𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

102

Bob seriously knew how to use a broom. 

He slashed back and forth, destroying the demons one after the other while Small Bob the kitten sat on his shoulder, arching his back and hissing.

In a matter of seconds, the arai were gone. Most had been vaporized. The smart ones had flown off into the darkness, shrieking in terror.

Percy wanted to thank the Titan, but his voice wouldn't work. His legs buckled. His ears rang. Through a red glow of pain, he saw Hadrian rushing to him. Haflway to Percy, he stumbled. He fell flat on his face and then didn't move. 

"No- Bob-" Percy choked out. Thankfully the Titan understood. He bound over to Hadrian and picked him up before bringing him towards Percy and depositing him on the ground next to him. 

Hadrian still wasn't moving. Percy choked back a sob. 

The Titan touched his forehead. "Owie."

Hadrian gasped for air like he hadn't breathed for a long time. He sat up, clawing at his ribs. Then he frowned and lifted his tshirt or whatever was left of it. The hellhound bite marks were gone. 

He breathed deeply and collapsed again out of sheer joy, "I- I couldn't breathe"

Percy crawled to him. 

Hadrian saw Percy, and a series of expressions flashed across his face—relief, joy, shock, horror.

"What's wrong with him?" he cried. "What happened?"

Percy let him cradle his shoulders and pull him closer. He felt warm, familiar. Percy couldn't help but think about their stuffed toys. The rainbow fish and the shark. Would the demigods on the ship keep their rooms untouched? Would they keep the stuffed animals away? Would they take down the photos Hadrian had stuck to his walls? Would they use his record player?

Hadrian wept into his hair.

Percy wanted to tell him it was okay, but of course it wasn't. He couldn't even feel his body anymore. His consciousness was like a small helium balloon, loosely tied to the top of his head. It had no weight, no strength. It just kept expanding, getting lighter and lighter. He knew that soon it would either burst or the string would break, and his life would float away.

Percy was filled with the sudden need to tell him. Tell him what? Percy wasn't sure himself. He'd caught himself staring at Hadrian's lips, the ripple of muscle in his arms, his collarbones that created wonderful dips, his nose, his eyes, his eyelashes, his cheekbones... Percy was too far gone to make sense of what he was thinking. 

At death's doorstep, Percy could only think of Hadrian. Desire coursed through him, or maybe he was just dying. 

He didn't want to die. 

Percy didn't want to die. Demigod lives never really ended happily, but Percy had fought so many monsters and so many battles, he thought he would make it to adulthood. 

Adulthood. It sounded like a faraway delusional dream. Percy had never paid much attention in school, he was usually too busy fighting monsters. But now he realized he would never have the future. 

He would die here in Tartarus.

"No, no, please-"

Hadrian took his face in his hands. He kissed his forehead. Percy felt like he was dissolving, or maybe that was just the effect Hadrian had on him. 

"Baby" Percy mumbled. It took all the energy in him. 

"Percy?" Hadrian seemed shocked for a second and then realization dawned, "Baby, don't- just hold on? Okay?" He turned back to the Titan, "Bob"