Coffee buddies

Chapter 34: Dreams and new motivation

---------------------Percy's pov:--------------------------

When we arrived home the pain from my back had somehow increased. I also felt a whole lot more tired then I did when we left the scene. Luckily though we managed to drop off the minions and arrive home safely. 

As we walked inside I quickly grabbed the mask from out of my pocket and set it in a drawer. Tim was close behind and he looked a whole lot better then I did, aside from the bruises that were bound to be there. 

"I'm going to bed" I mumbled as I flopped onto the couch, the cushion cradling me as I relaxed into the comfort of the couch. 

I heard Tim chuckle. "Alright, you did great. I'll see you in the morning" I heard some footsteps come closer to me before I felt a soft blanket get laid on me. I then heard his footsteps disappear towards my room. I smiled to myself as I felt my eyelids getting heavy. 

After a minute my eyes closed and the world went dark. 

---------------------------dream------------------------------

The first thing I heard was the clashing of metal. Next came the smell as my nose filled with the stench of iron and I could feel the coarse substance entering and burning my nose. I opened my eyes to reveal gold dust everywhere. The yj team and the other 8 including Nico and Reyna were fighting against hoards of monsters, their glowing weapons separating them from the crowd. The monsters were going down quickly but that was when I noticed that the gold dust that they dropped was being sucked towards the middle of the field where a mountain sized mass was forming from the ground. 

It's skin was grey but had cracks and ridges running all through it showing the glowing molten color beneath it. I felt my breath get caught in my throat as the being's features continued to grow. It's eyes were dark and when you looked into them you couldn't help but feel hopeless, it's teeth were stained blood red and looked to be made out of the bones of giants, and his beard was made of fire that seemed to pour down like a river but dispel into the air. All around it's grey body was a cloth that looked to be human skin sewn together to make a large toga that draped around one shoulder. The skin that you could see was plagued with spots where ,even from where I was standing, you could see the monsters reforming. There seemed to be a dark fog that surrounded him as well and I immediately knew he had brought up a bit of his atmosphere with him. 

Tartarus. The true form of Tartarus was standing here in front of me, his smile was inhuman, one that spread from the middle of his cheeks to form a sharp and ragged grin. His eyes seemed to emanate darkness, one that warped your vision and caused you to see things in the side of your peripherals. 

I felt fear surge through me, stronger then it ever has before as the massive primordial towered above us. I tried to reach for Riptide but I couldn't, instead frozen in place as I was forced to watch this massive creature bellow in laughter. It was a deep laugh that shook the ground. The others all seemed to look at him before freezing, their eyes all opened in shock. I watched as the primordial took advantage of this shock and moved with sudden speed as he lifted his foot up right above Tim. Even if he were to move there would be no where to run, his foot was too big. I tried to move, forcing myself as a painful force kept me back. I shut my eyes in my strain as I tried to push against the force keeping me still. I felt a weird sensation spread throughout me. 

I didn't have time to open my eyes again as I felt myself get ripped from my dream.

----------------------------end of dream--------------------------

My breath caught as I sat straight up, almost like I was still breathing in the itch golden dust in the air. I looked around, pushing down the incoming coughing fit to see it was bright outside. My limbs felt weak as I slowed down my quick breathing. 

Something was coming. No not something, he was coming and he was gonna try and kill everyone.

Tim. 

I remembered the scene from the dream in frightening accuracy as my breathing quickened again.

I quickly hopped off the couch as I started to rush to my room but I froze when I smelled something coming from the kitchen. I stopped when I was in the doorway of the kitchen, finding Tim smiling happily over a pan as he folded an egg over making the perfect omelette. I felt my lip quiver as I realized he was safe. I felt warm tears run down my face as I quickly walked forwards. 

He must have seen me out the corner of his eye, because as I got close enough he turned around. "hey Per-"

I cut him off by wrapping my arms around his torso, digging my face into his shoulder. He seemed shocked at first but soon hugged back just as tight. 

"Is everything okay?" He asked quietly. 

I didn't respond, instead relishing in the warmth of the hug as I let my brain remember that it was just a demigod dream and that for the time being, Tim was okay. 

Tim seemed to understand the silence as we stood there hugging, though I did feel him let go momentarily to take the pan off the stove. "You wanna talk about it?" His voice was quiet yet gentle but I really didn't want to talk about this. 

I shook my head slightly but he seemed to get the hint so for the next few minutes we just sat there hugging as I allowed my brain some peace. Eventually though I did pull back, releasing Tim from my grip, though I would have rather to stay like that a while longer. 

He gave me a soft smile. "You feel better?" I nodded in response though I only felt a little better since I knew that the event I just witness was gonna eventually come into play. 

Tim gave me a reassuring smile before offering his hand out. I let the smile come to my lips as I grabbed his hand. He gave me one more smile before turning back to the pan and attending to the omelette. 

I looked down at our interlocked hands and a sudden determination filled me. No matter what was gonna happen, I would protect everyone. No one was dying this time. 

No one. 

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