[ Percy likes to think he's open book. a pretty forthcoming guy. he's reliable. for the gods' sake, his fatal flaw is personal loyalty. the only reason he lies is to protect himself or his friends and that's the bottom line. but he can't help holding his breath as he passes the honesty signs in the halls. it starts getting ridiculous. he shields his eyes as he passes, says la la la louder and louder as he jogs down the stairs to get out of the building, away from that word, until he can't hold back anymore. sooner or later, Wonderland's magic digs its claws into everyone. ]

I've been thinking lately about how unpredictable this place is with who comes and goes. [ he remembers Leo vanishing beneath their noses and the crushing guilt - nobody had thought it could happen to them - and Lena, Caroline, and the few other friends he's made in Wonderland and lost. it's been brought to the forefront of his mind by Nico and it keeps lingering. ] There are people who have been here for years and there are people that show up here for a few days that we never see again, and there are others that just seem to be able to keep coming back. And until it happens to you, nobody can tell which one you are. In the mean time, I don't know, I guess it's... [ what's he trying to say? ] We let it become normal.

We don't want to feel it anymore.

Why is that? I mean, why is that okay?

[ he doesn't know why he's so heated about this. ]

If anything, it should remind us of what's important. [ he means who. ] I'm just saying— [ he looks off screen, confused and drawn out of his thought process by the the sound of a piano playing and the sound of someone strumming a guitar when there isn't anyone around him.before he knows it, he's humming, and his knee is jumping and he's really feeling this music for some reason and oh gods, it's happening! if ever there was a moment for zeus to strike him down with lightning, this is it. ]


Feelings uninvited, unable to hide it. [ he's in his own bedroom now and he crosses the room to a photograph in a frame lined with seashells to get right up in the camera. ] Steer clear of this mess, it's best if I don't see your face.

[ going to flip that photo over now. ]

Cause every time you're near me,
My knees start this shaking,
You're just way too charming with that look upon your face.

[ he's not the worst singer in the world but he's not rockstar material either. not that it seems to bother him right now. he miraculously becomes a master of walking and holding his device, still recording, as he walks out of his bedroom. he walks a few doors down, disturbingly close to the bedroom of a particular son of hades. ]

Cause on a whiiiim, I might just kiss you, out of nowhere I might just tell you. [ he raises his hand to knock and doesn't follow through. the one shot that is caught over his shoulder is the room number 007. ] I should go before I come undone.

I gotta walk away, or the three of us might have issues,
Stay away, but I might miss you,
Why is this song better left unsung?
Better left unsung.

[ going to put as much distance between himself and that door as he can, until he leans back against a wall and sinks to the hallway floor, looking into the camera only after he's seated. he sits cross-legged and looks every bit as young as he is. ]

What if I had told you?
Maybe not so bad if I do,
Tell me what would happen,
Happen if I did.

[ suddenly more frustrated: ] This all seems so silly, I never hide my feelings. What's so wrong with it? Maybe I might be just onto something.

Cause on a whiiiim, I might just kiss you,
out of nowhere I might just tell you.
I should go before I come undone.
I gotta walk away, or the three of us might have issues,
Stay away, but I might miss you,
Why is this song better left unsung?
Better left unsung.

[ and as the music fades out, there is a clear and distinct image of Percy Jackson completely and totally embarrassed before he drops his phone and the video cuts out. ]