DEATH IS KINDER || HOO X MCU [1]

I || IN WHICH WE SKIP ALONG THE WINDING ROAD OF TIME

Mari laughed as Annabeth explained her plan to her best friend.

She'd liked Annabeth ever since she'd saved her life in the labyrinth. Annabeth had been the one to vouch for her when the rest of the camp had protested over an unclaimed demigod going on a quest. Annabeth had been the one to save her from Luke. And over time, Mari let herself think that Annabeth felt the same way.

But it was Percy she wanted to confess to. Percy fucking Jackson. Half-Blood's golden boy. Not that Mari had anything against him. She loved him almost, if not as much, as Annabeth. So she should be happy.

Yeah. Happy for her best friend.

"I think it's perfect, Annabeth."

"You really think so?"

Mari scoffed. "Please. I'm the daughter of an ex-playboy. I know what love doesn't look like, Annabeth, and I'm pretty sure what you and the fish boy have is the complete opposite of whatever my dad and his gajillion one-night-stands had."

Annabeth laughed.

Oh, Gods, Mari was in deep.

Because to anyone else, she assumed, it would just sound like a normal laugh.

Unfortunately, Mari wasn't anyone else. Mari was the daughter of Cupid, as much as she disliked to admit it, and that meant that any form of desire she felt was amplified higher than a normal person's.

Oddly enough, the daughter of desire didn't ever feel the need for sex, something that Mari thanked Aphrodite for every day.

"Thanks, Mari. That...that means a lot."

"Of course, Anna."

The two stared at each other, for a little while longer than usual. Once Annabeth noticed this, she looked away, cheeks tinted pink.

"Um, I should, uh, go get Tyson." She stood up, and started to walk away, until she turned around and extended a hand to Mari. "Wanna help?"

"Uhm...actually I remembered that I need to do something for my dad. He, uh, he wants to experiment with Celestial Bronze, and I promised him that I'd steal a bit from the Hephaestus kids." Annabeth nodded in understanding, and waved bye to her best friend.

Once Annabeth was out of sight, Mari let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

Perseus fucking Jackson. Luckiest guy in Manhattan.

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She kissed him.

Gods, she kissed him.

"Well it's about time!" Clarisse bellowed.

"Oh, come on!" Percy complained. "Is there no privacy?"

His voice felt like a thousand needles, no, KNIVES, piercing her skin.

But Mari couldn't let her feelings show. Nope. She's here to support her best friend. Because that's what Annabeth is now. Not Mari Stark's crush. She's her best friend, nothing more.

She can't be anything more, because Mari won't ruin her friend's happiness. That's what love is. A sacrifice.

"The lovebirds need to cool off!" Clarisse yelled with glee.

Mari wants to curse her father. Why did stupid Cupid exist anyway? He'd nearly ruined her dad's life, and didn't even claim her properly. Her stupid feelings were now ten times worse because of him.