A/N: I'd like to thank some of the people who helped me out: AlEmily360, SapphireTrafficker, tigerlilycorinne, AshenMoon42, Lesbian101, Shiuanc2, and LadyHW.
Annabeth wanted to bang her head on her desk. Repeatedly. Her eyes burned and she could feel her heartbeat in her head. She hadn't meant to stay up until two the night before, but she got caught up studying for her math midterm. It had helped her keep her mind off of things for a while, but now, sleepless and regretful, everything was coming back twofold. And now, as of thirty seconds ago, someone had begun to poke her arm. Repeatedly. Actually, at the same rate that she now wanted to bang her head against the desk.
"What?!" Annabeth snapped at the poker. Piper gave Annabeth a half-apologetic grin from her awkward position, laying on the library table.
"Your phone's been ringing," Piper said, pointing at Annabeth's phone, which was indeed ringing. "I think it's Dream Boy."
Annabeth rolled her eyes and picked up her phone. She was not thrilled that Piper started calling Percy the same nickname that Silena had called him. When she looked at the called ID she saw that it was indeed Percy.
Annabeth navigated her way out of the library, praying that Percy wouldn't get impatient and hang up. The ringing stopped as soon as she was outside. She called him back, holding the phone to her ear and listening to the drone of the dial tone.
"Hello?"
"You called me?" Annabeth said, perhaps a bit too aggressively.
"Yeah, I did," Percy said. She could practically feel his smirk and it made her want to throw her phone against the side of the building.
"And?" she said. No longer caring if she sounded near-violent.
"I got in touch with Nico, uh, my friend's boyfriend," Percy said like it was something Annabeth was supposed to understand.
"I—okay?" she said, annoyance ebbing into confusion.
Percy sighed, long and exaggerated. "Remember? The one who knows about the timers?"
Annabeth remembered their conversation from the week prior. "Oh, yeah. Do you have a time?"
"He said he can meet us tomorrow if we're up to it. What do you think?"
Annabeth had class tomorrow, but she was sure she could squeeze this in. "That could probably work. Do you think um-" She looked at her calendar, flicking through her classes. "-after four thirty-five?"
"That'll probably work, I'll text him." Percy paused for a second. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone shifting to worry.
Annabeth sighed and leaned against the side of the library building, letting herself slump down. "Yeah, I'm just—" Just… That word seemed to minimize everything she was feeling. Exhausted. Frustrated. Worried. She settled for "tired," since it was easier to understand.
Percy seemed to read into her pause. "Want me to bring you coffee?"
Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "I hate coffee."
"Yeah, but there's not that much caffeine in tea."
Annabeth rubbed her temples. The pounding was nearing a full-on migraine. "Just bring me a shot of straight adrenaline."
"To the source, very smart." Percy laughed. "I'll be right there."
Annabeth's protests were cut off when he ended the call. She stared at her dark screen before sliding to the ground and sitting in the dirt. She wanted to stay out here a little bit longer. The idea of leaving the fresh air and gentle light of the cloudy sky for the bright fluorescents and stuffy feeling of the campus library during midterms felt worse than death.
Her phone vibrated.
Percy- where are u?
Annabeth- library
Annabeth- but seriously, you don't need to
Percy- c u soon
Annabeth leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Despite the awful mood, she couldn't help the small smile on her face.
:::
"Are you asleep?"
Annabeth opened her eyes, squinting at Percy. He held out a Starbucks cup.
Taking it from him, she said, "Hazel's going to kill us when she finds out we still get our drinks from a- what does she call it?"
"Evil, faceless corporation," Percy said, bending down to sit next to her. He didn't seem to mind or even notice the dirt. "I'm actually thinking of working there. They've got a job opening."
"Really?" Annabeth asked, raising her eyebrows. "What if they steal your face?"
Percy just laughed, taking a drink from his own cup. "That'll do the world a great disservice."
She knocked into him with her shoulder, sending him tipping to the left. She couldn't say she disagreed, but he didn't need to know that. She took a sip from her drink and flinched at the taste of bitter black tea. "This isn't what I asked for," she said, taking another sip once she got used to it.
"Sorry, I stopped by the bio department, but they said they reserve the pure adrenaline for finals week. So I got the next best thing."
"Three tea bags," Annabeth said, looking under the lid of her drink. "Thank you."
Percy smiled, knocking his sneakered feet with hers. "No problem."
"No, seriously. Thanks." She was already starting to get her energy back. Maybe when she finished this she'd be ready for another round of studying. Speaking of which— "Don't you have a class right now?"
Percy shrugged. "Skipped it."
"For me?" Annabeth asked before she could stop herself. Percy just shrugged again, sheepishly.
"So…" he said, voice serious.
"So," Annabeth repeated, purposefully obstinate.
"How are you doing? You okay?" Percy asked.
Annabeth sighed, folding her legs up to her chest and resting her head on her knees. She understood what Silena had said before she'd left. The question felt so redundant—just wait five minutes and the answer was bound to change. "Sometimes," she said, truthfully.
Percy seemed to understand. He pulled his knee up, leaning against it, half copying her position. "How are things with Silena?"
"Bad," Annabeth said. Percy grimaced. "Sorry, there's no sugar-coating it. She's still staying with her family and she won't respond to any of my texts."
"I'm sure it's just really hard for her," Percy said.
"Yeah, I know it is." Annabeth looked down at her chipped nail polish. "I just wish I knew how she was feeling. And I really miss her."
"How long have you been friends?"
Annabeth thought back. "Not long at all. Beginning of the summer maybe? I responded to her roommate ad."
"Oh, wow. So, really not long. You seem so close."
Annabeth just shrugged, heart squeezing painfully. "Silena's just like that. She's a really devoted friend." She heard her voice catch and swallowed another bitter swig of tea. Percy placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, letting it rest there. "I just really miss her."
Percy hummed. "She'll be back."
Annabeth sniffed. She thought of the empty bed—still unmade, the half-bare desk, and the place where Beckendorf's picture used to be. "I know. I just hate going back to our room. It feels so empty when she's not there."
"Maybe you should stay somewhere else for a little bit," Percy suggested.
Annabeth stared across the green at two girls walking on the other side of the quad. "Yeah, maybe." She remembered Piper, still inside the library waiting for her. "Shit."
"What?" Percy asked, eyebrows raised at her change in tone.
"Piper's waiting for me in the library." Annabeth scrambled up from the dirt, losing her balance and pitching precariously to the side. Percy caught her arm and steadied her.
He brushed dirt from his jeans and drained his coffee cup. "You should probably head back in then."
"Yeah, I probably should." Annabeth hesitated, standing still for a second.
Percy gave her a quizzical look but brushed it off. "Tomorrow, five pm. We can meet here?"
It took a second for his words to process. "Oh yeah, your friend's boyfriend. Here is fine."
Percy gave her a quick grin. "Great. I'll see you then Wise Girl. Take care of yourself." He started to stroll away, but Annabeth called out to him.
"Wait!" she said. He turned to her, green eyes wide and smile fading from his face. "Thank you." Annabeth tried to put every ounce of sincerity she had behind the words. Percy had not only brought her some (honestly disgusting) tea, but he'd also offered his metaphorical shoulder to cry on. And he never expected anything in return.
His eyes crinkled with his smile and he nodded. "Anytime."
:::
If Piper asked, her cheeks were pink from the cold.
Annabeth walked back into the library, back to her table, and, thankfully, Piper, who was still clacking away at her keyboard.
"You were out there for a while." Piper grinned. "Exciting conversation?"
"Enthralling," Annabeth deadpanned.
"So what's going on between you two?" Piper asked, finally looking away from her screen.
Annabeth huffed and sank into her seat, pulling off her coat. "Nothing. If you remember, I already have a boyfriend."
Piper scoffed. "Barely."
Annabeth couldn't argue with that. "Seriously, nothing," she said, leveling a sharp look at Piper.
Piper held her hands up. I surrender. "Okay, okay. If something were happening though—" Annabeth gave her another sharp look, "—which they're not—but if they were… I'd just say be careful."
That hadn't been what Annabeth expected. "With what?" she said, cursing the words as they left her mouth.
"Well, boyfriend—dictator...you're still with Luke. So morally...that's not great. And we already know that Luke's the jealous type."
Annabeth winced, remembering Percy's bruised face and split lip. That was true…
"And Percy being...who he is to you," Piper gave Annabeth's covered timer a pointed look. "Things could get very messy very fast."
Annabeth considered what Piper said. She wasn't wrong—at all. But as far as Annabeth was concerned, it wasn't relevant and she wouldn't let it be relevant. Percy was a great friend and Annabeth couldn't deny the magnetism between them, but he had to remain just that—a friend. And dictator or not, she couldn't hurt Luke like that.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about," she told Piper, who seemed unconvinced.
"Okay," Piper said slowly. "I just wanted to get that out there."
Piper meant well, she always meant well, but Annabeth knew what she was doing. She could handle herself.
"Thanks, Piper," she said, trying to remember what she had wanted to ask her. "Hey, do you think I could stay with you tonight?"
Piper's eyes softened in understanding. "Of course. You don't even have to ask."
:::
Annabeth pushed a pair of sweats into her backpack. She was grateful to be leaving the dorm, if only for a night or two. There was something suffocating about it. The night cast blue shadows on the wall and the darkness washed everything monochrome. The colors that had been there before were being leached out, and the tiny room felt more like a cinder block box than ever before.
She threw her toothbrush in her bag and texted Piper to let her know that she was coming over. She looked back at her room once more before closing the door, her shadow a lone figure cast across the floor. She hoped the next time she stood here, Silena would be back.
When she reached Piper's apartement, and knocked on the door, she was surprised when a boy with short blonde hair opened it. For a moment, Annabeth thought it was Luke, and a shot of unwarranted panic shot through her chest. But Luke didn't wear gold wired frames.
"Hey, Jason," Annabeth said. She'd only met Jason twice before, but with how much Piper talked about him, he felt like a long time acquaintance.
"Hey Annabeth," he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I was actually just heading out." He pointed to the hallway past her and Annabeth moved out of the way.
"Okay, well, it was good seeing you," she said.
"You too."
Piper appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame. "I thought I heard you," she said to Annabeth, who smiled back at her.
"Bye Pipes." Jason leaned in and gave Piper a quick peck. Her eyes glittered as he walked down the hall, turning around to wave before disappearing behind the corner.
They stood in silence before Piper said, "You don't have to stand in the hallway. You can come in." She walked into her dim apartment and Annabeth followed her.
"He's got really good...posture," Annabeth commented.
Piper beamed. "He does, doesn't he."
Annabeth found a seat on Piper's couch, sinking into the floral cushions.
"And you really like him," Annabeth pointed out.
Piper sighed contentedly. "I do."
Annabeth considered whether she should say her next words for a second, before deciding yes, she should. It was Piper-—she could tell her anything. "I thought he was Luke for a second."
Piper frowned as she caught onto Annabeth's tone. "I guess I could see that. If I squint." Annabeth let the silence hang in the air as she waited for Piper's line of questioning. "So...what's going on with that?"
"I think it's over."
"Yeah?" Piper encouraged.
"It's been over for a while," Annabeth admitted. "You were right. Silena was right. It was unhealthy."
Piper put a comforting hand on Annabeth's knee. "You know we didn't want to be right."
Annabeth nodded. "I know," she said. "I should've seen it though. It's not right to dread going to see him. I shouldn't want to ignore texts from him. Do you know how I felt for that split second I thought Jason was Luke?"
Piper shook her head.
"Panic." Annabeth felt humiliated by the fact that it had taken her this long to see the relationship was toxic.
"So what are you going to do?" Piper asked her. Annabeth searched for judgment in her eyes but found none.
"Break up with him, I guess," she said. She hadn't really thought about it yet. She was just coming to terms with the fact that someone who was once an integral part of her life now felt like a weight on her shoulders.
"I think that's a good idea. Are you going to do it when he gets back?"
"Yeah, but don't tell anyone," Annabeth said.
Piper gave her a puzzled look. "Why would I tell anyone?"
Annabeth shook her head. "No, I—didn't think you would, it's just...I feel like he always knows what I'm going to do before I do it. Or he knows what I've done." Annabeth could tell she sounded paranoid, but she thought back on all of Luke's little comments the past few months.
Piper put her hair up, several strands falling from the ponytail and into her face. She meant business. "Annabeth, what makes you say that?" she asked soothingly.
Annabeth tried not to feel patronized. Piper didn't mean it like that—she was just trying to be helpful. "I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like he's watching me all the time."
"You know, a lot of times people who have been—" Piper paused, sidestepping around the word, "—mistreated can feel that way."
Annabeth shook her head again. "No, I know that. It's not like...like, he'll say things. Little comments that show he knows where I've been. He knew I went to the aquarium with Percy even though I never told him."
"When did you go to the aquarium with Percy?" Piper asked.
Annabeth ignored her. "It's like fucking...Big Brother."
"The show?"
"I was thinking about the book, but sure. That works too." Annabeth tried to gauge whether or not Piper believed her or thought she needed therapy. I probably do need therapy, Annabeth thought.
"That seems like...kind of a stretch," Piper said. "But Luke is...a lot. I may not have believed you before, but now... that sounds really creepy."
Annabeth nodded solemnly.
"Percy doesn't have anything to do with this, right?" Piper asked.
"No!" Annabeth spluttered. "I mean maybe."
Piper raised her eyebrow.
"Not like that," Annabeth argued. "More like... how Luke treated Percy. I don't want to be with that kind of person."
"Okay, I just wanted to make sure," Piper said, putting her hands up defensively. "I think you're making the right choice. I know it's a hard one."
It was a hard one. A part of Annabeth, a big part, wanted to cling to Luke and everything he represented. But clinging to Luke would be like clinging to the past and she didn't want to do that anymore. She loved him and she doubted that would ever stop, but the love shared between them had transmuted into something ugly. It was a remnant of a painful time, but now it was time to move on.
Either love is...a shrine? Or else a scar. She didn't remember where she had read that.
Annabeth let Piper put on a movie from her endless collection of DVDs and allowed her mind to wander to less painful things.
:::
"How'd you sleep?" Percy asked, glancing at Annabeth from the side. There was a light behind his head, glowing orange and turned down to illuminate the names on an apartment buzzer. The light cast a halo around his head and caught on the tips of his dark hair, turning them honey brown.
They stood outside a nondescript brick building with a small sign that read "No Solicitors" in bold, loopy writing, underneath a concrete awning. A bare tree cast an odd shadow over the wooden door and rattled in the wind. Annabeth shivered.
"Just fine, thanks," Annabeth quickly said. A crow cawed loudly behind her, making her jump.
"Good. Guess you should take my advice more often." He bent down to inspect the labels on a buzzer, tracing one with his finger until it landed on the words "Solace/Di Angelo." He pressed the buzzer.
"Nice try, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, shifting from one foot to the other as they waited for a response. It was the first properly cold day of autumn and she hadn't dressed for it. She glanced at Percy's warm scarf jealously—it was blue, of course.
The door's lock clanked, and Percy quickly shoved it open. He held it for her as she walked into the foyer.
They went up a flight of stairs and down the hall before being met by a smiling boy with curly blonde hair, already holding a door open.
"Hey, Will!" Percy greeted, pulling him into an overly masculine handshake. Annabeth watched uncomfortably from the side—she was never very good at first meetings. "Oh, Will, this is Annabeth," Percy said, gently pulling her forward.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you," Annabeth said politely.
"Likewise," Will said, still smiling. "I've heard a lot about you."
Before Annabeth had time to consider this, Will was motioning them in with a suntanned arm.
"So, is Nico here yet?" Percy asked, looking around. The apartment was well lit, with large, north facing windows. It was comfortably messy, with mismatched furniture and clusters of books of all types lying around. Small planters lined the window, filled with various plants Annabeth couldn't identify. It was cozy and homey. Annabeth instantly relaxed.
Will was pointing Percy in the direction of the kitchen, which was apparently where his boyfriend was currently located.
"Thanks, Will," Percy said, clapping him on the back. "Means a lot." He grinned at Annabeth and she smiled tentatively back.
"No problem. I'm gonna be in my room, so just yell if you need me."
Annabeth followed Percy into the kitchen, which was also well lit and decorated with propagating plants. Against the counter, a short boy dressed in all black leaned against the counter, eating a cup of yogurt. He seemed out of place in the brightly lit apartment, all pallid olive skin and overgrown black hair.
"Hey, Nico," Percy said. There was a waver to his voice that hadn't been there before.
Nico nodded to him, licking his spoon clean and setting it down. "Percy," he acknowledged. His dark eyes flicked to Annabeth and he held her under a scrutinizing gaze. He glanced down at her timer for a second and Annabeth panicked before remembering who she was with.
"So," he continued. "You want to know more about timers."
Percy nodded. "Yep," he said, popping his "p".
"How come?" Nico asked. "Why do you want to know more?"
Percy nervously pushed his hair off his forehead. He glanced at Annabeth before saying "Just general curiosity, I guess."
Nico glanced at Annabeth and then back at her timer. His face didn't communicate any particular emotion, which made him all the more unnerving. She could understand why Percy seemed so nervous. She had a hard time reconciling the image of easygoing, sunshiny Will and the cool and kind of...creepy boy in front of them.
"I see," Nico said slowly. He set down his spoon and his empty yogurt cup. "I think we'll be more comfortable in the living room."
They followed him into the living room, where he curled up against the arms of a low couch. Percy sat stiffly beside him and Annabeth chose a blue armchair, moving a stack of biology textbooks off of the seat before sitting down.
"So what do you want to know?" Nico looked towards Annabeth, even though Percy was the one who'd done all the talking so far. She cleared her throat.
"We wanted to know more about the timers. Specifically, malfunctions." She kept her voice steady, unwilling to show her apprehension.
Nico brought a yellow blanket over his legs, somewhat dampening his creepy effect. "Any particular reason?"
Annabeth looked at Percy and back to Nico. "General curiosity."
He smiled back at her conspiratorially. "Fair enough. I'll try to help where I can."
"Thanks," Percy said, smiling at Nico warmly, seeming to relax.
"Okay," Annabeth said, leaning forward and resting her forearms on her knees. "What are the different kinds of timer malfunctions?"
"Well, there's a lot. I mean, some of them are really rare, like your timer changing all of the time, and then some of them are very common."
"Could you tell us about the more common ones?"
Nico took a second to think. "I think the most common one is when something happens and your life suddenly shortens according to your timer. That usually occurs when something super unexpected happens, or there's a change in decision."
"Like, someone decides not to die?" Percy asked incredulously.
"Or to die," Nico said. "Or to kill."
Percy's expression went back to being uncomfortable.
Annabeth shifted in her seat uneasily. "What are the other common malfunctions?"
"Some people's timers stop, but they just keep living. And then there's when you're born with a zeroed out timer." Annabeth thought about Hazel and the ever mysterious Calypso. If she already knew two people with these malfunctions, then how common were they really?
Nico was still listing malfunctions. "Most people just think that that happens when they put an already broken timer on the baby. And then there is when your timer changes to give you a longer life instead of a shorter one. And there is—"
"Wait!" Annabeth said, a little too loudly. "Um, you said it could make someone's life longer?" She tried not to squirm under the inquisitive gazes of Percy and Nico.
"Okay. There's not much really known about why it happens. Some people think it is because something happens in your life that would stop your death in the future. But I don't see why that would—"
"Would meeting a person do that?" Annabeth interrupted. Percy kept staring at her weirdly, but Annabeth supposed she was acting oddly.
"Yeah. I guess it could." Nico said, considering. "Maybe if the person was going to save you in the future or something. It's hard to say."
"Wait, but wouldn't the timer know that already? Like they know the other stuff." Percy said.
"Well, yes and no. Timers don't really "know" anything—they just work in probabilities. Most people don't notice because they're not staring at their timers all the time, but small changes happen all the time."
"They do?" Annabeth asked.
"Sure, just like a few seconds more or less. Little recalculations, nothing noticeable," Nico explained. "If timers 'knew' everything, we wouldn't have these malfunctions to begin with."
"Then why have them at all?" Percy took the words from her mouth.
Nico shrugged. "That's the big question. Security. Knowledge. Money. People like to know when bad things happen before they do and companies like to profit."
"That's kind of cynical," Annabeth said. Percy nodded.
"It's the truth." Nico looked so small under the yellow blanket and shrouded in the evening light. But his expressions seemed mature, perhaps too old for his age. Too tired and knowing.
"How do you know all of this?" she asked, suddenly realizing she knew very little about him.
"Major in funeral science paired with a particular interest," he answered, face hardening. Annabeth hadn't even known funeral science was a major, but she decided not to press.
Percy glanced at his watch. "Oh, damn. I've got to go." He stood up, stepping towards Nico and reaching out before deciding against it. He grinned cheekily. "Thanks, Neeks."
Nico blushed and looked away. "No problem," he mumbled.
"You coming?" Percy was waiting for Annabeth, but Annabeth had more questions, questions she didn't want Percy to hear.
"You go ahead. I actually have a few more questions."
Percy hesitated before shrugging. "Okay. See you in class." He yelled out "Bye Will!" and left.
Annabeth waited for the door to close behind him before turning to Nico.
"I have a few more questions if you don't mind," she started.
Nico nodded, shifting his position to lean closer to her. His voice lowered, which she appreciated. "I figured. Your timer, right?"
Annabeth tried not to feel unnerved by how easily he read her. "Yeah, it's—"
"Longer," he interrupted. There was something in his eyes, a glimmer of excited interest that hadn't been there before.
"Yeah," she admitted. She held out her wrist and he leaned forward off the couch.
"It looks normal." He frowned.
She yanked her arm back and looked down at it. The numbers she'd grown accustomed to only when Percy was around remained on her countdown. It had never lasted so long—maybe a minute after he was gone, or several. She tried not to let herself hope it would stick this time.
She put her arm back out and Nico observed it again, with less interest than before.
"Just wait," she told him.
His eyes widened as the numbers changed until they were back to her original time.
"Wow," he said, sounding breathless. Annabeth waited. "When is that? July?"
"The twelfth," she confirmed. She neglected to specify the other importance of the date.
"I'm sorry," he said, sounding genuine. Annabeth softened.
"I've accepted it," she said, realizing her automatic answer was no longer the truth.
"Until…" Nico said.
She sighed. "Until."
"So what—" he paused and Annabeth could almost see the gears turning in his head. "No...Percy?"
She was vaguely impressed how fast he'd figured it out. "Yeah, but only when I'm with him."
"And a little bit afterward."
"Apparently."
"Does he know?" Nico's eyebrows drew together in concern. Concern over me or concern over Percy? Percy had described Nico as "his friend's boyfriend," but Annabeth wondered what the extent of their relationship really was.
"No, he doesn't."
"Are you going to tell him?"
Annabeth hesitated to answer. "Yes. No." She shook her head. "I don't know yet."
"You should probably figure that out."
"But, why—why do you think this is happening?" she asked him. She was desperate for a concrete answer, but the look on his face told her that he couldn't give her one.
"I have no idea. Maybe it's because he could save you, but he's not a sure thing in your life yet." Annabeth felt vaguely disappointed.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more. I just haven't come across that in any of my studies." Nico said, clearly mystified. He was obviously curious, but he didn't press her for more information.
"Hey, did Percy leave?" Will stuck his head out from the hallway, still smiling—Annabeth wondered if he'd ever stopped.
Nico's face relaxed and he smiled. She hadn't even realized he was tense before. "Yeah, he left a little bit ago." He held Will's eyes over his shoulder and they seemed to have a silent argument.
Apparently, Will won. "Hey Annabeth, do you want to stay for dinner? I'm making pasta."
As good as homemade food sounded, Annabeth turned him down, seeing Nico's scowling face. "I think I should probably get back soon. My roommate will be waiting for me," she lied.
"Okay!" Will said, unperturbed.
Annabeth stood up and gathered her stuff, putting on her coat. Nico got up as well, walking over to Will and letting him rest his arm around his shoulder.
"Thank you," Annabeth said to Nico. "Really."
Nico nodded and smiled. She hadn't realized before that he had freckles dotting his olive skin. Maybe he's not so creepy after all.
"You can come back any time," Will said. "A friend of Percy's is a friend of ours."
Annabeth looked to Nico. He nodded again. "Anytime," he agreed.
A/N: Poem fragment from Poem of the End: V, by Marina Tsvetaeva
