Percabeth Fluff

Starved for Light (Part Three)

Hey, it's Sophia! I took a short break from writing for a few days because I had finals, but today is my first day of summer! This story was requested by writingforfun222. This is the second part and I will be adding onto it. Trigger warning: This story contains talk of food, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia. Please do not read this if you are sensitive to any of these topics. I myself have struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and body dysmorphia, so I would warn against reading this if you are actively struggling. Also a reminder that not all eating disorders look the same and you are still valid if yours did/does not look like how it is portrayed in this story. I am not in any way, shape, or form promoting eating disorders and body dysmorphia. You can always message me if you need to talk/want support. Please comment if you have any requests, questions, or corrections. Hope you enjoy the story!

-Soph

Percy's POV: 

I woke up during the night to Annabeth thrashing around on the bed. On her face, was a look of pure terror, but she was still asleep. I wrapped my arms around her body and held her. Talking to her softly, in an attempt to wake her up. 

She gasped and jolted awake, almost hitting her head on my chin. 

" Hey Beth, it's okay. I'm right here." I whispered into her ear, tightening my grip on her shaking shoulders. 

Tears began to stream dow her face and I pulled her onto my lap, rocking her back and forth and rubbing her back. 

" I-I was in Tartarus again and I couldn't see you," Her chest heaved with a sob," I thought I lost you again." 

My heart ached as I held her shaking, fragile body to mine. I just wanted her to be okay. I couldn't stand to see her like this. 

Eventually, her tears began to dry up and her chin stopped trembling, but I still held her. I knew neither of us would be able to fall back asleep. This had happened to us many times before and not once had we fallen back asleep after. 

I laid there with my arms around Annabeth until sunlight started to seep through the blinds and someone knocked on the door. I gave her a look that meant Are you good? , and she nodded. 

" Come in!" I called pulling Annabeth up with me. 

Will and Nico walked together holding hands. Will was wearing his usual, orange Camp Half-blood shirt, khaki shorts, and flip-flops. Nico was wearing a black Camp shirt ( that was specially ordered for him by Chiron), black jeans, black converse, and his aviator jacket. Man, that dude wears a lot of black. 

Nico's face was not quite as pale as usual and the bags under his eyes were almost nonexistent. He looked better. I was so worried about him after the battle with Gaia, after all he was my little cousin. 

" Hey guys, sorry if we woke you up." Will said, walking over to the bed. 

" No, it's fine we've been up for a while." I replied.

" I just need to check Annabeth's vitals and then I'll be out of your hair." Will told us. 

Will grabbed a clipboard and wrote a few words down here and there as her listened to Annabeth's heartbeat and took her temperature. 

" All right, I'm done. I'm going to go get us breakfast does anyone want to come with me?" 

" Is it okay if I go help Will really quick?" I asked, looking at Annabeth. 

" Yeah, of course. Go, I'll stay with Nico." She told me. 

" All right then let's go." Will said, as I got up and walked out of the room with him. 

Nico's POV: 

I sat in the chair next to Annabeth's bed and looked at her. I felt bad for her, not so long ago I had been in that same exact position. Terrified of eating anything, always on the verge of passing out whenever I stood up, shaky, weak, vulnerable, fragile. Sometimes I missed how it numbed the pain of everything else, but then I remembered how terrible it was and I don't want to go back anymore. 

"Annabeth, I know that you don't want to get better. I know that it seems easier to just keep getting worse, to let it have you, but I also know that it gets so much better. I didn't want to recover either, but here I am. Nothing could ever make me go back to it now." I told her.

" I hate it. I hate it so much, but at the same time, what will I be without it? I've given my blood, sweat, and tears for this. I starved my body and I ran five miles a day and I did all of that for this, so shouldn't it feel better? Shouldn't I feel accomplished, like I did something?"

" You know, something that helped me a lot was remembering that my eating disorder was not tied to me. It's not who I am and it doesn't determine me. It doesn't get to. My friends and family get to. I get to. Your worth is not in your eating. It's in yourself, it's in you interests, it's up to you to  decide what you're going to let lead you." 

Annabeth looked at me thoughtfully as if she was contemplating my words.

"And, maybe it wasn't all for nothing. I learned some pretty valuable lessons through my struggles with food, maybe it'll be the same for you. Just trust me, things will get better, you just have to want it to." I said. 

Just then, Percy and Will walked back into the room, balancing trays in their hands. Percy set a tray on Annabeth's bed and sat down next to her. Will walked over to me and sat down in the chair besides me handing me a tray as well. 

Annabeth stared at the food in front of her her hands just slightly shaking. Percy grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly. She looked over at me and met my eyes. I nodded at her and she seemed to get my message, It's okay, let yourself eat. 

Annabeth played with the food a little, arranging it in the same way I used to. She picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of scrambled egg. She brought it up to her mouth, and slowly chewed it, hesitating a bit before she swallowed. 

The rest of us began to eat, watching Annabeth as she took another bite, and another, and another. When she finished, she had eaten at least one third of her plate. 

Will and Percy left to take the plates back to the mess hall. When the door closed shut behind them I said," How do you feel?" 

"My stomach is stuffed,  I don't think I could eat anymore for a while." She replied. 

" I know exactly how you feel, but it gets better later on. Don't worry it'll be okay." 

Again, you can always message me if you need to talk/want support. Please comment if you have any requests, questions, or corrections. Hope you enjoyed the story!

-Soph