Half Of A Whole
‼️Trigger Warning ‼️ description of bruising and description of blood and gore of sorts
Annabeth gently took Luke's hand and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, he tried to smile back at her action but he couldn't when he saw some Hephaestus kids along with Elodie and Lorenzo walking towards everyone. Luke took a step forward but Chris was quick to place a hand on his chest, "don't, we'll deal with him but right now you need to check on Dora. I'll stay with Annabeth while you go see her" Luke glared towards Lorenzo but didn't wait a moment longer before running towards the big house.
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Luke ran through camp camp like a mad man and when he finally made it to the big house he stopped outside for a moment before slowly starting up the steps, he clenched and unclenched his fists in hopes of calming himself but any attempt was thrown out the window when he heard Pandora's scream that seemed to reverberate off of the walls. He ran down the hall until he reached the infirmary where he saw Lee and Jackson trying to ease the girl into a tub of water in the bathroom, "NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE!" Pandora screeched as she tried to kick and punch the two boys. "STOP!" The girl yelled out in protest as she struggled even harder in their arms.
He felt his heart shatter when he took in Pandora's disheveled appearance, blood trailed down her face from where her head had been split open from where the tree branch had hit her and it was painfully obvious she tried to get up and get help from all the cuts along her arms. Half of her pant leg was missing which revealed how bruised and cut up it was, her face had small cuts and had a nasty bruise around her eye that extended down her cheek while her wrists were a nasty shade of purple, red and black. As Pandora cried out again he saw red on her teeth that signified she had bit the insides of her cheeks like she always did when she was upset or stressed, Luke's stomach turned and tied itself in nots as he reached for the doorframe in an attempt to stabilize himself. "Panda please! We're not going to hurt you we just want you to heal!" Jackson pleaded as he tried to reason with her as Lucas and Charles walked into the bathroom.
Clarisse walked up behind him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder, the boy looked like he was about to throw up or faint and Clarisse felt bad for the boy. Luke swayed slightly making Clarisse place her other hand on his shoulder so both hands were able to hold him upright, "hey! Take a deep breath- you're not going to be able to stay in here if you can't handle seeing her like this" Clarisse snapped lightly, "no one's gonna blame you if you can't be in here dude- I know she means a lot to you but your not the only one who loves her okay? It was only a matter of time before she got attacked again" Clarisse muttered as Luke's face dropped.
"This is a regular thing?" Luke asked softly but got his answer when Clarisse couldn't meet his gaze. His fist clenched and lightly hit the doorframe, "not anymore- I'll do whatever I have to do to break this fucked up cycle! She is not getting hurt anymore" Luke stated harshly as a fire burned in his eyes. Clarisse didn't say anything in response as she nodded before walking back out of the room, Luke's attention was drawn back into the bathroom when Lucas started talking.
"Lee let's try this a different way" Lucas offered.
"She's just gonna keep fighting us man- being forceful is the only way we're going to get her into the water so she can heal herself" Lee said as he tried to keep his hold on her.
Pandora strained her arms in a attempt to get free as Lucas and Charles grabbed her legs, she thrashed and flailed around before pulling one of her arms loose and swinging towards Jackson and tried to kick Charles in the face. Lee quickly grabbed her and wrapped his arms under her armpits and moved to set her on the floor, the boys quickly backed away from her. "Maybe we should get the girls or something-maybe she just doesn't trust us because of who might have attacked her" Lucas offered as he watched Pandora pull her knees up to her chest and wrap her arms around her knees.
"Let me try" Luke offered softly, Jackson looked like he was about to protest but didn't when he glanced back towards Pandora. The boys nodded and left the room, Luke watched them leave the room and stood frozen for a moment before slowly moving towards her. Luke sat in front of her and made no move to touch her as he just stared at her with gentle eyes, after a few minutes of pure silence Pandora slowly lifted her head.
She looked at Luke through her lashes and noticed how he still stared at her with love and admiration even though she was just screaming like a psycho, "I-i don't think L-Lorenzo did th-is, I-I don't know-" Pandora whispered so softly Luke didn't think he would have been able to hear her if he was a mortal. Pandora lifted her head some more, "w-what does pain feel like- when-when I was out- I- I felt something I've never felt before. It was scary- I don't know how to describe it but it felt awful. It felt like I was being torn apart from the inside" Pandora muttered as Luke shifted closer to her and offered his hand to her.
She looked hesitant for a moment but took his hand, he held eye contact with her for a moment as he turned her hand over so the back of her hand rested on his palm. "Do you feel this?" Luke asked softly while his finger dragged carefully across the creases of her hand. Pandora nodded softly as she watched his finger tracing the creases of her hand, "what did it feel like when you were unconscious?" Luke asked softly not looking up from her hand for a moment.
Pandora bit her lip for a second, "tortures- it was sharp, maybe a stabbing pain and I felt really hot- I don't know, I probably sound insane" Pandora said as she ran her free hand through her hair.
Luke nodded softly while he let his fingers trail up her forearm, "I believe you Crescent, you don't know what pain is so it's completely understandable that you don't know how to explain it. Keep talking" he said as he offered her a reassuring smile.
"It- it was like I was watching what was happening to me from someone else's perspective but I felt scared and anxious and had an underlying feeling of pain- it was weird because I don't know what pain feels like but I think that's what pain would feel like" Pandora muttered as she watched Luke's fingers climb up her forearm but as his fingers reached her elbow he then let his fingers travel back down her forearm and stopped at her wrist.
Pandora felt a cold chill run down her back while she watched Luke repeat his actions once more before he returned to holding her hand, "did you see anything? Like a person or anything when the attack happened?" Luke asked as he moved to sit on his knees.
The girl shook her head softly, "all I could think about was you winning and then when people found me how that would take the spotlight off of your win" she whispered as she kept her eyes trained to the floor.
Luke didn't skip a beat as he surged forward and gently cupped her cheeks, he gingerly brushed his thumbs over her cheek bones before he moved his hands to rest on her jaw and part of her neck. "Never and I mean never think that way again, whoever hurt you doesn't deserve to get away with it and you wouldn't have taken the spotlight because I've won before and we'll win a lot more after today but I only win because I know at the end of the day I'll get to see you again- your the reason I've survived this long! You make every single day worth waking up, I can't do this without you!" Luke proclaimed as tears welled in his eyes making Pandora smile softly.
She gently lifted her hands to cup his jaw, "don't say that, you would have survived on your own without me. In every universe you survive without me" Pandora said softly as Luke shook his head.
"In every universe I only need you because you are the sun to my moon and you're the petals to my flower, you are everything to me but do you think we'd still be together in every universe?" Luke asked with shaky hands.
"I'd like to think we would be" Pandora offered softly.
"Even if I told you I loved you" Luke asked softly. Pandora pulled back slightly in hesitation, "You don't have to say it back I- just after today- I really thought I lost you and it killed me thinking I never told you-" Pandora cut him off as she lightly pressed her lips to his, he felt her relax making him smile into the kiss. He pulled away from her leaving her to try and chase after his lips, he smiled while pulling away from her. "You only get another kiss if you get in the water pretty girl" Luke said as he gently caressed her cheek. Pandora held a small scowl but it slowly melted away as she tried to get up, her legs trembled under her weight and almost fell down to her knees when Luke gently caught her and lifted her into his arms. She opened her mouth to protest but Luke gave her a stern look making her begrudgingly shut her mouth, he gently lowered her into the tub feet first. He watched as the water put a sort of barrier around her clothes as he let her body submerge into the water, he retracted his arms but Pandora quickly grabbed his hand. He smiled softly and held her hand with his as he sat on his knees, Pandora slowly tilted her head back until only her face and hands were the only things above the water. Her free hand gripped the ledge of the tub as Luke gently pressed a kiss to her hand, he watched as the dirt and blood tainted the water and he couldn't help but think of who he wanted to go after for this. Lorenzo and Elodie obviously had a hand to play in Pandora's attack but why was she so determined to protect them?
He stared absentmindedly at the tub's tainted water when he felt Pandora lightly squeeze as she lifted her head from the water, "everything okay warrior boy?" Pandora asked softly as her hand lifted and gently brushed some wet hair from his forehead.
Luke's eyes held a hint of grief when he looked towards the girl, "have I ever told you about my mom before?" Luke asked in a hushed tone.
Pandora sat up in the water, "yeah- a little bit, you were nine when you decided to leave because of—" she started but Luke cut her off.
"Because of my mother's unstable mental problems that my father had inflicted on her" Luke finished for the girl, she moved around in the water so she was facing him. "Her name was May Castellan, she was a clear- sighted mortal who managed to catch Hermes's attention but only if she had known how much he would have fucked her and I up maybe she would have steered clear of him and I wouldn't have a deadbeat god for a dad" Luke spat as he gripped Pandora's hand harshly but she didn't say anything as she continued to watch him.
"When was the last time you saw your mom?" Pandora asked softly as she moved her other hand towards his as she let her thumbs brush over his knuckles.
Luke looked down for a moment, "it was a little after I turned 14 but before we arrived at camp, Thalia got injured after one of our many monsters encounters and Annabeth and I wanted to rest so I took them back to my childhood home. That was when I finally met my father, when we approached the house a voice boomed out over head. 'You shouldn't have returned' his voice boomed out. When he finally showed his face I was resentful and pissed for him leaving us even when I desperately prayed to him when I hid from my mother during her fits and when we were constantly running from monsters. He made vague talk about knowing something about my future and when I pressed him on it he refused to say seeing as he had told me too much already. I told him I could never love him for what he'd done to my mother and told him I couldn't possibly love someone who wouldn't tell me what I was destined for- after I ran away my mother made peanut- butter sandwiches with burnt cookies and kool-aid every single day in case I came home" as Luke spoke a tear rolled down his cheek and before he could roughly wipe it away Pandora beat him to it as she gently wiped the tear away.
The gentle action threw Luke off for a second, "your feelings are valid Luke- you had a shity dad and a mother who was driven to insanity. That is your past and it always will be, but your mother is so proud of you Luke" Pandora said softly making a few more tears roll down his cheeks. Pandora gingerly cupped Luke's cheeks and gave him a sad smile, "you are the son of May Castellan and you will never forget where you came from, that's what we all love about you- that's what I love about you. You're not just another Hermes kid who will easily become forgotten, your Luke Gabriel Castellan, the man who protects and is the best swordsman in camp. You always try and do the right thing, people will know your name Luke. You'll never be one of the forgotten" Pandora whispered softly as she watched the corners of his mouth twitch up.
Luke smiled softly, "Pandora Eloise Nightgood, what did I ever do to deserve you?" He asked softly as he motioned for her to tilt her head back. She tipped her head backwards as he cupped his hands to collect some of the dirtied water and let the water rinse her face, she wiped the water from her face when she heard muffled voices yelling at each other before the voice got closer with the sound of someone running down the hall.
The door to the infirmary slammed into the wall as Lee yelled after them, "GET THE FUCK BACK OUT HERE!" Lee yelled as Jackson and Clarisse's voice rang out next.
"YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THEM!" Jackson yelled as the door slammed shut catching Jackson and Clarisse outside before they could get to the door.
"I SWEAR TO THE GODS ILL KILL YOU! GET OUT HERE YOU COWARD!" Clarisse's voice boomed out as she pounded on the door.
Luke's head snapped to the door and quickly got up and surged towards the door just in time to lock it before the person could come in leaving them to pound on the door, Luke's face turned cold and void of any emotion as his hand held the hilt of his sword. "Luke?" Pandora's voice trembled as she moved to stand.
"Stay in there crescent" Luke muttered as he pulled his sword out and quickly looked around the bathroom. He muttered out a few curses before turning towards Pandora and moving towards her as he motioned for her to stand, she did so without hesitation but was surprised when he wrapped his arm around her wait and pulled her up and out of the tub.
Pandora quickly pulled some water from the tub and sent it towards the doorknob and froze it when it sounded like someone was trying to pick the lock, "I just wanna talk! Please just hear me out!" Lorenzo's voice sounded from the other side of the door. The boy pounded on the door as Pandora tried to take a step forward, Luke wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and pulled her back into his side when the other door that led into the infirmary burst open as people entered the room and tried to drag the boy away. "I didn't do it! What ever happened I didn't do anything to her!" At Lorenzo's confession Pandora defrosted the doorknob when Luke shared a look with her, Luke charged out the door as he motioned for Pandora to stay in the bathroom.
Luke bounded towards the hall where Jackson and Lucas were holding Lorenzo against the wall as Clarisse, Lee, Dixie and Naomi ran into the bathroom as Luke held his sword to Lorenzo's neck. "Let's get you back to your cabin so you can get cleaned up before dinner" Lee muttered before quickly leading the girls out of the infirmary.
Clarisse and Naomi stayed close to Pandora's sides and held each other's hands but Naomi pulled on Pandora's hand when Lorenzo managed to grab her arm, "c'mon just hear me out!" Naomi's face paled as Lorenzo's bloodied finger tips wrapped around her bicep.
Lee smacked Lorenzo's hand off of the girl's arm and stood protectively in front of the girls, "don't touch her" Lee spat as Lorenzo grew more frantic.
"Elodie did this! She's working with someone who wants her dead!" Lorenzo cried out making everyone freeze, "she was using me all along- I thought she was my friend but she was only using me" Lorenzo whispered.
Luke was growing tired of all this, "then where the hell is she?" Luke demanded.
"I don't know! We went to go wake everyone up after Chris ordered us to and she was acting so odd until she stopped and this thing hovered over her and it was like something snapped in her and she tried to attack me before she ran away with this shadow following after her" Lorenzo explained as his head slowly dropped.
Luke glared at the boy but pulled his sword away from the boys throat as Chiron walked up to the teens, "take him into my office and I'll deal with this" Chiron spoke softly as Pandora made eye contact with the boy again. She felt his heartache and felt his anger when Jackson led him away, "Dixie can you please stay back to listen in?" Chiron asked.
Dixie nodded and gently squeezed Pandora's shoulders before she followed after the man, Luke watched Lorenzo disappear up the stairs and when he was out of sight he quickly walked towards Pandora who opened her arms to him. He excepted the gesture and gently held her in his arms and leaned down to gently kissed her cheek, "let's get you cleaned up yeah?" He whispered as his nose brushed against the side of her neck. Pandora smiled softly and nodded as she led everyone out of the house, Chiron watched the children as they started down the hill.
He watched them with a faint smile before turning towards Lorenzo while Dixie and Jackson stood behind him with their hands on the hilts of their weapons, "start from the beginning" Chiron said softly as he moved to stand behind his desk. Lorenzo took a deep breath and rubbed his hands over his thighs in an attempt to soothe himself before explaining everything from the beginning.
A/n
We officially hit 14K reads and y'all I can't express enough how thankful I am for you all reading my work! I am truly grateful for you all!
Everyone keep safe and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!