The Curse of Chaos

The Betrayal

Everything had been going smoothly after the wars. Despite the losses, despite the pain of losing many demigods, they had finally found a middle ground. Leo had returned and Jason had died, but the world remained balanced. The satyrs had started finding more and more demigods, and the campers started switching camps how they pleased; the Roman and Greek divide no longer separating them.

The only thing Percy had wanted was a date with Annabeth. He understood that with her responsibilities on Olympus, she would be busier then usual. However dense people thought Percy was, he wasn't. He had always just decided to ignore things in favour of keeping the peace. But when Annabeth's aura started changing, when the Campers threw him guilty looks every time they walked past, he knew something was going on.

The final straw was Athena sending him on a quest to get her blessing. He hadn't asked for it. He hadn't even thought of getting things so serious when they had just settled. Athena had promised him that when he came back, he would have her blessing, but what sold the deal was that could spend the whole week with Annabeth. That was enough to get him to agree. He barely saw his Wise Girl anymore. She was always hanging out on Olympus with some God or she was with the Athena Cabin. She didn't seem to have time for him anymore.

———

"Percy? Percy! Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth's voice shook Percy out of his reverie. He smiled a smile of pure joy, throwing his arms around her neck almost immediately.

"Wise girl! It feels like ages since I last saw your pretty face." Percy playfully smirked, earning a giggle and a smack from Annabeth.

"C'mon I have something to show you." She dragged him all the way to the Campfire, where the Athena kids were setting up a memorial for all the deaths in the wars. From the first one to the last. Percy felt his eyes start to water as Annabeth only held him closer.

"I know how much honouring them meant to you. So I put this together for you. I'm sorry for not being here more often. I'm a teensy bit busy nowadays." She smiled at the last bit, getting pushed by Percy who pointed and replied, "Admit it, you don't love me anymore. You found a really hot god and decided to reign eternally with him." He said in faux horror, before they both erupted in laughter. "Couldn't be more right, Percy." But the guilt that played in her eyes said something else entirely.

They spent the rest of their time going around to each memorial until the stars shone brightly in the night sky.

"Wise Girl!" Percy's harsh whisper rang out, trying his best not to attract any Harpies. "Wise Girl! Wiseeeee Girllll!"

"Shhh! You're going to summon all the Harpies! What do you-" She got cut off by Percy pulling her arm and taking her somewhere, the path ahead barely visible in the dark.

A few minutes later, they had reached a clearing which was seemingly a cliff, the sea calmly lapping against the rocks, the moon full and bright, casting the most idyllic reflection in the ocean. "Woah. How did you find this?"

"I used to come here exploring." Percy shrugged. "Without you here, I spent a lot of time alone. The moment I found this place I knew I wanted to bring you here." He put an arm around her waist, watching as her eyes shone in the moonlight. Although he found her beautiful no matter what, he couldn't push aside the thought that she looked better in the daylight.

"It's.... I can't even describe it." She leant forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

He couldn't help but look up at the stars, "Bob says hello." Next to him, Annabeth giggled with tears in her eyes. "That's not funny." Percy looked up, thanking Artemis for the perfection of the night sky. He didn't notice Annabeth silently crying until she let out a broken sob.
"Wise Girl? Oh shoot, did I do something? Was it about Bob- Dam I'm so sorry I should've known that it wasn't a good time- Do you need-"