Climb (Percy Jackson x Reader)

seven

✺ BACK INTO BREATH ✺

Percy had always been curious about death. What it would feel like, how it would happen, where he would go.

He figures that now is the time he'll finally get to learn.

Staring into the face of the Titan Lord, helpless and frozen in time, Percy can do nothing but feel.

He feels his lungs constrict as Kronos squeezes him like a fly, two gigantic fingers pressing against his ribs until he nearly hears them creak in exhaustion.

He feels his heartbeat quicken, terror and desperation pulsing through his veins with such ferocity that his head goes light.

And he feels pain, so much terrible and brutal and immeasurable pain, as his ribs splinter in the Titan's grip.

His eyes flood, and he can't move, he can't fight, he can't even speak as the tears roll down his cheeks.

Kronos speaks lowly, his words echoing yet gentle, thunderous while still a whisper: "You're getting in my way, son of Poseidon."

Grover's eyes go wide at the sight of his best friend, and he kneels by Clarisse, searching her sword belt for a weapon.

Percy's breaths quicken as the air around him drops in temperature. He wants to scream when his tears solidify, frost creeping up their trails on his cheeks before the pools at his lower lids freeze over. Ice encases his eyes, coating his lashes and edging out towards his nose and temples. The cold shoots through his skull, and he tries desperately to melt the ice—yet his power remains too far out of reach, the horror that surges through him suppressing all his command, and Kronos grins.

The Titan turns his head at the feeling of something bouncing off of his leg. Grover trembles under Kronos' gaze, but he holds firm, throwing another dagger with a determined yell. The weapon makes no injury, falling harmlessly to the ground, but Kronos shifts his attention away from the satyr's best friend.

Percy can barely breathe as Kronos drops him, his body hitting the ground with the force of an anvil. His eyes remain frozen open, and the moment Kronos fully turns to Grover, he feels his control return. Gasping, he takes hold of his power, the ice in his eyes melting and cascading down his skin like the tears they are. He struggles to stand, wiping his cheeks as pain shoots through his torso.

Grover watches, too terrified to think properly, as Kronos takes a step his way. Paralyzed, his mind races, unsure of what to do or where to go to avoid the giant before him. Luckily, he doesn't have to, as Kronos pauses upon looking just behind Grover.

"Ah," he starts, his booming voice too magnificent for such a simple word.

Grover doesn't need to turn to know who the Titan sees. He clenches his fists, but his legs remain put while nearly knocking together. Kronos moves closer.

While dodging the Manticore, Annabeth nearly falls under Kronos' giant footstep, barely moving out of the way. Grover's eyes widen as he meets her helpless gaze, her senses acting just in time to warn her of the stinger moving towards her shoulder. Again, she dodges, her knives practically useless.

She meets his eyes again, nodding her head to the jumbo-sized golden paper clip near his hooves.

Kronos grins, sadistic and proud. "She's dead," he says, barely paying any mind to Tyson, who runs around (Y/N)'s body to face the Titan, blocking her. "Excellent."