Chapter 27: The World She Wants

Falling Echoes Arc VII

The spot Nico had referred to wasn't much—just a shallow overhang carved into the side of a small hill. The ground beneath it was packed hard and was cool against the night air. Thin tendrils of moonlight filtered through the gaps in the surrounding trees, casting soft silver patterns across the uneven earth. It was quiet here, the stillness broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant chirp of crickets.

Thalia was lying next to Percy, her back pressing against the curve of the rocky wall. Percy's shoulder was against her, his head resting just near her arm. In the quiet of the summer night, their shared warmth cut through the crisp air.

Her eyes drifted to the open forest beyond the overhang, where Nico had disappeared into the shadows. Thalia couldn't see him, but she knew Nico was there—somewhere, keeping watch, silent as the night itself.

Percy moved slightly, and she felt the faint shift of his shoulder against hers. She opened her eyes, the faintest flicker of a smirk crossing her lips. "You're fidgeting," she muttered, her voice softened by the edge of sleep she couldn't seem to find.

"Sorry," Percy murmured back, his voice equally quiet. He shifted again, trying to ease the ache in his shoulder. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," she said softly. Her head tilted slightly, her hair brushing against his arm. "At least, I don't think you did."

A pause settled between them, the sounds of the forest filling the quiet. Thalia let the stillness stretch, her eyes half-closed as she listened to the soft rustle of leaves and the distant chirp of crickets. The weight of the moment pressed gently against her, comforting rather than heavy. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and unguarded, as if the quiet had coaxed the words out of her.

"I think about it sometimes," Thalia said softly. Her words were soft but deliberate.

Percy turned his head slightly to look at her. "Think about what?"

"If things had gone differently," she said softly. "If Artemis had chosen me instead of Annabeth to be her lieutenant." She paused, her lips pressing together briefly. "Maybe we wouldn't be here now. Maybe we wouldn't have to see camp destroyed, or know that Typhon is tearing through the country, or face the end of everything. Maybe I wouldn't have to carry the burden of the prophecy."

She felt Percy's attention, waiting for her to continue.

"But I think… No. I know. She made the right choice," She continued, her voice steady but thoughtful. "Because if it had been me—if I'd gone with Artemis—I wouldn't have met you. Not like this." She turned her head to look at him, her gaze soft but unwavering. "And that's not a world I'd want to live in."

Thalia exhaled, her voice dropping to barely a whisper. "I love you, Percy. And no matter what happens, I wouldn't change any of it. Not if it means losing this."

The quiet settled around them like the night itself. Percy didn't speak right away, but she didn't need him to. Instead, his arm slid around her shoulders, pulling her closer with an ease that felt as natural as breathing. She leaned into him without hesitation, the steady rise and fall of his chest grounding her in the moment. "Thalia," he finally murmured, his voice soft and steady. "I—"

"Don't ruin it," she said, her tone soft but carrying a hint of her usual bite. She shifted slightly, curling closer against his side. "Just… be here. That's all I want."

Percy let out a shaky laugh, his hand brushing against hers. "Alright," he said quietly. "I will."

Thalia's breathing began to even out, her body melting into his as the weight of the night eased from her shoulders. The steady warmth of Percy's arm around her and the quiet rhythm of his breath filled the space where her thoughts had once raced. The sounds of the forest blurred at the edges of her awareness, a faint hum against the calm that settled over her.

Sleep pulled her under slowly, but not before she felt the faint vibration of his voice, soft and steady, as though it were meant to follow her into her dreams. "I love you too."