❝ You know, all the training in the world could not have prepared me for how deeply I fell in love with you, or the tragedies that came with it. But even if we had to do this all again, I wouldn't change our story for a second ❞
NEW GODS I
PERCY JAC...
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘 |In which theatrics and bargaining are Freyja's last tools in her bag of tricks
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THE days after the fight on Olympus had been perfect weather. The sky was crystal blue, the lake perfectly calm and light winds blowing through the forest bringing the scent of the pine. For the daughter of Artemis, these sorts of days were perfect for her, but not now.
Everywhere Freyja looked, she saw Luke and Layla and Zac. She wasn't accustomed to this feeling, that curled in the pit of her stomach like a heavy rock, dragging her mood down. She couldn't understand why tears would well in her eyes at the sight of simple things like Luke's hoodie, an imprint on the couch where Layla had once sat or a book that Zac had leant her.
And she didn't know how to cope with any of it. No one had taught her how to.
Often, the young goddess found herself sitting on the docks by the lake, watching the horizon as the sun came up and then later set, wondering what to do. She barely competed in camp activities, turning up to meals was a rarity and sleep was practically non-existent, for all she saw was Luke's eyes in her dream.
It had never occurred to her nine years ago that this would be the outcome of her story, that she would lose everything she had come to love.
"Freyja?" For a moment, Freyja sat up right, before turning and seeing that it was Percy and not who she had hoped for. Percy paused, chewing on his lip, before he padded over to her side and sat beside her, being careful not to sit on the two swords, Epilogue and Backbiter. "I've been looking for you. Chiron wanted to know if you were going to play Capture the Flag?"
"I think that I'll pass," Freyja's voice scratched against her throat as she sighed, not wanting to do anything at the moment. Every time she moved, it felt like she had dead weights at the end of her limbs, and she didn't think that she would be able to compete in any thing like Capture the Flag.
"Oh," Percy's shoulders slumped, unsure of what to do. The others in camp were all celebrating the defeat of Kronos, so much so that no one had focused on Freyja having to kill her boyfriend, Annabeth's loss of a brother or the fact that no one seemed to sleep through the night anymore. "Did you come back to the cabin last night? I didn't hear you."
"No, needed to stay outside for a bit longer." Freyja shrugged. "I think better in the night."
"You've been thinking a lot recently then," Percy spoke softly, watching her with wide eyes. He didn't know what to do anymore. "Are you alright?"
"Course. I'll be alright. I always am." Freyja sent him a fake smile that barely made it close to her eyes. "No, everything's really peachy at the moment, Percy, it's going well."
"Freyja. I'm...I'm sorry."
"I know. I know," Freyja turned away from him, staring back out across the lake. "Have fun playing Capture the Flag."
