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Somehow, fighting monsters became fighting each other. Percy doesn't understand nor remember how it all started but it just did. The snarky comments got louder and more hurtful by the day. It could’ve just been the stress building up with all the problems with monsters reappearing again (talk about déjà vu) in larger numbers and not to mention actually evolving but it wasn't like they've never been in a dire situation like this before. They were a team and they had each other’s back. But apparently time wears out even emotions.
“Annabeth, come back. Let’s work this thing out.” She was packing her things up, pacing around their apartment to get her stuff while Percy tried to reason with her. Trying to reach out but continuously missing her by a hair.
“Isn't that what we've been doing for the past months, Percy? Or was that just some prelude? Is now the time when you really get yourself together enough to get your seaweed brain working?” Annabeth was mad beyond reason and she barely ever loses herself enough to forget reason but what’s enough was enough. Talking things out had made things even harder for the both of them. It’s as if all they ever did was shout at each other, refusing the listen to the other. They both know this but they've somehow became too stubborn to really notice things around them.
“Annabeth just wait-“ Percy perseveres and pleads but Annabeth cuts him off as they enter the living room where she dumps one of her bags.
“Percy is this really what you want? Let’s be honest here, all there’s left of us is either fading or is already broken. I broke your heart and you've broken mine. I've made up my mind and staying isn't on my plan.” She stares at him for a moment before she’s back to moving again and pacing to get her stuff packed. Percy sighs and sits down on one of the chairs in their living room. That was a big blow. He admits, he’d been stupid and like always, he’d probably said things he shouldn't have. A lot of things went wrong and he knew there would be a breaking point somewhere. He just never realized how close they were until they were already falling down the cliff.
He watched Annabeth weave through the hallways and he thinks about how they started with underwater kisses, unbreakable bonds and hands that always held the other’s. They’d started and continued so well, staying in an apartment near the beach, running and laughing about stories of their childhood and maybe stories of growing old together. They’re far from turning thirty, not old enough to end what they are and what they have together. Especially when he knows all he really needs is the woman that’s about to leave him forever.
Before he even realizes it, Annabeth was already walking to the door. Percy knows he’s not ready, not yet, not now, not ever. And he rushes to the narrow hallway to the door just barely catching her.
“Annabeth.” He calls out and she pauses, turns to look to him, eyes unfocused and Percy knows there’s still a chance.
“Percy, this hurts me just as much it hurts you but we can’t go on like this forever so answer me, do we take it or leave it?” She stares into his eyes and he knows she’s searching for a reason to not give up. What they had wasn't something you just leave. Now was the time. It was make it or break it and he’s sure of himself. He could be wrong with a lot of things but this time, there will be no more breaking. Percy takes a deep breath and he, for the longest time, just tells her what he feels.
“I’d take it. Gods damn it, Annabeth. I’d take it for whatever it is as long as I’d have you with me. As long as you stay by my side, I’d take on anything. So stay. Please. Please just stay.” Percy knows it’s not very manly to cry or beg but this was his life or death moment. He feels the tears prick his eyes and for a moment his vision blurs and when he looks back up again, eyes clear and sharp, he knows he’s not hallucinating. Annabeth had tears flowing down her cheeks and silent sobs.
Percy tries to calm his breathing and Annabeth purses her lips. And in that moment, standing by a too small hallway in a too small apartment that smells too much like the ocean, they knew they felt something stirring, somewhat starting.
“I’d take it too. Even if it meant having to let go of some other things.” Annabeth says with a shaky sigh, trying to actually look back at Percy through tears in her eyes. And Percy makes a silly grin even with all the tears and snot on his face and it’s disgusting but Annabeth can’t help but lunge at him with a hug, tears still flowing. Percy stumbles but catches her perfectly and he thinks about how he had actually missed having the most wonderful girl in the world in his arms.
They stay like that for some time. Just clutching onto each other for dear life, like falling back again to Tartarus with no one else but each other. But this time they know that they've already hit rock bottom in the past few months; this time, there’ll be no other way but up.
“I’ll pick up the pieces and I’ll make sure to put them where they actually belong. I’ll do my best and you can just relax, okay? Just stay with and bear with me till I bring everything we had back.” He says with his head on top of Annabeth’s but Annabeth loosened the hug and looked up at Percy.
“Why not just start a new page instead? Together, like we’re supposed to do.” She proposes and Percy kind of looks shocked but he nods before sweeping down for a kiss.
“I love you so, so much.” Percy mumbles and Annabeth takes a step back and looks up at him adoringly. Percy thinks about how much he’s missed her smile and how Annabeth kept turning his world upside down. But with a sudden pull on his left arm, a twist and pain running up his back, Annabeth had just turned his world upside down again, this time quite literally with a judo flip.
“I love you too, seaweed brain.”