"We need a shroud," I announced, my voice cracking. "A shroud for the son of Hermes."

That was the beginning.

We burned Luke's shroud; a beautiful light blue silk cloth with grey, gold, and green embroidery- a sword, a scythe, a shoe, an apple. He would have hated it.

Hades informed us that Luke's soul would be allowed straight into Elysium. Thalia scowls, and it takes a sharp elbow to the ribs from me to stop her from saying something in front of a hopeful Hermes.

Hermes has a talk with me, and I can see the delicate hope in his eyes. I know mine mirrors his.

Then, Thanatos appears.

"I cannot find his soul."

The council is in uproar. The hope in Hermes' eyes shatter. The camp panics.

I felt numb.

"I believe that Kronos destroyed his soul as revenge. Perhaps it was too scarred from hosting a Titan and he went to Tartarus. Either way, I cannot find his soul." Thanatos lamented.

Either option was horrifying, and everyone pretended not to notice Hermes leaving, tears in his eyes, as he took Chris and the Stolls with him.

Perhaps that is when it truly began.

Because how could I tell them that I know exactly where his soul is?

"He's crying." Luke muttered, his face looking lost. "He's crying about me."

Luke, in all his dead glory, standing beside me; paler than I've ever seen him, but still looking alive. Alive yet dead. Blood was dripping down his ribs, dark stains on a black shirt that he wasn't wearing when he died.

"Of course he's crying," I mutter. "He loved you."

He gave me a look, as if I was speaking a foreign language to him.

I don't know how he's here, how Thanatos can't see him- how nobody can see him. He just… died, in my arms, and when I stepped back to tell the gods what happened, he was still in my arms.

Twelve hours since the war ended: twelve hours of what may either be my sanity breaking or the literal haunting of my regrets.

A small part of me is griping about not acknowledging hallucinations in case they get encouraged. Another part of me is insisting that not acknowledging lost ghosts is rude and I should be polite to the newly deceased. A major part of me is waiting until I'm off Olympus to freak out.

Luke, being either a very confusing hallucination or a very confused ghost, had been yelling at random gods and passer-bys to see if they'd notice him. None of them saw him, not even Hermes and Annabeth.

His most recent attempt to tackle Thanatos had failed miserably, leaving him sprawled on the floor.

"Why are you the only one able to see me?" Luke asked, "Even the gods…"

I shrugged, "You died in my arms; you get to haunt me."

He looked at me in disbelief.

oOo

"You're making a mistake!" Luke called, following me.

Annoyingly, I couldn't yell back at him because all the other campers would think I'm insane.

So, I stomped as hard as I could back to my cabin, looking liable to murder someone. Or, I suppose, recreate their murder.

"Dating Annabeth would just hurt you!" He insisted, "You two are too different: she's married to her work, you love kids, she has control issues, you want to stay out of the spotlight, she wants to get a phD, you want to have fun. It's never going to work out!"

"We just kissed. Once. Who says we're going to date?" I growled, slamming my cabin door open.

"That! That look on your faces! I've been a cabin counselor for years- I know what young demigods looking for a relationship to distract from all their trauma looks like!" He crossed his arms, an annoying spectre of disapproval.

"You were a counselor! And not a very good one considering you tried to kill me!" I spat back.

Great. My third kiss ever- second with Annabeth- and Luke was there to watch and yell at me for it. Being haunted sucks.

He reeled back, struck.

We don't bring up the whole 'betrayal and murder' thing; too many bad memories.

But I was frustrated and I was taking it out on him.

"And what do you even know about us, huh? You were hosting a Titan these past few years!" Snarling, I threw a pillow that passed harmlessly through him. "You're just jealous I can kiss her and you can't!"

"What?" He gaped, "She's my family, I don't want to kiss her!"

"Then why won't you leave me alone?" I screamed, turning on him with tears in my eyes. "You died, Luke! You're dead! And I'm the only one who can see you, and you keep acting like nothing is wrong and- ugh! I can't even tell if you're a hallucination or not! Leave me alone!"

I ran into my bathroom, jamming the door shut behind me even though I know he can pass right through it, and began to cry.

Two weeks.

Two weeks have passed since Luke died in my arms, and I feel like I'm going insane.

So many people- so many friends- are dead. Camp is still finding bodies. New shrouds are burnt every night. New demigods are arriving and getting claimed. And Luke is haunting my every living moment.

Despite being fully clothed, I let myself slip into the Poseidon Cabin's giant bath (the thing's more of a pool, actually), and let my salty tears disappear in the fresh, steaming hot water.

I wish someone else could see him. It's… it's too much for me.

I don't know how long I stayed in the bath, but after a long time, Luke comes after me.

He kneels beside the tub, his face an odd mix of apologetic and sympathetic. "I'm sorry," he mutters. "I just don't want either of you to get hurt."

I snorted, "It's a bit late for that."

"I know," his gaze is far away.

I grab his wrist, and give him a weak smile.

I hate that I can touch him.

oOo

"Can you read outloud?" Luke asked from where he lounged.

I turned to give him a light scowl, "You are perfectly capable of reading over my shoulder."

"Yes, but I want to hear your voice." He hummed pleasantly, "It's your favorite book- I want to hear it like you read it."

I blinked. Oh. That sounds… nice.

"Okay," I acquiesced. "Get comfortable." I told him.

His response was to flop down, head on my lap, with a cheeky grin. I flicked his nose.

"My father was a king and the son of kings. He was a short man, as most of us were, and built like a bull, all shoulders. He married my mother when she was fourteen and sworn by the priestess to be fruitful. It was a good match: she was an only child, and her father's fortune would go to her husband." I began to read, leaning back on my headboard.

After three chapters of The Song of Achilles, Luke was asleep.

After four, so was I.

oOo

"I told you so."

Unfortunately, yelling "Lukas Icarus Castellan, if you do not shut up I will kill you again!" is not a viable form of getting him to shut up as not only was Hermes here, but Annabeth too. I didn't want to get either of them to inquire about my mental health, so I kept my mouth shut.

Instead, I kept glaring at his too-smug form.

Bastard was far too happy about the fact that his prediction that Annabeth and I's relationship would not work out, and that I had forgotten our one month anniversary, and the fact that Hermes was taking us to Paris.

"Hope you kids enjoy the Eiffel Tower," Hermes winked. "I'll come pick you up in a few hours."

Luke laughed, "This is perfect. You're trying to break up with her and my dad takes you to the most romantic place in the world. Oh gods, I wish I had a camera!"

I flashed him a quick rude gesture from where Hermes and Annabeth can't see.

This is going to suck.

oOo

It sucked, it sucked so bad.

Annabeth was shocked that I was breaking up with her, even though I had great reasons why. (They were basically all the reasons Luke listed, but also the fact that we had gotten together because everyone expected it from us.) And she may or may not have taken it badly.

The waiter didn't ask for ID, and I knew what the french word for wine was.

Great. Drinking alone at Eiffel Tower, Annabeth somewhere down below in the streets of Paris.

For fuck's sake, did she really have to slap me and run off?

"Sorry Perce, I knew she would take it badly, but not by that much." Luke winced, sitting down next to me on the balcony's floor.

I shot him a glare, "Shut up."

He did.

We sat in silence as the sun rose.

"...Where's my dad? Did he forget he left you in a foreign country?" Luke spoke up, curious. "I mean, are we going to have to call your dad to come pick you up from a bad date? Man, that'll be awkward."

I choked on my wine, and laughed. "Gods, you're such a dick."

"Language," he said jokingly. "And yeah, I got a great dick, thanks."

I laughed harder. The wine must be getting to me.

"Uh, Percy?" I heard the confused tones of Hermes' voice. "Where's Annabeth and why are you drunk?"

"I think Athena took her home." I giggled, "And I think the waiter took pity on me when we broke up."

"...kid." Hermes' baffled face appeared as he knelt next to me. "You broke up with your girlfriend at the Eiffel Tower, on your anniversary?"

"I wasn't going to!" I protested, "I was gonna wait another few weeks, but then she started getting handsy and didn't listen when I told her I didn't like that, and I was done so I told her that it wasn't working and she slapped me and ran off!"

My voice became a bit of a whine, "I didn't say anything wrong! I was all respectful- I practiced in the mirror for this- and everything! 'We're different people,' 'I love you but as a friend,' 'Relationships started with shared trauma don't end well,' what did I say wrong? We've only been together for a month, why is she so upset?"

Hermes looked like he was trying not to laugh. Luke was laughing. Traitors.

"Well, have you considered the fact that some people don't like to hear the truth? And the fact that, maybe, she was more invested in this relationship than you were?" Hermes attempted to advise. "She'll calm down eventually. Until then though, I suggest you lay low, angry exes are nothing to shrug about."

I nodded morosely. Luke was bent over laughing.

"Shush," I told him, frowning.

Hermes' eyebrows shot up. "How much did you drink, kid? Don't talk the air, there's nobody there. Come on, let's get you home to your father, he can deal with this better than I can."

"But," I eyed the spot where Luke was. "He's right-"

"Uh-huh, I'm sure. Come on." He hoisted me up, making me feel dizzy and nearly throw up.

He didn't even notice Luke.

oOo

Dad was rather amused and disappointed to be handed his drunk son, who was crying about Luke not being seen and Annabeth breaking up with me (not that they could figure that out), and being told by Hermes that my first relationship ended badly.

Luckily, dad decided that the hangover was punishment enough. Unluckily, he decided that it meant I couldn't have it healed. I may be underwater, but it feels like I'm going to die of dehydration.

At least Triton and I finally found something in common?

"Hmph, of course all her spawn are just as bad as her! Hitting you…" Triton trailed off to undecipherable muttering.

I awkwardly nodded along, watching as dad hid his smile behind his cup and Amphitrite rolled her eyes.

Why are family dinners so awkward?

"This would be a great drinking game: take a shot everytime Triton insults Athena! We'd all die from Alcohol Poisoning," Luke smirked.

I want to hit him.

"Well," Dad interrupted Triton. "What I want to know is why and how you were in France in the first place?"

I scratched the back of my neck, "Hermes said he'd reward us with a romantic date if we did a mini-quest for him."

Dad raised an eyebrow, "What was the quest?"

"Just… uh… retrieve something for him. Nothing big," I lied, trying to evade the fact that Hermes' symbol of power got stolen.

"Right." Dad said, not convinced at all. "A quest and a bad breakup: is that all that led you to drink?"

'There's more,' I wanted to say. 'There's also the PTSD and the dreams and the fact that the guy who died in my arms is haunting me.'

"No," I said unconvincingly. "Nothing else."

I picked at my food.

Dad shared a concerned glance with Amphitrite over my head.

oOo

"'Cause I'm the son of a third generation farmer~ Been married ten years to the farmer's daughter~" Luke sang, slowly driving me insane.

"Lukas." I growled, "Sing another country song and I will kill you."

Luke made eye-contact, shit-eating grin on his face. "You already killed me. ~I'm a God fearin' hard working combine driver, hogging up the road with my p-p-p-plower~"

I turned and flopped on my bed, pulling my pillow over my head and letting out a straight scream.

Which, to my perfect luck, was the scene dad walked in when he came to tell me that my week in Atlantis was over.

"Percy? Are you feeling alright there bud?" Dad asked, alarmed.

"Uh, yeah, sorry… I, uh… Tired." I stammered, ignoring the son of Hermes' howls of laughter.

"Right." Dad eyed me, "If you say so."

oOo

"Mom!" I called, "Where's Paul?"

"Your mom is out, Perce. So is Paul, they left ten minutes ago." Luke informed me.

"Oh." I stared at the mirror with a bit of panic.

I could hear him from the other side of the bathroom door, "What's wrong?"

"Uh…" I hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

"Perce, it's okay, what's wrong?" He called soothingly.

With my face on fire, I let the door crack open a little bit, letting him know he can come in.

"I, uh, I don't know how to shave?" I said meekly.

Luke, thankfully, didn't even blink. "That's okay," He crooned. "I'll teach you."

Logically, I knew that with Camp being full of fatherless teens, Luke has probably stepped into that role and taught them how to deal with this a lot. But I still couldn't help the blush.

Luke had that look in his eye, one of sympathy, and I knew nobody had ever taught him or helped him with this.

"A man now," He joked. "Shaving and everything."

"Yeah right," I rolled my eyes.

oOo

"Do you only know country music?" I whined as Luke softly sang. "You're from Connecticut, why do you even like country?"

He gave me a look. "Mom was from Texas, she met Hermes at a country concert. We moved to Connecticut when I was a few months old, and I never went to school so I have the accent. Thalia used to tease me about it so I learnt how to hide it. And yeah, I like country music, why? What do you listen to?"

A bit off-put at him actually telling me something about his past, I stumbled a bit on my answer. "Um, I like punk? I like Mother Mother- they put out a new album this year. I also like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, uh, Lady Gaga?"

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Out of all of those, I only know MCR and that's because of Thalia."

"Huh, guess you missed a lot of stuff while you were in the army. I've got some songs off Limewire, let me play some." I said, moving over to my computer.

"And hey, you, don't you think that it's kinda cute, that I, died, right inside your arms tonight, That I, try, to escape the afterlife, That I, try, to get back in your arms alive."

He laughed, "Well isn't that ironic."

I huffed a laugh, "Guess so."

oOo

"Percy! Wake up!" Luke yelled.

I shot up in my bed, eyes wide.

Hera stood over me, hand outstretched towards my forehead.

I reached for Riptide, opened my mouth to yell, but a flash of light knocked me back out.

oOo

There's a sad person lingering at the edge of the Wolf House that Lupa doesn't acknowledge.

"Who are you?" I asked him, curious.

"Oh, Percy." He looked at me in pity, "I died in your arms, remember? I'm your ghost."

I don't remember.

oOo

"Your mother's name is Sally, her cookies are bright blue and they're so good I once saw my father fight you for one." He told me, lounging on the grass as I skinned a rabbit.

"Your father the god?"

"Yep, Hermes. He was dropping you back home after Ares stole you for a mini-quest." He confirmed.

"Can ghosts eat?" I asked.

"Not food," he shook his head. "You're the only thing I can touch."

His gaze was so piercing as he stared longingly at me that I blushed.

oOo

Carrying an old woman on my back as a ghost screams insults at her is not how I imagined my life to be like.

"Drop the hag in the Tiber! Let her drown!" Luke spat with so much vitriol that I nearly obeyed.

I'm not quite sure what the old lady did to earn so much hate from Luke, but it must be quite bad for him to repeatedly try to claw at her.

It was getting harder and harder to carry her.

"Fucking Roman Bitch! Kidnapping hag! You took his memories!"

That did make her nearly drop from my arms, but I caught her.

She's the person who took my memories from me?

"Percy! Drop the roman bitch!"

What does he mean by Roman?

oOo

"I-I know you." I scowled.

He raised an eyebrow, "Do you?"

Luke nodded, "That's your cousin, Nico. He likes to break into your apartment at midnight for snacks and I once watched you wrestle him for your mom's layered dip. The brat fought me once. Wonder what he's doing with the Romans?"

I nodded decisively. "I do- you're my baby cousin."

Nico looked like he might run away in panic.

oOo

I'm drowning. I'm drowning.

"Don't you dare die, Percy! Don't you dare!" Luke begged.

I didn't.

oOo

"I'm jealous, you know." Luke confessed.

I looked at him, taking in his defeated look. "Why?"

"You've always gotten everything I wanted. Your father acknowledges you and you're still alive to see it. You get the glorious quests that nobody has done before. Camp loves you and looks up to you, even when you were twelve. The gods respect and listen to you. And now, even the Romans follow you. I'm jealous, plain and simple."

"I'm sorry," I tried to tell him.

He smiled sadly, "Don't be sorry, it's a good thing."

oOo

"Get your hands off him!" Luke snarled.

I was still blinking up in shock, shoulder aching. Did Annabeth just Judo Flip me?

"Don't you ever leave me like that again!" She shouted.

I just laughed, "Okay Annabeth, you can get off me now."

She did and the Roman army stood down.

Well, that's one disaster averted.

"Percy! She dislocated your shoulder- no, don't move it!" He chided, rushing forward to help.

The other disaster is hearing Luke 'Mother-Hen' Castellan yell for the next three hours and I doubt I can avert that.

oOo

"Percy, stop male posturing with the feral roman puppy." Luke crossed his arms.

I shot him a glare, and Annabeth took the opportunity to sit down at the head of the table.

"You don't become the leader by being the Alpha, you become the leader by being a friend. Go talk to Leo, that kid will bend over backwards to feel like he fits in. Oh, and appeal to Piper's individualism, she likes to be different." Luke suggested.

I raised an eyebrow, mentally communicating the thought of 'Manipulation? Luke, see, this is why I killed you.'

"Yeah, yeah, that's not morally right… it worked on Silena and Ethan though, you know it did."

I sighed.

oOo

Luke caught my hand.

"Percy! Let her go, I can pull you up!" He pleaded.

I looked down at her. Could I let her die?

"Percy!" Luke begged, "This is not the time for your stupid Loyalty! Let her go!"

I turned to Nico instead. "Promise me…"

Luke closed his eyes. He jumped, not letting go of my hand.

Together, we wrapped our arms around each other.

Dying in each other's arms.

oOo

"Percy!" Annabeth begged, "Let her go!"

Luke's hand landed on my shoulder. "It's okay, Percy. It's okay."

I let Achlys go, slumping into Luke's arms.

"It's okay."

oOo

Luke slid into the elevator after us.

"You can do this, Perce. I believe in you." He crooned softly into my ear as we held the doors closed.

It's one of the hardest things I have ever done, but at least he was with me.

oOo

Despite the Doors of Death, the ghosts, Nico's summoning and so many other things, I'm still the only one who can see Luke.

"Why?" I asked the night air. "Luke… I feel like I'm going mad. Why am I the only one who can see you?"

"Perhaps you are the only one who can understand me," He shrugged. "After all, I died in your arms."

A tear slipped out of my eye. He leant forward to kiss it away.

oOo

I screamed.

The blade cut me down my face, eyebrow to cheek, and a drop of blood landed on the ground.

Luke was screaming.

Riptide was far away from me.

"Percy!" I could hear Annabeth yell, "Gaea has awoken!"

The blade rose up to kill me, stab me in the heart, and I was weaponless.

"Percy!" Luke called, and threw me my sword.

I blocked the strike.

Luke has never been able to touch anything before, yet he just tossed me my sword back.

I rejoined the fight.

oOo

Dead. Gaea is dead.

"You okay, Perce?" Luke asked, kneeling down next to me.

Despite all the Olympians, the Camps, my friends next to me- watching the gods try to bestow immortality on me once again- I smile at him.

"I'm okay, Luke."

"What? Percy, did you hit your head?" Annabeth hissed, moving forward.

Apollo was on his feet too, "Percy, Luke is dead, remember? Do you know what day it is?"

I closed my eyes as Luke kissed my forehead, tender and loving.

I let my powers holding back the blood from spilling, go. My hand, holding onto my ribs when I knelt at the Olympians feet, comes away red.

Someone screamed. Father was yelling. Apollo had his glowing hand outstretched to catch me as I fell backwards.

But I didn't fall. Luke caught me.

I heard more screams and gasps. They saw him.

"It's okay, Percy. I've got you." He told me, "I was waiting for you this entire time."

I smiled, my entire mouth tasted like copper.

"Hey Luke? Don't you think it's kind of cute that we died in each other's arms?" I asked him, stuttering and numb.

"Yes." He whispered when I reopened my eyes.

Thanatos had his hands outstretched to the both of us.

"And we can stay like that in Elysium. Together." He promised.

A/N

Another request from my friend! It was a Halloween Prompt of 'Ghosts listen to a random song from your playlist' and I got Arms Tonite by Mother Mother, so I put a little twist on it! Tell me if you liked it!