"Good thing they can't take everything," she mumbles, but there's not exactly disagreement in her voice over it either.

But he starts on it, and Annabeth watches studiously. It's not like she really knows how to work a trident either, but she does know how Percy works a weapon in general, and she can pinpoint the moments he feels more and more comfortable with it. It's such a small thing, but the faintest hint of a smile ghosts on her face, because it's a sign of them. The normal them, that she can still easily do that.

"All things considered, not bad," she says. "Though I've never actually seen someone use a trident before."