Percy Pov
Grover didn't handle it well. In fact, he handled it worse than me. I sat with my back to the wall and my hand on his shoulder while he was lying face down on my bed crying salty goat tears.
"Hey man, you're gonna ruin my sheets with all this salt," I tried for humor.
"What do you care you're the son of Posiedon," he answered back in a muffled voice.
True.
"Grover please. You don't need to be like this. I'm okay. Just calm down."
"No. I will not will not calm down. Do you realize that for the past few months I didn't even notice. It was the empathy link? I was to self absorbed to notice that my best man was struggling!"
Grover said all of it in an uncharacteristically angry way. It kind of felt good that he felt that way. He cared enough but didn't force me to tell him . I actually got to do it myself. He respected me and I respected him.
Especially now since he was crying.
"It's- it's fine, goat man. It's okay."
He didn't respond. Just shook his head slightly and tried giving me a hug. It was a bit difficult from his position so he was mostly just holding my waist in an awkward way. But it was okay.
I was okay.
I had leaned back and closed my eyes for a few moments when Grover moved his hand to tap mine and without lifting his head up, asked me a question.
"You can still control water right? I know how much it means to you." He looked up with red eyes and had a hopeful expression.
I felt a surge of love for my G man. He really cared. I Ruffles his curly hair before answering.
"Yeah I can control it still. It doesn't not work. It just sometimes, um, work when I don't need it too. Or it will respond to my emotions too strongly. likes at week, I tried to just move water from one bucket to another for Blackjack, when it went a bit to forcefully transitioning and made a bit of a mess. It was because I was feeling a bit anxious. But that happens.
It does help though. I can tire myself out with it."
"Tha- that's good, Perc. Good."
I nodded and settled back, determined to not let anything else ruin this day. It could only get better. I hoped.
Everything felt alright at the moment. I could feel the breeze through my window, the slight gurgle from my fountain(Tyson fixed it. Yay brother!), and the low sound of the waves rolling on the shore. It smelled slightly salty. Everything felt right.
Until someone knocked on my door. My heart leapt into my throat at the sudden noise and i accident my hit Grover in the nose. I mumbled an apology to the red nosed goat and opened the door. It would be an understatement to say I wasn't pleased.
(A/N omg this is really crappy RN)
Annabeth pov
Jason and Piper stood behind me while I knocked on Percy's door. We just wanted to check on him. I felt a bit worried when I saw his sick expression at dinner and how he leapt up with Grover behind him. Piper was furious of course.
"He said he was okay why isn't he eating he's running away with him i literally talked to him this morning." Was basically everything that came out of her mouth, plus a few extra colorful words.
Jason came along just to make sure Piper didn't murder him. Jason was a bit uncomfortable with a direct approach and wanted to let Percy come out o us on his own. I assured him that we were just coming to see if he was okay.
Shifting my hand from the golden light from the sinking sun, I heard a less peaceful noise from the inside. There was a cry out of pain, a lot of fumbling, and quick footsteps. Slight complaining as well. I figured tabs was Grover.
"Hello?" Percy asked with a flushed look on his face. I had to smile. He looked really adorable with his raised eyebrows and slight frown. But I couldn't get distracted. I had to ask him a few things.
I opened my mouth to ask my first question("are you okay?") when his eyes widened and he flung the door open farther.
"If you're here to talk to me about,you know, I don't want to. You can't force me." He had an angry expression. No, livid. And I felt bad to say, I felt scared.
Jason obviously felt uncomfortable because he shifted his feet and said in a low voice,"we just wanted to see if you were okay. You ran off."
Percy nodded and looked him in the eye,"I am okay. Thanks for asking."
He shut the door.
Piper flung Jason out of the way and jerked it open. I was too surprised to react.
"Perseus Jackson. You listen here. I have been worried about you all day, all day! You're not okay. We covered that this morning!"
She held up her hands in a 'hold on' gesture when Percy had opened his mouth again.
"You run off from Jason, and disappear at dinner. I think we deserve to talk to you."
Piper and Percy were face to face. Well, close enough. Percy was much taller than her. But her attitude at the moment made her seem 2 feet taller.
I wanted to reach out to grab her, but I felt a humid breeze settle inside the cabin. Jason and I had been pushed in when Piper flew in. Percy was almost Ina corner. He wasn't backing down.
"I think I have a right to talk to you guys when I want to. You can't force me into this. I already talked to you. That was hard enough. Do you understand how hard it was. You. Don't. You don't have the right to barge in and scream at me about my feelings when you don't understand half of them yourself." He had gone redder in the face and the water was gurgling in the fountain stronger. I thought Piper would understand. She continued. She needed to stop. Things would only get worse.
"Oh really? I think I understand emotions very well and at least I'm helping you. You obviously need it."
"You think I don't know that?! "
The Windows shut from the strong breeze he had caused. He looked around a little alarmed but continued. "You think I don't know I need help. I know I'm not the same. I know that. I opened up to you, the least you could do was offer me a little more space before shoving me upon everyone else. Just let me handle one thing in my life before the fates do."
He tried pushing past her but she didn't budge.
"Let me out." He sounded about strained.
"Piper move," Jason said. He looked st Percy and nodded. Percy glared back. The fountain WA cracking. He glanced at it and closed his eyes. It didn't stop.
"Piper move. Let him go. We have to leave." I said slowly backing up. I tried looking at Perxy but he ducked his head when I said that. I realized too late. "Percy-wait."
"Don't you see people are afraid of me? Don't you see that I can't control myself right now. Don't you see anything?
I
Need
Time."
The fountain cracked In half and Perxy looked devastated at the fact it broke again.
"Percy I'm not scared of you," I whispered. Jason gripped my shoulder. "Piper come on."
She had seemed much more relaxed.
She didn't move but she asked him one more thing.
"How much more time Percy. Until you talk?"
"I don't know." He went past her and us. I touched his hand and he flinched, but held the contact a little longer.
I dropped my arm to My side and looked up again. I didn't even realize Grover was there. He sat at the edge of the bed and with a small mouth and wide eyes, glanced between the three of us.
"I think I'm gonna goooooo." He said quickly and trotted out quickly.
My head was pounding with adrenaline.
I swiveled my head to Piper, who I heard sniff.
"What good is a child of Aphrodite who can't control her own emotions?" She was still staring at the spot Percy had been.
"That didn't go well." I said finally. I grabbed her and led her outside, with Jason.
He looked at me past his glasses and said, "that's an understatement."
We giggled for a second, Before looking at Percy's receding figure. He was headed towards the lake and probably not going to get out until tomorrow.
"We'll give him time," Piper said.
"I should've handled that better. Im out of control."
"No, we just should have let him handle it himself,"Jason tried to console her.
"No," I spoke up while looking at them. "We just needed a better approach. We knew he wasn't okay. We should've done a lot of things differently. "
"I'm supposed to know emotions." Piper whispered.
"You do. Just not when yours go out of wack."
I smiled sympathetically.
Jason looked back at me,"we need better plans."
"Are you kidding me? We didn't even have one this time!" I laughed despite the hole in my chest. The others did too.
I quieted down before adding,"the war changes a lot. We need to change too."
We looked off into the red sun where Apollo was surely blasting his heavy metal and waving like a rockstar. The gods had probably gotten over this. We just had to pretend it was okay. Just for the rest of the night. We had to look past the black waters of the lake and the bloody sun. We had to make things better for tonight.
And for tomorrow,
Percy.
Ayyyyyyy updated! Sorry guys. I'm sure you're tired of hearing me say this but, i doNT lIke THis cHapTeR. But oh well, it's up.
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Shout out time!!!!
1) goes to @angelicrune590 for voting and commenting the most!!! Thank you so much ily.
2) goes to my Instagram friend nicossword she is amazing and funny and you should check out her recent FIC too ;)
Thank you all for reading this hopefully the next update will be faster