early chapter this week because i've got a lot of stuff going on during my usual updating schedule!!
otherwise, i've finished the rewrites for chapters 4-10 of Rise if y'all wanna give them some love :)
enjoy!
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"No!"
"Yes!"
"Gods damn it."
"Oh, thank the gods!"
"Traitor!"
"I fucking love you!"
(Y/N) laughs at the mixed sounds of disappointment and victory as she walks over to the red team. Percy and Annabeth watch, heartbroken, as Mark and the other campers swarm around her, hugging her or clapping her on the shoulders. Chiron does his best to hide the smile that creeps onto his lips, and (Y/N) chuckles, looking back to the blue team. "Sorry, guys," she apologizes to her best friends, looking anything but sorry.
Percy pouts while Annabeth harrumphs, each of them full of dismay and disappointment. "How could you?" Percy asks, shoulders slumping, prompting a light laugh from the girl.
"It's not a fair game if you and Annie are both on the same team, let alone with me. I'm just evening out the competition," she shrugs, a confident and amused smile on her face.
"Evening it out?" Percy repeats, incredulous as he scoffs, "You're tipping the scale!"
(Y/N) rolls her eyes, "Oh, please. They've got you. And Annabeth. And—"
"You have the Ares kids!" Percy gestures frantically at Team Red, his voice high-pitched and resulting in whoops from the campers behind (Y/N). "You have you, for all the gods' sakes!"
She raises an eyebrow at him before shaking her head in amusement, stepping closer to Percy and gesturing for him to meet her in the middle so she can whisper in his ear. He hesitates before moving forward, tilting his head down as she raises up just a bit on her tiptoes, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Well, that's just too bad for you, then, isn't it?"
Percy scowls as she steps back, victory already in her eyes. She shrugs, almost mockingly, waving him off as she turns and walks back to her team. "Okay," she motions for them to gather around her, and they do so, listening closely.
"I know Annabeth's strategy, so here's the plan. I want two defensive groups, each spaced out, before..." she turns her head, her voice trailing off, and looks over her shoulder to see Annabeth speaking directly to and pointing at Percy; he nods, determined, as he glances back to their opponents, and (Y/N) faces her team once more, "— before Percy goes to steal the flag, then, which I'll be guarding. There are going to be diversions, so I'll need defense to fend them off. Cool?"
Her teammates nod, and she looks at Clarisse, who seems quite bitter (yet understanding) about not taking the lead. Feeling sympathetic, (Y/N) resigns it: "That's the only bit of our plan I wanted to go over. Clarisse," the girl's head snaps up, not expecting to hear her name, "you decide who's offense and defense, along with the rest of our strategy." The daughter of Ares is surprised at this, but she nods, getting into competition mode.
After the game has begun, (Y/N) sits down near the red flag, her legs crossed and eyes closed. It's quite a nice Friday— the chill breeze provides an appreciated break from the otherwise warm summer days, they sky is partially cloudy, and everything in the woods right now simply emanates peace. Squirrels chitter happily in the trees, the water in the creek rushes over pebbles with quiet splashes, and a twig on the ground snaps under a camper's foot.
The corner of (Y/N)'s lips turns up in a knowing smirk, and the blue team competitor freezes, unsure if she heard him or not. When she doesn't move, the son of Hephaestus takes another step forward, moving towards the flag. "Déjà vu is a funny thing, isn't it?" (Y/N) asks, still sitting down in front of the flag.
Isaac Schuster freezes, suddenly afraid. He stares at the girl, wary as he waits for what she will do. (Y/N) chuckles, feeling his gaze, "I thought you'd stopped staring at me like a creep after the last time this happened."
'The last time this happened.'
The last time he stared at her, Isaac was stuck to a tree after being target practice for knives.
His eyes immediately widen, terrified.
The lanky redhead lets out a surprised yelp as a light green vine snakes around his waist, suddenly tightening and yanking him backwards. He screams the whole time, passing a startled son of Poseidon, who swivels around to watch as Isaac's back hits a tree, the vine securing itself around both the trunk and camper. "I guess that's expected," Isaac mutters, tugging at the vines. Percy slowly turns back around to continue making his way to the creek, jogging through the trees.
The sound of swords clashing against each other makes its way to his ears, and he adjusts his hold on Riptide. A flash of red appears in his peripheral vision, and Percy immediately lifts his sword as he turns to the side, blocking the incoming blow.
(Y/N) swings her golden sword, disarming one of her three opponents. Noticing the other two advancing, she spins around, her weapon extended, and all three immediately jump away. Taking advantage of their tiny stumbles, she unsheathes the dagger on her belt with her free hand, attacking with two blades. Her French braid loosens so that flyaways blow into her face, annoying the shit out of her, but she ignores it, fighting exceptionally despite her somewhat limited vision.
"Oh, no, you don't," she growls as one of the campers runs to the flag. Much like before, a vine pulls them back into the woods.
Getting impatient, she jumps up in a butterfly kick, and branches from trees in the forest behind her elongate, following the path of her leg. She lands, slightly crouched, and the boys are pulled away on either side of her, screaming as the branches carry them through the air.
As she stands up properly, sheathing her dagger, a quiet footstep falls on the streambed. The sound would be silent to any other ear, the pressure and distribution of weight practiced to perfection.
Taught by the girl who slowly turns around, a challenging glint in her eye.
Percy takes a few steps towards her, and she does the same, both of them standing in a clear space by the creek. "Looking for a rematch?" (Y/N) taunts, "You know, to make up for our last few hundred duels?" Sunlight catches on Imperial Gold and Celestial Bronze as the swords are readied by their respective owners.
Percy chuckles, grinning confidently. "I am."
"Well, you're wasting your time." (Y/N) shrugs, spinning her sword in preparation.
Percy rolls his eyes, "I think you're underestimating me."
"Trust me, Blue, I'm overestimating you."
He scoffs, moving forward to attack, and (Y/N) readies her defense. Their movements are lightning-quick, making the rings of their swords seem to sound long after they make contact. Their blows are perfectly placed, blocks skillfully maneuvered, feet both light and steady, and actions only blurs of their respective blue and forest-green shirts. The swords are simply flashes of metallic shades, rays of sunlight refracting off to make the demigods look more ethereal.
Neither half-blood grows tired, and each continues to persist with growing intensity. However, (Y/N) keeps pushing Percy backwards as they spar, consistently increasing the complexity of her fighting style, and he begins struggling to keep up. She ensures that her sword doesn't touch his exposed limbs, and Percy tries the best he can to do the same. When the golden blade gets a hair's width away from his neck, Percy stumbles to the side, and (Y/N) takes advantage of her opportunity. She knocks Riptide out of his hand, spinning around as she moves closer to elbow him in the stomach.
Coughing, Percy loses his footing and falls onto the bed of the creek, the air knocked out of him as his back hits the ground. (Y/N) picks up Riptide from the ground, letting it revert back into its pen form, and she slips it into her pocket. Percy tries to catch his breath as a few droplets of water from the creek fall onto his forehead, the cool sensation bringing an idea to his mind.
(Y/N) turns around at the sound of splashing, raising an eyebrow at Percy.
"You seriously want to get your socks wet so you can beat me in a fight?"
He shrugs, the water flowing in its path past his ankles. "They're actually pretty dry. Can't say the same for yours, though."
(Y/N) steps back, swiping her arm in front of her to direct the ground to rise up a few inches, cutting off the wave of water sent towards her ankles. "You did not just try that," she says, narrowing her eyes as the ground settles.
Percy smirks, "If you say so."
(Y/N) scoffs in amusement, "Okay, okay. I see how it is." She sheathes her sword, holding her arms out. "Take your shot."
Percy narrows his eyes, concentrating on the water before lifting an arm and extending it to her, slicing diagonally across his body.
A large whip of water lifts out of the creek, following his hand and cutting down to where (Y/N) is standing. At her command, large vines shoot up from the ground, spinning to form a quickly-rotating disc that hovers in midair. When it makes contact, the water is reduced to mist, small droplets flying everywhere. With a triumphant smirk, (Y/N) pivots, and the disc hurtles at a sharp diagonal towards Percy like a power saw.
He knocks it away with a wave before redirecting the water to (Y/N), who ducks while jumping to the side. Her feet slide on the ground as she moves her left arm to cut through the air, pulling forward in Percy's direction. Thick roots whip towards him, and he dodges them while moving forward out of the creek. Nature continues to attack as he always evades, nearing the girl with every step. His forearm lifts as he gets even closer, catching her wrist before it directs another attack.
Quickly, he ducks underneath it, pinning it behind her back while wrapping his right arm in a loose choke hold around her neck. Her back is pressed against Percy's chest, and he leans down to whisper in her ear.
"Retract your shots," he mocks, his lips tickling her skin as (Y/N) bristles in annoyance.
She suddenly goes limp, and Percy instantly loosens his grip, afraid that he might have hurt her. (Y/N)'s eyes flash with victory before she twists her arm out of Percy's grip, simultaneously pulling his elbow away from her neck and spinning out of his grasp.
"Don't get cocky," she raises an eyebrow, smirking when she sees Percy's jaw clench.
He attacks, and (Y/N) dodges while blocking the kick sent her way. They spar, moving more freely with the lack of swinging their heavy weapons, and Percy gets close enough to discreetly slip his hand into (Y/N)'s pocket.
He, now rejuvenated and with an advantage, continues the offensive, sending a harsh kick to (Y/N)'s right knee. She growls at the pain that shoots through her leg, and Percy hisses at the loud 'crack' that sounds after his foot makes contact. However, neither of them stop fighting, and (Y/N) does her best to shift her weight onto her left leg while moving. Unfortunately, the ground is slippery from Percy's previous attacks, and she has more trouble keeping her footing than the boy who benefits from having water nearby.
Her already-weak right leg slips, and Percy takes advantage of her buckling knee to push her back against a nearby pine tree. Riptide forms in his hand, and he presses the blade to (Y/N)'s throat when she struggles, leaving her with the only option of keeping her head tilted up to face her opponent's.
His left hand presses her shoulder back against the tree trunk, and his forehead nearly touches hers due to their bodies' close proximity. Percy can do nothing else except stare into her eyes, his own sparkling as the sound of his racing heartbeat drowns out the rest of the world.
The other's breath fans on each of their lips, the tips of their noses brushing lightly against each other.
Their chests rise and fall, each of them breathing heavily after sparring for so long, and neither breaks the eye contact that they hold. Percy's cheeks are flushed— from exertion or attraction, he doesn't know. (Y/N)'s eyes hold mixed emotions— surprise, pride, annoyance, and another that Percy cannot decipher. Her right leg accidentally pushes against the ground with more weight, and she grits her teeth, adjusting her footing.
Subconsciously, Percy moves his foot to support hers, and (Y/N) notices this, still holding his gaze. Her neck warms up slightly as he leans even closer, tilting her chin up with his left hand. (Y/N)'s spine tingles at the closeness of his lips to hers.
"I win," he whispers, giving the girl an innocent, yet triumphant, grin.
She raises an eyebrow, tilting her head the best she can with a sword at her throat, "Oh, really?"
Percy shrugs, "Yeah."
(Y/N) hums, slowly reaching over to lightly grip the fabric of Percy's shirt and tugging him forward, moving her face even closer to his. Percy freezes as her lips get less than a millimeter away from his own, nearly brushing against each other, and (Y/N) smirks, letting go of his shirt and quickly falling back into the shade of the tree.
Percy stumbles backwards in surprise as her body disappears from in front of him, and a flash of shadow passes his side. "Hi," (Y/N)'s breath tickles his ear, and the startled boy lets out a terrified yelp. She dead legs him, making his stance falter, and he tries to catch his balance. Riptide is twisted out of his grasp in response to his lowered guard, and pain suddenly shoots through his bicep before blood trickles down his arm.
"That was for my knee, asshole," (Y/N) scoffs, taking a step back. Percy turns around, stumbling backwards and away from the armed girl in front of him. Unbeknownst to Percy, the pine tree's trunk opens up, and he keeps walking back into it before it closes around his body, leaving only his head and neck exposed.
"Oh," he states, looking down at himself (or, at least, he tries to because all there is to look at is bark) and nodding in realization, "I'm an idiot."
"That is very true."
Percy narrows his eyes at (Y/N), who limps over to the tree. With a playfully-patronizing smile, she pats his cheek, "You tried."
"I had you beat."
"Really doesn't look like it, buster."
"'Buster'?"
"Would you rather I call you a loser?"
"Maybe."
"Well, then it really doesn't look like it, loser."
"... Actually, I'll stick with 'buster'."
"Then it really doesn't—"
"Yes, (Y/N), I got it. Thank you."
She boops his nose like she would to a child, "You're welcome."
Percy good-naturedly rolls his eyes, about to respond when cheers echo through the woods. (Y/N) turns her head to where the noise comes from, the red flag still untouched, before looking back to Percy. "Sounds like victory to me," she chuckles, releasing Percy from the tree trunk's hold. He dusts himself off while stepping forward, kneeling in front of her without a word.
"Um, Percy?" (Y/N) starts, looking down at him, and Percy hums in acknowledgement while looking at her knee. "You're great and all, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I think seventeen is a little young for me to get married."
Percy scoffs, rolling his eyes as he pokes (Y/N)'s knee. She doesn't react, but the boy cringes at the indent left in the swelling skin. "As if I'd ever want to marry you when the rest of the world's population exists," he jokes, standing up, and his best friend lets out an exaggerated gasp of offense.
"You'd be lucky to even get me."
"And why's that?"
"I think that's self-explanatory," she can't hide the grin that forms on her face, and Percy chuckles while holding out his arm to (Y/N).
She furrows her eyebrows, looking at it in confusion, and Percy lets out an exasperated— yet amused— sigh. Without a word, he steps forward, hooking his arms under (Y/N)'s knees and back. "What the- ow!" she slaps the upside of his head when his arm jostles her injured knee, and Percy cringes.
"My bad, sorry," he carefully adjusts his hold, and (Y/N) leans closer to his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She doesn't protest his carrying of her, knowing that he will not, regardless of the circumstance, let her worsen an injury when it could be prevented. "I hate you," she mutters as he starts walking, resting her head on his shoulder, and his chuckles send comforting vibrations through her.
"I love you, too."
"So you break my fucking knee?"
Percy folds his lips inward before looking down at her, and a tiny smile forms at her grumpy expression. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm very sorry."
"You should be," she grumbles, adjusting her hold on him and snuggling closer the best she can while keeping her right leg from being aggravated.
He shifts her body, pulling her to him more as he walks up a slope in the woods in order to keep her legs from moving too much. "Hey, you still won, despite the broken knee," he offers, and (Y/N) rolls her eyes.
"Of course I won, despite the broken knee," she mocks, and Percy raises an eyebrow at her.
"Then I'm sure you can walk just fine on your own, right?"
She shrugs, "Sure."
Percy begins to set her down, but the moment her right foot carries some of her weight, a whimper escapes her throat. Hundreds of knives seem to be jammed into her patella, and the pain sears through the rest of her leg. Still holding on to Percy's neck, she immediately pulls herself back off the ground, nearly making the boy fall forward onto the forest floor. Luckily, Percy catches her just in time, lifting her back up as she clings to him. "That's what I thought."
"Sorry," she apologizes, meekly, and he lets out a light chuckle before leaning down to reassuringly kiss the top of her forehead.
"You're crazy," he fondly mutters, and (Y/N) narrows her eyes in a playful manner.
"I helped you keep your sanity, though," she references his graduation, and Percy rolls his eyes, smiling as she tightens her arms around his neck.
When his arm moves slightly while walking, she lets out a quiet hiss of pain. Percy can feel her clenched jaw as it rests on his shoulder, and he does his best to keep her knee from moving around too much.
"Let's get you fixed up."
When they emerge from the woods into the main area of Camp Half-Blood, Percy halts, and the two demigods cringe at Annabeth's murderous gaze. "Percy," she starts, dangerously, "I want you to listen very carefully. There are many incorrect answers to this question, and you'd better not give me one."
His eyes widen, unsure and scared, and she crosses her arms, "What the hell happened?" Percy stammers, terrified, and (Y/N) tries to help the poor boy out.
"He had to fight me, so he didn't get the flag," is her explanation, assuming that Annabeth is talking about her team's loss.
She was, unfortunately, quite wrong.
"No, I don't care about that," Annabeth dismisses, and (Y/N) furrows her eyebrows in confusion. Annabeth is never okay with losing. "I'm talking about my best friend, Perseus Jackson. What happened to her?"
(Y/N) folds her lips inward, scared for the boy, and Percy lets a sheepish smile tug at his lips. "Well, um, you see," he starts, everything except Annabeth suddenly more interesting, "I, uh... I... kindofaccidentallybrokeherknee."
The explanation flows from his mouth, high-pitched and confusing, but Annabeth hears it just fine. "You... what?" The question doesn't ask for repetition, its purpose serving only to intimidate.
Percy chuckles, nervously, "She's fine, though! Right, (Y/N)? You're fine." Persephone's daughter immediately catches on, trying to help her friend.
"Yeah!" she adds on, a little hurriedly. "I was fighting and walking just fine, but Percy, here," she pats his cheek, and the boy flashes his teeth in a smile at Annabeth, "the sweetheart that he is, felt bad and didn't want me to aggravate it. He was gonna heal it just now, and then I'll be all good!"
Annabeth narrows her eyes, not totally convinced, but her dangerous air fades away. "Okay," she concedes, shoulders relaxing, "Sorry, Percy."
He adjusts his hold on (Y/N), smiling reassuringly as he walks past Annabeth, "No problem." (Y/N) peeks nervously over Percy's shoulder as they increase the distance between them and the daughter of Athena, relaxing when she turns around and walks the other way.
Percy lets out a sigh of relief on the walk to the Persephone cabin, "That was too close."
(Y/N) shrugs, "She wouldn't have killed you or anything."
"Maimed me, maybe."
"You'd be fine."
"Wow. Thanks."
(Y/N) chuckles at his monotone, and he rolls his eyes. Percy carefully sets her down to sit on one of the chairs in her cabin, examining the inflammation of her knee before standing up. (Y/N) fiddles with some of the distressed denim that makes up her shorts, quite bored, as Percy grabs a goblet full of water and brings it back to where she sits. He heals her without issue, and (Y/N) jumps up from her seat right after. "Finally!" she exclaims in relief, happy to keep her feet planted on the floor without pain.
Percy chuckles, standing up from where he was kneeling before gesturing to the cabin's exit, "Let's go get some food."
"I'm totally cool with that." (Y/N) moves to walk down the steps, but a specific camper catches her eye from afar, "Oh-ho-ho, what do we have here?"
She leans against her wrap-around balcony's railing, looking ahead at the daughter of Aphrodite. Percy joins her, confused, "What's up?"
(Y/N) tilts her chin, gesturing to the girl walking in their direction, "Drew."
"Oh," Percy nods in acknowledgement, thinking back a few months and humming at the memories. "I think she tried to get me to go on a date with her after I won the fall tournament."
(Y/N)'s eyebrows lift in surprise. "Really?" she asks, turning her head to him, and Percy nods.
"Yeah, she was standing right in front of me and everything, and I was trying to figure out how to reject her before you thankfully ruined the moment." Percy chuckles lightly at the memory of Grover's infatuation with the girl, but (Y/N) just stares at her best friend in confusion.
"You didn't want to go out with her?" At this, Percy furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
"Why would I?" he asks, looking down at (Y/N). "She's pretty, yeah, but she also seems really shallow."
The girl shrugs, "Well, she is; I can't deny that. But you're telling me you didn't feel any... attraction to her? Infatuation? Love, maybe?"
Percy eyes his best friend with slight offense. "Do you really think that little of me?"
(Y/N) hurriedly shakes her head, trying to explain. "No! No, it's not that, I swear. Drew just has this ability where any boy she meets or crosses paths with— hell, even looks at— becomes obsessed with her. I'm glad it didn't affect you, but at the same time, it's weird that you weren't."
Percy hums in acknowledgment, quite certain that the reason Drew's power didn't work is standing right next to him, her elbow brushing against his as they lean on the railing.
'I'm glad it didn't affect you.'
Percy wants to smile, but he forces it back due to the possibility that (Y/N) maybe just didn't want him in a relationship with a toxic demigod. He can't prevent the rush of pink that touches the tips of his ears, though, and he tries to change the subject.
"Anyway," Percy starts, watching as she and her clique grow more visible from the distance, "What about her?"
(Y/N) answers, slight tones of amusement in her voice, "Looks like she's heading to the strawberry fields. And she's coming this way."
"Is that bad?"
With a small chuckle, (Y/N) explains the encounter between her and her rival, starting with their years-long feud and ending at the most recent threat of making the Underworld the girl's new home. Percy nods, slightly amused yet still a bit nervous, "Huh. So I'm guessing Hell's gonna get a visitor today? Or will it be a permanent resident?"
(Y/N) hums, pondering the idea, before she shrugs. "Neither. She's got some nerve; I respect that."
Drew tries to walk past the cabin at a sixteen-foot distance, her head tilted up in confidence as she chatters with her friends, sending a challenging glare at (Y/N). The girl on the balcony, however, absolutely loves challenges, and she raises an eyebrow at Drew's enticing offer.
The ground suddenly splits open in multiple areas, the fissures widening to create large crevices that are twenty feet deep. Drew jumps back with a yelp of surprise, her friends squealing like chased mice, and the clique instantly backs away from the cabin. Percy, chuckling lightly, decides to offer his services, and a concentrated, miniature earthquake similar to the intensity of a shaking trampoline sends the shrieking girls stumbling and off-balance.
(Y/N) leans forward on the railing, a dangerous smirk on her face as she lifts her forearm, wiggling her fingers in a condescending wave. Drew sneers at the two, offended and distasteful, but the fear in her eyes is evident as she scoffs, hurriedly turning around to take a different path to the strawberry fields. Her friends rush after her like ducklings trailing after their mother, but their shrill complaints can be heard long before they're out of sight.
(Y/N), amused and impressed, returns the ground to its normal state before she turns her head to look at a smirking Percy, "I never thought you'd like terrorizing people." This causes his attitude to fade from triumphant to protective, and he shrugs, jaw slightly gritted.
"She's a complete bitch to you. I don't have a problem putting people in their place if they deserve it."
(Y/N) raises her eyebrows, not expecting the answer, and her heart warms at his support. She smiles, nudging his arm with her shoulder, and Percy turns his head to look at her. "Thanks," she says, tilting her head slightly upwards so she can meet his gaze.
"I mean, you are my fiancée now," he brushes off, and (Y/N) rolls her eyes, "so it's also kind of a... grudging obligation." Percy shamelessly grins down at her as she scoffs, gently elbowing his arm. "Okay, okay," he laughs, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into a side hug as they look out at the camp.
"But seriously, I mean it," he says, "I'd do it for you anytime."