He Still Loved Her

Percy watched the beautiful daughter of Atlas die slowly on her patron's arms. He was stunned and his body was numbing to the point that he can't feel anything anymore. He was angry alright. Yes, he was very angry. Angry at himself for being weak, angry at the Titans for taking her away, angry at the demigod world that takes good people like her, angry at the gods for being so pathetic that they had to rely on half-bloods when they had the goddamn powers to help if they only get their lazy asses to move from their thrones.

But mostly he is angry at the world for being so cruel.

He had watched her ever since that day at Maine. So proud, so beautiful that he felt that she is something that he can't reach and he still believed he never will. She is a princess in her own right, even if not by birth, but for him she is.

Percy never truly believed on love at first sight, but at that moment, that single moment, the true power that the love goddess held struck him. Percy Jackson, prophesied demigod to either destroy or save the world had fallen in love at first sight.

It was maddening, every time he watched her when she isn't looking at the camp when the hunters stayed there. His heart beat painfully and he can't help but ogle her like a love struck fool. Every move she made was like a balm on his soul, soothing his trembling chest and her beautiful skin was like a drug that his hands are dying to hold. And oh, those kissable lips, so red, so tasty, so juicy, the forbidden fruit of the forbidden tree. He felt happy and sad at the same time. Happy at the fact that he can spy on her and having her within sixty meters from him and sorrowful with the fact that his feelings are all nothing but a dream on the sky.

Percy had always laughed at the tale of the Trojan War. A war fought for the hand of a single woman. He always loved to imagine how a fool Paris was when he kidnapped Helen for love. He had always despised the dude and his actions. But now he understands the poor fellow much better. The same as Paris was unwilling to let her bride be given back to the Greeks, so is Percy unwilling to let go of his feelings for the hunt's lieutenant.

He was a fool, he knew. Percy admitted it to himself. He's supposed to be training and practicing for the war of his destiny but every time he swung his sword, every time he decapitated another dummy, he would believe that he was training to protect her. He laughed at himself, stupid naïve child. The hunters are all immortal, even if he would pine after her, he would grow old and she would live on, him nothing more than a blink of a century that would once again pass in the ravages of time.

He knew he even supposed to be thinking these thoughts, he haven't even talked to the said girl yet he was already imagining about her. Ohh how a hypocrite he believed he is, he already is putting a claim on her even they barely exchanged nothing more than ten words in the middle of a week.

And then that prophecy came, stupid prophecy and stupid goddess that got herself captured. He was left behind, of course he was left behind. Why would she include him? He's nothing more than a dirty male they would all shoot and leave at the road to die. He's a stranger to her eyes, just another face in the sea of males that would eventually pass to another generation.

Still, he can't bear it, her leaving and facing danger where there is a great possibility that he won't see her again. He followed, there is no other choice for him. His blood burned for her, as his father always said "The sea does not like to be restrained." He loved her, consequences be damned, he accepted that to himself already.

It was adventure after adventure, the life of a half-blood. He met with them, he suffered with them, he bled with them and in return he got to know her. The real her. He had always believed that other than that cold persona she choose to show, there is a caring girl below.

And he was right.

His dreams led him to her past, the reason where the cold from her started and he understood more. The more they traveled, the more he felt that they are getting closer. He would make her laugh, smile and on the occasional moment, see her as the person in his dreams, a person he could love.

Then Bianca Di Angelo died. He knew that her death affected her more than him seeing as she was the one who had argued that they'll be bringing the girl. For the first time, she clung to him one night as she cried and pour out her guilty feelings and also for the first time he held her not as the huntress but Zoe herself. For the first time their hearts beat as one.

They became friends then, closer than he expected it to be. He got to tease her, and she got to be relaxed finally. Occasionally at night when the others aren't looking, they would talk and briefly hold hands as they gazed at the stars. He knew that it's going to be soon before all of this is going to be over and they would go their separate ways, he as a demigod and her as a hunter.

Still, if this is a dream, then he wanted it to continue while it lasts.

He never understood when she kissed him before they climbed to that accursed mountain where Atlas is being held. Its just a simple chaste kiss that rendered him frozen. Being the thick guy he is, he didn't understand the action though his heart is jumping in leaps. Zoe said that it is for good luck and he classified it as such.

And here he is now watching slowly as she died, unable to confess his feelings for her as she finally passed away and her soul went to the stars as her request. He was not surprised, she had always loved the stars.

He bore his pain alone until he exited from Olympus and returned to the privacy of Poseidon's cabin. There he cried his heart out for her. He had accepted that they would be separated, however he didn't expect that they would be separated forever. Even if he died, he'll never meet her ever again. She's not at Elysium after all.

The years passed, he fulfilled the prophecies. The Titan War, the War of the Giants and a subtle Hellhound uprising. All that time he never forgot her. Every night he would stare at the night sky and still beheld her beautiful constellation that is so pale compared to her original beauty. There she was shining, forever hunting at the clouds. His star at the nights.

More time passed and before Percy knew it, he was twenty-five. Very rare age for a demigod to reach, he knew most of his kind never reached it. Some of his friends are already gone, including his ex-girlfriend Annabeth who died at the hands of Scylla when she led an expedition again at the Sea of Monsters. Of course he had tried to move on from Zoe's death but the relationship with the daughter of Athena never worked out. His heart longed for the huntress at the sky.

He still loved her. What the heart remembers, it'll never forget.

Percy retired from the life of a demigod and settled in New Rome. There he was given a place at the Senate and for a couple of years he was occupied. But he never forgot her, he always would sit at nights looking at her shining without moving. He knew he was as doomed as Pygmalion, the crafter who fell in love with his non-living statue, Galatea. Only this time, there is no one who could make her alive again. She is gone plain and simple.

But his heart still pines after her.

Fifty years old, Percy quit the Senate and lived a life of a teacher, teaching demigods their history and how to live their lives. His name is a legend among demigods, they would come to him begging for his story to be told and learn from his actions. They would question him why he never married and he would smile before looking at the sky. "Percy Jackson" was a legend and many would strive to become more like him. Especially those he teaches.

But what they don't know was at night, he would still look to the sky at her shining at the clouds. He would always love her.

A hundred and one years old, Percy was visited by Jason and his children, the only one left in his generation of heroes including nearly all of the campers from both camps as he lay down wheezing in his death bed from sickness. They would be surprised seeing the infallible hero and mentor they had so frail and tired. Life is calling to him they know. And as sad and astonished as they are, they are glad that he is dying this way. Very few demigods die from old age. Even the gods thanked him one more time for his accomplishments as he lay at his bed.

At night when all of them are finally gone, Percy asked his servant nymph to prepare his rocking chair at the balcony. He sat there under the stars and the moon looking at the sky. He felt tears as he saw her one more time. Unmoving, so cold, so beautiful just as she remembered when he met her for the first time when he was fourteen years old. He had visited her and watched her every day, never failing. His once strong heart that beats for her still loves her despite its weakness now. He knew they are going to be separated forever very soon and he would even be deprived of the chance to see her at night.

Percy wept as he felt age catching up to him. He can already feel the call of death, his time is up. Despite all accomplishments and the lives he changed, he felt it all worthless compared to his love.

Dying, he still loved her.

The nymph at morning would wonder why there are tear trails at the face of the great son of Poseidon as he sat unmoving at his chair. Their would be mourning at the camps and they would bury him as the ritual is for the demigods who died from old age. Statues of the great Percy Jackson would be made and in time, his name would live on in memory.

Yet, Percy was surprised when he next opened his eyes. He had expected to be in Elysium or in the Underworld to be judged. What he didn't expect was the searing kiss that he got from a face he had loved his entire life. She looked older, twenty years he guessed, and even more so, she looked beautiful. He was confused but happy as he held her. Around him was a white city, not Elysium and he could feel the power of Creation everywhere.

"Do you still love me?" Zoe asked.

"Where am I?" Percy asked looking around in confusion. This sure as hell does not belong to the Underworld. Zoe merely waved the question off.

"Percy, do you still love me?"

Him kissing her was only the answer. He had waited a lifetime for this. His patience at least earned him that. She tasted like apples and raspberries as she kissed him back.

"I guess that answered my question no?" he smiled as they held each other.

"I guess, your love brought us here Percy. And I thank you for that," Zoe said holding his neck as they embraced. Percy can't help but cry as he held her. Eventually they had to let go of each other.

"So," said Percy wiping his tears with his fingers. "Mind telling me where we are?" Zoe only smiled as she took his hand and led her to the gates of the city.

"That's easy Percy. Welcome to Paradise,"

"I love you Zoe Nightshade,"

"And I love you Percy Jackson,"

Percy only smiled fully as he embraced and kissed her again. He was dead and so was she. But he didn't care, they are together. Two souls bound by love, woven through worlds, defying fate and reason. He was her and so was she. After many years of waiting, he was young again through death. He didn't understand what and why they are here, but…..

He still loves her.

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HOPE YOU LIKE THE ONE SHOT READERS! PHOEBUS ARTEMIS OUT TRA-LA :3