Tortured Hearts

Chapter 4

Song: Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! At the Disco

2 Years Later

Apollo POV

It was ready. After two years, Percy and I had finally come up with a master plan. With the help of Tartarus, we were going to invade Camp Half-Blood and gain recruits.
I went to the entrance of Tartarus and waited for Percy. After about twenty minutes, he appeared. He looked different than when I last saw him two years ago. We had talked but we never Iris messaged, so I never saw his face.
His eyes had changed from their usual sea green to a deep ruby red and instead of the usual camp shirt and jeans I was accustomed to him wearing, he wore a blood-red, v-neck shirt, black skinny jeans, and black converse, all of this a result of Tartarus giving him his blessing.
As soon as he appeared, I ran to him and engulfed him in an enormous hug. I pulled back after a while and he pecked me on the lips.
"I missed you, Seaweed Brain," I said.
"I missed you, too, Sunny," he replied.
I was about to question him about what he had been doing this last week when I heard someone clear their throat. I looked behind Percy to see Tartarus, standing in front of a monster army, looking slightly annoyed.
"We have to go. No time for dilly-dallying, ladies," said Tartarus.
"Hey! We're not ladies," said Percy.
"You could've fooled me," Tartarus answered, snarkily.
I slapped Percy to halt the faces he made behind Tartarus' back and we began our trek out of the Underworld.

Percy POV

I was so glad to see Apollo again. It seems like every time I see him, I feel warm and fuzzy inside and I get tunnel vision, how I used to feel with Annabeth. After Annabeth died, I felt lonely and depressed, but as soon as Apollo walked through the door to the dungeonon that first day, I felt lighter and more hopeful.
I was pulled back to the present by running into the back of Apollo. I looked ahead to see Tartarus standing by the entrance to the Underworld. I walked forward to stand by him, Apollo following close behind.
I saw him begin to chant, lifting both mine and his banishments that kept us here. It took months and months of prep to be able to cast the enchantment, as it took both of our powers. By the end of his chanting, I was so weak that Apollo was literally holding me up. Tartarus was leaned up against the wall, sweat adorning his brow. It took almost two hours but the entrance eventually opened, revealing the wide streets of Los Angeles and our escape. I was on the edge of consciousness and I could feel Apollo carrying me bridal style through the entrance, to the street that lay ahead. I looked up and saw the shadows begin to surge towards us, but then all was black.

Apollo POV

As we were about to shadow travel, Percy passed out. The shadows consumed us and eventually gave way to a road with a "pick your own strawberries" sign. I put Percy in his tent and began to walk towards Tartarus. Unlike Percy, Tartarus had fully recovered and was ordering monsters around, trying to set up camp. I stood at his side, waiting for him to finish giving orders. When he was finished, I tried to get his attention.
" When will we march on the camp," I asked.
He turned around.
"We'll march tomorrow, it gives us more of a chance to catch them by surprise," he replied.
I nodded and went to check on Percy. The monsters had set up a black tent for Percy and I to share until we stormed the camp. I stooped over to enter the tent and saw Percy passed out on a small cot with his arm hanging over the edge and drool on his chin.
I smiled at how peaceful he looked when he slept, all of the worry lines left his face and his normally tense body relaxed. I walked over and sat at the edge of his cot and watched him sleep, his breaths slow and even, until I left to find dinner.
I travelled to one of the supply tents and grabbed two apples and two bottles of water from the food I had been shipping in over the months Percy and I had been planning and preparing for battle. I strolled back to my tent to see Percy wide awake and sitting up. I gave him an apple and a bottle of water and sat on the cot across from him. He took a few sips of the water and bit into the Apple. He quickly chewed and took another bite, devouring the apple before I had even taken two bites of mine. He finished his water just as quickly and proceeded to sit quietly. I turned my attention back to my lunch and finished it a few minutes later. I looked up from my apple core to see Percy's eyes shamelessly trailing my body. I blushed under his intense gaze and he reluctantly looked away.

Percy POV

When Apollo walked into the tent, I couldn't help but stare at him. It had been so long since I had seen his face. Although I'd heard his voice, I longed to see his perfectly chiseled features. I quickly finished my lunch and began staring at Apollo.
My eyes roamed from his handsome face and slowly trailed down his muscled torso and long legs. My eyes lingered on his torso for a while before I looked up to see Apollo's cheeks lightly dusted with pink. I stared at him for a minute more before reluctantly looking away. I began to think about the battle to come and I felt my eyes begin to droop.
"You should go to bed, Perce," said Apollo.
"Ok," I replied drowsily.
I lay down on my cot and felt my eyelids go heavy until I couldn't keep them open any longer. I drifted off into a dream less sleep.

AN: I'M OFFICIALLY ON SUMMER BREAK. I just finished my freshman year and I've never felt more accomplished but summer reading is horrible. But at least I'm officially 15 so that's something, driver's permit here I come. Anyway, I'm sorry for the infrequent updates but I wanted to update now because I will be somewhere with little to no internet access for the next few days and I had planned on updating towards the end of the week. Sorry for any issues, I wrote this chapter on my phone. Also, I just bought two Panic At the Disco cds and that's what I'm listening to while writing this and it's lit🔥👌 (I'll go home)

Anyway, hope you like this update, even though not much happens. Prepare yourself the next chapter might be a little heartbreaking but I'll give you a sneak peek: Nico.

Hope you have an amazing day, week, month, year, life and I will talk to you guys in the next update.

~Emily

(I don't own any characters, they belong to Rick Riordan.)