The first time it happened, he wasn't ready. He was not prepared for the pain that wracked his heart or the shards that pierced his very soul.
She had been so easy to fall in love with, their similarities and competitiveness only endearing him further to her. When he was with her, he felt like he was soaring through the air, and metaphorical and literal shocks flew between them.
But as he watched silver eyes gaze into sky blue ones, his heart sank, freefalling through the sky. And when she finally offered her the position of lieutenant, she responded just as fast, unwittingly taking his heart with her.
Best friends or worst enemies? It seemed they both wanted neither, but his neither was different to her neither.
(She left him the prophecy as a parting gift, as if it would console him.)
His heart had ached weeks and months after that and even now, it was still recovering. He still felt sharp pains in his heart whenever he thought of her and when she was brought up. But he still had a job to do. A job she left you when she walked out, his brain bitterly reminded him. He ignored it, bottling it up, putting on the show everyone expected him to put on.
So when the second time his heart was broken, it wasn't any better. Ironically this time, it was his own decision. She had been the easiest to fall in love with, being saved and tended by her as he was on the brink of death. Her gentle caresses across his face still prominent in his mind.
But knowing this, he still left Ogygia despite his heart begging him not to. He reciprocated her feelings yet stepped foot on that raft, knowing he'd never come back. He said it was because of his personal loyalty, to Olympus, to his family, to his loved ones.
(But where was his loyalty to her?)
And at the climax of it all, his heart was broken yet once more.
By someone he had begun to grow feelings for, as they blossomed and developed throughout their adventures and journeys together. His oldest companion throughout all their quests. They had fought monsters, and Titans together, battled their greatest foes together.
But as he watched her comfort and cry over his broken body. He knew, he knew that it was all for naught. He knew that no matter what, she would never reciprocate, still hung up over the son of Hermes. To his credit, the son of Hermes, aware, sent him a sympathetic gaze even as he took his last breaths. But Percy was already broken and just smiled bitterly at the scene before him.
(Three is a magic number.)
After all the celebrations and theatrics, Percy finally got the peace and quiet he wanted as he sat all alone in his cabin. He'd be alone, likely forever. Percy couldn't answer the question his traitorous mind whispered to him. Why are you still here? His family was only in danger so long as he was around, and his friends, while probably deeply saddened would all eventually move on. He finally finished tying the knot, smiling wistfully about how he was such a seaweed brain as he fumbled with it. With a touch, the water he had collected formed into an ice block. The rope felt tight around his neck as he stepped onto the ice. Good, it's doing its purpose, he thought. He knew that once he melted the ice, there would be no going back.
He wondered if he was selfish, for abandoning his friends and family, but he was tired of it all, of being the hero, of being so damn selfless and loyal. He wondered how selfishness would suit him.
(They said that his loyalty would kill him, but it was ultimately selfishness.)
A/N: First creative writing piece and it's not great, but it is my steppingstone into the future. It kind of just seems like a pale imitation of CombatWombat14's writing, probably because it was inspired by it. Anyway, I'm far too used to writing structured concise analysis pieces for assignments so it's really short. Also OOC Percy lol.
