A/N: Soooooo sorry about the wait. I am way too busy right now to actually write, and I just can't seem to find any extra time anywhere. So, ya know, sorry.
And now, Watching From Afar, Chapter 3!
Luke could only marvel at the idiot hero's obvious love for Luke's blonde captive.
He had thought he was in love with Thalia. He now realized that whatever attraction he had to her could never be love.
Unless this particular example was just the most extreme case of love ever.
Which, looking closely, seemed completely possible. Any other person would have been insane to do this.
Percy's first crazy action was to try and follow the little group of heroes. That in itself was enough to place him in a psych ward. Not only were they going on one of the most dangerous quests in recent history, but he had been told explicitly not to follow by one of the most powerful beings on the planet—Lady Artemis, goddess of the hunt.
Of course, the fact that he had that extra protrusion on his body that half the human race doesn't would only serve to further anger the goddess, and she was temperamental enough as it was.
(Thunder rolls in the distance as I write those words)
Then there was the fact that he was simultaneously trailing a monster that had essentially defeated him. A manticore. Deadly beyond humanity's capability to imagine.
Actually, the manticore was probably the least dangerous thing he was trailing. The General, Atlas was far more dangerous. Like, on a scale of one to ten where the manticore was an eleven, Atlas was a one-hundred twenty-one. Probably not the best idea ever.
No shit Luke. Titan.
But the most dangerous idea was that they were rushing towards San Francisco, the most perilous place in the United States for a follower of Olympus.
Percy was not heading for certain death; he was heading for extreme pain, definite torture, probable breaking of spirit, and then agonizing death.
While Luke would have risked a lot for Thalia, he wouldn't have risked that…
Of course, once again, it wasn't surprising.
Based on the reports from Selena, the tension in the air when the Son of Poseidon and Daughter of Athena were within fifty feet of one another was enough to halt a top-speed stock car in its tracks. It was as if they thought that the strong feelings that they had toward the other were fear, suspicion, and dislike. But, at the same time, they recognized each other as best friends.
Talk about mixed emotions.
But the tension wasn't the only thing that was noticeable.
Selena spoke often of how Annabeth's eyes would glaze over when Percy's name was mentioned.
Or how Percy would stumble when he saw the color grey.
How Annabeth would be caught gazing intently at the sea, as if it were simultaneously the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and the most annoying inanimate object to ever cross her path.
How Percy would grin wider than the freaking Joker when Annabeth complimented him.
How Annabeth would turn a furious shade of red if Percy returned the favor.
How Percy would have to be held back from mauling someone who went even slightly too far insulting Annabeth.
How Annabeth would break through her friends and maul the person if they did the same to Percy.
How "Seaweed Brain" was said with the tone of "The-greatest-guy-to-have-ever-walked-the-earth".
How "Wise Girl" was said with the tone of "The-most-amazing-girl-ever-in-the-freaking-universe".
As Luke thought about it, he realized that while he was happy for Annabeth, the growing affection between the two heroes could prove to be a problem for him.
How so, you ask?
Well, as Luke saw it, Percy was on the path (or already there) to falling completely in love with Annabeth Chase. And if the guy was crazy enough to follow a group of heroes who really didn't want his company, if the guy was crazy enough to risk the wrath of Artemis, if the guy was crazy enough to chase after a freaking manticore, if the guy was crazy enough to tail the most powerful Titan, if they guy was crazy enough to go straight into enemy territory, all for this one girl, then what would the extremely, incredibly powerful demigod do to Luke if he caught him before the… transformation happened?
Best case scenario? Cut of his head within the first two seconds of seeing him.
Worst case? Well…
The River Styx suddenly sounded like a really good idea.
A/N: Maybe not the longest or best chapter/story/insert word here ever, but I am quickly discovering just how SLOOOOOOWLY this romance progressed. It's difficult to draw it out like this, especially when you're just kind of doing an overview of each book…
Oh well.
The next one will be nice and juicy.
Hehe.