cymophobia | percy jackson

𝑥𝑖, aka the gang crashes grover's wedding

As the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, the island of the Sirens disappeared behind them. By the time the morning fog fully burned away, it was almost as if it had never existed. The three demigods, however, would never forget that wasn't true.

Having finally removed his earplugs, Percy came to sit cautiously by his two friends, relieved to see they looked better. Annabeth had regained some color and was no longer shaking, while a bit of life had returned to Ash's expression.

"You guys okay?" he asked, immediately realizing how lame that sounded.

"I didn't realize how powerful the temptation would be," Annabeth muttered, half ignoring him while turning to Ash. "How... I mean you just... how in the world did you overcome it?"

Ash's eyes darkened. "I knew what they showed me could never come true. Not as long as I'm alive."

Annabeth sighed deeply. "I think I figured it out. What the Sirens taught me. My fatal flaw is hubris."

"That brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches?" Percy asked.

The blonde girl rolled her eyes. "No, Seaweed Brain. That's hummus. Hubris is worse."

"What could be worse than hummus?" Ash asked. Percy gave her a half-smile, it was a good sign she was being playful.

"Hubris means deadly pride. Thinking you can do things better than anyone else... even the gods."

"I saw the way you rebuilt Manhattan," Percy blurted out. "And Luke and your parents."

"You did?" Annabeth asked miserably and Ash gave her a sympathetic look.

"What Luke said to you back on the Princess Andromeda, about starting the world from scratch... that really got to you, huh?"

The daughter of Athena took a sharp breath. "Yeah, I guess. That's hubris, which is also maybe why I couldn't snap out of it like Ash. I guess I genuinely believe I could do that and succeed. Run the world, I mean. Do you ever feel that way?"

"Honestly, me running the world would kind of be a nightmare," Percy responded honestly.

"Ditto," Ash shrugged.

Annabeth laughed a little at her two friends. "Well, at least we know your fatal flaw isn't pride, then. Ash, what did you see?"

The girl in question tensed up, looking down at her hands which were now balled into fists. "I, uh... I just saw everyone I love happy, you know?"

Percy and Annabeth looked at her with confusion in their eyes. Ash continued without meeting their gazes. "I mean, like, the happiest they ever could be. Perfectly content, safe, successful..."

Percy frowned deeply. "But you said that couldn't happen, not as long as you were..."

"It included my mom," Ash cut him off. "That's how I knew it couldn't be real."

Looking out at the water, Ash concentrated on the feeling of her nails digging into the palms of her hands as a method to regulate the emotions still roiling inside her. And to ignore the looks she was getting from Annabeth and Percy. She couldn't bring herself to look them in the eye. How was she supposed to say that she'd also seen the two of them holding hands, laughing together at some beautiful sunny college in California? How was she supposed to say that none of the happy futures for the people she loved seemed to include her?

So what does that say about me? she thought. I undervalue myself? I need to think about myself more?  Or the other side of the spectrum, I value others more than myself? I don't exactly see that as a flaw, though... What if my fatal flaw is that I'll never make those I love happy?