#dark chiron was not something i thought i needed to see

[star-girl69]

Better Than Revenge

Clarisse La Rue x Fem!AphroditeCabin!Reader

—-

sypnosis: more jealous clarisse and this time she gets to be insane about it (I Can See You coded tbh)

a/n: soft clarisse MOVE OVER insane clarisse hiiiiiii ….anyways i hope you all enjoy!!

Better Then Revenge - Taylor Swift

warnings: possessive clarisse pleek i want you i need you, violence, swearing, punching lol, men, allusions to sex and this is just pretty suggestive, tell me if i missed anything!!

—-

The anniversary of Mr. D being sentenced to a life at Camp Half Blood has become his birthday over the years.

Of course, his children use that as an excuse to throw a rowdy party disguised as a simple bonfire.

Chiron turns a blind eye, as long as everyone swears to not give him any alcohol, and there’s still a modicum of responsibility among the camp population.

It’s one of the highlights of the summer, the heat from the fire, the dark night lit only by Selene, where it feels like you can do anything and get away with it.

It’s your first with Clarisse, and by the way she’s looking at you right now, you’re probably not gonna last more than an hour before you get dragged somewhere to make out. Which is not what you want.

You’re already in your outfit, the jean shorts you know she likes, the low-cut top you know she likes, leaning over in front of the mirror as you do your lipstick.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

Clarisse usually sits with you as you get ready for something, since you shamelessly take longer than her. She always calls you her prettiest girl, then expects you not to live up to it?

She doesn’t rush you. She’s never impatient. She just likes watching you, and it’s fun to put on a show.

She always looks at you, but something about the look in her eyes tonight is especially… feral.

“What’d you mean?” she says, smirking and leaning back on her elbows.

The Aphrodite cabin is a particular swirl of activity, but your little corner is just you and her. She refused to wear anything but her camp t-shirt and a pair of jeans, of course, but she looks good in anything.

“You’re looking at me like you want to pounce.”

��Took you this long to pick up on that?”

You laugh, bending over to grab a jewelry box that lives at the foot of your floor length mirror.

“Baby, let’s just stay back,” she groans.

“This is our first time going together, though. I want to go.”

“And I want to kiss you until we both pass out.”

“Oh, how romantic,” you whisper, holding earrings up to your ear. The dangly pearls look best. Some sort of dangerous thought slithers into your mind, and you turn around to face her with a slow smile.

“Oh, Gods. What?”

“If you can go an entire hour without kissing me…”

She looks up at you like you’ve just called her the worst warrior at camp.

“Then we’ll leave as soon as the hours up, and do whatever you want. But if you can’t, then we get to stay until I say so.”

She smirks. The only thing she loves more than you is competition, a challenge. You watch her eyes light up.

“I can do an hour.”

“Oh, really?”

“I have amazing self-control, actually.”

“Oh, really?” you repeat, drawing out the word.

“Really,” she says, rolling her eyes and mocking you.

She’s sitting on the edge of your bed, leaning back on her palms now, watching you as you step forward.

“Really,” she says again.

But her smile fades as you place your hands on her shoulders, her hands coming to your waist as you place yourself right down on her lap. She lies down and let’s you straddle her, tracing her lips with your pointer finger.

It’s so startlingly silent and tense, she can hear your breath, you can hear hers.

You squeeze her face in your hands. “Well, time to go!” you announce, climbing off of her.

“You’re a demon,” she hisses. “A witch.”

“I’m a daughter of Aphrodite,” you roll your eyes. “I prefer to be called a seductress.”

—-

The party is already buzzing when you get there, night just falling and the fire blazing high.

You wave to a few of your friends, dragging Clarisse by the hand as you lead her to the best group of chairs and benches, not too close and not too far from the fire. All of the camp counselors and the people around your age are there, drinking punch and talking amongst themselves.

You greet your half sister and head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin, Phoebe, with a kiss and a hug.

“You look so pretty, Y/N,” she smiles. “I love the pearls.”

“Thank you,” you gush. You look up to Phoebe more than you would like to admit. One day you hope to take her position, and it wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression now. “You look gorgeous.”

Clarisse’s hand falls from yours and she pushes you forward to the empty seat next to Phoebe.

You look behind you. She gives you a look that says “Are you dumb? Talk to her.”

You’re always so close to Clarisse, but she goes and sits nexts to a few of her siblings on top of a picnic table 5 feet away.

You hum and start talking to Phoebe about a few of the new arrivals about camp- you both agree one of the new boys is a son of Aphrodite, before Phoebe looks past you and cringes.

“One of the other new kids is staring at you.”

You risk a small glance.

There’s nothing special about him. Pale skin, brown hair and brown eyes. He’s not your type, to say the least, especially when you steal a look at Clarisse and find she’s already looking at you-

You stomach flips.

She taps her wrist as if there was a watch there.

“Almost halfway,” she mouths, smiling brightly.

You look pointedly back at Phoebe.

“He’s eh,” you shrug.

“If he doesn’t stop staring at us I’m gonna go insane.”

“Is he really staring?” you ask.

“Yeah. I think he thinks he’s flirting, or something? I don’t know.”

You shrug. He probably knows you’re dating Clarisse, and if he doesn’t, he probably will soon.

She bumps your shoulder.

“Any updates with Clarisse?”

You smile, playing with your fingers.

“No, not really. We’re still happy. Actually, we’re having a contest right now. If she can resist kiss me for an hour, then we’ll leave. But if she can’t, then we get to stay at the party all night.”

“Ooh, that’s evil,” she teases.

“I know, I’m having so much fun.”

You both laugh, and Phoebe opens her mouth just to close it. She fakes dropping something to lean closer to you.

“He’s coming over here.”

“Oh, Gods,” you mutter.

“Hey, ladies,” he says. His voice is deep and scratchy, like he just smoked an entire pack of cigarettes. “How y’all doin’ tonight? Enjoying the party?”

You have to stifle a laugh. Phoebe was one of the cabin leaders who helped organize the party.

“Havin’ fun,” you smile awkwardly. He stares so intensely into your eyes you have to breathe out not to laugh.

“Good, good. Either of you know where the punch station is?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, it’s right by the Apollo cabin,” Phoebe points.

He follows her finger. “Great, thanks.”

He looks at you and winks. “See you around.”

Both you and Phoebe dissolve into a fit of giggles.

—-

You make your way over to Clarisse after a second, sitting down next to her on the table. You hug your knees to your chest from where they sit on the actual bench.

“‘M cold,” you moan, rubbing your knees.

Her siblings, Carrie and Nelson are now distracted by Phoebe’s animated talking, leaving the two of you.

She wraps her arm around your shoulder, letting you lean against her.

“You wore those shorts,” she says.

“For you.”

“Oh, you’re so mean.”

“Before the challenge. And I think you mean ‘thanks for trying to make me happy, Y/N.’”

Clarisse laughs.

“Okay, pretty thing,” she mutters. “That’s what I meant.”

“Right,” you mutter, pushing yourself further against her. It’s better here, closer to the fire, but there’s still this chill in your bones.

“Stop being so close to me,” Clar mutters.

You turn to her.

“What did you just say to me?”

“It’s almost irresistible to kiss you,” she whispers. “I’m not allowed to kiss your forehead, am I?”

You put your face into her warm neck.

“Is that kissing me?” you whisper, your lips brushing her skin.

“Shut up,” she mumbles, pushing you away from her. “You’re not distracting me. I’m not losing this. One hour, then we’re going back to my cabin and staying there for a long time.”

You smile, lifting your face up from her neck to stare in her eyes. She smiles softly back at you.

“Did you see me turn around and bend over to fix my shoes?”

Her eyes blaze.

“Should have guessed that was on purpose. What’d you call yourself? A seductress? I agree.”

You smile, wrapping your arms around yourself, deciding you’ll be nice and give her a few minutes reprieve. Ares kids are always so warm, and even just being pressed slightly against her is nice.

Someone places a jacket over your shoulders. You smile, turning to Clarisse, not remembering if she had a jacket on. Did she bring one for you?

“Clar, I-”

She’s not looking at you at all. She’s staring off towards the fire, holding your hand, and you know she didn’t just give you this jacket.

Harry walks around the table, smiling.

“Looks better on you then it did me,” he says, awkwardly. “You looked cold, so…” he laughs.

Clarisse finally realizes that he’s talking to the two of you, or well, you.

“Huh?” she says, giving him a bored look. Immediately slipping back into her mean girl persona, even though she was just blushing with your face in her neck five seconds ago.

She looks at you at the corner of her eye.

You’re sitting there, frozen with his jacket over your shoulders.

“Uh…” you say, stupidly, because your mind is literally empty. What are you even supposed to do in this situation?

Clarisse grabs at the black jacket.

“She looked cold,” he says.

She finally realizes what happened.

“So, you’re hitting on my girlfriend? Right next to me?”

His smile falls. “Y-your friend, yeah-”

She rips the jacket off of you and throws it at him.

“Girlfriend,” she hisses.

“It’s not my fault,” he says, scrambling to catch his jacket, getting defensive now. He knows he fucked up, his pride is hurt. “You weren’t even touching, and she was, like, shivering-”

She stands up, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

“Hey, hey, Clarisse,” her sister Carrie says. “What’s going on?”

Clarisse glares at him. He starts sputtering incoherently.

Carrie raises an eyebrow towards you.

“He gave me his jacket,” you mumble, still feeling a little dazed. “Clar, c’mon, let him go.”

Carrie takes a step back. “Oh, ‘kay. I don’t care if she beats him up then,” she laughs.

“It looked like they were friends!” Harry shouts, pushing Clarisse back.

She punches him in the face.

“Clarisse!” you yell, jumping down from the table. “Don’t you dare!” you grab her arm, she’s fuming, rearing to punch him again.

A crowd has formed around you.

Harry groans and holds his bleeding nose.

“You fucking bitch,” he mutters.

“Clarisse. Clarisse, please, let’s go. Let’s just go.”

“You weren’t even that hot anyway,” he hisses.

“Don’t fucking talk about her!” she yells, jumping forward to punch him again-

“Clarisse!” you shout, not wanting her to get in trouble but you’re a second too late. Her fist flies into his cheek, but he’s prepared this time, so he takes it and counters with his own punch.

Your heart squeezes, but she blocks it, and both of their respective siblings finally jump in to hold them back.

“Oh, Gods,” you mumble, staring at his blood on the ground. At least it’s not hers. “Carrie!” you shout, giving her a pleasing look, and she nods.

“C’mon, Clarisse,” she says. “You’re very strong and tough, stop beating up the twig whose got no chance.”

It takes three of her siblings to corner her against the picnic bench.

“Giving her your fucking jacket, I should kill you!” she shouts, thrashing against her siblings hold. “She’s mine, dumbass, we’re always around each other, did you not notice?!”

“Clarisse- stop!” Carrie grunts, putting everything she has into holding her back.

“Go fuck yourself,” he groans, finally having enough common sense to cup his nose and walk away, the groups of people parting for him.

You stand there, shocked. Phoebe comes next to you.

“Oh, I love this night,” she sighs. You shoot her an unimpressed look.

After he’s gone, her siblings let a fighting Clarisse out of their holds, and she scans the crowd, but Harry really has disappeared. Her eyes find yours immediately.

“Sorry,” she mumbles, marching towards you and immediately pressing her lips against yours.

Pride is her fatal flaw. And when her ego is wounded, especially when it comes to you, she feels an inherent need to try and get it back.

She can’t beat up Harry, but showing everyone you’re hers is what you guessed she would do next.

She grabs you by the neck, the other arm wrapping around your waist, bringing you two closer together. You’re touching everywhere, kissing her is like touching her electric spear, and she finally pulls away slowly.

She can’t say that she loves you, so she just kisses your temple instead, wrapping her arm back around your shoulder.

As much as you hate violence, that was the hottest thing you’ve ever seen.

—-

Clarisse drags you off to her cabin.

“Oh, fuck,” she mumbles, opening the door.

“What?” you whisper, squeezing her hand.

“The contest. We should have stayed-”

You snort. “Who gives a fuck about the contest? I’ve been swayed. Let’s go make out.”

She seems a little shocked, extremely excited, and starts ushering you towards the ladder of the loft.

“Well, who am I to deny you,” she says, holding your ass as you ascend.

“Also, stop punching people.”

“That’s where I deny you.”

You make it to the top, her hands on your waist as she follows you. She’s always touching you, like she’s addicted to you. You pretend, but you’re so in love with her you genuinely think you’re gonna fall over just thinking about her sometimes.

“Clarisse, seriously. You’re gonna get in trouble one day, and-”

She spins you around and throws you back on your bed. You yelp as she climbs on top of you.

“No. Kiss now, lecture later.”

You protest, but she shuts you up by smashing her lips into yours. It’s rough, you did tease her all night, all teeth and the sounds of your roaring heartbeats.

She starts kissing down your neck, your dig your hands into your curls.

“‘She’s mine’?” you say after a second, referencing her anger-haze of a rant.

“Yes,” she says. Softly, but not sheepishly. She says it confident and proud. “You are.”

“I am,” you mutter back, having a feeling she’s gonna leave hickey’s all over you.

You do your best to flip her over, but she’s all muscle and it’s hard, so she ends up grabbing your hips and helping you.

“What?” she gasps, confused at the change of position. Not that she’s complaining, though.

“You did lose the challenge,” you tease.

She doesn’t like to admit she lost.

You hover your lips right above hers.

“Say it.”

Her fingers dig into your hips.

“I lost,” she grits. “You won.”

“I did,” you mumble, lips grazing yours, but you’re getting bored and you want to kiss her just as bad.

And you do, your hands on her face, her fingers starting to slip under your shirt. She mumbles against your lips.

“Fuck, this is so much better than revenge.”

—-

(i’m actually the funniest person alive if you couldn’t tell)

—-

clarisse: oh, so you think i cant take care of my girlfriend? because we’re not close enough? because you think she’s cold? well guess what. now i’m never letting her out of my sight again, fuckfaces

y/n: FUCK YES i mean noooooooo noooooo that’s horrible omggg

—-

taglist:

@lvrue @t-wylia @laughingcheese037 @kroumi @urdeadpoet @colezb @rey26 @harmzilla @elliewilliamsbae @amberfreemansburntface @kyuupidwrites @neverwaakeme-up @shark1008 @liballer @heyimadison @nvirskies @pnsteblnme

@jazhandzzz @urbisexualfriend

[phoenixrisingastro]

The Astrology of Soul Contracts: Promises Written in Blood Before You Were Born

Prelude:

You didn’t just arrive here by chance. You didn’t stumble into this life, this pain, this chaos. Before you took your first breath, before your soul entered this body, you made deals—dangerous, binding, irrevocable deals.

You signed these contracts in the dark, with trembling hands, knowing full well what they demanded of you. You promised to suffer, to love, to lose, to rise. You promised to break yourself open, to surrender to forces stronger than you, and to become something greater than you could ever imagine.

But not all contracts are fair. Some are curses disguised as blessings, prisons you walk into willingly. Others are karmic debts, payments for sins you can’t remember but feel the weight of every single day.

The truth is, you can’t escape them. You’ll try. You’ll run. You’ll scream into the void, begging for mercy. But these contracts? They will haunt you, own you, control you—until you finally face them.

And now, they’ve led you here. To this post. To me...

The Contracts You Signed

The North Node: The Chains of Destiny

Your North Node is a binding agreement with your future. You promised to walk this path, no matter how terrifying it feels, no matter how much it demands from you.

The North Node doesn’t care about your comfort. It will drag you, kicking and screaming, into situations that force you to grow. It will strip you of everything you thought you wanted, everything you thought you were, until there’s nothing left but the raw, unrelenting truth of who you’re meant to become.

“You can’t run from me,” it whispers. “You will become what you were meant to be—even if I have to destroy you first.”

The South Node: The Shackles of Your Past Lives

Your South Node holds the weight of every life you’ve lived before this one. It’s where you feel most at home, most powerful, but also most trapped.

The South Node is a siren’s call, luring you back into patterns that feel safe but keep you stagnant. It’s the toxic lover you can’t quit, the dreams you chase even though they’re long dead, the habits that feel good but leave you hollow.

“Stay with me,” it pleads. “You don’t need to grow. You don’t need to change. Just stay.”

But staying means surrendering to a life that will never fulfill you..

Chiron: The Wound That Will Never Heal

Chiron is the scar your soul carries from lifetime to lifetime. It’s the place where you bleed, where you ache, where you crumble under the weight of your own humanity.

You agreed to this pain. You promised to carry it, to learn from it, to use it to help others. But Chiron doesn’t heal—it transforms. It breaks you apart and builds you back up, again and again, until you’re something entirely new.

“This will hurt,” Chiron says. “It will always hurt. But you will rise because of it.”

Saturn: The Debt Collector

Saturn is the enforcer of your contracts. It holds the ledger, the balance sheet of every karmic debt you owe. Saturn doesn’t care about fairness—it cares about balance. If you’ve taken too much, you’ll pay. If you’ve given too little, you’ll pay.

Wherever Saturn is in your chart, it demands discipline, sacrifice, and relentless effort. It will break you down to nothing, just to see if you’ll build yourself back up. And if you don’t? Saturn will drag you through hell until you do.

“You will pay what you owe,” Saturn says. “And you will be better for it.”

The 12th House: The Prison You Can’t Escape

The 12th house is where your soul goes to die. It’s the house of secrets, suffering, and self-undoing. It holds the enemies you don’t see coming, the fears you can’t name, the parts of yourself you can’t admit exist.

The 12th house is where you lose control. It’s where you surrender to forces greater than yourself, where you let go of everything you thought you were.

“Come closer,” it beckons. “Step into the shadows. Let me show you who you really are.”

The Truth You Can’t Ignore

These contracts aren’t fair. They aren’t kind. They were never meant to be.

You agreed to lose people you couldn’t live without. You agreed to carry wounds that would never heal. You agreed to face fears that would paralyze anyone else.

But you also agreed to rise. To evolve. To become something stronger, something untouchable, something unstoppable.

You didn’t come here to be ordinary. You came here to be extraordinary.

You feel it, don’t you? The pull, the ache, the whisper in your mind that says, “This is what I’ve been searching for.” You weren’t meant to stop reading. You weren’t meant to walk away. You were meant to find this post, to find me. This isn’t an accident—it’s destiny

You’ve seen the truth. Now what will you do with it?

You can keep running, keep hiding,

keep pretending that you’re not bound by these contracts.

Or you can face them..

You can uncover what’s written in your chart,

what you promised yourself, what you were destined to become..

DM me for a reading when you’re ready to stop running.

The stars are waiting. So am I...

© PhoenixRisingAstro, 2025. All rights reserved

[floatyflowers]

Dark! Percy Jackson Reverse Harem x Reader|| Chapter Two

<<< Chapter One

Your eyes widen when you see Chiron being half horse half man.

"You are a centaur"

Chiron chuckles at your shocked expression.

"Indeed, I'm, and I'm here to guide you"

"Thank you, sir"

"Are you not going to greet me, (Wrong name)?"

You turn your eyes to stare at the dark haired dark eyes man with confusion.

"My name is (Y/n)" you correct him before asking "And you are?"

"Dionysus"

"As in the god who has a cult?"

"That's me, I miss my cult"

You nod in agreement, unsure if that was meant to be humor or a genuine confession.

"Yes, I used to rule an entire cult in ancient Greece. They all worshipped me and offered me sacrifices."

You feel a twinge of unease at the thought of being in a cult, especially one led by a god like Dionysus.

Still, you don't want to be rude, so you just smile politely and say.

"That's... great."

Dionysus nods, seemingly satisfied with your response.

"Well then," he says,

"Shall we continue on? I can show you around the camp and introduce you to some of the other demigods."

Chiron frowns, looking at Dionysus, finding his behaviour strange.

Dionysus is never friendly towards any demigod.

But now, he is offering to show you around.

Chiron never understood the gods obsession with you.

He assumed it has something to do with your powers.

"There is no need, but thank you for the offer, Luke showed me around the camp"

You say before turning towards the centaur.

"I will be going now if that's all"

The moment you take your leave, Dionysus sighs in disappointment.

"If only she was my daughter"

°°°

The cabin is all pastel pink and surrounded by flowers and cherubs statues, and it is also close to Aphrodite's cabin, which is not surprising.

But what made you uncomfortable is the glass window in your room.

You will need curtains for that later.

What is surprising is that you found tons of gifts on your bed and your wardrobe is filled with clothes.

And a note that says 'From your beloved grandmother. Aphrodite'

Also there are gifts from different deities.

For example, Hermes gave you a golden caduceus pendant with a blue diamond.

Apollo gave you healing potions.

Ares gifted you a dagger and also has a note with it 'Sharp enough to kill your enemies'

But what astonished you the most is the gift from Etos, it's a music box.

A cherubs music box, when you turn it on, it starts playing very enchanting music.

There is a long letter too.

My sweet demigoddess,

I write to you on this fine day to express my deepest love and adulation for you.

Your strength, courage, and power all demonstrate your divine ancestry, and your beauty and grace shine with the warmth of the sun.

My heart aches for you from far away, and all I desire is to embrace you in my arms and to watch you flourish with all that you are and can be.

This music box is a gift from me, once it starts playing, all monsters will flock away from you.

From your father,

Eros.

The strong fragrance on the letter makes you calm down.

To be honest, you don't hate Eros even though he never was by your side when you grew up.

Maybe the new life for you here, isn't bad after all.

°°°

"Capture the flag? As in fighting other demigods? no thank you"

You say, walking by Percy's side.

The boy showed up at your doorsteps first thing in the morning, and asked you to walk with him.

"Don't worry, I will protect you, if you stay by my side" 

You stop and look at Percy and cross your arms over your chest.

"Why did you tell Luke that I'm your girlfriend?" you inquire.

Percy smiles.

"Because you have always been my girlfriend, remember in grade one where you wanted to marry me and made a promis-"

You quickly stop him, your cheeks heating up from the childhood memories.

"I was a child"

"I don't care, a promise is a promise"

"What if I fall for another?"

Percy shrugs, with the smile still on his face.

"It would be like Icarus flying too close to the sun"

You raise an eyebrow but he continues.

"Another might get close to you but they will never reach you before they fall to their deaths"

Chapter Three >>>

[cece693]

i need a will solace fic in your writing oh my days you write so good

If You Can Hear Me

pairing: will solance x male reader tags: you almost die, admitting feelings, will is on the verge of a panic attack, angst then fluff, but angst isn't that bad, I promise

You never expected to feel at home at Camp Half-Blood. Before your satyr guide found you and whisked you away, you spent your days stumbling through a series of close calls with monsters you didn’t fully believe in. Now, you’re a recognized camper, forging your own identity among children of gods and goddesses, brushing shoulders with legends-in-training.

Yet something—someone—stands out in your day-to-day life more than all the magic or swordplay ever could: Will Solace, son of Apollo, healing prodigy, a gentle flame of warmth in a place often fraught with danger. His sunny smiles and steady hands once drew you to the infirmary for the smallest bruise you could find an excuse for. But over time, it grew from a mild crush into something deeper you never quite had the courage to name.

Summer at Camp Half-Blood means bustling energy, from chariot races around the track to wild, chaotic capture-the-flag nights in the woods. But the major event currently on the horizon is the Summer Challenge—an advanced training exercise that blends elements of scavenger hunt, combat drills, and puzzle-solving. Every cabin has a part to play, and rumors fly that the Ares Cabin has a special “surprise” planned.

On the morning of the challenge, you’re summoned by Chiron to help finalize some last-minute preparations in the arena. You, Will, and a few others are to do a final walkthrough, checking safety wards and making sure the enchanted training dummies are programmed correctly. It’s supposed to be routine.

Will walks beside you, quiver slung casually over his shoulder and hair tousled by the light morning breeze. He flashes you a lopsided grin that sends your heart hammering. “Don’t look so nervous,” he says, noticing the tension in your stance. “We’ve done these checks a million times. And if anything unexpected does show up, you’ll handle it. You always do.”

You offer a wry smile. “I’ll try not to trip over my own sword this time.”

He laughs, bright and warm. “And if you do, I’m definitely blaming the Ares Cabin’s poor craftsmanship.”

The arena is alive with activity as teams set up. Stacks of foam-tipped arrows, wooden swords, and magical devices line the edges. Clarisse La Rue, decked out in her Ares armor, prowls around with a scrutinizing eye, barking orders to her siblings.

You and Will split up to check opposite sides of the arena’s boundary wards. You’ve almost completed your circuit when an alarmed shout echoes from across the field. At first, it’s unclear what’s happening—just a chorus of raised voices, the heavy clatter of weapons. Then someone screams, “Monster!”

Your gaze snaps toward the center of the arena. A shape unlike anything you’ve seen crawls into view, vile and twisted, like a Chimera that’s been cursed by some dark magic. Part lion, part venomous reptile, it exudes an aura of rot and malice. You see greenish-black vines wrapped around its body, pulsing eerily like they’re feeding on the creature’s rage.

Will sprints to your side, bow in hand. His eyes flash with concern. "We’ve got to stop it,” he says, notching an arrow. “Or at least contain it until Chiron and the others can evacuate the younger campers.”

You nod, setting your jaw. “Let’s do it.”

Chaos reigns as campers flee the stands in droves. A handful of brave souls remain to fight—yourself, Will, Clarisse, and a few from the Hermes Cabin. Amid the frenzy, you notice that the wards designed to keep monsters out must have been tampered with—this beast shouldn’t have been able to step foot in the arena.

Someone planned this. The thought chills your blood.

Each time the monster roars, those eerie vines tighten, like they’re drawing power from the terrified energy around them. Arrows from Will’s bow glance off the beast’s hide, and Clarisse’s strikes, though powerful, barely scratch its scaled sections. You flank it on the opposite side, heart hammering. Timing your approach, you hurl your weapon at a vulnerable spot. With a vicious swipe of its tail, the monster smashes your sword aside and lunges. You barely dodge in time, landing hard on your shoulder and rolling across the dirt.

From the corner of your eye, you see Will run forward, golden light flaring around his hands as he tries to shoot an energized arrow—one infused with Apollo’s power—straight into the monster’s flank. It hits with a flash, briefly knocking the creature back, but the vines seem to absorb much of the energy.

“That’s not good,” Will pants, darting closer to you. “We need a new plan.”

You start to push yourself up, ignoring the bruise forming under your gear. “We have to cut off whatever’s fueling it,” you say. “Those vines—maybe they’re what’s making it so strong.”

Another roar shakes the arena. The beast’s eyes flare with glowing malice as it charges you again. With no time to think, you throw yourself in its path to keep it from trampling a wounded camper behind you. For a split second, Will’s voice cuts through the noise. “Move!” he yells, horror etched on his face.

But you can’t. The monster’s claw descends, and a blinding pain ignites in your side. You feel warmth trickle down your ribs—your own blood. Then comes the swirling sensation of poison, or maybe some dark vine energy, seeping into your veins. Everything spins. Your vision narrows on Will’s face—pale, stricken. He’s sprinting toward you, calling your name. The last thing you see before the world fades is his trembling, outstretched hand.

You come to—barely—in the infirmary. At first, you think you’re fully passed out, because all you can see is darkness and distorted flashes of color. But your ears pick up something: Will’s voice, hushed and thick with emotion.

“…did everything I could,” he’s saying, voice trembling. “The poison is resisting normal healing.”

Someone murmurs a response, but you can’t make out the words. Footsteps fade, leaving Will alone at your bedside. In the fragile silence, you catch Will’s shaky breath. “Please,” he whispers, voice cracking. “Please wake up. I can’t lose you—I don’t want to lose you. Not when I…I feel like I’ve only just started to realize how much I…”

He trails off, as though the rest of the confession is too heavy to say aloud. But he tries again, determination in his tone:

“You mean everything to me. I can’t believe I waited this long to tell you. If you can hear me, if there’s any part of you listening right now... I—I love you. I’m sorry if that’s too much, but I can’t hold it in anymore.” He chokes out a bitter laugh, the sound tinged with tears. “I never had the nerve to say it while you were awake. Now I’m terrified you won’t wake up at all.”

Warmth flares against your side. Apollo’s healing energy, funneled through Will’s heartbreak and determination, spreads through your veins, battling the toxic magic. Little by little, it pushes back the darkness. You float between consciousness and oblivion for an indeterminate time, but slowly, Will’s healing works. The darkness recedes enough that you can feel the softness of the infirmary bed and smell the faint scent of ambrosia.

Your eyelids flutter open, revealing the bright interior of the Apollo Cabin’s medical ward. Will is there, perched on a wooden stool, head resting against his folded arms on the bed beside you. He looks utterly exhausted, but you notice his hand is clasped gently around yours.

You manage a weak croak. “Will…?”

He jolts upright, eyes wide. Instantly, his free hand goes to your forehead, checking your temperature. A tangled mix of relief and panic flits across his features. “Hey—hey, you’re back. Oh gods, don’t move too much yet.”

His gaze lingers on your face, like he can’t quite believe you’re awake. You offer a faint smile, ignoring the throbbing ache in your side. “That monster…?”

Will sighs, shoulders relaxing. “Destroyed. Clarisse and the others managed to sever those vines once we figured out the source of its power.”

You watch him closely, remembering fragments of what you heard while drifting in and out. The raw emotion in his voice, the words he spoke—it all left an imprint, burned into your memory despite the haze. “Will,” you say gently, “I…I heard you, I think. I’m not sure how much was real or a dream, but—”

His cheeks flush. He looks like he wants to sink through the floor. “Y-You heard that?”

You give his hand a squeeze, wincing at the slight pull of pain along your side. “Yes, I heard that you care about me. A lot. Maybe even love me. I—I wasn’t fully conscious, but that part kind of stuck.”

Will averts his gaze, teeth sinking into his lower lip. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability from him. “I didn’t mean to drop that on you while you were half-dead.”

A weak laugh escapes you. “Hey, could be worse. And for what it’s worth, I’m really glad you said it.” You shift, ignoring the dull throb of your wound. “I—I feel the same way. I just never knew if you’d be open to…well, this.”

He exhales shakily, relief flooding his features. When he looks at you again, it’s like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

Your throat tightens, and you grip his hand like it’s the only thing holding you to this moment. “I think I do,” you whisper. “And now that I’m not dying, maybe we can talk about it more?”

Will’s laugh is damp at the corners, and he squeezes your hand back. “Yeah. We’ve got all the time in the world to figure this out—once you’re better.”

He rises from the stool, gently resting a hand on your cheek. “But first, you need rest. Let me handle the bandages and keep an eye on your vitals. No heroic stunts for a while, got it?”

You nod, feeling a flush creep up your face at his closeness. “Deal. As long as you promise not to wait until I’m comatose to talk about your feelings next time.”

His grin sparkles with that golden warmth you’ve come to adore. “I’ll do my best.”

[bomber-grl]

Nico Di Angelo x Child of Medusa 🐍

Pairing(s): Nico Di Angelo x M!Reader

A req for @calypso-74213! Also cringe-ish warning

Everyone at camp is terrified of you

I mean its said that people are scared of what they don’t understand

And you’re sort of an anomaly

Not to mention that you’re able to turn ppl to stone, the only barrier separating them and you, bding your sunglasses

Also because you closely resemble humans/ demigods

Yknow, besides the snakes instead of/ amongst your hair, scales here and there, and your eyes

Especially since Medusa isn’t known to be particularly fond of men, so it leaves much to think about and question

Then again, Athena-

Anyway

Many aren’t fond of you, that’s a given. I mean many campers weren’t very welcoming of Nico and his status(?) as son of hades so I can only imagine the treatment you go through

I mean at least everyone has the decency to pretend to be nice to you

But the tension is still there

The first day you were introduced was by Chiron, usually he’d leave the camper up to the counselor these days but you’re a special exception (along with Percy)

So bam, new cabin for not a god but rather Medusa

I’d imagine a lot of discourse, especially since it’s only for godly parents and the whole pride aspect

But eventually, with much persistence from Percy and others who are willing to back you up, you get one

Which is only a result of them being proven wrong by your origins and proven to be a nice person

Also, might I add, you’re likely here because of being mortal/not completely monster and need protection like many demigods

Anyways, Nico isn’t at camp all that much

Especially since he has this idea that many people aren’t fond of him (which changes throughout the series)

When he hears about you through the grapevine he’s intrigued

He never thought that someone such as yourself would even exist but then again he could say that about the gods and Olympus

Only once he finds out that you’re treated like shit (at the start of your stay) does he go to find you and see what your deal is

And he’s pleasantly surprised

You pass all his standards

1. Don’t be an asshole

2. Don’t be an asshole

Oh, and did I mention don’t be an asshole?

You were more than pleasant to hang out with and he found himself looking for you amongst the crowds of demigods at camp

He looked forward to seeing you again

Only then does he realize how he’s fallen in love with you

He never would’ve imagined he’d ever fall in love with a son of Medusa, but here he is

He’s admittedly hesitant to confess to you

It’s so obvious too

You’re at the lake like you usually are

You tend to spend time there when you’re not having fun at arts and crafts or training with weapons

This is the time of day you two usually hang out and that’s only proven more by the fact that Nico is seated right next to you, gazing at you

Almost lost in thought but then you snap him back to reality- wondering what’s up

That’s when he just tells you, he almost shrinks away until you tell him that you reciprocate his feelings

He’s honestly shocked by the whole thing and just stares at you until you hesitantly hold his hand

From them on you’re officially boyfriends and he can’t emphasize how happy he is to have you

The sun isn’t always shining and so bad things are bound to happen, what’d you expect? You two are a demigod and a half monster (?)

Your origins might be a mystery but you know better than anyone not to fear the dark

So when Nicos having certain days where he’s struggling, he’s glad that you can embrace all of him

Change of tone but you and Nico are just chilling as Jules- Albert drives you places when Nico realizes something

He’s never seen your eyes, or rather, looked you straight on

I mean you’ve kissed, hugged, etc etc but he’s never seen you without your glasses

Which how could he? He’d literally be turned to stone

But that doesn’t stop him from wondering

His eerily long silence next to you prompts you to ask him what’s up

And finally after much convincing that ‘we listen and we don’t judge’

He tells you

And of course you laugh but just because you find it endearing that he wants to

Of course it’s something that never goes anywhere but if he asks a Hecate kid if there’s stone proof potions- well that’s none of your business

[lady-ashfade]

Blood And Pressure

Part four

Yandere!Pjo × Fem!Grisha!reader. (Platonic yandere gods) (romantic!various characters)

-♡ Chapters: Previous // Next

-♡ this is a shadow & bone slight crossover. Reader is a heartrender and that's all really (maybe more in the future!)

-♡ words: 1k

-♡ Please note that all characters are aged appropriately, so all characters are older versions of the book characters. So 17-19 characters for these, you can choose any of them really. Just that they are older teens.

-♡ warnings: short, yandere behaviors, obsession, stalking, slightly sick love, possessive, manipulative, gaslighting, platonic yandere too, blood powers, powerful powers but not godly, and future warnings when more chapters come out.

You’d like to say you could understand everything that was happening but you had not even a small clue. You sat in the big house with your bag in hand while the two adults argue over you.

“I forbid her to leave, she’s not hera’s child,” you sink back while Mr.d points his finger at you, “she belongs here, with me.”

The god fought for you to stay with him, he kept you happy and feed, even made you smile. All for someone else to claim you? It made his blood boil and you could see it on his face as he shouts.

“She’s been claimed and even if we don’t understand, it is how things have to be.” Chiron sounded disappointed but stern. Of course he would stay up for you, like he always does. He hated for you to leave but you wanted so badly to leave them and have friends and he could understand.

“Mr.d,” you step forward to the god, “I’ll make you a promise.”

“And what’s that kid?” He hated how he spoke to you but he was just too heated that he could banish everyone kid from camp.

“I’ll come visit and play cards with you every week?” You try and bargain your time, even when the thoughts made your bones tighten at thinking of being stuck like that again.

He looked down at you with a suspicious glare while he thought it over. He didn’t have a choice but that didn’t mean he liked it. So finally he let out a breath and agreed while rushing off and mumbling under his breath.

The next stop you had was weirder.

The cabin was dark and empty. Cold and you could feel your spine shiver at the lack of heat. You glanced around but found no furniture to even sit on. No one was supposed to sleep here. Hera had no half-blood offsprings because unfaithfulness was not her way, and yet here you stand being claimed by her. And something tells you all the gods had something to do with it. Mr. D seemed to be more jealous when he spoke about the queen of gods. Like she was unworthy to have you.

“I suppose we’ll be needing to fetch some essentials for your new home.” Chiron tried to sound happy.

“Don’t worry,” you hold up your arms that carried pillows as far as you can with a reassuring smile, “I’ll survive.” and truth be told your bed was the one thing you would miss about staying there.

You find yourself walking up to the firepit and staring up at the statue of hera holding her staff. The way her eyes looked…you felt calm, but almost afraid of what it would be like to look in the real ones. She wasn’t someone to mess with while even her husband feared her wrath.

“So, Chiron?” You ask. You continue to stare up at the stone goddess. “Do you know why she claimed me.” there wasn’t much hope he’d share his insight. the centaur kept quiet for a second to consider his next words wisely.

“Just as clueless to me. Maybe we’ll get some information in the morning after a goodnight sleep.” Just as you thought. Not a peep from him.

You nod and turn around and place everything you had on the floor which wasn’t much but you were glad you had all you did. Chiron handed you the blankets with a smile on his face and for a minute it looked like he was going to cry while he looked at you.

So you open your arms wide and pull him into a hug, or what you could reach and he chuckles deeply and pats your head. In all his years you were his favorite to ever walk into this camp and to guide you. To him, camp was nothing without you.

You settled in quickly while unpacking what you could to make you feel at home. You had two blankets, one on the floor and pillows on top and the other over yourself. You tried to pick a place to the fire without burning up or being too cold.

And for the first time you were all alone to your own thoughts.

“Pst” a hushed whisper called out from no where. The voice startled you as you jump forward and grab ahold of the nearest thing, your old book.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m a camper.” The voice had no body to go along with it making you confused. Was it one of Apollos children? Whoever they were they didn’t belong here.

“Says the person who stays hidden.”

The person in question lets out a laugh and then you see a figure appearing out of no where. A blue cap was the first thing you notice as they move their hand down with it grasped. A girl with a orange camp shirt, pretty eyes and blonde hair twisted into a braid.

“You grab a book to hurt me? Almost seems like you know me.” She smirked amusingly.

She had been watching you since you arrived at camp two years ago when she could, she grew to now you like no one else did. And now you’re out and into the camp with her she couldn’t let you walk without keeping a eye on you. You arrived with percy, another person she needed to watch so it was easy.

“What’s you name?” You ask the mysterious girl.

“Annabeth, consider me your guide from now on.” She walked further and stood above you. Her wicked smile seemed off just like everyone else you have seen.

“What cabin are you from? I heard some kids saying Apollos kids-” she cut you off by waving the hat in her hand.

“Athena.” You nod.

“And you’ll need me.” You tilted your head at her words and arched your brows. Need her? What was she talking about.

“For what? I mean I’m glad to have a friend but..” taking a deep breath as her eyes glint with something almost dangerous.

“For capture of the flag.”

Taglist: @maria699669 @gorgeourrific-nerd @alliriseabove @targaryenluvs @theaaeht @dabalyuteeeftia @weepingwitchofthewest @iris1587 @tulipmagnoliaisme @ameliashideout @purplerose291 @poppyflower-22 @riaaavm @anonymouslyawesome25 @orionspaperwork @a-cat-loverr @Ilpovi @eatmyassfictionalstyle @theanklebiter-blog @nasyu-kookies

[gh0stsp1d3r]

Can you do a luke fic? Maybe some angst 🤭

I lobe angst sm! This is the song I listened to for inspo,,

𝒲𝒽𝓎 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 ℴ𝓃ℯ

MASTERLIST

Warnings- Yes I used the TikTok trend what abt it, reader gets stabbed, betrayed, mention of blood and scars

“Luke?” Your voice was quiet, he knew that voice though. He knew your voice. He snapped his head, suddenly dropping his sword. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared into your eyes.

“Y/n.”

Percy laid on the soil beneath him, your lip quivering as you stared at the scene in front of you.

“Luke… what are you doing?” You said, stepping closer to him. You were quiet still, your heart beat practically out of your chest.

“Y/n, you have to listen to me-“ he started. Percy stood up.

“Y/n, don’t listen to him.” Percy interrupted. You were torn.

Luke ignored Percy, stepping over to you now. He grabbed your face as you looked at him, face full of confusion.

“Kronos… has a plan for us, for you. And I want a future for us-“

“Kronos? Luke, what are you talking about?” You said, tears threatening to fall. “Why are you talking like that?”

“He can give us a better life than the Gods, I need you to understand, we can be free. Free from the Gods, free from Camp, from the rules. We have to leave soon-“ He spoke quietly, as if you were going to break if he spoke any louder.

“Are you sick? Is something wrong? Did I do something?” You asked, tears now falling down your face as you looked at the man you thought you had known.

“No, you didn’t do anything. Think about it, when was the last time you even spoke to your parents? Your mother?”

“That doesn’t matter, Luke.”

He grew more agitated at your words.

“I love you, why can’t you make this easier?” He asked.

“I loved you. Luke, you’re not the man I fell in love with. Whoever… this is, is not my Luke.” You gestured to him, his heart broke as a lone tear fell down his face now. The words he knew were true but didn’t wanna hear.

But with his sadness, comes more anger. You were taken aback when he pulled out his sword, Percy tried to run up and stop him but he was too slow.

He stabbed you, in the side. Not fatally or deep, just enough to injure and bleed.

You cried out, and once the anger was gone, he felt worse than he ever had.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He said to you, looking back at Percy and then running into the portal, away.

“Are you okay?” Percy asked, quickly coming over to you.

You groaned, lifting up your shirt to reveal your cut to Percy. He flinched upon seeing it.

“C’mon, let’s go to the medic.” He said, helping you stand up and walk.

You took a walk through the forest, it was a lot quieter now. It was dark out, and you were supposed to be in bed. But Dionysus is too drunk to notice anything and Chiron isn’t looking.

Your mind went to Luke. It had been for the last couple months. Every time you saw converse, an oak tree, curly hair, or even brown eyes. You pretended for a moment it was him, and for those moments you were happy.

You didn’t hear someone coming up behind you until you heard a branch snap. You turned around, furrowing an eyebrow as you tried to see what or who it was.

A familiar figure came into your view. You could see that curly hair and know it was him from miles away.

You stood straight, breath catching in your throat as he came closer. You looked down at his hands, no sword.

You pulled out your sword, and he held up his hands.

“Please. I just wanna talk. That’s all I want.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, and you looked at his pleading eyes. The eyes you knew you couldn’t resist.

You put it away for now, and you both stared at each other for a moment.

“I’m sorry. I…” the words were lost in his throat when he saw your gaze. It wasn’t loving like it used to be, it was more hateful.

“You stabbed me.”

“I know. And I’ve felt like shit, ever since I haven’t seen you.”

You could tell, his hair was disheveled, the bags of his eyes heavier and darker, he looked malnourished.

“You stabbed me.” You repeated.

“How bad is it?”

You lifted up your shirt to the scar it had left. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and he stared into your eyes again.

You swore to yourself if you ever managed to run into him again, you wouldn’t cry. But, you couldn’t help it.

The man you had loved for years, the man who had always been there for you, the one who helped you through everything.

“I still love you.” You managed to blurt out the confession. You sat down on a tree’s roots, putting your face in your hands as you choked out a sob.

He sat next to you, rubbing your back as you cried.

“I love you too. I’m sorry. For everything.” He said quietly.

You eventually curled up next to him, he just threw his arm around you like he used to.

“Can we still.. be friends?” He asked hopefully.

“I don’t think we can, Luke.”

“So.. this is it.. for us?”

You nodded, “I guess it is.” Your lip quivered as you said the words. He took a deep breath and stayed quiet before speaking again.

“In another universe, I imagine we would own a beach house or something. We would be off on our own.” He said, “then eventually we’d get married. Have kids or something.”

“Why not this one?”

[breadbrobin]

Hi idk if you’re taking reqs but I’ve been reading your posts about Luke Castellan a lot and I think I’m getting obsessed- So could you make a fic/shot about a Luke Castellan x daughter of Apollo reader where they’ve known each other since childhood and they’re kind of like frenemies (friends and/or enemies) and one day he ends up getting badly injured after a quest so she has to take care of him in the infirmary for a week, but ever since that happened he’s been trying to get injured just to go and see reader at the infirmary again?

Sorry if that wasn’t clear, and this is kinda inspired from another fic you made about Luke and daughter of Apollo:)

But if you ever make something like this I would really appreciate it if you tagged me!

two hearts

luke castellan x reader — percy jackson and the olympians

[fem!daughter of apollo reader]

summary: (as above)

warnings: canon typical mentions of violence, kissing, flirting, a couple of swear words, blood, idiots to lovers a lil bit too (can you tell it’s my favourite thing)

word count: 3.5k

(hiiii hello hi!! sorry this took me so long to get out, but here it is!! thank you so much for the request i had a lot of fun with this one (3.5k words of fun apparently). hope you enjoy it!)

———————————————

if someone had told you luke castellan was going to be gone on a quest when you arrived at camp for the summer, you wouldn’t have spent the whole drive to camp preparing to deal with his annoying ass.

you hiked up half-blood hill and over the boundary, noticing the distinct tension in the atmosphere. something was off.

when luke hadn’t come to see you as you dropped your bags off in the apollo cabin, or when you stopped into the infirmary, or even when you walked past the hermes cabin, you were clued in that something was up.

“where’s luke?” you asked chiron curiously.

“he is on a quest, child. sent by his father,” he smiled down at you warmly. “do not worry about him.”

“i’m not worried,” you bit your lip. “just curious. that’s all.”

and that was that.

it was weirdly boring being at camp without luke’s constant snarky comments. ever since you’d both gotten to camp when you were younger, he’d been a persistent thorn in your side. maybe it was because you both were new around the same time, or because you didn’t like it when he hovered around the infirmary, poking his quick fingers into buckets of bandages and medications. whatever it was, he seemed to enjoy irritating you. and you apparently enjoyed it more than you thought.

monotonous days: breakfast, archery, infirmary, training, activities, dinner, bed.

sleepless nights: nightmares of quests and dragons and a bright white scar.

you sighed one night, waking up from yet another dream of flashes and brief images. your siblings were sleeping around you, a couple of them snoring, and you sat up.

the air on the porch was cooler that night, especially for summer time. you wrapped your sweatshirt a little tighter around yourself and leaned on the porch railing, peering out into the darkness. you just needed a minute, really. you sat down on a chair and relaxed.

you woke up abruptly.

at first, you were confused as to why.

then you saw the figure on the hill.

it was a camper. the hint of orange in the full-moon light told you that much. they were stumbling down—no, they were rolling now.

you stood up and dashed back into your cabin, grabbing your to-go first aid kit. you then turned and ran towards the obviously injured figure. there were only three people it could be. and where were the other two?

you reached them quickly, dropping to your knees beside them and rolling them over.

luke.

it was luke.

the air rushed from your lungs. he was here. he was back. he was alive. you’d never felt such an overwhelming emotion before. it drew slight stinging tears to your eyes.

his eyes were barely open but he gripped your arm with a strength you didn’t think his weak body could still possess. “y/n?”

“just hold on, luke,” you whispered. there were injuries all over his body. you hardly knew where to start. “just hold on.”

“they’re gone,” he said absently.

you looked at him, but didn’t stop trying to help. “who’s gone?”

“everyone,” he stared up at the moon.

you bit your cheek and looked over your shoulder. one of your brothers had gone on that quest with him. “wake up!” you shouted. “someone come help!” you turned back to luke. “okay, luke. you’re gonna be okay.”

his cheeks were hollow. it was then that you noticed the way his eye was swollen closed and a dark red angry cut traced its way down the side of his face. you gasped and turned his head gently to see it better.

“not looking good, huh?” he murmured bitterly. “guess i won’t be getting any modelling contracts soon.”

“we’ll see about that,” you muttered. “stay awake, yeah?”

“you’re not the boss of me,” he grumbled, but kept his eyes open as help finally arrived to get him to the infirmary.

he’d had more injuries than you’d originally thought. it was like he’d been attacked by half of the monsters in greek mythology, honestly, based on the peppered burn holes in his shirt, the cuts and scrapes on his arms and knees and the gashes littering his abdomen. oh, and not to mention the gaping spear wound in his right shoulder.

after working all night with some of your siblings and chiron in the infirmary, he was finally stable. finally, he’d be okay.

you volunteered to stay with him to keep an eye on him for the first few hours, though your eyelids were drooping with sleep.

you held his hand. it felt like the right thing to do.

he didn’t stir.

it was strange, being around him without him talking. since you were fourteen, he’d rarely managed to shut up around you. incessant talking and waving his hands around, explaining some new thing he learned in sword fighting or some joke one of his brothers made. it was both infuriating and entertaining. you loved and hated it, just like you loved and hated him.

sitting in silence with luke castellan felt like the world was turning on its head.

a couple of hours passed. you didn’t let go of his hand. not even as you slipped into a dream—a memory, really.

you were fifteen, and it was raining. it had only been a few months since you got to camp. things were still fresh and somewhat unknown. what you did know, though, was you could never get a moments peace anymore.

“y/n?”

you rolled your eyes. of course it was luke. “what?”

“where are you?”

you supposed you were hidden pretty well. sitting among the reeds at the bottom of the lake was one of your favourite places to be. it was cooler there, but even in winter it wasn’t cold. your feet could sit in the water if you wanted them to and the reeds blocked you from the wind and outside attention.

when you didn’t respond, you could hear him coming closer anyway.

“that’s fine, don’t tell me. i’ll find you anyway.”

and he did. he always did.

there was some theory about that, you realised as he sat beside you, the tiny space between the reeds barely big enough to hold both of you. some theory about a string of fate tying people together. some greek myth about people originally having four arms, four legs and two hearts, and when zeus split them down the middle, those people spent the rest of their lives searching for their other halves. drawn together by fate and reconnected always. you arm was pressed against his arm and your leg against his leg, and maybe it felt so right because you were cold and he was warm. not because of some silly soulmate theory that didn’t even make sense. because there was also the idea that maybe he’d put a tracker on you, but you had no idea where he would have gotten that. or maybe you were just bad at hiding.

“i’ve been looking for you,” he said.

you tilted your head in confusion. “what? why?”

“well,” were you mistaken, or were his cheeks kind of red? “i kinda hurt myself at training today. and the people in the infirmary told me to grow up and get over it. but honestly, it really hurts and i just wanted to know if you could heal it.”

you rolled your eyes. “always needing something, huh, castellan? is it so much to ask for you to just want to see me?” you hold your hand out and he extends his sword arm, revealing the cross-muscle cut on his forearm.

“i do want to see you,” he protested. “honestly. it’s not my fault that i’m also coincidentally injured whenever i want to see you.”

you couldn’t stay mad at that smile. “coincidentally, huh?” you handed him a small section of ambrosia from your pocket as your fingers ran over the cut, whispering a prayer to your father. you watched as the skin knit itself closed again, leaving not even a scar on his arm. you pulled back with a smile. “there. done. good as new.”

“thanks, doctor. don’t know what i’d do without you.”

“die a horrible death and be left permanently disfigured? to the point where we’d do a closed casket funeral just so we don’t have to look at your ugly face?” you tilted your head with a teasing smile.

he elbowed you. “shut up, loser. you know you love my face.”

and as you woke up, feeling his hand tighten around yours, you realised you kind of did. there was gauze over the cut on his eye and cheek, covering half of his face. and yet, he was still annoyingly beautiful.

“something on my face?” he mumbled as he saw looking, finally awake. “except for this thing, of course.” he gestured to the gauze.

you smiled wanly. “i’m glad you’re awake.”

“missed me?” he half-grinned.

you snort and drop his hand, patting the back of it and standing up to check his bandages. “you wish.”

he was silent as you checked his bandages and reapplied the few that were loosening. then, as you left to go and get the next person to keep an eye on him, he spoke up. “i missed you.”

you paused in the doorway, a small smile growing on your face. you looked back at him. his eyes were earnest and soft. he looked younger like this. “i’ll be back a few hours. we’ll have dinner together.”

you did have dinner together. in fact, you had almost every meal together for the first few days.

it was quiet, mostly. you didn’t ask him what happened and he didn’t tell you. you knew he’d already been interrogated by everyone else. he didn’t need that from you.

annabeth came and joined you a couple of times, chatting about some new architectural design she’d learned about or a new move she’d learned in training.

you realised how alike they were. family in every way that mattered, regardless of blood.

it didn’t take long for luke to start getting annoying again though.

once he’d been in the infirmary for four days, he regained most of his usual personality. and that meant bad jokes, incessant talking and poorly-timed, half-hearted flirting.

“the sun makes your eyes glow,” he said one day. he’d never had much of a filter, so it wasn’t too out of the blue, but it still caught you a little of guard.

you fumbled the supplies in your hand. “sorry, what?”

he was sitting up on his bed now. his wounds were almost healed. two more days and he’d be out of the infirmary. you didn’t know if you were one hundred per cent happy about that.

“your eyes. they glow in the sun.” he repeated.

you paused, glancing over at him. “thank you…?”

he nodded and leaned back, his eyes staying on you.

that was only the beginning.

within five hours he’d complimented your eyes, your skills, your smile and your kindness. multiple times. it got the point where the other two patients in the infirmary had stopped taking you seriously, just complimenting you instead. that’s where you drew the line.

“okay, luke, you need to stop. this is too much,” you said. you were checking his remaining wounds and nodding happily at them.

“what, am i flustering you? are you blushing?” he teased.

you were not blushing at all, you decided. whether it was strictly true or not was between your brain and your cheeks, not your honesty. “you’re annoying me,” you grumbled. “like, a lot.”

“you know you’ll miss me when i go back to my cabin,” he leaned back on his pillows, a smirk on his lips. it warped the scar on his cheek more than you expected, and it made your heart clench every time.

“if i miss you, you have permission to annoy me for the rest of my life,” you grumbled. you definitely wouldn’t miss this.

finally, he was out of the infirmary.

finally, you could work in peace.

finally, you could— oh, what the hell?

“good morning!” luke said as he waltzed into the infirmary. “i’ve injured myself.”

you looked him up and down as you walked closer. “you look fine to me. what did you do?”

“i fell of the rock climbing wall and hit my head.” he turned his head to show you the small trickle of blood above his ear.

you sighed and led him to a bed. you handed him ambrosia as you used a wet cloth to clean his head. “you were meant to take things easy for the first few days.”

“i did!” he protested. “i was only like, twelve feet up!”

you pursed your lips and shook your head. your hand was under his chin now, stopping him from turning his head to look at you. “taking it easy means no rock climbing at all, dumbass. you’ve been out of here for half a day and you’re already back!”

“maybe i like it in here.” he shrugged, pouting slightly, looking up at you.

“maybe i find you really annoying and ban you from coming in here,” you countered.

“you can’t do that,” he gasped.

“watch me, castellan.” you prodded his cheek mockingly. “don’t mess with me.”

his smile wasn’t exactly the response you were looking for, but you found that you didn’t mind it all too much.

luke came into the infirmary almost every two days for the next two weeks.

there was always some new injury that he couldn’t ignore, that he needed to have you heal. he only came in when you were there though, like he knew your schedule off by heart.

he probably did.

his sheepish smile was becoming a fixture of your days and you couldn’t help but smile a little brighter when you saw it. you couldn’t stop your heart from beating a little faster either, and it was annoying.

in the years that you’d been at camp, luke castellan had driven you up the wall. did you hate him? did you love him? how did you love him? how a friend loves a friend? how a doctor loves a patient? how a lover loves a lover? how did you hate him? why? why anything? why nothing? the questions only got worse.

“another minor injury?” you sighed, hearing his footsteps entering the infirmary. you didn’t know when you memorised the sound of his footsteps, or the rise and fall of his breathing while he slept, but you did.

“uh, not exactly…” the weakness in his voice made your stomach drop.

you turned around to see him clutching a bright red wound on his inner arm. he looked pale. that wasn’t a good sign. the blood was still seeping past his fingers. also not a good sign.

you gasped and pulled him to a bed immediately, pushing him to lie down and placing hard pressure on the wound. you could feel him reaching into your pocket and fishing around for ambrosia. once he found some, he ate it quickly and sighed in relief.

“what the hell happened?” you exclaimed.

he shrugged with one shoulder. “sword training.”

“were you training against the fucking terminator?” you took in the other minor cuts and bruises. your voice was unfairly shaky. you didn’t want to get close to losing him again. even just the thought made you feel sick.

his eyes were soft when they looked up at you. you almost dropped all of your anger right there. “i got sloppy,” he said nonchalantly. “i’ll be fine once i get back to normal.”

“this is an artery,” you said. “you could die.”

he didn’t look all that upset or shocked. “i won’t die, baby. i won’t.”

your stomach gave a pitiful lurch at the nickname. “save your energy.”

“is that your doctorly way of telling me to shut up?” he teased.

“yes, it is,” you nodded. “now, shut up while i help you.”

he looked at you like you were hanging the stars in the sky, not tending to him with hands red from his blood.

no one had stopped talking about luke since he got back. the first failed quest in years, with two of the three members dying and the third one permanently scarred by a dragon. not a good ratio.

you often saw luke sitting alone now, and when he was nowhere to be found, you knew where he was.

maybe there was something to the strings of fate theory, you thought as you found him and sat down beside him among the reeds. they were taller now and more dense, but the two of you had carved out a little spot for yourselves over time. your limbs were still pressed against each other though. that was one thing that would never change.

he was turning something over in his hands. a repetitive motion.

you tried to make sense of what it was, but couldn’t.

“it’s a dragon claw,” he spoke up. “the one that did this.” he pointed at the still-red scar on his face. that was why you couldn’t get rid of that one. magic scars never really went away.

you stayed quiet.

“peter distracted the dragon just in time for me to get my sword back. i got the cut, but when i turned back he was getting thrown against the mountainside.” he shook his head bitterly. “he didn’t stand a chance.”

you stared at a dragonfly on a reed in front of you. “knowing my brother, he just would have been happy to be there. and happy that you’re alive.”

he smiled, but it looked forced and bitter. “yeah. he spent the whole time talking about how lucky we were for this opportunity, and how he was so excited to explore beyond camp… and gianna was the same. they were just…” he was fiddling with his camp beads now.

you watched his movements slowly. it was like he’d never been gone, but also like everything had changed. there was a new tension in the air around him. you weren’t sure if it was you or him.

“don’t be resentful,” you said softly, breaking the silence.

“what?” his eyes turned to you. “what do you mean?”

“don’t resent yourself and the gods for this,” you said, leaning a little closer to him and looking away. the dragonfly hadn’t moved—like it was listening. watching. “peter and gianna made their choices. they’re in elysium now. that’s about as good as it gets.”

he pressed his lips together and nodded. “i know.”

maybe there was something to the two hearts theory too, because you could tell he didn’t. he didn’t agree. he didn’t want to. you slipped your hand into his. “you know i’m always here for you, right, luke? i mean, you annoy me—a lot—but you’re still, well, you. and you’re important to me. i’ll always be there for you. if you want to hold hate in your heart, then be my guest. i’ll just have to hold more love in mine to balance you out.”

he was watching your connected fingers as you spoke. his hands were calloused and hard, but yours were softer. less time spent training and more time spent healing. “love for who?”

you, you thought. you didn’t speak.

he turned to look at you. you were already looking at him. “love for me?”

you swallowed tightly. “luke…”

he leaned in closer, until his lips were moments away from touching yours. one wrong move and you’d touch. or was that the right move? was the wrong move pulling away? leaving him alone—again? that didn’t feel fair. but nor did your pounding heart and your flushing cheeks, and maybe you were blushing now, but that didn’t mean you had to like it.

then you gave in. that string that connected your souls was pulling you too tight. your lips brushed against his softly at first, and before you could think to move any further, his hand was gripping the back of your neck and pulling you closer, and his lips were pressing against yours with the passion of years of built up tension. you’d never hated him at all, you realised. you loved him the whole time. sure, he was irritating. he was chatty. he was pushy and annoying and never stopped bothering you. but you’d missed his bothering, and you’d missed his smile, and when he pulled away to take a breath, you missed his lips with a fiery need that bubbled up from deep down inside you.

“guess i’ll be annoying you for the rest of our lives then, huh?” he said softly, chest rising and falling against yours.

your eyes were still closed, reeling from the kiss. “wasn’t that a given anyway? i wouldn’t want it any other way, personally.”

when he kissed you again, you decided that the theory about two hearts was, in fact, correct. you met as two, seperate halves in a fucked up world that had you grow up far too fast. you grew as two, finding your places at camp, finding your people, but always finding each other first. you met now as one. four arms, four legs, two hearts, meeting in a tumultuous display of love and desire. and that’s how you wanted to stay. your limbs locked with his, your hearts pounding in sync, your every feeling, every emotion, every sensation making your very soul hum with joy. you’d found him, finally, after years of your hearts waiting for this moment. finally, your two hearts were one again.

[goldencherryskies]

You roll like thunder when you come crashing in | Luke Castellan

Pairing: Luke Castellan x female zeus!reader.

Summary: Luke gets injured during capture the flag and you go crazy, it forces you to confront your feelings (Angst+fluff).

Word count: 2.7k

Warnings: injury, loss of blood, use of y/n, female pronouns used to describe reader, ig this is ooc Luke, pre-tlt. Not beta'd we die like men, english isn't my first language, etc.

A/N: This is my first ever time publishing anything I've written so pease tell me what you think!

Luke feels like he’s been struck by lightning the first time he sees you. He is sitting down beside Thalia’s tree, talking to her absentmindedly, when he hears the most gut-wrenching scream he has ever heard. He sees you stumbling up the hill, covered in blood and dirt. You are holding up the body of your satyr protector, who struggles to walk. Catching up to you alarmingly quickly is one of the most terrifying monsters Luke has seen in a long time. You seem determined to keep running, even as your protector attempts desperately to get you to leave her behind. Luke knows he shouldn’t, but as he watches you give up trying to run away and prepare to fight, he wants to step outside of camp limits and help you. It seems like you don’t need his help, though, as you pull out a dagger from the back of your cargo pants and charge against the monster. Luke unfreezes then, calling out for the campers who can hear him to go “find Chiron!” When he looks back at you, you’re finishing the monster off. He forgets every protocol and safety rule when he sees you stumbling, sprinting towards you and catching you just in time before you pass out on his arms.

The first thing you notice when you wake up is that you are not in your room, or anywhere you recognize. You’re also not outside, the view of the sky that had become usual to you covered by a wooden ceiling. You sit up and look around, no one seems to be there, and when you look out the window you realize that it is probably because it is already dark outside. This must be the camp your protector was talking about, you realize. They are not very good at welcoming newcomers, it seems. Once you find a mirror to check that you don’t look crazy you decide to go outside to try to find someone who can confirm where you are, and hopefully help you settle in. When the wind hits your skin for the first time, you feel a chill run down your spine, you wonder how long you were unconscious for. You follow the voices you can hear singing to a plain terrain. A huge campfire lights up the place, teenagers and kids of all ages congregate around it singing, talking, laughing and eating s’mores. They are all wearing matching orange t-shirts. They look like a cult, you think, and the thought makes you giggle. That seems to pull somebody’s attention, and before you can realize what’s happening, there is a quiet murmur going around and everyone is looking at you. You freeze, suddenly feeling like you are crashing a party you were not invited to. You’re about to turn around and run when a boy with dark brown curly hair and a mischievous smile runs up to you. He couldn’t be older than sixteen, but something about him makes him look as if he is in charge.

“You’re finally awake” He whispers with a sigh.

“Sorry, I really don’t mean to be rude but do I know you? Also, where am I? And Why is everyone staring at me? It’s a little creepy”

He laughs openly, turning around to stare the rest of the kids down.

“Everyone, go back to your own conversations, there is nothing to see here” It’s a little crazy that he thinks it’s gonna work, but it’s even more crazy that it works, and everyone turns around within seconds. He extends his right hand towards you “I’m Luke Castellan, welcome to Camp Half-Blood.”

“y/n” you say, still shocked by his obvious power and shaking his hand. “So, this is the place Leela was talking about.”

You look around, Luke’s eyes fixated on you. Leela was your satyr protector, you met her only a couple weeks before arriving at camp. He is still looking at you when your eyes finally find him again.

“It is. The safe haven for demigods. How much do you know about Greek mythology?”

“A fair bit, the same about Camp Half-Blood, is that how you called it? I’m curious and there’s a lot of awkward silences when you’re traveling across the country” she jokes. “I know about the idea of camp, and about the cabins, the godly parent… When will I get claimed? Leela never told me that.”

The smile immediately drops off his face, an awkward grimace taking its place. He looks around, as if trying to find an excuse to run away. He comes back to the conversation empty handed.

It has been a year since you had arrived at Camp Half-Blood. You had found your place, in more ways than one. You were surprisingly good at sword-fighting, archery and Greek, and you had made many wonderful friends. But still, something was missing. You hadn’t been claimed. And because you had never met either of your parents, you couldn’t even rule out half of the options. You had tried everything, from becoming the best at every activity, to giving the most generous offers, but nothing seemed to work. Luke, who had become your best friend, was pulling his hair out in frustration. In your behalf, because how dare the gods ignore someone as wonderful and kind as you, but also in his because no matter how much he knew he loved you and wanted to be with you, he could not make a move without the fear that Hermes might claim you someday. His dad was not the most reliable of fathers. So he went about his life pretending he wasn’t dying inside to be able to kiss the sadness away from your face. The same sadness that was overwhelmingly present as you got yourselves and your team ready for capture the flag.

“Okay” he said as he clapped his hands to get the attention of the rest of the kids, knowing expanding your winning streak would be the easiest way to make you feel at least a little bit better. “Everyone knows what they’re doing? Good, if you don’t, go see Annabeth right now. Blue team, this victory is ours!”

The kids scatter as he walks back up to you. You’re fiddling with your armor, visibly frustrated. He lets you continue to try on your own until you groan in desperation. He takes the strap from you and buckles it himself.

“What’s wrong?” he asks next, his voice soft.

“Today’s the anniversary of when I first got to camp” you whisper. “And I know, I know that people wait for longer, that some never get to know who it is but I can’t help feeling this way. I’ve tried everything, it’s not fair.”

Luke’s heart breaks hearing you talk about your godly parent, the one person who is supposed to take care of you. But that is how the Gods work, they only care about themselves. He promises then, that he’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you. For now, he pulls you close to him, wrapping his arms around your body and placing his chin on your head. You pull apart as the bell that signals the start of the game rings through the forest. 

“I’ll see you after our win?”

“Definitely.” The smile on his face stays as he picks up his shield, running away from you.

He turns around right before you lose sight of him, giving you a military salute with his sword, pulling a giggle out of your mouth. You have been tasked with watch-out duty. You are a decoy, pretending to guard the flag so the kids in the other team come after you. You’re a good enough sword fighter to keep them entertained for a while on your own. You are bored for a while, until a group of three young Ares kids surrounds you. They are inexperienced and eager to prove themselves which makes them reckless. You could fight them off easily, and get them on their way, but you know that part of your mission is to stall them so you do your best to not give them your best moves. You’ve been sparring for a little bit when something throws you off. Someone is screaming your name. Through the forest you can see a little girl running towards you. Annabeth looks like she’s crying, which is enough to worry you, Annabeth never cries. The Ares kids try to use the distraction to attack, but you dodge their hits, quickly disarming them before running towards the girl screaming your name.

“Y/n! Come quickly! It’s Luke!”

He is the first thing your eyes lay on when you get to the clear Annabeth has led you to. He is on the floor, unconscious, his face covered in blood. You fall to your knees next to his body. Your hands are shaking, aching to do something, anything. There is not much you can do. You haven’t prayed in a while, having given up, but now, as you tear apart your t-shirt to cover the wound and stop the bleeding, and yell at the younger kids to “go find Chiron!” you beg any God that will listen to not let you lose your best friend. Someone touches your shoulder, whispering that you should move away. You’ve never felt this much rage. How dare someone tell you to walk away, to leave Luke’s side in this moment.

“Get off me!” You don't recognize your own voice as the scream leaves your mouth.

You realize slightly too late that the voice telling you to move was Chiron, but as you turn to apologize you are left speechless. The floor where Chiron had been standing just seconds before was completely burnt. When you look up, you realize why. There, shining above your head, was a lightning bolt.

“Zeus” Chiron said, his voice solemn, as the campers who had gathered to see what had happened, kneeled. “Energymaker, King of Gods, Father of Men. Hail, Y/n Y/l/n, Daughter of the Sky God.

You sit outside the back door of the infirmary for three days, unwilling to talk to anyone. For almost all campers, you’ve disappeared. They won’t let you see Luke, the Apollo kids take turns trying to convince you to go to your Cabin and get some sleep. You refuse. That's a new development, you have a Cabin now. A place where you belong, forever, not a temporary solution, or a rest stop, a place of your own. But the thought of walking into an empty, eerily silent mock of a home has you wanting to crawl out of your skin. You’ve become so used to sleeping through the noise of the Hermes Cabin’s campers you doubt you’ll be able to sleep on your own. And what are you going to do without being able to walk two steps and lay in Luke’s bed? Luke, who is currently unconscious inside the infirmary. Luke, who for some stupid reason you are not allowed to see. Luke, who is the reason why you haven’t even processed that you have been claimed. You have been claimed by Zeus no less. The king of the Gods, one of the Big Three. You can’t think of the implications, not when your best friend is battling between life and death so close to you, yet out of reach. You play with the food Annabeth had brought you, trying to forget the worry in her face as she tried to get you to say something. You know that Luke would have wanted you to move, take care of her and all the other campers, but you can't. He can’t be disappointed when he is unconscious. Still, you try your best, nodding at her words so she knows you’re listening. The door opens as you give up eating for the night. Mark, the Head Counselor of the Apollo Cabin looks down at you. He motions you to follow him with his head and you do so wordlessly. You don’t know what to think, and then you see him. He is sitting down, his back propped up with a pillow. He has bandages covering his reopened scar, and he gives you a sad smile when he finally spots you. You freeze for a second, unable to believe your eyes, before running and launching yourself towards him.

“I’m going to kill you” you say through the tears streaming down your face, hiding in the crook of his neck. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

You try to pull away but his arms stop you. You feel him shake his head.

“Don’t you dare, I’m fine.”

“I thought you were dead. I thought…”

“I’m ok… I’m ok now.”

“I got claimed.” You spit out suddenly, which makes Luke pull back, looking at you with wide eyes, a silent question in his face. “Zeus”

You can see his expression turn mournful as he remembers his old best friend. You’ve heard about Thalia, the quiet resentment you held for the girl who had undoubtedly held Luke’s heart had once made you feel terribly guilty. Now, you feel a sort of kin with her you had never felt before. You wish she was still here. You can see in Luke’s eyes he feels the same way.

“Daughter of the king of the Gods” he says finally, trying to be upbeat. “What a power trip. Hope it doesn’t get to your head. How’s the empty cabin? Much easier to sleep I hope?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been there yet” you breathe in and out. “I couldn’t leave you. The thought of anything happening to you…”

“Y/n…”

“No, let me finish. I need to get this off my chest.” 

Alone with yourself for the past three days, you had had a lot of time to think. That is all you had done. Think about yourself, and your dad and your friends and the danger all of you were under just for being born. But mostly, you thought about Luke. And how he was the only person you felt truly comfortable with. And how you had this weird, guilt-inducing dislike of Thalia, not because she wasn’t good, you had never met her, but because she had Luke before you ever did, and you couldn’t stand it.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past few days,” you finally breathe out. “And I have come to a couple realizations. Luke, I'm in love with you.”

It comes out of your mouth like a shot, unplanned and unbridled. You don’t know how you had planned to say it, but it was not like this.

“You’re what?” too embarrassed to look him in the eye, you shift your gaze to your lap.

“I’m in love with you. I don’t know how it happened, and I honestly don't know why I’m telling you. I guess watching you almost die made me realize life’s too short to keep secrets. You don’t have to say anything at all, but I love you.”

He’s already looking at you when you finally look up, his eyes wide, his mouth open. Nobody says anything for a couple of seconds. You search your brain for a joke, something to say to dispel the tension. You shouldn’t have said anything. You should’ve just kept it to yourself. Before you can continue further down your spiral he finally breaks his trance, pulling you towards him from the front of your ripped t-shirt and kissing you. Your lips move against his almost instinctively, and you can’t think of anything that’s not the taste of his tongue when it finally makes its way to your mouth, or the weight of his hands that have now shifted to your waist. You pull away when both of you need to breathe, but he doesn’t let you get very far.

“I love you too. I’ve loved you from the first day I met you. I’ve always known, you are it for me. I love you.”

At a loss for what to say, you kiss him again. Your hands cradle his face before moving to his curls. You kiss each other as if trying to convey the magnitude, the finality, of your feelings for each other. Luke is right. This is it, for both of you, You have finally found your person. Everything else is background noise from that point forward. You don’t care that the Gods are unfair and neglectful, or that you were born to a world destined to kill you. As long as you have Luke, you know it’ll be alright.

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

Hey!!! I had a fanfic request: Grover and Percy interact just after the major battle with Gaea ends. Grover sees Percy for the first time after more than 6 months alive. He also has his empathy link so he most probably must have felt something when Percy was down in Tartarus. Percy must have missed his best friend a lot obviously so I need to see them cry and talk and share what happened and how worried they were about the other.

I completely understand if you don't have the time to write it but I just wanted to see your take on these events which were not expanded upon in the books. Also because you write Percy and Grover so well ❤️

BEST FANFIC REQUEST EVER!! I'M SO SO SO HAPPY I GOT TO WRITE THIS SO THANK YOU!!

(also I write percy and grover well? thank you so much 🥹)

*************************************************

The war had ended. As far as my eye could see from the top of Half Blood Hill, bodies were spread across the once beautiful fields of Camp Half Blood. Medics scurried around at the base of the hill like overworked ants, tending to more than one person at the same time.

My eyes scanned the blur of orange t-shirts in the crowd in front of me anxiously.

Suddenly, I spotted her at the same time she spotted me. Before I could react, she sprinted up to me in seconds and tackled me in a hug.

"Annabeth!" A muffled voice emerged from my face buried in the curls on her shoulder. There was a lump in my throat from the sheer relief I felt at that moment. "You're alive!"

Her eyebrow raised. "Were you doubting me?" But her eyes teared up again, and I hugged me again. "I missed you." she whispered.

I patted her head comfortingly. "I missed you too."

Suddenly I realised something. "Is...he here?" I slowly started to speak. I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

Annabeth fell silent. My heart rate was increasing.

"Annabeth," I repeated. "Where. Is. Percy?"

Suddenly, every nightmare I had had in the past six months was becoming more real by the second. Annabeth didn't speak, just stared.

My vision blurred. "Where is Percy?"

"Probably dead in a ditch somewhere." A familiar voice from behind me spoke.

Two hands covered my eyes from behind and I froze. Annabeth let out a watery laugh. "Percy, I told you not to scare him like that."

I turned around, slowly.

"The trio's back together," Percy said, grinning.

*************************************************

It was official. We had definitely embarassed ourselves in the whole of the camp.

Maybe it was the high-pitched squealing. Or the excessive crying. Or the knocking each other down and becoming a fluffy mountain of happy tears.

Or the fact that we were doing this in front of mourning 12 year olds.

But the ethereal high of our reunion started to wear off when we walked out of the Big House after a lecture from Chiron about 'reading the room'.

As we meandered through the strawberry fields lazily, I looked at my two best friends properly for the first time, and my heart sunk.

They had more scars on their faces. Their tired eyes had gotten duller in colour, and I didn't remember their resting faces being that dark all the time. Tartarus.

Looking at them, the familiar feeling of anxiety and grief weighed down on my heart again as it had done for the past six months.

I thought it would've gone away after I'd seen them alive together, but knowing what they've gone through, I had a feeling that the pain wasn't yet over.

"So..." I started, my voice hoarse. "Do you want to talk about....whatever happened?"

Annabeth and Percy turned to me, with a pleasant smile returning to their faces. "Yeah, Chiron seemed a little pissed." But the look on my face faded away the smiles immediately.

"You know what I'm talking about. You know....Tartarus." I pushed gently.

Annabeth's face tightened. She glanced nervously at Percy, and looked back at me. "Uhh, maybe later. Well, I have to go take a shower. See you guys later." She stuttered before escaping in the opposite direction.

Percy and I stood in silence, his face worriedly staring at the back of Annabeth's head as she ran across the strawberry fields. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"What was that?"

Percy sighed, removing my arm. "She's right. Maybe we'll talk about this later. We....need some time to talk about it with someone else." He tried for a weak smile. "I'm so, so happy I'm with you again. I missed you. A lot."

"I missed you too." I watched as he slowly trudged his way to his cabin, and the voices inside me were screaming.

Did they just.....not realise it yet?

**********************************************

The next few weeks passed by. Percy and Annabeth had avoided talking about anything related to their past few months with me. For a while, I could understand why they seemed busy. One of their friends on the ship had gone missing in the war and they were battling with Chiron for days along with the others, arguing that he shouldn't be proclaimed dead yet.

But after that had died down, they still avoided talking about it with me. I tried to bring it up at times, but they'd just change it to something else, and look annoyed at me. That made me annoyed too.

They walked around and did their camp duties, with grins plastered on their faces. They were lovey-dovey as usual, and walked around, holding hands and skipping along the hill.

But sometimes, their facade would break. One day, I saw Annabeth slashing aggressively at a dummy, and collapsing down on a pile of hay nearby. Tears shone in her eyes and she tried to wipe them immediately. I trotted up to her anxiously.

"Annabeth? You okay?"

She tilted her head upward at me, and for a moment she had this heart-breaking look on her face. "I-I'm fine. Just needed to practice." Her voice trailed off, quietly.

"Annabeth, I know what you're going through" I insisted. She got back on to her feet, quicker than usual.

"Grover, stop saying that. You weren't in there. I've been hearing this from random campers and.... I just wish people would just stop saying that they know what I've gone through."

I tried to not feel offended. "Seriously! I felt--" I tried to insist.

"Grover. Just stop."

***************************************************

It was the middle of the night. That was the first thing Percy noticed when he jumped out of bed in cold sweats. It wasn't long before he started sobbing, his cries synchronising with the fast rise and fall of his chest.

Trying desperately to keep his breathing steady, he stumbled across his cabin room and flung open the door. But he was stopped dead in his tracks.

Because I was standing right in front of him at the doorway.

His eyes widened as one's eyes does when they see a satyr hanging out at their doorstep in the middle of the night.

"Grover, what are you doing here?" He wiped his cheeks with the sleeve of his oversized sweater, pretending that he was fine. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Despite my annoyance, my eyes softened. "You had a nightmare. I felt it."

He was silent. "Oh....the empathy link." He rubbed his eyes. "Okay, I'm so sorry about that. I'll be fine." He tried to shut the door.

I held a firm hand on the door and irritably bleated, "Nope." I barged inside.

Percy sighed, and followed me inside. He held his hands up. "G-Man, I swear. I'm totally fine. I would've just washed my face and went back to bed if you didn't--"

"What if I'm not fine either?" My throat was tight as I whispered. I felt anger bubbling up in me, that was probably going to end in a burst of tears.

Percy looked confused, and sat down on the bed. "Dude, why wouldn't you feel fine?" he asked incredulously. "Are you okay?"

I blew up.

Tears streamed down my face in a waterfall. "I don't know? Because maybe have you considered that after you got back your memories on the Argo II the empathy link came back too? Did you ever consider the fact that when you fell into Tartarus, I felt it?"

Ignoring Percy's face, I continued. "Did you maybe consider that maybe I had to be on edge for days and nights feeling nothing but terror and grief and anger all the damn time?" Percy's eyes widened. "Oh, Grover--"

"I know you almost died in there. I went into a coma for a few days and Juniper started worrying like crazy. I woke up minutes before they announced me dead. Even after that, I couldn't walk or speak for days from all the trauma that YOU TWO were feeling. So don't you and Annabeth BEGIN to tell me I will never know how it feels."

Silence. I sobbed quietly, "I'm not mad at you for not realising this while you were in Tartarus or after you came out. You had a lot on your plate, I get it."

"What I'm mad about is that you two kept shutting me out, even though I've been trying to reach out to you about this for the past few weeks. What I'm upset about is that you two are living your life cracking on the inside and there's nothing I can do about it."

I heard a cricket chirp in the distance. The darkness closed in on us. I glanced back at Percy, and his cheeks were streaked with his tears. He looked so guilty, every bit of anger in my heart vanished immediately.

"I am so, so sorry." He reached out to grab my arm, an I snapped out of my mini-breakdown.

I got up and started walking towards the door. "Just forget I said anything. It doesn't really matter." I was about to turn the doorknob before I heard a noise of protest.

"No, it matters. Come back. Please." It sounded so desperate that I obediently walked back down and sat opposite him again.

We sat there sadly and silently for a minute, absorbing each other's emotions to understand what the other was feeling before we started to talking. It's a neat communication trick.

"I can't believe I was so ignorant about what you were feeling too." he spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for shutting you out."

I shook my head. "No. I shouldn't have pushed you two to talk about things you aren't ready to talk about yet. I feel so stupid for making this all about me."

He stared at me, and slowly came forward and hugged me. I buried my face in his shoulder, trying to stop sobbing.

"It's not about that, okay? We all went through this trauma together, and we deserve to navigate it." He patted my back. "Together."

"I don't want to lose you guys. Not again." I sniffled.

"You won't. I'm going to talk to Annabeth about this tomorrow, and then after that we all can talk about it, okay?"

"Together." I repeated. "Yeah, okay."

***************************************************

A week later, I'd say that the self initiated therapy was going okay. We had spent two hours every day alone at Percy's cabin, Annabeth and Percy opening up about the events that had taken place in Tartarus, and me opening up about what I had gone through at the same time at Camp Half Blood.

Though there was still a long way to go, just talking about our experiences was making us start to heal. The lump of fear and anxiety of losing my best friends was melting away in my chest.

I was thinking about this as I approached them, sitting together. They were laughing and talking, genuinely this time.

"Are you sure I am awake?" Percy was seriously discussing with Annabeth. "Because there's no way Nico Di Angelo likes--Hi Grover!"

Annabeth stopped giggling and put an arm around me as I sat down next to them. She looked at Percy, excitedly. "Oooh, Percy, tell him!"

"Tell me what?" I asked, smiling nervously.

They looked at each other, and then looked at me grinning. Percy announced, "Me and Annabeth are going to move to New Rome after school!"

My heart dropped. "What...move away?"

"Yeah!" They giggled. "Isn't that amazing? We're thinking..." They squeezed each other's hands. "We might settle there. Forever."

No. They couldn't just leave.

Not while we were just starting to sort stuff through again after more than six months of separation. Not when they had just come back to my side again, and things were starting to feel normal again.

"Yeah. Of course." I mumbled.

Was I just meant to lose them again? How long was 'together' going to last?

**************************************************

everybody say thank you to the awesome @pjo-tvs-version for the wonderful prompt!

i feel like I am genuinely improving at this writing stuff, but you can never be perfect, so if you have any constructive criticism, please feel free to share! thanks for reading <3

[cheriecelestial]

Need part 3 of ur pjo x jjk story for my mental health plss

Ocean Eyes Pt.III

disclaimer *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ canon typical violence. blood. mild angst. injuries. not proofread!

pairing *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Percy Jackson x Gojo fem!OC

a/n *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ You ask, I deliver. Also I had so much fun writing this lol. Comment, Like and Reblog ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Comment to get added into the taglist.

Pt.I Pt.II Pt.IV

The sun hung high in the sky, blazing with such intensity it felt like Apollo himself was watching over his children. Beads of sweat glistened on the faces of the campers gathered for Capture the Flag, the sweltering heat doing little to dampen their spirits. Despite the oppressive warmth, the air buzzed with excitement as teams began to form—red versus blue. Alice had somehow managed to get both of us on the blue team, which she proudly declared was the “underdog but secretly awesome” side.

“Alright, listen up!” one of the older campers shouted, climbing onto a rock to address the group. “Rules are simple: get the other team’s flag and bring it back to your territory. No maiming, no killing, and no setting the forest on fire. Again.”

The terms seemed fair, and the activity sounded thrilling. Ever since I was young, Nii-san had encouraged me to fight, pushing me to be more ruthless until I almost started to enjoy it—almost. I’d always thought of it as more of a coping mechanism, a way to channel everything I was feeling into something productive. But no one could deny the rush of adrenaline, the high that came with testing your limits.

A few campers chuckled at the rules, but I was only half-listening. My focus was elsewhere, my eyes scanning the crowd for my target. Percy Jackson. It didn’t take long to spot him—about two hundred and twelve meters away. Dark hair, sea-green eyes, his hand gripping something tightly. A pen? He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, swallowing almost nervously. I felt a dull ache behind my eyes as I used my cursed energy technique to observe him. It was a useful tool for spying, but with my current level of expertise, focusing on distant objects for too long caused strain. I stopped soon enough so as to not exhaust myself further. If he was as good as Alice claimed, I wanted to see him in action—or better yet, test myself against him.

Alice nudged me with her elbow, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You’ve got that look again,” she said, grinning. “Planning something dangerous?”

“What look?” I asked, tilting my head curiously. While watching Percy, I could also sense the Ares kids nearby. They were definitely planning something. I wanted to reactivate my Six Eyes to get a better read, but I’d just dismantled it, and it needed time to recharge.

“The one you had when you wrecked those Ares spawns,” she replied, her grin widening deviously. “Maybe,” I replied, adjusting the grip on my borrowed sword. Chiron had asked me not to use Kaizen since Kaizen could cause injuries to campers far worse than they were capable of healing. It wasn’t as balanced as I would’ve liked, but it would do. “So this Percy person, where would I find him?”

“Of course you’re already looking for him,” she said, rolling her eyes but still smiling. “He’s usually near the creek. Water’s his thing, remember? But fair warning—if you go after him, you’re on your own. I’m not stupid enough to pick a fight with Poseidon’s kid.”

“Noted,” I said, already mapping out a path to the creek in my head.

 The horn sounded, signaling the start of the game, and the campers surged forward, splitting off into smaller groups. I broke away from the main pack, slipping into the shadows of the forest. I was on the same team as him which made it easier for me to find him without much obstruction. As much as I would've loved playing capture the flag, I had other more exciting things to focus on. 

Navigation would've been easier with my six eyes but for once I decided to do it normally, so as to not lose my touch. It didn’t take long to find the creek. The sound of rushing water guided me, and soon I spotted a group of blue-team campers setting up a defensive position near the bank. And there he was, standing away from everyone else—Percy Jackson.

“Greetings, son of Poseidon,” I said, stepping out of the woods and dragging the heavy sword behind me. The weight of the weapon felt awkward in my hands—I wasn’t used to something so cumbersome. Percy looked exactly as I’d seen earlier: tall, with messy black hair and a confident stance. On the surface, nothing about him screamed “legendary demigod,” but my Six Eyes saw beyond the superficial. There was something more to him, something I couldn’t quite place yet.

He turned, his sea-green eyes narrowing slightly as they landed on me. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

“Whatever do you mean?” I asked, my tone so innocent it bordered on sarcastic.

“I don’t know how, but—” He paused, fidgeting with the pen in his hands. “I could feel something. Someone watching me.”

I froze. Sorcerers above a certain level could detect when the Six Eyes were focused on them, but even then, it only happened if the user allowed it. They were highly trained, experienced individuals. So how could he have sensed it? There had to be more to him than I’d initially thought.

“Very well, son of Poseidon,” I said, shrugging casually, though my tone carried an edge. “You caught me. But I wasn’t watching you without reason.” My words were deliberate, measured, each syllable sharp enough to cut through the tension in the air.

“What reason?” he asked, his sea-green eyes locking onto mine, steady and unflinching.

“I, Kanao Gojo, challenge you to a duel,” I declared, my voice ringing out with a confidence that left no room for misunderstanding.

“No.” His response was immediate, plain, and simple. No hesitation, no grand explanation, just a single word that hung in the air like a stone dropped into still water.

I blinked, caught off guard. “No?” I repeated, my voice rising slightly, a mix of shock and confusion coloring my tone. “What do you mean, ‘no’? When someone challenges you to a duel, you don’t just say no to it. That’s not how this works!”

Percy crossed his arms, his expression calm and unbothered, as if my challenge was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. “Like I said, no. As far as I know, duels only happen when both parties are willing. And I don’t want to fight you.”

His casual dismissal stung more than I cared to admit. “Why? Are you afraid?” I scoffed, my pride bristling at his refusal.

He shook his head, his tone annoyingly patient. “No, I’m not afraid. I just have no reason to fight you.”

“But you have to!” I exclaimed, my voice cracking slightly with frustration and bordering desperation. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. In all the scenarios I’d imagined, this was never one of them. Did he think I wasn’t strong enough? Was I not worth his time? The thought burned like a brand.

Percy raised an eyebrow, his calm demeanor only fueling my irritation. “I don’t have to do anything. Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but picking fights for no reason isn’t really my thing. If you want to spar or train, sure, I’m down. But a duel? Nah. Not interested.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. This wasn’t just about proving myself anymore—it was about understanding why he was so quick to dismiss me. “You don’t think I’m strong enough, do you?” I accused, my voice low but sharp.

Percy sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. “It’s not about strength. I don’t fight people just because they ask me to. I’ve got enough monsters and gods trying to kill me without adding random duels to the list.”

His words hit me like a splash of cold water. There was no arrogance in his tone, no condescension—just honesty. And yet, it didn’t make me feel any better.

“So what, you only fight when it’s life or death?” I pressed, taking a step closer. “You don’t ever test yourself against someone just to see how far you can go?”

He met my gaze, his expression softening just a bit. “I’ve been tested plenty, trust me. And I’ve got the scars to prove it. But fighting for the sake of fighting? That’s not who I am. If you want to prove something to yourself, fine. But don’t drag me into it unless you’ve got a good reason.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat. His logic was infuriatingly sound, and it left me with no ground to stand on. Still, I couldn’t let it go. “You’re really just going to walk away?” I asked, my voice tight with frustration.

“Yep,” he said, already turning to leave. But then he paused, glancing back over his shoulder with a small, almost teasing smile. “But hey, if you ever want to team up for Capture the Flag or something, let me know. You seem like you’d be fun to have on my side.” 

I wanted to say something further, to push him into acknowledging the challenge I’d thrown his way, but the words caught in my throat as a sudden, prickling sensation crawled up my spine. My instincts screamed at me, and I froze, my senses sharpening as I focused on the woods behind us. There was movement—subtle, deliberate, and far too coordinated to be accidental. Multiple presences, closing in.

Without hesitation, I strode over to Percy, who was still walking away towards the woods, and grabbed his wrist.

“Look, lady, I—” he started, irritation flashing across his face as he tried to pull his arm free.

“Shut it,” I hissed, my voice low and urgent. My grip tightened, and I yanked him closer, my eyes darting toward the tree line. “There are children of Ares in the woods behind us, preparing for an ambush. And they don’t intend to merely harm.”

Percy froze, his expression shifting instantly. The casual, carefree demeanor he’d worn moments ago vanished, replaced by something darker, sharper. His sea-green eyes flicked toward the woods, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something in his gaze—anger, maybe, or resignation.

“Not your first time, I’m guessing,” I said, my tone dry but not unkind.

He nodded, his jaw tightening. “I’m not sure if they intend to kill, though.”

“They do,” I replied without hesitation. “My senses never lie.”

Percy’s eyes met mine, and for a moment, we just stood there, the weight of the situation settling between us. I could see the gears turning in his head, the way his body tensed, ready to spring into action. He uncapped the pen in his hand, and a stunning sword sprang to life in a flash of bronze, its celestial glow casting a faint light on his face.

A son of Ares emerged from the woods, his presence commanding and his demeanor deceptively calm. He had the kind of look in his eyes that made you think of a volcano simmering beneath the surface—quiet for now, but capable of erupting at any moment. His gaze flicked between Percy and me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he stepped forward, his boots crunching against the dry leaves underfoot.

“Look, Jackson,” he said, his voice low and dripping with mockery. “Our beef isn’t with you. It’s with that bitch right there.” He jerked his chin toward me, his eyes narrowing. “You’ve got a chance to walk away. Take it while you still can.”

My grip tightened around the borrowed sword, the weight of it suddenly feeling more familiar, more comforting. I glanced at Percy, waiting for him to do exactly what the Ares kid had suggested—to leave. After all, this wasn’t his fight. I’d been the one to challenge him, to push him into this mess. It was only fair that I face the consequences alone.

But Percy didn’t move. Instead, he crossed his arms, his expression hardening as he stared down the son of Ares. “No,” he said, his tone as calm and unwavering as it had been when he’d rejected my duel proposal earlier.

The Ares kid blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What?”

“I said no,” Percy repeated. “Where’s Clarisse? I can’t imagine her agreeing to this.”

The mention of this “Clarisse” seemed to strike a nerve. The son of Ares scowled, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “She doesn’t know, and why would she? She had the audacity to call us idiots for making a show at the pavilion.”

Percy raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “So, let me get this straight. You and your bullheaded lot are trying to ‘restore’ your honor by ambushing her one to fifteen? Real brave of you. You guys are pathetic.”

The insult hit its mark. The son of Ares bristled, his face flushing with anger. “Watch your mouth, Jackson,” he snarled, taking a step forward. “You’re not as untouchable as you think you are.”

Percy didn’t flinch. “And you’re not as scary as you think you are.”

The tension in the air was palpable, the kind that made your skin prickle and your instincts scream to either fight or flee. The other Ares kids shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between their leader and Percy, waiting for the signal to attack.

The son of Ares glared at Percy, his jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscles twitching. “Well, you made your choice, Jackson. You’ll die with this slut too.”

“Stop”

The command came out sharper than I’d intended, and to my surprise, everyone froze. Even the son of Ares hesitated, his sword hovering mid-air as he stared at me, confusion flickering across his face.

“If this is about honor,” I said, my voice cold and steady, “then let’s do it the right way. Leave him out of this. Your fight is with me.”

The Ares kid blinked, his smirk returning as he lowered his sword slightly. “Oh, so the bitch has a spine after all. Fine. We’ll deal with you first, and then we’ll take care of Jackson.”

Percy stepped forward, his expression darkening. “What are you—”

I raised my palm, cutting him off without looking away from the son of Ares. “You’re not dying before I get you to duel me. I do not need you to fight my battles hero.”

Percy stared at me, his sea-green eyes narrowing as if he were trying to figure me out. For a moment, I thought he might argue, but then he let out a frustrated sigh and took a step back, though he didn’t lower his sword. 

“But before we begin,” I said, my voice frigid, “allow me to prepare the battlefield.” I didn’t wait for a response, nor did I expect one. This wasn’t a negotiation—it was a statement. I crossed my index and middle fingers, holding them in front of me as I began to chant.

“Yami yori idete, yami yori kuroku, sono kegare o misogiharae.”

For a moment, nothing happened. The air seemed to hold its breath, the world pausing as if waiting for something to break. Then, slowly, the sky began to darken. It wasn’t the natural fading of daylight but something far more deliberate, as if the sun itself had been swallowed by an unseen force. A thick, inky substance began to drip from the sky, pooling and spreading until it formed a massive, half-sphere barrier around us. The darkness was almost liquid, shimmering faintly as it solidified into a wall that sealed us off from the outside world.

The brilliance of the sun was gone, replaced by an artificial night that felt heavy and oppressive. The only light came from the faint glow of the barrier itself, casting eerie shadows across the faces of the Ares kids.

“What the hell are you doing?” the son of Ares screamed, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger. His earlier bravado was gone, replaced by wide-eyed panic as he stared at the barrier.

I lowered my hand, my expression calm as I turned to face him. “From where I belong, we call this a Tobari—a curtain. It has multiple uses, most of which involve trapping whatever is inside until a predetermined condition is fulfilled. It also prevents external interference. No one can enter, and no one can leave unless I allow it.”

The Ares kids shifted uneasily, their weapons lowering slightly as they glanced at each other, uncertainty flickering in their eyes.

“Those who wish to leave should do so now,” I continued, my tone firm but not unkind. “This is your last chance. If you stay, you will fight me.”

A couple of the Ares kids exchanged nervous glances, their earlier confidence wavering. One of them, a younger boy with a spear, took a hesitant step back, his face pale. But the others, including the son of Ares, stood their ground, their pride clearly outweighing their fear.

I turned to Percy, my expression softening slightly. “You should go.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion. “Look, I dunno what kind of jojo-mojo you’ve got up those huge ass bell sleeves of yours, but my mama raised me better.”

I furrowed my brows, studying him for a moment. His stance was firm, his grip on Riptide steady, and his sea-green eyes were filled with a stubborn determination that I couldn’t quite understand. Why would he stay? Why would anyone choose to stand by someone they barely knew, especially when the odds were so clearly stacked against them?

People here are so odd, I thought to myself. Alice, who had accepted me so readily, and now Percy, who refused to leave despite the logical choice being to walk away. It was baffling, but also... strangely comforting.

I didn’t respond to Percy, my focus returning to the son of Ares and his group. They were circling me now, their weapons gleaming in the faint light of the barrier, their eyes filled with a mix of anger, fear, and anticipation. I adjusted my grip on the borrowed sword, feeling the weight of it in my hands. It wasn’t Kaizen, but it would do.

The son of Ares stepped forward, his sword raised, though his hand trembled slightly. “You think you can scare us with your little magic trick? We’re children of Ares. We don’t back down from a fight.”

I tilted my head, a small, dangerous smile playing on my lips. “Then let’s see if you can live up to that reputation.”

The fight began in earnest, the Ares kids charging at me with a ferocity that was almost admirable. Their movements were aggressive, their strikes heavy and wild, fueled by a mix of anger and fear. But they were predictable, their lack of strategy making them easy to read. I sidestepped the first swing of a sword, parried the thrust of a spear, and ducked under the arc of an axe. The borrowed sword in my hand felt strange, its weight and balance all wrong for my fighting style. After the first swing, I realized I wasn’t built for it—just as it wasn’t built for me.

So, without a second thought, I tossed the sword aside. It clattered to the ground, the sound sharp and final.

“Are you actually nuts?” Percy yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos as he struggled to fend off two Ares kids who had turned their attention to him. He deflected a blow with his sword, his movements fluid but strained under the pressure.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I reached into the sleeve and pulled out a talisman, holding it delicately between my middle and index fingers. Since I couldn’t use my Six Eyes to their full potential here, I’d been taught other methods to draw out and channel my cursed energy. Talismans were one of them—semi-grade two weapons consisting of runes written on parchment, designed to perform a wide array of functions. They could protect, heal, or harm, depending on the intent behind their creation. A certain amount of cursed energy was required to activate them, and they were often carried on one’s person for quick use. Some were even installed permanently in architecture, but these were portable, versatile, and perfect for situations like this.

“Tengen Talisman Arts,” I murmured, my voice low but carrying an edge of authority.

I tossed the talisman into the air, letting it hover for a moment in front of the charging Ares kids. The runes on the parchment began to glow, a faint, eerie light that pulsed like a heartbeat. The kids hesitated, their eyes widening as they realized something was about to happen—but it was too late.

The talisman exploded in a burst of light and energy, the shockwave knocking back the Ares kids. It wasn't too potent, but it did what it was designed to do. They hit the ground hard, their weapons clattering out of their hands as they groaned in pain. The air smelled faintly of ozone, and the ground where the talisman had detonated was scorched black.

“What the fuck?” Percy exclaimed, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. He’d managed to disarm the two kids he was fighting, but his attention was now fully on me. “Who the hell are you?”

I didn’t answer immediately, my focus still on the remaining Ares kids. They were regrouping, their earlier confidence shaken but not entirely broken. The son of Ares was back on his feet, his face twisted with rage as he barked orders at the others. They were hesitant now, their movements slower, more cautious, but they weren’t ready to give up just yet.

I reached into my sleeve again, pulling out another talisman. This one was different—larger, with intricate runes that glowed a soft, golden yellow. The light it emitted was warm, almost inviting, but there was a sharp edge to it, like the calm before a storm.

“You go low, I go high,” I said to Percy, my tone calm but firm.

He blinked, clearly confused. “What do you—”

Before he could finish, I tossed the talisman into the air. This time, it didn’t explode or release a shockwave. Instead, it hovered in place, suspended midair as if defying gravity. The runes pulsed with light, and a second talisman joined it, creating a small, glowing platform.

Percy stared at the talismans, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to process what he was seeing. “Okay, what the actual—”

But I didn't intend to wait for him to finish. Pushing off the ground with my feet, I sprinted toward the talismans, my movements quick and precise. The Ares kids hesitated, unsure of what I was doing, but the son of Ares recovered quickly, swinging his sword at me as I approached.

The blade came down in a wide arc, but I was faster. I leapt into the air, using the talismans as a foothold to propel myself higher. The runes flared as I landed on them, the surface firm and stable despite their ethereal appearance. From my elevated position, I had a clear view of the battlefield—and the Ares kids’ confusion was almost comical.

“What the—?!” one of them shouted, his voice cracking as he stared up at me.

It was clear they weren’t used to defending against attacks from above. Their training, their instincts, were all geared toward ground-level combat. I intended to use that to my advantage.

Percy, to his credit, didn’t waste any time. He darted forward, Riptide flashing as he engaged the Ares kids on the ground. His movements were fluid and precise, his sword a blur as he disarmed one attacker after another.

Meanwhile, I focused on the talismans, channeling a small amount of cursed energy to keep them active. With a flick of my wrist, I sent one of them flying toward a group of Ares kids who were trying to flank Percy. The talisman exploded in a burst of golden light, the force of the blast knocking them off their feet.

“Hey, watch it!” Percy called out. “I’m trying to fight down here, you know!”

“Then keep up,” I shot back, a small smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.

I leapt from one talisman to the next, using them as stepping stones to stay above the fray. The Ares kids were scrambling now, their earlier bravado completely shattered. They tried to swing their weapons at me, but their strikes were clumsy and poorly timed, their frustration only making them more predictable.

The son of Ares, however, wasn’t ready to give up. Even as his comrades lay scattered and defeated around him, his pride refused to let him back down. With a snarl of rage, he grabbed a spear from one of his fallen allies and hurled it with all his strength. But his target wasn’t me—it was Percy.

My eyes widened as I realized what was happening. There was no time to shout a warning, no time to think. Instinct took over. I redirected the talisman I’d been holding, activating it with a surge of cursed energy, and leapt onto it as it floated in the air. The talisman shot forward like a platform, carrying me toward Percy in the blink of an eye.

The second I was close enough, I grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him upward, lifting him into the air just as the spear whistled past, missing him by inches.

“And you can fly too?!” Percy exclaimed, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief as he stared at me with eyes as wide as saucers.

I glanced down and realized there was no visible platform beneath us—just the faint shimmer of cursed energy holding us aloft. “More like I can’t fall,” I muttered under my breath, focusing on maintaining my cursed energy as I slowly descended to the ground. Percy was still floating awkwardly, my hand gripping the back of his collar like a kitten being carried by its scruff.

By the time we landed, only six of the original fifteen Ares kids were still standing, their faces a mix of fear and determination. T

“Okay, Kanao,” I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath. “You’ve practiced this. You can do this.”

Both sides lunged at me at once, their weapons and fists aimed at my body. But the blows never landed. Their swords, spears, and punches stopped, frozen in mid-air exactly three centimeters from me.

“What is this?” the son of Ares demanded, his voice trembling with a mix of frustration and fear. He pressed harder against the invisible barrier, but it was no use.

“Infinity,” I said, a small, mocking smile playing on my lips as I lowered my glasses slightly to meet his gaze. “It’s like Achilles and the tortoise. No matter how close you think you are, you’ll never reach me.”

While they were still struggling against the barrier, I took the opportunity to strike. My movements were swift and precise, each punch landing with enough force to knock the wind out of my attackers. One by one, they crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.

Once they were down, I set Percy back on the ground with a soft thud, though I kept him floating just slightly above the surface since my hand was still gripping his collar. He stared at me in wonder, his expression a mix of awe and confusion.

“What… just happened?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Consequences of stepping out of line,” I extended my hand toward the center of the remaining Ares kids and curled my fingers into a fist. The air around them seemed to warp, an invisible force pulling them together like magnets. They struggled against it, but it was no use. With a loud crash, they collided with each other, collapsing into a heap on the ground.

I finally released Percy, letting him stand on his own two feet as the talismans behind me dissipated into nothingness. The son of Ares, however, wasn’t done. He staggered to his feet, his face twisted with rage, and charged at me with a roar, his sword raised high.

I didn’t flinch. Instead, I reached into my sleeve and pulled out one last talisman—this one smaller, with runes that glowed a deep, ominous red.

“You should’ve walked away when you had the chance,” I said, my voice cold and steady.

He hesitated, his eyes flicking to the talisman in my hand, but it was too late. I activated it, the runes flaring to life as a wave of energy erupted from the parchment. The force of the blast sent him flying backward, his sword slipping from his grasp as he hit the ground hard.

The battlefield fell silent, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. I turned to Percy, who was still staring at me with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

“Okay,” Percy said, his voice cutting through the heavy silence that had settled over the battlefield. He stepped closer, his sea-green eyes wide with a mix of awe and confusion. “You’ve got to explain this to me. What was that? And don’t say ‘a magic paper thingy,’ because one, I don’t know what they are, and two, I’m pretty sure that’s not a normal demigod thing.”

I glanced at him, my expression calm but guarded. “Later,” I said simply, not in the mood to dive into an explanation about talismans, cursed energy, or the intricacies of my abilities. There would be time for that—maybe. 

As the barrier began to dissipate, the artificial night around us gave way to the warm glow of sunlight. The inky darkness receded like a tide, revealing the world beyond. But as the barrier dropped completely, the surrounding area came into view, and my heart sank.

Everyone was there.

Alice stood at the front, her hands clenched into fists, her face pale with worry. Behind her was Chiron, his expression a mix of concern and stern disapproval. Alice's friend Julia, the blonde girl who had been with Percy earlier, was there too, her arms crossed, and her eyes narrowed. The dark-haired girl stood beside her, her gaze sharp and calculating. The rest of the campers from both the red and blue teams had gathered as well, their faces a mix of shock, curiosity, and fear. They had all been watching.

For a moment, I felt exposed, like a specimen under a microscope. My chest tightened, and I fought the urge to retreat, to disappear into the shadows where I wouldn’t have to face their stares. But before I could move, Alice broke away from the crowd and ran toward me.

“Thank the gods,” she said, her voice trembling as she threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “You’re okay.”

The hug felt strange, unfamiliar. I had been hugged before, but only by family—Nii-san, mostly, and even those were rare. Alice’s embrace was different, warmer and more earnest. I could feel her shaking, and when I pulled back slightly, I saw tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

Why did she care so much? We had only met a day ago. It didn’t make sense to me. People didn’t just care about others like that, not without reason.

“How did you find me?” I asked awkwardly, patting her back in what I hoped was a comforting gesture.

Alice sniffled, pulling away slightly but keeping her hands on my shoulders. “Kaizen,” she said, her voice still shaky. “You left him in the room. He came to me and basically dragged me here. When I saw you fighting with the Ares kids, I tried to help—” Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath before continuing. “I tried to, but there was this invisible wall that wouldn’t let me through. So I called Chiron.”

I glanced over her shoulder, where Chiron stood watching us, his expression unreadable. The rest of the campers were murmuring among themselves, their voices a low hum of curiosity and speculation.

“You shouldn’t have worried,” I said quietly, though the words felt hollow. “I had it under control.”

Alice gave me a look, her tear-streaked face a mix of relief and exasperation. “Under control? You were outnumbered, and they were out for blood! Of course I was worried!”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. Her concern was genuine, and it left me feeling off-balance, like I was standing on uneven ground.

Percy stepped forward, breaking the tension with his usual casual demeanor. “Yeah, about that ‘under control’ thing—what exactly was that barrier? And the exploding paper? And, you know, the matrix ass move?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It’s complicated.”

“We’ve got time,” The blonde-haired girl said, her tone sharp as she stepped forward. Her gray eyes were piercing, and I could tell she wasn’t going to let this go. “You just took on a group of Ares kids single-handedly and used abilities none of us have ever seen before. You don’t get to just say ‘it’s complicated’ and walk away.”

I met her gaze, my own expression hardening. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“Maybe not,” Chiron interjected, his voice calm but firm. “But you are a camper and your actions have consequences. What happened here today could have escalated into something far more dangerous.”

I clenched my jaw, the weight of their stares pressing down on me like a physical force. They wanted answers—demanded them, even—but I wasn’t ready to give them. Not yet. The words caught in my throat, tangled with the unease of being exposed, of having my secrets laid bare for everyone to see. Just as the tension threatened to suffocate me, a soft, radiant light enveloped Alice and me, spilling down from above.

I looked up, my breath catching in my chest. There, hovering in the air, was a shimmering pink dove, its wings glowing with an otherworldly brilliance. It was ethereal, beautiful, and unmistakably divine.

“Mother,” I murmured, a humorless laugh escaping my lips. “And here I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

I had always known who she was. Nii-san had begun to suspect when I was younger, and as I grew older, those suspicions had solidified into certainty. My skin began to glow with a soft pink aura, and a faint red haze swirled around my feet, rising like mist until it enveloped me completely. I could feel it working, a gentle but insistent force mending my wounds, soothing my aches, and even altering the way my hair was styled. My clothes felt heavier, richer, as if they had been transformed into something far grander than what I had been wearing moments before.

When the haze finally dissipated, I looked down at myself and froze. I was wearing a stunning white kimono, its fabric so delicate it seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. Embroidered across it were intricate blue and silver dragonflies, their wings so finely detailed they looked as though they might take flight at any moment. My hair, which had been loose and messy from the fight, was now elegantly pinned up, adorned with hairpins that sparkled like stars. I plucked one out to examine it more closely, my fingers trembling slightly. It was the most exquisite piece of jewelry I had ever seen, delicate yet bold, with tiny gemstones that caught the light in a way that made them seem alive.

This wasn’t random. Every detail, every stitch, every carefully placed hairpin spoke of thoughtfulness, of care. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment, preparing for it, knowing exactly what I would need to feel... seen.

“You’re a daughter of Aphrodite,” Percy breathed, his voice filled with awe and confusion. “But then how—”

He didn’t finish the sentence, his words trailing off as he struggled to reconcile what he had just witnessed with the image of the girl who had just taken on a group of Ares kids with talismans and what seemed like magic.

Alice, sensing the tension, stepped between me and the others. “Look, she just fought off a bunch of Ares kids. Can we at least give her a minute to breathe before we start interrogating her?”

Her words broke the spell that had fallen over the crowd. The campers began to murmur among themselves, their voices a mix of curiosity and disbelief. Chiron stepped forward, his expression thoughtful but still tinged with concern.

“Alice is right,” he said, his deep voice carrying across the clearing. “This is a moment of revelation, not interrogation. Let us give her the space she needs to process what has just happened. But this conversation isn’t over. Kanao report to the Big House this instant.”

As the crowd began to disperse, Alice turned to me, her eyes still filled with worry. “Are you really okay?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “I’m fine,” I said, though the words felt hollow even as they left my lips. Beneath the surface, a cold, creeping fear was beginning to take hold. I knew I didn’t have much time before I’d have to dismantle my technique, and I knew what would follow. I had pushed myself too far, overused my capabilities, and now the consequences were catching up to me.

An icy sensation coiled around my throat, its tendrils sinking deep into my chest, spreading a chill that made my breath hitch. The discomfort was dulled slightly by Aphrodite’s blessing—her divine energy still lingering in the air around me—but even her power couldn’t shield me from the full extent of what was coming.

“I should go,” I said, my voice strained and weaker than I had intended. It was a struggle to keep my tone steady, to mask the growing unease that was clawing its way up my spine.

Alice didn’t look convinced, her eyes narrowing as she studied me. But she didn’t push, perhaps sensing that I wasn’t in the mood—or the state—to argue. Instead, she looped her arm through mine, her grip firm but gentle, and began leading me away from the clearing. Percy followed close behind, his usual casual demeanor replaced by a quiet concern. Trailing after him were the dark-haired girl and the blonde girl, her sharp gray eyes watching me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Each step felt heavier than the last, my body growing weaker as we moved further from the battlefield. The journey to the Big House, which normally would have been a short walk, now felt like an endless trek. My legs trembled with every step, and my vision began to blur at the edges, the world around me tilting slightly as if I were standing on uneven ground.

By the time we reached the Big House, I was barely holding myself together. Chiron was waiting for us on the porch, his expression stern but calm. However, the moment his eyes landed on me, his demeanor shifted. His brow furrowed, and he stepped forward quickly, his hooves clicking against the wooden planks as he moved to steady me. 

“Sensei, please,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “I-I don’t want them to see.”

Chiron’s hands were firm but gentle as he took me from Alice, his gaze softening as he looked down at me. “You can trust them, Y/N,” he said, his tone almost apologetic. “I had intended to introduce you to them properly, but I did not get the chance.”

I wanted to respond, to tell him that it wasn’t about trust but about pride, about the years of conditioning that had taught me to never show weakness. But before I could form the words, the world around me began to spin. My breath caught in my throat, and my knees buckled, sending me crashing to the ground. I barely managed to catch myself on my hands, my body trembling as a fit of coughing wracked my chest.

Alice and Percy were at my side in an instant, crouching down next to me, their faces a mix of horror and worry. “Y/N!” Alice exclaimed, her voice trembling.

“Leave, please,” I rasped, my voice barely audible. I didn’t want them to see me like this—weak, vulnerable, a far cry from the girl who had just taken on a group of Ares kids with nothing but talismans and sheer willpower.

But Alice shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. “Kanao, look,” she said, her voice breaking as she pointed to my sleeve.

I followed her gaze, my stomach sinking as I saw the blood blossoming on the rich fabric of my kimono. The crimson stain spread quickly, stark against the pristine white, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.

Chiron’s eyes widened, his usual composure slipping for a moment as he realized the severity of my condition. “Annabeth, fetch ambrosia this instant!” he barked, his voice sharp with urgency.

I had been raised to never show weakness. The Gojo name was synonymous with strength, with power, with perfection. To reveal vulnerabilities like this was unthinkable—a death sentence in the jujutsu world. But as another wave of pain wracked my body, I knew I couldn’t maintain the facade any longer.

The world around me blurred, the voices of the others fading into a distant hum. I could feel myself slipping, the icy tendrils of my own cursed energy tightening their grip. This wasn’t just exhaustion—it was a reckoning, a consequence of pushing myself too far, too fast.

And I knew, deep down, that this was only the beginning. It would get worse from here.

The pain in my chest was unbearable now, a searing, relentless agony that made every breath feel like a battle. Each gasp for air was shallow and ragged, as if my lungs were filling with something thick and heavy. The metallic tang of blood coated my tongue, and I could feel it trickling from the corner of my mouth, warm and sticky against my skin. My vision swam, the world around me dissolving into a blur of colors and shapes, the edges darkening as if the shadows themselves were closing in. But the worst of it were my eyes, they hurt as if they had been stabbed with the same shards I seemed to have swallowed.

“Annabeth, hurry!” Percy’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and urgent. I could hear the sound of footsteps—quick, frantic—as Annabeth sprinted around the Big House.

Chiron knelt beside me, his hands moving to my wrist to check my pulse. His expression was grim, his usual calm demeanor replaced by something far more serious. “Her energy is unstable,” he murmured, more to himself than to the others. “She’s pushed herself beyond her limits.”

I wanted to tell him I was fine, that I could handle it, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, another fit of coughing seized me, violent and uncontrollable. This time, the blood wasn’t just on my sleeve. It spilled from my lips, staining the pristine fabric of my kimono and pooling on the ground beneath me. The sight of it sent a wave of nausea through me, but I was too weak to even turn away.

“Kanao!” Alice’s voice was frantic now, her hands trembling as she tried to wipe the blood from my face. “What’s happening to her?!”

“Her cursed energy is backfiring,” Chiron said, his tone heavy with concern. “She’s been using techniques far beyond her current capacity, and her body is paying the price.”

Percy crouched down beside me, his sea-green eyes wide with fear. He reached out, his hand hovering over mine as if unsure whether to touch me. “Is there anything we can do?”

“The ambrosia will help,” Chiron said, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. “But it may not be enough. Her condition is... complicated. Her energy is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s as much a part of her as it is a force working against her.”

“Stay with us, Y/N,” Percy said, his voice soft but urgent. “You’re stronger than this. You can fight it.”

I wanted to believe him, to cling to his words like a lifeline, but the pain was too much. It felt like my body was being torn apart from the inside, every nerve on fire, every muscle screaming in agony.

Annabeth returned moments later, a small square of ambrosia in her hand. She knelt beside me, her gray eyes filled with worry as she pressed the square to my lips. “Eat this,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. “It’ll help.”

I tried to obey, but my body refused to cooperate. My jaw clenched, my teeth grinding together as another wave of pain wracked my body. The ambrosia slipped from my lips, falling to the ground as I coughed again, more blood spilling from my mouth.

“She’s not strong enough to eat it,” Chiron said, his voice tight with frustration. He looked at me, his expression a mix of concern and helplessness. “We’ll have to find another way.”

“What about nectar?” Percy suggested, his voice rising with desperation. “Can we give her that instead?”

Chiron shook his head. “Nectar is too potent. In her current state, it could kill her. Her body is too fragile to handle it.”

The others fell silent, their fear and helplessness palpable. I could feel their eyes on me, their worry pressing down on me like a weight. But there was nothing they could do. This was my burden to bear, my consequence to face. I had pushed myself too far, and now I was paying the price.

Then it struck me—a flicker of clarity amidst the chaos. I couldn’t stop the pain, but maybe, just maybe, I could minimize the damage. My voice was weak, barely more than a rasp, but I managed to choke out the word: “P-paper.”

The dark-haired girl was the first to react. She scrambled to Chiron’s desk, her movements quick and precise, and returned moments later with a sheet of paper. She placed it in front of me, her gray eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and concern.

With trembling hands, I dipped my finger into the blood still dripping from my mouth and began to trace a rune onto the paper. My movements were shaky, the lines uneven, but I poured every ounce of focus I had left into it. When the rune was complete, I slammed my hand onto the paper, forcing my cursed energy to flow through it.

The rune glowed faintly, a pale imitation of the ones Shoko onee-san used to create for me with her technique. It wasn’t nearly as potent, but it was enough. A wave of relief washed over me, dulling the sharp edges of the pain and giving me a moment to breathe. I collapsed backward onto the floor, my chest heaving as I let out a shaky sigh.

For a moment, everything was quiet. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, gentle but firm. I turned my head slightly and saw the blonde girl—Annabeth—holding a small square of ambrosia. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—relief, maybe, i couldn't tell.

Once the blood stopped flowing, I reached for the ambrosia and popped it into my mouth. I had heard stories about what it tasted like—your happiest memory, they said. The texture was strange, almost like a mix of honey and bread, but the flavor... it was unmistakable.

It tasted like Nii-san’s Kikufuku mochi.

The memory hit me like a wave, vivid and warm. I could see him standing in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up as he kneaded the dough with that ridiculous grin on his face. He’d gotten the recipe after shamelessly flirting with the owner’s 70-year-old wife, and he’d been so proud of himself. “It’s all about charm, Y/N,” he’d said, winking at me as he handed me a piece.

I closed my eyes, a faint smile tugging at my lips as the memory washed over me. For a moment, the pain was gone, replaced by a warmth that spread through my chest.

When I opened my eyes again, I was met with a circle of worried faces looming over me. Chiron’s expression was grave, his eyes filled with the kind of sorrow that comes from seeing too much suffering. Alice’s eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears. Percy looked like he was on the verge of crying himself, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. And Annabeth—her face was a mask of concern, but there was something else there too, something I couldn’t quite place.

I sat up slowly, wiping the rest of the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. My body still ached, but the worst of the pain had subsided, thanks to the rune and the ambrosia. The room felt heavy with tension, the air thick with unspoken questions and lingering fear.

“When your uncle said you had stamina problems, I didn’t think it’d be like this,” a voice drawled from behind the group.

I looked up and saw Dionysus standing there, his usual bored expression slightly less bored than usual. Behind him was the dark-haired girl, panting slightly, as if she’d just run a marathon. Her sharp eyes were fixed on me, her expression unreadable but intense.

I smiled weakly, shrugging as I met Dionysus’s gaze. “That’s what you get for being a forbidden child,” I said, my voice still hoarse but laced with a hint of my usual dry humor.

“But Aphrodite isn’t a part of the pact. That’s just for the Big Three.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. All eyes turned to me, curiosity and confusion etched on their faces. I could feel the questions bubbling up, the unspoken demand for answers.

“Who ever said anything about the Greek side?”

╰ ┈➤ Masterlist

╰ ┈➤ Tags: @hana-no-seiiki @cxcilla @imsoslay2386 @meilvn @ilovebattinson @mymelody58 @joekitsu

© cheriecelestial - arabelle | 2025

[frickingnerd]

find me when it's all over

pairing: annabeth chase x gn!reader

summary: after a quest gone wrong, during which annabeth goes missing, you finally reunite with her a month later in camp halfblood

tags: angst to wholesome fluff, happy reunion, kissing, silly banter / teasing, annabeth calling reader 'idiot' (lovingly)

you had been waiting for weeks for annabeth to come to you. a simple quest, that should've only taken her a week, turned into something bigger. and before you knew it, a whole month had passed by, since you had heard anything from annabeth. and people started to speculate…

“i wouldn't be surprised if annabeth and her team didn't come back. even the simplest quest can lead to death for a halfblood…”

“maybe annabeth wasn't as strong as she thought she was and got herself killed by some monsters”

“i don't want to believe that she's dead… but it's been too long since we last heard from her…”

you've heard all sorts of thoughts and opinions on the matter. but no matter what anyone else said, you believed in annabeth. part of it was desperation, hoping that your girlfriend was still out there, alive and well. but you knew you weren't just telling yourself those things without anything to back it up. annabeth was a strong girl. the strongest you knew. if anyone could make it, it was her! she'd come back to you. you were sure of it!

and eventually, the day came. or rather, the night, in which you'd finally get to see annabeth again.

after two weeks of no contact with annabeth, you had begun to spend your nights away from your cabin. if annabeth were to return, you wanted to be the first to see her. and so, you waited near the barrier of camp halfblood, camping out there every night. and all that waiting paid off, when one night, you saw a group of people from the distance, that got suspiciously close to the barrier.

armed with a small weapon and a flashlight, you made your way towards the barrier. near a big tree, you waited for the group to get closer. until eventually you could hear voices. and a voice you'd recognize anywhere.

“chiron and mr. d are going to kill us for being gone for so long…”

“we shouldn't worry about them right now. more importantly, i think we all have someone at camp that we can't wait to see again. i know i have…”

that voice was annabeth's! there was no doubt about it. which meant that the person she couldn't wait to see again could only be…

“i hope you're talking about me!”

annabeth jumped as she heard your voice. she hadn't noticed you yet and only spotted you when you turned on your flashlight a couple seconds after speaking up. but when she found you, a smile spread on her lips as she ran up to you, leaving her companions a bit behind her.

“y-you're here–!”

you would've never believed you'd ever hear your girlfriend stutter. but annabeth simply couldn't believe her luck, as she wrapped her arms around you with such force that she almost knocked the two of you over, making you stumble back a few steps.

“of course i'm here! i've been here for a month, waiting for you to come home…”

your tone was playful, but you were just trying to hide how glad you were to see annabeth again. if you'd show how you truly felt about seeing her again, you'd likely cry until dawn.

“i'm so sorry i made you worry…”

“oh i wasn't that wo–”

before you could finish your sentence, annabeth gently smacked the back of your head and glared at you.

“don't act so nonchalant! i know you missed me, just like i missed you, idiot…”

you could swear you could see a faint blush on your girlfriend's cheeks. but in that darkness, it was hard to be sure. either way, you chuckled amused and leaned in, resting your forehead against annabeth's.

“i've missed you too, idiot~!” you whispered softly. “you can't even imagine how much…”

annabeth was just about to lean in for a kiss – one that was much needed, after being apart for so long – when her two companions finally caught up to her.

“annabeth–!”

they called out her name, making your girlfriend sigh quietly, as she pulled away from you.

“yes?”

“we want to speak to chiron as soon as we can! are you coming along?”

annabeth hesitated to reply, clearly wanting to stay with you for a bit longer, after being apart for so long. but you made the decision for her, gently kissing annabeth's forehead, before pulling away from her.

“go ahead, i can wait. i've gotten pretty good at waiting for you, you know~?”

annabeth rolled her eyes, as a small smile hushed over her lips. she pressed a quick kiss onto your lips, before jogging up to her companions, as she called out to you:

“i promise, i'll be back soon! you won't have to wait another month for me again~!”

[nyxdreamweaver]

Meeting the Cabin of Eternal Nap Time

Jason's POV

Word count: 4,906

Warning: Spoilers to TLH, grammar issues, the HOO canon has derailed and crashed into the Grand Canyon!!

Likes ❤️, reblogs 🔁 and comments 💬 are much appreciated :3 Lmk if you want to be tagged for the next updates

Ao3 link

<<Previous Coming Soon>>

───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────

Jason and the redhead, who introduced herself as Rachel, and Annabeth put Piper on the couch while Silena rushed down the hall to get a med kit. Piper was still breathing, but she wouldn’t wake up. She seemed to be stuck in some kind of coma.

“We’ve got to heal her,” Jason insisted. “There’s a way, right?” Seeing her so pale, barely breathing, Jason felt a surge of protectiveness. Maybe he didn’t really know her. Maybe she wasn’t his girlfriend. But she tried to help him even when he thought she was a stranger and they’d survived the Grand Canyon together. They’d come all this way. He’d left her side for a little while, and this had happened.

Mara put their hand on Piper’s forehead and grimaced. “Her mind is in a fragile state. Rachel, what happened?”

“I wish I knew,” she said. “As soon as I got to camp, I had a premonition about Hera’s cabin. I went inside. Annabeth and Piper came in while I was there. We talked, and then—I just blanked out. Annabeth said I spoke in a different voice.”

“Was it a prophecy?” Chiron asked, walking closer.

“No. The spirit of Delphi comes from within. I know how that feels. This was like a long distance, a power trying to speak through me.”

Silena ran in with a leather pouch and she knelt next to Chiron, who was checking on Piper.

Annabeth continued for Rachel. “Chiron, what happened back there—I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve heard it in Rachel’s prophecy voice. But this was different. She sounded like an older woman. She grabbed Piper’s shoulders and told her—”

“To free her from a prison?” Jason guessed. Annabeth stared at him. “How did you know that?” Chiron made a three-fingered gesture over his heart, like a ward against evil.

“Jason, tell them. Silena, the yellow vial, please.” Chiron trickled drops from a medicine vial into Piper’s mouth while Jason explained what had happened when the room froze—the dark misty woman who had claimed to be Jason’s patron.

When he was done, no one spoke, which made him more anxious.

“So does this happen often?” he asked. “Supernatural phone calls from convicts demanding you bust them out of jail?”

“Your patron,” Annabeth said. “Not your godly parent?”

“No, she said patron. She also said my dad had given her my life.”

Mara frowned. “I’ve never heard anything like that before. You said the storm spirit on the skywalk—he claimed to be working for some mistress who was giving him orders, right? Could it be this woman you saw, messing with your mind?”

“I don’t think so,” Jason said. “If she were my enemy, why would she be asking for my help? She’s imprisoned. She’s worried about some enemy getting more powerful. Something about someone dangerous rising from the earth on the solstice—”

Annabeth turned to Chiron, panicked. “Not Kronos. Please tell me it’s not that.”

The centaur looked miserable. He held Piper’s wrist, checking her pulse. At last he said, “It is not Kronos. That threat ended long ago. But …”

“But what?” Silena asked.

Chiron closed the medicine bag. “Piper needs some rest. We should discuss this later.”

“Or right now,” Jason said. “Sir, Mr. Chiron, you told me the greatest threat was coming. The last chapter. You can’t possibly mean something worse than an army of Titans, right?”

“Oh,” Rachel said in a small voice. “Oh, dear. The woman was probably Hera. Of course. Her cabin, her voice. She must have shown herself to Jason at the same moment.”

“Hera?” Annabeth’s snarl was even fiercer than Seymour’s. “She possessed you? She did this to Piper?”

“Rachel’s sorta right,” Jason said. “The woman did seem like a goddess. But she wore this—this goatskin cloak. It's the symbol of Juno, isn’t it?”

“It is?” Annabeth scowled. “I’ve never heard that.”

“Me either,” Mara said, speaking up. “We usually don't have Roman goddesss hijacking our oracles or coming out of magic stuffed leopard heads.”

Chiron nodded reluctantly. “Of course. Juno, Hera’s Roman parallel, in her most warlike state. The goatskin cloak was a symbol of the Roman soldier.”

“There’s something else I haven’t told anyone yet.” Jason said, everyone in the room was quiet. “Before I woke up on the bus, I had this dream and someone spoke to me. There was this giant goddess with a lotus crown asking me to free her as well, that must be Hera. Maybe it’s all connected.”

Silena’s face looked a bit surprised as she connected the dots. “That must be the reason why Olympus has shut down, and why Mr. D and Miss Hestia left: Hera went missing and got captured by someone so they recalled all gods to protect themselves.”

“So Hera has been imprisoned?” Rachel asked. “Who could do that to the queen of the gods?”

Annabeth crossed her arms. “Well, whoever they are, maybe we should thank them. If they can shut up Hera—”

“Annabeth,” Chiron warned, “she is still one of the Olympians. In many ways, she is the glue that holds the gods’ family together. If she truly has been imprisoned and is in danger of destruction, this could shake the foundations of the world. It could unravel the stability of Olympus, which is never great even in the best of times. And if both Juno and Hera has asked Jason for help—”

“Fine,” Annabeth grumbled. “Well, we know the Titans can capture a god, right? Atlas captured Artemis a few years ago. And in the old stories, the gods captured each other in traps all the time. But something worse than a Titan … ?”

Jason looked at the leopard’s head. Seymour was smacking his lips like the goddess had tasted much better than a Snausage. “Juno said she’d been trying to break through Hera’s prison bonds for a month but she couldn’t do it.”

“Which is how long Olympus has been closed,” Mara said. “So both Greek and Roman gods must know something bad is going on.”

“But why use her energy to send me here?” Jason asked. “She wiped my memory, plopped me into the Wilderness School where Leo and Piper are, and sent you a dream vision to come pick me up. Why am I so important? Why not just send up an emergency flare to the other Greek gods—let them know where Hera is so they bust her out? Why is even Juno involved in the first place if she’s a Roman goddess?”

“The gods need heroes to do their will down here on earth,” Silena said. “That’s always been that way. Their fates are always intertwined with us demigods.”

“That’s true,” Mara said, “but Jason’s got a point. Why him? Why take his memory? And why would Juno try to help Hera?”

“And Piper’s also involved somehow,” Rachel said. “Juno sent her the same message—Free me. And, Annabeth, this must have something to do with Percy and Emir disappearing.”

Annabeth fixed her eyes on Chiron. “Why are you so quiet, Chiron? What is it we’re facing?”

The old centaur’s face looked like it had aged ten years in a matter of minutes. The lines around his eyes were deeply etched. “My dear, in this, I cannot help you. I am so sorry.”

Annabeth blinked. “You’ve never … you’ve never kept information from me. Even the last great prophecy—”

“I will be in my office.” His voice was heavy. “I need some time to think before dinner. Rachel and Silena, will you watch the girl? Call Argus to bring her to the infirmary, if you’d like. And Annabeth and Mara, you should speak with Jason. Tell him about—about the Greek and Roman gods.”

“But…”

The centaur turned his wheelchair and rolled off down the hallway. Annabeth’s eyes turned stormy. She muttered something in Greek, and Jason got the feeling it wasn’t complimentary toward centaurs.

“I’m sorry,” Jason said. “I think of myself being here—I don’t know. I’ve messed things up coming to the camp, somehow. Chiron said he’d sworn an oath and couldn’t talk about it.”

“What oath?” Annabeth demanded. “I’ve never seen him act this way. And why would he tell me to talk to you about the gods...” Her voice trailed off.

Apparently she’d just noticed Jason’s sword sitting on the coffee table. She touched the blade gingerly, like it might be hot enough to burn her skin.

“What is it?” Mara asked, glancing at the gold sword as well. “Oh! This is the sword you were talking about earlier.” Jason nodded, watching the two inspect it.

“Is this gold?” Annabeth said. “Do you remember where you got it?”

“No,” Jason said. “Like I said, I don’t remember anything.”

Annabeth nodded like she’d just come up with a rather desperate plan. “If Chiron won’t help, we’ll need to figure things out ourselves. Which means… Cabin Fifteen. Rachel and Silena, you’ll keep an eye on Piper?”

“Sure,” Rachel promised. “Good luck, you three.”

Silena and Rachel waved goodbye to the three demigods as they exited the Big House.

“Hold on,” Jason said. “What’s in Cabin Fifteen?”

Annabeth walked into a different direction than Jason and Mara came from. “Maybe a way to get your memory back.”

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

They headed toward a newer wing of cabins in the southwest corner of the green. Some of them were fancy, with glowing walls or blazing torches, but Cabin Fifteen was very different.

It looked like an old-fashioned prairie style house with light blue walls that match the blue window shutters and a cream white thatched roof. It may not be fancy or cool looking like the others but Jason thought it was pretty homey. On the blue door hung a wreath of crimson flowers—red poppies, Jason thought, though he wasn’t sure how he knew. Nor does he know why he knew six different ways he could eat the poppies if found stuck in the woods. One part of him wanted to question his strangle knowledge but deep down Jason knew he wouldn’t get any answers.

“You think this is my parent’s cabin?” he asked.

“No,” Annabeth said. “This is the cabin for Hypnos, the god of sleep.”

“He’s also the twin of Thanatos, the god of Death and the cabin of my half brother.” Mara mentioned casually, making Jason confused. Both on what Mara just said and why they’re here.

“Then why—”

“You said you forgot everything when you woke up,” she said. “If there’s any god who can help us figure out memory loss, it’s Hypnos.”

Inside, even though it was almost dinnertime, there were many kids who were sound asleep under piles of covers. Soft violin music played from somewhere. A warm fire crackled in the hearth. Above the mantel hung a tree branch, each twig dripping a white liquid into a collection of tin bowls. Jason was tempted to catch a drop on his finger just to see what it was, but Mara held his hand back.

“Don’t touch the branches,” She warned. “Those are leaves that produce a special liquid just like the Lethe river. You could have your memory fully wiped clean if you drank it, only children of the Underworld could drink without any consequences.”

Jason nodded, really glad that he didn't touch the hanging plant.

The air smelled like fresh laundry. The cabin was so cozy and peaceful that Jason’s eyelids started to feel heavy. A nap sounded like a great idea. He was exhausted. There were plenty of empty beds, all with feather pillows and fresh sheets and fluffy quilts and maybe he could take a quick—Mara nudged him in the arm. “Wake up.”

Jason blinked. He realized his knees had been starting to buckle.

“Cabin Fifteen does that to everyone,” Annabeth told him. “If you ask me, this place is even more dangerous than the Ares cabin. At least with the Ares kids, you can learn where the active landmines are and if you get hurt, you could go to the infirmary and get patched up but if you end up falling asleep here, you’re stuck until someone comes to rescue you.”

Jason’s spine shuddered at the very idea of being trapped in a magic nap haven, he pinched his arm to keep him awake. “Got it, stay awake.”

Both Mara and Annabeth glanced around the beds– which was everywhere. There were hammocks hung up, sleeping bags covering the ground, and many mattresses of different sizes littered through the comfy cabin. Jason was careful not to step on the blankets, scared that he might hurt a sleepy and defenseless demigod.

“So who are we looking for?” Jason asked, muffling a yawn.

“We are looking for our friend, Clovis.” Mara answered. ”He’s not the Head Counselor of the cabin, but he is an expert with dreams and memories. If anyone here that can look through your mind and bring back your memories, it’s gotta be him.”

Jason wasn’t sure he wanted someone to look through his head, let alone someone that Annabeth labelled more dangerous than the entire Ares cabin, but he had no choice. Unless Juno decided to give his memories back early, this kid is his only hope. The two dark-haired girls found Clovis pretty easy: he was, of course, passed out on a dark blue bed. He was covered in a giant blanket with a black cat stuffy lying on top of him. The kid looked like a baby cow. He had an ivory tuft of hair on a wedge shaped head, with thick features and a thick neck. His body was stocky with pale white skin similar to Jason’s, but he had spindly chubby arms like he’d never lifted anything heavier than a pillow. Jason wanted to coo at the sight but Mara beat him to it.

“Aww.. I feel bad now. He’s so sleepy looking.” She murmured. Clovis shifted around in his sleep, subconsciously grabbed his cat plush, cuddling with it, making Mara and Jason go ‘Aww..’ again.

But that didn’t stop Annabeth.

“Clovis! Wake up.” She said, waiting for the stout boy to get up and help. When he didn’t get up, Annabeth was about to try again but Mara stopped her.

“Don’t worry, I got this.” Mara said. She knelt down to the boy before grabbing his shoulders and shaking him awake. “Clovis! The Hermes cabin messed with your cabin’s homemade candles and now it smells like seaweed and fish sticks!!” they shouted, making the boy wide awake.

“What!? How dare they!” Clovis gasped, sitting up and squinting. His eyes were filled with malice and plans of revenge. “The violet and honey scented candle sticks we made were perfect for comfort and sleeping and they just go fuck it all up! I’ll cursed them all with three weeks of horrible nightmares–”

“Actually, I lied, we just needed to wake you up.” Mara interrupted, ruffling with his hair. “Sorry Clover.”

Clovis scowled at her and pushed away her hand. He then crossed his arms, which reminded Jason of a giant, cranky teddy bear. “How dare you? You’ve betrayed my trust by lying about our special candles, leave now traitor. I’m going back to sleep. Good night.” Before he could pass out, Mara yanked his pillow off the bed, holding it hostage.

“That’s not fair,” Clovis complained. “Give it back.”

“Then stop napping for a minute.” Mara said. “We need your help.”

“Well you need a nap, you’re being very rude.”

“No– I mean yes, but not right now.” they sputtered. “What I need is your help.”

Clovis yawned loudly, making everyone else yawn as well. “After that, I can go to sleep?”

“First, you help,” Annabeth interrupted. “Then you can go to sleep. I promise”

Clovis sighed. His breath smelled like warm milk. “Fine. What’s your problem?”

“Actually, Jason here needs help.” Mara explained. “He’s a new camper here. Right now, he’s unclaimed but he has a weird gold sword and memorizes the Roman gods and monsters names instead of the Greek ones.”

Clovis hummed in reply. He kept humming and humming until he managed to hum himself back to sleep. Mara smacked her forehead while Annabeth huffed in annoyance. Annabeth thumped him into between the eyes, and Clovis sat up straight again. “I’m awake, mom!”

‘This must happen a lot.’ Jason thought.

Clovis shook his head around and squinted at the group. “Okay, new camper with a cool, gold sword and weird knowledge. What does that have to do with me?”

“Well if this helps, I also don't have a single memory of my life since this morning.” Jason imputed helpfully.

That must have been what Clovis wanted to hear because he didn’t pass out. He actually stood up and stretched, staring wide-eyed at Jason. For the first time today, his eyes were full of light and really wide open.

“So you’re dealing with memory problems? Why didn’t you start with that!?”

Jason was about to say ‘Well, we were getting to that part.’ But Clovis already moved on, walking over to a corner with a velvet blue couch covered in fluffy pillows and a large, soft armchair. The Hypnos’ kid sat down in the armchair and waved Jason over.

“Come! Sit, sit.” He said, patting the couch.

Jason went over and sat on the pillow-covered couch but he hesitantly looked at Clovis, whose smile was a combination of a sneaky cat and a mad scientist. “What.. are you going to do?”

“I’m going to place a trance on you, and while you’re in a trance I’ll try to find where your memories are locked up.”

Jason was having second thoughts about this now, but this was the only way so he took a deep breath and asked, “What do I need to do?”

“You just need to follow the sound of my voice and hold this candlestick.” Clovis grabbed one of the candles sitting on the windowsill and handed it to Jason. The tiny blue flame danced around with the gentle breeze, emitting a sweet mix of cinnamon and ginger.

“But please cover your mouth if your nose feels itchy. Last time this happened, someone,” Clovis glanced at the girls, Annabeth quickly looked away in embarrassment while Mara muffled a grin. “sneezed in my face during the process.”

Clovis laughed at the memory. His laughter sounded sweet and comforting, like a weighted blanket sitting on Jason’s shoulders. The faint smell of cinnamon and red poppies seeped into his nose as Clovis continued to talk with him.

“So tell me, what was the first thing you saw when you woke up?” Clovis asked.

“Well, when I woke up on the Wilderness bus, Piper was sitting next to me, holding my hand.”

Clovis hummed in reply. “What else happened?” He moved his hands and held Jason’s face, cupping it delicately. Clovis’ warm hands touching Jason’s cold skin, sent a chill down his spine.

“Then she calls me.. her boyfriend, which was really shocking because I never thought I could date someone so pretty like Piper. And… Leo also appeared, saying that.. we’re friends.”

“Okay, what happened after?”

Jason was about to say some more but he had slowly forgotten what was about to say next. Something about…Leon.or maybe.. Penny.? The whole room was silent, except the sound of Clovis’ calming voice quietly speaking to him, telling him to stay focused on him. Jason was ready to answer another one of Clovis’s questions, all fine and dandy.

And soon, Jason was no longer in Cabin Fifteen.

He found himself stuck in the woods again. Unlike the first dream he had earlier, the trees stretched high up to the sky, covering it with its leaves. The faint scent of Arroyo lupine filled Jason’s nose as he attempted to walk through the dense woods.

Redwood Parks. The name echoes through his mind as the bushes rustle behind him. Gray wolves from different directions start coming out of the bushes, surrounding him like a piece of prey. The wolves led him to the remains of an old house. During this, Jason showed no sign of fear towards them. Deep inside, he knew they wouldn’t harm him. But was it out of care or because of an order, Jason wasn’t so sure, but he knew Jason couldn’t show any weakness to them. Weakness was a plague that’ll get him killed here and now.

One of the wolves that were walking beside him bared its teeth at Jason before snapping at his heel: both a playful gesture and a threat. Jason snapped his teeth back at the wolf. Always fight back.

Soon, the strange pack of wolves walked Jason inside the ancient house where a pool of water stared back at him. It seems bottomless with a blue mist surrounding the whole thing. Wanting to investigate the area, Jason tried to step forward but the wolves began growling at his defiance. Soon, a female wolf appeared from the shadows, towering over him glaring at Jason with calculated stormy blue eyes. She wore a grin that is a mixture of a smile and a snarl, both dangerous if Jason doesn't play his cards right.

‘You of all demigods would know better than to step forward without an order’ The She-Wolf spoke with hostility.

Jason looked up to the wolf. “I think.. I know you.”

Her ears flicked around and her eyes flashed, but Jason understood it- she wasn’t a human but a wolf. They don’t use words but their body to speak, and what she said was. ‘That you do, but in order to complete her mission, your mind has been wiped clean and you were placed there to meet them.’

“Her mission..?” Jason said, trailing off. “You’re talking about Juno- I mean Hera, right?”

Just then, the other wolves growled in unison and the ruins’ mist began to clear away. The imagery that he saw almost made Jason want to gag, even if he didn’t understand what it was. Two glowing orbs stood in front of him, sharing two different scenes. The first orb revealed an image of a familiar vine dirt cage, woven like a ball of twine. Sitting inside was a woman dressed in black robes, looking more exhausted every minute but he could feel the remaining power she had left radiating from the cage. The second cage meanwhile, looked more inky and corrupt, it radiated a more malevolent energy that even the giant she-wolf shuddered from it. Before he could ask, the mysterious cage shook and slowly rose upwards from the ground. Jason looked back at the wolf, puzzled about what this meant. “What is this? Who’s inside the other cage?”

‘That is the enemy of the sky.’ The wolf growled, her eyes glared with malice. ‘The ground wishes for the crown to rise again by misusing our sacred land.’

“Well where is this place, then? I can come over there and help you, just tell me where it is.”

She huffed. ‘You wouldn’t become half of the soldier you are if we made it too easy for you. Besides, you’ve made the journey before. After all, it was the place where it all began for you.'

“But how?” Jason pleaded. “I don’t even know who I am, let alone where I’m supposed to go.”

‘Nil sine labore: nothing without effort. You have conquered the impossible and you will do it again. Now our time to talk has come to an end. Now, arise. Son of-’

Everything happened in a flash. Jason sat up, gasping for air and jerked his head around. Annabeth, Mara and Clovis all stood by him, sharing a look of anxiety and worry, though Clovis looked more intrigued than beforehand. Jason rubbed his eyes. “What happe-”

“You were about to fade away.” Annabeth said abruptly. The look in her eyes made JAson believe that Annabeth- much like the she-wolf from his dreamscape, likes to get straight to the point. “We had to wake you up from the trance. You were asleep for less than five minutes.”

Jason’s shoulders sagged after hearing that. “I’m assuming that you couldn’t find anything?”

“If by anything you mean your memories or any answers to your predicament, then you’re right but also wrong.” Clovis said a bit too cheery. “While I couldn't find out your parentenge or why you memorized all of Roman mythology, I did find something interesting. See, your memories are ‘gone’ but not erased, they’re just blocked out by magic. Usually, I could bring them back after one dream session but in your case, it’s a special one. There are only two ways to bring them back.”

“Which are?” Mara said, trailing off.

“One, you would have to find the one responsible for this and make them reverse the magic on you. That might be difficult depending on which god casted the spell since the gods can be fickle and can change their minds quickly on a whim but it can be accomplished.”

“What about the second option?” Jason asked.

“The second one involves more on Jason’s ability rather than the god’s ability. When I went inside Jason’s mind to have a look, there’s a giant wall built around the suppressed memories, making your mind wiped clean. There are some bits of memories that weren’t locked away, hence why you can remember the Roman god names and your name. Another thing I noticed was the tiny cracks forming in the wall. Whoever did this, the magic they casted is fragile, like they did this during a weakened state out of desperation.”

“If you want to get them back, you must find a connection to your old life- a key and open the lock on your own at the right time. This is also pretty difficult and very vague but it can also be accomplished as well.”

But Jason didn’t understand. How in Tartarus was he supposed to find something that’s connected to his old life? Maybe his sword was a clue? It did give him a glimpse of someone he knows.

Annabeth frowned. “Well, what does that mean?” she asked, sharing Jason’s thoughts out loud. “When is the right time? And how are we supposed to know what this ‘key’ is?”

Clovis yawned, once again making everyone yawn in unison. “I don’t know, only the Fates and the Author truly knows the full picture.”

Ignoring that cryptid and odd reply, Jason made sure not to show his disappointment on his face. He patted Clovis’s shoulder and smiled. “Well, thank you for trying to help. It’s better than nothing. I’ll see you around.”

“No problem.” Clovis murmured, flopping back into the comfy armchair and already halfway asleep. But Clovis looked back at Jason and winked at him. “If you ever want to take a nap with us– come by some time.”

Jason felt his face warming, but before he could answer, Clovis fell asleep.

A distant conch shell horn echoed in the background, and Annabeth sighed. “Alright, it’s dinnertime now.” Jason and Mara both gave her a look, but before either of them could protest Annabeth said, “Look, it’s not like I’m giving up helping you with your problem. But what I am saying is that you won’t find a solution here. You’ve been given a quest by both Juno and Hera, so we’re going to need to discuss that during the campfire with Chiron and everyone else, and you’ll be off in the morning. Besides, I got a feeling you’re feeling hungry.”

With precise timing, Jason’s stomach growled making the trio laugh before getting shushed by one of the dazed Hypnos’ kids. The three demigods started exiting out of the cabin, tiptoeing carefully around the sleepy bodies of the hypnos kids.

“Bye Clover!! Sorry for lying to you!! I’ll bring you a gift to apologize soon.” Mara loudly whispered, closing the cabin door behind them.

Jason sighed, finally free from the powerful magic from the cozy nap cabin. The day was almost over by the time they left and while they didn’t find out about his past, at least there was another way to get back his memories. Looking up, the once cerulean skies were now a fiery orange fading from the west. Many campers were leaving their cabins and started walking to the east, chatting with friends about the day’s events.

“We should head to the pavilion now.” Annabeth said, breaking the silence. “We don’t want to be late and miss dinner.”

Mara’s ears perked up at the word, ‘dinner’. “Oh yeah! Dinnertime! Perfect timing ‘cause I’m craving a cheeseburger and some french fries.”

Just then, a noisy owl swooped down towards the trio and landed next to Marar. It’s feathers were a shade of mahogany, the frantic bird’s coat was messy and dirty and it only had one long feather sitting on top of it’s head. The owl was shrieking and hopping around in a panicked manner, like it’s trying to tell them something. To Jason’s surprise, both Mara and Annabeth understood what it was saying.

The owl was flapping it’s wings and pointed in a different direction. During this, Annabeth’s eyes widened while Mara shouted aloud, “They’re doing what?..With what!?! Ok, Annie, go take Jason to the pavilion. I’ll take care of the problem.” The goth girl dashed after the owl leaving the two behind.

Jason glanced down at Annabeth. “Will she be fine?”

She hummed. “Yeah, I’m sure. Come on, the pavilion is this way.”

───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────

A/N: Finally done with this chapter. Made the Clovis and Jason scene pretty gay, I swear someone possessed me.

Next chapter will finally star Mara's POV and the story will follow this POV order for now on

Jason, Mara, Piper, and Leo

───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────

Taglist: @punkeropercyjackson @dontspillthefrijoles43 @puriteenism @aurantiumred @yawnwhatyadoing @emmidemi @justhereforthememesnangst @padfoot-sirius-black @darwizzylover @sarcasticallyperfectperson @its-teeem @novaclips3 @an-asexual-crow

[pjohoo-reclists]

"Poison Bending is Okay." Percy Jackson Rec List

Is anyone else upset that Annabeth told Percy that "some things aren't meant to be controlled," in HoH? Here's a list of fics where people in Percy's life comfort and tell him that it's okay for him to have and use his power over poison. Enjoy!

Also check out Percy in Tartarus, Powerful Percy Jackson and Dark Percy Jackson rec lists for more fics where Percy uses his blood and poison bending powers.

there is no antidote by maverickk

T | 800 words | Complete

Percy Jackson, Will Solace, Nico di Angelo

Scary Percy Jackson, Camp Medic Will Solace, Poison Control

Someone gets hurt, and Will drags Percy to the infirmary.

"I was monstrous." by DancingInTheSliverGlow

T | 1.9k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon

Percy Jackson Needs Therapy, Protective Poseidon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Aka. Fresh out of Tartarus, Percy reflects on his actions. Poseidon offers a wise perspective.

The Serenity of Acceptance by dcninja

Not Rated | 2.0k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon

Self-Acceptance, Good Parent Poseidon, Poison Control

No one ever tells you that the worst part of war is learning to live with it after. As Percy struggles to accept events in Tartarus and his growing powers, at least he has his divine family to help.

we'll brave this storm by maverickk

T | 2.3k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon

Deity Percy Jackson, Poseidon is a Good Dad, Percy Jackson Needs Therapy

Poseidon won't pretend to understand what his youngest son is going through. But that doesn't mean that Percy will be going through it alone.

To be Known and Accepted by DancingInTheSliverGlow

T | 3.8k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Hermes, Percy Jackson & Blackjack, background Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase

Good Friend Hermes, Percy Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Percy senses the blood before he sees it, the way he can sense water, seas and oceans. It's only a matter of time before his powers leak out, and hurts someone. Chiron talks to him, but it doesn't help. Chiron doesn't know what happened; apparently Annabeth isn't speaking to him, and Percy sure as hell isn't about to spread the fact that he has power over poison, blood and ichor around. He even gets on Mr. D's nerves. The alcoholic god glares at him and says: "I could smite you. Turn your blood against you, your molecules to dust." All Percy can think is, yeah, so can I.

I am not what I expected (The poison just didn't take) by dcninja

M | 30k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Hermes, Percy Jackson & Hades, Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Kymopoleia

Powerful Percy Jackson, PTSD, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug

After the War against Gaea, Percy finds himself struggling in the life he worked so hard to get back to. The more he tries to fit back in, pushing down his powers and emotions after the war, the more things seem to fall apart. As Olympus prepares to officially reopen at the Winter Solstice, Hermes takes notice that something is off with the Savior of Olympus. But when he asked for help from Hades, none of them could imagine what Percy’s trip to the Pit led to and what it will mean for the hero. Or Percy finally reckons with the consequences of challenging Akhlys with a little help from his immortal family, who he might be around for a lot longer than he thought.

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Seungcheol (S.Coups) Perspective Reading

So, I have done a reading on a member from my favorite groups, except Seventeen, so thought I start working on them and there are 13 of them, so it is time to get started. I was stuck between him or my bias Woozi, but he pulled me in more, so will start with him. I am actually not that familiar with them to deeply as my other favorites, so it will be nice to look into these members. The song that popped up for him was Cheers by Rihanna and my thought was why!? Anyway, I can interpret that as he likes to have a good time, or he likes to cap off a hard workday or week with some drinks and a good time. I will now get into the cards with him.

So, he pulled me towards the Astrology deck first. The House 11 card came out reversed. I don't read these cards in reversed, but I felt there is a reason this was put that way. House 11 is about friendships, networks and likeminded people. With this being reversed, it is like he may not feel like he belongs or fits into a certain group. He may feel like an outsider. Now he gave me the Gemini and Aquarius card, which are all about networking, communicating, friendships, kin ship I am getting. He may feel out of place. I wonder if this has to do with him not being able to go to the Military with his brothers, like he feels like an outsider in that sense. The cards also talk about humanitarian and philanthropy in it, doing something that brings great benefit to others, his duty. It is like a sense of failure there. I am getting the wounded healer from the Chiron card I got. He might express his hurt through writing or communicating to others. He wants to do things for the greater cause. He is using the power of thought, logic, ideas and his mind to work through his hurt. He may have been destined to have this set back to spread awareness of something somehow. What that is I don't know, but there is something he should communicate to the collective that can change the perception of the collective or Korean society, since he is Korean.

So, on to the Dark Mirror deck I have. The Masquerade card came out in reversed, and once again that seems significant to me. It is like he wasn't able to put on a show. His true colors were revealed. Maybe he shown some vulnerability he did not like to show. There is kind of a blocked transition here. I see the number on the card, which adds up to 6, which makes me think of the 6 of wands and swords, which is about success and transition, it is like he was blocked from that. The cards kind of fell for him. There is a sense of regret he feels with this Gilded Regret card here. The number 5 is on this card, which is difficulty and challenges. He may have not been able to rise up to that. It is like parts of him that he may have not wanted to be shown were, something about him being revealed that he did not want. He may be pissed off at the world. He may feel things are a bit unfair. He may be seeing things from a negative perspective at the moment.

Now with the fated to suffer card, it is like he feels that could be his destiny. He may be tempted to do things that may put him on the wrong path. And may fall prey to addictive tendencies. He should be careful not to get tempted into doing things he may regret being in the headspace he may be in. I get the message the house of cards is falling from the Masquerade card in reversed. Now that is a system that is failing, or does that mean himself? Something is crumbling, maybe his mindset on how the system works. It is like he may see it as unjust and fu**ed up I am getting. Focusing in on the numbers on the card, so you got 5, which is disorganization, competition, fighting, conflict and 2 cards that equal to 7, manipulation, hiding, lies etc,. The one card that is 6 is reversed, which means blocked from transitioning, or moving ahead. This is weird and wild, don't have the full picture of what that means. He needs to be careful not to be tempted by something that may lead him down a path he does not want to go to. I am going to move on, because this is a bit confusing.

These cards are giving me whatever thoughts he has or beliefs he may have of this world and himself can be brought into reality. The power of his words. As people say words are spells. He should recognize if he says things about the world and about himself it will reflect back on to his reality. He has the power to make his world more positive or more negative by the magic of his words. Spirit wants to remind him that he is not alone, and that there are people who suffer the same consequences as him. But also, he has the power to comfort others. I am also getting bring awareness. He should also lean on his loved ones, be it family and members. He may feel alone, but that is just his perception, not the reality.

He should connect with himself from a place of love and self-acceptance. I feel he may lack a bit of self-awareness here. To connect with his heart center. I don't see him knowing the power he holds within himself. He should connect through his work. He has strong abilities to create. He is a creative individual, and he can utilize that to get to know himself, but also to help others. His creativity can be very therapeutic for him. He can mold things to how he wants. It is like there is a sense of control he may like, but this world is unpredictable, so it can knock him out a bit if it doesn't fit to his standards. He is consistent, loyal and dependable. Balance needs to be restored, not sure what that means, but getting that. There is power within himself, but if he can't connect with himself. He blocks his true creative potential. I see a lot of colors in these two cards. He needs to make his world a bit more colorful and reflect a beautiful world around him. What reflects back to him is what he believes. If he sees the world as dark and gloom, then that is what his reality will be.

He tries to seek enjoyment out of life. Although, he may see things in a negative light. He may know he should find enjoyment in it. He may seek enjoyment through his desires and external needs. Just going to say this, could be sexual desires that may help him find joy. It is like it is hard for him to look for the joy within himself, so he seeks it outside himself. But these pleasures are short time, and, in the end, he could find to regret that. Once again, I am getting there is something he should share with others, some wisdom he has. He could be a mentor or teacher to others. Light the way for others. He has a lot of knowledge and wisdom he can give to others. I just feel what he has experienced can be a lot of help to others so he should share that to others. I can also see him gaining guidance from others as well and gaining knowledge from them. He seems like the type that likes to learn and observe the world around him. He seems to be a bit of an old soul as well. I feel he may have experienced many lives here.

I am very surprised he gave me all Earth cards for my Tarot deck. With him being a Leo, he gives me more of an Earthy energy. I think I mentioned earlier, he really likes stability and security. For things to remain consistent. He is definitely showing this energy here. There is a sense of duty he feels he has, not sure why that came up, but that is what I get. It is like when things get a bit disorganized and out of order. He does not like it. I feel like him not able to do his service in the military is kind of bugging him, like he is let down he can't do it. This Virgo card that I got the keywords self-critical, sense of duty and being of service stick out to me. It is like it shook him a bit. He may be critical of himself about it. He is a very ambitious, hard-working person. He is very loyal to others and whatever cause he stands for. I say he is in a very practical energy at the moment. Focusing on his goals and working towards long-term plans. Just figuring out how to proceed in life and move forward. His energy seems serious and may lack a bit of playfulness. It is like get down to business and work energy, or he is trying to plan things out, being a bit meticulous about things. I am still trying to figure out what the song I got has to do with this reading. It may be that because he can be very serious. He needs a drink to let loose, or it is telling him to celebrate and have fun once in a while.

Well, this was an interesting ride. Not too intense, but not the lightest energy either, a bit of a mixture. His energy was a bit confusing in some parts, but I feel I got a bit of what was going on energetically with him. It was nice to get a bit of understanding of him, since I never really dug into Seventeen, even though they are one of my favorite groups, so I am excited to get to all of them eventually and step a bit into their world.

[iouinotes]

Heroic love (part 4) | Luke Castellan

pairing: Luke Castellan x female!reader

show: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

warnings: betrayal, dark romance, no verbal consent, angst, smut MINORS DONT INTERACTE

summary: Luke finds out your plan and you give in. After all, it is better to be with him than with the monsters that suround you.

authors note: The reader joins Luke rather unwillingly, even though she still loves him. I just want to say up front that Luke's threat at the end is not meant serious. He would never do something like that to her. He only does it so that she realizes that there is no other way than to join him. If it's too dark, I'm sorry... @qwertydddddddddd wanted to be tagged, so I hope you enjoy it <33

Sometimes you think to yourself, this is real love. I'm gonna marry this person. I will spend my life with them, building a home and a family.

Well thats the regular scenario, I mean for the people who are regular. Not demigods.

And you see, even though we dont have an easy life, fighting monsters, losing friends, being scared and anxious all the time, that some bad evil guy suddenly wants to rule the world- we live. Because we have to and because we have each other.

So, for me, I was prepared for it to become harsh. I always knew my life would be like sitting on a rollercoaster, never having the chance to exit.

But I found comfort in this reality. I would imagine being on this attraction, but holding onto something that grounds me. Someone that gives me strengh, so I don't lose myself.

For a long time, I held hands with Luke.

Then of course, something did go terrible wrong, as if they goddess Aphrodite wanted to watch an exciting, action packed romance movie, with the plot twist of I-hate-to-love-you-because-you-left-me trope. Something like this.

Well, I think the movie sucks. In the last months, everything was just not right- Luke leaving camp to join Kronos? Betraying everyone and kidnapping me? Showing up here, messing with me and then holding my own dagger to my throat? (Deja vu)

No, that just isnt what I Imagined to happen in the future. I didnt want my boyfriend to turn into the bad guy, who we swore to fight.

But now I guess, thats up to me. At least some part of it.

"I think Luke ist turning into Darth Vader." Sometimes I'm not sure whats going on in Percys head.

"I never heard of this monster?" Annabeths parents are so wrong for not watching Star Wars with her.

"Guys, after we discussed this, you can have your movie night. But please, let's focus." My voice sounds harsher than I intended, so I immediately feel bad about it.

"Sorry, it's just very complicated. I want to know what our next steps are, what we are planning to do with this- situation." I don't know how else to call it.

"We need information. Who is the spy? What are Kronos plans? Where will he attack? Who joined him? So many unanwered questions." Chirons voice sends a shiver down my neck. He's right, but how do we achieve it?

Percys gaze unnerves me and when I turn my head to meet his eyes, he immediately shakes his head.

"I am not letting you alone with him this time. Nope." I sign, conflicted how I would want to deal with this.

All eyes are on me and when I turn to them, I try to explain my plan. But I cant even finish my second sentence and already everyone seems to be against it.

"We cant let him out!"

"He will kill us!"

"His army is already searching for him, he would escape!"

Annabeth raises her hand and the voices calm down. As she looks at me, I sense her own doubts about the situation.

"They are right. How do you know he would trust you? Could you convince him?"

I nod my head, ignoring my doubts.

"I can."

⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

The moon shines beautifully in the sky, but it helps nothing to calm down my nerves. Im so stupid, why did I thought I could pull this off?

"Youre sure, you want to do this? You dont have to." Percy's standing next me, as always trying to comfort me.

"He will believe me. I always had dreams, where I thought he-" I need a moment to finish my sentence.

"-died. That he got hurt or is in pain. When I had this sort of dream, I would always sneak out of my cabin and came to him. I would walk into his cabin and he somehow always knew what happend. He would tuck me in his bed, letting me cry and cuddling me. Resurring me that everything is going to be okay, that he will live. That was always my biggest fear, that he would die and I would be helpless to do anything against it. He knows that."

We stand in silence for a moment.

"If you need me, I will be there. Just be careful." I smile at him.

I take a deep breath and go trough the doors, seeing that the only light he has, is a small lamp on the ceiling. I quicken my pace so he can hear me coming. When I stand in front of his cell, he is already on his feet. He looks alarmed.

"What-" his t-shirt is wrinkled and his eyes are sleepy. My breath catches and I don't even have to pretend to be confused and afraid, standing in front of him alone in the dark is enough.

The bars are the only thing that separates us.

At first I don't say anything, I just look at him with watery eyes. And just like I said, he knows it. He always knows.

"Another nightmare?" His voice is so gentle, it makes me remember the old days when everything was good. When he took me in his arms and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

I just nod, I don't think my voice is stable enough yet.

I have to play the role, I can do it. He has to believe me.

I slide down the wall and put my head in my hands, all the despair and pain I've been carrying for weeks suddenly coming out of me. I'm crying so hard that I'm almost afraid of waking up the others.

"Shit, princess- what can I do? Let me help, please." He sounds so desperate and it's only now that I realize, that I don't actually have to act. Because my tears are real.

"Y-you ruined everything! And I'm still s-so scared that something h-happens to you" I meet his gaze and see the remorse in his eyes. His heart hurts too.

"I didn't want something like that to happen- please, darling. Come here." Sniffling, I stand up. My knees feeling weak and unsteady. If I go in there now, I won't be able to defend myself properly.

“You hurt me, I shouldn’t even be here. You're an idiot, Luke. I hate-" but I can't bring myself to say it. I cant say that I hate him. Because I don't, at least not yet.

"I know, believe me. I hate myself too. Only your belief in me has always held me together." He grips the bars, I see the inner conflict within him.

"But you won't change. You've never been able to do that well." I know I'm right and he knows it too. Silence surrounds us.

"Let me hold you. Just for- a few minutes. Please. I can't stand seeing you like this. You've always been the sunshine in my life. I don't want my sun to be obscured."

The key jingles in my hand and I look at it uncertainly.

"I won't hurt you, never again, I promise. I also got an anklet. I can't escape." His eyes look so honest. I'm feeling nervous, my heart is beating way too fast.

I put the key in the lock and open the door, freezing in my movements for a moment. What am I doing here? But then I hear his voice and I know why.

“It’s not that comfortable on the floor, but you can sit on my lap." I close the door.

As I move towards him I see how thin he has become and how brown his eyes still are.

Slowly, he raises his hands and when I stand in front of him he puts them around my waist. My knees buckle and I sink carefully onto his lap. My hands rest uncertainly on his shoulders, then moving down to his neck. Playing with the strands of his hair, lost in thoughts.

His face is right in front of mine, both of our breaths are uneven. His hands linger on me, holding me tight to him. Warmth fills my chest as I look into his eyes.

"You're so beautiful. So, so beautiful." A sob tries to escape me, as I do something, I always loved. I put my head in the crook of his neck and wrap my arms around him.

He holds me for a few minutes, stroking my back and whispering soothing, sweet nothings in my ear.

Once I've calmed down, I'm basically lying on top of him and can hear his heartbeat. It's almost soporific.

"Luke?" my voice is calm.

His head turns to me. "Yes?"

"I...I want to be with you. I don't care how or- or where. I just know that I can't live without you." I see his eyebrows furrow.

"You dont mean-" I am silent. Just looking at him, sitting up a little, straddling him.

"I need you. I tried not to need you. But it's out of my control, nothing helps to ease the pain. Only you, only you matter."

Is it the truth if the words escape me so easily?

His hand finds my cheek and I lean into his touch.

"We're the only ones that matter. We will get through this, together and united. You don't have to fight my darling, you just have to be by my side." His hand around my waist pulls me towards him, the other one, he continues to lay on my cheek. Caressing the skin, drawing invisible heart-shapes.

Then his lips meet mine and my eyes flutter shut. The kiss so intoxicating, that I forget for a moment my real intention. Forget why I'm participating in this madness.

As he pulls away from me, I hear his whispering voice.

"You won't betray me, right? You won't do that to me?" He tugs on my hair, ever so slightly, to get my attention.

"No, Luke. I won't." Lie.

The key in my hand is no longer idle as I remove his shackles carefully.

"Then princess, let's get out of here." I slowly get off his lap, but before I stand up, he lifts me up in his arms.

"I promise you that I will never hurt you again. You deserve only the best." As cliche as it is, he carries me out of the cell, which isnt locked anymore.

He lets me down outside and breathes in the fresh air. It's still night, maybe 4 a.m. Everything is quiet.

His hands cup my face and place several kisses on my skin.

"You are incredible, I knew you would join me. For real this time." He takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. I don't see Percy anywhere.

"Let's go. I know where my troops are stationed. Nobody will notice that we're gone until it's too late."

⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

Joining Kronos' army was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, and that includes keeping the truth from Luke.

That I'm a spy for the camp, better hidden than anyone else ever could. No one would accuse or suspect the leader's girlfriend, because everyone can see how much I love him.

After all, it's the only reason I'm tolerated here. Because Luke would kill anyone who even came near me. He has already done it to a dragon lady who was too pushy and even when I tried to stop him, he showed no mercy.

Because he can't afford to do that, if he shows that he has a heart, it will be taken away from him.

Every day it is torture to witness this evil, to help maintain cover, to save my friends.

And every day I feel worse, because I lie to Luke. But it is the only way. I cannot help in the camp, if my heart is somewhere else. Here, with him, my thoughts are not always here, but my heart is.

At least it's enough for me to function. When Luke isn't distracting me.

When I wake up that morning on the Princess Andromeda, it is still quiet. In the presence of these monsters, I have not been able to sleep well for months. Even the dreams I have, make me wake up in the middle of the night and the only thing that calms me down is Luke's touch.

His fingers gently stroke my exposed skin, and as I turn my head and look at him, I see an emotion in his eyes, I've only recently noticed. There is a desire in his gaze, as if he wanted to consume my entire being, to have me just for himself.

My voice, my body, my thoughts, my feelings. Simply everything. He wants it all to be his.

"I wish I could erase every bad dream you have and send whoever is responsible for it to burn in hell. It should scare me that you make me think like that, but if I'm honest, it doesn't. Are you scared?" His eyes look into mine.

Slowly, my fingers intertwine with his. "Not when you're with me."

The next thing I notice is his lips on mine. The way his hands grip my hips and pull me onto him.

He leans towards me, his lips caress my ears and I hear his whispering voice. "Every day I hear one my followers talking about you. That they want to have you, to decorate your beautiful body with scars, with their initials." I freeze at his words, wanting to pull away and look at him, but he holds me tight. Makes me continue to listen to his voice.

"They want to see you bleed, to alternate between pain and pleasure when they push their cocks into you. Do you like that? That you are so desired? That you turn everyone's heads, when you go by and they start wanting to see my head roll? To get close to you, huh?" I want to shake my own head, but he holds me even tighter.

"Do you know how hard it is not to execute every single one of them? Do you know that? I would, if I could. I would kill every single one of them, in front of you, so that everyone knows that you belong to me. Do you understand? No one will speak to you anymore, because your voice is mine. No one will look at you, because your sight is mine. You keep your hands to yourself, no more help with injuries, I don't care if they die. Your hands only touch me."

As I start to sqirm, he leans back, keeping his hands on my hips until a finger strokes my cheek.

"No one will ever kiss you except me. And anyone who even thinks about fucking you, I will let die in battle. You may think my loyalty is to Kronos, but it is to you. My beautiful girl. Now think carefully about who you are pledging your loyalty to."

When his eyes look into mine, I fall silent. Then, even though I try not to, my voice trembles.

"What do you mean? I'm loyal to you, Luke."

His hands caress my skin, examining how the sun shines on me. I'm only wearing one of his T-shirts and my panties. His hands, stroke my bare thighs.

His eyebrows rise, slowly his fingers wrap around my panties, pulling them down until I am revealed to him. My heart is pounding so loudly in my chest, that it feels like it's about to give up. I hold my breath as he places the tip of his cock at my entrance.

What am I doing here?

"I think you're not being completely honest with me, princess. Let's try again. Who are you loyal to?" As he slowly enters me and his hands hold my hips, I moan. I lay my head back for a moment and enjoy the stretch, feeling his hands slide under my shirt and stroke over my stomach, to my breasts and to my neck.

"Luke, what's going on? I'm here with you, I'm-" But I can't finish my sentence as he plunges into me with a violent jerk, right up to the edge. My eyes roll back.

"These sweet lies that come from your lips. Of course you are here physically, but with the mind? Oh no, while I fuck you, your thoughts are on Camp Halfblood. On Jackson. Can you believe it?" His hands push my hips down until I am connected directly to him and can feel every inch inside me. I almost melt as one of his hands presses into my lower back and I move even closer to him.

When I try to answer him, my voice is a mixture of horror and pleasure. "Luke, that's not true. I only want you, I'm on your side- ahh-" Faster than I can react, he thrusts into me. Once, twice. So hard and ruthless that he hits the spot inside me, that makes me see stars. I can't concentrate.

"How I wish you would tell the truth. There's nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart. Admit it, I already know. My girlfriend is the traitor. Behind my back, she talks to the person I hate the most and yet, she sits on my lap and rides my cock. What would Percy say about that?"

His hand wraps around my neck and holds me tight, his hips keep pounding into me and even though my brain tells me to stop, my guard is down. I want this.

"How-" But when I want to ask, he pushes me onto him again. So fast, too hard, it almost hurts, but it also feels so good.

"I have my eyes everywhere. It took me a while to figure out how to deal with it, how to deal with you. But I found a good solution. After all, Percy lets you be here, without cover, without protection. Hoping I wouldn't find out that you were passing on information. That I wouldn't hurt you."

His last sentence makes me tense up, but even though his face twists in amusement for a brief moment, he doesn't stop talking.

"Your pussy won't save you either. And since I have given you my word, I will not harm you. I found a better punishment. A choice."

He suddenly stops moving and I almost cry, wanting to move myself, but he takes my face in his hand, tightly. Focusing all attention on him.

"Either you stop your underhanded loyalty to Jackson immediately and serve me, or I will make the wishes of everyone behind this door come true and you will be used like a beautiful, little doll. From each one of them, I assure you. But after that, you won't be so beautiful anymore."

Tears well up my eyes, whether it's from the tight grip he's holding on me or from his words, I can't tell. And I'm scared, it feels like I'm being buried alive. With no prospect of ever being able to breathe or be free again.

Without me saying anything, he starts moving inside me again, letting my hips sink onto his. I breathe in loudly.

"Come on, move. Your choice. It's either my cock or anyone else's."

When I look at him, the person I once loved has disappeared. It's like looking at a stranger.

My heart feels like it's been stolen and in the back of my mind I realize, that I should have never gone with him.

But then I close my eyes, put my hands on his shoulders for support and sink down onto him. Again and again, even stronger. Until my thighs shake and tears run down my cheeks. Until I hear Luke's quiet voice again.

"If you think you are strong enough to be like me, treacherous, cold-hearted and ruthless, then I have to disappoint you. Your heart will be soft forever unless the world hardens it. I will protect you for that, princess. Forget camp halfblood, you only serve me now."

His lips are hot on my skin, a strong contrast to my heart, which feels like it's made of ice.

And when I receive the next secret sign from Annabeth a few days later, I ignore it.