νεκρός || Annabeth Chase x Fem!OC

Vol. 2.5-6: Tempest is an anti-hero

ANNABETH

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I went downstairs to get a midnight snack only to find the TV was missing. I frowned, staring at the empty spot on the TV cabinet where it usually sat. Then I realized my dad's PS2 was also missing, which could only mean one thing.

I ran upstairs, making sure my steps were silent so I didn't wake anyone else up. I silently opened the door to the guest room, searching for Tempest. Sure enough, the bed was shoved into the corner, and in the middle of the floor, she sat about two feet away from the TV (also on the floor) with the PS2 next to it and a very large bag of a variety of candy, like the ones you get for two bucks during Halloween sales at Walmart.

She turned her head to look at me, her purple controller in her hands. "I asked permission."

I closed the door behind me. "I don't care whether you did or didn't."

"You usually feel offended when I do things considered rule-defying," Tempest replied, turning back to her screen. She scooted over on the floor and patted the spot next to her. I sat down, digging into the candy as I watched the screen. She was playing Final Fantasy 7, and clearly seemed enamored by it. I still found it so funny to see her total geek out over something.

"Like your present?" I snickered, gesturing to the TV screen.

She kept playing, making sure to pay attention to the game, but I didn't feel so bad since she answered me fully. "Of course. Really, Anne, this is amazing. It's been a long time since I've settled somewhere long enough that I can play games like this. I'll probably beat this one and the other one you got me, and I'll leave."

I frowned at that. "Wait, leave? You're gonna leave?"

"Anne, I can't stay here forever, y'know," Tempest said. "Surely you know that."

Well, yeah, I knew that. But I was hoping she'd stay with me until the summer session at Camp started. "Yeah, just... I dunno." I blushed, crossing my legs as I focused on the TV screen. I didn't want to vocalize my hopes of Tempest sticking around a little longer. It felt like the longer I was around her, the longer I needed her to stay.

"Can't sleep?" asked Tempest.

"I guess," I shrugged. "I typically can't sleep though."

"Insomnia, or have you just pulled so many late nights and all-nighters, your body is trained for it?" Tempest asked, chuckling softly.

I smiled. "Both. Neither. I dunno, really. It's like I'm never tired, but I'm absolutely exhausted at the same time." I turned to her. "Do you ever feel like that?"

She shoveled a Tootsie Roll in her mouth, wrapper and all. "All the time."

I turned back to the screen. "Why is that?"

"Circumstance," Tempest said, "in my case. What about you?"

I thought about that. Circumstance. My circumstances weren't so great all the time. Every waking minute of every day, I kept thinking about the prophecy. About Luke. My friends. Camp. My family. Kronos. Athena. Olympus. The end of the world. It plagued me, haunting me into this endless dance of work and pain, and all for what?