Love. To Percy, it was perplexing. Such a simple word, spelled with only four letters so that even dyslexic demigods could read it, was far more complicated than anything else. It brought forth feelings and emotions he didn't even know he could feel. And he more than others, was compelled towards it.
It was his fatal flaw to protect those he loved and cared for. He couldn't help it, before he could think straightly; he was throwing himself in front of a monster just to protect someone from getting hurt. He'd do anything to save someone he loved, and even after he defeated Kronos, it still frightened him.
Love didn't have any rules; it didn't have an explanation on why all of a sudden he felt like a bowl of punch around Annabeth. There was no specific reason why he felt like he had to save the world for his friends more than he did for himself. It didn't have boundaries, to keep him from doing something stupid because of it. It was just there, trying to mess him up.
At some point, everyone was at the mercy of love. Sure you could try to fight it, but you always ended up back where you were before. A broken heart needs chocolate and other sweets to mend. The wedding industry continues to keep the economy going. In a way, the world revolved around love. A thing that no one could hold onto, they could just feel. From their head to their toes, but whenever they tried to grab onto it, claim it for themselves. It was immediately snatched away. Love was something that no one, including Percy, could quite figure out what the definition is.
Even Aphrodite, the goddess of love, didn't quite have it all figured out. Sure, she was better off than most, with beauty beyond believed and some insight on the topic, but she always missed the second type of love. Not the romantic type of love, but the love of friendship and family. The ones who help you get up when you fall, who you tell your secrets too, and who root for you know matter what you're fighting for.
Percy felt this type of love towards Grover. He was his best friend, and he loved him in the other sense of the word. He trusted Grover with almost anything, and could count on him as a friend. If Grover needed help, Percy would be there without thinking. It sounded like love to him, but how come this love was so much easier than the one he felt towards others? He seemed to always know what to do with Grover, and it was a nice change.
Percy also loved his mom. This too isn't like the initial definition of the word. She was the one who raised him and helped him up when he fell. She was his supporter from the beginning, his two first feet. She was dependable and trustworthy. She was his first love and he proven that to himself when he had saved her back when he was twelve from Hades. He told her almost every day that he loved her, and it was never awkward. It was normal and comfortable. It often didn't feel like the day without saying it.
Percy also felt something similar towards Nico, Thalia, and Tyson. They were his siblings and cousins. They often got into fights and arguments with one another, but in the end they were always okay and forgave one another. They were the ones he was the most similar too. They were the ones he felt like understood where he was, and what his problems were. All of them were technically forbidden, and while there was a cool aspect to it, it was often nerve-racking. Knowing that your two uncles wanted to hunt you down simply because you existed. He loved having them by his side.
At different points in time, he thought that he loved Calypso and Rachel. Calypso, he loved for a few reasons. First of all, she nearly healed him back to life. When he landed on her island of punishment, she had taken care of him like a mother would have with their child, and made sure he was okay. He also found sympathy for her, making his feelings towards her even stronger. Despite all of this, he still felt the need to leave. To this day, he's not quite sure why. Maybe he didn't love her as much as he thought he had. Or maybe he was feeling homesick without realizing it. Or maybe it was because he had feelings for Annabeth he hadn't realized quite yet. Either way, he left, and while he still felt some sort of affection towards her, it was no longer the same.
Rachel, on the other had, was an entirely different case. Instead of him leaving her like with Calypso, she left him. She had started and finished the 'relationship' that they shared. She became the oracle, and therefore resigned to only being his friend. He wondered what exactly urged her to make the change and become the oracle. Was it because of him, did he break her heart without realizing it? Or was it Chiron, who could've convinced her during their talk? Regardless, she was finished with playing two roles in Percy's life, and now was only playing one. It made it simpler this way (and it made Annabeth happier), but Percy wasn't sure if he liked it. He liked the connection Rachel provided to the mortal world, and it was suddenly ripped away from him.
Annabeth, once he finally realized it, he loved in every definition of the word. He loved her as his girlfriend and companion, but also as a friend and family member. She filled all the categories for him. And when he was with her, he felt perfect. Sure she was mocking him and they were arguing half of the time, but he enjoyed every second of it. She was always there for him. And when he was with her, he felt like he was on the top of the world. He trusted her above all others (she knew his weak spot), and he knew that he was the same with her.
When it came to love, he and Annabeth were the same. They were both beginners and still learning. With love, she was no better him. They were equal for once. Every new feeling that he had, it was new for her too. This was a great comfort for him. Knowing that they were figuring out what was going on together.
Love wasn't simple nor was it planned. It was complicated beyond all other things. There were no rules and there was no exact description. There was no line between what was and wasn't love. You just had to jump and hope that you landed. And while this was scary, Percy liked it because he managed to feel liked he always had someone to jump with.
A/N: I hope that you liked it! Please review! All reviews are accepted and are greatly appreciated! :D