The Other Side [Percico]

Chapter 1 - All Your Fault

TRIGGER WARNING

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"No, Annabeth, come on, you can do it, come on come on come on come on..."

Her eyelids flutter closed, and you're seized with panic. You grab her hand and hold onto it like it's your lifeline, which it is. "Don't you dare," you hiss, shaking her, your hands bloodied from the huge wound blossoming in her left side. "Don't you dare, Annabeth Chase! Don't you even dare!"

She lets out a faint groan, and you stop shaking her. You look around wildly, but demigods fighting monsters is pretty much all there is in terms of scenery, and no one seems to notice what's happening.

"Just hold on, Wise Girl," you plead, feeling a sob build in your throat. "We'll get you to the infirmary, just - "

"No, you won't," she croaks, eyes squeezed shut, voice tight with pain. Blood pools on the ground around her. So much blood.

"Yes, I will, don't even - "

"No," she mutters, cutting across you again. "Percy... move on, okay? Promise me you'll move on."

"Annabeth!"

"P-promise..." she breaks off, coughing up blood. "Promise me you'll stay happy, Percy..."

A heavy weight of despair settles over you, and you squeeze her hand harder. Maybe this is all just a nightmare. Maybe you'll wake up, and Annabeth will be fine. But your gut disagrees.

Stupid gut.

Annabeth coughs up more blood. Her head lolls to one side, cheek resting on the bloodstained ground. Her rattly breathing is becoming fainter.

"Hold on!" You cry out desperately. "Oh, gods, Annabeth, I need you, I love you, I love you, I love you..."

Your voice falters, and the words get stuck on replay in your head. Again and again and again. I love you I love you I love you I love you...

She draws a sharp breath and opens her eyes, latching those mesmerizing grey orbs onto yours. Grey mist obscures your thoughts. Strikes you dumb. Her eyes are so beautiful, so mysterious, even when she's on the brink of -

Annabeth reaches up a hand and touches your cheek. "I love you, too," she whispers, giving you her beautiful smile. Then she pulls you down to her and kisses you.

You melt into it, momentarily forgetting the world. The sounds of battle fade, becoming meaningless background noise. Something from another world.

Even drenched in blood, she still smells faintly of strawberries. The scent gives birth to a host of memories. Memories of a time before all this. When it was you and her. The two of you against the world.

Ironically, there's nothing you want more than for Kronos to show up now and screw up the flow of time. You wish you could just stay suspended in this moment forever. With Annabeth. Forever.

But she releases you, gazing deeply into your eyes, hers glittering with unshed tears.

Then it hits you. "New Rome," you tell her frantically. "We're going to college there together, remember? And I know you'd love the architecture. There's this one street with all these cool fountains, and a - "

"Seaweed Brain," she whispers, eyes closing again. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

An apology. A minuscule amount of pressure applied to your hand. A tear tracing its way down her ashen cheek. And just like that, she's gone. And for the
first time in
your life,
you're
d
r
o
w
n
i
g