fortitude ⇝ percy jackson

0.1

  The daughter of Athena's words seem to affect her, her smirk down turning to a grimace as she stares them down. Then, with a scoff and a 'whatever' she roughly shoves passed them, earning her a middle finger to her back from Cassia as the four teens stare at the daughter of Ares.

  "I would really like to see my arrow slide right through her shoulder." Cassia grumbles, "Perc, what do you say? Let's build a rope trap and bait her with some cheese. Rats love cheese, right?"

  "Don't listen to her, guys." Annabeth retorts. "And, Cass, resulting in homicide isn't really going to solve anything."

  "You know, it's too late-" The son of Poseidon starts, walking away as the trio follow suit, "besides she has a point. Well, for me at least. Ever since Cass' surgery, I haven't been much of a fighter."
Percy takes a seat, pulling Cassia to sit by his side.

  "Dude, what are you talking about?" Grover starts, "you're more than a one-quest wonder. You recovered Ares' stolen chariot.

  "No, actually, that was Clarisse." Adds Percy with a sigh.

  "Okay, what about the Fall Tournament?" The satyr offers enthusiastically, "you owned that sucker."

  Cassia shakes her head with a hum, cringing. Grover's mouth hangs agape, "Clarisse?" The three nod their heads.

  "Okay, the Solstice Games? The Bronze Dragon's quest?"

   Cassia sighs, resting her head against the cheerful boy's chest, "Grover, honey, thank you for trying to cheer us up. But, I am deeply scarred by the fact Clarisse has a bigger ego than me and I refuse to believe it's not just one big act."

  Percy chuckles, shaking his head at his best friend as he brings her into his side, walking along with her as their friends trail and Annabeth speaks, "I would lick a pair of cloven hooves before I let you two listen to Clarisse instead of us.. no offense Grover."

  "None taken-" the satyr pauses, "is that an offer?"

  "Listen-" the blue eyed girl grips the shoulder of her closest friends, "it doesn't matter what Clarisse has done. To Chiron and Mr. D, both of you are still the rockstars."

  "Perry Johnson!"
A familiar, slurring voice approaches the quartet, bumping Cassia out of the way in order to stand next to Percy.

  The blue eyed boy sighs, "Actually, it's Percy Jackson, sir."

  "Whatever." Dionysus beings to lead the boy away, leaving Cassia to remind him to meet her and their group at the breakfast table once he's finished. "I have a very important task to entrust you with."

  "You do?"

  "Yes, it's a critical assignment and it's very taxing. Can I trust you?" The bearded man stops in the middle of the arena, facing Percy.

  "Of course."

  "Good. You'll need this-" Mr. D pulls out a rake, handing it to the raven haired boy, "sometimes these events get a little messy."
With that, Dionysus walks away, leaving the boy in a troubled head space that lead him to believe that Clarisse's harsh words were actually true.

—

  "Maybe Clarisse was right."

  Percy lie flat on the grass in front of a crystal blue lake, his hands supporting his head as he stares up at the floating clouds in the sky. Cassia hums, zoning out to her own thoughts as he continues to rant.

  "Maybe I only stopped Luke from saving Olympus was because I had you, Annabeth and Grover helping me, right?" Percy sighs, displaying the thoughts that were constantly eating away at him, keeping him awake at night, worrying him to the point where he no longer felt the need to get out of bed any longer.

  Cassia glances over at her best friend with a frown, noting how down he had been feeling lately, a lot of these emotions coursing through her body as well. She lays down next to him, keeping her distance, but close enough to feel his body heat enveloping her shivering frame. It always got too cold by the lake.
"You're overthinking it, Percy."

  "Have you ever felt like everything you've ever done... maybe you didn't really do it? It was all just luck or something?" Percy turns his head so his eyes lock with Cassia's, probing her every emotion. "Like that day back in Hollywood. Where you almost died. I felt lucky to be there to heal you... to hold you as you thought you were taking your last breaths."

  The brunette smiles softly, closing her eyes before returning to her back. "Everyday you blame yourself for stuff that couldn't have been prevented. Like that day, or for not wanting to do all this magnificent adventures that require ninja training and a year's worth of supplies. And it's okay to not be okay, to feel like you're trapped, like you're just on earth to eat and sleep. But, Jackson, you need to wake up and smell the damn coffee, because this world.. this camp wouldn't be the way it is without your bravery.. without you." She pauses as he chuckles, "so quit it with that negative self-talk, okay? We only need one negative Nancy in this friendship, and that's me only when Clarisse is getting on my nerves. Got it?"

  Percy takes a minute, soaking in the feeling of upmost content being around the girl he cares for the most. It makes his heart thump against his rib cage, his stomach to surge with butterflies and his hands to tingle erratically. It's known almost everywhere that Percy likes Cassia, there's no going around it, but the girl is as clueless as a sack of potatoes, always deeming his compliments and subtle flirting as a platonic best friend thing. Of course Cassia wishes it were more than that, the only person she's confided in her clammy palms and dry mouth around Percy is Annabeth who tries to beat around the bush in a way where she makes it known that the son of Poseidon cares more about her than anyone.

  But, she just doesn't get it. Not yet.

  The blue eyed boy sighs happily, a smile on his face as he speaks, "what would I do without you, Cass?"

  "Oh, I dunno-" she smiles, "probably die."