brace yourself

There's a scene where Dunk goes to talk to Baelor in the solar. That scene is at night, very candle-lit. And then, he goes to talk to Maekar, where it's a completely different feel. It was very deliberate, to make it feel like the castle is colder [after Baelor's death]

codependent 🐰🦊

something silly with them that final summer before percy went mia

begins the book by feeling newly insecure and nervous around annabeth, noticing that she looks older, being frustrated that she's taller now, commenting on ways she's starting to act more mature, expressing discomfort and slight jealousy that she is spending more time with thalia, and regretting that he hasn't been able to see her as often as he would've liked even though she's right in brooklyn, is hyper-aware of how it looks/feels romantic when they're dancing

finds out that annabeth was thinking of joining the hunters from grover and admits that he would like to say he took the news well but he didn't, although i don't think he's ready to admit why just yet

is interrogated by aphrodite regarding his romantic feelings for annabeth, clearly is not ready to talk about them yet but also doesn't deny it, and then is openly TOLD by the goddess of love that she thinks they're a cute couple and she has a lot planned for them

nearly has a panic attack on olympus thinking she's going to join the hunters and actually does tell her not to even tho he doesn't like fully get the reasoning out.

but decides that he does want to talk to annabeth anyway, is actively looking for her, tells us there's 'a lot i'd wanted to say to annabeth'

gets interrupted by athena, threatened by her, told she does not approve of his friendship with annabeth and that she'll be watching him. he then tells us he feels like she punched him in the gut and took all his confidence away.

so he doesn't talk to annabeth. but he asks her for a slow dance and describes the music as 'a little sad but a little hopeful too'