You may all hate me at a certain point in this chapter, also you will all definitely get pissed off at Alabaster- he deserves an ass kicking. And poor Percy is still freaking out because he might have Nico so she's sorta screwed in this chap! But don't worry.
Percy stared at Alabaster in disbelief, her eyes wide, "Are you-" she swallowed hard, "After everything you've done are you actually telling me that you want to stop now?" her voice was stunned, filled with disbelief, "You can't be serious-"
"I thought-" Alabasaster's lips pressed into a thin line- and there was a glint of fear in his eyes Percy realized with a thrill of shock. He was scared. "I didn't think things would turn out like this. All I want is to be with you Percy."
"Alabaster-" Percy couldn't believe what she was hearing. She honestly couldn't believe it. This- this was... this was something else. "You tried to throw me into Tartarus-"
"I know- I know I did and I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry Percy I was- I knew Lord Kronos wouldn't let the fall kill you. He wanted you too much-"
"Oh and you think he'd have treated me great down there?" Percy raised an eyebrow, shaking her head, "You are out of your mind Alabaster-"
"Please! Percy please we could leave together- if you come with me then I'll stop. It'll be over-"
"Oh come on!" Percy snorted, "You can't actually believe that can you? You're not that stupid Alabaster. If the prophecy is about me then I'll be dragged back into all of it anyway if I did run away with you- which might I add I would never do because I loath you with my entire being. And if it isn't then it's about Nico and I would rather die than let that happen to my little brother. Besides I doubt you running away would slow Kronos down that much. We'd have less than a year and a half-"
"Percy-"
"No." Percy glared at him, "No Alabaster. You're not going to use pretty words and appeal to whatever friendship we had back when I was a naive twelve year old who trusted you!"
"I don't- Percy I'm scared okay?" Alabaster's face was paler than usual, it was unsettling seeing him on edge, "I don't- don't get me wrong I still hate the gods and I still want to tear them down but- but I didn't think it would be like this-"
"What, has Kronos finally asked for something you're not willing to give?" Percy demanded, shoving him hard, a rush of anger flooding through her, "What was your limit then? I'm just dying to know Alabaster. What pushed you ever the edge and made you think that maybe joining up with the guy who literally ate his children might not be the best idea for your health?"
"Percy!" Alabaster looked wounded, "I know I hurt you! I know I did some things I shouldn't- that's why I don't blame you for what you did-"
"For what I- you kidnapped my mom!" Percy almost screamed the words, "You kidnapped my mom and Leo and you taunted them and you used them as bait to try and drag me in! You're insane Alabaster! I nearly lost my baby brother on a quest that happened because of you! Not anyone else Alabaster, you. And that was only what happened during the run up to me tossing you off of Mount Orthys. You tried to kill Annabeth too- and you would have killed Thalia-"
"Don't say that bitches name, the daughter of Ath-"
"Oh real nice way to win me over." Percy sneered, "Calling the girl who I love a bitch-"
"Love?" Alabaster looked like he'd been slapped, "No- no-
"Yes! Yes I love Annabeth! I love her Alabaster! And let me tell you this I would do anything to protect her and you know what that doesn't include? Tossing her into Tartarus! Because, y'know that's just something that's real hard to forget." maybe it wasn't the worst thing he'd done- though it was definitely up there. But it would always be the moment that had shattered any hope he might have had of winning her heart.
"You can't." Alabaster's voice shook. "You can't love her-"
"Oh fuck off." Percy spat the words, "You can't have actually expected to come here and say 'Oh look at me Percy I no longer want to destroy the world! Love me!' and expect
me to skip off into the sunset with you."
"That- it's not like that-"
"Oh it seems exactly like that to me." Percy genuinely felt sick at how wounded Alabaster looked. As if she was the one who was a traitor.
"Percy-" Alabaster's jaw clenched tightly, "Just listen to me- I-"
"If you're about to say 'I know I hurt you' again I will punch you so fucking hard." Percy snapped. "Because you don't know! You don't know because if you did you wouldn't even dare show up here like this to try and win me over."
"I didn't mean-"
"I was terrified!" Percy screamed the words, "I was on a quest that could either stop or cause world war three and you'd disappeared- and I was so worried about you, and then you just showed up again. Y'know Annabeth and Grover told me how you clearly really liked me and I was happy- I was so happy I was twelve year old and this handsome older boy liked me and then... then you showed up again and you tried to manipulate me into leaving my friends behind and when I didn't you fucking kidnapped me and dragged me down to that cavern and I realized that right from the start you'd been doing nothing but using me-"
"That wasn't what I was-"
"Yes! Yes it was! You knew from the day we met that you had to get me down there, you were manipulating me from the very first moment! I don't care if you grew to care for me you were still using me! There's no excuses for what you did, you knew what you were doing and you made that choice, don't try and deny it!"
"Percy-"
"Shut up!" Percy shoved him again, harder, forcing him backwards. "Shut up! If you loved me- if you even cared for me you'd have never been willing to throw me into Tartarus the way you were- I was begging! I was begging you to stop and you wouldn't listen-"
"You didn't listen to me! I tried to explain I tried! It's not as if you were willing to listen to me-"
"You were working for Kronos!" Percy screamed the words, "You were working for the most evil bastard out there! Of course I wasn't going to listen and join you! I love my family I love my dad! Sure the gods aren't all good- I mean they're not even mostly good really but they're a lot better than my dear grandfather." Percy spat. "And even if they weren't that still doesn't justify you tossing me into Tartarus- if I hadn't grabbed the edge- if Annabeth and Grover hadn't arrived when they did then I'd have fallen into the pit and been done for." she was shaking, "Because you might have thought I'd be just fine down there but I wouldn't. Kronos would have done whatever it took to brainwash me- and I have no doubts that he'd have tortured me Alabaster. No matter what you think.
"He wouldn't have." Alabaster's expression was desperate, "Or I don't- I didn't think he would- Percy I swear I just... I shouldn't have done it- I should have stopped. I know that now but I can't change what I did back then. I can't even if I wish I could. I am sorry okay? I'm sorry for hurting you like that but-"
"No." Percy glared, "There's no buts or anything Alabaster. What you did to me was horrifying. And then to rub salt on the wound you went back to camp and lied to everyone-"
"I didn't think you'd make it out- Hades-"
"Uncle Hades is one of my favorite gods so watch your mouth." Percy snapped, "He's a lot more reasonable than some of them. And you were the reason we were even down there in the first place Alabaster! You were the reason- and you were going to try and use your lies as a way to get people to join you, I know you were. You would have been spitting in my memory by doing that if Hades had struck me down like you thought he would."
"I-"
"You can't even argue your case." Percy shook her head, "Because you know Alabaster, you know what you did was fucked up- and that was just the start! Do you have any idea what you've put me through by starting all of this? Because it's you. It's all on you Alabaster you're responsible for it. You're the one who listened to him you're the one who started Kronos' rise. Everything that's happened since has been on you Alabaster. Everything."
Alabaster curled his fingers into fists.
"Persephone-"
"No." Percy shook her head, "No you don't get to show up like this begging for me to run away with you and expecting me to just drop everything because you're scared. And you don't even regret it all do you? You don't regret joining Kronos you're just scared of whatever it is he's asked of you! Well guess what I don't care! You've done too much bad stuff and you don't actually feel sorry for any of it! You don't regret it you're just looking out for yourself because that's all you ever do."
"You can't mean that you can-"
"Of course I mean that!" Percy snarled, "I mean every single word. You're a monster and I hope that whatever he wants from you kills you-" and Alabaster was surging forward, hands colliding with Percy's shoulders sending her staggering backwards into the wall, and he crowded her against it, gripping her shoulders tightly, tightly enough that she knew there would be bruises.
"Don't say that!" Alabaster almost screamed the words, "I'm coming to you for help! I love you Percy please. Please just run away with me- we could forget about all of it-"
"Even if I could stand to be near you, which I can't, there's no way it would work." Percy's heart was racing- Alabaster looked wild, dangerous in a way he never had before. "I can't run away from the prophecy and Kronos would never just let you escape if you're important to his plans. You're delusional to think that running away now is possible, let alone to think that I would ever in a million years consider leaving with you. Gods Alabaster you're not in love with me you're obsessed-"
Then his hand was gripping her chin, holding her face still and his lips were on hers and Percy let out a shocked noise.
The only other person she'd ever kissed was Annabeth.
Those kisses had been nice, warm and freeing, this- this was rough and unpleasant- his lips tasted like mint and she found herself feeling sick to her stomach as her eyes flooded with tears.
She tried to push him away- but he was that bit bigger than her, physically he was that bit stronger- and when she tried to use her powers- like she had so in the past- she could see Bianca's expression, see Thalia's fear and she couldn't- it was like there was a block stopping her. She was afraid of herself and what she was capable of if she used those powers again.
But she couldn't just let him kiss her, so she closed her eyes, forcing back the tears and she caught his lip between her teeth and bit down hard, blood flooding her mouth as he yelled in pain and pulled backwards, letting go of one of her shoulders to lift his hand and press it to his mouth.
"What the fuck was that for?"
Percy spat blood out of her mouth, right onto his shirt- it was a dark green, but the pink mix of blood and spit was still very visible on it. "You shouldn't have kissed me."
Then the hand that had been covering his mouth was around Percy's throat, squeezing hard. She clenched her fists, a grim look on her face- though she felt a rush of satisfaction at the sight of the blood dripping from his lip onto his chin.
Before she could do anything though he was hissing, "Remember, I parted you from Nico on purpose, do you really want to risk anything happening to him?" and Percy felt herself freeze- how could she have forgotten? Gods what was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to do now how was she supposed to get out of this?
"Y-you wouldn't hurt him." Percy managed to force out breathlessly.
"Why not?" Alabaster hissed the words, "Clearly you won't come willingly. Well fine, that's fine. I just won't give you a choice. I have your sword, I have you. And if you don't want to find poor little Nico's body on the doorstep of your lovely home you'll do exactly as I say from this moment on." and Percy realized in that moment that she'd finally made him snap. He'd moved past the point of delusion, past the point of thinking she'd run away with him. But that wasn't comforting, no, because now he just wanted to take her by force.
And what would happen if he did. She certainly didn't want to find out. But then... how exactly was she supposed to get away when Nico's life was on the line?
"A-Alabaster- no. Please you can't hurt him. Please just- I'll come just let me-" and then something was flying through the air and it hit Alabaster in the side of the head and his grip on Percy's throat loosened as he stumbled sideways, hand flying up to press against his head.
Percy turned her head, a stunned look on her face as her gaze landed on a familiar figure at the mouth of the alley.