Elysium

N O T E D I T E D
This was written years ago.

Elysium: (one-shot I made bc I was bored)

Percy rolled around, slowly stood up, and groaned. His head is throbbing, but he did his best to ignore the dizziness. He was confused, one moment he was fighting side by side with Nico Soalce and the next, he's lying down, resting peacefully.

He looked around and his mouth opened in surprise. The place is beautiful, more beautiful than anything he has ever seen. He faintly wondered what happened and how he got to this place but he shook it off and just enjoyed the beautiful marble pillars, gold-like hallway, calming music sung in chorus coming from somewhere far away, and a marvelous view of a garden that seems to stretch on for miles and miles with different kinds of flowers and trees. Percy made a mental note to check the gardens next after he explored this mysterious heaven-like palace.

Where am I? He asked himself as he kept walking in what seems like an endless loop around the place.

You served the gods well, young hero. Says a calming voice from somewhere.

"That didn't really answer my question, but I guess I'm always happy to be the almighty butler of the gods." Muttered Percy under his breath.

You may rest now, young hero.

The voice was so calming he almost did exactly what the voice said and rest in the the middle of nowhere, but he decided against it. And walked around.

He felt like he should be doing something but for the love of blue pancakes he couldn't remember it.

Percy kept walking.

He walked around the place for what felt like hours, looking for a sign or clue for him to point out just exactly where he is right now. After he found no clue, he walked around the beautifully designed gardens, wondering what he should be do instead of wasting his time walking around.

Then, he stopped when he saw a tall figure with long blond hair up in a ponytail, taking care of an...owl? Aren't owls supposed to be nocturnal?

He cocked his head to the side and wondered who she was.

The girl turned around and he almost gasped, the girl...no, woman, is strikingly beautiful, almost as beautiful as the place he is in right now, if not more.

I remember her...But from where? He asked himself.

She approached him with strikingly gray eyes full of tears. But as he observed her, he realized they weren't tears of sadness; they were of joy. She looked at him as if she waited for him to come to this safe haven for years.

Percy suddenly felt the strong urge to envelope her in a warm hug. But he stopped himself. How could he? He doesn't know her, not even her name.

But he felt like he missed her and waited for her for eons.

The girl looked to be around in her mid 20's, just as old as he is.

"Wh-who are you?" Percy suddenly asked.

"I'm the one who took care of you when you were out cold." She said, it looks like she's disappointed that he doesn't know her.

Doesn't remember her. Percy corrected himself, he knows this woman.

A moment of silence where both Percy and the stranger are just observing each other. Percy, with a look of confusion, and wonder. The woman, with a look of love and nostalgia.

Then she broke the silence, "You drool when you sleep." She huskily said, letting a traitorous tear slip from her eyes. She wiped her eyes and chuckled as if there was some inside joke between the two of them in that one sentence.

Percy didn't understand.

Then the beautiful woman smiled at him and hugged him.

Percy was confused but hugged her back none the less. Her hug felt familiar, suddenly after hours of feeling confused and uncomfortable in this labyrinth, he felt at home and peaceful in her arms. The erratic beating of his heart and the throbbing in his head all came to a stop as she held him in her arms.

He ignored every question that has been troubling him ever since he came here and relaxed in the comfort of her touch.

He kept repeating the sentence over and over again in his head. 'You drool when you sleep' it sounded so familiar and nostalgic, Percy couldn't help but hug the girl tighter. The sentence was the first thing Annabeth told him.

"Annabeth." He whispered in realization.

And suddenly just like strong waves, everything came crashing back to him. The inside jokes, the quests, their late night talks, the look she always gives him whenever he makes a sarcastic joke, the silly little fights they had, the love they used to share. Every single memory came crashing back, good and bad.

He remembered her, and he hated himself for forgetting.

How could he forget someone who meant the world to him? Who is the world to him? How could he forget everything that they went through?

Percy hugged Annabeth so tight but she doesn't mind, in fact, she actually hugged him back just as hard. Annabeth choked on a sob and that was Percy's undoing. He hid his head on the crook of her neck, let a few tears slip, and cried. How could he not? He lost her years ago in the giant war and he hated himself for it. Everyday he would wait for her as if she would be back, but he knows she wouldn't.

"I missed you so much, Wise Girl." Percy said looking straight into her stormy gray eyes, trying not to make his voice break.

Annabeth chuckled through the tears at the old nickname, it's been too long since she'd been called that. She broke away from the hug, and held his hand. She led him through the long hallway and stopped in front of a large door with golden pillars on both sides.

Percy held her face and pulled her closer to him, as he softly pressed his lips against her he couldn't help but smile. There she was, the the witty girl he fell in love with, the daughter of Athena, the fighter, the wise girl.

His Wise Girl.

The kiss wasn't full of lust or hunger, it was sweet and innocent. The kiss of a person who missed someone dearly, the kiss of someone welcoming a loved one back, the kiss that proves how much Percy loves Annabeth Jackson.

Annabeth pulled back and rested her forehead against Percy's. And, with a genuine smile she held the door handles and said: "Welcome to Elysium, our new home, Seaweed Brain."

Then, Annabeth opened the door.