Falling for You

Percy: XXV

Percy: XXV

Something touched the side of his face, and Percy jerked his head back reflexively, blinking off unconsciousness.

He was still in the cave. Dimly lit by the burning torch, cobwebs of shadows lurking in the corners, it was dark enough to conceal many a monster. Dazed for a second, Percy's hands rose up, unhindered by the usual chains. He frowned, confused. His head…felt odd. Maybe that last concussion was one concussion too many. He tensed as he thought about the Titans; he didn’t like it when he didn’t know where they were. He looked up sharply, sending pain through his bruised airways, and-

Blonde hair and grey eyes met his.

Something came to a very sudden and very still stop within his chest.

Annabeth was crouched in front of him. He struggled to even think of the words he needed.

"-nabeth?'' he croaked raspily.

"Hey, Percy." Annabeth replied softly, her beautiful face inches from his, her hand touching the side of his face with a gentleness he had not known in a long time.

He stared at her, unable to form a coherent thought.

"I know you’re hurt, but we need to go. They’ll be back any second and the others can’t distract them for too long. Can you stand?" Annabeth asked, worried eyes scanning his battered form.

Percy dimly felt himself shrug. What- what was going on? Annabeth's strong arms pulled him onto his knees, her hands on his bare back, pressing with whispered apologies onto cuts and bruises. Huh. He really was too injured to get up by himself.

"-nabeth?" Percy questioned again, weakly.

"We need to go, Percy. Come on, work with me, put your weight beneath your feet!" Annabeth commanded him, so beautifully familiar that Percy's eyes welled up, a lump in his throat.

"Why- you shouldn't be down here-" Percy got out, sea green eyes drinking in every detail of her. "H-how did you-?"

Annabeth was clean, cleaner than anything he'd seen in a while. Her skin was flawless. Her hair curled delicately round her neck in blonde waves. Her dagger hung at her side, her clothes whole and fresh-smelling. Percy lifted his hand to her shirt mesmerised, the fabric soft and smooth.

"We're here to get you? What do you think we’re down here for, a nature walk?" Annabeth snorted, though the humour was slightly offset by her frantic pulling, "But we need to leave, now!"

Percy nodded, trying desperately to kick his mind into gear and get with the program. He didn’t care if he couldn’t walk. With Annabeth's cool hands under his arm, he struggled to his feet, weak knees threatening to buckle.

"You're here." he mumbled, as pain screamed through his body, the edges of his vision tingling with dark dots, swimming across his sight. "You're here." he said again. "Wh-?"

His vision blacked out completely as he moved too quickly. He dropped to all fours, essentially blind, as vomit flooded inbetween his teeth. He swallowed grimly, closing his eyes. Everything hurt.

"Percy?” Annabeth said from somewhere to his left, “Hey, stay with me, alright? What happened to staying together?"

"Never leave me again." Percy murmured, clinging to Annabeth, the smell of her shampoo making his eyes water, remembering a less complicated time when it was just them and Grover against the world, bickering constantly, because they knew if they didn't bicker, they'd have to confront just how head over heels they were for each other.