Blame Fallout 3 for this. I do. Seriously, I was replaying it (for the first time in forever) in anticipation for Fallout 4 and this damn song got stuck in my head and wouldn't leave.
It's been holding my subconscious hostage.
So, somehow, during this occupation, this became intertwined with Singles Freedom. I know, I know, I'm nuts, right? How does Fallout 3 have anything to do with my weird Percy Jackson AU? Well, in truth, nothing. At least, not with the chapters you may have seen so far. The chapters I've written in advance, however, are another matter. I contemplated putting this in with the actual story, (again, you the reader wouldn't see that chapter for awhile) but it didn't make the final cut.
Instead, I'm releasing it as a separate story, and then when the time comes, I will add this to the much anticipated (by me, anyway) SF Supplements - Deleted Scenes, which is a collection of deleted content that *almost* made it into Singles Freedom, but was taken out before public viewing for various reasons.
I would consider this a part of the SFverse, but it should be able to stand alone. Even people who have read Singles Freedom might not understand this, as this would have taken place at a point in the story way down the line from where they've read.
This one-shot should explain itself as it goes along.
Despite this crazy, whacked up chronology, I hope someone enjoys this.
-Raphael.
(The song isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, and the games aren't mine)
Annabeth Chase could say with a sort of morbid confidence that she was no stranger to pain.
Physical pain?
As a demigod, physical pain was practically guaranteed at the moment of her birth. As if that wouldn't be enough, she ran away at the tender age of seven, forsaking the coldness of a 'home' for the coldness of the streets. Even after meeting Luke and Thalia, it still hadn't been easy; hardly had there been a moment where the three of them had been completely safe. She'd endured double that, however, during the Second Titan War. And double that during the Second Giant War. Her threshold for pain was legendary; one could not be weak and hold the sky, one could not be frail and survive Tartarus.
No, Annabeth knew physical pain, could tolerate it, too. It was not something she looked forward to, but something she could shoulder easily.
Mental pain?
As a daughter of Athena, Annabeth was intimately acquainted with mental pain. It wasn't that she was stupid - obviously, far from it - but the stress that came from always having to know everything was palpable. She was hard pressed, oftentimes the one that everyone expected to have all of the answers. She was supposed to have every solution, every plan, every detail thought out and perfected before the others even asked what to do. The pressure had threatened to overwhelm her on multiple occasions, but if anyone could handle it, it would be her. It had been her, for many years.
Annabeth's mental fortitude was far superior to that of the average person, but even so, she knew mental struggle well.
Emotional pain?
As a human being, she was familiar with heartbreak. Disappointment had followed her since she was a small child. Throughout her years of battle, she'd experienced loss, in many different ways, but, she was given no time to grieve, or to mourn. She had no choice but to move on, or be left behind. The situations she had no control over had hurt her, but it was the situations she could control (and failed to) that crippled her. By the time she'd survived her second war, she had believed that the worst of her life had come and passed.
She was wrong.
She was stupid.
She was weak.
Annabeth Chase didn't make mistakes, until she did.
Not multiple mistakes, she told herself, just the same one multiple times.
Whatever. As if that changed anything. It didn't make her feel better, didn't fill the gaping, glaring hole in her life. It didn't make Percy come back, with his easy smile and warm embraces. It didn't get rid of the nightmares, or get her friends to talk to her like they used to.
It didn't change the fact that sleeping with Jason Grace was a mistake, and the biggest one she had ever made.
She knew that it was, knew it the second Percy had walked in on them, all wide green eyes and trembling hands. Knew it every day after, waiting for a chance talk to him, to beg for his forgiveness - waiting for a chance that never came. It was always on her mind, and nothing she ever did got it, or the pain to go away. A fitting and deserved punishment for the way his voice had cracked, and his breathing had stalled, for how quickly he'd fled from everything he knew. She had hurt him, so obviously deeply, and it was his pain that amplified her own.
Yes, Annabeth had become very familiar with emotional pain.
Annabeth had believed that nothing could tighten the noose around her neck more than his exile, more than not knowing where he was, or if he was okay. It could not possibly get worse than her current, suspended state.
Again, she was wrong.
After two years, Percy Jackson reentered her world, greeting all of their old friends with a grin and a hug, as if he'd never randomly left without a word. With a tight-lipped smile and a controlled nod, he came back into her life. With Piper McLean by his side.
Piper. Annabeth did regret that it was Piper's boyfriend that she had precipitately slept with. She had grown to like the younger daughter of Aphrodite quite well, counting her as a good friend with whom she could speak to openly. Though the majority of her self-loathing had come from harming Percy, a small portion was for harming Piper, as well. After the daughter of Athena's... indiscretion, Piper had cut her out of her life, too. She had remained in New York, for a time, but refused to speak with Annabeth at all. At some point, however, Piper had left Camp Half-Blood, and, as with Percy, no one had known where she'd gone.
Well, Annabeth supposed, I guess I know where she was, now.
Percy and Piper.
The two had obviously become close. Annabeth had yet to see them do anything romantic (and she had been watching like a hawk), but there was scarcely an inch of room left between the two at any time. They seemed to be attached at the hip, going absolutely everywhere together. It was a closeness that Annabeth noted with alarm...and not a small twinge of jealousy.
They were always talking about something or the other, animatedly gesticulating with sparkling eyes and expressive faces. It had been quite a long time since she'd heard Percy laugh so loudly, or smile so brightly. And apparently, Piper had become very skilled with eliciting those golden laughs and smiles from him.
Annabeth had to know, needed to know if they were a couple. She was almost afraid of the answer.
She knew it was a stupid, voyeuristic thing to do, but they were sharing a room. She had no choice. She had to watch them, away from the others. Had to know if they acted any differently alone.
It was dark when she snuck over, wearing the cap that had concealed her throughout her adolescent years, the one who's power had been restored following the Giant War.
Looking through the window, she could see the dim lighting of the cabin illuminate the shape of Piper, sitting on a bunk in her pajamas, which looked to be a pair of white Tweety Bird boxers rolled at the waistband and a grey Dr. Pepper t-shirt which looked much too large on her. It seemed to be more someone of Percy's size. Her mahogany colored hair looked damp, but not soaked, as if she'd recently taken a shower but had been out for a small amount of time, as well.
The girl was on her phone, looking perfectly normal and inconspicuous.
Percy was nowhere in sight.
Suddenly, the bathroom door in the very back opened, and out stepped the man who's heart she had broken, but had stolen hers in return. He was wearing dark plaid pajama bottoms and a black t-shirt with the Batman logo on it, with his dark hair already dried.
Piper looked up from her phone, and tossed it aside.
"Finally. I swear Percy, you take longer than I do in there, and you don't even have to dry yourself!" The teasing words themselves had no bite, and were otherwise negated by the good natured smirk Piper threw his way.
Annabeth watched as Percy held up a finger, and turned to some darkened corner of the room which she could not discern. He came back into view a few seconds later, with a small, smug grin on his face.
A moment later, she heard the gentle opening sequence of a song start, all old guitar, and saw Percy saunter his way over towards Piper, hips slightly shifting from side to side, with his fist in front of his mouth like a microphone.
The daughter of Athena could feel her throat constricting as he began to sing along to the words.
Annabeth had never told Percy how much she liked to hear him sing.
"I don't want to set the world on...fire." Percy murmured in a gentle croon.
It was a song she didn't recognize, but the tune and pace reminded her of the type of music from the '50s.
There was a soft, knowing smile on Piper's face, and a twinkle in her ever changing eyes that made Annabeth's stomach weigh ten pounds more than it usually did. The gesture was so sweet and innocent, it was almost too much to watch. The level of familiarity that they obviously had broke her heart.
"I just want to start...a flame in your heart."
The way Piper beamed at Percy when he held out his hand to her had Annabeth's chest tightening. The Cherokee took it, letting him pull her to her feet with him; a move made with such ease and with such fluidity that the daughter of Athena knew they had to have done it many times before. The thought was not easy to swallow even as the two continued.
Percy lightly rested his hand on Piper's hip, the other hand now clasping hers. They were lightly swaying back and forth, side to side. It wasn't the most intimate dance they could have done, but it was one that was so saccharine and pure, the blonde spy could imagine an older couple assuming it. It was...timely. Quaint. It was gentle and beautiful and Annabeth fucking hated it because it looked so damn perfect, the two of them, together.
(The sudden image that assaults her is one of Percy and Piper, aged - but gracefully so, after all, they were each gorgeous in their own right - swaying at some sort of anniversary celebration - she squashes it down ruthlessly, along with the bile that rises in response)
As the next line of the song begins to play, Piper joins in, and Annabeth remembers how well Piper sung, too.
"In my heart I have but one...desire."
Gods, they even sound perfect together. A sweet harmony that is both blended and distinct.
(She is struck with the fact that she's never been able to carry a tune properly)
"And that one is you...no other will do."
The smiles they share seem special for each other; secret, precious things that are small and soft, but no less powerful than a broad grin.
Annabeth sees them spinning, swaying, smiling at each other, and sinks to the ground, her knees finally buckling after what she's endured. There are tears blurring her vision, keeping her from seeing whatever it is in front of her; but there is nothing to dampen the sound of Percy and Piper's feather-light voices before it reaches her ears.
Succumbing to the desire, she stuffs her sweater sleeve into her mouth and sobs. At some point, her exhausted body falls into a slumber against the wall of the Poseidon cabin.
When she awakes, face stiff from dried tears and back aching from her position, it's still dark out. As she shakily rises to her feet, knees wobbling, she notices the light in the cabin is off. Annabeth doesn't look to see what's happened on the inside, is not strong enough too. Instead, she just walks away.
Okay, that's a wrap. Mind you, this doesn't mean a damn thing in regards to Singles Freedom end game. This was not going to be in the final chapter of that, so hold your horses. Anything is possible. SF's final pairing has NOT been decided, and it will remain undecided until we reach a point where I say otherwise, which is when the voting will commence.
Anyways, I really liked this one, and I didn't want to completely scrap it, so I hope one or two of you think its...okay.
I finally got "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" by The Ink Spots out of my head after I wrote this, so, great.
-Raphael Out.