Eventually (percico)

Chapter Two

Percy unsheathed Riptide, and took a defensive position. Annabeth did the same except her defensive hand held a gold dagger. He lunged at her first, but she easily dodged his attack, and swung at his chest. Percy barely missed her blade, leaping out of the way at the precise last second. He tried to swing at her legs to trip her, but Annabeth sidestepped, and spun around, her gold hair flying wildly in Percy's face, and she struck his chest with the hilt of her sword. Percy lost his balance for a second, but immediately recovered, swinging Riptide wildly in every which way. Each time Percy swung, Annabeth easily blocked it with her blade, and tried to swipe at him with her dagger. Percy was only just fast enough to dodge her dagger. She paused only for a second, but Percy took that as a chance to knock her dagger out of her hand. Annabeth gasped, and immediately swung back at Percy, over and over until she knocked his sword out of his hand. Annabeth grabbed a fistful of his shirt, jerking him towards her, their lips inches apart. Percy remained oblivious to the fact that she had pressed her sword lightly into the side of his neck.

"Don't let your enemy distract you right?" Annabeth whispered, her voice like syrup.
"I think I win." Annabeth smiled smugly at him.

Usually, Percy would stop here, and give up, but today was just not one of those days. Percy knocked her sword out her grip with his forearm, wincing slightly as the blade sliced across his arm, and before she reacted, he sprinted towards Riptide, grabbing the sword, but nearly tripping over his own feet. When he whipped around to face her, she looked bemused, a tight smirk set on her lips.

"You really think you can win?" Annabeth asked incredulously, calmly picking up her sword. Percy shrugged his shoulders, and, swinging Riptide over his head to gain power, lunged at Annabeth, who was completely taken back by his speed and shear power. She fought still, her eyes narrowed, and she tried to strike, but Percy knew her too well. When Annabeth got like this, her emotions could easily control her, and that's when she didn't think before she acted. Like now, her strike was weak and at a misangle, and she hadn't kept her guard up. Percy met her sword, and using his free hand, grabbed her wrist, and twisted around, taking her sword with him. Annabeth stood in front of him, bewilderment clear on her face.

"No, I win." Percy smiled smugly, holding both Riptide and her sword. He watched Annabeth's expression change. Her raised eyebrows gradually lowered into a crease and her open mouth morphed into a deep and unsatisfied frown. Percy's heart dropped when he saw the final product of her expression. She looked hurt and angry, but most of all, she looked betrayed, as if he did something he shouldn't have.

"You let me win before." Annabeth pushed Percy away roughly, gesturing an accusing finger to him. Percy dropped her sword at her feet, and sheathed Riptide as an attempt to seem less threatening.

"What? No I didn't. And you didn't win." Percy tried to say calmly, but the fact that he had pointed out that she hadn't won the game, made her more furious. Her eyes narrowed and she threw her hands in the air.

"You can't let me win, and then change your mind 'cause you don't wanna lose." Annabeth yelled, covering her face.

"Annabeth, it's not all a game that has a clear winner; that's not a relationship." Percy immediately regretted what he said, and clenched his teeth, trying not to show that he was actually scared of her. When she uncovered her face, her face was red and puffy and lined with fresh tears. Half of Percy wanted to comfort her, and give up the ground for which he walked upon. But the other half wanted to stand his ground against her. Percy attempted to embrace her, but Annabeth scoffed and pushed him away with a force he didn't expect.

"You don't have the right to tell me how a relationship works, Jackson." Annabeth pointed an accusing finger at him, her hand slightly shaking.

"I think you're blowing this out of proportion. It's not that big of a deal." Percy tried. He folded his arms in front of him as a protective shield from her, but he still felt like she could see right through him, taking note of every detail he was desperately trying to hide.

"It's not about the individual incident. It's about the build-up. These incidents build up, until I can't ignore them." Annabeth, even in a state of sobbing anger, was still able to put truth in her words. Percy didn't care. He scoffed at her response, wanting to outdo her.

"Well, I'm sorry that a daughter of Athena always has to win the nonexistent game she made for herself." Percy yelled back at her. Annabeth looked a bit taken back, but quickly recovered, throwing another shot at him without hesitation.

"Percy, it's only a game if two play it, and you have played it. So, you stop blaming me for everything, because it's as much your fault as it is mine. You're the one who made it a game." Annabeth's hair caught in the wind, which lifted it perfectly off of her shoulders. And for once, Percy saw her not as beautiful, but as dangerous and terrifying. Perhaps it was her eyes. They always were the fierce grey of a storm brewing, but her eyes looked so much different during the actual storm. She lost that beautiful adventurous glint in her eyes when she was like this. Her eyes just looked dark, like a void that could suck up souls. Percy hated that he couldn't say anything to her because she always outwitted him.

"Well, love isn't a game, and it sure as hell doesn't have a winner. So what's it gonna be?" Percy was pleased that he managed to say something that sounded decently intelligent, as Annabeth's eyes flickered to the ground for a moment before returning to meet his own with a harsh gaze.

"You know, Jackson? The Percy I know isn't like this. He doesn't hurt people, he raises them up. So, come back to me when you find him." Annabeth starting turning to walk away, but she gave Percy one last side-glance that made Percy feel like he was on the edge of a cliff and she was the one pushing him off. Maybe it was just the redness from crying, but her eyes looked nearly bloodshot.

Annabeth could scare Percy sometimes, not from what she did, but more of what she didn't do. She could remain silent for hours, unwilling to talk, and when she finally did talk, she let absolutely everything out like a dam that suddenly broke. She spoke fast in times like those, spewing words left and right, so that Percy barely had time to register what she was saying, let alone react to it. That made her angrier. Her temper and pride often got to her. Percy wouldn't admit it, but her ambition to win the horrible game that she and Percy always set off to play absolutely terrified him.

He stared at Annabeth's sword, still lying in the dirt. His reflection was distorted by the slight curve of the blade and the dirt that lined the hilt and blade. Percy picked up the sword, and gripped it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He turned to face a wooden dummy, and slashed horizontally with all the power he could muster. Percy drove the sword right through the dummy, where it's heart would be if it was a living, breathing creature. He left Annabeth's sword there, stuck inside the dummy, and walked towards his own cabin. Once he opened the cabin door, he was met with the same image of a plain bed, a small Hippocampus mobile above it. He didn't know what else he expected, or rather who else.

Percy would never admit it, but the idea of talking to someone who wasn't Annabeth was dawning on him. Nico was the first person to pop into his head, but he wasn't sure that was the best choice. Still, he found himself at the Hades cabin, pursing his lips and hoping that Nico would be inside.

Percy rolled his eyes at his own cowardice, and forced his legs to move forward. He tapped the door lightly, but there was an obvious silence on the other end. Percy waited a bit, biting his lip in deep thought. He knocked on the door again. Silence. Percy shook his head. What was he even thinking going there? Nico would surely not want to see him. Just the way he acted earlier proved that. Percy let out a deep sigh, and looked up to the darkening sky. Percy had a terrible habit of looking elsewhere as he walked, which often caused him to run into a plethora of things. From doors to trees to people. Especially that last one. But Percy often couldn't help himself. He found the sky mesmerizing. Like how one moment it was a bright blue, a happy blue, and the next it was a royal deep blue, and then a pitch black void. The sky was like a moody teenager, Percy thought, chuckling to himself. As he continued walking clumsily, taking his sweet time, he roughly bumped into a small figure.

"Oh, sorry." Percy said absent-mindedly, only looking away from the sky after he finished his sentence. His eyes doubled in size at the sight of the ruffled brown hair and eyes that could shine even in the dark. Percy felt the corners of his lips perk up ever so slightly. And maybe he was mistaken, or it was just the light, or lack thereof, but Nico looked as if he was grinning to see him as well.