A.N. Addressing one person and one person only. PerzoeForever. Who's the ship gonna end up being? Not sure, it hasn't been published yet. Guess you'll have to wait and see ;)
Song is by The Eagles
Chapter 12: Take It Easy
A week went by.
A long, slow, heavy week. A miserably glacial seven days that ticked by just about as patiently as they possibly could. Didn't really help that Percy didn't have much to do in those seven days. All there was to do was sit by his window and stare out. At the rain that now poured down, at the clouds that hung low and wide in the sky, at the various clan members who would leave in vehicles and come home late at night.
At Annabeth.
He wouldn't deny it for a single second, most of his time was spent staring at her. He watched as she went about her chores, as she got to work plowing the earth, or moving hay bales with the tractor, or running fence posts into the ground.
She kept herself busy, only taking a moment or two every once in a while to scratch Mrs O'leary and throw her ball. She went through a couple of phases that week. She started just about as down as he was, shuffling out of her house the day after the dinner with eyes that Percy could see were red from tears. It hurt to see that. As the week went on, she slowly got a little better, but he knew we she wasn't over it. Especially not when she'd look up at the den.
Every once in a while she'd sneak a glance at the den. They were never obvious, and if he didn't have the eyes of a hawk he wouldn't have noticed, but he did. She'd glance at the building, and whether it was on purpose or not it'd always be at his window.
He watched her as she worked, wanting so very badly, more than anything to just go down there and... he didn't know. Talk to her? Explain things? Right, explain things. What was there to explain. Hey, sorry I left all of a sudden, I really like you, but I'm immortal, so I can't really settle down, or start something like this.
And if that wasn't hard enough, how would he explain Zoe. Oh, her? Oh she's just the girl who made me into this and who I've been having sex with the past 50 years.
Zoe. That was another topic on his mind one that was just as present as Annabeth. Frankly, he would've spent the entire time watching the blonde girl if he could, just sitting by the window a bit back in the shadows watching as she worked. Just out of sight, so she wouldn't catch him. That's really what he wanted to do, but he couldn't.
Zoe wouldn't let him.
He should've known better. The night she painted him, the night they'd had their talk. He should've known better and just let her paint him, then he could've said it looked nice and excused himself back to his room. Maybe he could've even snuck back out late at night, knocked on Annabeth's window, and tried his best to explain himself.
But he didn't, did he? No, instead he let his self pity get the best of him and he'd been the one to start it and, for fuck sakes, what did he start?
She was on him. Every minute of every hour of every day of the last week. She spent just about every second she could with him, whether that was in his room or around the den, it didn't matter. She made it evident he wasn't allowed to leave and by the way she lounged in his bed made it equally evident that she was going to stay.
They did everything together. He nailed boards on windows, she watched as he worked. He tried to watch TV , she came over and sat right next to him on the couch. He tried to sneak off to his room, maybe read a bit more of Annabeth's book, she came into the room and got straight to work on his jeans.
She was all over him, and it was all his fault. He'd been so stupid, so God damned stupid, letting himself give in and give her exactly what she wanted. It was already bad enough that he'd gone and kicked the metaphorical hornets nest, but what was worse?
He couldn't tell if he liked it or not.
He didn't not like it anymore. He didn't like it either, but... he didn't dislike it. He didn't feel anything towards it. Before, he couldn't even pretend to hide his disgust, or his self loathing whenever she'd start pulling off clothes, but now? Now there was nothing. No anger, no frustration, no sadness. There was nothing from the second it started. All there was was sweat and movement and intensity and a crescendo that ended with her lounging on his chest as he stared at his ceiling.
Right at the initials carved into the roof. RED. Put there like a monument to his failure.
He stared at them, right at that moment, all while Zoe laid in bed with him, gently tracing circles in his chest with her finger. They'd just finished. Again. For what had to have been the fourth time that day, and god, if the wounds on his back had been bad before they were down to the bone now.
She took a moment to stop tracing on his chest, before she moved her hand up to his neck, running it over his tattoo.
"I've always liked this." She said, gently running her thumb over the art.
Percy let out a breath, keeping his eyes locked on the ceiling.
"Yeah, well... I had to cover the scars up somehow."
She smiled, shuffling a little closer to him and putting her mouth right next to his ear.
"I like it. I'd love if you got more, too."
Percy sighed to himself. Truth be told, he hated his tattoo. He'd never liked it, never enjoyed how thuggish it made him look, and if it wasn't for the fact that it was one of Rachel's old drawings he'd never have let it get put on his neck, either. It was just a reminder, a reminder of what this was, branded right on his neck.
Permanent.
He let out a soft sigh, deciding entertaining her might earn him some freedom.
"Maybe I'll get another." He said, turning to her and letting a small smile slip through, "What do you think would look nice?"
She drummed her fingers on his neck, thinking about it for a second "Maybe wings, on your back."
He softly laughed, "I hope you don't mean bat wings," he pointed at his tattoo, "this is already a bit too close to giving away what I am."
She shook her head, "No, I meant feathered wings. Like an angel."
He let the smile slip a bit from his lips as he looked into her eyes, "Why would you want that?"
She let her hand settle on his neck and stared right back into his eyes.
"Because you're like an angel to me."
He was quiet for a moment, the smile and laughter having faded from his face as she brought her hand back down and started tracing circles on his chest again.
"Y'know," She continued, "You never answered me."
He snapped from his daze, focusing back on her face as she stared at his chest.
"Answered H'wat?" He asked.
She smiled at his accent, letting her eyes drift back up to his.
"If you felt the same way." She said, running her hand off his chest and back up to his cheek, "If you love me."
He didn't answer her. He didn't say anything, not a word. There wasn't a yes. There wasn't a no. He just met her eyes with his own and felt all the emotion fade from his face.
"I... I don't know Zoe. I don't know anything anymore."
She didn't respond. Her hand slipped from his cheek and she rolled over on top of him, letting the blanket slip off her form as she sat on his lap. She kept her hands pressed against his chest and pushed him against the bed, keeping him pinned as she stared into his eyes.
"I want you to say it."
He blinked, feeling his body swallow as he tried to steel his now shot nerves.
"Zoe, I dont-"
"I don't care if it's a lie, Percy." She said, her voice vacant of emotion as she shut her eyes and dipped her head a bit, "I just... I need to hear you say it."
He was quiet for a moment, before he let his hands run up her body, up her neck, and placed them on her cheeks. She met his eyes and he felt his chest tighten.
"Alright. I..." He hesitated, swallowed his thoughts, and looked her in the eye, "I love you, Zoe."
She took a deep breath and trembled slightly, shuddering in his grasp as she took her hands off his chest and ran them over his, pressing his palms tighter against her cheeks.
It was a lot. Everything that had just happened, everything she'd just said and done, it was... a lot.
"Thank you." She whispered, her lips twitching as she spoke, "thank you, Percy."
She pressed his hands a little tighter before she collapsed back in bed next to him, laying her head tight in the crook of his neck.
He just laid there for a moment, thinking about it. He'd said it. He'd promised himself he wouldn't, a long time ago, but he'd said it. He'd said it and now it was out there and it didn't really matter if it was a lie or not. She'd told him she didn't care if he was lying, so he'd said it, and the worst part?
He didn't even know if it was a lie or not.
It suddenly became too much. Too much for him to handle, too much for him to rationalize, too much for him to process while he laid in bed with her bare skin pressed against his. He shifted out from under her, making her softly groan as he sat up in the bed, planting his feet on the floor. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor. He had thoughts, thoughts running through his mind. Well, really one thought in particular.
You love her. Don't you, cowboy?
"Percy?"
Her voice pulled him back to reality. He turned over his shoulder, catching a glimpse at her as she reached out towards him.
"Percy? What's wrong?"
He turned away, forcing himself to stare at the wall as he took a shaky breath and stood up, pulling his boxers over himself, his jeans following closely behind.
"I... I gotta go, Zo'." He grabbed his shirt off the floor, pulling it over his body as he desperately tried to focus his thoughts, "I... there's stuff I gotta do. A storms comin', there's still windows that need to be blocked off."
She watched from the bed as he stammered through his words and struggled to pull on his boots and denim coat, the one she'd let him have again. She didn't answer, she just wordlessly got out of bed, letting the blanket slip off her naked body as she walked up to him.
He froze, unable to move as she moved that perfect body of hers as close to his as she could. She pressed herself against his chest, letting them work their way under his shirt.
"Well... hurry back, okay?"
He nodded, trying his absolute best to maintain eye contact despite how badly every ounce of him didn't want to.
She recognized his struggle, and smiled up at him. She stood up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to his ear, gently whispering.
"You get back quick enough and I'll let you take the reigns, cowboy."
As if to exercise her point she rubbed her hand over his stomach, making it feel like butterflies were about ready to burst from it.
Oh, please go a bit lower a voice begged her in his mind, but he told it to shut up and turned for the door.
He had his hand on the know and was ready to leave when she spoke up again.
"Percy?"
He turned to her, seeing that she'd grabbed one of his flannels and had pulled it over her body. She crossed her arms, her face a myriad of thought.
"Yeah Zoe?" He asked. Her eyes flicked up to his, a hint of what looked like anger in her gaze.
"Please don't talk to that blonde girl again."
He looked at her, watching as her face barely hid the anger she clearly had. What she'd said was very obvious, to him at least. It was a threat. Not to him, but to Annabeth. It changed something in him, snapping him from the daze he'd been in and bringing him back to his senses. His cold, depressed, realistic senses.
She watched his face fall and his body stiffen and his pose straighten, and she must have known right then and there that she'd overstepped, because her face fell, like a rock off a cliff. It fell, and with it her heart fell a little too.
He tightened his jacket over his shoulders, turned away from her, and opened the door. He stepped out, but not without giving her a few parting words.
"Her name is Annabeth. You know that, Zoe."
He didn't let her answer, stepping out of his room and shutting the door right behind him.
The ride to town was slow.
That was for two reasons. One, Percy needed time to think. Think about what? Thay was the problem, there was too much to think about. There was Zoe for one thing. Zoe, who'd spent 50 years being a simple, detestable, constant in his life, and all of a sudden had him questioning everything about their relationship within the span of a week and a half. It had all been so perfect in its simplicity, a perfect emotional stalemate for him. He loved her for being there for this eternity, but hated her for making it an eternity.
It was a nice little unstoppable force meets immovable object situation in his life. It was perfectly imperfect. Then she had to go and kick the immovable object over and let that force run right into his heart.
He was starting to love her. He knew it. He knew it and he hated it.
That was reason number one. Reason number two was that it was raining, and he really didn't need an accident right now.
It probably wouldn't kill him. Maybe. But what it would do is hurt. A lot. Enough to take him out for a minute, enough to make him hurt.
Maybe that's what he deserved, to hurt. To be in pain. To be punished for letting his weak little heart get the better of his mind and start feeling things for Zoe. Especially after what he'd just had with Annabeth that night, especially when...
Oh.
That was it. The other reason. Reason number three.
Annabeth.
He felt his eyes drift closed, a deep breath draw itself into his lungs, and his eyes open again.
Annabeth.
There it was. The reason his mind had been racing. The reason he'd left his bedroom. The reason he'd left the den. The reason all of this had become so confusing in the first place.
Annabeth.
He missed her. So bad. So bad it hurt. So bad that even as Zoe had spent the better part of the last week trying her best to crack the bed frame and drag crevices down his back, rhe blonde girl next door was all he could think about.
He wanted to see her so bad. He wanted to talk to her, to spend time with her, to go for a walk and watch the stars and hold her hand and have their little quippy conversations together.
He wanted her. However she'd let him have her, however she chose to be with him, whether that meant as a friend or as something more, he wanted her.
Even if only for the time he'd be allowed to have her, he wanted her.
Fuck.
Why was he doing this to himself?
Why couldn't things just be simple in their misery, like they used to be? Why couldn't it all just go back to the way it was?
Why was he even saying these things when he knew it wasn't what he wanted.
He sighed as he cranked the accelerator. Fuck the rain. Maybe he'd crash and hit his head and forget everything. Forget the emotion, forget the pain, forget the regret. He'd forget the blonde girl next door and them he'd just go back home to Zoe with a smile on his face. He'd pick her up bridal style, carry her into his room, and give her exactly what she wants, exactly how she wants it.
He grimaced as he cranked the accelerator a little harder. Maybe if he was lucky the crash would just take him out for good.
Annabeth didn't dream.
It sounded sad, like she was missing out on something, but it wasn't. It wasn't anything more than a simple fact, a blunt statement. She didn't dream, never had since her mom died. Maybe it was her minds way to cope, to somehow rationalize what had happened, by forcing her to only be conscious during reality so she'd have no choice but to accept it. She didn't know why she was the way she was, but for whatever reason, she never dreamed.
She dreamed every night that week, and every night it was the exact same. The same horrific nightmare, over and over.
It started the same, every single time. She'd be in front of her house, and it would be night. The rain would be coming down, pouring onto her. It would drip off her skin and soak her clothes. She'd turn, away from the street to look at the house that sat next door, and there he'd be.
Percy. Standing on his porch, in front of his open door. He was staring at her. Always, every single time. Not even trying to hide it.
She'd take a few steps toward him, moving closer to the house, and something would change in him. His eyes would go wide, and fear would fill them. He'd panic, lifting his hands as if to tell her to stop. She wouldn't listen, and would keep moving. It was always hard though, to move. Like she was slogging through molasses.
She'd keep moving towards him, until something changed.
Until the rain changed.
It would be slow at first, a couple drops would come down different, striking the earth with more weight than the others. Annabeth coukd never tell what was different until one of them wpuld land on her face and get in her mouth.
It was blood.
The crimson droplets would pour from the sky, soaking the earth and Annabeth red as they fell. She wouldn't let it deter her, despite the horror. She'd keep moving closer and closer, even as Percy backed farther and farther away.
He'd back away until he was standing right in the doorway.
She'd walk up to him, up the porch until she was right in front of his face, right up close to him.
There'd be silence as his eyes held their panic, as his fists clenched at his sides. He'd open his mouth to speak, but no words would come out.
No, all that would happen is he'd stare into her eyes, his hand would come up, and he'd wipe the blood off her face.Then he'd lightly hold her cheeks and pull her into a kiss.
She'd melt. Right into his arms as her hands would tightly grip his shirt and pull him close. His lips would be cold, but she wouldn't care. She'd feel his breath hitch as he ran his thumbs over her cheeks.
They'd pull away. She'd be smiling, he wouldn't.
He'd let his hands fall, and take a step back, closer to the darkness.
He'd stand there for a moment, and she'd see
it. A pair of hands, of caramel skinned, beautiful hands slink under his arms, out of the darkness. They'd wrap around him and grip tight, their nails digging into his shirt, into his chest. They'd dig deep. So deep they'd draw blood.
Percy wouldn't care. All he'd focus on is Annabeth's eyes, her steely grey gaze. He'd stare into her and the pain in his gaze would be so evident, so tangible, that it would break Annabeth's heart.
He'd reach out to her, trying touch her face one last time. Trying to feel her warmth on his fingers, if only for a moment. But he'd never be able to, not before the arms would pull him into the darkness and the door would slam shut.
Annabeth woke with a gasp. Just like she'd done every day that week.
She pressed her hand against her chest, taking deep labored breaths as she felt her heart hammer away.
Every night. Every single night it had been the same. The same nightmare, the same imagery, the same look in his eyes.
Every single night.
She let out a deep breath and got up, dusting herself off and grabbing her clothes. She'd been really throwing herself into work lately, doing everything around the farm, even when she didn't been to. Stacking hay, fixing the fence, working on the tractor. All of that, on top of storm prep, had really found a way to fill her free time.
Time she wished she could spend with Percy.
Percy.
The thought of him ate into her mind, even though it shouldn't have.
That whole situation with that girl, Zoe. It just... wasn't fun. It wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't what she needed to see. The girl had made a very clear statement with every move she'd made and every word she'd said.
She'd really hit home how things were when she'd asked for her jacket back. Her jacket, just like how Percy was her Percy. Annabeth wasn't stupid, but she'd really felt stupid watching them together. She'd felt like what they'd had, what they'd felt together, that all of it was a lie. All those moments, all those talks, all those conversations. She felt none of it was real, that it was just him playing some cruel joke on her. Toying with her emotions like it was all a game.
She was really angry at first. She'd walked back into her house, stormed past her dad and Helen, and had slammed the door to her room. There were tears in her eyes and she'd not really cared who'd seen them.
She'd cried. For a good while she'd just let the tears fall, all while curled up on her bed. She cried a lot. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd cried like that, but... she was pretty sure it was when her mom had died.
Eventually, when she'd emptied out her tear ducts, she'd gotten a grip and started acting like Annabeth again. She'd started thinking. Thinking about how he'd acted, how he'd reacted, and specifically, how he'd looked at her.
It was almost as if he was scared of what might happen. Like the second Zoe showed up, his attention had only focused on Annabeth, to the point where Zoe had to physically force him to look at her.
It was complicated, the whole situation, and it didn't make it any easier when she didn't see him for the whole week.
People left the big house, they did all the time, usually late in the afternoon once the sun started to come down, and she never saw them come back, but they did.
She watched for a week as every person possible left the big house, except the one person she wanted to see.
Honestly, it got to the point where she was debating just walking up to the door, knocking, and storming in to find him. But she didn't, and that was mostly because of that look he'd given her, right when Zoe had dragged him away.
It was obvious what he was trying to say with it. Stay away, she's dangerous.
Still...
Annabeth sighed as she pulled on her clothes, the same jeans and flannel outfit she'd been wearing all week/month/year, albeit this time with a dark green rain coat over her shoulders. It was rainy season in half blood. Fully and completely.
She slipped her Yankees cap on and headed out her door, making her way past the kitchen where her dad was busy cooking up some eggs. He caught her eyes as she walked past and offered her a soft smile, one that she tried her best to return.
"Heading out?" He asked her in a soft tone.
She shrugged, "Thalia and Nico wanna hang out at the arcade."
He nodded, "Well... I'll make sure there's supper when you get back."
Frederick Chase knew his daughter and knew her well, and he knew that whatever was going on with her and the boy next door was something she wanted to figure out on her own. She gave him a curt nod as she scooped up her keys and headed outside, making her way over to her truck and hopping in.
Mrs O'leary was laid down in her doghouse, happily chewing on her tennis ball as Annabeth turned on her truck. For a moment she drought about bringing the pooch with her, letting her sit up front and maybe picking her up some treats from in town, but then she remembered.
It was raining, and wet dog was not a fun smell. Hell, the dog smelled even worse than Thalia did when it rained.
She turned her truck on and took another glance at the big house next door, noticing something.
Percy's bike was gone.
It made her chest clench up a bit, and she didn't know how to feel about that.
"He's a vampire."
Annabeth sighed, not making any attempt at hiding it as Thalia reaffirmed her stance on the boy next door. They'd met up at the arcade and had wasted no time claiming one of the machines. A French connection pinball machine, old and rusted, but still functional, that Nico was hunched over, just about as focused as he could be.
"Thalia..." Annabeth began, but the punk held a hand up to her face, not having it for a second.
"Annabeth, I am going to say what you just told me and I want you to tell me what it sounds like, alright?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Alright, Thals. Fire away."
Thalia leaned towards her friend, "This guy shows up to your house, and comes in only after you invite him."
Annabeth sighed, "Alright."
Thalia continued, "Then, one of his relatives shows up and starts going on and on about how she had an uncle who went missing years ago. An uncle who has his name, and from how you described it, freaked him out when he heard about him."
Annabeth felt her frown slip a bit, a bit of doubt forming in her mind, "Okay."
Thalia shook her hand in her face, "Then, when he's leaving some weirdo creepy bitch you've never seen shows up and acts all super possessive with him... and from the way Mr tall, dark, and handsome was acting..." She leaned into Annabeth, hissing a whisper to her, "...it sounds like she was dangerous, eh?"
Annabeth was silent, her eyes clouded over with thought.
Thalia nodded, crossing g her arms as she did, "Head vampire, I guarantee it... or that's his immortal mistress, or some shit."
Annabeth felt her frown come back, "Thanks, Thals. Really needed to hear that."
"Yeah, you did." Thalia replied, leaning into the pinball machine, "Didn't she, Nic'?"
Annabeth turned to their friend, who looked like he was in a trance as he watched the machine, "Why don't we get your verdict on this Nico?"
Nico sighed, not taking his eyes off the machine.
"I am not going to agree with Thalia, less out of logic and more out of avoiding inflating her already massive ego. Well, that and I think he's cool."
Thalia punched him in the shoulder and he grumbled, momentarily losing focus of his game and letting the ball slip into the gutter. Nico sighed and slipped another fistful of quarters into the machine.
"But I will say this..." The boy said, leaning into the machine, "... if he were some supernatural shit, I'd certainly peg him as a vampire. At least over a werewolf or something..."
The boy pulled the striker and shot the ball into the machine, with Thalia sighing as she leaned into it again.
"Thanks for the help, Nico."
The boy chuckled to himself, "Y'know, if you weren't do hoighty toighty about this, I might've agreed with you." He let a serious expression slip across his face, "That Helen thing was weird, and... well there's his tattoo."
Thalia shrugged, "I think it's cool, what's your point?"
Nico took a deep breath as thoughts crossed over his face, "I've got three points, regarding the tattoo alone. One, it's a bat. Kinda speaks for itself, there, don't you think?Two... well, I'm sure you guys have noticed the scars under it, right?"
Annabeth crossed her arms as her subconscious unintentionally entertained his words.
"Yeah, I've seen them."
Nico nodded, before a look passed over his face. One that was a mix of concern and intense thought and... well a little bit of fear.
"His tattoo, the art..." He let his eyes flick up to theirs, "... I saw it on the wall at Rachel's. She had tons of art, and supplies, so it had to be done by her."
He took a nervous breath, "When I asked her about it, she didn't want to talk much, but said she'd painted it for a friend."
He looked at his friends, his eyes wrought with thought.
"Guys. It was dated 1971."
That peaked both their attentions, Annabeth speaking up first.
"Are you sure it was the same art? And maybe he just saw it when he was visiting or something."
Nico took a shaky breath, "I'm positive it was the same, but that's not all. You guys didn't see him around her. When he dropped me off... it was weird."
"How so?" Thalia implored.
Nico let out a nervous breath, "I tried listening to their conversation, but I only caught snippets of it. It sounded like they'd known each other a really long time..."
He let his eyes drift up to Annabeth.
"...like he knew her when she was young."
A silence fell over the group. An uncomfortable, invasive silence that made panic shoot up Annabeth's spine. Her mind started to wander, thoughts spinning gin her head as she tried to rationalize what she was hearing. But the more she thought about it, the more her mind latched onto a thought, one she didn't like one bit.
What if they're right?
The whole group was snapped back to reality when a noise rang out through the arcade. A wham, and a familiar one at that.
The sound of the punching machine.
Thalia shot Annabeth a look, one that had a little silent conversation, before she grabbed nicos hand and pulled him away from the machine, making him cry out in complaint.
"Oh, come on, Thals!"
She rolled her eyes, "Oh, can it Nico. You can beat the high score later."
Annabeth looked at the ancient pinball machine and felt her chest tighten up a bit when she took note of the high score in question.
It was claimed by the initials P.J.
She focuses back on the task at hand, following her friends to the back of the arcade, and the punching machine. They turned the corner, peeking around it, and there he was.
Percy. In his ancient black jeans and white shirt with a denim jacket hung over an adjacent machine. He was focused, very much so, on the machine in front of him. He hit the button, dropping the bag, before striking it.
He hit it hard. Really hard. Too hard to make dust fly off the top of the machine. It flew back like a cannonball and slammed up into the frame. He checked the score and let out a frown, watching as it rolled over multiple times and landed on a low number.
Thalia squeezed Annabeth's hand as they hugged close to one of the machines, watching him as he reset the machine.
"Go talk to him." She whispered.
Annabeth frowned at her friend, "Why me?"
Thalia frowned right back at her, "Because you're his pseudo lover girlfriend thing, Beth. Now go up to him."
Annabeth blushed at her friend's words, "Okay, first of all I'm not his pseudo girlfriend. Second of all-"
"You know I can hear y'all, right?" Percy said, not taking his eyes off the machine as he spoke.
The group froze, peeking out from behind the cabinet as Percy leaned against the machine and turned towards them.
"You guys ain't exactly quiet, and I ain't exactly deaf. Pretty bad combo for whispering"
Thalia stepped out first, bringing Annabeth with her.
"Well... we just needed to make sure you were safe. The company you keep sure ain't."
Percy frowned at Thalia's words, "You mean Luke, right?"
Thalia crossed her arms, "Yeah. Nick told us what the shitstain did to him at Dionysus' place."
Percy nodded grimly, "Well, if it's any consolation..." He lightly tapped the punching bag, "...I'm picturing his face right now."
Nico smiled at the man's words, stepping forward out from behind Thalia.
"This just therapy? Or you getting ready for the real thing?"
Percy smiled at Nico's words, "I'll tell you what, I ever break that assholes jaw?" He wiggled his eyebrows at the boy, "... I'll make sure you got a front row seat."
Nico grinned at the man's words, glancing at Thalia and Annabeth, who'd also stepped out from behind the cabinet. Thalia spoke up first, steeling herself and crossing her arms.
"No leather jacket today?" She asked. He shrugged with a soft smile.
"I was cramping your style. Besides, I look better the more denim I have on."
Percy struck the bag again, frowning as the number once again rolled over and landed low. Thalia narrowed her eyes, taking a step forward.
"That's not what I heard."
Percy turned to her, "Is that so?"
Thalia frowned, "I heard that a certain someone claimed it..." She clasped her hand on Annabeth's shoulder and brought her forward, "...from her."
Percy froze as Annabeth stepped forward, his eyes locked with hers as a little storm brewed between their eyes. Thalia took note of the look, and pressed a little more.
"So... she your girlfriend or something?"
Percy's gaze snapped to Thalia's, "H'wat?"
Thalia's eyes narrowed, "That girl, the Persian one. She your girlfriend?"
Percy let his eyes drift back over to the punching bag as it dropped back down and crossed his arms.
"No." He answered quietly. Thalia crossed her arms in response, matching his pose.
"Then what? Is she your... friend with benefits then?"
Percy let a scowl slip over his face as he held the bag, steadying it before he cocked his arm back.
"It's complicated."
He struck the bag, a little harder than the last time. Hard enough the the machine shook a bit.
Thalia reached over, tightly grabbing Annabeth's shoulder and scooting her forward.
"Well then how about you un-complicate it. For her."
Percy turned to Annabeth, and she could see him stiffen up. Whether it was with fear, or panic, or worry, it wasn't clear. But visually, he changed.
He looked back at Thalia and let a frown spread over his face.
"She's not my girlfriend. That's all I'm gonna say, and that's all that needs to be said."
He hit the bag again. Harder. Hard enough that the machine shook on the floor.
Thalia put her hands on her hips and took a step back with a huff, turning to Annabeth as she did.
"Well... is that enough for you?" She let her eyes graze over to Percy, "...cuz I'll kick for you his ass if it ain't."
Percy smiled a bit and stepped back from the bag, motioning to it for Thalia.
"Care to show me what I'm up for if it ain't enough?"
Thalia let her eyes narrow at the man. She shifted her jacket off her shoulders, depositing it over Percy's, before she cocked her arm back and cracked the bag. Hard. Hard enough that the score rolled over just about as many times as with Percy.
Percy watched as the score ticked, his smile wavering as it went up and up. He looked back at Thalia, a certain look in his eye. A suspicious look.
"You hit hard." He said. She shrugged.
"It's an old machine. It's easy to roll the score over."
Percy had a look on his face. A look that said he didn't buy that shit for a single second.
But it faded quickly as he let the smile return and turned to Annabeth, a nervous look now occupying his eye.
"Alright, please tell me it's enough."
Annabeth let out a breath and crossed her arms, allowing her eyes to meet his and her heartbeat to pick up all the same.
"For now."
He smiled, "Well... that's better than no."
She let a smile slip too, "I guess it is."
His smile grew a bit, "So when you say for now... are we implying that later..."
She huffed and looked away, "Don't push your luck, cowboy."
His smile changed into a grin, "Now, you say that-"
"Alright, enough!" Nico exclaimed with a sigh, "Fucking christ, the two of you just make me want to puke."
The whole group, Thalia included, held back their laughter at rhat as the young man Rana hand over his face.
"Thalia." Nico continued, "If we're done here, you wanna go get to your other plans we had today?"
Thalia sighed, "Yeah, I suppose so." She let her eyes flick first to Percy, then to Annabeth.
"Want him to come along?"
Annabeth let her eyes drift up to Percy's, zarching him making absolutely zero effort to hide dhe fact that he was staring. She blushed and shrugged.
"If he wants."
Thalia let out a breath and walked right up to Percy, standing right up in his face as she crossed her arms.
"So, cowboy..." She said, nearly gagging as Annabeth's nickname came out of her mouth.
"You ever play baseball?"
It was a long drive out to the old abandoned farm, made a bit longer by the fact that they had to lead Percy, who was on a motorcycle, over some of the sketchiest backroads on the face of the planet all while rain poured down on them.
It wasn't fun, but it was insightful, namely in how it revealed to them that Percy was very, very good on his bike.
Annabeth kept an eye on him, looking out the back of the cab as Thalia drove them down the dirt path. Yeah, Thalia didn't have her own car, but somehow she was the only one that could make this road her bitch to the necessary degree.
She took a look in her mirror and sighed as she watched Annabeth stare out the rear view at the young man on his bike.
"It's enough, eh?"
Annabeth let a huff out of her nose, turning to the punk in the drivers seat.
"Thalia..." She said, but the girl wouldn't have it.
"No, no. It's fine. I get it, he's all hot and dark and brooding, and you are pathetically obsessed with him, I understand." She glanced in her mirror, locking eyes with Annabeth, "...but just so you know, me and Nico?" She gestured to the boy in the passenger seat.
"We ain't visiting you when you're a vampire."
Annabeth rubbed her eyes, letting out a soft groan as nick turned around towards her.
"I'll visit you, Annabeth. Just don't suck my blood."
She smiled at the boy, "See, this is why you're my favorite."
Thalia grumbled from the passenger seat, "Seriously? We're supposed to be discouraging this stuff, Nic."
Nico shrugged, "You already know I like him."
Thalia smirked at him, "Oh, you like him, eh?
Nick blushed, "Not like that, jackass. You know my type."
Thalia nodded, "Yeah. Blonde. Tall. Generally degenerate. I know all about your type." She rubbed her chin, "Maybe I can get Percy to dye his hair..."
Nick groaned, "I thought you were trying to avoid him turning us into blood sucking creatures of the night."
She shrugged, "Annabeth, maybe. You? You're basically one already."
Nico sighed as Thalia smiled. They all kinda leaned back in their seats, Annabeth keeping an eye on Percy as he shot her a small wave from his bike, one that she returned with a smile.
"Did you hear about that car they found up on highway 67?"
Thalia's words snapped everyone back into focus. Nico leaned over the dashboard so he could get a look at Thalia's eyes.
"You mean the one that was all burned up?" Nico asked. Thalia shot him a side eye.
"Yeah. The one that was all burned up. The one that was missing the owner, and the owners family. That one."
They were quiet for a moment, before Thalia let out a soft breath and dug in her backpack, before pulling something out and handing it to Annabeth.
It was a pistol. A nickel plated, slightly engraved colt 1911. It shone bright despite the rain storm outside and looked like it had been used a lot. It was Thalia's, so that made sense.
Annabeth stared at the gun for a moment, not sure how to react, before Thalia let out a soft sigh.
"Well?"
Annabeth snapped her gaze up to her friends.
"Well what?"
"Well? Take it." Thalia replied, shovingit towards her friend.
"Thals... why do I need this?" Annabeth asked as she took the gun from her friend.
"Look, let's stop entertaining my theory and say they're not vampires, alright? Let's say they're just regular old drifters. Regular old drifters who showed up out of nowhere and started nailing all their windows shut..." Annabeth sighed and Thalia furrowed her brow in frustration.
"People have still gone missing, Annie." She shot Annabeth a look in the rear view, "People have gone missing and..." Her eyes fell a bit, "...and you live right next to them."
She squeezed the steering wheel, steeling her gaze as best she could.
"You live next to them and I don't want you to go missing too."
There was a silence that passed over the truck. A heavy silence, one that said a lot of things the group knew Thalia couldn't say and wouldn't say. Things about her friends, things about people who'd already gone missing, things about her brother...
Annabeth took a breath in through her nose and tucked the gun into her own bag patting Thalia on the shoulder.
"Promise you'll teach me how to shoot?"
Thalia grinned, "Yeah, I'll teach you..." Her eyes grazed over the horizon, spotting their destination.
"Maybe a little sooner than you'd think."
They pulled up over a crest and spotted their destination over the hill.
Apollo's Family Ranch
Maybe once it was Apollo's Family Ranch. Now? It was Apollo's abandoned ranch.
The building was in a beautiful location, sitting just about a mile away from the foot of a tall rocky mountain. It was a simple, broad, brown rancher, with low hanging roofs that hung just a tad lower than they should've after years of rainy reasons. A partially covered horse pen sat off to the side of the building, with broad wooden sun shades lining the fence closest to the house.
It was a beautiful house on beautiful land, and who knew why it had been abandoned.
Well, Percy did. Floods drove them away years ago. But the last thing he needed was to blow his cover over 50 year old weather disasters.
Thalia pulled the truck up to the property, parking it and hopping out with the rest of the group close in tow. Annabeth and Nico made their way over tonthe overhang of the roof while Thalia grabbed her two bags of supplies out of Annabeth's truck while Percy pulled up next to them on his bike.
He slid off the cycle, kicking out the stand as he took a good long look at the building. His eyes glazed over a bit, and Thalia noticed.
"Been here before?" She asked.
He looked over at her, his face an emotionless stone wall.
"Never."
She held his gaze, before shoving one of her bags in his hands.
"Make yourself useful, cowboy."
He held the bag tight in his hand, "With pleasure."
They moved as a group over to the covered pens, setting up right below one of the awnings. Thalia wasted no time in droppig her bad and digging through it.
"Alright Percy, You say you're good at baseball, eh?"
The young man nodded, "I may or may not have done some little league."
Thalia tossed something over to him and he caught it without a second glance. It was a baseball bat. A simple, wooden baseball bat. He hefted the thing, feeling its weight in his hands as he lightly swung it to and fro. He turned back to Thalia, who had stuck a mitt on her hand and had plopped Annabeth's Yankees cap on her head, much to Annabeth's annoyance.
"Well?" The punk asked. Percy looked around.
"Well H'wat?" He replied, drawing a chuckle from Nico at his accent.
"Well move back. I'm tryna pitch the ball, not hand it to you." Thalia replied. Percy sighed, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and tossingit over a fence post before he walked out into the rain. The water soaked him, and pretty damn quick, but that didn't really matter. Wasn't like he could get cold anyway.
"This good?" He called, as he rested the bat on his shoulder.
"Yeah, that'll do!" Thalia called back. She tossed the ball up into the air, catching it as she tucked Annabeth's hat a bit tighter on her head. She looked back at her two friends, who were leaned up on the fence, and smiled.
"Think I'll strike him out?"
Annabeth shook her head, "Not a chance."
Thalia sighed as she turned to Percy, who had the bat hefted and was in position, "Thanks for the confidence, Annie."
The blonde smiled as Thalia got into position. She lifted the ball over her head, drew it back, and threw. It flew through the air, sailing straight as an arrow as it headed for the young man. Annabeth watched him, the whole time, and saw the smirk on his face when he swung and caught the ball on his bat perfectly. A little too perfectly. So perfectly that not only did the ball fire into the sky like a cannon, but the bat snapped in half, shattering partially into splinters.
It was a very quick turn of events. Percy watched as the bat broke, sighed very visually, and marched back over to the awning all while Nico tried not to laugh and Thalia tried not to wring the cowboys neck.
"Unbelievable..." She groaned, "Not only do you send my ball into orbit, but you break my damn bat, too."
"Yeah, sorry..." He said, handing the handle back to her. His eyes drifted over the broken bat, eyeing up the sharpened piece of wood with a handle that now sat in his hand. Thalia kept her eyes on him, watching his face as she took the bat.
"Don't like stakes?" She asked, snapping him form his thought. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he forced a smile.
"I'm not too fond of splinters."
She gently took the bat from him, "I'd imagine."
She sighed as she dropped her bat back in her bag and threw her hands up, "Well, that's all I had." She gestured to Percy, "You got anything?"
A small smile played at his lips as he walked back over to his bike and flipped open one of the saddle bags.
"That a yes?" Thalia asked.
He turned around and showed off what he'd grabbed. A gunslingers belt, bullets, and a pair of holstered nickel plated Colt Single Action Army revolvers. Complete with Ivory grips, after Percy had replaced those God awful pearl ones.
He walked back over to the group with a smile as Thalia eyed up his pistols. She let her eyes flick up to his.
"Where'd you get those from?"
Percy shrugged, shooting a glance at Nico.
"May or may not have swiped em off our blonde friend from the bar a few years back."
Nico smiled at that, "Think I can shoot em?"
Percy cocked his head from side to side, "I'll think about it."
Thalia cleared her throat, getting the young man's attention. Percy turned to her, meeting her gaze as she stared him down.
"You... really are a cowboy, aren't ya?"
He shrugged, slipping the belt around his waist as he started loading the revolvers.
"I'd say I am."
She shook her head, reaching down to pick up an old beer can off the ground.
"What say we test that theory?"
He grinned, slipping the now loaded revolvers in their holsters as he shot a look over his shoulder at Annabeth.
"You watching?"
She smiled at him, "With you? Always."
He let a grin beam over his face as he turned back to Thalia. He squinted, doing his best Clint Eastwood impression as he rolled his lipsnover his teeth.
"Alright, Tex'..." He said, wiggling his fingers over his pistol, "... send it."
She cocked her hand back and threw the can, sending it soaring into the sky. It flew for a few seconds, before Percy drew, cocked, and fired his pistol, getting off all six shots in rapid, hammer-fanning succession, blasting the can and sending it flying in a different direction.
The group watched as Percy turned back towards them, spinning the revolver on his finger before blowing the smoke off the barrel and holstering it. He shot a smirk at Thalia.
"See? Cowboy, through and through." He said, letting his gaze slip over to Annabeth, "...now all you need is to see me with a lasso."
The blonde girl laughed as a blush spread over her cheeks, all while Thalia sighed.
"Alright, Jackson. You're alright, and you get a pass for breaking Annie's poor heart..." She stepped up to him, pointing a finger in his face and doing a damn good job at intimidating him, despite him being the one with the loaded pistol, "...but it had better not happen again."
He took a deep breath, and glanced at the blonde.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
The words came out of him so gently that even Thalia had to smile at them. She cleared her throat, gaining her composure back in an instant.
"Well then..." She said, reaching over and plucking the loaded gun out of Percy's holster, "What say we do some more shooting then, cowboy?"
He sighed, watching as the girl grabbed a fistful of bullets from his belt as well and jammed them in her pocket, all while examining the gun.
"I'm guessing you've had practice?" He asked. She grinned.
"Plenty." She spun the revolver just as well as him.
He nodded at her, "Alright. Just don't shoot, like, coyotes or anything."
She scowled at that, and pretty hard too, "I'd shoot you before I ever shot a dog, Jackson."
Percy held his hands up as the punk marched her way over to the far fence, still enamored with his pistol. Percy pursed his lips and glanced at Nico, motioning the boy over, who beamed a smile as he jogged over to the two.
"Ever shot before, Nico?" Percy asked.
The boy shrugged, "Paintballs. At cans."
Percy nodded, pulling out his empty revolver, half cocking the hammer, and ejecting his shells, smoothly loading fresh rounds into each chamber as he eyed up the boy.
"Alright, well, it's the same basic concept." He tossed the revolver in the air, catching it by the barrel and handing it to nico, "...Sort of."
Nico nodded, gently taking the gun from his hands as Percy slipped behind him. He laid a hand on the boys shoulder and pointed at the can as Nico drew back the hammer.
"Line up the sights, front post between rear notches. Don't yank the trigger and don't hold your breath. Let it be a smooth, simple motion. Like it's an extension of you, like it was always there."
Nico listened intently, to every word he said, and let out a calm breath before he pulled the trigger.
A small plume of dirt exploded a few feet away from the can.
Nico sighed, holding the gun up over his shoulder, to which Percy took it with a chuckle.
"Don't get discouraged." He said, "When I was your age I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn."
"Well... thanks." Nico said, Percy smiled in return.
"Maybe Thalia can help you out better than I can."
Nico shook his head with a smile, "We both know you just wanna help Annabeth, Percy."
Percy froze, and rubbed his tattoo.
"Maybe I do."
"I know you do." A voice said right behind him.
He smiled as the blonde stepped in front of him, cracking her knuckles in front of her face.
"Alright." She said, "I'm ready to learn."
Percy took a breath, steadying himself as he ejected Nico's spent casing and loaded a fresh one.
"Have you ever shot before, miss Chase?" He asked her, to which she shook her head.
"No, but considering that advice you gave Nico, I get the feeling..." She reached over and slipped the revolver out of his hands, "...that you're a very good teacher."
He let a small smile slip through as he walked behind her, "I happen to be the best."
She hefted the gun, "Then teach away, cowboy."
He let his grin widen as he squared up behind her. He adjusted her posture, squaring her hips and positioning her arms. He leaned over her shoulder, talking into her ear as he helped guide her arms. She couldn't help the way her heartbeat raised as he got close and guided her motions.
"Remember, just like I told Nico. It's an extension of you. Point and shoot. Most of the act is just reflexes, anyway."
She nodded, taking a deep breath.
"And breathe." He added. She nodded, letting out a soft breath as to she pulled the trigger.
Making another plume of dirt fly up next to the can.
She sighed, putting the gun over her shoulder as Percy gently slid it from her grasp.
"Maybe the sights are off." He offered her, making her sigh and turn to him.
"Didn't seem to hinder your performance."
He pursed his lips and nodded, "True. But then again..." He cocked the hammer back, aimed at the can, and fired, sending it flying into the air. All without looking.
"...I've had lots of practice." He added with a grin.
She put her hands on her hips, shaking her head as she did so, "Didn't take you for a gun weirdo."
He let mock-hurt spread over his face, "I'm not a gun weirdo..." He spun his revolver and holstered it, "...I'm an antique firearm appreciator."
Annabeth smiled, "Y'know, Thalia would probably call herself that, too."
Percy shuddered as he looked over at the girl, who was laughing maniacally as she took pot shots at a horseshoe hanging off the fence, hitting it every time.
"No, I'd say Thalia's a gun weirdo..." He let a nervous gaze pass over Annabeth, "... but please don't tell her I said that."
Annabeth let out a small laugh at his tone, but it stopped as her smile fell and a question nestled itself into her mind.
"Percy... who is Zoe?"
His smile fell just as fast as hers. Not into a frown, but a look of thought. His mouth firmed into a straight line as his gaze seemed to look right through her, out into the infinite horizon behind the Ranch.
"She don't matter, Annabeth." He said, in a tone that was clearly forced, "She's... she's not..."
His words failed him, so Annabeth spoke her own.
"Percy, you can tell me..." She crossed her arms and let her gaze fall, "...even if I don't like the answer, this is clearly weighing down on your mind."
He stood there for a moment, that thousand yard stare of his having returned. He gazed off, into the wide open plains of the ranch as rain continued to pour down. His eyes floated, first over the land, then over to her. He took a deep breath.
"She... well I don't really know what we are." He ran his hand over the grip of his gun, "I've been with her for a long time, a real long time. It's been..." He closed his eyes, taking a moment before he continued, " It hasn't always been great, most of the time it ain't, but she... she's always been there for me. In one way or another."
Annabeth watched his face as he spoke, seeing how his eyes became writhe with thought at every word uttered. She didn't mean to, but she couldn't help let a frown grow over her face. She also couldn't help but let the next words she spoke come out.
"Is she your girlfriend then?" They dripped with hurt, despite how she tried to hide it, and Percy could tell.
"No." He replied, looking off into the distance, "...but I think she thinks she is..." His eyes glazed over as his brow furrowed. "... and sometimes, it's easier just to let her pretend."
The words should've hurt Annabeth, but the way he said them, the way they fell from his lips just about as hard as the monsoon came down, it was clear that whatever the two of them had, he wasn't 100 percent for it.
Percy sighed, drawing the gun and handing it to her.
"Y'know..." He said, a small smile spreading over his face, "If you wanna shoot me after that, I'd understand."
She took the gun from his grip and smiled, "Where you want it? I'm guessing the face?"
He pouted, running a hand over his chin, "Right in the money maker? You're cruel, Chase. Real damn cruel."
She shrugged, "Nah, I'd never shoot a friend."
He smiled at that, "Glad I'm still your friend."
I wish you were more, a voice in her head spoke, but she silenced it and cleared her throat, watching as Nico and Thalia came over.
"Nico's a natural." Thakia said as she watched the boy practice unloading the gun, "Percy, You just suck at teaching."
Percy sighed, reaching over to take the revolver from Nico and quickly clear the cylinder of cases.
"Guess I do." He glanced at Nico, "You a regular sharp shooter now? A modern day John Wayne?"
Nico shrugged, "I don't even know who that is, Percy."
Percy sighed, tucking the revolver back into his holster, before he pursed his lips and slowly redrew it, handing it to the boy.
Nico's eyes went wide as he lifted his hands up and Percy placed it in his grip. He looked up and met Percy's eyes.
"Are you serious?"
Percy shrugged, "You said it yourself, Nico. You're on your own. A lone Ranger. A wandering gun, if you will."
Nico waved his hand over his head, clearly mimicking what Percy's lines were doing. Percy sighed.
"I'm saying you told me your sister and parents... aren't here anymore." He let his gaze grow dark as he met Nico's, "And as much as I trust Rachel, I'd feel better if you were packing heat."
Nico let his own eyes darken at the mention of his family, before he smiled a bit.
"Sure you're okay with giving a kid a gun?"
"Yeah cuz you ain't no kid." Percy replied, "Plus it's poetic that Luke's gun ends up in your hands. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the one to put a slug in that prick."
Nico smiled at his words, but it left when the storm got a little heavier and lightning cracked through the sky.
"Alright," Thalia said, "I think that'd our cue to leave."
Percy nodded, leaning into the fence, "You guys head out, I'll catch up."
"You sure?" Annabeth asked, "It's easy to get lost, especially when it's dark."
He nodded, tapping his head, "I've got a good memory, uh... Annabelle?"
She softly punched his shoulder and he grinned as the group piled back into Annabeth's truck, waving to Percy as they left.
He waited until they were long gone before his smile faded.
He turned back to the horizon, looking out at fhe sky as the storm continued to rage around him. He thought about what he'd said to Annabeth, about Zoe.
Sometimes it's easier if I let her pretend.
The words hadn't felt right, and yet they hadn't felt wrong. It felt like he was lying about a lie, and yet being more honest than he'd ever been with Annabeth, and he didn't know how to feel about that.
He thought about telling her.
About just opening up and dumping out everything he'd been keeping secret. Just saying what he was and what Zoe was and what they'd been doing the last fifty years.
Then he'd remembered Annabeth was holding a gun, and it may not have had silver bullets in it, but still.
Bullets hurt.
He sighed, picking his jacket back up and slipping his belt off, tossing it back in the saddle bag as he mounted his bike. He considered following the group seeing if he could take it fast and catch up with them.
Then he remembered what Zoe had said in the morning, Well... hurry back cowboy. He hadn't, and there was probably hell to pay, so he decided on taking the old shortcut past the mountain, the one Thalia probably hadn't known about.
After all, Zoe was probably waiting, and he didn't like the idea of Annabeth getting home before he did and Zoe deciding enough was enough.
He cranked his bike and took off into the storm.