This is placed somewhere in the middle of Son of Neptune, when Percy still couldn't remember much from his past except a single name - Annabeth. I've always found that little detail so cute!
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO, sigh. Rick Riordan the true genius for creating Percabeth!
As he lies awake through the night, he can't shake the feeling that he's done this before – gone on deadly quests, risked his life; all in a day's work for a demigod, right? Even so, he's sure he's never felt this level of loneliness before – he may not have his memories, but even he can tell when two people are attracted to each other, and Frank and Hazel have the whole 'best friends with a little something more' vibe going for them. He's the newcomer, the odd one out, and though the three of them have grown close – battling monsters and saving the world will do that for you – times like now, when sky is asleep and the stars are shining through the night, Percy craves for the friends he once knew. People he laughed and joked with, faces he could recall and places he'd once been; a family he'd have protected no matter what. Most of all, he craves to see her – Annabeth - in the flesh, not just a vague memory of gray eyes and curly blonde hair.
The name is hauntingly familiar on his tongue, bringing with it memories that glide away, mocking him as he reaches for them with desperation. He exhales in frustration, hating the fact that he's fighting a battle with his mind and losing. But he tries again and again, over and over, even as the stars go back into hiding and the sunrise stretches across the sky, painting it red and orange and yellow. He tries to remember as they journey towards Alaska, encountering monsters of all kinds. And at last, when he gambles against Phineas and wins, the gorgon's blood clears the fog in his mind and he can finally remember. He can remember her.
Annabeth, he thinks, and for the first time, his heart lifts as memories flood his mind. He remembers their grudging acceptance of one another as twelve-year-olds, their growing friendship as the years passed, and of course, the way he had finally come to his senses one day to realize that he was in love with his best friend.
He remembers the growth spurt that caused her to be an inch or two taller than him until thank goodness, he had a growth spurt of his own. His mind flashes back to battle after battle of them fighting back-to-back, trusting one another with their lives. He freezes at the memory of her taking a knife for him, remembering the paralyzing panic and pure hysteria he had felt, not knowing if she would make it, and hating the feeling of helplessness-
"Oh, gods," he curses out loud, as it dawns upon him that she had probably been feeling that same panic and utter helplessness for months now. It shatters his heart, knowing that he caused her such pain, but it also fuels him, strengthening his resolve.
I'm coming, Wise Girl, he vows silently. His mind is bursting to the brim of memories of her – the way her hair looks framed in the sunlight, the way her eyes shine when she's talking about her latest architectural design, the teasing tilt of her mouth when she accuses him of being a Seaweed Brain.
He knows these memories aren't enough; his urge to see her is too strong – but for the time being, they'll have to do.
I'm coming.
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