[1] 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 , p. jackson

xiii. roma gets stabbed ( again ) by hazel

CHAPTER THIRTEEN ───────────
✧₊˚｡({  ROMA GETS STABBED (AGAIN) BY HAZEL  })

" if i killed someone for you ALEC BENJAMIN "

{ PERCY }
JUNE 22ND, 2010
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WHEN ROMA COLLAPSES, PERCY IS quick to catch her before she falls onto Ella and causes the harpy to fall backwards. There is no back to the chariot so she'd probably fall out and take Frank with her.

          Percy lowers himself into a straight-legged sitting position, his back to the front of the chariot and Roma lying in between his legs. He wraps his arms around her stomach like a seatbelt to stop her from sliding off. Her head lies on his chest. She radiates warmth. Weirdly. And she's really short, he realises. Probably barely taller than Hazel. The fact makes him smile a little. She definitely hates being so short.

          The wind whips around them like a tornado. It's cold and stingy and he hopes this ride ends as quickly as it started because his thoughts are starting to drift to that girl. He'd━ He'd gotten someone impaled . . . He'd killed that girl. Yet, he doesn't feel as bad as he thought he would. As he should be.

      Maybe it's because they were on Otrera's side. The name leaves a sourness in his thoughts. She'd tortured Roma. Whatever had happened to her after he flooded the warehouse, he hopes it was painful.

      He swallows a lump in his throat. Roma would surely be disgusted with him for killing someone, even if it was by accident. She'd be disappointed.

He frowns for a moment. No, he doesn't think she'll be disappointed. That's not like Roma. Roma doesn't get disgusted or disappointed because of violence . . . Annabeth probably would. It was unnecessary of him to burst the pipes. They had already basically escaped. There was no point.

If it had been Annabeth here instead, Percy would've expected himself to apologise. But that would be a lie. He doesn't feel sorry. But he doesn't like lying to Annabeth either, not after what happened with . . . An image of a red-headed girl pops into his head. He'd been friends with her, he thinks. He doesn't remember her name, though.

He won't apologise to Roma, though. That he's sure of.

     Percy shifts his arms slightly and feels something wet on Roma's jacket. He frowns, pulling one arm away to find blood on his sleeve. His heart skips a beat and he glances at her hands, mostly covered by her jacket. He pulls the sleeve up to reveal her bloody hand. Panic spikes his emotions and he's quick to unzip her jacket. He finds the blood-soaked bandages instantly.