𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

99

After a while, Hadrian's feet felt like Titan mush. He marched along, following Bob, listening to the monotonous slosh of liquid in his cleaning bottle.

Stay alert, he told himself, but it was hard. His thoughts were as numb as his legs. From time to time, Percy tried to joke; but Hadrian could tell the dark landscape was getting to him as well. His eyes had a dull sheen—like his spirit was being slowly extinguished.

He fell into Tartarus to be with you, said a voice in his head. If he dies, it will be your fault.

No. Hadrian refused. He'd rather die before he let something as beautiful as Percy be extinguished from existence.

"Stop it," he said aloud.

Percy frowned. "What?"

"No, not you." He mumbled a little embarrassed. "Talking to myself. This place... it's messing with my mind. Giving me dark thoughts."

The worry lines deepened around Percy's sea-green eyes. Hadrian's eyes snaked down his figure until they landed on his forearm. 

"Your tattoo" He said, desperate to change the subject. "Kelli seemed terrified of it"

A trident was etched on his skin, the symbol of Neptune, no doubt. Along with the letters SPQR and a horizontal line. Hadrian had seen something similar with Jason, though he'd never asked what it meant. Jason's tattoo was an eagle and he had twelve lines instead of Percy's one. 

"The Romans are..." Percy searched for a word, "Intense"

"What does it mean? SPQR?"

"Senatus Populusque Romanus" Percy recalled, his green eyes stuck on his forearm. "Reyna told me it's like the Romans' motto"

"What's a motto?" Hadrian grinned. 

"Nothing, what's a motto with you" Percy joined in. 

Hadrian was so fucking grateful for Percy, if it had been anyone else with him, he didn't see how he would have the will to survive. He might have even left the other and gone alone on his search for Kira. 

"I've always wanted to get a tattoo" Hadrian mused out loud, "Maybe something symbolic, or just plain stupid"

"You should get a sun" Percy blurted. Then he looked down, embarrassed, "I mean, obviously you don't have to, but, a sun would be great"

"Kira" 

Hadrian forced himself to look away. He hated how well Percy had come to know him. A sun. How had he never thought of that? Why did Percy Jackson have to be so infuriatingly, annoyingly good looking as well as a great person?

"Hey, Bob, where exactly are we heading?" He diverted his attention to the titan. 

"The lady," Bob said. "Death Mist."

 "But what does that mean? Who is this lady?"

"Naming her?" Bob glanced back. "Not a good idea."

Hadrian sighed. The Titan was right. Names had power, and speaking them here in Tartarus was probably very dangerous.

"Can you at least tell us how far?" he asked.

"I do not know," Bob admitted. "I can only feel it. We wait for the darkness to get darker. Then we go sideways."

"Sideways," Hadrian muttered. "Naturally."

He was tempted to ask for a rest, but he didn't want to stop. Not here in this cold, dark place. The black fog seeped into his body, turning his bones into moist Styrofoam.