Percy POV
Staying with the Avengers definitely did help a little bit. I started to feel a little bit of closure, not only with the recent battles and the torture, but just with myself. After the first war, I didn't even get any time to relax before I was thrown into the next one. I fought a war, was kidnapped, unconscious for some time, and then forced to go on a quest, fight another mini war, and then get thrown into the big war against Gaea.
It was a lot to handle.
We weren't completely better, I can tell you that much. I was still weary of everyone. I would get panic attacks that only Annabeth could pull me out of. I hated how I would get startled at even the smallest of sounds. I'm always checking my back to make sure that nothing is there to attack me. The gods have tried to protect us from the monster attacks, we're barely getting any, but even that's not enough to get me off my edge.
Annabeth was the same as well. She'd get these horrible panic attacks when she doesn't see me for a while, being reminded of all the times we were separated down there and when she went blind. I hate getting the panic attacks the most. I'm so terrified of getting a panic attack because it makes me feel like I'm being suffocated. It gets hard to breathe and I get this pain in the middle of my chest that someone just put a heavy weight over it. I'm gasping for air and my vision starts to get spotty. Somewhere along the line, I can tell that Annabeth's holding onto me and saying things, but nothing she's saying seems to register.
I'm just trying so hard to breathe.
When Annabeth and I went to bed that night together, I couldn't even get myself to fall asleep. All I could do was see things in the shadows that seemed to grow and warp itself around my room. The floor was creaking loudly, making me itch to get my pen. Annabeth's arm was around me and, yes I was glad she was sleeping, but that was freaking me out as well. I felt like I didn't have the range of movement that I needed. I refused to put the blanket over me for the same reason.
Annabeth finally turned around in her sleep and was laying down on the other side, meaning she was no longer hugging me. I slipped out of the bed, pulled Riptide out of my pocket and made my way out of the room. I was slowly walking through the halls, my eyes darting back and forth as I tried to absorb as much of my surroundings as I possibly could.
I don't even know what I was seeing, or, for lack of a better explanation, what I was not seeing. Monsters were everywhere. I was just pulled out of my cell and being dragged over to the next fight. I couldn't win this. I couldn't do this. Annabeth was in the other room, away from me, being tortured. Her screams were ringing in my ears.
I was clawing at the chains wrapped over my hands. "Let go of me! Let go of me!"
"—Percy, Percy!"
"Are you ready to fight me, young godling? Will I finally be your match. The slayer of the monster of the gods?"
"—Percy! You're at the tower! You're safe!"
"You won't get away from me young godling, I will make you feel pain—"
"—You're not there Percy!—"
"Can you hear her screams, Perseus? You're what's causing them—"
"Percy! You're okay Percy. Just listen to my voice."
Someone's voice that I vaguely recognized was talking louder than the monsters. I could hear them. They were there. That means I wasn't there.
"What?" I gasped, trying to get a bearing again.
"You're okay Percy. Can you name three things that you can see or touch?"
"Um, um, there's the uh, floor. I can feel your shirt I think."
"You're doing great Percy. Just one more thing."
"Uh, it smells like rose candles."
"Good, that's really good."
"Where are we? Who are you?"
The voice of the person paused for a second. My vision was starting to get a little less spotty, but it was still very blurry.
"Um, I'm Tony Stark. We're at the tower."
Damn it. I thought it was Annabeth. I didn't mean to wake anyone up.
"Oh, oh my gods Tony, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"Hey, no apologizing okay. We all have our issues. No one is going to judge you for that."
I couldn't even get myself to speak. Tears filled my eyes and I tried and failed to choke back a sob.
"Okay," I replied, throwing myself in for a hug. Tony wrapped his arms around me. I never felt more safe.
Safe.
When's the last time I felt that way?
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More Than Just Little Soldiers (PART 2)
FanfictionThe war had ended and all of the demigods had been left to pick up the pieces. For Percy and Annabeth, it was harder than most. The curse had worn off and their bodies had started to heal, but it seemed as if nothing could be done about their mental...
