Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The hissing being emitted from the creatures below him triggered the realization that he was being cornered.

Percy’s heart nearly fell out of his chest at his dear friend’s confession. His knees began to buckle slightly and blood ran cold as he looked back for a second only to see 3 scorpions piercing his shin with their stingers.

“I didn’t think you’d give them to Grover to wear. I never planned to hurt you, Percy. Believe me.”

The words were sickeningly bitter to hear. His ears were ringing with the same sentence repeating in his head. A realization of just how dangerous Luke really was had finally struck him. Even now he was admitting to betraying him AND everyone at camp, yet softened it in such a way Percy fought the urge to drop his sword from his clutched fingers and accept it as a simple mistake.

“You.. betrayed me. You betrayed us? I thought you said Annabeth was family to you! How do you think-!”

A clang from the sudden contact of Back-biter shook Percy’s arms and made him stumble back. The look in the man’s eyes no longer carried the compassion it once was overflowing with. A burning glare was its replacement, sending a deathly chill down the boy’s spine.

His eyes shifted nervously as he tried to wrack his brain on how to get out of here. There was no way Percy could take on the very person who’d taught him every technique he knew. It’d barely been a few weeks since he’d been at camp, which was nothing compared to the 5 long years Luke had spent tailoring his craft. Luke must’ve known to some degree just how wrong his approach was when he heard Percy begin to predict with great accuracy just how heartbroken Annabeth would be to realize another loved one had betrayed her.

Any regards Luke had Percy as his friend were shredded and burned when listened to him speak about how “this isn’t what Annabeth would want.”

“I DID THIS FOR HER! Do you really think our parents give a damn about what’s best for us? I’m doing this for you, and all the demigods to come after us. They won’t be born into a world that abuses their existence for selfishness!”

A crash of thunder could be heard in the distance, a sign that Zeus didn’t take kindly to such disrespect. Percy’s breath hitched at the noise and he silently hoped that he wouldn’t be struck down along side Luke.

“You’re not as smart as I thought if you really believe that what you’re doing won’t screw us all over!” His throat was beginning to itch and close in on itself. “Kronos isn’t the way to change anything! We’ll all die before that happens.”

The previous sting of the scorpions just a minute earlier had begun to take hold on him. Black spots blurred his vision and his knees were fighting to stay up. Repeated blows from Luke’s sword swiftly followed Percy’s desperate attempts to stay conscious, slicing the tendons in his ankle and knocking him down against the dewy forest grounds below them.

“You had your chance. You could have been very useful to his cause, Percy.” Luke approaches the fallen boy determined to end it here with his sword in hand. “Don’t take this personally.”

His blond hair was now dirtied and laid against the mud despite his frantic attempts to rebutt Luke’s words and uselessly crawl back to camp.

‘Need to get…back.. must warn-‘ was all Percy could think while silently praying for his life.

A footstep halted the fatal stab the older boy was inches away from serving to his once dear friend. Luke’s mouth went dry when his eyes made contact with Annabeth, who had her dagger drawn and was slowly encroaching on the two.

“I heard.. everything.”

The familiar voice echoed in Percy’s head like a soothing melody, yet he couldn’t pinpoint who or if the voice was just a hallucination.

As for Luke however, his feet moved on their own as he stepped back from Percy’s limp body and tried to speak without his voice getting caught in his throat from the disappointment that made itself evident in his beloved sister’s eyes.

Annabeth ran to guard Percy without hesitation and held her dagger out in front of them, an example of just whose side she was truly on. Hurt flashed on her brother’s face for a flickering moment before a switch inside him was flipped, making his eyes go stone cold.

“I see you’ve made your choice.” He took a few steps back, and she followed with her dagger leading her shaken hand “Don’t regret it.”

The irony of having to raise her weapon against the very person who taught her to wield it. What a cruel joke.

He turned his body away from them and cut through the air, creating a rip in space. Not looking back, he stepped inside as the portals instantly sealed themselves. Annabeth didn’t attempt to follow after him. She knew that the next time she saw Luke, he’d no longer be her big brother.

Her breath was ragged and her palms sweaty. Her dagger made its way to its clutch as she shook her head and turned back to Percy’s side, hoping it wasn’t too late.

“Percy, get up! Can you walk? Come on, we need to go tell Chiron!” She yelled as she wrapped her arms around his lying body still fighting to stay awake, eyes rolling back unwillingly.

“You’re bleeding. Wh-“ Percy squinted his eyes open just enough to see the familiar shade of pitch black braids hanging over his head. The paralysis in his arms and legs had begun and he couldn’t stop the tears from brimming to his eyes when he realized he couldn’t move and struggled to breathe.

“Just stay awake for me, okay? Please, please, please stay alive.” She mutters as she quickly goes to wipe any tears that fell to her cheeks.

“Let’s get you on your feet. You need to see a medic like right now.”

Her hands lift him up by the arms before slinging one over her shoulder and grasping his side with her opposite hand to hold him up. Percy doesn’t object to that notion and with her help, he’s up on his wobbly feet. He used whatever remaining feeling in his arm to grip Annabeth’s shoulder and stable his self as she pulled the two of them out of the woods.

They didn’t talk the entire time there. Shock and adrenaline still running through them. The venom was seeing deeper into Percy’s system and unfortunately, they were way too far from any body of water. The gravity of the situation hadn’t hit the two kids yet, ‘til they stepped back onto campgrounds.

A bunch of half-bloods seeing their trashed state and the sudden disappearance of Luke quickly put two and two together and called Chiron, Mr. D, and a bunch of cabin 7 kids over to deal with the issues at hand. The main one being the stop Percy from bleeding out on the grass.

————

The following days at camp half-blood were stress-filled once the news of Kronos’ return has spread to everyone at camp. The cabins had all come to a morbid consensus that a war was coming no matter what they’d do to prevent it.

A positive outlook on the situation was one taken by some (especially those in Hermes cabin) to cope with the gaping wound Luke’s disappearance left. Alongside the widely accepted possibility that their family and friends at camp could very well be teaming with Kronos right under their noses, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that camp morale was at an all time low.

Unfortunately for him, Percy Jackson was not one of the few optimists at camp. Aside from the deep physical scarring left behind from his encounter with Luke the woods, his mental state was beginning to chip away at itself.

The first REAL friend he’d made in his life had befriended him as means to revive Kronos and get him killed along the way. No matter how he tried to spin it in his head, the only conclusion that would come back was that he was destined to be alone. A forbidden kid, whose very existence resulted in a decades long oath being broken.

It’s not fair

Why should he be forced to live this way? Destined to be isolated from both the mortal and immortal world. Destitute from his fellow campers, not even having a sibling to call his own. Both at Yancy Academy and at Camp half blood, he would never fully fit in. If only the Mist could hide him from the world completely.

Spending a few nights in the infirmary proved that the other campers were making an effort to make him feel a bit less lonely. Beckendorf had stopped by once to drop off a “GIT WELL SOON” mug forged from scrap metals and the work of Hephaestus cabin. Percy didn’t second guess the spelling considering all the kids here had dyslexia.

It was difficult to question his sincerity when he beamed at Percy with such compassion. All he could do was accept the gift and the keep his head up.

Of course, no matter how much support he gained from the other campers, he was rather worried about the radio silence between him and the one person he wanted to see most.

———

Annabeth had stayed with him those first few hours well into the early morning. The shock and dismay seeping into her bones wasn’t something she could shake off. Looking at Percy’s wounded skin made her feel everything all at once. Angry at Luke for double crossing her so easily. Angry at herself for not seeing through it earlier. Embarrassed to have gotten attached to someone that, as always, abandoned her.

Annabeth prided herself on being her mother’s child, one of the many things about her life that she took with great seriousness. How on earth could she not have seen through the lies he’d told her? Was anything she knew about her brother more than a fabricated tale?

For the first time in a long time, Annabeth was no longer acting like the rational, dignified young lady everyone expected her to be, but the scared little runaway she’d been when she first encountered Luke.

The sunrise peeked through the white makeshift curtains, and Percy’s now bandaged injuries seemed to no longer be paining him in his sleep.

Annabeths braids were starting to fall out of the tied back bun she’d wrapped them in so it wouldn’t be a distraction, while she tried to keep her drooping eyes awake to watch Percy sleeping.

Sure it sounded a bit creepy. But she wouldn’t be able to sleep anyways knowing that he’d nearly died because of someone she trusted. The guilt in her wouldn’t allow her to catch a second of decent rest by the infirmary bed without waking her up from a reenactment of the horrors from that night.

Percy’s head began to move to the side, sluggishly awakening just enough for his eyes to squint closed at the glinting sun rays peaking through the window across from his. Before he could realize the presence of his friend besides him, Annabeth sheepishly decided to make herself scarce.

All these emotions that were flooding her mind were something that she couldn’t unleash onto Percy, or anyone for that matter. She had already burdened them enough on this quest and wasn’t going to make herself seem like a sob story for pity.

———

2 days of locking herself away in her cabin had given Annabeth the solitude she needed to begin mourning her big brother. She ruffled her head against her pillow, her silk scarf coming loose and slipping over her eyes once more.

Her inability to get comfortable in her bed frustrated her. She felt like it wouldn’t be fair to make anything or anyone take on her thoughts without overwhelming them with her problems.

It’s not like her friends at camp wouldn’t be more than willing to listen. With how frequently different campers would stop by cabin 6 to ‘borrow a book’ these days. It was honestly one of the few things that made her smile that weekend. She’d give a small smile of appreciation to all the campers who visited and would attempt to boost her spirits with words of encouragement.

She only realized how worried everyone must have been about her when Clarisse herself had delivered her a plate from breakfast (using Silena’s information on what she’d like).

The older girl lowered the plate on her bedside table. Despite not wanting to lift her head off her pillows, the smell of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon was enough to peak Annabeth’s interest. She poked her head out of the covers just enough for Clarisse to fall into view.

“You should really get out of this funk soon,” she noted looking around the unusually disorganized desktop and bedding. “Capture the flag won’t be any fun if I can’t beat you.”

The bedridden girl couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment. She moved the covers off of her top half and grabbed the warm plate.

“I wouldn’t miss it. Be ready to lose.” She lets out the first laugh she’s had since leaving the underworld alone. That seemingly simple conversation was enough to raise Annabeths hopes that she wasn’t alone even after losing the person she held dearest(and unknowingly distancing herself from the boy she fears might be filling that void).

“You know, I’m always here if you want to talk about it.” Malcolm consoles her as he took a seat on the side of her bunk. He steals a piece of bacon off her plate and takes a bite to tease her.

“I know how hard it must be losing Luke, but I’ll always be your big brother. Don’t forget that ‘Beth” His arms engulfed Annabeth’s shoulders and she finally felt as though she could breathe.

———

Unbeknownst to her, some other campers had also been unable to sleep the night to the incident. They had sleepily decided to make Percy aware about her staying behind to help dress his wounds, which of course did not make him feel any better. No matter how many times he went over it in his head, he couldn’t help but feel abandoned by his closest friend.

Why would she leave before he could talk to her himself? They’d just been nearly killed by someone they both trusted, yet he had no one to help him get through it. He didn’t blame her of course, but Percy couldn’t help but feel like he’d let her down.

She lost her brother and had chosen to side with him rather than Luke. It was confusing. Why save him then avoid him like he’d done something wrong?

Percy didn’t know people at camp as well as Annabeth did, so while he had many visitors over the weekend, he was hurt she hadn’t showed up once since then.

“There’s no way she taking this well,” Percy admitted as he talked to Beckendorf before getting seated for breakfast. “Why wont she let me be there for her? I mean, I’m still having a hard time with this and I dunno it just feels like I did something wrong”

Beckendorf’s smile drops a bit as he raises his arm to pat the boys shoulder “Annabeth’s always has a tough time trusting people. It’s not something she can fix overnight.” He responds solemnly. “You’re her best friend, but how do you think she’ll react after being betrayed by that- you know what.” He mutters curses under his breath in Ancient Greek.

It take a moment for the younger boy to decipher what Beckendorf just referred to Luke as. Once he did however, he felt the need to wash his own mouth out with soap after hearing it.

With some solid advice and newfound vocabulary for that traitor, Percy puts two and two together and understands why Annabeth might be hesitant about getting close to him now. He wanted to prove he’s someone she can rely on and vice versa, but how could he do that if she wouldn’t even leave her cabin?

Chapter Text

That afternoon, the cabins were scrambling to recruit each other for their sides.
Demeter, ares, and Aphrodite cabins made up a majority of the red team, while Athena, Hephaestus, and Hermes cabins sided with blue. The other cabins chose a side, with some campers choosing to stray from their sibling’s team.

The commotion on the campgrounds had meant that it was extremely crowded no matter where Percy went. He’d stopped by athen’s cabin that morning not too long after breakfast, hoping to catch Annabeth in there. Malcom quickly made Percy aware of the surprising fact that Annabeth wasn’t around and had gone to the archery grounds to convince Apollo cabin to join the blue team.

“You just missed her. She left after breakfast to let me know that she’s be busy recruiting some cabins for capture the flag. If you run you can probably still catch her.”

“Thanks man. If you see her though, tell her I really need to talk to her.”

“Totally. Goodluck”

And with that, Percy ran off towards the archery range.

“Well.. some of our campers have already negotiated with the red team” Micheal prefaced, notching his arrow, “but most of the older kids would surely join blue.”

“That’ll work. We’ll have a pretty solid line up if you manage to get them on board.” She says with her clipboard in hand.
“Tell them to meet by the armory in 20 so we prep equity and weaponry before red hogs most of them.”

“You got it boss.” He jokes letting the arrow whiz through the air hitting a perfect bullseye.

Annabeth waves him off and rushed around to check in with her team. It was customary for the team leaders to personally visit each cabin to ensure who would be playing for which side. Despite their unspoken agreement to fight aide by side, Annabeth was still hesitant to go looking for Percy. Even though it had just been a few days since they’ve spoken, she couldn’t help but feel scared at the realization of how fast she’d let herself to get close to another person so soon. She couldn’t expect Percy to fill Luke’s spot, it wouldn’t be fair to either of them. Sure, she felt guilty about it, but she had no clue what to say, or how to say it, and she was sure not going to waste his time trying to become the friend that she might never be.

Annabeth believed with all her heart he was a pure soul, and that she would be taking advantage of his kindness to allow herself to break down in front of him, especially after she practically abandoned him in the infirmary. She didn’t know if she could face him after all that, knowing that there was small chance that he h had been injured while she wasn’t there to protect him.

————-——————-
“Annabeth?”
Percy says, hoping his voice doesn’t crack.
“Uhm.. can we talk? Like, in private?”

His voice alone was enough to rip her out of her concentration while she was finishing up assigning positions to their teammates. She looked back at him and blinked as if her brain went numb for a moment.

“Uh.. yeah sure.”
She awkwardly responded before leading him away from some of the nosey Aphrodite kids leaning in to eavesdrop. This was the first conversation they’d had in days and neither of them were sure what to say.

‘Just relax.’

Percy thought, he self soothed himself before opening his mouth.

‘She’s still your best friend dude.’

“I just wanted to say that, I’m sorry about what happened with Luke..” the crack in his voice when that name slips out of his mouth doesn’t go unnoticed by annabeth, evident by her trying to tame to corner of her lip from curling.

Fuck.
Screw puberty and whatever stupid hormones just made him embarrass himself so early into the conversation. He silently hoped she’d ignore that adolescent slip up.

“I heard about what you did for me while I was out cold and I wanted to say thanks. For everything”
His gaze fell down to his hands that were now fidgeting with themselves.

Annabeth laugh was held back by her hand, trying to maintain her serious demeanor. Hearing her vibrant sounds escape her palms into the air made his head glance up to meet her eyes.

Ok. He’s managed to relieve some of the tension in the air between them. Making a fool of himself came easily in front of her it seems. His palms can’t help but sweat a bit at the suspense of how she was feeling.

“There’s definitely some things we need to talk about,” she said, regaining some control while trying to push back the doubts in her mind. “But no need to thank me for that. I did what you would’ve done for me.” She reassured him.

If he was this determined to talk to her, then maybe her worries were in vain after all. Percy wasn’t her father and he definitely wasn’t Luke. He hasn’t abandoned her even when it would made the quest a whole lot quieter without the two of them arguing. She had unconsciously allowed herself to get closer with him following those events and he hasn’t done anything to make her question her choice.

“And I don’t blame you for anything, so please.. don’t apologize.”

That was enough to Percy, probably all that she could handle at the moment as well with how her voice has leveled out. Annabeths priorities were split. Diffusing the awkwardness between her and Percy wasn’t something she could procrastinate over any longer, but would have to take a rain check if they wanted to win capture the flag as planned. She was distracted with the game and didn’t really want to get into her unsolved trust issues right before then. She gave Percy a small smile as the fog horn signaling the start of the game blew through the air.

“I think it’s best we chat later.. if that works for you?” Now it was her hands that began to fidget with the rim of her Yankees cap.

“Yes! I mean yeah that works.” Percy exclaims a bit too fast with reddening ears. “Meet me by the canoes after dinner?”

Annabeth nods to that and brushes past him back towards the armory. Her face felt hot and she had suddenly grown a new appreciation for the 95 degree weather that was now shielding her from being under speculation from different campers.
———-
Nodding to her team members, she slipped on her cap and disappeared into the forest. With the game officially underway, tension were running high.

Percy navigated his way to the opposite end of the forest, careful not to catch his battered shoe laces on the moss and shrubbery layered on the ground. The towering trees above him hid his shadow in the shade and cooled his skin while he ran. His breathing slowed down as he paused, listening in on what sounded like a second set of footsteps trailing his own..

crack

He darted behind a tree and clenched onto the rim of his ball point pen, ensuring his weapon was where it had always been. He was still hidden from view, yet Percy’s chest rose and fell slowly as to not alert the other presence in the area. His head peeled from behind the large oak and her eyes narrowed in on the young camper dressed in the opposing teams armor. Connor’s eyes met his in an instant and the Stoll smirked cheerfully.

He seemed a bit off balance, like a toddler wearing shoes for the first times. That’s when Percy noticed the familiar shine and engraved initials “L.C.”, that said enough about whose plate he was clothed in. Connor was clearly much younger than Luke, but seeing the twin practically swimming in his chest plate broke down another wall of hurt that he had been dealing with since coming out of the infirmary.

But the look on his face as he stalked through the woods attempting to track him down once more told him that despite his joking demeanor, Connor had been trained by a seasoned veteran. He’d probably met him for sword training one or twice before now that he racked his brain. He was a Hermes kid without a doubt, explained his speed and tracking abilities. Percy’s mood soured at the thought. Percy didn’t have to wonder who his mentor was, the technique being used was all too familiar to him.

‘Let’s just get this over with’ he thinks to himself as he crept up behind the Stoll twin.

Before combat even began, the weeds below him slithered their way onto his shoes and the patchy dirt and grasped onto her calves. The kid turns to face him with a proud smirk.

“I was told it was gonna be a lot harder to corner you” he starts, “you must be off your game today, huh?”

Percy didn’t realize Riptide had changed from its pen form until he was ready slashing at the thickening vines slowly tightening around his ankles. The pressure was beginning to suffocate his legs and he couldn’t help the sweat droplets threatening to trail down his face.

The young camper took a short stride forward and held out his hand and pointed at his armor.

“You’ve got something on your armor, Percy.”

All too familiar with this old trick, he focused his energy and struggled against the tension of the vines to no avail, not giving Connor the satisfaction of getting to him twice.

“Tsk.” Connor stated as he turned to walk away, “What a buzzkill.”

Now that Percy was out of sight, Connor went off to go report of Percy’s capture to the other side. Percy on the other hand was still attempting to figure out a way to maneuver his sword against the ropes with cutting off his feet. The motions were foreign to him, being that he’d never once had to be “gentle” with Riptide clasped in his hands.

“Just go through..” he muttered to himself in frustration as the humid heat was beginning to get to him.
After some moments of struggle, he’d managed to notch his sword into the side of the thick mass of vines that pulled his entire foot into the ground. as far as it could go until the tangle of vine met the sharp edge of his blade. Percy used this as a chance to cut himself free from the trap, which started to restrict feeling to his legs.
—————
Annabeths feet raced to get to the flag. Her distractions were holding on well from what she observed from the shadows of the overhead branches.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the dense forest of Camp Half-Blood. Shadows danced between the towering pines, and the sound of leaves rustling in the gentle breeze filled the air. But something else lurked beneath the joyful facade of the game—a tension that sent shivers down Annabeth Chase's spine.

She had heard the call for help—a desperate shout, echoing through the trees. Hidden amongst the underbrush, waiting for the moment to sneak past the the Ares kids guarding their flag. Her minds first reaction was to trust in her team and allow them to handle it themselves, it wasn’t like they were incapable without her. Yet, her focus was shattered when she recognized that scream. It was unmistakably Percy’s voice. Her heart raced as she sprinted through the underbrush, dodging low branches and leaping over fallen logs like it was an instinct. He knew better than to make any noise, especially when he was a prime target for Clarisse and her teammates.

Annabeth’s guilt washed over her for a brief second, sending her back to the moment she wished she could forget.
‘Is Luke back?’
‘What if it’s too late?’

‘You could’ve stopped him from leaving.’

She shook her head at these thoughts, clenching her jaw at the possibility that he was hurt after she’d avoided him for days. He didn’t deserve any of that, and she was determined to finish what she’d started and get her friend back. Percy was in trouble, and she had to find him.

“Percy!” she called, her voice rising above the rustling leaves, but there was no reply. Panic gripped her as she pushed herself harder, determination fueling her every move.

Following the sounds, she stumbled into a small clearing. The sight before her made her blood run cold. Percy was trapped, ensnared in coils of thick, thorny vines that twisted around him like a serpent. Riptide splayed out to the side, so close yet so far from his grasp. They glistened ominously, the magic of a nature spirit gone rogue. Most likely an attempt to throw her team off their game, not understanding just how unstable the energy would be. Another clear case of stupid demigods going too far to win. Percy struggled, his face contorted in pain, but the more he fought, the tighter the vines wound around him.
———
After getting his sword notched into the vines, his chest fell significantly, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
Just a little more and I’m home free.

“Just wait till I get outta here,“ he grumbled to himself “Connor’s gonna have a taste of his own med-“

The empty threat was abruptly cut off with a snap and slithering feelings against his calf.
Please don’t be snakes, he begged silently frozen in place to not trigger whatever lied at his feet.
It wasn’t snakes.
The vine he had half-sawed off his foot revitalized itself in the blink of an eye, flinging Riptide out of Percy’s fingertips and just out of his reach. The monstrous plant encased itself around Percy, nearly cutting off his breathing like a python trapping its prey. He gasped and coughed as he attempted to wrangle his limbs free, to no avail.

“Annabeth!” he gasped, his voice hoarse. “Help!”

---
Fight the enchanted vines head-on would quite literally leave her without one. The forest spirits didn’t like being toyed with for the campers trivial games. It had kind of been common knowledge at camp not to mess with them, in Annabeths case, unless you wanted to wake up to a room full of wolf spiders cornering your bunk. Drawing her dagger, she took in a deep breath and shouted, “Naiads of the forest, hear me! I come to aid a son of Poseidon in peril!” As she spoke, she focused on the strands of the vines, searching for the source of their magic. Peace talk wasn’t guaranteed to work, especially when they spirits were in a frenzy state like this.

The air shimmered momentarily, and the vines flickered, tightening reflexively but trembling under the power of her words. She could feel the spirits’ attention turning toward her. “I am not your enemy!” she declared, her voice steady. “Release him, and no harm will come to your home!”

The vines hesitated, a brief pause as if considering her plea yet not loosening their hold on the son of Poseidon. His face was turning a pale shade of blue from the oxygen being crushed away from his lungs.
Enough was enough. She wouldn’t stand by while her friend was at the mercy of some pissed-off naiad. She wouldn’t abandon him lien that again.

Taking advantage, Annabeth leaped forward and began to slice through the thickest parts. Each cut was precise, a blend of desperation and skill that only a child of Athena could muster. He eye focused in on each spot she had deemed a weak point and unguarded enough to attack without getting her arm ripped off.

“Annabeth, watch out!” Percy yelled in a hoarse voice as he gasped and caught up with his breath once her dagger had cut through the plants appendage that had been choking him. A warning as one of the vines snapped at her like an arrow in the wind.

But she was ready. With a swift movement, she ducked and rolled to the side, adrenaline heightening her reflexes. “I can do this, I can do this,” she muttered, her voice a mantra as she continued to cut away at the bindings.
He was free.

The dying roots of the monstrous vines shriveled into scraggly, thin licorice-looking remnants. Without a second thought, annabeth helped him a wiping off the plants from his armor sleeve, panicked and desperate to ensure he was still conscious and competent. He was shooken up as he rose to his feet, riptide back in his hand.

“Well that was intense. How di-“ he coughed and wheezed as his panting hadn’t let up yet.

“Breathe seaweed brain, breathe.”
Annabeth replied as she ran her hand up and down his upper back, hoping to soothe his inevitable aching to allow him to catch his breath. His thoughts returned to him as the blood flow to his head stabilized and his limbs no longer felt like static.

Annabeth had abandoned her post, something she wouldn’t do if the world was on fire, because she heard him call for her. He had felt almost neglected at camp, being loved for his actions but ostracized in every other sense by everyone but annabeth. When she had avoided him, his world had come crumbling. Was there a point in staying at camp half-blood if he felt like just as much of a freak here. ‘Might as well be better to let the monsters have at me.’ was the only thought ringing in his mind when the hours passed without any notice as to how their friendship was handling the events of Luke. Percy’s doubts were silenced when he had seen her appear from the underbrush, unveiling herself from the invisibility of her hat and staring into his eyes as he was nearly suffocated. That brief moment shared words they wanted to say but couldn’t just then. Despite the strife and fear of what was to come after such betrayal, they had something good. And that was enough for him.

“You okay now?” Annabeth asked awkwardly, attempting to sound nurturing despite the bluntness of her words.

“Just peachy over here, thanks. Guess I can check being trapped by a naiad off my summer bucket list.” a smirk fell into his lips as he looked over to her, feeling her hand lift off his back at the joking evidence that he would be fine.

“We should get back to the river while we can. I had our team split the red teams guards away from the flag, but that was a while ago. Come on.” She responded with a barely visible smile that didn’t last long.

A crinkle in the ground caused them to turn fast, fast enough for them to spot a rival camper sprinted towards them, determined to cut them off. Annabeth raised her dagger once more, ready to defend. With a swift expert move, she managed to parry the attack while simultaneously blocking the opponent’s view.

“Run, Percy!” she shouted. “The river bank!”

Percy didn’t need to be told twice. He dashed through the trees, his keen sense of direction kicking in. He could hear Annabeth’s footsteps behind him, not needed to look back and ensure she was in pace with him. They darted past fellow campers who were still engaged in their own battles, but Percy felt the rush of victory surging through him as the waving red flag fell into his line of sight.

Suddenly, a line of red team campers emerged ahead, blocking their path. Percy’s heart sank for a moment, but Annabeth’s voice was calm, cool. “We can do this. Trust me.”

With a nod, Percy focused on the nearby creek. He slashed his hand, and water erupted, swirling in a defensive barrier. The red campers stumbled back in shock, and using the diversion, he and Annabeth dashed towards safety, the blue flag and victory within reach.

As they broke through the trees, Camp Half-Blood’s flagpole came into view. Their campmates cheered louder with every step they took. Percy felt a surge of adrenaline. They were just a few yards away when Annabeth, spotting one last red camper charging after them, called out, “Go! I’ll hold them off!”

“No way!” Percy shouted, but she was already stepping forward, sword poised for action. With a swift movement, she knocked the camper down, buying them precious seconds.

“Now, Percy! Go!” she yelled.

Making a split-second decision, he sprinted ahead, holding the flag high. The cheers of the blue team erupted, a tidal wave of sound that pushed him forward.

He snatched the red flag out of the ground, and moments later, Annabeth joined him, her hair tousled and eyes sparkling.

“Did we—” she began, her voice trailing off.

“The blue team wins!” the camp counselor announced joyfully, cutting into her words.

They turned to each other, breathless and bursting with victory, the flag of the red team now officially claimed. Without debating himself, Percy pulled Annabeth into a celebratory hug, and she laughed, a sound that filled the air around them with warmth.

“Not bad for a pair of half-bloods, huh?” Percy said, feeling victorious.

“You did good out there, Seaweed Brain,” she replied, her smile shining brighter than the midday sun. Her rare grin distracted him from the glares of the red team, a deadly on emitting from a certain ares kid in particular.

“We still on for the lake?” He asked tentatively as he kept one arm wound around her, not ready to let go after days apart.

“You know it.” She speaks up as she turns to face him with a gentle look. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Chapter Text

Percy dined at his previously isolated picnic table, chatting it up with Grover, and some kids sat at the nearby Apollo table. His smile was no longer strained, and his heart no longer heavy.

The crisp glass of blue Coke in his enchanted glass swished around as Percy set it down onto the table, his palate rejecting the greens on his plate and looking down at the extra cutlery he’d snuck. It was just enough for the bribe he planned to make.

Dinner that night tasted especially awful for the winners. Messing with the wood nymphs can cost you more than your life, like having to eat the bitter, blanched greens dug up from the neglected area of the garden mixed in with the defeated vines butchered by a 13 year old girl.

Yet seeing their friends and enemies mope in bitter disappointment at the mess they’d have to clean the afternoon was satiating enough. Percy, in particular, had a more than noticeable pep in his step now that Annabeth and he were nearly back on speaking terms.

Due to the rancid smell of the winner's meal, Annabeth had risen from her seat to throw it out in the grass with a few of her teammates, deeming it unworthy of an offering unless they wished to be smited. Her thoughts wandered as her eyes surveyed the lively crowd of halfbloods, returning to a feigned sense of normalcy.

It was truly the only thing to do. No point in worrying about an isolated traitor with only a few weeks left of summer. She’d sided with the gods because it’d be the wisest thing to do. But boiled down to its core, she’d also chosen between her past and present.

had rebelled against the one she called brother, who’d torn her off the streets in hopes of protecting her from the horrors lying deep in the pits of Tartarus that wished to end her life before it could truly begin. All that for a scrawny fool who’d almost sacrificed his own mother to return her to the land of the living. As much as she’d previously liked to affirm, she can’t say for certain that a certain blond-haired boy did not affect her seemingly obvious decision.

In passing, she locked eyes with Percy, attempting to control the hope she felt that things would begin to settle into a new normal. A normal that didn’t include Luke, but a normal she would appreciate nonetheless.

Grover nudged Percy’s shoulder slightly.

“Seems like you guys made up,” he says, chewing through ripped-up cuts of non alcoholic aluminum beer cans.

“Good thing too, I was starting to worry you’d be sticking around me for the rest of the summer.” He joked.

Percy breaks eye contact with Annabeth and chides, “Ha, you wish. I’ll have you know I’m plenty popular around here now.” They both knew that wasn’t the full truth.

Now that the pity and praise from his quest was beginning to fade, some campers on his team for capture the flag had made pointed comments while he’d been in the vicinity.

“So now they’re feeding us this slop? One time, I didn’t side with Ares, and we still got punished.”One Demeter kid groaned, eyeing Percy and his freshly made bruise from said ‘slop’.
“Courtesy of Percy, I suppose.” They share.
“I’d take dishes over this any day.”

Percy chooses to let it roll off his back. After all, all publicity is good publicity when you’re a hero. These guys had just been praising him and Annabeth for such a daring save, hypocrites.

Since coming to this haven for demigods, the only being he’d recognized as worthy of his praise besides his mom was his Annabeth.

Her selflessness and selfishness were what had kept him centered and well, alive, during their quest. She's established enough of a reputation that no one dares blame her for the sludge they’d been served, rather congratulating her on the win.

He can’t complain though, she deserved every bit of it. She almost threw the whole game just to get him out of a trap he was dumb enough to fall into. Percy recognizes that he now owes her to some extent, although, he didn’t believe she was unsuspecting enough to make such fatal mistakes as he did.

Oh well. He’ll make up for this one by staying quiet about dinner.

As for the fiasco with Luke, he still had a lot of thank yous to give. Percy still couldn’t conceptualize that she’d chosen him over Luke. Well, technically, she'd chosen the gods, but regardless. There was no way she was getting away from him now. If she didn’t wanna be friends, she should’ve let the scorpions have him.

“Grover, take this,” Percy whispered as he nudged the stolen fork to his protector. “Grabbed two of these by mistake,” he lied. He didn’t normally feel the need to steal silverware in order to appease Grover, but it might prove to be necessary for the favor he would ask of him.

The goat boy bleated, a noise Percy could only assume in this case meant he was pleased.
“What's the occasion? Not that there has to be one of course, but, I don’t see how getting me snacks does anything for you,” he questioned as he shouldered his friend, suspicious of the random act of kindness.

“I need your help with something,” Percy whispers as he leans over to Grover’s ear, “just follow me. Be cool.”

Grover nods his head, satisfied with his arrangement and clears the mostly empty table before following Percy back towards the woods.

“Can I know what we’re doing here?” Grover implores curiously. While the contraband was a lovely bribe, he wasn’t eager for his friend to return to the forest where he hadn’t had a great streak in lately.

“Fine, just.. don’t laugh,” Percy says, muffling his voice.

The two began approaching a brush of shrubs and flower beds on the edge of the woods. Percy had found it on his first day at camp while praying to his mother in hopes she was still breathing.

“You’ve known Annabeth a lot longer than I have and I can’t ask anyone else for help with this,” Percy explains as he clears his voice and attempts to feign confidence.
“Do you have any idea which ones she’d like? I don’t wanna come empty-handed after she lent me her necklace.”

Percy tinkered with the necklace draped on his collarbone. It had kinda become a symbol of their newly formed friendship.

Grover’s lips curl up into a smile, his hand patting Percy’s shoulder as he examines the flowers.
“She’s not picky, maybe go for the hydrangeas.”
He mentions, “I saw her plucking at some on in the truck til we got to Vegas”

Grover cleverly decided to leave out the part about the flowers they sought were the same color as Percy’s eyes, which, unbeknownst to Percy, had become Annabeth's favorite thing to glance at when no one was looking.

Their eyes scanned the underbrush for the blue-ish flowers they sought, picking at them through a brush of assorted wildflowers. The fading light cast long shadows through the trees, creating a clear contrast between the hydrangeas and other flowers.

They moved carefully, Percy keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of campers lingering too close. Most of the campers begin to emerge from their activities onto the lawn in preparation for the bonfire. It took enough courage to involve Grover in his plan, he couldn’t even begin to imagine the horror of having the wrong person stumble in him clumsily picking at plants in the growing darkness.

“Do you think this is enough? Should I bring something else?” Percy asks nervously as he gathers the bundle of flowers in his hands and allows Grover to wrap the base with twine.

“Seriously, dude, you think I’d help you brutalize plants for no good reason?” Grover chides, “She’ll love them, I promise.”

The two boys smiled at each other, brushing off their knees and embracing the other in a hug.
“Thank you, Grover. Like seriously, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“Don’t mention it, seeing my favorite people become friends is all I could ask for.” He uttered. “I’ll see you guys at the campfire?”

“You know it.” Percy laughs, fist bumping him before Grover runs off to join the others.

In cabin 3, the only living half-blood of Poseidon was currently spraying on deodorant and changing his socks to go meet up with Annabeth. ‘
Just because you stay outside, doesn’t mean you have to smell like it,” she’d joked to Grover the day they’d returned from the underworld.
The last thing he needed was to suffocate her with the smell of teenage boy.

He slips on a jacket and shoved the bouquet into his side, praying that they’d go unseen.

He briskly walks through a small crowd of campers heading to the fire, already choosing seats and finding their friends. Finally reaching the canoes just off the edge of the lake, tenses slightly as he looks around for the girl.

‘Did she decide not to show?’ Percy worries as he bites his nails. There was too much left unsaid that they needed to address.

“Boo.”

Percy lets out a small shout at the noise behind him. How she’d snuck up on him so silently was beyond him.

He clears his throat. “Was that supposed to scare me?” He says teasingly.

“Sure seems like it did.” Annabeth responds as she plops down in the grass. “What’s that you’ve got in your jacket?” She mentions pointing at the lump on his right.

He drops into the grass beside her, unzipping his jacket to reveal the fresh bouquet.

“I didn’t want to return your necklace empty-handed, uhm,” he begins, “ I also wanted to bring you these as thanks for saving me, and well, everything else.”

Percy’s hands stick out towards her as he gauges her reaction. Annabeth had a strange talent of keeping a poker face as she pleased, yet her eyes lit up in a way that she couldn’t resist.

As the necklace is put into her hands alongside the gift, Annabeth can’t help but feel a sense of relief.

Her stubbornness and determination had both saved and damned them more than once. She had been fearful that their newly formed friendship would crumble at the hands of her own overthinking. As she looked into his sea-blue eyes, she couldn’t help but melt internally, knowing the feeling of not wanting to lose each other was mutual. Whether that meant to death, or conflict.

“I love them, Percy, thank you,” she replied

“I think I need to apologize for how I’ve been acting,” Annabeth says, looking down at their necklace, clutching it tightly.

“You did everything right. Returning the bolt, saving the camp, and finding out who the traitor really was. There’s so much I could learn from you.” She continues.

“We both know I couldn’t have done any of it without you.” Percy chimes in

She let a small smile show on her face. “But when it comes down to it, I would’ve chosen to save you every time. That’s what scared me.” Her face grew mournful as she looked towards the lake.

Percy looked a bit confused. Why would she be scared of saving him? Annabeth turns to face him and sees the look of curiosity that she’s grown to love during their time together, though it has nearly gotten them killed in brutal ways.

“Luke was my anchor to this place. The status quo.” She sighed, “Each summer, more kids would come and go, some wouldn’t return. Luke never left.” Annabeth uttered softly.

Percy's brain clicks it together. She hadn’t just been upset about him betraying her; she was upset because she had instinctively wanted to follow him. He was all she knew, she couldn't accept that he was all bad because to her, he wasn’t. He was a victim of Kronos’ lies in her eyes, which terrified her.

“Choosing you meant choosing my mother, the gods, and what I know to be true. I just can’t settle with the fact that Luke isn’t one of those truths anymore.” She chokes

“It’s scary, how fast you’ve come to mean so much to me. Change has never been good for me, I don’t want this to leave me disappointed like everyone has Percy.”

His silence consumed the next few moments as he took in everything she said.
‘Do I really mean that much to her?’ A pale pink flushed through his ears.

“Annabeth.” He mutters, “ I haven’t been very considerate. I should’ve realized sooner just how badly this would affect you. Losing so many loved ones is crushing, especially when you think you could’ve stopped it.” He considers his mother’s situation solemnly.

“I don’t doubt that you are capable of amazing things. You know right from wrong, and I'd trust you with my life. But your pride is lying to you.” He says firmly. Her eyes meet his once more with a slight angle on her brows.

“Listen. You couldn’t have stopped Luke. He made his bed and he’s gotta lie in it now.” He says, reaching for her hand slowly, “But there was no way you could’ve changed his mind. You two were inseparable, but you couldn’t have seen this coming. If he was able to hide it from you, don’t you think this had to be pretty well thought out? Don’t allow you overthinking to cloud what you know is true.” He says, enclosing his fingers with his. “Anyone dumb enough to leave you knows what they’ve lost. Luke or.. Your father”

Her breath hitches slightly as she nods. That was the most coherent affirmation she’d ever been given. Who would’ve thought a Poseidon kid would be the one to do it?

Percy had more than enough credentials to confront Annabeth's own parental insecurities. His father had gone a long way to redeem himself during the quest, yet Percy still couldn’t just ignore the whole “not-being-present-for-a-majority-of-my-life” thing.

Their relationship couldn’t be redefined in a week. But then again, nothing so grand yet so fragile could be built that quickly, ironically, not even Rome itself.

Poseidon had worked tirelessly behind the scenes to protect his only demigod, unbeknownst to Percy, for the longest time. And he was sure that Annabeth's father was in a similar position. He’d made a horrible mistake and wanted to fix what he could. She had every right not to wanna go back there, but if the part of her that misses her father was strong enough, maybe she’d wanna try again.

Annabeth's eyes were teary and shocked at just how easily he was able to read her.
“That was... honest.” She says, turning to rub her eyes with one arm.

Percy tugs gently and leans her head against his shoulder, using his other arm to hold her in place. His heart was beating erratically at being this close to his friend. So what if he’s flush, that’s just how friends are(as if).

“I never imagined I’d need to hear that from you, but I’m glad I did.” Annabeth smiled
“Thank you, seaweed brain.”

“Anytime, wise girl.”

The two sat there for a moment, silently confirming the foundation of a healthy companionship. The glistening of the lake shone and illuminated the darkness surrounding them.

“Can you do me a favor? I’m no good at clasping my own necklaces.” She says, placing it in his hands.

“I’ve got you, wise girl,” Percy responds, reaching his arms around to the back of her neck and hooking the clasp til it catches. He gently brushed his fingers through her hair to prevent catching it on her braids.

“Ready to head back? I had Grover save us some s’mores.” Percy questioned the smiling girl lying against him.
“I’m ready,” Annabeth says, grabbing his arm and pulling herself off the grass. She shivers at the slight dew left on her legs and the breeze from the lake. Without missing a beat, Percy grabs the jacket they’d been sitting on and slips her arms through the sleeves with care, zipping it up carefully.

“So you don’t freeze to death.” He says shyly, capturing a mental image of her in his jacket.

“What a gentleman.” She laughs.

The two walk over to the campfire, bouquet lying in Annabeth's chilled fingertips. Side by side, they shifted towards the crackling campfire. The air shimmered with the scent of roasting marshmallows and woodsmoke, warmth radiating sparks like a disgruntled dragon.

Campers, a vibrant tapestry of demigod lineages, laughed and chatted, their voices a melodious chaos punctuated by the snap of burning wood.

Grover intercepted them, presenting each with a perfectly toasted s'more. “So,” he grinned, his eyes twinkling, "Did the… uh… discussion go well?” Percy and Annabeth exchanged a glance, a silent “Yeah,” Percy mumbled, his hand coming up to scruff his hair. Annabeth nodded, her usually sharp features softened by a genuine smile.

Suddenly, a mischievous sparkle ignited in the eyes of a nearby camper. “Look! Annabeth’s got flowers!” A chorus of teasing laughter followed. The flowers, delicate hydrangeas that lay neatly in her arms.
Their blue hue was exaggerated by the blazing light emitted from the fire pit.

Whispers escalated, morphing into a flurry of playful accusations: "They're totally crushing!" "Get a room!" Percy's face burned brighter than the campfire.

Annabeth, though outwardly calm, was just as embarrassed considering the notion of them being more than friends as Percy was on the outside. His face began to turn red as his hands sweated slightly, which he internally chose to blame on the fire.

The teasing subsided as Chiron cleared his throat. His calm presence subtly shifted the focus back to the marshmallows and campfire tales. Percy and Annabeth, relieved, sat closer to the fire, the warmth a comforting counterpoint to the unexpected heat of their situation.

Annabeth locked eyes with the boy beside her, finishing the last bites of a freshly made s’more. Now barely visible in the dancing flames, Percy's hand once more reached for Annabeth's. He prayed the nervousness wouldn’t cause them to clam up.

As the last marshmallows were stuffed into some camper's mouth, yawns began to roll through the crowd. Mr D ushered all the kids to head to their cabins for tonight. Compliant, the campers continued the remnants of their conversations all the way to their cabins, where some parted ways.

“Can I walk you to your cabin?”

“Would I really say no, Percy?” She giggles at his politeness.

Hearing a few whistles from the other campers made it strange to pretend to be able to hold a conversation with each other, when even eye contact would cause Percy to melt.

They arrived in front of Athena's cabin after a short walk, and Annabeth dropped his hand. They arrived at door was shut, which meant that this was her chance to do what she’d been meaning to do since they’d won capture the flag, before she lost her courage.

Her fingers briskly brushed his face before leaning in to press a lingering peck onto his lips. Their eyes met, and Percy knew that he was never gonna let her go. His eyes opened, and his face heated up once she backed up, satisfied with her decision.

“Y-you uhm.. thank you.”

‘THANK YOU?? What kind of loser says thank you after their first kiss? She’s gonna think I’m so lame.’

“I mean-“

“I know what you mean Percy,” Annabeth whispered. “Thank you for tonight. Get some rest, okay?” She grinned.

“Yep. Goodnight, I lo-I mean goodnight, Annabeth.” He stutters before watching her enter her cabin.

‘What does that mean? Maybe it was like a friendly kiss. Like “oh that’s for being such a great friend” type of kiss?’ Percy ponders as he tucks himself into his bed, aware he’s not getting much sleep tonight.

‘Whatever it meant, I’m just glad it was her.’ He thought, allowing his smile to burst and feet to kick inside the blanket, not knowing that 3 cabins away, Annabeth Chase was thinking the exact same.

‘I’m glad it was you.’