A Second Chance(A Percy Jackson oneshot)

A Second Chance

Perseus Jackson sat at the bottom of Thalia's tree. His legs were crossed and he had his hands resting folded on his lap, his head against the tree' trunk.
He had his eyes closed, and he was taking deep breathes, but you could see the tears leaking from the corners of his eyes.

Peleus, sensing his distress, crawled over to him, and wrapped around him, surrounding him with warmth and comfort.
Perseus' hand reached down and wrapped around Peleus's neck, relying on Peleus for reassurance that someone was actually there.

He hears the loud sound of a hunting horn being blown, and he knows the Hunt is arriving.
He doesn't pay them any mind, however, and just hold onto Peleus tighter.

He hears the light thudding of the footsteps of the stealthy hunters. He can sense their gazes upon him, both curious and hateful.
He hears the light crunching if leaves and twigs as someone crouches down in front of him. He can feel it in the water molecules in the air that the person is a woman, so a Hunter, and he knows he must not hurt her for bothering him.

"Why so sad, hero?"

He hears her voice, soft and melodic, with that familiar icy tone underlining it.

"Lady Artemis, a pleasure as always."

"Perseus."

Her tone is commanding, he knows he must answer her previous question.

"I cannot stay here any longer."

"Why may that be?"

He opens his eyes for the first time since that morning, and looks at her in the eyes, despite the afternoon sun glaring down on him and trying to blind him as his eyes adjust to the light.
He sees her hunters gather around him, and sit cross-legged on the ground around him.
Thalia stays the farthest away from him, looking at him in disgust, and it tears his loyal heart apart to see his cousin hate him so.

"I cannot stand to see her in pain."

"Her?"

"Annabeth Chase."
He clarifies.

"Your girlfriend?"

"My former girlfriend, yes."

"We told you he wasn't any different than the others, Milady. He is just a boy. He probably broke that poor girl's heart."

"Quiet, Atlanta. Let us hear him out. He is different, I know he is."

She whispers the last sentence, but he hears it as clear as the rest.

"When we were in Tartarus, we had run into Misery. She tried to poison us, kill us. I controlled the poison, and almost choked her to death with her own poison. I was a monster. The very thing I fight, that I loath, I had become, and I hated myself for it. I hated myself even more when she began to fear me. Every time she looked at me, I knew that all she saw was when I choked Akhlys with her own poison. And it killed me. I could not stay around any longer. We both are scarred from that place, but I was causing her more pain, and I wouldn't have that. Besides, she has found new love, in Luke, the returned son of Hermes who came back by the Doors of Death. I want her to be happy, it is all I have ever wanted."

"Kelp Head, I, I didn't know..."

"It is alright, Thalia, no one knew..."

Perseus closed his eyes again, and tools deep breath before opening his eyes and looking straight at the goddess.

"I wanted to go back to my mother and step-father, but they recently had children, twins, two girls, and I will never endanger them if I can prevent it. I will not go there."