tratie one shots, vol. i

[ tomorrow / tw ]

the lovely @TheBringerOfLove requested this shot. i hope it's what you imagined, this was a very heavy one to write. i also hope the ending wasn't too rushed... let me know what y'all think.

obviously, this is a serious shot. so, with that note, take care of yourselves, y'all. i'm here to talk any time <3

tw: suicide attempt/mention, overdose attempt

words: 1645

. . .

A breeze sent a shiver down Travis' back as he gazed at the pills in his hand. Reality crashed into him, hard. His fingers shook as he closed his eyes and prayed to the gods one last time.

Please take care of Katie when I'm gone.

He allowed his mind to dwell on his girlfriend for a moment, knowing he would want to remember her throughout his afterlife in the Underworld. Her crystal clear laugh rang in his ears, providing a flash of joy before the horrifying real life clouded his vision again.

She'd been stabbed. 

The last battle they'd fought took a toll on all of them, and over half the camp had been injured. But Katie paid the largest price. She'd jumped in front of Travis to shield him from the sword coming his way. It went right through her abdomen, and she slashed her own sword through the monster before collapsing. She hadn't gotten back up, or so much as awoken from her blacked out state.

It had been a week.

He could never forgive himself.

The Apollo kids couldn't even take care of her. They had to send her to a hospital in Manhattan, where Travis had spent the first few days. The doctors said she'd have extensive invasive surgeries to even hope of having a chance. Travis was wrecked to the point that Chiron asked Connor to forcibly take him home so he could get rest. 

Travis decided he'd need more than just a rest.

Eighteen pills. That's how many he had in his hand. Eighteen tiny pills of various purposes to come together in one, fuller purpose: to stop the pain, once and for all.

It was the only way.

He sat on the side of the Demeter cabin, back against the wall and palm starting to sweat. He had to take them soon or the capsules would melt on his warm hand. So what was stopping him?

Like a movie, his life flashed before his eyes. 

He'd grown up being the man of the house since his dad left their mom with two kids and no plan. His mom tried to keep Connor and him for as long as she could, but monster after monster attacked them, and Travis couldn't stand being the one to blame for their constant fear. So, he enrolled Connor and himself at Camp Half-Blood at the age of eleven. The rest of his life, he only knew camp and its lifestyle. 

Then, Katie came into the picture. 

A timid girl of twelve, he'd automatically taken to getting under her skin. Their relationship was built upon his endless pranks and her endless screaming at him. But, he wouldn't have had it any other way... until, that is, he noticed he started feeling differently about her.

He hadn't taken more than a day to contemplate the emotions for his enemy before asking her out. He chuckled at the thought of her bewildered agreement. Since that point, they were nearly as inseparable as he and Connor were. 

Then, he remembered the look on her face after the sword pierced her side. Her scream of shocked pain, her strangled grunts as she finished off the monster. He'd dropped everything in the middle of the battle and gripped her tight, watching helplessly as her eyes grew dim and her breath depleted into gasping pants.