urge to gasp and scream.

Thalia just kissed Percy! What the hell?!

“Maybe I didn’t see it right,” Annabeth thought, fighting so many reactions of emotion that she thought her head was going to explode. “Maybe there was something else happening that-?!”

Percy took Thalia into his arms and started to kiss her too. The way he pulled her into his body was so intimate, naughty looking. Annabeth suddenly felt her face redden. The tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes dried, and she peered with curiosity. She silenced her mind with a few deep inhales and silent exhales. She strained her ears and leaned in to listen to their chatter.

“The horse stables,” Thalia offered. “No one should be in there. Maybe we can fool around in there one more time before I leave.”

Annabeth swallowed, her eyes wide and her mind now spinning. She didn’t mean…Sex did she?

Percy laughed a little bit, glancing at the girl he was having an affair with. Annabeth wanted to choke him there and then, but there was something in her mind that prevented her from storming out to confront them. What was it? Annabeth looked at her hands and pondered. She had been embarrassed to mention this to Percy, but she was too scared to do anything intimate with him. Perhaps she would be able to wait until marriage, but would she still be too nervous about underperforming even after they got married?

Being lost in thought, she missed what Percy had said and narrowly missed them going to the stables.

As swiftly as she can, Annabeth enters the stables differently from her best friends to continue to spy on them. Annabeth was shaking, curiosity could be the death of her, but she wanted to know.

Even to her virgin ears, Annabeth knew the sounds of intimacy when she heard them. She made noises similar to the ones Thalia was making whenever she had her first significant stretch of the morning, but Thalia’s was much more…sexy sounding. It was too dark to see what was happening at first, but the noises painted a picture in Annabeth’s mind that was very clear.

“Oh, gods…You’re so hard already~” Thalia moaned, the wet sounds of a sloppy kiss followed. “I can’t believe we’re doing this here.”

Percy chuckled. His voice made Annabeth’s heart flutter. He sounded so hot to her that she felt dizzy. She’s never heard Percy sound like that before.

Annabeth took a shaky breath and peered over the half-wall. She spotted two figures tangled with lust and an erotic aura. Percy had his jeans down to his ankles, and Thalia had her lying on the floor. Her shirt pulled above her chest, putting her tits out for display as Percy collided himself against her waist.

A hard blush washed over Annabeth’s face. She covered herself with her hands and fought the gasp that threatened to come out. As her two friends continued their “mingling,” Annabeth watched, biting her lower lip. She didn’t expect Percy to be well… armed down there.

Her mind started to slow, and Annabeth closed her eyes. The sound of sex made it difficult at first and listening to Thalia moan only made it harder, but eventually, she could think of what to do next.