Author: Yay, this story somehow has 100,000 reads! (How'd that happen?) Here's the next chapter, enjoy! Oh, right, also, out of curiosity, I'd like to know just who everyone thinks is the traitor when it came to the "third war". I'll post the suspects that people have listed!
Annabeth: 21 votes
(There's no other suspects^_^)
(Jason)
Jason's eyes go wide, whipping around to stare at Nico. 'What happened to being in this together?!'
"Oh?" Percy says with a chilling laugh. Nico and Jason shiver, taking a step back from Percy. Everything's fun and games even if Nico or Jason loses it, but when Percy begins to lose it...
"I'm going to give you three seconds to decide on what you're going to confess." Percy says in his soft voice, but instead of being comforting it was downright terrifying.
'What do I say, should I spill?'
Two seconds
'No, I shouldn't share, wait, but what if Percy finds out about my lie?'
One second
'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Jason "Wereallylikeyouandwantyoutobeoursbutweretooscaredtoconfess" (We really like you and want you to be ours, but were too scared to confess)
Nico "WewerejusttryingtogetyourmindoffAnnabethshe'sallyoueverthinkabout!" (We were just trying to get your mind off of Annabeth, she's all you ever think about!)
Percy took precisely two seconds to understand the tumble of words that flowed out of the two's mouths. Closing his eyes, he sighs, Jason and Nico having just figured out what each other said are shooting each other glares.
'Nico and I are 100% not made for each other' Jason thought, wanting to kick Nico out of the room. 'I should've never made a deal with him!'
(Percy)
'Thinking of Annabeth?' Percy felt tired as he looked at the two. It has been a while since someone mentioned Annabeth so bluntly in front of him. He didn't realize that they thought he only ever thinks of Annabeth. A hint of a memory pops into Percy's mind.
///Flashback\\\
"You're breaking up with me?" Percy asks, not in the least bit looking like someone who just got dumped. Annabeth laughs, lovingly holding Percy's hand.
"Yup, Seaweed Brain, we're officially over." Annabeth says. "Oh, but I'm keeping the ring."
Percy breaks into a laugh, his shoulders shaking as he gazes at Annabeth. "Sure, sure, keep it."
"So obedient, no wonder I love you." Annabeth says with a bright smile. Her eyes sparkling with laughter at Percy's unending laughter.
"Pfft, not obedient." Percy says, his laughter fading away as he looks at Annabeth. "I win the bet, right?"
"Yes, Seaweed Brain, you win. Love is impossible between us." Annabeth says.
"Mm, knew it, love is fake." Percy says with all seriousness.
Annabeth looks at Percy tiredly. "It's not fake, Percy you and your disbelief for love. You won the bet proving that you and I aren't a match, but I won the bet that love is real."
"No, you didn't, we never fell in love. I played the role of your boyfriend for so long, but my feelings for you haven't changed, I still just feel like you're my big sister. I even went through Tartarus with you, but even that didn't change my feelings." Percy denies.
"Percy, you don't understand love. You can't just force feelings, we're not meant to be, I don't feel that sort of love for you either. Someone out there is your other half, they'll be the ones that you'll love beyond friends, beyond familial love." Annabeth says, tightening her grip on Percy's hand when she notices his eyes narrowing.
"Annabeth, I very rarely win an argument with you, so I won't press this matter. You may believe in love, but I don't, I never will. No one will love me, and no one will receive my love." Percy's words sounded so nonchalant, as if these words are just stating a fact.
Annabeth felt her heart tighten in pain as she gazed at Percy. She might not feel that sort of love for him, but he's like a brother to her, how can she bear to see him suffer? "That's not true, someone out there is your other half, they'll show you that love is real." Annabeth prays that whoever is Percy's other half gets to Percy soon, because with everyday his heart is getting colder and colder.
///Flashback End\\\
Percy forces the memory away, while he does think of her often, it's not to the point where he never thinks of anything else. He lost so many other friends and people he considered family, and so often he finds something that reminds him of them and gets lost in memories. Percy inwardly feels slightly sorry, he shouldn't push aside Nico and Jason so often.
Recalling what Jason said, his eyes lower as he stares at his feet. Jason and Nico remained quiet, neither quite sure how to break the silence. "What sort of love?" Percy asks, already knowing it in his heart. He's known it for a long time, he's just never wanted to say it aloud.
"Lovers." Jason says, his fear filled eyes showing hints of passion as he looks at Percy. Nico sighs, since Jason already said it there's no point in denying it.
"We want to be your lovers." Nico restates, showing equal amounts of passion in his eyes. Percy's eyes closed, when they open, they're scarily blank.
"Okay" Percy says the single word is the last thing Nico and Jason expected. Jason comes back to his senses first, his image flickering as he suddenly appears in front of Percy. His head lowers as he aims to finally capture those enticing lips. Nico appears next to them, arms wrapping around Percy's back, head lowering to rest in the crook of Percy's neck as he breathes in the scent of the sea.
Right before Jason's lips connect with Percy's, Percy's finger blocks him, resting on Jason's lips. "I accept your explanation, but I'm not agreeing to be your lover."
Jason's eyes show a mixture of emotions. Sorrow, distress, hope, and an emotion Percy is rather confused by: love. 'Why does he look at me with that look, I denied him, so why?'
Nico laughs, lightly biting Percy's neck. "Did you think that we'd give up? No matter how far you run, no matter what you do, we'll love you, today, tomorrow, forever, our love will never fade."
"You will become ours Percy, after all, now we can openly pursue you." Jason says, a charming smile creeping onto his lips.
"Then pursue me." Percy says, vanishing from in between the two and reappearing on the couch. "I won't deny you that right, but I won't pretend to love you, and I don't accept your love."
"You've agreed, don't forget that." Nico says, lips rising into a devilish smirk. The two standing together are like fire and ice, hell and heaven, opposite in every way, yet oddly that seem to compliment each other.
Nico and Jason didn't speak more, only moving to sit with Percy on the couch. Neither would bother saying the obvious. Percy would someday accept their love; they wouldn't be satisfied until he does. Even if he never reciprocates their feelings, all that the two desire is to be with him, as long as no one else enters the picture and lusts after Percy, then they won't raise a fuss, after all he will be theirs and theirs alone.
Even with that thought, hints of fear still rest in their hearts. The fear that Percy will never get over Annabeth, that his heart will forever hold only her and never be willing to accept their love.