Tether // percabeth

chapter twenty-four: the audacity

  ANNABETH'S POV

  "I just want to see him, please!"

  "No!" Nico had taken to pacing around the fire, making the already anxious Will sweat, "It's not going to fix anything! We should just go home."

  "Home? What home?" They both knew what I meant by my words, but I still felt the need to add, "Percy is my home."

  Will inched toward me, "Annabeth..." he said softly.

   I turned to Nico, directing my words to him, "Percy is my home, and I can't give up on him. Not ever."

  Nico stormed into the forest, cheeks tinted with anger. 

  He didn't return until just before the sun hid behind the snow-coated mountains. His eyes remained steely, but his mouth was set in a new frown.

  "Alright." His eyes avoided mine, as he said the words that made my thoughts pause.

  "Wait, really?"

  "Yes. I know you Annabeth, and I also know that nothing I say will change your mind."

  " ... Right." I had been too tired to even consider on going out on my own if I had a choice, but it was something I was considering to pushing through if need be.
  
  He snickered. At a time like this. The audacity.

  " Pack now, we're leaving at dawn." I nodded my agreement, before scurrying off to prepare.

  I was shaken awake that morning. The rays of the new sun scorched my eyes as they fluttered open. I had barely slept the night before, but the nerves about what I might see today chased away the exhaustion. Will was already primed with a pack hanging on his back. He helped me up, and slowly wrapped me in so many layers I started to feel like a marshmallow.

  We met Nico at the fringe of the glade. He looked uneasy but turned when we met up with him, and started ahead of us. Will lingered at my side holding my hand to keep me steady. While we passed through the first of the trees' Deven slid out from the shadows of a large tree. 

  "I'm going with you," He planted his feet with feeble legs.

  "No, you're not. No chance." Nico narrowed his eyes at the boy.

  "You need me. How are you planning on finding him?"

  "We'll find a way." Nico stalked closer to Deven, pointing a finger into his chest, "We've known you for less than a day, so forgive me for not trusting you to go anywhere near Annabeth."

  Deven fell back a step before regaining his balance. But with the extra moment it took for his precarious feet to find solid ground, Nico drew his sword. The black blade rested on Deven's throat, not entirely cutting his skin, but still digging painfully in. Deven pleaded that he meant no harm, but Nico didn't loosen his hand.

  "You... you need me, please." He echoed. His eyes looked so sincere, that Nico's sword finally dropped and he took a tentative step back toward us.

  "If you fall behind, don't expect us to wait for you." With that Nico trudged on.

  Hours later Will turned his head to me, his face twisted oddly.

  "What is it, Will?"

  He narrowed his eyes, letting a silence fall. When he finally answered in a tight voice, "You're squeezing my hand." 

  He glanced down at our locked hands, and mine followed them, the tips of his fingers color matched with ripe berries.

  "Oh! I'm so sorry!" I struggled to relax my fingers, and finally, they unclasped their death grip on Will.

  "Are you ok?" His expression softened now from pain to sympathy.

  "I'm alright, I promise."

  "You're sure?"

  "Yup, I might just be a little anxious." My eyes fell to my feet, or what I could now see of them.

  Will chuckled softly, "A little?"

  I couldn't help but giggle, "Maybe a lot?"

  "That sounds more believable." 

  We walked on in comforting silence. I hadn't lied about being anxious. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears. I was sure Will could feel the sweat pooling in my palm, He is just too nice to acknowledge it. The tremble in my legs, I am sure, is partly from all of the anxiety wreaking through my insides. 

  I had no plans on telling him, or anyone, about the other reason my limbs were so tight. Not anytime soon at least.

A/N

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    word count: 803