Chapter Text
Percy can feel the tears running down Jason's cheeks like they're his own. He almost touches his face to check. But then he remembers the blood coating his hands, making his fingers slide as they try to grasp Riptide.
"What did you do?" There's a sob breaking the blonde's chest. If he squints he can see the ribcage split open.
He swallows the bile threatening to scorch his throat. The lie tastes sandpaper rough against his tongue. "I killed her."
"Why?" The right lens on Jason's glasses is cracked through the middle. It makes his blue eyes look split apart, like a yawning ocean.
"She almost killed me so I killed her first."
"But she was all I had left." The voice is so small he wants to crawl into his own ear to hear better.
"You have me."
"No," And the viper is back with venom. If anyone stood before them now they wouldn't be able to tell who the good Roman child was. Jason? They would say. I used to know him. Good soldier. Always had his head on straight.
Fists curl golden hands. Hard set jaw strong enough to clamp down on a bicep and rip clean off. Mind feral enough to consider it. Wildness stares at him and it looks just like hate.
"No I don't have you." The words are spitting. They taste deadly in the air. "You killed my sister. Don’t call me, don't look at me, don't try to find me. I don’t want any contact with you.”
The ground swallows Percy whole. He is once again in a labyrinth.
Thalia Grace pulls herself off from the wall she's leaning against, picking dirt from her nails with the top of an arrow.
"I’m sorry." Her voice is as strong and distant as ever. "It had to be done."
"Find a way." Percy cannot hold on much longer. He is keeping everything wrapped tightly enough to choke him. "I can't lose him." Viper has a meal.
"I really am sorry Percy." She sounds small and far away. He knows she's already back with her Goddess. He is speaking to her echo.
"Just find a way." He sinks to the floor, head cradled against blood-slicked palms. "I want my heart back."
The sky cracks. The earth doesn't respond.