I haven't posted for a while. I've missed you all. Hopefully you'll like this? :)

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Percy's eyes narrowed sharply as a wave of defense and suspicion washed over him. His girlfriend of two years, Annabeth Chase—daughter of the Greek goddess Athena as well as her Roman form Minerva—stared at him questioningly. When she reached to clutch his large and calloused hand, he immediately shrunk away from the grey-eyed girl.

The seventeen year-old steeled himself for death. With the Curse of Achilles no longer in effect, he was more vulnerable than ever. Apprehension was a swirling mass inside of him. He gazed at Mars' field; hordes of monsters surrounded him—their carnal thirst for his flesh and blood fueled their rage. He abruptly realized that he couldn't do this—win a war—if he was letting the onslaught of emotions affect his fighting. Percy's oceanic green eyes darkened so drastically that they resembled the infinite depths of Tartarus as he mentally hardened himself, shutting off any possible emotions that could hinder him.

His emotional switch was off. There was no room for distraction. Fear, anger and love are emotions that would get him murdered by Gaea. Percy had to fight for all Greek and Roman demigods as well as the mortals. His desire to be liberated from such hindering emotions that would only contribute to a swifter death outweighed the effects of becoming emotionless. It was all worth it. …an oath to keep with a final breath.

Annabeth, in one swift motion, leaned up to kiss Percy. The intimate moment was cut short by him shoving her off. As she gazed into his eyes, she noticed how the look of fury within them was barely concealed. Her brow furrowed in confusion at Percy's distant behavior; he had never refused a kiss from her.

Percy's chest rose as he took a deep breath. "What the hell were you thinking, Annabeth?" His tone was infused with rage, but he spoke so quickly and softly that it was almost unnoticeable. Almost.

"What do you mean, Percy?" Annabeth retorted defensively. She took a step back from him and steeled her eyes. "I know what you're doing, and you can't do it."

Percy turned away from her and growled under his breath to himself. The words were undecipherable to Annabeth. He wielded Anaklusmos with tangible tension. Suddenly, he capped his sword and put it in his pocket. Watching him as he ran his fingers through his thick black hair, her scrutiny remained stoic. He returned to his position in front of her. Annabeth noticed that his face was flushed, and Percy's body trembled ever so slightly.

"I can do it if ends up saving everyone, Annabeth. I don't think you understand…really, I don't think you do. If you did, wouldn't you do the same?"

Percy was tired; weariness was manifested deep within him. He was far too young to have experienced so much death and disappointment. He was cognizant that not everyone gets a happy ending—his past brothers were proof enough that.

"You can't harden yourself, Percy. You can't shut your emotions off," Annabeth murmured to him as she stroked his arm. He visibly flinched at the contact. She let out a dry laugh. It sounded phony to both of them. "How else are you to save everyone?" she probed rhetorically. "By walking around emotionless? Did you really think that would work out?"

Annabeth didn't wait for Percy to answer. "Emotions give you a reason to fight, Percy. They give us a reason to die. You would have walked away from this battle if you were truly detached."

Percy sighed while Annabeth pulled him into an embrace. She continued to talk, "Perseus Jackson, you fight because you care. You fought the Minotaur because anger and love fueled you when it crushed your mother. Fear of the future under Gaea's rule pushes you to fight." She paused a moment before resuming in a lighter tone, "If I'm to be honest with myself, I'd say that jealousy got you to defeat Luke."

Both chuckled. Percy began to rub her hands with his fingers. "You're right," he conceded, "I couldn't let him have you, Annabeth. You mean too much to me. I'd fight everyday if it means that you're mine."

"See? Your emotions give you a reason to do what you do. I'm not sure how I'd feel if you stopped loving me so unexpectedly. I don't think that I could handle that, Percy."

"Neither would I," Percy confessed. "I might as well be one of Hephaestus's automatons in that case. There would be no point in me even living." A crooked smile appeared on his scratched and now pallid face.

Annabeth quickly landed a punch on Percy's bicep. "That's for thinking that you could get away and do something as stupid as turning your emotions off."

"Gods," Percy responded sheepishly as he rubbed his arm. "I won't ever do it again. Pinky promise." He held out his pinky finger for her to grasp.

Annabeth laughed heartily as he intertwined her pinky with Percy's extended finger.

What did you think of it? :)

I do hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for taking the time to read. Maybe drop me a review?! :)

-Jia Marie