𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿; heroes of olympus

demon girls

ERITH JAY
THEY followed the River Phlegethon, stumbling over the glassy black terrain, jumping crevices, and hiding behind rocks whenever the vampire girls slowed in front of them.

It was tricky to stay far enough back to avoid getting spotted but close enough to keep Kelli and her comrades in view through the dark hazy hair. The heat from the river baked Erith's skin. Every breath was like inhaling sulfur-scented fiberglass. When they needed a drink, the best they could do was sip some refreshing liquid fire, which was less of a drink and more of a torture tactic to prolong one's life.

Yep. Definitely a good time. She would have to hangout with Percy more often.

At least their cuts and scrapes had faded. Her and Percy hadn't stopped holding hands, but the blood on their palms had lessened, so now there was just sweat, which was really the least of Erith's problems.

Despise being beat-up, sooty, and dressed like a homeless person, Percy still somehow looked great. His hair was a sweaty mess against his forehead, and his gray streak stood out starkly in the light of the fire river. His sun-bronzed skin flickered dangerously red, and his green eyes looked rather dark.

And also, for some reason, he had started to smile.

Erith stumbled, bumping into his shoulder with her own. "What?" she asked.

"What?" he replied, looking confused.

Erith made her lips turn upwards. "You were smiling."

He blinked, looking embarrassed. "Oh."

"Don't be ashamed," she told him. "It's good you're smiling. But what were you thinking about?"

It was hard to tell in the red-orange light, but Erith thought his cheeks reddened. "Just―my future."

"Oh, yeah?" Suddenly it wasn't so hard to smile. "Tell me about your future." 

"Well..." Percy was definitely blushing now. "I'm nineteen, right? I graduated high school somehow, and took a gap year―well, a gap year mostly decided by Hera. Anyway, I was thinking... when I got to New Rome... they have a college and stuff. A whole community. I was going to see if... well, I..."

"Spit it out," Erith said gently, her tone teasing.

"I wanted to go to college with Annabeth," Percy said. "Just us, you know? And maybe we could, you know―I mean, years in the future, obviously, I'm still a teenager, and so is she, but―maybe, I was just thinking... what if we could start a family in New Rome? It's a safe place for demigods, Rith. I just... it gave me some hope when I was there with no memory except her."

"That's..." Erith trailed off. She almost stopped walking, she was so amazed.

"Stupid, I know," Percy quickly rushed out, taking her reaction the wrong way. "I doubt she'd even want to. But it's just―"

"No, Percy," Erith said, squeezing his hand. "That's amazing. I just―gods, if I had someone that loved me half as much as you love her... that's really sweet. And I love you guys. And I will personally help you make it work when we get out of here."

Percy's smile tinged with melancholy. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Erith quickly yelped. "Nothing is wrong, Jackson. I just... personal struggles. Don't think I'm not happy for you, or you can't confide in me. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's you two."