Hey all! Thank you so much for reading this! This is my first real foray into the world of fanfiction, so I would really appreciate some feedback. I'm planning on this being a full story, with at least 30 something chapters, though possibly more, I don't know yet. But as we are all currently in quantanine from Coronavirus, I thought it might be a good time to start this project. Hope you enjoy!
Ch 1 - Percy
They stayed there like that, reliving memories as they stared up into the sky, pressed tightly together in a silent reassurance. Eventually, the others started to head off to their cabins, with first Piper, then Hazel yawning mid-spar. Piper headed downstairs a few minutes later, after giving Jason a quick kiss that left Hazel red-faced. Jason followed several minutes after that, followed closely by Frank. Hazel headed down next, after checking in with Leo. Before heading down, she approached softly, like they were wounded animals, which, he admitted, they kind of were. He braced himself for whatever she was going to say, reassurances, questions, things he wasn't prepared to think about, but instead she just gave them a grim smile, tapped him on the shoulder and said "Let us know if you need anything," before slipping away in the night.
They stayed, and eventually Annabeth lay her head on his shoulder, trembling ever so slightly, and he squeezed her hand, clutched tightly in his own by his chest, as a reminder that he was here, they were out, it would be okay, eventually.
They stayed even when Leo finally packed up his supplies and headed down for the night, though he was likely just headed to his workspace to continue another project.
They stayed, neither willing to go downstairs and face the darkness, or leave the stars, life, and fresh air around them.
Eventually their legs got tired, and, without a word, they found a space near Leo's workbench that wasn't too crowded, and lay down, Annabeth curled against him, her knees tucked against his chest, one arm thrown protectively across his shoulder, and their hands still clenched tightly together between them. From there, they continued to stare up at the stars until drowsiness pulled their eyelids closed, and a fitful sleep came to claim them.
…...
He dreamed of the arai attacking them again. He didn't even care about the dozens of curses causing himself pain, and the encroaching death they brought. The worst torture was watching, helplessly, as Annabeth, his dear, sweet, beautiful Annabeth, stumbled blindly around, calling desperately for him, believing he abandoned her. He almost choked on his own tears, even as his subconscious tried to pull him from his terror, calling out that it was alright, he was alive, they made it out. But everything still felt so real, and suddenly, just as Annabeth was about to plunge off the cliff, just before Bob rushed to her rescue, he woke up, drenched in sweat.
He took a deep breath, reminding himself that it was all over, they were out, they were together, they could make it through this.
And then he noticed Annabeth crying, shaking, and he sat up, pulling her closer. He stroked her hair, and murmured reassuring words in her ear, until she finally shuddered awake and looked up at him, her stormy eyes glimmering with tears.
He just held her close in his lap, gently rocking them, trying to keep the nightmares and memories away as she curled her head to his chest and he stared back out at the stars, still glittering through all the pain and suffering they must have witnessed throughout the world.
He sighed, watching as the curls of his breath gently fluttered Annabeth's hair, sending it dancing across her face. They couldn't have gotten more than 2 hours of sleep.
Sorry this chapter is so short, I promise future chapters will be much longer. I just had to get the story going, so this is just a little glimpse into their first night back from Tartarus, and how it's already affecting them.