A short one-shot from Annabeth's point of view as Percy dies.
"No!" Annabeth screamed, her heart pounding in her ears. But it was too late; Percy gasped as the spear entered his body. Riptide clattered out of his hand and he collapsed.
"Percy!" Ignoring the chaos of the dwindling battle, Annabeth scrambled to his side. She felt like someone was strangling her. "Oh gods, Percy-" She choked on a sob.
His side was bloody, and already his face was pale. Percy met her gaze, his green eyes bright and beautiful as ever.
"Annabeth," He whispered.
She knelt and cradled his head in her lap, holding his hand. The tears sprang to her eyes and began to streak down her cheeks. The prophecy had come true, and she knew that there was nothing she could do to change it.
"Percy," Annabeth said, her voice shaking. "Why – why did you have to do that-"
Percy closed his eyes briefly and coughed. "You took a knife for me, remember," He muttered. Suddenly, he gasped out in pain, his face turning white. His orange Camp Half-Blood shirt was soaked with blood. Riptide lay nearby, but its bronze glow seemed to start to fade as moments passed.
"Percy?" Annabeth clutched his hand tighter. "Are you – oh, gods. Please, no-" She had to fight to control her tears. They had no nectar or ambrosia, and there was no god nearby to help. One look at the wound, and Annabeth knew that there was nothing they could do.
Dimly, she realized that their friends were gathering quietly around them. The battle was over, but it had been won with a horribly steep price.
Percy gasped for breath, his messy black hair falling over his eyes. Annabeth stroked it back, unable to bear the thought that she might never see his sea-green eyes again. If these were her last moments that she would ever have with him, then she wouldn't miss a thing.
Percy's jaw was tightened in pain as he controlled his breathing. "Annabeth," He mumbled. "Just – just listen to me." Despite being filled with pain, his green eyes were intense as he gazed at her.
"Okay," Annabeth wiped away a streak of blood on his cheek, trying to keep from breaking down. "I – I'm listening."
"I don't think I'll get another chance to say this," Percy whispered. "But I love you, Annabeth. More than anything else." His voice was soft. "I'd hold the sky up for you again, Wise Girl."
"Percy..." Annabeth couldn't stop the sobs that rose to her throat. She wiped at her tears, not wanting to miss one second of looking at his face. "I love you, too. If there was any way for me to stay with you-" She saw her tears drip onto his shirt. "I'd do it, no matter what it was."
Percy's green eyes were dimming, but he smiled one more time before he closed them. "Don't forget me," He murmured. "Miss you."
Annabeth leaned down to kiss him gently, one last time. She tasted blood on his lips, but above it and more strongly, she tasted the ocean.
"No one will ever forget you, Percy."
Then his hand went slack, and Annabeth was left clinging to the hand of the boy she would love forever.