Tyrant King - A Percy Jackson FanFic

Chapter 25

Three days passed quickly. But when Polybotes arrived at Olympus, Percy was ready. He and Nico had spent the past two nights creating and then refining the plans. They were hoping that everything would work accordingly, and that Polybotes would soon be back in Tartarus, slowly reforming.
"So," Polybotes said as he walked through the throne room, "Have you made a desicion, Perseus?"
"I have," Percy drawled, "And I've decided that I like my throne."
"How disappointing," Polybotes frowned, "Now I'll have to destroy you."
Percy smirked, "I am a god, dear Polybotes, you cannot kill me."
"I am not going to kill you," Polybotes said, "I am going to rip you limb from limb and throw you into Tartarus to live the rest of eternity in pain."
Percy rolled his eyes, "Unlikely."
"And why is that?"
"Because," Percy smirked, "I have a demigod."
Nico walked into the room, stygian iron sword in hand. Percy grinned as Polybotes frowned, "Nico di Angelo."
Percy stood from his throne, and flicked his wrist. Theos Dolofonos appeared, and Polybotes snarled, "That sword doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Mother Gaea!"
Percy tilted his head to the side, "Actually, she gave it to me. So yeah, it is mine."
The minutes that followed were a whir, and soon enough, both Nico and Percy were covered in golden ichor, and Polybotes was nothing but a pile of dust slowly sinking into the ground. Percy turned to Nico, "Thank you. I am forever grateful."
"Thank me by doing something good," Nico said, before turning on his heel and walking out. Percy sighed. Why could no one just leave him alone? Was it impossible? Was he really that bad?
Yes. He was. He was the Tyrant King. At least Annabeth had stopped tormenting him about it. 
Speaking of the girl, she chose that moment to walk in. She dropped into a curtsy, "My King, your dinner is ready."
"Have it sent to my room," Percy ordered. He turned on his heel and walked to his room. 

***

Annabeth frowned as Percy left. The last time he ordered for his meal to be brought to his room was right after he'd killed Jason. What was on his mind?
She collected his meal from the dining room, announcing to everyone seated that he would not be joining them. Then she took his meal to his room. She knocked on the door, "Your majesty!"
No one answered. She could hear the sound of water running. That made sense. He had been covered in shining golden ichor. 
That's alright, she thought to herself, I'll just leave it on his dresser.
She tested the door handle. It was unlocked, so she let herself in. She had just placed the meal on his bedside table when she heard a soft sobbing. She walked towards the bathroom, inching the door open a crack. What she saw had her opening it wide and walking in. Percy was kneeling on the ground of the shower, his back red and blistering. Soft whimpers were coming from his mouth. 
"Percy?" Annabeth said quietly. He didn't respond. He just knelt there, the scar tissue on his back scalding, then healing, then scalding again.
"Percy! What are you doing?" Annabeth asked. He slowly raised his haunted eyes off the ground to meet hers. He stared straight at her, his face wet with tears. His eyes dropped back to the ground. Annabeth stepped forward, reaching into the shower and wincing when the boiling hot water touched her skin. She gritted her teeth and reached in again, turning the water down. She knelt down before Percy, not failing to notice that he was stark naked. Keeping her eyes firmly on his face, she said, "I'll be waiting in your bedroom."
She walked out of the bathroom, careful to not look behind her. She sat on his bed, waiting for him to come out. After a while she wondered if he would, knowing that she was there. But then she heard the water turn off, and heavy footsteps. The door opened, and there stood Percy, a towel around his waist. Annabeth stood as his sea-green eyes focused on her. His face hardened, "You weren't meant to see that."
Almost immediately, Annabeth got angry, "I was supposed to just sit there and let you burn  youself?"
"No you were supposed to leave the meal and go."
Annabeth marched up to him, "Listen here Perseus Jackson! I am not going to sit here and do nothing while you hurt yourself!"
He took a step back and said in a dangerously quiet voice, "Be careful to not overstep, Miss Chase."
Annabeth stepped closer, "If you want to kill me, kill me. My point is still valid."
"And what point is that?"
"You aren't okay. You haven't been for a while. And tonight proves it."
He brushed past Annabeth and sat down on his bed. After a moment, he said quietly, "I haven't been okay for the past four years."
Annabeth walked over and sat down next to him. 
"I get these visions," he admitted, "Flashbacks. I experience what I went through, over and over again. Usually it makes me puke."
Annabeth put a hand on his leg as he continued, "The worst ones happen when I do things. Like when I killed Jason, I had a flashback of when I got these scars."
He gestured to his forehead. Quietly, Annabeth asked, "How did you get those scars."
His face hardened again, and he stood up, "I need you to leave." 
Annabeth shot to her feet, "I'm not leaving till you tell me."
To her immense surprise, he sighed, "A demigod somehow wound up in Tartarus, and Gaea ordered me to kill him. He was only twelve. At first I refused. Then Gaea threatened to kill Leah if I didn't. So I chased him down, and I was about to kill him when Leah showed up. She got in between me and the boy. This provided enough distraction for him to get back up. I don't know how, but he somehow summoned claws. He stabbed Leah in the back, literally, and then proceeded to attack me. He was strong for a twelve year old, but he didn't last very long. He managed to get me though. That was when I was still mortal, so it will forever serve as a reminder that I am a monster."
Annabeth didn't really know what to say to that, so she just said, "You were strong when you were twelve. You beat Ares in a fight."
The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Yeah, but I'm frickin Percy Jackson."
Annabeth smiled softly, "I'm going to go eat now."
He nodded, and she turned to the door.
"Hey, Annabeth?" Percy called after her. She turned around, "Yeah?"
"Thanks for turning down the water."
She blushed, "I couldn't let you burn."
Then she walked out.