Falling for You

Percy: XVII

Percy: XVII

Something went wrong immediately.

The doors were trying to open again.

Percy quickly shoved his entire body against the left door, swearing furiously, pressing it towards the centre, arms outstretched to try and hold the other door in place. His fingertips squeaked along the metal. Maia crowed in confusion, smacking her tail into the side of the elevator.

"Maia! Just- nngh- help?" he tried.

The drakon batted the door with her head before looking away.

"Thanks!" Percy spat out in frustration.

There were no handles, or anything else to hold on to. And the metal was getting hot. As the elevator car ascended at no doubt unimaginable speeds, the doors shook and tried to open, threatening to spill them into whatever was between life and death. The rattling set his teeth on edge.

Percy's shoulders ached, and the elevator's easy-listening music didn't help. If all monsters had to hear that song about liking piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, no wonder they were in the mood for carnage when they reached the mortal world; Percy certainly was.

The panels started to slide apart, letting in a whiff of … ozone? Sulphur?

His fingers were slipping into the gap, and he watched in horror as the tips turned black, skin starting to flake away. His fingertips slipped in and vanished from his sight. Panicking, Percy pushed on his side furiously, sweat running down his temples, and the crack finally closed. His hands stopped disintegrating and went back to their normal shape, but his fingertips remained a charred black.

He didn't move, still pushing the doors together, but he stared at his hands. Everything felt as they should, but... he didn't need this. His eyes blazed with anger.

"I will kill Gaia." he muttered to Maia, banging his hand on the metal, leaving a dent, "I will tear her apart with my bare hands."

He stood there for a while, hands straining. The lift shook again, rattling like he was inside a maraca. He wondered what would happen if he jumped. He really didn't want to find out. He hoped against everything he knew that the hellhound would keep a hold of the button. He didn't know what he'd do if it let go- would the lift drop back down? Cease to exist? Kick him out wherever he was at the time? His legs ached with the effort of keeping himself upright.

Percy felt a click beneath his hands and furrowed his brow. Did that mean-? He breathed out a shaky breath before slowly easing his hands off the door.

It stayed shut.

Percy collapsed to the floor instantly, legs sprawling. His head banged off the side of the lift but he didn't even feel it. He was so tired. Fatigue was literally dragging his eyelids down, arms twitching sporadically. He was down and he wasn't getting back up until he had to.

"We're almost there." Percy whispered.

A weight settled onto his ragged knees: Percy had enough energy left to crack open one eye. Maia had curled up in the expanded space and was resting her head on him, her green frilled collar tucked over his knees, watching him with green eyes not unlike his own.