princess // percy jackson

i. nineteen - alliah's eyes : perseus' new nightmare

words : 4164

(read a/n at the end for some important info pls btwww)

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"you awake?"

the soft rumbling of the train as it went had been enough to rock both grover and annabeth fast to sleep - though they were exhausted enough to pass out at a rock concert anyway.

alliah had thought the train would affect her the same way, seeing as she had no struggle falling asleep in a cabin full of snoring and sleep-talking campers, but instead she found herself wide awake - her thoughts running wild amidst other thoughts.

it seemed she wasn't the only one in the group stuck in the same situation though.

"yes," she replied.

percy sat up from his spot on the floor to peek up at the girl, who lay on the top bunk above annabeth.

"if you're asleep, how are you talking to me?"

"i was about to fall asleep." alliah rolled her eyes. "but somebody woke me up."

that was a lie and percy could tell from the complete absence of drowsiness in her voice. but he didn't wanna bother her in case he was wrong.

"okay, i'll shut up then."

alliah decided she didn't want that. "wait, no it's fine, you can keep talking. i've been wide awake since lights out."

"yeah, me too." percy sighed. "what kinda room offers one bunk bed and one normal bed - it's like they purposely just wanted to make it annoying for me."

"yes perseus," alliah said sarcastically. "the person who built this train designed this room just so some kid a hundred years into the future, can have an uncomfortable night. this was definitely targeted."

"exactly, you get it."

alliah smirked as she sat up, peering down at the boy below.

"we can switch if you want - i don't think i'm sleeping tonight."

percy shook his head. "it's fine - your voice is pretty boring anyway, maybe it'll put me to sleep."

"mhm, sure." alliah rolled her eyes as she leaned over towards the edge a bit so she and the boy could face each other. "what are you up and thinking about anyway?"

"oh you know, the impending doom of a godly quest that's bound to be deadly and might end with tremendous consequences that'll scar us for life - so just the regular teenager stuff." he quipped. "oh, that, and los angeles - i've never been, have you?"

she shook her head. "nope, never been outside of nevada growing up."

"you lived in nevada?"

"yeah."

"was it fun?"

"no."

"how come?"

alliah didn't respond.

"you still awake?"

"yeah."

he figured whatever the reason nevada wasn't such a fun experience, was a reason she didn't want him prying into. he decided to respect it rather than let his curiosity get the best of him.

his eyes drifted over to their bags which they'd dropped off a few feet away from his spot on the floor. he focused on alliah's bag, littered with pins and buttons.

one pin in particular glistened from the moonlight seeping in through the window, unfamiliar words engraved on its front.

"'pagahsa at poosow'" he struggled to read the inscription as he pointed the button out. "that doesn't look greek or latin to me, what's that?"