Annabeth's POV
"Where's Percy?"
"... He said he didn't have an appetite."
Hazel pursed her lips. "He's sick?"
I nodded slowly. "I think there was a small fight with a Roman soldier."
Hazel paused. "... Maybe it's because of the Heath twins."
"I hate those little brats."
"I think he just gossiped about how he was going to chase out the Greeks." she furrowed her eyebrows. "I overheard them talking."
I scowled and my eyeballs rolled around to find them and gut them.
"... Can I see him?"
"Huh?"
"Percy. I haven't been able to talk to him for a while."
I thought for a few seconds. "I'm not sure. I'll ask."
"Thanks."
I took a few bites of my meatloaf. It was kind of hard to swallow thinking Percy wasn't eating anything. I gulped down some water, pushing it down my throat.
"... Annabeth."
I glanced at Nico. "Yes?"
"I was wondering when Percy would die."
I pressed my lips together. I wasn't sure how to feel about him. His words were straightfoward, but somewhat rude.
"A few days. Maybe a week." I shoved more of the meatloaf into my mouth, hoping the tears would squeeze back into my eyes.
"Don't worry."
I stared at him. He was looking down at his lap.
"He'll go to elyisum. I met Thalia.... And Andrew." he bit his lip. "Theo too." he sighed. "He'll be happy." he said flatly.
I was frozen into place. Suddenly, I was thinking about how different he was when I had first met him. He was ten, smiling, and looked like he actually had blood. Now he was pale, tall, skinny, with raging, dark eyes. His long hair was slightly over his eyes, which I knew Bianca would cut as soon as she saw him. He still had his olive complexion, but it had faded out till it was barely visible
"Do you still do mythomagic?" I blurted.
He stared at me if I was crazy. He sighed. "Sometimes."
I nodded slowly. He plowed through his dinner and I stood up, and the wind whisked my plate away. Hazel stood up also and walked beside me.
"When are you going back?"
"Tommorow morning."
"Early?"
"Yeah."
We walked a little bit without a word. We got closer to the barracks, and I saw Percy outside, sitting on a hammock and talking to a boy. He smiled when he saw me and said a few words before jumping off the hammock.
"Hi." he greeted Hazel.
"Why were you outside?"
"Waiting for you." he kissed my cheek. "You came with Hazel?"
I nodded. Hazel smiled at Percy. "I wanted to see you."
"I haven't really seen you in a while." He agreed. "Come to camp sometime."
"I heard that there was a misunderstanding with a soldier."
"Yeah. It got finished pretty quickly."
She frowned. "Who was it?"
"I can't remember his face anyway. It's fine."
I pulled down his scarf to reveal the big purple bruise on his neck. "He got this."
"Annabeth!" He pulled his scarf back. "It's alright Hazel. It was just a misunderstanding-"
"Do you remember anything about him?"
"No. Hazel-"
"Where was he?"
"I have no idea. It's not serious-"
"How is that not serious!! That soldier needs to be washing all the toliets with a toothbrush!!"
"That would take a year." he insisted.
Hazel sighed. "I'll find him before you go to camp." she hugged him tight. "I hope you get better."
Percy bit his lip. "Thanks." he managed.
Hazel went off and I grabbed his hand.
"You shouldn't of came out."
He let his shoulders droop. "Lets go inside." He said, ignoring my words. He opened the door for me and I stepped in. He followed behind me and hugged me, wrapping his arms loosly around my waist. I could feel his breath on my neck.
"... It's just a dream..." he mumbled. There was complete silence. "Right?"
Shivers ran up my spine. What was he talking about?
Just a dream.
His dreams....
"It's a dream." I said stiffly. "Just a dream."
He sighed and took his arms away. "Just a dream..."
He ran his fingers through his hair.
I so badly wanted to ask what he had seen. What had shaken him up so hard. What was killing him from the inside, slowly eating away his indentity.
"Percy...."
He wasn't listening.
~
I woke to a lot of yelling and cussing.
Bewildered and sleepy, I saw a glint of bronze and gold. The clang sent sparks flying.
Percy.
I could see him, yelling at someone. I looked to the side to see a man with a ski mask. I grabbed my cap and turned invisible and also spotted another man rummaging through our bags. I grabbed my dagger and knocked out the man fighting with Percy. Percy's eyes were glowing and raging in the dark. He thrust his hand out and the man started choking, something lifting him out in the air. Suddenly, the man that I had knocked out stabbed Percy in his outstreched arm. Percy threw the man off and I jumped ontop of him, punching his masked face. He struggled under me, kicking his legs. I used all my strength to keep him down. Something- someone fell with a thump behind me. Fear ran through my veins. If Percy was knocked out, I had no chance against these two men.
"Annabeth."
Percy grabbed my shaking arm. I looked behind me to see that the other man was out completely. The man under me still struggled. Percy grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him up into the air. He threw his ski mask off and the man was revealed.
Parker.
His nose was broken and bleeding, which I was pretty satisified with. His red brown eyes glared at Percy.
"Parker." he growled.
Parker laughed. "Perseus Jackson." he said haughtily, but I knew he had nothing to say.
"You're dead."
I screamed as Raymond stabbed Percy in the back. Parker was laughing like a maniac.
Percy didn't move.
Raymond frowned. "Hey-"
Percy elbowed Raymond in his face hard, sending him flying back to the wall behind him. He sighed.
"You thought that would kill me."
Parker was frozen, staring at him in fear.
"Grab Raymond Annabeth. We've got some talking to do."
~
Percy was furious.
He was yelling at a centurion, who looked very, very scared and confused. I saw Reyna running out and pulling the centurion back while Hazel and Frank tried to calm Percy. The Apollo kid next to me tapped me on the shoulder.
"You don't feel uncomfortable?" she asked.
I shook my head. She smiled at me. "Just a few bruises." she pursed her lips. "Can you get him over? He looks like he's hurt pretty bad."
The dim light showed the blood running down his forehead and staining the back of his shirt. The girl's dark skin shone in the lights that had turned on above. I pulled the blankets close to me. I was so spooked by this experience and I was wondering how Percy was able to yell like this. I glanced at Raymond and Parker with another child of Apollo. I swallowed and stood up. I was wearing my PJ's in the cold weather. The cold of the stones on the ground seeped through my slippers. I walked towards Percy and grabbed his wrist.
"Percy."
He looked down, stopping his tirade. His eyes scared me.
"Let's stop this." I said quietly. "We can talk about this tommorow-"
"You're expecting me to let you sleep here."
I flinched at his sharp voice. "But-"
"We are getting out of this camp as soon as I get this covered." he snapped. He softened a bit as I looked down.
"... Hazel. Get Annabeth inside."
I was whisked away quickly by her and I looked behind to see Percy talking with Reyna and Frank. Hazel led me to her own bed.
"Are you cold?"
I nodded slowly, my mind muggy with the need of sleep. Hazel gave me another blanket.
"Go to sleep." she insisted.
"What time is it?"
"2 am. Get some sleep."
I sighed and leaned back on the wall. "Percy's hurt."
"I know."
I dropped my head. I wanted to cry. I wished he would just shut up and talk about this tommorow.
".... Annabeth..."
"He... He was sick. And he used his powers. He-"
"I'll go and see. Stay here."
I could feel her weight move off the bed. My eyelids drooped. I wanted to stay awake so badly, but my consciousness slipped back and forth. Finally, I gave in to sleep let my head fall back.
~
I woke to Percy's back.
I blinked a few times and saw that I was riding piggyback on Percy. Suprised, I pulled back.
"Whoah. Relax Wise Girl."
"But-"
"Relax."
I slumped back on his back and sighed. "Where are we?"
"You don't need to know." he said stiffly. "Hold on."
I held on tight as he used his hand to open the door. He hefted me up and used his foot to opened the door. He slipped off his own shoes and laid me on the bed. I could see the bandage on his head. He went out of my sight for a while and came back and laid by my side. I kissed him carefully, hoping I wouldn't hurt him. He wrapped his arms around me, pressing my head against his chest.
"Wise Girl..."
"Hmmmmm?"
He sighed, making the hard slope of muscle fall dramatically.
"Sleepy?"
"Hmmmmm."
He laughed slightly. "Go to sleep." he said softly. I snuggled into his arms, breathing in his salty scent. I wondered when I would never be able to smell it again. I sighed.
"Why?"
"Whaat?"
"You just sighed."
"I don't want to miss you when you're gone."
"I'm afraid it's impossible for me to forget you."
"You'll have Theo."
"I won't have you."
"Lets think about now."
"Now."
I hugged him. "I love you."
"Ditto."
I smiled into his chest, feeling my lips on his chest. "I love you more."
"I love you more than that."
"I love you more than you love me."
"This is getting cliche."
"Sleep..." I mumbled.
"Alright." He kissed me on the top of my head. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
~
Screaming.
In delight.
Why??
CAUSSSSSEEEEEEE
JUST CAUSSE!
yup.
WHOOP WHOOP!!
BUT I WONDER WHERE WERE YOU
WHEN I WAS AT THE WORST TIME ON MY KNEES
NO!!!
IT DOESN'T MATCH WITH THE ENDING!!
HERE I STAND, HELPLESS AND LEFT FOR DEAD
NO!!!!!!!
OH HER EYES, HER EYES, MAKES THE STARS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE NOT SHINING
MAYBE....
YOU'RE ON THE PHONE WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND SHE'S NOT UPSET
SHE'S NOT UPSET!!!
I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU WERE SAYING
No....
Whatever.
AND IT'S NOT MY FAULT
WAKE UP CALL!!!!
DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT ME
I DON'T THINK SO!!!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OHHH OHHHH
I'M WAKING UP TO ASH AND DUST
I STILL DON'T HAVE THE REASON AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA