A/N: Hello! Most of you are probably unfamiliar with me as I've been MIA from PJO fanfic writing in almost three years. While I was here three years ago, I started a fanfic called "Do You Still Love Me". I recently rediscovered a passion for that work and have chosen to rewrite it. Aside from the very general idea, this and original version will be immensely different. I hope that I can outdo the previous two, since I already attempted to rewrite it three years ago.
Chapter 1 : Like The Stars
The stars twinkled brightly above them. Her golden blonde locks splayed out across the wooden planks of the Argo II, clashing with the tips of his dark inky hair. Laughter tickled their throats as the cool night breeze blew her curls onto the side of his face. When their laugher faded, identical smiles lingered on their scarred faces.
Her lips parted to let out another bit of information that he knew he would not care for, but would still entertain. Simply because that was the way they worked, he'd say something ridiculous just to see the adorable frown that graced her features as she tried to make sense of his words.
"You know, when stars die out, it takes hundreds—sometimes even thousands—of years for them to stop shining because they're so far away."
His dark eyebrows knit as he took in her words. While he expected to respond with something completely nonsensical, he found himself saying, "That'd be nice."
She turned on her side to face him, "What do you mean?" A confused scowl wiped the smile from her face. "I think it'd be sad. If no one cared enough to realize or mourn your death."
"That's one way to look at it, but I want to look at it like I'm still shining for others even in death. I want to continue to be there for others and I want them to continue to look to me and be happy, even if that means that no one is aware of my death."
"You want to be there for others even after you die." She repeated, "I get that."
They were two completely different people that should never have been able to understand each other, and yet they did. They understood each other in an indescribable way that no one else could even explain.
He hummed in agreement, "You know, it's weird. That I could leave the world anytime and I don't even know what kind of legacy I'm leaving behind. I've done all these things and yet there's still so little I can be sure of. I don't know what people will say and think about me when I die. All I can hope for is that they remember me as a person and not as just the hero." He glanced at her, "I want them to remember me as Annabeth Chase's boyfriend. Grover Underwood's best friend. The guy that retrieved the ring someone lost in the lake or the guy that welcomed another person to Camp Half-Blood. Not a hero, but someone that loved. That's it. That's all I'm really asking for."
"How do you want people to remember you?" His vibrant green eyes focused on her.
"Honestly, I want to be remembered for my achievements. If I worked hard all my life to accomplish something, then I'd like to be remembered for it. What's the point of doing all that if they're just going to forget the result it? It'd just be a waste. Anyone can love and do some nice things. If I changed the world, then I want to be remembered for that change. Me and you, we saved the world, Percy. That kind of legacy is unforgettable."
He nodded, understanding what she meant, "That's true too."
Their conversation lulled into a solemn silence at the thought of death.
He shook his head, dismissing such thoughts, "It's probably not a good idea to talk about this before a huge battle."
She murmured in agreement, "How do you think tomorrow'll go?"
"I don't know, but it'll turn out okay. We'll get through it." He turned to her for assurance, his smile faltering, "Right, Wise Girl?"
His tone almost sounded desperate, as if he were begging her to agree.
"Of course." She confirmed without hesitation. A sadness flickered in his typically bright and cheerful sea green eyes. She caught sight of the short change in the carefree expression he wore.
The despair, hopelessness, and fear that flashed through his eyes was terrifying. It wasn't the happy-go-lucky Percy that she knew. It wasn't the Percy that was always overflowing with positivity and hope.
He averted his gaze away from her, immediately knowing she saw through.
Pushing himself forward, he sat up. His eyes focused intently on the dark waves, lapping at the sides of the boat. A sigh escaped his lips.
"Is something wrong, Percy?"
"Not yet."
She lifted herself forward. Her shoulder brushed against his. Her gray eyes stared curiously at him.
"I'm scared. I've been telling myself that everything'll be okay, that everyone'll survive, but, you and I, we both know war." He murmured, "Victorious or not, not everything'll be okay. We're going to lose people and that scares me. And I know it's selfish, but what if it's Hazel, or Frank, or Jason, or Piper, or Leo? Gods, what if it's you, Annabeth?" His voice broke as he whispered her name.
"I have this weird feeling, Annabeth." He admit. "I don't know what it is, but it's not good."
She exhaled slowly.
"Percy, it'll be okay. We're not going to get out of this war without a single casualty, but it'll be okay. We'll be okay because that's what the lives we lose will want. We're going to keep fighting until the end and regardless of what happens or who might die, we're going to be proud of the result."
His shoulders fell. He nodded, but the frown on his face showed he wasn't convinced.
"Seaweed Brain, really, it's going to be alright."
He turned to her, his eyes glimmering under the moonlight, "Of course, it will. The day you're wrong will be the day they switch the definitions of right and wrong." Percy swooped down and pressed a kiss to her temple, "I love you, Wise Girl."
"I love you too, Seaweed Brain."
Adoration decorated their faces as his green eyes examined her features, memorizing every detail. Her gray eyes stared up at him, glimmering in happiness.
"I did not wake up at 3 in the morning to see a sappy couple." A voice grumbled from behind them.
She turned towards the voice and rolled her eyes as she caught sight of the newcomer, "No one asked you to wake up this early, Leo."
"Of course. Not even Gaea would wish this torture upon me. You, two, are painfully cheesy, y'know. I knew it was going to be an eyesore when Annabeth was pulling her hair, looking for you, Percy, but I didn't imagine it'd be this bad. Oh my gods, Percy. You should've seen her. She was an absolute mess. Like a zombie."
Annabeth wouldn't mind punching him, with a dagger, of course.
Unknowingly, he continued to ramble on in his half-awaken and slightly crazed state. A side effect of all the stress that had been overwhelming all of the seven; each reacting to it in different ways.
"Go back to sleep, Leo. You'll need it, if you want to survive the day." Percy suggested, trying to hint at Annabeth's growing and obvious irritation.
"I don't know if I should take advice about getting sleep from a couple that's been making out all night."
"Maybe not, but you should definitely take the advice if it's coming from the boyfriend that's trying to prevent the other from being killed by the girlfriend." Percy shrugged. "Just a suggestion."
Finally realizing what he had been rambling on about, his eyes widened. He whispered a Greek curse under his breath as he scrambled back to his room, telling himself to thank Percy for saving his life later.
Percy glanced across the battlefield. Monsters fell to the ground and disappeared into gold dust around him. His friends wiped sweat and blood from their faces as they fought. Gods used their respective powers and strengths to their advantage, fighting monsters alongside the demigods.
He caught sight of a monster, charging towards Hazel, distracted by the Cyclopes she was fighting. Without hesitation, he bolted towards the daughter of Hades and slashed at the monster before it could lunge at her. With a few effortless stabs and swings, the one-eyed monster dissipated into gold dust.
Brushing the shimmering powder off his clothes, he ran to fight another monster.
The enemy forces had significantly dwindled. Victory seemed close. Percy could only hope the same for his two camps.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see Jason fighting Gaea. The blood gushing out of his side was enough indication of his slim chance at beating her by himself.
Catching the eye of Annabeth, he gestured towards the son of Zeus. She nodded and the two rushed towards their friend.
She tossed her invisibility cap over her curly hair while he swung his sword at the primordial, knocking her away from Jason.
He gracefully got to his feet and nodded at him, in thanks. The two sons of the Big Three fought together. Annabeth, who was invisible, would jab at the mother of Earth whenever she became too much for the duo.
Roaring in anger, Gaea pushed her arms out into the direction that the invisible jab had came from. She grabbed when she felt a soft material and shoved Annabeth to the ground. The Yankees cap fell from her head. Her arm fell at an uncomfortable angle, breaking. She tried to get up, but her broken arm wouldn't let her. The primordial sneered over her.
Percy thoughtlessly lunged at the immortal, pushing her down. He fell to the ground next to her.
Vines sprouted from the ground, keeping him in place. A wooden sword materialized and she raised it over her head. Jason ran towards the two, using the winds to push the sword back. A hellhound bounded towards him. He turned to fight the monster. The dog vanished into dust and he turned back to help the duo fight Gaea. His heart dropped.
The scene unfolded slowly before her gray and his electric blue eyes. The immortal had somehow managed to pry Riptide from his hands and was guiding the sword, his very own sword, towards his stomach. The fabric of his shirt tore, giving way to the familiar celestial bronze surface. He gasped as the sword passed through his abdomen. She pulled it out of his body, letting the blood gush out.
Annabeth pulled herself to her feet and charged at her. Her mother, Athena, appearing by her side. His gaze shifted back towards his figure, crumpled on the grass. Despite his quickly deteriorating state, his sea green eyes were focused fiercely and solely at their enemy. Shame spread throughout the blond for he had let the shock overtake him and had simply been watching idly by. A newfound fury had him joining Annabeth and Athena.
Jason could notice the winds blowing more forcefully than usual, as he went to help them. They fought silently for seconds, only grunts escaping their lips. The winds slammed into Gaea, pushing her to the ground. Water materialized from the humid air inside the storm and forced its way jnto her mouth and nose, choking her.
Jason lifted his sword and pushed it through her chest. Gaea fell forward
They had won.
Annabeth stumbled back, her breath leaving her. It was over. She could hear gasps behind her. A voice, Piper's voice, softly murmured her name. Dread coursed through her and she turned slowly.
She froze.
Annabeth hurried towards the small crowd gathering. She could hear his words in her head: "We're going to lose people and that scares me. And I know it's selfish, but what if it's Hazel, or Frank, or Jason, or Piper, or Leo? Gods, what if it's you, Annabeth?"
'What if it's you, Percy?' Her thoughts seemed to be echoing. Her composure cracking and crumbling down with every echo.
The crowd split, making room for her to pass. A whimper escaped her lips. She crouched down, next to the body, desperately reaching for and grabbing his hand.
Blood slithered across his tan skin and seeped into the material of his shirt. His chiseled face was marred with scratches and cuts, attestations to everything he had poured into their victory. She released his hand and put both her hands to the gash in his stomach. She pushed down, applying pressure to keep blood from leaking out.
Annabeth turned towards the gods, "Lord Apollo, please." She begged.
He knew there was nothing he could do, but he bent down next to his body anyways. After minutes of desperately searching for any indication that he may be wrong and that there was something he could do, he slumped down. There was no way.
"Please." Annabeth cried.
"I'm sorry."
Percy, succumbing to the realization that there was no chance of him surviving, gently pulled her hands away from the cut.
Her gray eyes followed her hands, until they met vibrant sea green, glasses over by the tears pooling in his eyes. He pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand and the world around them disappeared.
"You were right. Everything did turn out okay." He whispered.
She shook her head, "How is everything okay, Percy? You're..." she refused to finish that thought, "Nothing's okay." She wanted to scream in frustration.
He didn't deserve this. He'd endured more pain than any person should ever be capable of enduring. And yet, he'd also shown more kindness that anyone could ever be deserving of. He'd given up his own life for ungrateful gods that would never have given him a second glance had he not saved them multiple times. That act, alone, should be enough to show he doesn't deserve death, but that same act was also the reason for his death.
"Annabeth, I simply completed my part in this war, even if it meant death. Now you have to complete yours. Find a way to make everything okay again and be proud of our victory."
She pleaded, "No, Percy."
"I know I can't keep you from mourning my death, but please promise you won't mourn for too long. I want to keep shining, Annabeth. I want people to be happy when they think about me." He smiled up at her. "Will you keep that one last promise for me?"
She shook her head, "I can't. I'm sorry."
"For me, Annabeth." He pressed. His eyelids slowly dropping.
"Percy, please."
The sea green eyes disappeared, under the eyelids that had gotten too heavy for him. His grip around her hand loosened. The bright soul that had enlivened his now limp body was gone.
Sobs wracked her body. She folded forward, her head resting on his upper body. Her tears were soaked by his bloodied shirt.
A hand gently fell onto her shoulder, guiding her to the waiting arms of the kaleidoscope-eyed girl. Piper let Annabeth cry into her shoulder, pulling her tight in her arms. Tears of her own slipped off her cheeks.
The expressions on the faces of all those around her mirrored hers; Poseidon's more contorted than hers as he cried out at the loss of his beloved son.
They stayed like that, hovering over the body of their hero. Even the coldest of gods shed some tears. It wasn't until the sun had dipped the horizon that the last of the group finally dispersed, taking the dead body of their friend with them. Their heads pounding from crying and cheeks burning from wiping their tears, they returned to the ship that had brought them there.
A/N: That's it for this chapter and I'm extremely proud of it. I know that Percy and Annabeth's conversation was very short before his death and the ending abrupt, but that was all for the purpose of depicting death properly. Before a loved one dies we have all these things to say and not enough time. We want to prolong that time, but it passes by too quickly and we're left with all these regrets regarding the things we knew we should've said before. Also, we spend so much time after the death, mulling over memories and regrets. Time passes by quickly without our knowledge. I hope that makes sense as to why I chose to make such vital moments so short. I'm open to any other constructive criticism. Please leave a comment and also, follows and favorites would be appreciated!