Abandoned- a pertemis story Ψ ☑️

Homeward. Chapter 24

We all enjoying the story? Who am I kidding, of course you are!
Then again you'll probably skip this part so...
Enjoy I guess- Internet Head

ΦArtemisΦ
I stopped the car in some park. I had been driving for so long I had actually forgotten which state we were in.
I looked at the passenger seat where an unconscious Percy sat.
I furrowed my brow in concern as he twitched.
He looked like he was having a terrible dream, and I knew demigods had the worst dreams ever.
I tentatively reached over and took his hand, hoping that it might calm him just a little.
Unfortunately that seemed to be the time he wanted to wake up so I immediately yanked my hand back.
He yawned and rubbed his eyes, looking tired.
He looked at me and smiled a little.
"How are you feeling?" He asked sleepily.
"I'm okay, more now since we managed to get those medical supplies. I'm more worried about you." I admitted, looking at him with worry.
"Oh yeah... did you... give me something?" He asked, blinking slowly.
I smiled a little. I had given him anesthetics and they had made him surprisingly truthful.
So far he had called the car "wack" and also painfully described how pretty my hair was.
It was embarrassing. Alexus had rolled her eyes at me and continued to feel Carmen up for broken bones.
I nodded to Percy "I did. Now you tell nothing but the truth." I told him.
He didn't look surprised. Maybe he was too tired. He rubbed an eye "that makes sense."
I smiled a little "sure it does." I stared at him, enjoying his tired face.
He gingerly grabbed onto my sleeve and looked up at me "I was kind of terrified of you when we first met." He admitted.
I furrowed my brow "good. You should've been nothing other than afraid for your life." I said but didn't know if it really should be true or not.
I didn't want him to be afraid of me anymore. That was a sobering thought. The only people who I ever wanted around me were my Hunters and maybe my brother once in a millennia.
Percy couldn't see my inner turmoil so he plowed on "and then we started to talk a little..." he murmured, snuggling his face into my arm "and then-and then Annabeth died and I felt so alone..."
He was silent for a while. I couldn't respond, I didn't know what to say.
He sniffed "but at least you were there... you became a good friend to me..." I stared down at him in disbelief. I felt an odd twinge in my chest at that.
I swallowed hard as he looked up at me and put my hand to his warm cheek "now all I want to do is be with you... I want to be small and I want you to hold me close where it's warm and safe..." he confessed softly.
I cleared my Throat, looked away, and tried to stop thinking about how earnest his sea green eyes were.
I wanted to move my hand but at the same time I didn't. His skin was soft and warm.
I was still speechless. How was I supposed to respond to that?
"Percy..." I began slowly, swallowing my pride.
"I know you probably hate me now... and you don't think of me as a friend... I just wanted you to know..." he murmured and was soon back asleep again, dropping my hand.
I stared down at him with a lump in my throat.
I clenched a hand down on the steering wheel. I wanted to say something, anything, but it was too hard.
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to close myself off from those pesky emotions again.
I can't afford to be frivolous with my feelings. I've got a job to do.
I told myself, closing my eyes for a moment.
Alexus leaned forward "that's some heavy stuff." She remarked, looking almost impish with that small smug smile of hers.
"If your idea of revenge is ridiculing me for this then you simply must have a cruel sense of humor." I replied, crossing my arms.
Alexus shrugged, still with that smug look "sorry, mom, but this is hilarious. Somebody actually fell in love with you, a man hating goddess of chastity. I honestly can't wait to see what you do." Her smug look only intensified.
I flushed "he is not in love with me!" I said, a bit too loudly.
"No he definitely is. He's falling for you pretty hard." My annoying "child" responded, clearly enjoying my panic a little too much.
I shook my head "it would do you well to shut the Hades up."
Alexus just snickered. I could have sworn if she wasn't some kind of daughter to me I would've thought she came from Hades himself.
Alexus turned around and continued to tend to Carmen, who seemed to be just as much as -if not more- truthful as Percy.
He looked up at her with a stupid smile on his face that I could tell Alexus was trying hard to ignore "y'know..." he muttered "...I really like you, you know that?"
Alexus stared hard at his chest which she was currently giving attention because she seemed to have found a break.
"...I like you a lot... though I would never tell you because you'd kill me..." he murmured, his expression becoming kind of sad.
Alexus stared so hard that I feared she might burn a hole through him.
"Your really cool... and resourceful... and nicer than people give you credit for. It's not fair! Your so nice!" He mumbled and Alexus closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her mouth set in a hard line.
I smirked as I watched this. Is this my revenge?
Carmen gave her that stupid smile again "and your really cute...super pretty." He said, almost so quiet I couldn't hear.
I could definitely hear Alexus though as she had flushed a deep scarlet and made a startled yelp at that.
She completely turned away from him and hid her face in her hands.
I couldn't stop smiling. Tit for tat, Alexus. Eye for an eye... I thought with satisfaction.
I lightly rapped the steering wheel "I'll drive for another hour or so, then it's your turn." I said to Alexus.
She didn't respond, her face still beet red.
I sighed internally as I began to move out of my parking space, almost dreading the moment we would arrive in Camp Half-Blood.
From what Percy had told me it wouldn't be a fun place to go back to.
I looked at him and that familiar twinge in my gut started up again, this time more painful.
I reached out a hand and ran it through his hair. I'm sorry Percy... we have to go back... I'm sorry...