Tether // percabeth

chapter seven: denial

ANNABETH'S POV:

I could've saved him, i know could've. He was right there in front of me.

No one had been able to convince me to leave my spot on the now damp grass. I felt the drops fall from the trees, remnants of Percy's surge. It felt as if my soul was outside my body. This feeling was all too familiar to me. I couldn't do this again, so I sat there. My only clear thoughts were wishes that I'd turn around and see him climbing up the will. Wishing that he was alright, and had beat Polybotes at the last minute like he always does. Or my bigger, and clearer wish, this was just a nightmare. I would wake up back in his arms, the sun just starting to shine through his window. The calming smell of the ocean comforted my waking fear like it always does. 

  The others' words and pleas bounced uselessly around my head, none of them being fully processed. I needed to wait for him to come back. He couldn't be dead, he was my seaweed brain. I had just gotten him back. No, he couldn't be gone, I reassure myself. He promised me. he couldn't have left me. Not again. 

  My sobs started hitching. Percy can't be gone. He must be at camp. It didn't make any sense, but neither did the idea that he was gone. 

  He's gone.

  He's gone.

  He's gone. 

  My words to Grover started echoing in my head. 

  He's gone.

  He's never coming back. 

 My seaweed brain is... dead?

But at that moment the image of Percy's life draining felt so unreal. Everything felt so surreal. I saw more people had shown up around me though I couldn't make out who they were anymore. I didn't know what anything was anymore, only that I needed to stay here and wait for Percy's return. 

  Then I felt Chiron's familiar hands grab me. He lifted me into the air. I started struggling and screaming. 

  "No! I need to stay. If he comes back I need to be here! He'll come back! I know he will!" I tried screaming around my tears.

  "Annabeth, dear, he's been gone for over two hours." a squeaking sound came from the back of my throat. "If  he were to come he would have already, I'm sorry."

  I fall limp in his arms, allowing him to set me on his back. I closed my eyes as tight as I could. I could feel the wind blowing through my hair. I wrapped my arms around Chiron's chest, burying my face into his back. I started to hear the sounds of the camp. I open my eyes to see people cheering at the sight of Chiron trotting into the camp with the others. they hadn't yet noticed Percy's absence. The sounds of their relief only made me cry harder. The closer people noticed my tears and their faces dropped, the glee melting off their faces. 

  "Why is Annabeth crying?" Connor asked tentatively. I could tell he knew why and was hoping he was wrong. A feeling of dread seemed to flow through the crowd, and everyone suddenly went silent. 

  Chiron straightened. " Perseus Jackson, son of Posiden, The Hero of Olympus; Fell in battle. He save us all, he was the greatest hero of the-"  His voice broke and then he seemed to fold into himself. I paid his announcement no attention, I scanned the group and found the person I was looking for in the back of the crowd with his head down, Nico.

  I scrambled off of Chiron's back and shoved my way to him. He wouldn't look me in the eyes. 

  "Is he alive? Please, he's got to be alright. He's just has to be!" I started shaking his shoulders. "Please you need to tell me!" He finally looked up at me, his dark eyes surrounded with red.

  "He was Annabeth, but just barely. I could feel his soul start to leave his body, I'm not sure he has much longer.  But I'm not sure, I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around me as feelings of both relief and grief flooded my heart.

PERCY'S POV:

  I awoke to the sound of my body's impact with rough stones. I didn't feel the pain now, but I knew, but I knew that it was only a matter of time. It was too dark to make out any of my surroundings, but I guessed it was a cell. Until my eyes adjusted to the dark, the only thing in this void of mine was the cold. Gooseflesh was already making the hair on my arms raise. I hugged them close to my body, trying to shield myself from the bitter air, when a voice came from the darkness.

  "Those are some nasty bruises you got there."

  "If getting strangled by a giant didn't leave a mark, I might just try for king of Rome next." 

  A laugh rang out, and I heard them shuffle closer to the bars that seemed to separate our cells,  making it easier to see him in the darkness.

  "A sense of humor? Good, you might just make it in here." The figure slipped his hand through the bars. "I'm Deven."

  I crawled over and shook his hand hesitantly.

  "Percy."

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                                                                                               A/N

(Hey! I am so so so sorry, idk what happened. I just suddenly lost some of this chapter, and i have no clue what happened to it. So i had to totally rewrite half the chapter lol. So if things are a little different that's why. So anyway after a short panic attack and a good night sleep, i got it back out! Yay! Hope you are enjoying my fic! And have an amazing day!!!!!!)

                                                                                      -Livinginvibes

                                                                        Word count: 960