What Happened After Happily Ever After

#12 - Pittsburgh

Chapter 12 - Pittsburgh
published: Thursday, 27 May 2021

Annabeth still hadn't cooled down when they stopped for gas and food. She stood by the motorcycle, angry at everything and nothing.

Percy approached her cautiously. "I got a sandwich," he said finally, handing her half of it.

Annabeth took it, setting it down on the seat of the motorbike. "If you didn't trust me, you can just say that," she said bluntly. "I know you refuse to say it — why you didn't tell me this years ago — but I'm telling you now that you can say it. I don't care anymore, Percy. I'm tired of this, of you lying to me, and I'm tired of thinking I finally know the full story and then finding out that I'm not even close, and probably never will know all of it."

The sky was a rippling orange with the sunset, and Annabeth stared into the burning yolk sun, blinking away the unshed tears in her eyes.

Percy could see it. She knew he could. She knew he hated it when she cried. Annabeth had only cried in front of Percy twice — when he proposed and during their first big fight. He apologised instantly, and she figured things would return to normal after a while, but it turned out that that was only the start of the end.

But he didn't mention it, and Annabeth was grateful for that. No matter how much Percy hated seeing her cry, he knew that she hated being seen crying even more.

"It's not because of that," Percy said numbly, sandwich forgotten in his hand.

Annabeth closed her eyes for a moment, before fixing him with a piercing look. "I've almost died a number of times because of you. I'm now being hunted down by a crime lord who is capable of a thousand horrifying things because of you!" she burst out. "And you won't even tell me the truth! The simple truth! All I want is for you to stop lying to me! You owe me that!" she cried. "You owe me that at least—"

"Okay," Percy snapped, interrupting her. His eyes were dark, but he met her gaze. "Okay," he said, more calmly.

"You were," he started slowly. "The one untouchable part of my life. I have destroyed everything good that's ever happened to me, and you have always been the one thing that I had."

Percy looked away. "I thought I could keep it that way. It was selfish." He stared at his hands, palms splayed. "I was selfish. I loved you enough that I convinced myself it was to protect you."

Loved. Past tense. It stung more than Annabeth wanted to admit.

She swallowed. "You were selfish." Annabeth looked back to the road. They were surrounded by nothing but barren dirt and foreign roads for miles. "If I die, it will be because of you. At least you know that."

Annabeth knew it was a shitty thing to say. It was cruel and horrible and completely true, but it didn't mean she had to say it. But the words were out and they were hanging in the air, adding to the wall that was already erected between them.

Percy was silent for a few seconds. "We should go," was all he said when he finally spoke. "It's getting late."

|•|•|•|•|•|•|•|•|•|•|

Annabeth woke up in their hotel room in the middle of the night. Everything came flooding back to her. She and Percy had uttered about five words to each other when they arrived at a motel, renting out a room for the night.

Sleeping on it didn't help. All it did was exacerbate the regret in her chest. Her legs were tangled in the sheets, pyjama shorts riding up on her thighs. Annabeth turned over to see the left side of the bed empty.