Percy
"i loved her not for the way she danced with my angels, but for the way her name could silence my demons"
"Percy," Annabeth said suddenly, and Percy blinked drowsily, having just been on the verge of falling asleep.
"Yes?" He replied, his fingers stroking through her soft curls.
Annabeth sat up from where she'd been laying on his chest, and the look in her eyes was intense and serious in a way that made all the previous exhaustion seep away from his body. "Does... does Thalia have a brother?"
Percy frowned, cocking his head slightly. "She did," he said carefully. "But someone took him when he was just three years old. We never saw him again. Why?"
Annabeth's eyes sharpened. "Do you remember his name?"
Percy reached for her hand, feeling confusion cloud over his mind. "Jason. Jason Grace."
Annabeth breathed in sharply, and her fingernails dug into the skin of the back of his hand. "Oh, fuck."
"Annabeth?" Percy pressed, feeling alarmed. "What's wrong? What's this about?"
"How could you..." she started, her lips white. She met his gaze incredulously. "How could you all not know?"
"Know what?"
"Jason Grace is an Angel," Annabeth said, her voice sharp and precise. "He's an Angel and he's Thalia's brother."
Percy's mouth went dry. "No... no, he can't be... Jason was born in the Infernal Province-"
"Well, obviously he was born an Angel," Annabeth hissed, her eyes wide. "What the fuck? I knew Thalia looked familiar. For fuck's sake- her brother is one of my friends. He's Piper's boyfriend." She bit her lip, and Percy watched her eyes swirl as she tried to piece everything together. "And Zeus Olympian's son."
"Jason Grace..." Percy murmured, and his heart was pounding, because how could they not have known about him? Why hadn't Poseidon ever brought his name up?
"The Convocation has always claimed that Zeus never had any children," Percy said, his mind swimming. "Annabeth- are you sure?"
"They all have the same damn blue eyes," Annabeth said fiercely, and Percy knew she was right. He remembered the only resemblance between Thalia and her brother had been their electric blue eyes.
"So what... What does this mean?" Percy questioned, his chest expanding with every breath he took. "This isn't possible."
Annabeth was biting her lip, her gray eyes a heavy thunderstorm that was full of questions- full of intense skepticism... And fear.
Percy swallowed. "Should I bring this up to Thalia?"
Annabeth was quiet for a moment, and at last, she shook her head. "No. I need to find out what's going on first. Because a Demon being born from an Angel... That's impossible."
Percy drew Annabeth close, pressing his lips reassuringly to her temple. "Well, whatever you need me to do," he said, his gaze locked on hers. "You just tell me."
Annabeth's lips curled into a slight smile, and she nodded. "Thank you, Percy."
"Anything for you, my Angel," Percy replied warmly.
Annabeth blinked. "Something about that should bother me," she said, narrowing her eyes accusingly at him. "But it doesn't."
"Miss Chase," Percy said, cracking a smile. "Are you pointing fingers at me?"
Annabeth looked at him and hummed. "No," she said simply. "Not at all."
Percy nuzzled his face into her neck, his lips barely skimming the skin, and he smiled when he heard her gasp softly. "I don't think I quite believe you."
Annabeth jabbed her elbow into his stomach. "Wipe that smirk off your face, you little shit," she said, scowling at him.
Percy chuckled and leaned back, holding his hands up in surrender. "Yes ma'am."
Annabeth opened her mouth to say something, but broke off once light exploded across the horizon, painting the sky orange and pink and yellow.
"Oh," Percy breathed, watching the beautiful scenery before him as the sun gradually rose into the sky.
Annabeth, however, frowned at the sight of it. She let out a bitter sigh. "Well, you know what that means," she said, seeming to move out of his grip reluctantly. "I best be heading back. The Angels are so insane that they literally wake up at the ass-crack of dawn. Annoying as hell."
"You find everything annoying," Percy pointed out.
Annabeth grinned sharply. "True," she admitted, leaning to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Even you sometimes."
"Annabeth," Percy said, allowing a look of mock-hurt to flash across his features. "That was mean."
Annabeth laughed and pressed her lips to his, feeling his skin crackle with electricity by merely touching her.
Percy's hands immediately rested on her waist, pulling her flush against him.
"You should go," Percy breathed, voice uncharacteristically rough. His tongue swiped at her bottom lip, and he felt his stomach burst into flames when he heard her little gasp. "Before I keep you here any longer."
Annabeth pulled back with a wet smack of their lips, sighing. "You're right," she admitted, patting her hair down.
Percy reached out and adjusted the hem of her dress, which had been hiked up to mid-thigh.
He smiled tenderly at her, reaching for her hand and delicately raising it to his lips, kissing the smooth skin softly. "Goodbye, Annabeth."
Annabeth was looking at him with an expression of wonder and trouble, her eyes bright. "Goodbye, Percy," she murmured. She reached out and placed a hand under his jaw, caressing his face. Her eyes were full of meaning. "I'll see you later, okay?"
Percy nodded, smiling. "Okay."
Percy wanted so desperately to stay in the Meadow of Reflection, to lay in its soft grass and stare up at the pastel-colored sky and gaze at its endless beauty, but alas, there were things he needed to do.
So when he entered the Sordid House and went into the meeting room, he was only half-prepared for the events that took place the second he entered the room.
All the Convocation members were seated in their designated spots, and Percy's gaze immediately zeroed in on the empty chair- where Ares sat.
Or, rather, used to.
"You little shit," he heard a voice growl the second he entered the room, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He felt her glare before he even saw it. "You absolute fucking bitch."
Percy forced a sigh, though his stomach churned with sorrow, and he felt a fire begin to bubble in his throat, the words like acid. "Clarisse, don't fucking start-"
The next thing he knew, Clarisse was flinging herself at him, knocking the wind out of him as he crashed against the door. Pain flared in his jaw as Clarisse landed a punch at him, and then another at his stomach.
She was growling nonsense at him, her face red and eyes glowing furiously, and in the back of her hateful gaze, he saw the pain and misery in them, and Percy drew in a sharp breath, a furious stab of guilt and resentment wrenching itself in his gut.
"Clarisse-" he snarled, and shoved her harshly, sending her stumbling back. She lost her footing and fell to the floor, and her eyes were a raging sea of red- sharp and hateful and full of anger.
"You wanna be next?" He shouted, towering over her. "You want to join your little daddy?" He knelt in front of her, his face close to hers. "Try me one more time," he said quietly, "and I'll stab you in the neck without hesitance." With every word, he felt his own willpower shrinking, shriveling up until it was a mere petal of a flower- one that would be plucked up and crushed by the bare claws of the monster that lurked in him- the one that always would.
Swallowing hard, Percy stepped back, leaving Clarisse trembling from pure rage on the floor, face and neck splotched with an angry red.
"Clarisse," Poseidon said, his voice carrying powerfully across the room, and Percy fought back a flinch. "Perhaps you should sit this meeting out, if you cannot contain yourself."
"Bullshit," Clarisse spat, and Percy knew she wanted to say more- wanted to direct all her hatred at Poseidon, but even through her fury, she knew better.
Percy clucked his tongue at her and strode past her, taking a stand next to his father at the head of the table.
Once he looked over at where Clarisse once was, he found her no longer there.
"Very well," Poseidon said, a twisted smile on his lips, and Percy saw the irritation that flickered across his otherwise cold features. "Where shall we begin?"
"The Angel, of course," Hecate said, her tongue flicking out to lick along her ruby red lips, her dark eyes glittering with a sort of hunger that made Percy's stomach churn.
Poseidon gave a pinched smile that almost made Percy flinch. He was still angry over the situation- furious, even. But it was the way Poseidon contained that anger that made Demons so fearful of him.
"Ah, the Angel," Poseidon said, clasping his hands behind his back, walking around tne table with a sort of leisure that made everyone at the table watch him warily- even Dionysus. "How could we forget about our lovely Angel?"
"Clearly enough to let her escape," Dionysus muttered, rolling his eyes.
Poseidon slammed a hand on the table, making everyone jump, and it took all of Percy's willpower to not do the same.
"You think I let her escape?" Poseidon roared, eyes a rushing wave of red as dark as blood. "You think I wanted this to happen?"
Poseidon straightened suddenly, the red that flashed in his eyes gone, a pleasant smile on his lips. "Because if so, Dionysus," he purred, smoothing out his suit. "Then you're wrong."
"Is that so?" Dionysus drawled, propping his head up with a hand.
"Very," Poseidon said, and he let out a sharp laugh, and the hair on the back of Percy's neck raised immediately. "So what, if we lost some measly little Angel? Annabeth Chase, at that. It doesn't matter, right?"
Thalia raised her hand, and Poseidon pointedly ignored her, knowing perfectly well that whatever she had to say was pure spite.
Poseidon smirked to himself. "At least we're well off knowing that she left, but not without a gift from a certain someone." Poseidon's gaze flickered to Percy, and with that mere stare, Percy ceased to breathe. "Isn't that right, Perseus?"
"Absolutely, Father," Percy replied, voice clipped and curt.
"Tell me," Poseidon said, raising a slight eyebrow at him. Malice laced his words, and venom curled around his lips as he smiled. "What did you do to the darling girl?"
Percy forced a smirk. "I kissed the screams right off her pretty lips. My, she tasted delicious."
"Ah, so you see?" Poseidon said to the rest of the group. "She left the Infernal Province with a bit of her innocence stripped away, at the very least."
"But what good does that do for us at all?" Nemesis demanded, twirling her Yin and Yang necklace between her fingers. "Where does that get us?"
"Nowhere," Poseidon replied simply, and a faint smile danced on his lips. "Nowhere, yet absolutely everywhere."
"What I still don't understand," Bellona said, obsidian eyes as calculating as always, narrowed and sharp. "Is how she came to be down here in the first place."
"Which by that you can see," Poseidon said, coming to stand beside Percy once more. "How curiosity killed the cat."
"Or in this case, almost did," Thalia put in, blowing a bubble with her gum and making it pop obnoxiously loudly. She winked at Poseidon. "Welcome."
Poseidon's eye twitched with irritation. "Yes, well, as I was saying- If already one of the smartest Angels is curious enough to come venture down here, who's to say no more Angels will be foolish enough to do so?"
"I have an idea to propose," Hades said, an everyone fell quiet, eyes on the darkly dressed Demon sitting at the head of the table. "Why not find the Angel, and kidnap her?"
"No," Percy breathed, unable to stop himself as his pulse rapidly increased.
"What was that, Perseus?" Poseidon questioned, frowning.
Percy swallowed hard, crossing his arms over his chest so as to not let the others see how badly they were shaking. "I say we wait it out until we do that," Percy said, voice cool and calm, despite the rattling of his heart. "The Angels will be on alert right now. It's best to strike when they least expect it, as we did at the ball."
"I agree with Percy," Artemis said. "It only makes sense to wait the plan out for a little."
Poseidon was quiet for a moment, and then his eyes glittered with a venom that made Percy instantly steel his shaking nerves.
"Why," Poseidon said, rubbing a hand along his jaw. "Isn't Miss Chase getting married?"
Hecate's lips curled sensually, and she propped her chin up on her hand, eyes hooded. "My, Poseidon," she purred. "Have I ever told you how exquisite I find your way of thinking to be?"
Poseidon's eyes glinted chillingly. "Oh, Hecate," Poseidon said, a grin forming across his lips. "It's not the first time I hear that in my lifetime."
And that's what terrifies Percy the most.
"Well, I'm pretty sure we're all thinking the same thing," Nico says as he stuffs his mouth with a bite of a cinnamon banana-bread muffin Percy's mother had made. "You're fucked."
Bianca rolled her eyes, picking at her black bracelet from where she sat on Percy's windowsill as they lounged around his room. "Thanks, Nico."
Percy dug his fingers into his hair, trying to refrain from crying in anguish. Annabeth... her wedding... kidnapped.
"How would I prevent that?" He asked, his voice a pathetic croak. "Annabeth can't just call off her wedding- Luke would never allow it. And telling the Convocation of forming a different plan... its all impossible."
"Are you going to tell her what the Convocation is planning?" Thalia asked, licking on her cherry red popsicle, staining her lips a bright red. The sight would have made him smile if it wasn't for the churning of his stomach and the pounding of his head.
"Of course I am," Percy said, rubbing the temple of his head. "But then what? Just leave her with another impending doom she'll have biting at her? And of all days- this all happens on the day she dreads the most. Wonderful."
"You sir," Thalia said, pointing her popsicle at him and raising an eyebrow. "Are being awfully pessimistic right now." She grinned, biting off the top of the treat. "I like it."
"I hate this," Percy muttered, shaking his head and swallowing hard. "I hate all of it. If I hadn't fought Ares in the first place... if-if-"
"You mean if Annabeth hadn't come down here in the first place, none of this would be happening," Bianca interrupted, her dark eyes sharp and narrowed as she looked at him.
"Please don't pin this on her," Percy croaked, digging his hands in his hair. "Please. She had no control over herself in that moment. I would've done the same thing."
Thalia sighed, gnawing at the wooden stick of her now gone popsicle. "This shit's just fucked up. I really don't know what to tell you, Percy. One way or another, you're going to end up losing. No matter what direction you decide to go in."
"I'm trapped," Percy said hollowly, feeling his chest cave in. "There's no way out."
"Hey, none of that pussy-shit," Thalia said, waving the stick warningly at him. "You'll figure something out. Talk to Annabeth. She's a smart gal."
Nico shot Thalia an incredulous look. "Did you just say gal?"
Thalia flicked her popsicle stick at him. "Piss off."
"That was just the ugliest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth."
"Nico, so help me, I will fuck you up-"
"I'll have to go now then," Percy said, standing up and feeling a wave of nausea roll over him. He pressed a hand to his stomach, swallowing hard. "I'll be back by evening at the latest."
"Bye, Kelp Head," Thalia said, soluting him. She gave him a sharp grin. "Don't get caught."
The sight of Thalia's sharp blue eyes gleaming so brightly made the memory of the conversation he and Annabeth had come back to him with the force of a train, and he blinked, feeling his chest tighten.
Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus Olympus.
An Angel.
Jason Grace. An Angel.
Percy gave her a weak smile, his head pounding furiously with thoughts, and he left the room.
Percy quickly manuevered his way around the streets, being forced to shoot any Demon he made eye contact with a death stare. His heart was racing, his mind a storm of thoughts and doubt and fear.
He didn't know how much longer he could survive, being trapped in his mind like that.
"Isn't Miss Chase getting married?"
Percy shivered, that cold ball of dread sinking further down his stomach, like an anchor that would not let him go. It just kept pulling, and pulling, and pulling...
Right up until that dread would make him drown in its despair.
Percy sharply turned down a corner, about to reach the path he takes to get to the Cordial Demesne, when he was grabbed and slammed against the side of a building.
Persistent hands were all over his arms, gripping his biceps and tangling themselves in his hair, long nails raking at his skin. Dark eyes pierced into his.
"Drew," Percy said gruffly, grabbing at her hands. His lip curled in disgust. "What the fuck do you want?"
"You," Drew said, her voice needy and whiny and... Desperate. Filled with longing. "You, Perseus. I want you."
Percy snorted. "Drew, there are plenty of Demons that would gladly be stupid enough to tangle themselves with you-"
"But they're not you," Drew said sharply, eyes flashing. "Please, Percy."
Percy began to shove her away. "Drew, I dont have time for your shit right now-"
Drew pressed herself against him again, her face close to his. She held his jaw between her fingertips, red nails digging into his skin. "Do you want me to beg? Hm? Is that it?" She licked at his jawline, her breath fanning his face. She reeked of alcohol. "You want me to drop to my knees and beg like the mindless whore I am for you? Is that what you want?"
Percy willed his eyes to flash red, and he grabbed her wrists in his hands and turned them around, slamming Drew against the wall.
"What I want, you stupid whore," Percy growled, "is for you to stay out of my fucking way."
"But why?" Drew whined, pouting. A slow grin spread across her lips. "Don't you want me, Percy? I doubt you can live long enough without me."
"That's the problem, Drew," Percy snapped, tightening his hold on her wrists. "I can."
"Percy," Drew said, swaying a little, her eyes hooded. "Please."
The vulnerability in her voice, the longing in it, caused Percy to breathe in sharply, his hold on her wrists loosening. She was drunk. She'd let down her walls and show herself without knowing it.
"I need you, Percy," she said, her eyes watering. Percy felt his whole body tremble. Drew never said things like this, and the added yearning to her voice made him freeze up completely.
Percy stumbled back, releasing her, his breathing like sharp knives against his throat every time he took a breath.
"Percy-" Drew stepped forward, reaching out a hand, but the second she did, she collapsed to the floor.
Percy stared at her unconscious figure for a second, his heart still racing and breathing still labored. He felt like hot needles were digging into his chest, seeing her lying on the floor like that, with no one around but him to help. He knew a Demon would take advantage of her if they found her like this, and the thought made his stomach roll.
He couldn't leave her like this.
Swallowing hard, Percy bent down and scooped her into his arms, her head lolling to the side as the sound of her steady breathing seemed to almost calm Percy down a bit.
And with that, he began to head in the direction of her house.
Percy slowly opened the door to her room, almost as if he was afraid to wake up anyome else that was in the house, even though he knew Drew was the only one that lived there.
Drew mumbled incoherently in his arms, nuzzling her head next to his chest. Percy inhaled slowly and shook his head before walking up next to the bed, ever so slowly settling Drew down on the mattress.
Drew turned over on her side, tucking her hands under her cheek. Her face was set in a soft frown, and Percy's chest squeezed. Even in her sleep, she had no peace.
Percy turned to leave, but didn't get far when Drew's voice sounded behind him.
"Percy?" She muttered, and Percy looked back to see Drew sitting up in her bed, rubbing at her eyes. "Percy, come back to bed."
"Damn it," Percy sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Please?" Drew giggled, shifting so she was sitting on her knees.
Percy shook his head, going over to her swaying figure and pushing her gently back down on the bed. "No, Drew."
"Please, Percy," Drew said, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. She sat up, dark eyes detached and filled with a sorrow he would have never imagined seeing in the depths of her irises, normally filled with seduction and a playful taunting that had become so familiar to him over the past year. Seeing her so distraught made his legs almost give out beneath him.
Drew clung onto his arms, her sobs racking her slight figure. "You- you can't leave me again, Percy. Don't leave me. Please."
Percy felt his heart crack bit by bit, each tear that fell down her face like a drop of acid down his throat.
"I need- need you, Percy," Drew said, hiccuping mid sentence. She began to tremble slightly, and Percy felt a slow dread rising in his chest. She was drunk out of her mind- She'd have no conscience as to what she was saying.
And she wouldn't remember any of it.
"I'm so- so lonely," Drew said quietly, shivering. "I have no one to love me."
Percy drew in a sharp breath, feeling that acid burn in the back of his throat like a lit fire.
Drew looked up at him, face a blotted mess of mascara and smudged eyeliner and her lipstick having rubbed off the side of her mouth. "You love me, right?" She said, voice laced with a desperation and longing so strong, Percy had to fight the urge to just break down sobbing as well.
"Go back to sleep, Drew," Percy said instead, willing himself to stand up and begin to push Drew back down against the mattress.
Drew wiped away the last of her tears, breaking out a slight yawn as she settled back, her eyelids droopy.
"Percy?" She said, reaching out to grip his forearm. Her eyes, albeit distracted and disoriented, were meaningful, and Percy felt that bile rise up in his throat. "Promise me you won't leave me."
Every drop of that acid threatened to come back up, and Percy felt like throwing up, remorse gnawing painfully at his heart. "Sleep well, Drew," he said quietly, stepping away from the bed.
"Okay..." Drew said, eyelids fluttering shut, seemingly having already forgotten her plead. In seconds, she was fast asleep, her breathing coming out in steady puffs.
Percy stared at her for a moment, his chest caving in, his heart burning and skin prickling with anticipation all over.
He walked out of the room, and before closing the door, he looked at Drew one last time and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Drew," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Percy knew he should have waited for Annabeth, he knew he should have sat down in the soft grass that adorned the field and maybe tried to block out his thoughts, maybe even have taken a nap.
But instead, he had walked into the forest, his mind a flurry of thoughts so wild and dark that he could not possibly have picked one out to follow through with.
Now, he found himself venturing further among the trees, his legs feeling weak with every step he took.
Don't leave me.
"I'm sorry," Percy croaked out loud, his heart slamming against his rib cage.
I'm so lonely.
"Drew-" Percy started, and he broke off, choking up as his throat seemed to close up. "I'm sorry."
Thoughts were running like electrical currents through his mind, each one like a shock down his back, stunning him and disorienting him to the point where he forgot where he was for a second.
Maybe he shouldn't have left her. Maybe he should have stayed with her until she woke up, just to see if- if-
If she was all right.
But she was a Demon. He was a Demon. Behaving like that- trying to help her-
It'd get him killed.
Percy felt half-way dead already.
Don't leave me.
Please.
His thoughts came to a sharp stop as he tripped over a a rooted tree branch, his mind scrambling until he was left with a strong sense of vertigo that left his stomach rolling.
"Damn it!" Percy cried, pounding the ground with his fist, his emotions burning his mind and the inside of his body until he could take it no longer. He needed to do something. He- he needed to go see if Drew was all right. He needed- he needed-
"Percy!" Annabeth shouted distantly. Percy felt an aching tug in his chest, and he knew what he needed the most- who he needed the most.
Annabeth Chase. His Angel.
"Percy- why the fuck did you come here? And why in the everloving fuck are you on the floor?" Annabeth demanded, the final flap of her wings bringing a slight breeze towards Percy as she landed on the ground. Her gray eyes were stormier than usual- they were full of question and slight confusion, and he must've looked more awful than he felt, for when she took a good look a his face, her eyes flashed with a fierce worry.
"Percy?" She asked, crouching next to him. She reached out to brush his hair. "Are you-"
Percy flinched away from her touch, scrambling upright. "Please, Annabeth, don't touch me right now."
The look of hurt that struck her face made Percy want to cry- her eyebrows furrowed and her lips tightened around the corners, and she clenched her outstretched hand into a fist as she pulled it back.
Percy felt like a monster.
A horrible, terrible, disgusting monster.
Annabeth cleared her throat, seemingly trying to keep under control. "Why." She said the word as a statement, expecting of an answer without giving him a choice by voicing it as a question.
Percy swallowed hard, his heart being poked at by invisible needles, carving it out inch by inch.
"I once saw a withering rose," Percy said, voice hoarse and slight. "It was in my aunt Persephone's garden. Id been visiting and had been taking a walk among the darkly colored flowers, and I had seen this rose. Dead, already. I had reached out to touch it, and the second I did, one of its withered petals fell off. Then another. And another. It fell apart." Percy winced and choked down bile. "That's how I feel right now- that if you touch me, I'll fall apart completely until there's nothing left."
Annabeth pursed her lips, her expression calming slightly. "I understand, Percy," she said. "Do you at least want to tell me whats going on?"
Percy inhaled slowly, nodding his head. "Yes, of course I do."
Annabeth folded her legs underneath her, smoothing out her creamy white romper. "Then tell me."
Percy took a shuddering breath, and with a swallow, he began to recount the story of his encounter with Drew, and once he began to tell Annabeth all the things Drew had said to him, his eyes began to sting.
"She needed me, Annabeth," he said brokenly. "She just needed a friend, and all I did was call her names and tell her to stay away from me. I-" Percy broke off, his chest constriciting painfully. "I was a complete monster to her."
"Percy..." Annabeth started. She sighed, looking down at her fingers as she laced them together. "I know this is difficult. I know it. If anything, you're better off treating her the way you have been alraady than showing her any kindness at all. You've helped her already by taking her back home countless of times after she's passed out drunk. That alone sets you off on a milestone. It's hard, Percy. It always is."
"I just don't know how much more awful I can get while I'm down there," Percy said quietly. "I'm going to end up shredding every last bit of self esteem that girl carries, all to save my own ass."
"I know, Percy," Annabeth whispered, and when he reached her hand out this time, Percy took it, kissing her knuckles and pressing it to his face. Her skin was a cool contrast to the heating flesh of his cheek.
She took her hand out of his grasp and brought both hands to caress his face, her piercing gray eyes glinting with trouble and that chaos that just stole the breath from his lungs and left him feeling like a fish out of water, gasping for more.
"We'll figure this out together, okay?" She said, voice rough with emotion. "Perhaps you can't show Drew that kindness you'd like to act on, but in your own, secret ways, you can. And just having you put the effort into that goes a mile's way."
Percy leaned into her hands, eyes closing as her cool skin licked fires across his cheeks and jaw, causing a pleasant stirring in his stomach.
"I could feel how anguished you felt," Annabeth whispered, voice tight with pain. Percy opened his eyes to see her biting her lip, gray eyes dark. "I'd been going into my room when I felt it. It was like I'd gotten my own breath knocked out of me. It was so painful. I knew it was you. I'd started to panic, and when I was flying over here, my mind was just dizzy with thoughts, and- and I could hear your own thoughts." Annabeth swallowed, her hands seeming to get colder the longer they were on his skin. "They were awful, Percy. Are you all right now?"
Percy licked his lips, his throat dry. "Annabeth, I- I'm sorry-"
"No, Percy," she snapped, cutting him off. Her jaw was shut tight. "I need- I need to hear that you're all right. And if you're not, tell me."
Percy stared at her, at this beautiful, gorgeous, troubled Angel, with thoughts as dark as his own.
The only difference was that she relished in them.
And he felt it, his heart tugging, his pulse slowing, the more he looked at her- the more he basked in that darkness she carried wherever she went.
He couldn't understand how anyone could possibly hate her for it.
To him, she was perfect.
"Yes," he breathed, laughing slightly. "Yes, Annabeth, I'm all right now."
Annabeth let out a sigh, a breath he could feel she was holding in, and his shoulders seemed light as she expelled that breath, both of their anxieties dissipating in the air.
"Good." She said, her lips twitching with a smile while the rest of her face was set in a frown. "Great. Fantastic. Perfect."
Perfect.
Percy reached up and took her hands in his own, pulling them to press them against his chest, right where his heart beat steadily. He heard her inhale sharply.
Percy smiled at her, feeling like he was being drenched in the rays of the sun. Content and warm all over. "You're perfect, my Angel," he whispered. He kissed her hands. "Perfect."
Annabeth swallowed. "Shut up," she said, though it came out shaky.
Percy let out a grin. "Make me."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow, her eyes flashing as her lip curled into a smile that reflected the light of a knife. "What's that I hear? You're flirting with me? Oh my, how scandalous."
Percy cocked his head, his grin unfathomable. "If you'd like to take it that way, then yes."
Annabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, slipping her hands out of his grasp and standing up. "Come on, Mr. Flirtatious- let's go continue this discussion somewhere else."
Percy smiled up at her, feeling his chest constrict adoringly. "Whatever you say, my Angel."
Annabeth had led him into the cave he'd found what seemed like months ago, when it had only been a few weeks. Maybe even a month before.
They were sitting on a ledge off to the side of the pool of water that spilled off the waterfall, with Percy's head in her lap and Annabeth's soft fingers stroking through his hair.
The sound of the waterfall was loud in his ears, yet the sound seem to soothe him further, almost being able to feel that water rushing around him, soaking his skin and dripping off his hair.
The air smelled like a sweetness that was carried in the breeze that came off the rushing water, and he breathed it in, feeling more content than ever.
Then a thought hit him.
"Did you ever look into the whole Thalia-Jason situation?" He asked, looking up at Annabeth.
The Angel's expression turned displeased, and she pursed her lips. "I wasn't able to," she said, and he could hear the frustration in her voice. "The wedding is in two weeks already. The second I got home, I was sent a dove message from Hera asking to discuss some last minute details. I stayed talking with her all afternoon." She shuddered. "Fuck, that was awful."
The second Percy had heard the word "wedding", he'd frozen, remembering Poseidon's words and what they'd discussed during the Convocation's meeting. Bile rolled with an impending foreboding in his stomach.
"Percy?" Annabeth asked, frowning down at him. "Is everything all right? What's wrong?"
Percy tried hard to keep her gaze, but every part of him wanted to keep the knowledge of Poseidon's plan to himself. He didn't want to ruin their moment- this itty bit of peace they'd acquired after that talk that had followed Percy's outburst.
He could wait at least a day to tell her.
Percy smiled up at her. "Everything's fine, Annabeth."
The blonde Angel looked dubious, and she looked like she was going to prod him further, so he sat up abruptly and gave her a soft smile. "Really, Annabeth, I'm fine."
Liar, his subconscious whispered at him.
Percy felt that bile crawl up his throat.
"Besides," he said, giving her a teasing grin. "I seem to remember something about you making me shut up?"
Annabeth's doubtful expression turned into one of mischief. "That seems to ring a bell in my mind."
In seconds, she was pushing him flat down on the ledge, swinging her legs over him and pressing her hands against his chest.
"Is this it?" Percy said, struggling to keep his voice steady when Annabeth was staring down at him like a fun toy to play with.
"Mmm no," she said, tracing a finger across his jaw and down his neck. She grinned slyly at him. "You're still talking, aren't you?"
Percy gave her a lopsided smile. "Then I suppose you should do something about that."
Annabeth seemed to fight a smile. "I think I should."
She leaned down and sealed her lips over his, and the second her mouth touched his, they both gasped, feeling that equal fire that ignited at having each other touch.
Percy's hands came up and gripped her waist, hard enough to have her gasping into his mouth, making her lose focus for a second.
They kissed fervently, as if they couldn't get enough of each other, as if they were each other's need to live, to breathe.
And in a way, Percy felt it was.
Percy broke his lips away from hers and began kissing down her neck, trailing his mouth slowly over the now burning skin, hot enough to make his lips tingle with a numb feeling he couldn't get enough of.
"Percy," Annabeth gasped, burying her head in his shoulder, gripping his hair and softly pulling it.
He needed more of her, he needed to touch her, bite her, kiss her until her skin reddened and his lips lost all feeling in them.
The urging desire he had for that scared him.
Percy nipped at her neck, teeth grazing the skin and making her body almost curl into his, body pressing against his own until he felt they would mold as one.
He was absolutely lost in the feel of her.
Her hands were digging imperceptibly gently into his hair, lightly skimming over his arms and caressing his skin, her touch leaving flames where she went.
"Fuck," Annabeth hissed as he licked at her collarbone, pressing a kiss on the spot. "Percy."
Percy broke away from her neck, breathing hard, his pulse racing and pounding in his head. Annabeth raised her head to look down at him, and her eyes were glinting a gray so light they were almost silver, and they flashed with a gold for a second that left his heart beating and mind spinning.
Percy slowly turned them around so that he was on top of her, and he brought his hand to her face, tracing her lips with a finger and trying to calm his breathing. "You're so precious, Annabeth," he whispered, unable to stop himself. His heart felt full and his lungs were burning with the air he breathed around them. "Absolutely precious."
"Percy," Annabeth said, voice tight. "Please stop."
Percy shook his head, caressing her cheek. "But you are," he said, voice soft. "Look at you. You're gorgeous. Inside and out. I've never met someone with a soul as beautiful as yours."
Annabeth caught her breath, her eyes returning to their normal dark gray. "Percy, how can you say that?" She lowered her gaze. "You can't possibly mean that."
"But I do, Annabeth," he insisted, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I do. There's nothing else I could ever mean more. You're perfect to me."
Annabeth closed her eyes for a second, and he marveled in her beauty, feeling his chest constrict and heart hurt at how beautiful she was.
"You sweet talk too much," she said finally, opening her eyes and smiling that beautiful broken smile. "It's disgusting."
Percy smiled softly, pressing his lips to hers. "You love it," he murmured against her mouth.
Annabeth sighed into his mouth, her breath smelling of citrus. "You're too cocky."
Percy pulled away from her, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, you asshole," she said, pushing him roughly. "Now- Percy!"
Percy found himself falling off the edge of the ledge, heading straight towards the water below him, and he saw Annabeth scrambling towards the edge and peering down at him, smiling crazily.
He crashed into the water, feeling the coolness of it shock him as he submerged, completely enveloped in it. He swam upwards and broke through the surface, coughing and spluttering.
He could hear Annabeth laughing, a sound that made his heart soar and his lips pull into an automatic smile.
"Percy- are you- okay?" She gasped through her laughter, peering down at him.
"Yeah," Percy coughed, wiping droplets of water off his face. "I guess." He stared up at her accusingly. "This was your fault, I hope you know."
"My fault?" Annabeth retorted, grinning. "How the fuck was it my fault?"
"You pushed me!" Percy replied, pointing at her.
Annabeth stuck her tongue out at him. "And you fell," she said, looking pleased. "Dumb bitch."
"Hey," Percy said, frowning mockingly. "That's not nice."
Annabeth started laughing again, and this time, Percy's heart slammed into his ribcage, and he knew. He knew.
He loved her.
He loved this Angel. This beautiful, broken, chaotic Angel. He loved her with his heart entirely.
For he loved her in the way she could not only dance with the angels that resided in his heart, but for the way the mere sound of her beautiful name could silence his demons.
He loved her.
"Get back up here," Annabeth shouted, laughing again. "I'm not done with your lame ass."
Percy smiled up at her. "Whatever you say, my love," he whispered to himself.
You all. I am so sorry. Im more sorry than you could ever imagine.
It all started with a break for a week, and that week turned into two, and those two weeks turned into a month, and that month turned into five. Im so very sorry. I feel ashamed of myself for putting this story to a side, when it lies so close to my heart. Writing for you guys is something that makes me so happy. It makes my heart as full as the way it does to Percy when he looks at Annabeth.
But I am back!
And oh my goodness, I was so fricking excited when I finished this chapter! Agh! I feel like jumping around and dancing.
Thank you all for being so patient with me, and for coming back and giving reviews to help motivate me to stop being lazy and get to writing.
Thank you guys. I love you all so very much.
Keep expecting more chapters to come!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter- I really hope you did. These Percabeth moments are what I needed.
~Kat xxxxx
