Prologue


ANNABETH

.

Neither of them knows when it started.

At least, that's what Annabeth thought.

She didn't know where the words had come from—the burning accusations, tongues lashing out on all the moments the other was at fault and even the mark. The stupid, fucking mark.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it was her fault. It was her stubborn, guilty pride that started all of this. But of course, she refused to acknowledge that and snapped back at him with equal ferocity and power. She wouldn't step back from him, from this. Her pride wouldn't allow it.

"I don't know what's wrong with you." He ran a hand through his hair, the midnight black strands curling at the ends and coiling near his ears. She wanted to touch it. Wanted to touch him. "We were okay this afternoon, and now what? You're screaming at me for no fucking reason!"

"Me? What's wrong with me?" There's a dry laughter on her throat. There's no humor, no affection. It didn't sound like her at all. "Nothing. Because it was your fault. It was your fault, Percy."

He looked back at her, incredulous. "How is it my fault? I don't understand how any of this is my fault when you're the one who started screaming insults at me."

"They are true anyway."

He physically stepped back, and she could see that she actually hurt him, broke a part of him that's insecure to all the world but her. And god, did it broke her heart too. She wanted to take it all back, take him back to her arms, but her stupid pride was ruling her mind.

"Look, Annabeth." He sounded so resigned, so tired it was hurting her to breathe. She did this, she hurt him, but there's no other way to do this. She just had to bear it alone, and leave him from the misery of it all. "Let's stop. I can't—this is going too far. Can we just talk it over right now?"

"No."

"What? Annabeth, please. Let's just—"

"I'm done here. I'm leaving."

"No. Listen to me, Annabeth. You're not leaving."

"I am leaving. Can't you see this is everything I didn't want? None of this—I don't want any of this!"

The vibrant green in his eyes fade, and the hand that's supposed to hold her retracted. His voice was small when he asked, "Me? What about me?"

"What about you, Percy?"

His voice choked somewhere but managed to spit it out. "Everything we did—wer—were those just lies?"

'No. No, all of those were true. I love you', she wanted to say.

But instead, she clenched her fist so hard, the chipped nails dug into the delicate skin. She didn't trust her voice to lie to him so she nodded, and damn if it wasn't the hardest thing she was forced to do.

When she stepped away, she didn't know what was hurting her more: the fact that she broke him or knowing that she'd just lost the most important person more than life itself.

.


A/N: Hey. So a quick and really short chapter for my latest story. Sorry about the prologue, but it has to happen. BUT DON'T FRET, this is a percabeth story, just more mature and angsty? (i guess). This is another soulmates au because i can't seem to get enough of them. Please review!

thisisawesomeness