Heroes of Olympus X reader 1: The Mark of Athena

I fall into my doom

Leo's concern was written all over his face as he rushed towards us, a flurry of questions pouring out. "What's wrong with her? What happened? Are you okay?" His eyes darted between me and Percy, looking for answers.

Percy gently set me down, and I tried to reassure Leo. "I'm alright, Leo. Just a broken foot." My eyes scanned the area for Nico, the worry for him momentarily overshadowing my pain.

Then, I saw him. Without thinking, I pushed through the pain in my foot and ran to him. "Nico!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him in a tight hug. "Y/N, you're crushing me," he said, his voice hoarse but carrying a hint of his usual dry humor.

I loosened my grip, stepping back to give him some space. Seeing him there, a bit worse for wear but alive, was a relief that washed over me like a cool breeze.

As the Argo II sailed onward, the air was thick with the scent of ambrosia, nectar, and, let's be honest, a hint of teen angst. We exchanged our harrowing tales like they were ghost stories around a campfire. Hazel, ever the caregiver, was feeding Nico like he was a particularly stubborn baby bird, and I was munching on ambrosia myself while Percy turned to bandage my foot into an awkward form of arts and crafts.

Then Leo, with all the subtlety of a fireworks display, announced he'd found the Archimedes sphere. My interest piqued immediately. "That's so cool," I exclaimed, momentarily forgetting my throbbing foot. As a daughter of Hephaestus, anything that involved ancient Greek tech was like discussing the latest gadget with me. I'm pretty sure if Archimedes had been alive, I'd be fangirling.

The ship continued its journey, a floating island of misfits and heroes. We were an odd bunch, sure, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more resilient group of demi-gods. As we sailed towards Annabeth, I couldn't help but think of what a strange, painful, yet oddly exhilarating adventure my life had become. Who needs normal when you can have epic battles, ancient artifacts, and the occasional near-death experience?

Reaching the Emmanuel Building was like finally arriving at the last level of a particularly challenging video game. I glanced over at Coach Hedge, who had been itching for some action, and a lightbulb went off in my head. Coach needed a gift, a token of our appreciation for all his... Coach-ness.

So, I turned to him with a mischievous grin and said, "Coach, how about you blast through the parking lot? Consider it a present from me." The look on his face was priceless. It was like telling a kid they could have candy for dinner. His eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and glee, and for a moment, I thought he was going to hug me.

He came close, his arms opening in what could only be described as a moment of satyrly affection, but then thought better of it. Probably didn't want to ruin his tough-guy reputation. Instead, he just nodded vigorously, a wide grin plastered on his face, and headed off to do what he does best - cause a bit of controlled chaos.

Listening to Annabeth recount her ordeal, I felt a chill run down my spine. Her story was more like a horror movie script than anything else. But there was no time to dwell on it, as the floor chose that moment to start collapsing beneath us. Great timing, as always.

"Frank, take Leo to the ship so he can secure the statue!" I shouted, trying to sound more like a leader and less like someone who was internally freaking out. The statue was crucial, and so was Leo's safety. Two birds, one stone.

Then I turned to Jason, who looked ready to take on the world, or at least a collapsing building. "Start flying people up to the ship," I instructed. He nodded, already in action hero mode, scooping up Piper and taking off.

Next, I focused on Hazel, Nico, Percy, and Annabeth. "Go to the ladder," I directed, pointing towards our makeshift escape route. But as they moved, disaster struck - again.

Annabeth stumbled backward, an unseen force pulling her towards the pit of doom. Percy, ever the hero, grabbed her, but they were both overpowered by the force and tumbled into the pit. My heart leapt into my throat as I sprinted to the edge, peering down into the abyss.

There was Percy, clinging to the edge with one hand, holding onto Annabeth with the other. The scene was like something out of a nightmare, except I was wide awake and this was all too real. In that moment, all I could think was, 'Why does it always have to be pits?'

As I clambered down the pit, the pain in my foot screaming in protest with every move, I spotted the source of the problem: a web clinging to Annabeth's leg. Typical. Can't even fall into a pit without getting caught in a spider's web.

Muttering curses under my breath, I pulled out my trusty dagger and sliced through the silk. There I was, hanging by one hand like some sort of deranged acrobat, sending a silent prayer to Hephaestus that I wouldn't plummet to my doom.

Annabeth began her climb to safety, but just my luck, the ledge I was on gave way, and I started falling. In a move that was part heroic, part completely bonkers, Percy let go of the ledge and fell beside me. "What are you doing?!" I screamed at him, because apparently, we were now doing synchronized falling.

Annabeth's horrified face was the last thing I saw before I yelled, "Meet us at the doors of death!" It seemed like a good thing to say at the moment – dramatic, and not entirely hopeless.

Then, in a moment of pure instinct, I grabbed Percy's hand as we continued our descent. Because if you're going to fall into a pit, you might as well do it holding hands with Percy Jackson. Talk about an unforgettable day.

Tartarus, here I come.