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Calypso watched the golden-haired hero resting in the warm light of the cave. After Hephaestus’s visit, she knew Percy’s time on the island was coming to an end. She also knew he would never choose her, but a part of her couldn’t give up without trying.
She approached him, her steps light against the stone floor. Gently, she took his hand, closed her eyes, and concentrated all her energy. She had to enter his mind, to discover if there was even the slightest possibility.
In his dream, Percy walked through the cave. The crystal-clear waterfall flowed softly in the background, its murmur mingling with the scent of gardenias and sea salt. Everything seemed strangely tangible, yet an unusual energy surrounded him. Then he heard sobbing.
He turned quickly, searching for the source of the sound. At the end of the path, he saw her. Calypso, her chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes filled with tears.
“Calypso,” he said, his own voice sounding strange to him.
She didn’t respond at first. When she finally looked up, her golden eyes reflected more than sadness; they were a whirlwind of restrained emotion. She stepped toward him, her voice trembling yet firm:
“I promised myself I would never ask, but I can’t help it. You have to listen to me! Stay with me. You can choose peace. You can choose… me.”
Percy felt the air grow heavy, as if something invisible was pressing against him. Everything inside him screamed that something was wrong. He tried to speak, but she placed a finger over his lips, silencing him.
“You can be selfish, just this once. You don’t have to return to a world that demands sacrifices you don’t deserve to make. You can escape the monsters, the prophecies, everything. Look at me. Stay with me.”
“Calypso… I can’t,” he tried to say, stepping back. But she followed him, her hands finding his and intertwining them between them.
“I’m not asking you to save the world. I just want you to save yourself, with me. You can be happy here!”
The atmosphere grew suffocating. Percy felt his thoughts spinning like a storm. Guilt and confusion overwhelmed him, and finally, with a mix of pain and determination, he pulled his hands away and turned his back on her.
“I can’t, Calypso. I care about you, but…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. He felt arms wrap around his torso desperately, fingers pressing into his skin as if trying to hold onto something impossible to grasp. The pressure was intense, almost painful, and Percy glanced down at the hands that embraced him. His breath caught.
They weren’t Calypso’s hands.
They were smaller, a familiar dark tone that made him stagger. A shiver ran through him as he felt his entire body turn to water. Slowly, he turned around, his heart pounding wildly, and he saw her.
Annabeth.
Radiant.
Her dark hair gleamed like ebony in the sunlight, and her stormy brown eyes stared at him intently. Her ethereal blue dress flowed like water, molding to every movement. Small golden leaves adorned her hair, shimmering like stars, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly aura.
“Hey, Seaweed Brain,” she said, with that blend of teasing and tenderness that always disarmed him.
Percy couldn’t move or speak. It was as if everything in the cave had vanished, leaving only Annabeth and the beat of his heart. She stepped closer to him.
“You got lost, hero,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry,” he replied, his voice rough and broken.
She smiled and raised a hand, placing it on his cheek. Percy felt himself melt under her touch. Her closeness was driving him mad. Without thinking, he wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly.
Annabeth embraced him too, clutching him as if the world depended on that moment. Her arms circled his neck with fierce intensity, while Percy’s hands roamed her arms, her waist, her back. His fingers pressed into her skin, briefly tangling in her hair, as if trying to memorize every inch of her.
The scent of lemon and parchment filled his senses, enveloping him in a feeling that was more home than any place in the world. Percy couldn’t think, only feel. He lifted her slightly, as if he wanted to keep her safe even from the ground itself, and she held onto him even tighter, burying her face in his neck.
“You miss me, don’t you?” she whispered, her voice soft but heavy with emotion.
“Always,” he confessed, closing his eyes as his lips brushed against her hair.
Annabeth raised her head, her eyes meeting his. The intensity of the moment overwhelmed him. Their gazes spoke of everything they had been through, of everything left unsaid. Percy felt a primal, almost painful need to close the distance between them. His eyes dropped to her lips.
The entire world stopped mattering.
Percy leaned in slowly, his breathing uneven. He could feel the warmth of her breath, and every inch that separated them felt eternal. Annabeth didn’t move, her eyes shining with a mix of longing and defiance, as the space between them shrank more and more.
Just as their lips were about to touch, the cave began to tremble.
Percy’s eyes snapped open, and Annabeth looked at him, confused, fear crossing her face.
“What’s happening?”
Before he could respond, everything collapsed. Percy woke up abruptly, gasping. The light of the real cave enveloped him. Calypso stood before him, her face streaked with tears.
“I’m not her, am I?” she said sadly, her voice barely a whisper.
Percy shook his head, disoriented.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I wanted to give you clarity,” she replied, a melancholic smile curving her lips. “I entered your dreams to help you see what you truly desire, free from outside influence. Without thinking about me or the world beyond. But I think we both know what you truly long for.”
The cave suddenly felt smaller, emptier. Percy looked toward the exit, knowing his path was already decided.