JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

For fourteen days, Warren would not let Percy's burial shroud be burned. She thought if her grief was violent enough, perhaps, he would come back to life again.

But each passing day was another dagger in her chest. After a while she stopped showing up to meals. She snapped at anyone who spoke. And after an incident where Warren nearly hospitalized an Apollo camper, she decided to stop seeing anyone at all.

Instead, she spent her days high in her secret treehouse, where no one would hear her vicious sobs. It was better this way. Warren couldn't stand everyone's pitying glances. She hated them. But more than anything, she hated herself.

If she had just stayed by Percy's side, maybe things would be different. Maybe he would've lived. And if not, at least they could've died together. That would've been better than the crushing emptiness Warren felt. She clutched the black pearl necklace around her throat.

So it'll be like I'm there, even if we're far apart.

The comforter on the treehouse floor still smelled faintly of Percy. Every day Warren wrapped herself in it, breathing deeply until she fell asleep, the record player spinning the same vinyl on repeat. Each day his scent faded more. Warren couldn't face a world where it was gone completely.

But on the fifteenth day, Chiron stopped Warren before she could sneak off into the woods.

"My dear," he said gently. "It is time."

"No," her voice broke. "Just a little longer. Please."

Chiron's face turned sad. "Warren, we must accept what happened so we may move forward. Healing is painful. But so is refusing to heal. And over time, refusing to heal hurts us a great deal more."

"I don't want to heal!" Warren snapped. "I want him back."

"You've suffered a great loss. We all have."

"Loss," she laughed dryly. "No, he was taken from me. It's not fair! It's—" Warren choked on a sob.

Chiron wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his side. "I know, my dear. I know."

"He's not coming back, is he?" Warren's whole body shivered. She clung to Chiron, afraid her knees would fail.

"No. I'm afraid not," Chiron muttered.

"Will it always hurt like this?"

"Yes," he said. "And no. The pain stays with us, always, but we find ways to live with it. Grief is our body's way of expressing the love that has nowhere left to go."

Warren swallowed thickly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I-I'll burn the shroud."

The centaur patted her shoulder. "A very brave girl, indeed."

They made their way to the amphitheater, where the entire camp had already assembled. The crowd parted, giving Warren a wide berth as she stepped toward the podium. Annabeth touched her arm as she passed, eyes full of tears.