Assorted Character Oneshots

Tenuous Strain - Percy Jackson

Summary: These four had been questing together since the beginning, watching out for each other, and saving each others asses on numerous occasions. But there had been growing strain between the ravenette and his companion. This was a strain unlike the others the group had come to face before, it was so much more than they were used to, and it was getting in the way.

Triggers: smut

Word count: 3186

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and ___ were clearing up their camp that they had set up the night before, each lugging up their own bags into their hands or onto their shoulders. There was tension hanging thickly in the air. A look passed between Annabeth and Grover as the other two Demigods made it a point to avoid the others gaze.

As they started their trek for the day, the two stayed far away from one another, not speaking so much as a word to one another. The longer this went on, the more frustrated Annabeth became. Finally, on the tail end of the day, she had had enough and turned to face the two with a huff. "Look, I know you two fought last night and you're both still upset, but you need to pull your heads out of your asses and deal with it or put it aside until we get back to camp. We have one last place to stop on this quest and then we'll be home."

Grover quietly agreed as the two finally met each others hardened gazes. "Fine. We'll hash it out at camp. If you can last that long," Percy spoke at ___ for the first time today.

"Fine. Whatever. Let's just get this over with." ___ replied with a huff.

The tension had lessened, not by much, but at least the pair would look at each other now. The group journeyed on until they found their final destination, Mt Olympus. They didn't stay long, but the love goddess noticed the two figures being unusually quiet. She kept a close eye on them as Annabeth did most of the talking. Before the four departed, she pulled ___ aside and tried to tease the information from them.

"Oh don't give me that look, I could sense you two from across the room! You're both just writhing with delicious desire and you need to do something about it before it gets you killed. I could always give you a little something to make it easier."

___ gave her a look, "You're just trying to stir up drama so you have something to watch. I don't want anything from you and there's nothing to sense except my absolute annoyance with his arrogance."

Aphrodite scoffed, punctuating it with a condescending chuckle. "You don't know more than I about this very subject. And besides, you're both adults now. Why didn't you just turn nineteen? A feat for a demigod. Why not celebrate it in the most ancient way possible? Before there were festivities and celebrations, there was se-"

"I said no!" They quickly interrupted. The thought made their ears go red at the tips.

"Fine, but mark my words, someone will snap him up soon and you'll regret it forever more." And with that, the goddess took her leave, stalking back into the throne room.

Goddess or not, ___ couldn't believe she'd be so bold and rash especially when she was so so wrong. In all her millennia of doing this, one would think she would be better about reading people's feelings. They told themself this amongst other things as they caught up to the other three in the elevator, avoiding the questioning looks and annoyed glare they were thrown. They couldn't help but feel stiff standing there in the enclosed space, barely room to breathe with what it felt like.

Once they reached the lobby once again, they quickly made it outside, breathing a bit heavier than normal. They avoiding yet more concerned glances before noticing the car that stood before them. One the street ahead was parked an old style bug car, the driver a familiar multi eyed face. The four looked relieved before realizing there were only two seats in the back left, Argus taking up the front seat entirely. It was honestly a wonder how he fit into such a small car. The four looked at each other, Grover and Annabeth sharing a look before gunning it into the seats, locking the doors behind them as Percy and ___ descended on the doors trying to open them.