Work Text:
He doesn’t understand.
“Percy?...Percy, it’s” A crack “ Hold-Hold on. Okay?”
The voice sounds bruised and he feels himself flinch. He knows, deep inside, that voice isn’t supposed to sound like that.
He doesn’t understand
“Lift him up on, one two, three–”
He’s flying.
He’s falling.
He’s floating.
He’s sinking.
He’s dying.
Two days later.
Percy hates being dramatic; hates it when people call him that. A villian of his past used to have it attached to Percy’s name like a title. But worse of all, he hates it when it’s valid.
“It’s so embarrassing” He mumbles, hiding his face in his hands.His arms shake, and a hand grabs hold of it. Grab would be too kind of a word. It’s more like a resting place, as the owner of it is just as weak as him.
“Don’t do that to yourself, Perce.” It hurts to hear Annabeth’s voice like this; small and shell of what it was. It hurts to look at her too, so he keeps his eyes hidden.
“‘M not doin’ anythin’” He mumbles. His voice feels ugly and he coughs; throat burning.
Annabeth winces and passes him the half empty water bottle on his nightstand. He takes it wordlessly and sips at it. Water shouldn’t hurt this much, but he’s learned so much about pain this week he doesn’t even feel it anymore. With his face free from the haven his hands provided, he has no excuse but to make eye contact with his girlfriend.
She’s hurt, obviously so. One leg hanging off the side of the bed and the other, the right one, is tucked under her. He doesn't think it’s a good idea to put weight on top of a mutilated ankle, but pressure helps her deal with the pain, so he leaves it alone. She’s watching him like she knows he’s doing the same.
He has nothing to say.
“What’re you embarrassed about?” It’s this new thing she’s trying; talking Percy through whatever he’s feeling. She started it when they were down there and he was extremely frustrated by it at first. Usually when people ask him why he’s feeling the things he feels, it’s quickly torn to shreds and made a fool of. It took a while for Annabeth to prove she isn’t like that, at least, not anymore. Percy didn’t make it any easier, but her persistence made him feel secure at a time when security was a place unheard of.
“ Isn't it obvious? We’re in hell, Annabeth. What do you think I’m feeling?”
“You could be feeling anything, Percy. Now, more than ever should we be honest about where we’re at mentally. This isn’t just a physical war anymore. We’re dead if we don’t stay strong together.”
He exhales lightly through his nose and deflates like a balloon after a kid used its helium “I totally overreacted, Beth.”
“How so?”
“They had to carry me–”
“Had to carry us , Jackson” She says with a knowing smirk.
He chuckles “Yeah. Us . Guess that makes it not so dramatic anymore, huh.”
“Yeah, but I felt that way too.” She leans forwards and he closes his eyes, melting in the way her cracked lips touch his like a feather’s whisper. She’s so soft. She could be made into coal and fractured all over and she’ll still be soft to him.
He loves her so much.
She pulls back too soon and laughs at the way he sulks.
“You’ll get more later, loverboy, as long as Hedge–”
She catches herself, but Percy already heard. The mood darkens again and he has a feeling it’s going to be like this for a while. A few seconds of happiness and nothing more. They really are hanging by a thread.
Percy knows it’s his time to be the shoulder, and he pulls her into a hug, massaging her scalp lightly “They’ll get the statue back in time. Nico, Reyna and Hedge? They’re the most stubborn people I've met. The Romans would literally collapse five feet within their vicinity because they’re RBF’s are too strong to handle”
The comment does its job and elicits a laugh from the beautiful girl he’s holding. This sound is the only thing keeping him going and he’s so glad to hear it again.
“You’re such a dork.”
He shrugs, “I try.”
She smiles cheekily and looks up at him. He frowns a bit. He misses the way her cheek would squish against his chest and turn her eyes to mush. She had this dimple, right along the corner of her mouth and it was so small, Percy liked to believe he was the only one that could see it. But now it’s gone–the dimple and the cheek–and in its place is a sunken skin.
She frowns too. “I miss eating.”
He’d make a joke about telepathy or something super power related, but his mood is too somber to get it out.
He only hums in agreement. Their appetite is next to nothing. Burning fat (Literally. Okay, maybe he’s in the mood for some jokes) for a week straight with actual molten fire water shrunk their stomachs to nothing. It would be healed with time, but never to the way it was. Right now, they’re bodies can only digest small amounts of Ambrosia, Nectar and piping hot broths or water. It’s been a struggle, especially with smells of spicy elote, sweet pasta and savory fried food wafting through the corridors and into Percy’s desperate nose. He has yet to leave the Medbay; Annabeth as well. He dreads being with everyone and he cringes as he remembers how this conversation started in the first place.
“They’re gonna ask so many questions.” He knows his friends mean well, but they are naturally curious people. Nico’s been to the same place and Percy doesn’t even want to imagine what it was like for him when he and Annabeth fell .
And fell
And fell
They’re falling
Always going to fall…
“There you go…breathe with me” Oxygen invades his lungs and burns on the way in. Coughs wrack his frame until he finds a steady rhythm again. Percy is too familiar with flashbacks, but never had they been this easy to slip into. A hand wipes a wet spot on his cheek and he flinches back.
“It’s Annabeth.” The name fishes him out like an anchor and his eyes fly open; finding the grey in her eyes. They’re glazed over, water threatening to fall, but his arms are useless at his sides. “You with me.”
“Yeah.” He says at first, unsure. He scans the room around him, taking in the musty air, the sharp scent of the antiseptics, the cold hand on his cheek. He holds it in his hands “Yeah” he answers more resolutely.
They have a week before they reach Athens; only a week to get their bodies into shape to defeat Gaea’s army and hopefully stop the camps from fighting each other. It’s a lot to deal with and he still hasn’t processed anything from the moment he woke up all those months ago. But with Annabeth at his side ( “You’re not getting away from me. Never again.” ), he knows they’ll make it.
Together.