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percy couldn't stop staring at annabeth, his heart hammering in his chest as will solace worked to clean her wound. she winced with every movement, and each time, it felt like a knife to his own chest. her grip on his hand was desperate, squeezing so hard that his fingers ached. he didn’t know how to help her, didn’t know how to take away the pain.
"ow," annabeth gasped softly, but she didn’t pull away. she held on to him like she needed him to be there.
"hold on," will murmured, his voice tight with concentration as he worked. percy could hardly tear his eyes away from annabeth’s face—how pale she looked, how exhausted she was. he squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her.
when will finished with the bandages, he stood shakily, glancing at percy. "that should do it, but we’ll need some mortal supplies. percy, you—"
percy nodded absently, still focused on annabeth. his thoughts were distant, barely registering what was going on around him. everything felt like it was happening in a haze, like the world outside of annabeth didn’t matter.
"travis," will said, turning to him, "can you—?"
"yeah, sure." travis stoll offered quickly, though percy barely noticed. "i’ll round up some supplies. maybe hit up a duane reade or something. leave some drachmas to cover it—"
percy didn’t hear the rest. his mind was too consumed with annabeth’s face, with the way she looked so fragile and pale against the pillow. his heart clenched, and he couldn’t focus on anything but the overwhelming need to make sure she was okay.
travis noticed percy’s distraction but didn’t comment, just gave him a brief nod before turning to go.
"this is all my fault," silena’s voice broke into his thoughts.
he looked over at her, standing by the terrace railing, arms wrapped tightly around herself. she was staring at annabeth with a guilty expression, her face drained. percy didn’t know what to say—he wanted to comfort her, but he couldn’t tear his attention away from annabeth, who was still burning up with fever.
"no," he said firmly, though his voice sounded weak in his own ears. "you’re one of the best campers here. don’t sell yourself short."
silena glanced up at him, her eyes dim but grateful. "i just... i don’t know how to help, not like you, not like annabeth."
percy took a deep breath, trying to push down the growing sense of helplessness in his chest. "you’re capable," he said, forcing a smile. "you’ve got more skills than you realize."
that seemed to spark something in silena. she straightened up, determination flickering across her face. "i’ll talk to clarisse. i know i can convince her to help us."
percy exchanged a glance with annabeth, who gave him a slight, almost imperceptible nod. he wasn’t sure if silena would be able to pull it off—clarisse was stubborn as a rock—but maybe it would give silena something else to focus on.
"alright," percy said quietly. "you’re the best one to try."
silena quickly hugged him, then pulled away awkwardly, glancing at annabeth. "sorry, i just—thank you, percy. i won’t let you down."
after silena left, percy sank back down next to annabeth, his heart pounding with worry. he gently touched her forehead, feeling the heat of her fever. her eyes were still closed, but she didn’t seem to mind when he shifted closer.
"you’re cute when you’re worried," she muttered, a weak smile tugging at her lips. “your eyebrows get all pressed together.”
"you are not going to die while i owe you a favor," percy said, trying to keep his voice light, but it cracked at the end. he felt like his chest was about to burst open.
"you would’ve done the same for me," annabeth whispered, her voice barely audible, but there was something in the way she said it that made his heart skip a beat.
"why did you take that knife?" he asked before he could stop himself. his heart was pounding in his ears, and he could feel the weight of her eyes on him, but he couldn’t look away.
she shifted slightly, her hand still clutching his. "because you were in danger," she murmured, her voice shaking. "and i couldn’t let you..."
percy’s breath caught in his throat. he leaned in closer without thinking, the space between them shrinking. it felt like the world had faded away, like there was nothing left but the two of them, so close, so close, but—
"how did you know?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. “my achilles spot—if you hadn’t intercepted that knife i would’ve died.”
annabeth’s eyes opened a little, still feverish but clear enough to meet his gaze. she hesitated, then moved her hand toward him, tracing her fingers lightly over the back of his neck. "i don’t know," she said softly, her breath warm against his skin. "i just had this... feeling."
percy swallowed, trying to steady himself. his pulse was racing, his whole body tense as she gently ran her fingers over his spine, seeking the spot. his skin tingled under her touch, electricity coursing through him at the contact.
"where is it?" she asked quietly, her voice almost a whisper. she looked up at him for the answer, her gaze so full of trust that percy’s chest tightened. he couldn’t bring himself to lie to her.
"the small of my back," he whispered back, his voice barely audible, as though speaking too loud would break the fragile moment between them.
she seemed to pause for a moment, then her hand slid lower, fingertips lightly grazing his spine, tracing the path toward the spot. percy felt the air around them shift, charged with an energy he couldn’t explain. his breath hitched when her fingers found the small of his back, pressing just lightly enough to send a jolt through him. it was like a current of electricity ran straight through his body, and for a split second, it felt like everything in the world had come to a standstill.
"this... this is it?" she whispered, her hand still resting there.
percy nodded. his heart was pounding in his chest. he felt like he was about to burst with the closeness, with the overwhelming sense of everything they hadn’t said yet. their faces were so close, and he could feel her breath on his skin. for a moment, he almost leaned in—almost kissed her. he was sure she could feel the tension, the pull between them.
he didn’t fight it anymore. he leaned in, slowly, his breath catching in his throat. just an inch, two—until his lips brushed against her forehead, gentle but so full of everything that was left unsaid between them. it was a soft kiss, one that meant more than he could ever express with words. for that fleeting second, it felt like the world stopped turning.
her fingers tightened around his hand, and she tilted her head slightly, as if waiting for more. the space between them was unbearable, and the unspoken words hung in the air like a weight, too heavy to ignore.
just as percy was about to lean in again, the terrace door slammed open. connor stoll stepped inside, his eyes flicking between the two of them. he paused, his expression softening with understanding.
"percy," connor said, his voice gentle, almost knowing. "you should talk to grover. he’s back with mrs. o’leary."
percy froze, his heart still racing in his chest. he pulled back from annabeth, unwilling to look at her, his chest aching from the closeness, from the kiss that never happened.
"thanks, connor," percy muttered, his voice rough.
connor nodded and gave percy a knowing look before stepping back out, leaving percy alone with annabeth once again. the moment had slipped away, like sand through his fingers.
percy glanced at annabeth, who was staring up at him with those unreadable eyes. her lips were slightly parted, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. they didn’t need to speak to know what had just passed between them. it was in the way they were still close, the way their hands still clung to each other as if neither of them were ready to let go.
"stay with me tonight," percy whispered, his voice raw, breaking through the fragile silence that lingered between them.
annabeth’s eyes softened. she squeezed his hand, a small but definite gesture of agreement. "i’m not going anywhere."
for the first time in what felt like forever, they sat there together, with nothing but the quiet bond of their unspoken feelings and the shared understanding that whatever happened next, they would face it side by side.