Hidden Wisdom and Wizards || PJO x HP

Chapter 28: Monster

Annabeth stared at Psyche. "So what? You're saying my husband is soulless?"

"No. Not yet, anyways."

The puzzle began to slowly take form in Annabeth's mind. "He's seeing-- we're seeing-- our friends, because those are the pieces that are left. Those are the ones weighing the most on our souls."

Psyche nodded. "The string is running low for you and Perseus. Unless you reverse it soon, the string will be cut."

~~~

Percy 's mind was running faster than he ever has. "You... what? Are you okay? When? How? What'd she say?"

Annabeth let Percy run through everything before responding. When she was sure he was done asking the 5 W's, she answered. "I was stressed and needed a break, so I apparated to some cafe. She approached me."

Percy waited. He knew better than to interrupt her with more questions.

Annabeth's eyes began to water around the edges. "She said you're losing your soul  Percy. Her visits are warnings. She said there's an upcoming war, that the fates are close to cutting our strings." With every word, Percy's heart sank; but the one that caused it to freeze, was the last thing Annabeth said: "I don't know what you're doing, but whatever it is, she said if you continue down this path it's over."

A small tear slid down Annabeth's cheek. She felt like she was pleading with the love of her life to step off the edge of a-- she shook her head. 

"Is that all she said?" Percy asked, in a shockingly calm voice. Annabeth was taken aback by his lack of visible reaction. 

"She said you're seeing our dead friends because those are the parts of your soul left. The impressions they've left on you are having as much weight as the rest of yourself."

"Now that actually makes sense," Jason piped up from behind Percy. These run ins didn't even startle him anymore. 

Percy rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "You guess what?"

He shrugged. "Jason's right. Makes sense I guess."

Before Annabeth acted on her urge to slap the hallucination of Jason out of Percy's head, she took a deep breath. "We need to figure out how to put you back together." She had a new determination. She needed to fix her husband (and herself, she guessed) before they can deal with this "upcoming war" (something she is soo not telling Percy right now). 

"Annabeth," Percy said gently. She looked up. He slowly reached out to wipe a tear off her cheek. She didn't realize she started to cry. "I love you, but... but I don't think I can be fixed."

She vehemently began shaking her head. "Nope, no. You can. We've done crazier things. All we need to do is..." Annabeth trailed seeing Percy's face. "You've already accepted this... haven't you?"

Percy gave her a sad smile. 

Annabeth clenched her fists. "Well I haven't! What happened to fighting the gods and monsters that controlled our lives? Why aren't you more angry!?"

Percy put both of his hands on her upper arms and gently brought her into a hug. 

"It's not fair! We've done nothing but save the world and this is what we get in return? Short lives that end with pain? We were finally happy..." Annabeth began to sob. 

Percy held her tighter and slowly began to rub small circles on her back. He din't try to comfort her with words, or shush her. He just quietly held his lifeline. 

~~~

Hours. It felt like hours until either one of them felt ready to speak again. But once one of them did, they both wished they hadn't. 

By now, they were both huddled together on the bedroom floor. Together in the corner of the room, where two walls were behind them, and the full view of the bedroom in front. 

It was Percy who spoke first. "When you went missing," he paused, taking a breath, his voice shaky. "Everyone thought you were dead." 

Annabeth lifted her head off his shoulder and looked up at him. His face was still, but his eyes were far, far, away. 

"Chiron, our friends. Monsters, even. Every god or goddess I could find... them too."

Annabeth listened intently. In the year since, she had never gotten much from him about what happened while she was gone. Bits and pieces, here and there, yes. But not this. 

"I broke my promise to you, Annie. When we were down in Tar," A shaky breath, "Tartarus, and I choked Misery, I said I'd never do it again. That I'd never control someone like that." A tear fell down Percy's cheek. "I lied."

Annabeth's heart sunk. She already knew it, just by seeing the change in his demeanor, but hearing it, hurt something else entirely. 

"I did everything to find you. Anything. It got to the point where monsters were scared of me. It was me who had to seek them out. To hunt them. I needed answers. I used them. The second I knew that they had nothing, I killed them. I boiled their blood so fast, they vaporized. Some, I choked them until they suffocated."

Percy took another breath, not breaking eye contact with the blank wall in front of him. Not looking down at Annabeth's face, because he knew what he would see. 

"Annie, while you were gone, I practically killed myself. I've visited the Underworld more times than I can count. I've seen our friends in Elysium, happy, together; I wished I was there with them. But when it came down to it-- I could never do it. The thought of you out there, alone, was the only thing keeping me going. On the worst days... I nearly flung myself into the pit, wondering if somehow you were there, that I could find you."

Annabeth began to quietly sob. This whole time she wished she knew what he went through while they were apart. Now, she wished he never told her. 

"Percy..."

He shook his head, still avoiding looking at her. He knew what he was saying was hurting her. But she needed to know. It was the only way she'd understand. 

"Annabeth, I know my soul is barely there. I actively helped make that happen. If you died, that was on me. Our friends dying, that's on me."

"No, Percy, you can't--"

"He can."  Piper spoke. Annabeth looked at her sitting against the far wall on the side of the room. Jason, Hazel, and Frank all there with her. "You know better than anyone his fatal flaw. If it wasn't going to be his downfall, why call it deadly?" 

"She's right."

Annabeth whipped her face towards Percy, who was staring at Piper. 

"You- you see her?" Annabeth asked quietly. Percy nodded. "And- and Jason? Frank? Hazel?" Percy nodded again. 

Percy continued talking. "I'm a monster, Annie. If I wanted to, I could destroy the world. The gods. Everything that's ruined our lives, and then some. And it's come close, Annie. It's come real close. And after everything last year... given the chance, I don't know if I'd turn it down."

Annabeth didn't know what to say. She'd be lying if she hadn't thought the same thing. But hearing it out loud, hearing it from Percy... for the first time in a long time, Annabeth thought of Luke Castellan.