The Stories of Our Heroes

Bothered

Annabeth's POV

Setting: New Rome, Percabeth's college years

I was becoming increasingly more bothered by Percy lately. That was really the only word I could use to describe it. A mix of worried, annoyed, maybe a little scared, and upset could be summed up in one little word: bothered.

It wasn't the nightmares that bothered me. He didn't bother me when he'd sit straight up in fear in the middle of the night. The flashbacks and moments of needing to sit down didn't bother me. His trembling hands and broken eyes didn't bother me. I was used to all of this. More than used to it, ready for it. I know he witnessed the same things from me. We were always there for each other when these things happened. But that's what bothers me: he's shutting me out.

I didn't think much of it when he woke up one night with a wild look in his eye, covered in sweat. I didn't think anything was out of the ordinary when he moved away from my touch and flinched at my voice. I didn't think anything of it when he got out of bed and went straight to sit at the kitchen table. I didn't think anything of it when he wouldn't meet my eyes or tell me what was troubling him. I even didn't think anything of it when he spent the rest of the night on the couch. I thought he needed some space for a little while, and I was fine to give it to him.

But when nothing was different in the morning, I was a little bothered.

"You okay?" I asked, sitting next to him on the couch, wrapping both of my arms around one of his.

"Fine," he answered with no emotion.

"You don't seem like it." I tried to brush a lock of hair out of his face, but he stood up abruptly.

"Annabeth, it's nothing," he snapped.

I'll admit, I was a bit shocked with his behavior. Most of me wanted to stand up and argue that it most definitely was not "nothing" and he wasn't supposed to act like this. But a part of me said that it was a rough night and he wasn't acting out of line. Anyway, if I wanted to be left alone for a little bit, I'd be angry if he kept pestering me.

"Okay," I responded evenly. He looked at me for a moment and a weird look crossed his face. Almost like he had realized what just happened. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned around and walked away. Soon we both went to class for the day and I didn't bring it up again. Even though I hadn't got my morning kiss goodbye.

That was a good month ago now, and we'd been living together in this apartment for about two. It wasn't anything fancy or big, but I liked it. Percy and I hadn't actually looked at before we moved in. Frank and Reyna picked it out for us and promised it would suit us. I was content, but for some reason Percy wasn't. He never said anything, but the first time we walked in, he looked around with a look I couldn't read on his face. But it had soon passed and he had smiled at me like everything was perfect. And I had believed him. Now I wasn't so sure.

******

The nightmares were getting more frequent, and every time I felt him push me farther away. I ignored the ache in my chest when he went to the bathroom with tears dripping down his face instead of curling up in my arms. I pretended it didn't hurt when I heard the door click. I told myself to go back to sleep instead of waiting up for him to be done. But I didn't. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer when he came out and headed for the couch instead of the bed.

"Please come back," I pleaded, my voice hoarse. I hated how pathetic I sounded. But the pain in my chest was overriding my brain. Percy paused without looking at me. I held my breath for what seemed like forever. He slowly turned around and walked towards me. He climbed onto his side of the bed... and stayed there. His hand didn't brush mine, he didn't wrap his arm around me, he didn't even touch his feet against mine under the blankets.