How Fates Can Twist

Chapter 3

Annabeth couldn't hear his footsteps behind her, but she could feel his gaze burning into the back of her neck. There was something otherworldly about Percy. He couldn't be mortal, and she highly doubted that he was a demigod either. He was an enigma.

Her eyes kept scanning the street around her. Each car that passed made Annabeth's grip tighten around the dagger now in her hand. She had been right before; all she needed was a knife to hold and she felt much more comfortable.

Percy had been silent since they started walking. Not that she minded. Annabeth appreciated the lack of distraction. Ever since she left the Wolf House a week ago, everything had been a threat. The hellhound had only been the latest in a string of deadly monsters on her trail. She needed to stay focused on her surroundings.

"You hungry?" he asked out of nowhere.

No, was her immediate response. Hunger could be a weakness. She wouldn't be weak.

But then Annabeth felt her stomach rumble and remembered she hadn't had a good meal in days. She had managed to find scraps to eat on the run, something that felt strangely familiar to her, but none of it had filled her up. She knew food was important to keep her energy up. If he was offering, she would take it.

Evidently had Percy taken her silence as a yes and nodded to the pizza parlor on their left, saying, "Let's stop here."

Annabeth agreed and walked to the building door. The scent of fresh tomato sauce and baked dough that filled her nose when she entered was intoxicating. She had forgotten just how good fresh pizza smelled.

The two of them walked up to the counter and ordered. Percy pulled out a gold debit card to pay with and handed it to the cashier, who looked at it in confusion for a moment before sliding it through the machine. Annabeth suspected they weren't paying with usual mortal means, but she kept that thought to herself.

They took their slices to a table in the corner and sat down. She took bite after bite of the warm, gooey pizza, relishing the deliciousness. Gods, Annabeth had missed good food.

When she finished her first slice, she looked up to find Percy staring at her. Annabeth assumed she had sauce on her face and grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth off on, but even then his eyes were still focused on her. A soft smile sat on his lips.

Annabeth tried her best to ignore how his look made her stomach feel. She had some serious questions for him, after all. And getting answers was much more important than any butterflies.

"I want you to explain who you are and what you're doing here," she said sternly. "Oh, and thanks for the pizza," she added. Can't forget her manners, now can she?

A look came over his face that she couldn't quite distinguish. There was some regret and sadness in there, but also a lot of anger. Annabeth couldn't tell what it meant.

. . .

Percy's POV

She studied him, her eyes analytical and penetrating. Gods, he had missed those eyes. Could he still say gods now that he was one? Eh, he had bigger things to worry about at the moment. Like what exactly to tell Annabeth.

How could Percy explain that he had abandoned her for the chance of godhood? He hated himself for it. It'll be worth it once I can protect her, he had thought. But seeing her over the past few months (no, he definitely was not stalking her) made him feel like nothing could justify inflicting that loneliness on her.

But here she was, staring at him expectedly. He had to start somewhere.

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" Percy asked.

"I want the one that doesn't leave out any important details."

He had missed how to the point she was. Percy took a deep breath and prepared to talk for the next two hours.

"First off, you're a demigod-"

"Well obviously," Annabeth interjected. He shot her a look. "Sorry, go ahead," she muttered.

"A daughter of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom. There's a camp in New York for demigods called Camp Half Blood. You grew up there and that's where we met when we were twelve. I'm a son of Poseidon." Not a lie, he was still technically a son of Poseidon. Just not in the demigod way.

"We became good friends, along with a satyr Grover. Then the titan Kronos was rising again and threatening to destroy the world, so we went on quests to stop him. Last August, there was this huge battle where we fought Kronos and won. He's back in Tartarus now."

Annabeth nodded slowly, taking it all in, her eyes still hardened in concentration. "And you?" she asked.

He felt his heart speed up, worry filling him. It was almost as if she could look right into him, like she knew what he was hiding. She doesn't remember what happened , Percy reminded himself. "What about me?" he responded as casually as possible, but of course his voice cracked mid sentence.

"You're not a demigod. You're more powerful than that. So what are you?"

Curse Annabeth and her perceptiveness.

Percy contemplated skirting around the truth even more, but he knew there was a good chance Annabeth would figure it out eventually. Maybe he could cherish his time with her until then and do his best to walk it back afterwards.

Or he could do the right thing and tell her the truth right now. A year ago, he wouldn't have hesitated to tell Annabeth anything and everything, but now it seemed almost impossible. What had changed between then and now?

Percy knew the answer. He had. He'd let his fantasies of having the power to protect those he loved lead him to make a bad decision, and now who knew if he'd be able to make up for it. But he had to at least try, and that started with telling Annabeth the truth.

Percy took a deep breath and met her eye's once more. "I'm a god," he said.

She didn't seem very surprised and raised her eyebrows at him as if she was expecting more information. Percy began explaining everything, finding himself unable to keep it in any longer.

"Last August I was offered godhood by the Pantheon, which I accepted, and now I'm a minor god. The tide is my domain. Real interesting, I know. I have to work under my father, Poseidon, and he's kept me up on Olympus ever since I arrived."

During that last part, he tried his best to convey with his eyes that he didn't want to stay away so long. Hopefully Annabeth understood.

Percy rambled on, telling her about everything that had happened to him since August. For just just a moment he caught a look of pain flash across her face before it was quickly stowed away. She hid it well, like she always did, but Percy knew he had hurt her. He knew he had abandoned her and left her all on her own once again. And he hated himself for it.