So, in a completely random turn of events, this was inspired by an anonymous review that said I made Lev a jerk in my other fic. If he was, I'm sorry. I was not aiming for jerk-ness. And in response to that review, if you read the story carefully, it wasn't random. And she only pushed him away for a couple seconds.

Percabeth, AU-ish. The first part is just after the Sirens in SoM, then during/after the KISS (squee!) and the funeral part in BotL.

Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, I present to you...

Slip Away

OR

Shoulder

OR

Promised

He held her close, comforting. She sobbed silently onto his shoulder. Is that all he would ever be to her? A shoulder? Something to punch when she was annoyed? Something to cry on when she was sad? Something to rest on when she was tired? No, sirree, not if he had something to say about it. But for now, he would be a shoulder, because that was what she needed. The time to be a body would come later. So he held her tightly, because he would never let her slip away. (Confusing, but necessary.)

She kissed him, and his brain exploded. He was no longer a shoulder. He was a body, with a face. He grabbed her hand before she ran off, because he had promised himself she wouldn't slip away. He pulled her close again, like in the bubble, and she cried a little now, too. He pulled her face in front of his, kissed her once more, and then blinked slowly. Go. I'll be fine. Sea slug's honor. He winked. She nodded, then pulled him close and held him for what felt like the last time. But she knew it wouldn't be. He'd promised.

She ran, Yankees cap on, towards the exit. Pulling the spider out of her pocket, she activated it and threw it in front of her. It bounced slightly, then started scurrying along. Trusting her ears to guide her, she glanced back and saw him, trapped. She started to turn, but then his unspoken words came back to her. I'll be fine. Sea slug's honor. She smiled, and turned back to the spider. Thank you, Seaweed Brain. Come home soon. And then, as a thought struck her, silently added, I love you. Don't you dare get hurt!

And he, as if he could hear her, nodded. It seemed to agree with her and also say, Thank you. I'll be back before you know it, because I love you too. And when am I not careful?

Her head shake said, Do you wanna know the honest answer, or should I lie?

And he laughed.

"He's… He's right there!" And indeed he was, just like she always knew he would be, because he'd promised. She ran up to him, and smashed into him, and tackled him, hugging him like there was no tomorrow. And then she kissed him, right in front of the whole camp. She pulled back, and then… "WHAT THE HADES IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS?! No, don't answer that, I think I already know. YOU IDIOT! YOU HAD ME SO WORRIED! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA—"

And then he was kissing her, and she was kissing him back, and they were entangled and young and in love. They finally broke apart, acutely aware of the silence. "You talk too much," he muttered, blushing. She slowly pushed herself off of him.

They caught sight of the rest of the campers. "What?!"

Lol. Wow, this has a lot of titles, huh? Anyway, it didn't come out anything like I was originally planning, but that's okay. I might try again later. Well, that's that! Toodles, loves!