"Ya know, I probably could have done that myself."
"Doubts."
Percy glared at the golden-haired girl next to him, eyes softening at the sight of her beautiful grey eyes as they twinkled in amusement, a tiny grin lighting up her features.
Both demigods had left the Hyuga's compounds after finishing the deal with Hirari and Hakuto, Percy telling the pair that he'd come back later to get his eyes checked again, leaving with Annabeth by his side as he decided that the boys could wait a little longer, they were probably fine anyway.
A surprised grunt came out of his mouth as Annabeth nudged his shoulder, nearly causing him to lose balance as his arms were the only thing holding him up as they sat on the ground, "I'm joking."
Both demigod's looked at each other in seriousness as Percy's wise girl continued, "If anyone could convince those pale "ninjas" on their own, it would be you. I still don't know how and why the Romans made you their praetor. They must have let the wine go to their heads or something."
Stormy grey eyes watched in relief as Percy relaxed and laughed, "You're just jealous that the Romans liked me better, just imagine you being their praetor? Gods, you'd probably make them work all day fixing their "imperfect" architecture or maybe you'll have them read to death. I bet you would nag at Reyna too, probably have her do some weir-!"
The son of Poseidon was cut off as Annabeth tackled him to the ground, face flushed in embarrassment as she held Percy's hands captive in her tight grip, free hand clamped down on his mouth.
"Shut up! I would last longer than you at being their praetor!"
Annabeth drew her hand back quickly in mild disgust as she felt something wet and slimy swipe across her calloused palm.
"Gross, did you just lick my hand?"
Percy's cheeky grin was answer enough before he ripped his hands out of Annabeth's grip and then he wrapped his arms around his tightly, ignoring her squeal of laughter as she relaxed in his hold, laying her head on top of his chest as they stayed liked that in silence, Annabeth's hands toying with the sides of Percy's smooth dark kimono.
"Why are you even wearing this? Shouldn't you have already left back home with your clothes?"
Sighing in exhaustion, Percy stroked the top of Annabeth's curls, smoothing them down gently as he hummed in thought.
"...I'm not sure. It's not like I can just leave anyway, the Furies would have my head before the Fates even had time to blink. So troublesome."
Closing her eyes thoughtfully, Annabeth snuggled closer to Percy's warm chest and then, "...and if we helped you escape?"
"I can't ask you to do that Wise Girl. I already lost you once, I can't risk having them take you guys away from me again."
"...okay."
And no more was said on the matter because trust was something that these two had for each other, trusting in one another like never before seen if one turned "evil" have no doubt that the other would follow without question because as long as they have trust, nothing else matters, nothing.
"Man, I'm getting jealous over here."
Percy tilted his head back to look at the newcomer, Annabeth lifting her head from Percy's chest to do the same, two sets of eyes locking in on electric blue eyes, scarred lip tilted into an amused smile.
Jason Grace.
"Damnnnnn, Annabeth getting more love than your lovable sexy hottie over here. Ohh, the drama!"
Warm brown eyes twinkling in amusement, mischievous grin plastered onto an elfish scarred face, skin slightly darker yet lighter than Percy's, how? No idea.
Leo Valdez.
"Shut up, Leo. No one ever calls you a lovable sexy hottie, literally no one. Let these two dorks have their moment in peace."
Multicolored eyes holding a gentle kindness that could easily turn into something dark and savage, face beautiful despite the efforts to be otherwise.
Piper McLean.
"Uh, maybe we shouldn't be so loud. Who knows who'll hear us? Right guys?"
Nervous yet steely brown eyes flickered from side to side as they looked for an enemy that wasn't there, relaxing when they found none, and then a shy smile graced the baby-like face belonging to a hunk of a man.
Frank Zhang.
"It's okay, Frank. I already made sure that no one is near us right now."
Soft and gentle eyes like that of an innocent baby fawn, creamy caramel skin with a warm and reassuring smile as a small scarred hand cake to rest on top of Frank's slightly muscled forearm.
Hazel Levesque.
"...Percy."
Dark tired eyes set only on the son of Poseidon's form as a faithful dog would look at its master, waiting for any sort of acknowledgment, mouth set into a thin line as a sickly pale face continued to ignore the daughter of Athena in favor of focusing solely on Percy, soft inky dark hair flowing freely in the soft winds as the sky started to set and darkness came to replace the golden hue from before.
Nico Di Angelo.
Wide eyes like that of one receiving something prized and well-loved, that was thought lost after a long time, mouth slightly agape in shock as hands trembled in the cover of golden locks. Percy was shocked and he had a dam good reason to be so.
"G-guys?! What are you doing here?"
Leo pretense to be hurt by Percy's words as he dramatically placed a hand over his heart, slumping his entire weight onto the surprised son of Jupiter as another hand came up be placed theatrically onto Leo's slightly warmed forehead.
"You can't be possibly saying that you didn't want to see me! Percy...Annabeth...why? Hold me tight in your muscled arms and comfort me, lightening boy!"
Jason looked a weird mix of both panicked and confused, face twitching and scrunching in all different areas as he tried to decide on just one emotion.
Perhaps he was spending too much time with them?
Nah.
Piper rolled her eyes at Leo's dramatics and swiftly delivered a quick sharp jab at the demigod's curly nest of hair, fake tears freezing in their tracks as a blank look crossed the fiery demigod's face.
And then like a switch had been flipped...
"Ow! Pipes, what was that for?! I was just speaking the truth! Percy, see what they've been doing to me since we crossed the line? All this time, I've been subject to pure bullying! Help m-!"
"Shut up! Don't tell Percy all those lies! Percy...forget what he said, we're happy to see you again...really. We missed you."
Piper hurried to explain as Leo wept crocodile tears into Jason's purple camp shirt, his orange one having been torn to shreds in...well back then. Everyone waited with bated breath to see what happened next, what Percy would say next.
The son of Poseidon teared up a bit at the words of Aphrodite's daughter and then his famous crooked smile spread wickedly on his face as he turned away from his friends, softly helping his wise girl up as they both got up from the cold refreshing ground of growing tall grass.
"I...I missed you guys too."
And just like that previously tensed shoulders relaxed as if a terrible weight had been lifted and clenched fists slowly uncurled as the wild desperation in everyone's eyes slowly disappeared, loving lightness replacing the dark anxious light from before and then smiles. All loving eyes and smiles. And for who you may ask?
All for Percy, of course.
"Hmmm, well how've you been doing so far? Not too much trouble I hope, we haven't been able to keep our eyes on you too much lately, with all the preparations we've been doing for your future we couldn't keep watching you from the shadows too long. Sorry about that."
Hazel's breezy and relaxed voice floated freely in the air as she directed her kind eyes straight into Percy's intense ones, straightening her back unconsciously under Percy's thoughtful gaze.
"It's okay, not much harm done anyway. I'm more worried about how you guys are watching me without showing yourself. Kinda creepy if you ask me, I don't need any more stalkers in my life, all those godly beings are more than enough. Maybe warn me next time?"
Light blushes spread across everyone's faces as Nico 'tched' under his breath as he looked to the side in mild embarrassment, damn that seaweed brain for being too dam adorable.
"Bastard, it's not like anyone would want to stalk you willingly. Your ugliness is burning my eyes."
"Come on, Neeks! Don't be like that, you say that now, but I bet you'll be one of the few that watch over me in the next couple days, eh?"
Nico just grunted in false annoyance as he neither denied nor agreed with Percy's "accusation", the demigod was right, after all, Nico would be one of the next demigods to keep watch over Percy...after all, no one wanted anything bad happening to their beloved leader.
If anything happened to Percy because of their foolishness...
They'd never, never, forgive themselves.
Never.
"Well, moving past...that, are you sure you don't need one of us to help you out right now? Annabeth's intelligence is enough to cover for all of us, I think, if not she's still able to cover for a couple of us anyway. Those kids giving you any trouble? I can't help but feel that there's something...wrong with them. No offense or anything."
"Hey! I can cover for all of you without a problem, with your powers however that's another thing."
Jason held his hands up in surrender, not wanting the daughter of Athena's wrath directed towards him, sending a pleading look at Percy as the tall guy snickered behind Annabeth's back, ignoring Jason's plea for help as he directed his attention to everyone else.
Everyone else was not at all amused with Jason's assumption that Annabeth's intelligence could cover for all of theirs, then again, it wasn't like he was completely wrong, after all...Annabeth was the next most dangerous after Percy.
They might be more powerful in other aspects, but intelligence...Annabeth would always come out on top, either her or Percy cause man! Did that guy come up with some crazy, dangerous, and powerful plans to defeat all the bad guys.
It was one of the reasons why he was their leader, why Annabeth was always keeping him in check.
He was a total monster if no one kept any restraints on him, no, worse than a monster, god, or anyone, anything else.
Percy was something else entirely.
No doubt about that.
None at all.
The laidback guy could be the complete opposite if he wanted to.
Scary.
"I'm sure wise girl could do that if needed, but no thanks. I...I don't think you guys should worry about me right now, just keep doing whatever it is you've been doing, for my "future" or whatever and I'll be sure to tell you if I ever need you by my side, whether for battle or for when I'm just lonely cause your right, those kids do scare me sometimes."
"Uh..you do know that we're talking about some kids right?"
"Frank. Are you forgetting about the kids back at camp? Both camps?"
Said man flinched and shuddered, the was no way he'd forgotten about those little monsters.
The things they did with the Stolls back then...
No use thinking about it now...it's all over now.
And so Frank only lowered his eyes and gripped Hazel's hand in comfort because it was over.
All over.
"Wow...are those kids really that bad?"
Leo only received a raised eyebrow in return and he winced because if Percy thought they were bad... They must be absolute little troublesome gremlins. Percy...what are you dealing with?
"There's nothing else to talk about then, let's go back. This seaweed brain can just summon us whenever he needs us, we're pretty busy if your all forgetting?"
At everyone's panicked expressions, Nico could easily deduce that they all forgot about what they've been doing recently. Sighing as he ran a slim pale hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes in exhaustion as he softly exhaled and inhaled, it would do no use to faint now.
Despite being ghosts now, they were still prone to exhaustion, must've been a cruel joke from part of those stupid Fates or maybe it was the Furies?
Doesn't matter, they needed to leave and now. Otherwise, they'd only show how weak and useless they were to Percy even now in death. He was always fighting by himself, always taking on more than they could handle, and just because they were too weak, too pathetic to even attempt to take on as many as Percy had been doing since the very beginning.
And because of them, he was always getting hurt and if they continued to be like this, he'll end up getting hu-!
"Huh?"
Percy said nothing as he continued to cradle Nico's face in his palms, closing his eyes as he started humming a hypnotic tune, and it wasn't till Nico had started swaying that he'd noticed he had closed his eyes as well.
What was Percy doing?
"...Percy?"
Amazing, even the others were just as affected by this tune as he was, was it perhaps because of Poseidon's connection to Sirens? If it was...Percy was even more untouchable than before, absolutely incredible.
Nico and the others said nothing more as Percy's tune and the warmth of his palms on his face started to give him, them, all pure and unrestrained power and it was flowing through their veins now, and what was this power?!
It was all over too soon and if the soft whines and whimpers were anything to go by, it was all the more addicting than perhaps even Percy's smiles...Nah, everything about Percy was addicting.
"W-what was that?"
"Hmmm? Don't know, I just felt like it was what I was supposed to do, is that understandable? I think I'm confusing myself, sorry."
Percy wasn't about to tell them all about the voices whispering in his head, telling him to expand his energy by a small portion and giving it to the others in small little kisses, well not kisses but as if they were tender kisses. That sounded much better in his mind now that he thought about it, oh well.
"Feeling better now then?"
Jason along with Piper were the first to nod rather sluggishly as they were still dazed by the amount of power and energy Percy had given them, the others following soon after, it wouldn't do to disappoint Percy after all.
The sea-green eyed demigod laughed freely and unrestrained by any burdens or so it seemed, and then he was waving goodbye because they were fading, his friends were fading away to go back to work, their worries sated now that Percy himself had said everything was okay, no visible lie or tension was detected and now they could rest easier because...
Percy could handle it, it was okay now.
He'd always been able to handle it.
And then they were gone with smiles on their faces as the energy they'd been given seemed to surge even more powerfully than before...it was breathtaking.
Leo once again getting in trouble with Piper as he clung to Frank this time, the baby-faced man sweating nervously as Jason tried to get the small Latino off the guy, Piper reprimanding him from Jason's side as Hazel laughed behind her hand at her spot right besides Frank, Nico and Annabeth watching from the back as amusement showed clearly on their faces, although Nico's was harder to tell as he hid it rather well, but Percy was able to tell and it amused him greatly.
That was the last thing he saw as they faded away with bright smiles directed to him as they turned to say goodbye, and then...
He was alone.
It seemed he was always alone these days.
And then like a falling angel descending from the night sky, Percy fell back with his hands spread out and a small smile on his face.
He was tired.
So tired.
The son of Poseidon didn't even register the pain as his body collided roughly with the ground, exhaustion causing his limbs to feel like lead and maybe he shouldn't have listened to those voices because now he was unable to move.
Was it because he'd healed his friends?
Most likely.
Man, what a drag.
Now, what was he going to do?
Harsh coughs erupted from Percy's mouth as his eyes started to fall shut, his friends wouldn't see him now, not after they'd heard him say he was okay for now.
It hurts.
So much.
Why does it hurt?
Why?
'Perseus'
Was someone calling him?
'Come to me. Let me help.'
Help?
Would the pain go away?
I want the pain to go away.
No one was there to presence the tears falling from Percy's shut eyes as his breathing started to slow at an alarming rate, his chest taking longer and longer each time to rise as the tired man finally let himself rest.
The person would help him.
Would take his pain away.
...right?
Alright, done! Sorry about not updating sooner, work has really been tiring me more than I'd care to admit but oh well, you know how it is. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next, tell me what you think okay? I don't mind any criticism at all! If anything I would encourage it but praise is always good too. Anyway, that's all for today! Bye Bye! Till next time, promise I'll update sooner than before, don't doubt it! You best believe it!
