Tether // percabeth

chapter twenty-one: is dying supposed to hurt?

Percy's pov:

I heard the wail of the blade fighting against my spine long before I felt the pain. I didn't need to date a daughter of Athena to know I wasn't going to walk again. Now that I had slowed down, the chill seeped into my skin, even the blood, fresh on my tongue, was cold. Then I felt the absolute agony. The worst pain I had ever felt in my life sipping the light from my eyes. There wasn't anything I could do anymore. My child was going to grow up without a father, just as I did.

  The blade was pulled from my body, and I found that it had been the only thing holding me upright. I fall forward, not caring to catch my fall, and land onto the soft top-layer of frost.

  'this isn't such a bad place to die.' I think to myself.

  'the memories here aren't great, but... the snow ebbs the aching. Huh. I forgot what that felt like. no, not a bad place at all.'

   Through my fuzzy hearing I make out a strangled scream, after which the cold no longer helped the aching, it became an ache of it's own.

  'wait, no, dieing isn't supposed to hurt.'

  Didn't I hurt enough while I was living?'

  My mind went pitch dark with that last sentence echoing endlessly through the darkness, hoping to find someone, somewhere, who would take pity.

  Annabeth's pov:

   I can't remember what his voice sounds like. I can't picture his eyes. The only thing I actually am able to do is count. Count the months I still have until my child is born. Count the miles stretching much too far from my vision; toward the one who's voice I can now only recall always having an air of laughter to it. Count the few too little blessing I have managed to collect.

  Niko and Will being one of those.

  I glance over to see them laughing at a joke I didn't hear, a joke meant only for their ears. Yet I can't help but smile at the sight.

  They hold me together, when the nights only make Percy seem even further away. They'll remind me who I'm doing all of this for. Not just for the baby, or Sally, or even the camp; but for me as well.

  They even deal with my moods. And do everything they can to meet my cravings. I can never ask for two better demigods to quest with.

  Deven's pov
 
  It was hours before we stopped running. Just in case a monster was following us, and we didn't want to take a chance. So we ran until none of us could possibly run any farther. It took another hour to find my breath again. Some children of Hephaestus started a camp-fire And we all huddled together around the blazing embers.

  I hadn't slept so well in a long time. Freedom felt so good.

A/N

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