HELLLOOO! It's Bee here! I was inspired on the way home today and came up with this rather depressing and angsty Percy scene. This is the first time I've ever written anything of even a remotely sad nature, so bare with me.
Check out my other stories: Percy and the Shipwrecked Mermaid [Percabeth], Translations [Di Vangelo], and Making it Count [Posally]
I hope you like it! Read and Review!
AN: THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED! THIS IS NOW A TWOSHOT AND THIS CHAPTER'S ENDING HAS BEEN CHANGED!
"Hey Perce, why don't you come and celebrate with the rest of us, hmm?" An oblivious young camper tried to coax Percy into the party, away from where he sat on his secluded rock.
"No." He growled. His once playful green eyes swirling with despair.
"Sorry, just trying to help." The boy raised his arms in defence and backed away. "It's the anniversary after all."
Percy clenched his teeth as he seethed with pure emotion. His shoulders lifted up once, rigidly, and then fell back down.
"Leave me alone. There's nothing to celebrate." He spoke crudely, snapping at the boy.
The campers had gathered together on the beach at Camp Halfblood to celebrate the one year anniversary of the victory over the Goddess Gaia.
"Everyone's having a good time, why don't you join in?" The small boy persisted.
Those who knew Percy before the war knew better than to try and force him into the celebrations.
He'd been secluded ever since he returned from the battle in Greece; he hardly ate, slept, or spoke, becoming only a shell of his former persona. But he put on a brave face. You wouldn't have known anything was wrong at first glance. Only when you looked deeper could you see how hurt the boy really was.
Percy stood up suddenly and towered over the younger child.
He'd been pushed too far and over the edge.
"You don't understand do you?" Percy screamed across the beach.
No one dared answer the clearly distraught boy.
The others had caught on to the exchange and had fallen silent, staring at the scene.
The smaller lad had merged backwards into the crowd who stood watching the lone son of Poseidon.
"No one understands! No one ever will!"
He stood in front of the group with fists clenched and the sky overhead was noticeably darkening, and the previous calm water was now a churning mess.
"I'm just 'The Hero' aren't I?" He said mockingly.
He paused and rasped in a shaky breath.
"Perseus Jackson, legendary son of Poseidon, saviour of the Gods, victor over Kronos and the Earth Mother Gaia."
He laughed hollowly, the sound carrying over the landscape.
"That's, just, it." He emphasised every syllable and his voice dripped venom.
"I'm just a legend to you; someone to tell brave, exaggerated tales of to your children. To be remembered in stories for years to come." His eyes scanned the crowd, boring into anyone who dared avoid eye contact.
"I'm sure your children will love hearing about 'Our Favourite Hero'. How he fought this, defeated that. "He dropped his tone to a darker, more menacing voice. "Let them be.
"Let them be enthralled by our brave hero defeating extravagant beasts.
"Let them be amazed by our brave hero surviving Tartarus.
"Let them be proud by our brave hero winning the war."
He turned one hundred and eighty degrees and pointed directly at a new arrival.
"It's the same for you. You live in awe of The Seven, who fought in real wars; while you, you train your whole life to venture on some pointless, pitiful quest because some God asked you to.
"Be happy that that's all you'll ever experience. Some glorified quest. You didn't go to war. You didn't have to live through two wars. Fight through two wars. Watch your friends die through two wars. Be happy that that's never going to happen.
"But the great Perseus Jackson's done it. Remember him. Look up to him. Aspire to be him.
"No."
By this time he was red in the face and tears were mercilessly falling as he finally let his guard down. The ocean behind him had responded to his emotions and waves were crashing onto the shore. A storm had brewed and large droplets of rain were falling in sheets; his tears had mixed with the rain so you couldn't tell the difference between the two.
"You haven't seen the true nature of war.
"War isn't fair. It isn't merciful. It isn't heroic. Nothing about war should ever be celebrated.
"One year today I watched the closest, and most brave people around me fall. Fall at the hand of an unforgiving monster. I saw them give up. Break down. Cry out in pain as they were horrifically slaughtered by some evil.
"Their deaths haunt me. More so than Tartarus. But the worst is knowing that you were not there to save them. You were just too late to change their fate. Too late to save an innocent soul from a harsh and painful end.
"It's when they bleed slowly. That's the worst. Their faces contorted into images I wish I could erase.
"But you'll never understand their sacrifice. To you, they died an 'honourable' death. Because you weren't there to watch it.
"Dying on the battle field is not honourable. It's not heroic. Instead, it's barbaric and unforgiving.
"So celebrate all you want. Celebrate their 'honourable' sacrifices for your futures. They died so you could live. Be grateful. Show remorse.
"But I'm still standing. 'Our Hero' made it out alive.
"I don't belong here. I should be lost in the ruins of Greece alongside my comrades.
"Jason Grace; who was a strong and riotous leader. Piper McLean; who proved that looks aren't everything. Leo Valdez; who learned to embrace his differences. Frank Zhang; who understood the fleeting value of life. Hazel Lévesque; who showed how you should judge a person on their present and not their past. Nico Di Angelo; who always protected those he loved. And Annabeth..."
Something finally broke physically as his voice hitched between heavy sobs.
"Annabeth Chase. My Wise Girl."
He pulled out Riptide, the blade dulled and slick in the rain, and gripped it tightly. His arm fell limply at his side.
"So remember 'Our Favourite Hero' driven wild by the horrors of war. Remember 'Our Favourite Hero' as he refused to celebrate and mourned his lost friends. Remember 'Our Favourite Hero' as he promised: As long as we're together."
He turned around swiftly and disappeared for the last time into the waves.