Percy stepped into the stables with a box full of donuts from the camp kitchen. He checked behind him to make sure no one had followed. Annabeth, Grover, and Lucia were sure to be asleep, getting their rest before the quest tomorrow.

Percy, of course, knew he had a quest to prepare for. You don't forget something like that, but you do get used to life-threatening missions when you're the son of Poseidon. The only one, at that.

He stepped over to Blackjack's stable door and saw the pegasus fast asleep, bunches of hay scattered across his chest and muzzle. Percy grinned and knocked on the wooden frame.

Blackjack huffed. "I'm sleeping here."

"I have donuts," Percy pressed.

Blackjack stayed in his resting position, but one eye cracked open and glanced at Percy, then at the box in his hands. His other eye fluttered open as he groaned and clambered to his hooves.

"Now, why didn't you say so?" Blackjack neighed and trotted forward.

Percy held up a hand to stop him. "Wait. Before I give you any, I need your help with something."

Blackjack's eyes narrowed, and he grumbled, "Then I get a donut?"

"Yes, yes. It's about Lucia."

Blackjack stood a little straighter. "What do you need, boss? I've got her scent—I can find her as long as she's not on a boat."

"Why not?"

"Water smells like you. My senses go jack-crazy."

"Really? Well, don't worry. Luz is safe in bed." Percy cleared his throat. "I want to know if you—you know-if—if you've seen that Ethan guy. He's her new friend... Since you've been with her all summer, I figured you'd have seen him at least once."

"You want to know."

"Yes, I want to know."

"You want to know."

"Yes, I just said yes."

"You want to know."

"Blackjack!"

"You don't want to know."

"Dude!"

"He kissed her!"

"What!" Percy dropped the box of donuts and stood stiff, his face scrunching up in disgust. He stared at Blackjack, pained.

Blackjack grinned and used his head to unlatch the stall door. He picked at a jelly donut and hummed in delight. "Well—almost."

"Wha—almost? Why would you say they kissed?"

"You were holding my donuts."

"Whatever. How do you know this?"

Blackjack gulped down a frosted donut. "I was there. He was makin' all kinds of moves on our girl Lucy. But don't worry—I intervened before any lip-macking went on. Ooh, sprinkles!"

Percy stared, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He bent down to pick up the box, brushing off some stray hay. "You intervened?"

Blackjack munched thoughtfully, bits of sugar stuck to his muzzle. "Yep. Stepped right in. Gave him the full nostril snort. Almost stuck my head between 'em, but I held back. Ain't nobody smoochin' on my watch."

Percy's face twisted. "Wait—wait. Did she want to kiss him?"

Blackjack paused, licking jelly off his nose. "Seemed like it. For a second. She looked at him like she was thinkin' about it... Then she didn't. Nothin' came out of it after that."

Percy stared at the floor, mind racing. "So... what, she likes him?"

Blackjack chewed on a chocolate donut, thoughtfully. "Nah, dont worry about that, boss. If you ask me, she might like you. If you actually said somethin'."

Percy looked up quickly. "How did we get to me and Luz?"

Blackjack snorted and reached into the box for another donut with his mouth. "Boss. You stole donuts in the middle of the night, brought them to me, and started askin' about some guy makin' moves on her. It's obvious. You like her."

Percy froze. "I—No, I don't."

"Right. And I'm just a normal horse that you talk to."

Percy grabbed a half-eaten donut, tossed it at him, and turned to leave. "I'm going to bed."

"Have sweet dreams about Luz!" Blackjack called after him with a smirk on his muzzle. He picked something up from the ground, threw it, and caught the donut mid-air, chomping it with satisfaction.

Percy muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "shut up" as he walked off, face burning and heart thumping.

He couldn't stop thinking of the freckles on her cheeks and those bright eyes staring at him.

Meanwhile, Blackjack happily gobbled up the rest of the donuts and stretched his wings. "Teenagers," he mumbled, licking frosting off his lips. "Hopeless."