Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lambad's Tavern, A few years ago…

Our story begins here. It was a wonderful night at Lambad's. Of course that's because today marks the best time of the year to go out with your friends to celebrate the passing of the thing most youth dread when attending the Akademiya: THE FINALS!

Finally after weeks, if not months, of stressing over review materials, theses, and assigned projects, and THE TEST, came the conclusion to all the terrible things. For the scholars of Sumeru, the school break had finally arrived!

But this story is not about the scholars, nor is it about the residents of Sumeru, and hey, it's not even about Lambad. No, this story is about the adventuring party at the far corner of the tavern.

See them yet? They're riiiiiiiight over there. Past the feasting scholars and their friends who have passed out from fatigue. Past the heroes and travelers who have stopped over Sumeru for rest. Past the sleepwalking Rtawahist who is currently partaking in a chugging contest…and winning. Past the two Academia alumni who have been arguing over the past hour regarding who “lost” the house keys. 

“AND I KNOW IT WAS YOU ALHAITHAM!” The loud Kshahrewar graduate shouted.

“For the last time Kaveh,” said the quiet one of the Haravatat, “You probably didn't even bring it out of the apartment. I saw it on the sitting room table this morning” He declared as he confidently lied through his teeth. The spare key was with him all along in his bag. It was a fun prank that his roommate deserved for not keeping his voice down. 

Where was I? Oh right, our protagonists. Anyways, past all of that ruckus and liveliness. We now focus upon three miserable individuals sitting in silence looking like they have completely lost all hope of ever…uh…achieving whatever they wanted to do.

This group consisted of Thalia Grace, Luke Castellan, and Grover “Underwood'' Brousailles. Tonight they face their most dangerous adversary. It might not look like it, but these three are fighting their lives. Their enemy at the present is far more dangerous than any hilichurl, treasure hoarder, or even Abyss mage they have ever faced. Being broke, the bane of every fundless adventuring party.

“Fifty-one mora.” Said Luke, the uh…leader of the party I guess? 

Ok, so not exactly bankrupt, but you get the point.

This blond disaster started this party because he was bored out of his mind as a Mondstadtian q letter courier. He figured he was qualified enough to be an adventurer with the tons of “experience” he gained from his trips to and fro Mondstadt to Liyue. Plus, he has an Anemo vision to help out. Surely this was good enough right? Wrong.

“Fifty-one mora left to our collective names…how did this happen?” Said Thalia as she slams her head on the wooden table. 

When she ran away from home, this wasn't what she had in mind. Thalia had many regrets in her life. Most of them, she was to blame. And now she's stuck with these two, the only ones she can call “family” at this point. And now all they have left is fifty-one mora to their name. Honestly, this is his fault.

Who's exactly?

“Look guys, I'm really sorry. Luke said I could use our last job's money on our gear and supplies. It wasn't my fault some shady Eremite was there at the time to hold me up. He had a really sharp knife, you know?” Said the timid Grover Brousailles, or "Underwood" as they call him because of his “short stature”. (Come on Luke, the guy's 5’9, he's not that short.) 

At first, Grover thought the nickname was rude, but he grew comfortable with it over time. Like some sort of witty banter amongst friends.

You know looking back however, Luke and Thalia don't know much about Underwood's past. Just that he's some goat person from Fontaine (there's a lot of animal people in Teyvat, surely there has to have been goat people already aside from Ganyu), and that he travels a lot. I guess you don't need to know everything about someone to be close to them right?

Luke sighs heavily, “Underwood, you have a dendro vision right? How could you possibly lose a fight in the middle of Sumeru city!?” 

“Look, I'll take full responsibility okay? I wasn't the one who was tough or brave enough to even go against an Eremite.” Grover said with a sigh of…well…not being able to feel great. "Oh, and did I mention he had knives?"

Thalia really couldn't stay mad at Grover. But Luke's was a different story.

“And you, why weren't you there when Underwood needed you?” Thalia questioned their “leader”. But to be honest, I think we all know who's the mature one in this party.

Luke just raised his hands in surrender.

“Look, I did a quick courier side-job okay? I figured we needed some spare change while you did the groceries and Underwood did the supplies.”

“And what,” growled Thalia with a grit to her teeth, “was the said gain you got from this side-job?”

Luke placed down 18 gold coins on the table.

“That's it?” said Thalia.

“It was a side-job, what did you expect?”

“You have gained far more, for less work.” Thalia places a hand on her forehead, a headache slowly building up.

She was the one in charge of the finances, and rhus counting up their total amount of cash—it wasn't a fun number.

“THAT'S IT!” She slams her fist to the table as she startles her partymates. “WE ARE GOING TO KATHERYNE, AND WE ARE TAKING A COMMISSION!”

“In the middle of 3 am?” Grover said as he feels like he's not going to be able to handle another commission due to the lack of sleep.

“Our sleep schedule is off the table Underwood! We need cash, and we need it now.” said Thalia.

“Wait, is Katheryne even awake at this time?” Grover asked.

“Yeah, I talk to her all the time late at night. She's sorta my therapist at this point. Her lips are always sealed when forms of confidentiality are involved.” Thaila tried to hide the pain. She was doing a terrible job at it.

Luke then shakes his head, “Look Thalia, if you needed people to talk to, you could've just talked to us about it. We're your friends too, you know?”

“Who did you think I was ranting to Kathy about Luke?”

"You call her Kathy?" Luke asked as he was unaware of what Thalia's question implied.

_____________________________

Treasures Street

As Grover said it was 3am and despite the festivities going on, Katheryne's portion of Treasures Street was realtively peaceful. She had thought that this was the right time to just rest now.

She was so wrong

Right there, in front of her booth was the party of this fic's protagonists.

“Ad Astra Abyssosque! Hello Thalia, Grover,” Katheryne said, “Luke” her tone changed to something in between deadpan and disappointed.

“Hey Kathy” Luke waved

“Only Thalia gets to call me Kathy” said Katheryne

“I- um…ok.” Luke, intimidated by this, began to place himself behind Grover.

“Hey Kathy, we'd like to take a commission. If you have something with a high pay, that'd be great.” Thalia asked.

“Oh! Fortunately for you, there actually was a high paying commission that was just submitted just now.” Katheryne looked to her files and handed one to Thalia.

She looks into the file and was hit hard with the first thing she sees. “That's a lot of mora.”

“Yes, but take a look at what the commission requests”

Thalia looked into further and saw what Katheryne wanted to show. 

Breaking into the Akademiya

“This is crazy” Thalia tells Kathy,

“My thoughts are the same, my guess is that it's for a prank.” 

“Fair enough,” Thalia returned the file to Kathy. “We'll take it.”

“Thank you for accepting the commission,” was the protocol response from Kathy, “I believe one who submitted the commission often hangs around Sumeru city's main entrance, she's a blond girl with a Kshahrewar Akademiya uniform.”

“Pleasure doing business with ya Kathy.” Thalia then turns around to see Luke and Grover passed out from sleepiness on the street. “Seriously guys? I turn around for one second and you immediately go take a nap!”

_____________________________

“Seriously, why are we heading into this job head first? Isn't it a little too early for adventurer stuff?” Asked Luke as he yawned, his pain from Thalia kicking him awake still not subsiding.

“I agree with Luke on this one Thalia,” Grover said as he fights the urge to follow up on Luke's yawning. “It's still too early.”

“Look, Katheryne said that the client had just submitted her commission right before we arrived.” Thalia explained, “She also said she usually hangs by the gate, which means she's most likely there—”

“And you'd be right,” said a disembodied voice that seemingly came from nowhere, “your observation is most astute.”

The adventurers immediately arrange themselves in combat formation, each covering their blind sides. “I told you this could be an ambush” said Luke as he pulled out his sword as his anemo infusions make it seem to glow in teal light.

“You did not,” replied Thalia, her bow and arrow at the ready.

“Maybe his brain thought he said it, but he just forgot to say it.” Grover said as he prepared his songbook catalyst and pan pipes for an attack.

“Yeah right, assuming Castellan here has a brain to begin with.” laughed Thalia.

“Are you really qualified for the job I requested?” Said the voice. Her voice expressed disinterest. “Personally, I don't think you're good enough for this.”

“I take it, you're our client?” Askd Thalia asked the voice.

“Yes,” she said as she pulled a rope. The rope then straightens up as it winds around a pulley. The leaves then begin to stir as a loop begins to reveal itself. That said loop began to tie itself around the party. “You can consider this your assessment, one that you have just failed.”

As Grover struggles from the ropes, he hears a pair of footsteps approaching. From seemingly out of nowhere, a blonde girl appears. Just as Katheryne said, she is wearing a variant of the Akademiya uniform in the silver and grey colors of Kshahrewar. Unlike standard Akademiya uniforms however, she holds in her hand a hat. The hat itself is nothing special when it comes to its appearance; it resembles the fedoras that fontanians often wore for fashion, yet it's ornamented with a verdant decor to match the Sumerian forests. Then something clicked. Grover realized what that had done. “Is that an invisibility hat?”

A smile on the blonde girl's face appears. “I see you have a good eye.” She manifests a dagger from thin air. It glows green with a strong elemental resonance. She's probably a Catalyst user then. She launches it into the air as it flies through to ropes and sets the party free. 

“Okay, what was that for!?” screamed Luke, clearly he wasn't listening.

“Weren't you listening? I was checking to see if you were fit for my plans to break in the Akademiya.” The blonde girl said, “and clearly you aren't.”

“Look, we just need one more chance.” Thalia pleaded.

“And why should I accept? There are far more talented mercenaries that I can find, why should I go to you adventurers?”

A moment of silence. Luke and Grover know it's best to keep shut as Thalia does the talking.

And right now, she only has one last card to play.

“Miss I guarantee you, we are willing to follow your every command. You have plans right? If you ask me the Eremites and other adventurers have tons of ego in them, I doubt they'll follow your lead.”

“And what makes you so special?” the blonde girl asked.

“You're a scholar right? Then I guess you know the snezhnayan proverb about desperate people.”

“You won't find a scarier thing in the world than a common man when he is desperate” the blonde girl quotes. “You read Stray Dogs?”

“I…” Thalia is at a loss for words, looks like her bluff was undone. She had hoped the light novel quote would aid her argument for this girl to hire them, not for her to realize how much of a weeb she is. “Yeah, okay you got me…you have to admit though, the Decay of Angels arc was great.” She sighs in defeat. At least Thalia got to share her opinions to someone before she dies of embarrassment.

Another moment of tense silence.

“You have the job.” The blonde said with a tone of finality.

“Excuse me what!?”

“Stray Dogs is a fine work of inazuman literature. Anyone who appreciates that light novel series from Yae Publishing House is one I can entrust this mission to.” The stoic girl smiled. “Personally, the Decay of Angels arc was my favorite. They really gave Fyodor the moments where he just shone brightly.”

Thalia was dumbstruck. She cannot believe this. Did her weebness just land them another job!?

“I umm…thanks I guess? And uh yeah, I totally agree, Fyodor really got a chunk of the spotlight there.” Said Thalia as she tries to recover from the shock.

A third awkward moment of silence 

“Anyways, based from how I observed you three, I see you guys don't have akasha terminals yet.” She said to break the silence then handed them three earpieces, “I've designed them so that the Akademiya cannot monitor your activity, movement patterns, and thought processes.”

“They could do that?” said Grover

“Not yet. But from what I know, they have plans to do so. Whether that program is up and running? I have no idea.”

As the three plug in their new akasha terminals, the blonde girl begins to turn around and walk away. But before she does so she says one more thing.

“By the way, I've set up a private group chat for our further correspondence. Use it responsibly.”

Yeahhhh no. I don't think they will. 

Chapter Text

Annabeth started a chat with Terminal Prototype #1, Terminal Prototype #2, and Terminal Prototype #3

Annabeth: Hello

Annabeth: Were all of you able to set up your akasha terminals properly?

TwinkleToes: i think we have the usernames figuted out

OverHillAndUnderTree: Haha

OverHillAndUnderTree: Twinkle toes

Annabeth: Who are you?

Annabeth: And how were you able to acces this secure messaging channel

Annabeth: I made sure the security is airtight

NoVisAllBiz: Relax Annabeth! It's just us

NoVisAllBiz: We just thought it'd be funny if we used silly usernames

Annabeth: Oh ok, thank you for informing me Thalia

OverHillAndUnderTree: Really? You've figured out thalia's username before ours???

Annabeth: Thalia's was quite easy to figure out. It's actually quite clever

NoVisAllBiz: Unlike some others…

TwinkleToes: i'll have you know that my name was well thought of

OverHillAndUnderTree: Right right

Annabeth: From amongst you four, Thalia is the only one who has no vision in her possesion. Thus the “NoVis”, which stands for “No Vision”. Despite her being the least for relative combat potential, Thalia had made up for that in terms of her actual combat prowess, communication skills, financial handling abilities, and patience. Thus the “AllBiz” as she handles “All the Business”. Putting those two semi-abbreviated phrases together, we get “NoVisAllBiz” as Thalia's username.

TwinkleToes: w h y

TwinkleToes: u expect me to read all this

Annabeth: Of course.

Annabeth: This is standard messaging protocol at the Akademiya.

TwinkleToes: bruh

OverHillAndUnderTree: I just finished reading that

OverHillAndUnderTree: My reaction: ok then

Annabeth: And with that, I already know who the other two are.

OverHillAndUnderTree: Guess who's brilliant username is “TwinkleToes”

TwinkleToes: this is username slander

Annabeth: The username “TwinkleToes” belongs to Luke.

Annabeth: How did I come about this information?

TwinkleToes: i wont read that

Annabeth: Don't worry, this will be set in the Layman's Terms so that you will not be met with the monotonous feeling that comes from recieving an entire paragraph.

NoVisAllBiz: In other words: shorter so that you two can understand properly

OverHillAndUnderTree: Can we get Thalia as a permanent translater? Thanks

Annabeth: Luke's typing style has the least proper grammar, his spelling and capitalizations are all over the place, and the words that he adds in match his speech patterns to a certain degree. I'm actually quite suprised I was able to recognize his speech patterns despite the insane amount of incorrectness of his texts. The contents of these improper grammar-bounded messages hold little to no sign of intelligence. If there was ever such a thing as a barely legible text, this would be it,

Annabeth: That was a joke by the way.

TwinkleToes: …

TwinkleToes: no thanks im not reading that

Annabeth: Case in point

NoVisAllBiz: Ooh shots fired

Annabeth: Seriously though, fix your grammars when messaging. I mean this for the three of you; and yes, that also includes Thalia.

TwinkleToes: look thals she finally dissed you

NoVisAllBiz: Zip

Replies to Annabeth: From amongst you four, Thalia…
NoVisAllBiz: Wait we didn't even fight, how're you aware that I'm actually good on combat?

Annabeth: Kathy told me

TwinkleToes: YOU CALL HER KATHY TOO!?

TwinkleToes: this is unfair favoritism

OverHillAndUnderTree: Life's unfair. Get with the times luke

Annabeth: I feel like we have gone off-topic here. I have just recalled that I was supposed to brief you all concerning the infiltration of the Akademiya.

TwinkleToes: y are we going to sneak into the akademiya again?

Annabeth: Personal reasons. I just needed to meet someone without the watching eyes of the Akademiya Sages

TwinkleToes: can we sneak a side quest in and mess up the place

Annabeth: No.

NoVisAllBiz: What?! No!

OverHillAndUnderTree: bruh

OverHillAndUnderTree: why not

Annabeth: I don't even need to elaborate this, this is common sense. A mess in the Akademiya would not only alert the Matra and the scholars that there has been a break-in, our mass would also be found as evidence against us. The only occasion I would even let you make a mess is for a diversion should things go desperately south.

NoVisAllBiz: This is why we are the planners guys

OverHillAndUnderTree: hey no smth ism

OverHillAndUnderTree: I forgot what it's called, smth that involes favoritism when it comes to genders

Annabeth: That's called sexism.

TwinkleToes: and that one's called “im always right-ism”

Replies to Annabeth: Personal reasons. I just…
TwinkleToes: hol up

TwinkleToes: who are u even meeting that's so important that u dont want the akademiya to know?

NoVisAllBiz: Luke! That's so impolite to ask of a client!

TwinkleToes: what did i do again

TwinkleToes: i was just asking a question

NoVisAllBiz: Wrong question TwinkleToes!

TwinkleToes: how was i supposed to know what's the right question!?

NoVisAllBiz: This is just like back in the avidiya forest with the forest rangers!

OverHillAndUnderTree: Guys, i think you two should take this somewhere else

TwinkleToes: look, is it my fault I didn't know what an Eleazar's was?

NoVisAllBiz: You brought that forest ranger's pupil's spirits on a low with your many questions about it

NoVisAllBiz: Yes, it was your fault

NoVisAllBiz: It's a good thing Underwood was entertaining enough to cheer up little Collei again

OverHillAndUnderTree: To be fair, collei wasn't that upset about it

Annabeth: Fine! If it stops you two from bickering, I will tell you more details regarding my reasons for the break-in.

NoVisAllBiz: Annabeth, you don't have to do that if you don't want to talk about it.

Annabeth: It's fine, I needed to let it out one way or another anyway. It might as well be here.

Annabeth: It's my sister.

Annabeth: You could say she's a prodigy. The Akademiya took her in with a free scholarship and I haven't heard from her since. She's probably too busy with her studies because the mount of paperwork I had to do was overwhelming just for a visitation. I'm just worried because I haven't recieved any letters from her lately

TwinkleToes: im calling cap

TwinkleToes: she's lying abt half of it

TwinkleToes: idk which one tho

Annabeth: I give up

NoVisAllBiz: Luke w h y

Annabeth: I understand if you're doubtful about my explanation. And indeed I admit, I have withheld some other details. But this changes nothing. We are still breaking into the Akademiya, and I am only doing this to check in on my sister.

NoVisAllBiz: I understand, we'll help you out in any way we can Annabeth.

Annabeth: Thanks, that means a lot.

TwinkleToes named the group chat “Storm the Akademiya, They Can't Stop All of Us”

NoVisAllBiz: I-

NoVisAllBiz: LUKE CASTELLAN, CAN'T YOU JUST SHOW A LITTLE SENSITIVITY FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES!?

TwinkleToes: I was trying to show that I was optimistic about the commission!

Annabeth has muted NoVisAllBiz and TwinkleToes for the next 10 minutes

Replies to herself: Fine! If it stops you two from bickering…
Annabeth: I already told them this, how is it that they didn't stop?

OverHillAndUnderTree: This behavior is pretty much expected

Annabeth: I see

Annabeth: Hey, I'm just curious. What's the meaning behind your username?

OverHillAndUnderTree: Oh, well it's actually a line from a song used in the credits in one of my favorite films.

OverHillAndUnderTree: I saw it back when I was younger at the yearly film festival in Fontaine. It won the Furina award, you know?

Annabeth: Nice, good for the producers!

OverHillAndUnderTree: You know what's the best part? The film was actually based on a book! I actually have it with me so I could savor the plot in great detail whenever I'm down

Annabeth: Ok, now my interests are piqued. Hmm, this makes me want to rename it as an homage to one of my favorite written works.

OverHillAndUnderTree: Oh? And what do you have in mind?

Annabeth changed her username to Nobody

Nobody: Nobody knows, only I do.

Bonus:

Meanwhile, in a private chat between Annabeth and Grover

Nobody: Grover, I have a question.

OverHillAndUnderTree: What's up?

Nobody: Luke and Thalia

OverHillAndUnderTree: Ah, that

OverHillAndUnderTree: Thalia and Luke

Nobody: They tend to argue a lot, are you ok? I mean this in terms of your own mental health.

OverHillAndUnderTree: HA! You have no idea.

Nobody: Oh my, you know if you need any help you can just ask.

OverHillAndUnderTree: Please, no need. I'm fine.

Nobody: I understand.

Nobody: One more thing

OverHillAndUnderTree: Yes?

Nobody: I noticed a certain atmosphere between Thalia and Luke. A specific one I often find amongst my other schoolmates.

OverHillAndUnderTree: now ur asking the right questions

Nobody: I haven't even asked

OverHillAndUnderTree: I already know what it is.

OverHillAndUnderTree: and no, Thalia and Luke are not an item

Nobody: Wow.

Nobody: You do know what I was about to ask. I'm sorry for bringing up this topic by the way, It's just that there seems to really be something somewhere.

OverHillAndUnderTree: That's okay

OverHillAndUnderTree: You can't imagine how many times people ask me this behind their backs.

Nobody: Are you sure you still don't need any help?

OverHillAndUnderTree: I'm fine, honestly

Nobody: Well if you need someone to help carry this burden, just know that Nobody will be there to help you.

Nobody: That was a joke.

OverHillAndUnderTree: Don't worry, I saw what you were doing. And I approve of it.

Chapter Text

Thalia admits, rarely is there anything that beats sleeping under the stars.

Right now, their camp is stationed just outside of Sumeru city's walls. The reason they stayed there was to keep within range of Annabeth's custom Akasha terminal network just in case they were needed or if there were last minute changes to Annabeth's grand plan.

As the boys slept under their own tents, Thalia had taken the second watch deep into the night. For the past few days, the three had worked hard on small commissions to earn their emergency funds back. In the nights, they all sleep outside the city rather than in an inn because of…well, budget cuts.

On the bright side, they were not short on food due to Thalia's successful delivery run at the start of this fic. Grover was hard at work with his camping kitchen set as he cooks delicacy after delicacy. Occasionally at about a 12% chance on regenerative meals, he'd even cook up double the portions leaving his friends at a sated state for a while.

Thalia smiles as she looks up at the sky, remembering how she and her twin brother used to look up at the stars and try to find the constellations. At this time of the year she can see Jason's favorite one, it was a horse that rides across the sky backwards. When Thalia had first told Jason this, he did not complain. Instead, he had only smiled. “This just makes him all the more unique.” He used to say. That horse was called Retrorsum Equus.

Thalia's favorite one was that of a woman with a bow at hand and a quiver in her back. She was running in the right direction behind the horse that runs backwards. However, instead of the usual expected posture of an archer where their bow and arrow is primed for a shot, Thalia's was more focused in chasing the backwards horse with one hand having her bow lowered and the other reaching out to the horse. Thalia often joked that as the foolish horse often went on his way, the archer was always behind it ensuring he never ran into danger. Her's was named Currentem Venandi.

These two constellations are not present in any chart or map. These two were Jason and Thalia's own fond memories of the many nights they had spent gazing at the stars of the night sky. Thalia just laughs to herself on how she had ruined these memories, how she made them from sweet to bitter. She bets Jason hates her now for leaving him all alone.

“I'm sorry I couldn't be that archer who never gave up watching you Jason. I was selfish for chasing my dreams.” Thalia thinks to herself.

Thalia then heard a sound, it was faint. The rustling of the forest leaves tells of just one person approaching from the south east towards their camp. Thalia readies her bow but eases the bowstring's tension just as quickly when she sees who it was.

“Hey there Thalia,” Annabeth smiles as she approaches the camp site. “I commend your keen sight if you were able to identify me this quickly.”

Thalia sighs with relief with that audio confirmation, “I take it this is another one of your tests?”

Annabeth laughs and shakes her head. “Nah, I was just bored.” That was a lie, her two dorm mates were just too insufferable.

“This late into the night?” Thalia said as she did a hand gesture inviting Annabeth to sit by the long extinguished campfire.

“I'm what some would call a gray owl. A Kshahrewar student who happens to be a night owl.” Annabeth says as she sits down. “This means late nights poured into schematics, coffee–

“And more coffee.” Thalia finished.

Annabeth chuckles at this, “I assume the same is true for the life of an adventurer?”

“Heh, pretty much.” Thalia said as she looked into the night sky.

“So, got any favored celestial formations?”

“Huh?” Thalia turns to Annabeth. 

“Oh, I meant constellations.”

“Ah well, there are two.” Thalia said as she pointed to the horse and the archer. She then told Annabeth about the story of how the two constellations were found, leaving behind the painful bits of course.

“I see.” Said Annabeth as the story had finished, “You know Thalia, I'm glad you had a chance to have those moments with your brother.”

Thalia felt guilt hit her hard, but she took it by stride. “What do you mean?”

Annabeth sighs. “Me and my sister, we don't get to meet each other for awhile.” Her face looks towards the tree where the Akademiya has rooted itself into, “We do keep in touch but…” Annabeth could feel her chest hurt a little. The weight of her first and greatest failure lie heavy in her heart. “I feel like I failed as an older sister.” A tear falls silently as her voice cracks a little.

Now Thalia understands why Annabeth wanted to break-in. Mind you, there were probably better ways in meeting your sister such as going through the proper paperwork of a visitation to a scholar, but it was the thought that counts.

Thalia pats Annabeth's back to comfort her, but little did she know that Annabeth was falling apart on the inside recalling a contrast so painful that it just incapacitates her whenever it's brought to mind.

_____________________________

A long time ago, there was once a little girl and her mother. 

The mother was a gentle and wise woman who had been through many trials and was a queen of her own kingdom. 

The little girl was one that the mother had birthed from her very own thoughts. She was her ideal creation for a certain purpose. She was a beautiful little girl, and her mother was always delighted in teaching her ways.

Once day the little girl asked her mother, “As much as I love learning from you, why must you teach me your ways down to the last detail?”

To which her mother at first looks towards the desert on the west, then turning her gaze to her daughter. “One day, my child, you will understand my reasons. But for now you must learn to become the best guide and protector should anything happen to me.”

The little girl was confused but not surprised at this answer. She had always known her mother to be wise, and she was aware that her wisdom often surpassed the understanding of many people. The little girl had kept her own mother's words for another time, knowing that it would all make sense in the end.

________________________

Annabeth wakes up at the campsite and Grover is preparing breakfast while Luke and Thalia are debating on something.

Did she sleep in?

“Oh hey there!” Grover turned to Annabeth with a smile. “Thalia said you wandered into our camp last night and got sleepy. I hope you don't mind sleeping in our spare tents.”

Annabeth looks at the tent in surprise. “A spare tent? I didn't know your party was prepared for little emergencies. I suppose I made the wrong assumption about your party.”

“Oh, don't worry about that.” Grover laughs and waves it off. As he turns again to the piece of toast he was cooking. The scent of butter wafts through the air filling the area with a certain kind of aroma. “I don't blame your assumptions about us though. Thalia and Luke are often a mess with inventory and contingency plans so it's up to me to make sure we're always socked up on essentials and supplies.”

Grover then finishes up the final serving for breakfast as he takes the toast out of the pan and to a plate, then opens a box full of diced fresh meat.

“Um, what are you working on?” Annabeth asked. She hadn't seen toast prepared this way before.

“Oh this? This is just steak tartare. Basically it's raw beef but made fancier. An old friend of mine from the orphanage I used to stay at would often prepare them on a fontanian toast whenever she was tasked with preparing snacks back then.” Grover explained the dish with a smile.

 Hol up

“Personally though, I think her steak tartare is quite bland and the meat to bread ratio lacked the beef. She really didn't like that much spice you see and she prefers to balance out everything cleanly.” He continued as he then began taking a bowl of sauce mixture.

 “Wait a sec–” Something had hit Annabeth and her curiosity was piqued.

“For my rendition of her dish,” Grover continued, unaware that he had interrupted Annabeth. “I prepared mine to be topped with this mixture of sauces Thalia got from her grocery run and substituted the marcottes for sweet flowers for that nice sweetness to compliment the savory flavors of the seasonings I added.”

“Excuse me, did you just say 'from the orph—”

“AAAAAAND IT'S READY!” Grover shouted with satisfaction as he lays down the platters, not hearing Annabeth's “—anage?'”

Oh well, maybe we'll get some Grover lore next time…

_____________________

Bonus:

As Grover tells Thalia and Luke to quit mumbling in a corner and help him with setting up the plates for breakfast, Annabeth notices that one of the servings of the tartare had meat that looked pale white. 

“Hey Grover, who's serving is this?”

“Oh, that's mine.” Said Grover, “I actually prefer to eat only vegtables. So I prepared a sort of plant meat alternative to the steak tartare for myself.”

Annabeth looks at Grover's plate with a hidden shock. 

“Plant meat” Annabeth thinks to herself, “Oh those poor plant creatures.” She tries to hide her horror.

She's a friend to the Aranaras you see, and is clearly unaware of what tofu is.

_____________________________

Bonus #2:

Kaveh: “Ah! Annabeth! Could you please tell Alhaitham here that he is wrong!”

Alhaitham: “Look, all I'm saying is that water cannot wet itself because it’s the very thing that causes it.”

Kaveh: “WATER IS STILL WATER ALHAITHAM! IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WET!!!”

…

Annabeth: “Yeahhhh, no.” Annabeth then proceeds to don the invisibility cap to disappear completely like magic.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, on the last chapter:

“Look Luke—” Thalia tells Luke as she tries to explain something to Luke.

“Heh you said my name twice—” Emphasis on the word “tried”.

“Look Castellan—”

“Hehe! You said it again!” He says in a singsong voice.

“Dummy! Listen dummy!” Thalia snaps, “I don't think we should be doubting Annabeth, I believe her reasons are good.”

“Ah, but she's hiding details!” Luke repeated his point.

“So does everyone we've worked for in the past—

“An old friend of mine from the orphanage I used to stay at would often prepare them”

Both Thalia and Luke's ears had pricked, was that what they think it was?

“Personally though, I think her steak tartare is quite bland and the meat to bread ratio lacked the beef.”

“Underwood Lore!” both whispered excitedly.

“Thalia, get your notes!”

“I have it!” Said Thalia jotting things down as fast as she can

“Write that down! Write that down!” Luke says as he tries to drink in any bit of lore he can.

“I am!”

“Who do you think his friend from the orphanage was?”

“No idea”

“Gosh, these things come by so rarely these days!”

_____________________________

GROVER THEORY!!!

NoVisAllBiz added Nobody to the chat

NoVisAllBiz: Hello fellow theorist!

TwinkleToes: WELCOME TO GROVER THEORY!!!

NoVisAllBiz: The chat that we just set up a few nights ago while Underwood was asleep

TwinkleToes: GONE ARE THE DAYS WHERE WE HAD TO MANUALLY HIDE THE LITERAL PIECES OF PAPER WHERE WE WROTE DOWN THE LOOOOOOORRRREEEEE!!!

TwinkleToes: btw, thanks for making this side-hobby waaaayyyy easier now

Nobody: I-

Nobody: What!?

NoVisAllBiz: We saw you and Underwood talking and heard you getting curious about the whole orphanage thing!

NoVisAllBiz: I figured you wanted answers

TwinkleToes: and we have almost all of them!

Nobody: You know backreading on this chat, I'm surprised the only arguments between you here actually resembles the academic debates complete with opening statements and all. Granted, there are still grammatical errors, but the research placed on this topic is extensive!

TwinkleToes: uhm Thalia, i think she's impressed

NoVisAllBiz: She is indeed

Nobody: Hold on, not to be rude or mean, but did Luke actually read my message? And did he just respond to it?! 

NoVisAllBiz: Annabeth, Annabeth, Annabeth. This is Grover Theory, anything can happen

NoVisAllBiz: Now! Onto the business at hand…

TwinkleToes: a new piece of the puzzle for his orphanage days! another one for the timeline!

Nobody: Oh wow, and you guys finish each other's sentences too.

NoVisAllBiz: Oh yeah, which reminds me, we haven't resolved the timeline yet

TwinkleToes: nahhhhh if we were to work on this right now we'd be overwhelming annabeth with the information.

NoVisAllBiz: Fair point. If someone were to summarize the timeline it would probably form a three-part essay where each part tells a huge chunk of his life to this point.

Nobody: The fact that the way you guys treat Grover's past seriously in the near-exact same way some of my schoolmates would treat a research report is simply appalling.

Nobody: Not to mention that you two aren't even bickering even once in the history of this chat.

Nobody: I've backread it multiple times now just to check. You guys are very thorough and coordinated.

NoVisAllBiz: What can we say Annabeth, Underwood's always been there for us the same way we've been there for him. Of course we'll care enough to actually try and be curious about who he is just to get to know him

Nobody: I guess you guys are fit for the Akademiya break-in. 

That night, the three discussed the Grover Lore Timeline, or the GLT as Luke abbreviated it, until they all have their pieces and loose ends all sitting neatly in a row. In all honesty, Annabeth couldn't remember the last time she's had that amount of fun on a research project ever since she tried to look into more details about the epics of the ancient Remurian adventurer named Odysseus and his journeys around Teyvat.

But little did they know that Annabeth had another conversation on the side as they tried to solve the grand puzzle that is Grover “Underwood” Brousailles.

_____________________________

Grover and Annabeth's Private Chat

OverHillAndUnderTree: So, they invited you to their little chat group about my past

Nobody: Ummmmmm

OverHillAndUnderTree: No need to think of an excuse. I'm glad you're actually there you know?

OverHillAndUnderTree: There are only two times those two are in sync

OverHillAndUnderTree: One is combat while the other is trying to find my own past

Nobody: And you're fine with this?

OverHillAndUnderTree: Yes I am

Nobody: Are you interested in answering a few questions?

OverHillAndUnderTree: No I will not

Nobody: Oh I see. I respect your wishes Grover. But I do hope your past isn't as dramatic as we theorized.

OverHillAndUnderTree: Thanks Annabeth

Nobody: By the way, how did you know about the chat being their new database?

OverHillAndUnderTree: Oh that’s simple, I saw them under the same tent a few nights ago

OverHillAndUnderTree: Either they were making out, or doing their paperwork on me. It was most likely the latter judging by the amount of times I had heard the phrase “LOOOOOOOOORRRREEEE”

Nobody: That's Luke alright

OverHillAndUnderTree: Tonight was livelier than usual and with my little slip up earlier

OverHillAndUnderTree: I assumed they dragged you in for the ride?

Nobody: Indeed they did

OverHillAndUnderTree: You know it's actually nice to see Luke and Thalia working on something together

OverHillAndUnderTree: It's so much less painful to the ears

Nobody: Now, that I can easily imagine.

Chapter Text

The next morning at 10 AM, Grover woke up to the sounds of scuffling. They had slept late last night and thus woke up late. As he exited his tent he finds Luke rummaging through their items and muttering to himself.

“Hey Luke, whatcha got there man?” Grover yawned as he groggily walked towards him.

“I can't find that ear thing Annabeth gave us.” Said Luke as he shows Grover the pile of unorganized miscellaneous knowlege and his empty backpack. “See? I've searched everywhere.”

“What if we asked Thalia? She always finds our lost stuff when we lose them anyways.” 

“Eh, don't bother,” Grover said as he rubs his eyes, a bit of a yawn tried to break free but sinks itself back down much to Grover's irritation. “She's still in deep sleep. She took the second watch last night so she'll be sleeping like a log.”

Luke shrugs, “Makes sense.”

The two tried to simultaneously run their braincells together for the next few minutes.

“I got nothing,” Luke said.

“Me neither,” returned Grover right before he snapped his fingers. It looks like something had hit him after all. “Wait, what if we ask Annabeth?”

Luke just laughed, laughed hard. “And why should I admit to her that I lost her thingamajig?”

“Because maybe she has another doodad that could help.”

Luke considers this for a second. He really didn't want to appear fooling before the Akademiya scholar because he knew it'll feel like handing her a weapon, but at the same time he didn't want to miss out on their chats. In the end, Luke surrenders “Ok, fine. We'll talk to Annabeth. But I don't have the earpiece. Got any ideas?”

“You can use Thalia's.”

“Huh,” Luke squints his eyes upon realizing the simple solution, “Yeah, why didn't I think of that?”

_____________________________

NoVisAllBiz: Hi Annabeth, we have a situation. This is Luke btw, Thalia's still asleep

NoVisAllBiz: We just wole up and my thermostat is missing

Nobody: You just “wole” up? “Thermostat”? Yeah, this is definitely Luke typing.

NoVisAllBiz: Ooch

OverhillAndUnderTree: Luke, just stop

OverhillAndUnderTree: You're just digging a deeper hole for yourself

OverhillAndUnderTree: Anyways we don't know what happened to it. We were hoping you'd have something to help

Nobody: It's ten in the morning. What were you doing last night to end up waking up at ten?

NoVisAllBiz: We were playing Risk and Grover was being an overcompetitive Fontaine main

OverhillAndUnderTree: What's wrong with waking up at ten?

OverhillAndUnderTree: Also, it really doesn't matter what nation you start at for Risk.

OverhillAndUnderTree: You and Thalia were just sore losers and kept refusing surrender.

OverhillAndUnderTree: It's not that Liyue and Mondstadt is weak against Fontaine, it's just that those nations have terrible players/leaders!

OverhillAndUnderTree: That's why it took so long for you to defeat me

Nobody: To quote our Faux Thalia, “Ooch”.

NoVisAllBiz: Rude

Nobody: So about Luke's terminal. You sure it's not just on your bags?

OverhillAndUnderTree: We checked that already?

Nobody: Mind checking again? What if it's with your other stuff.

Nobody: I just checked the trackers, it seems Luke's terminal is still within the camp site.

OverhillAndUnderTree: You had trackers on us?

Nobody: I had trackers on my prototypes, not on you.

NoVisAllBiz: Hey, it's Thalia. Grover just woke me up. It's not in Luke's stuff, he's had everything upside down now

NoVisAllBiz: Also, on behalf of the boys, I'm sorry for tbe trouble

Nobody: That's okay, I honestly have nothing better to do this weekend than to try and put up with my roommates pointless and incessant arguments.

_____________________________

Meanwhile on Annabeth's Place

“FOR THE LAST TIME ALHAITHAM,” Annabeth can hear Kaveh's voice from the living room despite her closed doors. “PLEASE STOP BUYING ORNAMENTS WITH COLORS THAT CLASH WITH THE HOUSE!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!”

_____________________________

Nobody: Ugh. Not a fun thing to hear on Saturday mornings. It gives me a headache

NoVisAllBiz: At least my guys get along huh?

Nobody: Oh to attain what you have.

Nobody: Anyways just curious, what direction is Luke now? The terminal's location seems to be moving, maybe someone kicked it somewhere.

OverhillAndUnderTree: We're all at the northeast quadrant section of the place

Nobody: Oh no.

Nobody: Thalia, get your guys ready for a fight. I just ran the sensors on all the terminals

Nobody: It seems someone stole one of the terminals, it's currently on the south west of your camp site.

Nobody: The thief's been lurking under some sort of invisibility mechanism all this time. I'm also picking up abyssal energies. 

Nobody: Either evacuate or fight, you have to do it now

Nobody: Guys?

Nobody: Guys, are you there? 

Nobody: Alright, I'll head to your current coordinates now.

_____________________________

“Hey guys?” Thalia looked towards a certain direction, the emptier part of the forest clearing where Thalia and Annabeth sat to look out at the stars, the southwestern side of camp.

She hears footsteps. Her bow is already taut and loaded with an arrow. Her aim searching for the source of the sound.

“What's wrong Thalia?” Luke asked.

“Someone's here.” and they all instinctively summon their weapons.

“You know, it's cute to see you assume you can take me on in a fight.” A voice said from thin air as a heat haze waves around. Then slowly, a figure seems to appear from within the haze. It's sound was deep and distorted.

It was humanoid and armoured with dark plating of steel highlighted by a golden outline. Its helm held glowing eyes that seemed to be embers from a flame that's been reignited. It wielded a long obsidian scythe that sang along with the wind. Its chestplate is sleek and aerodynamic, it's limbs are light yet well protected, its legs are segmented like that of an insects that were designed to jump before flying. 

This threat was built for speed, they could outrun it, but it'll be hard.

It was built to kill, there was no question. All they had to do was hope that they all live.

Thalia had faced many a hulichurl and abyss mages. But this creature of the abyss order was different. Like as if it sits on a league of it's own.

“Stand down, I only came for the blonde's device. I do not mean you any harm.” The creature told them. Thalia doesn't buy it.

“And what makes you think we'd just give away our friend's stuff to the Abyss Order without a fight?” 

The armoured creature laughed, “The Abyss Order? That is an adorable deduction Miss Grace. You and your motley crew give me too much credit. No, I am but a mere servant of a higher power task of fetching a trinket.” It lifts it's hand to reveal Annabeth's terminal, “And what a fine trinket it is indeed.”

“How do you know my name?” Thalia increased the tension of her bowstring at the creature's taunt, “And what do you plan to do with Annabeth's prototype?”

The creature only laughed in response as it reached its hand out behind it and opens a dark and gold doorway. Wherever it led was something Thalia didn't even want to know. “What you ask is none of you business, but know this adventurer, consider yourself fortunate that you did not die by my hands.”

“Oh yeah? And whose hands is that then?” Luke stupidly provoked the creature pointed his sword at him like a challenge. Thalia and Grover's senses sharpened all the more at the boy's foolish maneuver.

But to the party's relief, the creature did not bite. 

“I admire your bravery, you brash Mondstadters were always in over your heads.” The creature laughed once more, “I doubt our paths would ever cross again, but if you do you shall refer to me as…

"Kronos, the Innamorati”

_____________________________

Nobody: And you're sure it called itself Innamorati?

NoVisAllBiz: Yeah, that's what if called itself. Kronos the Innamorati

NoVisAllBiz: Does it ring any bells?

Nobody: Yeah, it's most likely a Fatui Harbinger, or atleast someone from the Fatui.

NoVisAllBiz: The Fatui? How'd you even end up in that conclusion?

Nobody: Okay so here's the thing. You guys know the Fatui Harbingers right?

NoVisAllBiz: Yeah, powerful Snezhnayan delegates. Real scary types.

Nobody: Yeah well their titles were based from the stock characters written down by this Snezhnayan-Fontanian scriptwriter bard named William. William the Bard made it big during the time before the Cataclysm.

Nobody: He made a ton of good plays and poetry during his time and his works were still revered by the cultured to this day.

Nobody: My personal favorite is Much Ado About Nothing. Its display of the playful deception between friends as well as the intresting manipulation of the Rivals-to-Lovers trope had played not only as an inspiration but also as a nexus point to the good light novels. 

Nobody: Nothing like a good misunderstanding to stir up a good plot.

NoVisAllBiz: No need to give us a lecture about William Shakespearevich Annabeth, everyone knows who that guy is

NoVisAllBiz: What's the Cataclysm tho?

Nobody: Something that happened bad 500 years ago. 

Nobody: Anyways. The names of the Harbingers, such as Il Dotore and Tartaglia were simply taken from Will's list of characters.

Nobody: The term “Innamorati” is Shakepearevich's archetype for lovers who were separated once but had reunited in the end through their hard work and the progression of thr plot.

Nobody: Running by that logic, then we can infer that this Innamorati is part of the Harbingers.

OverhillAndUnderTree: Sorry Annabeth, but I don't think this one's a Harbinger

Nobody: Oh? 

Nobody: And why is that?

OverhillAndUnderTree: I have this friend who was a Fatui before he defected

Nobody: Likely story Grover, no operator quits the Fatui. They're either indoctrinated since childhood or was raised in Snezhnaya.

OverhillAndUnderTree: He left the fontanian House of the Hearth while all of the servants and caretakers were too distracted with the death of their Headmistress Crucabena

OverhillAndUnderTree: You can fact check it later

_____________________________

Meanwhile, at the Grover Lore chat.

Nobody: Did I just trigger Grover lore!?

NoVisAllBiz: We just triggered Grover lore!!!

_____________________________

OverhillAndUnderTree: Anyways, my friend told me about the eleven Harbingers. None of them were named Innamorati

OverhillAndUnderTree: That was a good guess tho

NoVisAllBiz: And it made sense too

OverhillAndUnderTree: It did, maybe the guy was trying to scare us off by implying that he's a harbunger

OverhillAndUnderTree: But that he doesn't know about all of the Fatui Harmingers 

NoVisAllBiz: Dude can't spell harbinger properly lol!

OverhillAndUnderTree: Bruh! It's just a typo!

Nobody: You have to admit, that is really silly.

OverhillAndUnderTree: You guys are so mean

NoVisAllBiz: To be honest, you and Luke are cut from the same cloth hahaha!

Nobody: Ooch!

Chapter Text

NoVisAllBiz: Hey Annabeth!

NoVisAllBiz: Annabeth?

NoVisAllBiz: Heloooooo?

_____________________________

“Ugh, Annabeth’s not responding.” Thalia knitted her brows as she kept staring at the hologram screen.

“She’s probably just busy,” Said Grover before returning to check on his reed pipe catalyst.

“Come on Thalia, I think you should give it a rest for now.” Luke snatched the terminal from Thalia’s ear. “She’ll respond soon enough. And besides, we just got back from a job. Grover and I are really hungry Thals.”

Thalia rolled her eyes. “Alright fine, let’s go eat some snacks.”

“And not the rations, right?” Grover cutted in.

…

Thalia sighs, “Fine, we’ll eat at Lambad’s. But we’re not getting anything expensive, okay?”

_____________________________

Nobody: Hi sorry, just came back from work. What’s up?

NoVisAllBiz: Hi! Remember when you reserved us for a job and you only accepted us because I read BSD?

Nobody: I mean, that was meant as a joke, but yes I do remember that.

OverhillAndUnderTree: That was a joke?

TwinkleToes: huh, me too

NoVisAllBiz: I take it you hired me but you figured we were a package deal?

Nobody: Yes.

OverhillAndUnderTree: Hey!

NoVisAllBiz: ANYWAYS, so what other light novels do you read?

Nobody: Oh uh well I just started on it but I also read “I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time”

Nobody: Mostly because it reminds me of Kathy

NoVisAllBiz: You know what understandable, that sass was so Kathy.

TwinkleToes: Who's Kathy agin?

Nobody: Katherine

NoVisAllBiz: Katherine

TwinkleToes : Ah okay

OverHillAndUnderTree : Hey, any thoughts on the isekai genre

Nobody : I think some of them are poorly written

TwinkleToes : oof

OverHillAndUnderTree : Why tho, personally I think they're neat

Nobody : I find it annoying how overused it is, that's all

OverhillAndUnderTree : Hold on, I thought people from the Akademiya aren't really that into drama, recreational, and non-educational stuff. Aren't you in Ksharewar?

Nobody : Okay first of all, people need breaks sometimes

Nobody : And also AZAR IS AN UNCULTURED SWINE AND SHOULD THEREFORE STEP DOWN FROM HIS POSITION AS GRAND SAGE DUE TO HIS MISUSE OF OFFICE!!!

Nobody : That man has a contempt for theatre and let me tell you. The arts do not deserve such snide remirks.

TwinkleToes : Oh shoot Annabeth got so politically pissed she misspelled it.

Nobody : Sorry about that, the Grand has a god complex and I had to deal with it.

OverHillAndUnderTree : Hey speaking of theatre

OverHillAndUnderTree : Annabeth, do you read Oshi No Ko?

Nobody : Yeah, it's going great. I just finished the Private Arc, I'm starting to get hooked into it.

NoVisAllBiz : Ok you can stop there

Nobody : Why not? Does it go downhill from there?

TwinkleToes : I mean…yeahhhhhh?

OverHillAndUnderTree : Aka is dead to me.

Nobody : Is Grover alright?

NoVisAllBiz : Don't worry about that, he just read through the ending

OverHillAndUnderTree : The world is rotten, and those who are making it rot deserve to die.

Nobody : Ah yes, Death Note was a fun one

Nobody : Up until L dies.

NoVisAllBiz : What about Near though?

Nobody : It's not the same Thalia. 

TwinkleToes : Have you tried Violet Evergarden?

Nobody : Oh I loved that one! 

Nobody : I kinda wished there was more of it.

NoVisAllBiz : LUKE CASTELLAN YOU BETTER NOT BE DOING WHAT I THINK YOU'RE DOING

TwinkleToes : What are your thoughts on the fifty letters scene?

TwinkleToes : Annabeth?

NoVisAllBiz : Oh great! You broke her!

TwinkleToes : She's just not responding, I'm pretty sure she's fine.

OverHillAndUnderTree : Not funny dude, you just had to mention the “Dear Anne” scene

TwinkleToes : You call it the dear anne scene?

OverHillAndUnderTree : uhh yeah?

TwinkleToes : who calls a scene like that? That was a lousy name for a good scene

Nobody : Hi there I'm Kaveh, Annabeth's roommate. I found her on the floor crying.

Nobody : What happened?

NoVisAllBiz : We were talking about Violet Evergarden

Nobody : Well that explains a lot, I heard her muttering about letters in between sobs. Mind if I backread? It sounded like she had fun right before she collapsed.

NoVisAllBiz : Sure, we don't mind

NoVisAllBiz : See Luke? Now she's on the floor crying.

NoVisAllBiz : And it's all your fault you idiot.

TwinkleToes : Alright alright, I'm sorry.

Nobody : Greetings.

OverHillAndUnderTree : Um hello?

Nobody : I am Alhaitham.

TwinkleToes : Hello Mr. Alhithm

TwinkleToes : Ahlhaithem

Nobody : I see two of my roommates are on the floor sobbing. Is this your doing?

TwinkleToes : Sort of?

Nobody : Typical. I have already backread the chat. Not that care but I believe this incident is more or less their own undoing.

Nobody : This is what extracurriculars tend to do to the mind.

OverHillAndUnderTree : Sheesh, no need to do us dirty like that bro.

Nobody : Apologies. For now I shall leave the device at her bedside. Annabeth will get back to you when you can.

Bonus:

Months ago

“Hey Alhaitham, is it okay if I borrow your–” Annabeth's eyes widened as she saw Alhaitham crying whilst reading Violet Evergarden. 

His face was still as straight and neutral as ever but the river of tears betrayed what he felt.

Upon hearing Annabeth, he didn't flinch or shy away. He simply set the book down, wiped his tears, and told her “Not a word, Annabeth. Not. A. Word.”

The next morning

“Hey Kaveh, did you get your letter from your mom yet?

“Oh, not yet. Why'd you ask?”

Meanwhile, Alhaitham: *unknowingly sheds tears Furina style*