𝑹𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 [𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]

11- Imperfect

Panic gripped my heart. There weren't any bullet holes that showed that the Rebels had harmed Percy. I rushed over to him. He effortlessly swung up from the ground, showing no signs that was in pain.

"You're bleeding." I stated plainly, staring at him in awe. Percy shrugged, then realised I wanted an explanation. He shook his head in refusal.

"Oh come on." I complained. "You said we were friends. I think I have a right to know what happened to you. Are you even as alright as you're showing? "

Percy sighed. "I'm fine. It's nothing. And, we are friends. I just don't want to expose you to something you don't want to be exposed to."

"If it helps you in any way, be sure that I'm totally on board." I said, slightly raising my voice and my feet so Percy and I were nose to nose.

His eyes begged me to drop the topic but I was adamant. I didn't know where my desire to help him came from, but it was there. I felt the force pulling at me, harder than ever, it wanted me to make sure he was happy. At at all costs. He nodded, though I could tell he didn't want to. I took the que and let my hand reach the collar of his shirt. I looked at Percy for approval once more and he nodded. Slowly, I unbuttoned his shirt. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One

I slid it off. Percy closed his eyes tightly.

His chest was clean, nothing. I was still holding his shirt in my hand. I dropped it, tracing my hand up his arm to his shoulder.

"Turn." My voice cracked. I knew there was something back there. Percy bit his lip and turned around. My lungs momentarily lost all capacity to function. Angry, bloody lashes were decorating the area between his shoulder blades. He had been struck in the same spot more than once, I could tell. Percy sunk to the ground, his knees on the cold hard tile. I went down with him, his breath was loud and shaky.

I put a hand to his shoulder. "Who did this?"

He turned, his hands slightly bloody. I could understand that he was in pain, but it wasn't as bad as I'd thought, either that or he had very high pain tolerance.

"He isn't what they all say. He didn't win any Selection, he was appointed, by whom, I don't know. He does this when I take a stand, for those who are inferior, for those who stand where they shouldn't. He does this to me to try and change me, erase beliefs of equality from my mind, he knows what I intend to do when I take the throne. "

A tear slipped from beneath his eyelids and he quickly wiped it away. My heart felt like it weighed a ton. A sixteen year old was going through so much. Percy was mere child, to say this was unfair would be a huge understatement.

"I know what you're thinking." he looked at me with red eyes. "You think of me as weak, that I fail to stop him. You know what, Annabeth? I do, but that doesn't mean I don't try. I'm sick, I'm tired of living like this, putting on a smile for the camera, for the Selected, for my mom. I'm tired, I want Illéa to know what he truly is. I want the country to know the monster who hides behind the mask of the king."

"I don't think of you as a coward. Far from it, I think of you as a hero, a just Prince, I think of you as a brave boy, but most all, I think of you as human. And no human, poor or rich, good or bad, should have to go what you do. Not for the cause you do, not for the well being of the country. No one has the heart, the courage to do what you do. No one." I assured, caressing his bare shoulder.

A tiny smile found it's way to Percy's lips. "The King has no shame. How could he put you through all of this? Gabriel Ugliano, second only to the Great King Kronos, he would be such a coward, I had no idea." I said angrily. Percy sighed deeply.

"Did you expect me to be prefect?" He asked, fiddling with his fingers.

"Yes." I said defiantly. "And I wasn't wrong, you know why? Because you may be imperfect, Percy, but that's what makes you prefect."

He was silent for a few minutes, as he absorbed my speech.

"Thank you for your kind words, Annabeth. Thank you for listening to me. It does help ease the emotional baggage." he told me, his voice croaky.

"You're my friend, Seaweed Brain. It pleases me that I'm able to ease things for you. Is there anything more that you would like to confide in me with?" I removed my hand.

Percy looked troubled, but nodded. "The Selection."

"That makes two of us." I said, rolling my eyes.

Percy laughed rather dryly at that. "For entirely different reasons, that's stands true." He accepted. "You first." He requested.

"There's not much to it. It's just this force that attracts me to this place, it makes me think and do things. Things I'd deemed impossible. It has an aura about it, it's intoxicating, sweet, like a serene harmony." I admitted to him. Even though I was still angry about Gabriel and his abusive habits, I was glad I had finally gotten him to open up to me.

"Your turn."

Percy took another deep breath. "Not in the present circumstance. I do plan on telling you later, though." he said, giving me his sarcastic smile. I rolled my eyes.

"Annabeth, can you please not tell anyone about..." Percy requested.

"Of course, your secret is safe with me. How do we get out?" I asked him, it had been hours since we had been stuck here.

Percy pulled his shirt back on. "We don't. The safe rooms only open from the outside. When the shit fest is over, the guards will let us out." Percy informed me.

"Clever." I complimented.

"My mother tends to be that smart. "

I smiled, he did love his mother alot. There was loud crack at the end of the tunnel, and stomping caused me to turn. Jason Grace emerged from the tunnel. He looked like a professional man, dutiful and honorable and everything, not at all frank with anyone.

BOY, were looks deceiving.

Jason shot straight through the room and hugged Percy. Since Jason was taller, it didn't look awkward when Percy slipped his arms under his cousin's.

"Holy shit, we thought you were dead. " Jason murmured into his brother's shoulder, Percy patted his back loudly.

"I'm fine." Jason pulled away and the two boys engaged in a complicated handshake.

Jason turned to me. "Lady Annabeth, Lady Piper and Reyna were worried sick."

I quirked an eyebrow. Jason blushed.

"Oh sorry. It's just that, Reyna and I have been best friends for years, I said that out of habit." Jason said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. I swiveled around to see Percy.

Percy threw his arms up in surrender. "It's her father. Julian just doesn't know when to stop, I don't even know why Bellona chose him. He sent Reyna to be in the Selection even though he knows she has feelings for someone else."

"I'm still confused." I complained as we began to climb into the tunnel again.

"Reyna will tell you herself. She trusts you alot." Jason informed, helping me out of the painting hole. I noticed Jason didn't question Percy's stained shirt.

"Jason, you go. I'll drop Annabeth off at her room, meet me at mine." Percy said.

Jason nodded and they did the wierd handshake again. I was expecting Percy to offer me his arm, but he did something else. He held out his hand.