𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞: this is erosion
( green - cavetown )
❝ percy says hi ❞
"You're going, aren't you?"
Percy looks up, seeing Deianira standing at the door of Cabin Three. It was the first time she'd been outside the Big House since Thalia's tree was poisoned. Clarisse had been chosen for the quest to find Grover and the Golden Fleece, and when she heard about it, Deianira knew Percy would do anything but sit back and watch.
He opens his mouth to respond, to reassure her that he’ll be fine, but the look in her eyes stops him. She’s scared. He can see it in her eyes, in the way her body is tensed, her hands clenched at her sides. He sighs, knowing there’s no point in trying to lie to her. “I am.” he says quietly, holding her gaze.
"Are you sure about this?" she walks closer. "The sea of monsters... most demigods wouldn't dare."
“Yeah, well, most demigods aren’t me.” he says with a weak smile, trying to lighten the mood. He reaches out, taking her hand in his. “I’m sure about this. I need to go. For Grover, and for Clarisse.”
"And Tantalus is aware you're leaving?" she gives him a look.
He rolls his eyes. “What do you think?” He’s been itching to get off this camp, and he sure as hell isn’t gonna let Tantalus of all people stop him. “I’m not asking for his permission.”
Deianira is quiet for a moment, looking at him with a mixture of worry and grudging respect. "Just... be careful, okay? I don't want..." She trails off, but Percy knows what she’s going to say.
He smiles down at her, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll be fine.” he says, his voice strong and confident. “I’ll be back before you know it. Don’t worry about me.”
She sighs and tries to smile. "Annabeth's going with, right?"
He nods. “Yeah. So is Tyson.” He looks at her closely, seeing the worry clouding her features. He feels guilty leaving her here, knowing what she's going through with Luke, but there's no way he’s backing out of the quest now.
"Can you give something to her for me?" she asks, reaching into her jacket pocket.
He frowns, a little confused. “Sure. What is it?”
She pulls out a golden apple and hands it to him. It's heavy in his hands, but not just because of the gold. It's a machine, he can see the tiny, almost invisible seams running over it. He looks down at the apple in surprise, turning it over in his hands. It’s beautiful, obviously expensive, though somehow he can tell it's not just for show. This thing has a purpose, one that he can’t fathom.
He looks back up at Deianira questioningly. "What is this?"
She smiles. "I shouldn't say," she says. "You know.. Luke and all..."
He tenses at the mention of Luke. Right. If Luke is listening in, she can’t reveal its purpose... He looks back down, studying the apple closely, trying to figure out what it is.
"Annabeth will figure it out, she'll know when to use it."
He nods, his mind already working overtime to figure out what this thing is for. “Yeah, she will.” He smiles, trying to reassure both of them. “I’ll give it to her, don’t worry.”
"Thanks Percy," she smiles, but it falters. "I'll see you soon, right?"
He puts the apple away and pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around her. “Soon, yeah.” he mutters, nuzzling his face against her hair. “I promise.”
"Be safe, and whatever you do, listen to Annabeth, okay?" she pulls away, giving him a warm smile.
He wants to scoff at the thought of taking orders from Annabeth, but he knows Deianira is right. Annabeth is smart and knows what she’s talking about, he’d be stupid to ignore her advice. He smiles back, trying to reassure both her and himself. "I will."
"I have to go, Bane's trying to break into Tantalus' room with the Stoll brothers, and I kinda wanna see what happens."
He can’t help but laugh, imagining Bane tearing up Tantalus’s room. “Yeah, you better go before you miss the show.” he grins down at her.
She stands on the tips of her toes and plants a soft kiss on his cheek. He feels the heat in his cheeks when her lips brush against his skin. In spite of the situation, in spite of the quest, being around her never fails to make him feel... something. He can’t quite place what exactly it is, but it’s soft and warm, and somehow makes him want to pull her closer and keep her safe.
But he doesn’t. Instead, he just smiles at her, his heart fluttering traitorously.
"Be careful." she says.
He watches her go, his heart swelling with both affection and worry. He’s not sure what the future holds, whether he’s going to survive this quest or whether he’ll ever get to see her again. But one thing’s for sure; he’s in deep, and he’s not letting her go that easily.
As the days pass, Deianira finds herself constantly worrying about Percy. The thought of him facing the dangers of the quest and the sea of monsters makes her stomach twist with anxiety, and she can’t help but feel helpless stuck here at camp while he’s out there, risking his life for others.
Tantalus’s presence only adds to her feelings of helplessness. The way he glares at her every time they cross paths makes her skin crawl.
Having Bane around helps a little. Her sister’s playful demeanor and constant jokes provide a welcome distraction from her own worries and Tantalus’s presence. Bane tries to lift her spirits, making her laugh with her antics and silly stories. Deianira is grateful for the company, and she finds herself clinging to every moment of laughter and lightheartedness that Bane brings.
But even with Bane’s company, Deianira can’t shake the feeling of helplessness and worry that constantly plagues her. She spends her days doing menial jobs around camp, her mind constantly drifting towards Percy and the dangers he’s facing. She longs for any news from him, any sign that he’s okay, but each passing day seems to stretch out endlessly.
Then, one afternoon while she was tending to the stables, a barn owl with a scroll clutched in its beak swoops down from the sky towards her. Deianira looks up in surprise as the owl swoops down, its wings flapping in the air.
She stretches out her arm, letting the owl land on her. It perches heavily on her arm, talons digging into her skin. She can see a rolled up parchment clutched in its beak. Her heart gives a hopeful thump.
She gently takes the scroll from the owl’s beak, unrolling it with shaky hands. Her heart pounds in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She scans the letter, reading the words written on it, her breath catching.
It's from Annabeth. Deianira's pulse races as she reads. The message is short and to the point, but it brings a wave of relief washing over her. Annabeth says that Percy is okay, that they've survived the quest so far and are in pursuit of Grover and the Golden Fleece now. A small, shaky smile forms on her lips as she reads the words, her heart swelling with hope.
Annabeth recounts a visit to Circe's island, and tells her about how Percy was turned into a guinea pig. There's even a Polaroid of his as a guinea pig pinned to the bottom of the scroll. Deianira can't help but laugh as she looks at the picture. Percy, as a small, fluffy guinea pig, his eyes wide and innocent.
She imagines how he must have been feeling in that moment, the shock and disbelief mixed with just a hint of indignation at the absurdity of it all. She smiles, the image bringing a wave of affection for him, a reminder of his bravery and resilience.
Then at the bottom of the scroll, she reads something surprising. 'It's a bit strange without you here, Percy's sulking, constantly staring at that projection you made him for Christmas, he keeps me up at night yapping about you. Even so, kind of wish you were here.'
Deianira blinks, reading the words over and over again. Percy... he’s been thinking about her? Missing her? Sulking, no less. A strange mixture of feelings washes over her, a sort of soft thrill mixed with the pang of sadness at being apart. She knows how much he cares for her, but the thought of him sulking, complaining about her, it’s almost endearing.
She can’t help but smile at the image of Percy, sulking and grumbling like a moody teenager while Annabeth tries to focus on the quest. It’s such a Percy thing to do, and she can’t help but be touched that he’s missing her so much he’s keeping Annabeth up at night.
Deianira reads the words again, her heart skipping a beat. She's surprised that Annabeth, notoriously dedicated to the quest and not known for expressing much affection, had mentioned missing her. It warms her to the core, knowing that her presence meant something to them, that she wasn’t just some afterthought in their journey.
'Anyway, Percy says Hi. Thanks for the apple, by the way. It worked like a charm against the pirates.'
A small, satisfied smile forms on Deianira’s lips as she reads the words. So the apple she’d given to Annabeth had been useful. She feels a sense of pride knowing she had some part, no matter how small, in their victory.
'Percy basically lost his mind when that thing turned into a tiny drone. He went all the way back just to get it, it was entertaining to say the least.'
Deianira laughs softly as she reads the words. She can imagine Percy’s reaction perfectly, the way his eyes would light up with excitement. The thought of him going back to retrieve her gift warms her heart. "Typical Percy," she whispers to herself, her smile widening.
'Well see you soon, hope you're doing well. P.s; if you need anything to keep your mind off Luke, the trunk in my cabins loaded. Knock yourself out.' she even added a small smiley face before she signed off.
Deianira grins at the note, a small, amused scoff escaping her lips. Annabeth’s offering her stuff from her cabin? Well that’s something she never expected. She feels a rush of affection for the girl, touched that Annabeth would care to offer her anything, even if it’s just something to keep her mind off Luke. She smiles warmly at the smiley face, her heart feeling just a bit lighter.
She crumbles the letter in her hands, her mind racing. Percy… he's been thinking about her, worrying about her, missing her. And Annabeth, offering her things to take her mind off Luke... It warms her to the core, but it also makes her anxiety rise. She wonders how long they will be gone, how much longer she'll have to wait before she can see them again.
She tosses the letter into the small fire pit by the stables, but keeps the Polaroid tucked in her pocket. Maybe Annabeth will send more for her, and that thought managed to keep her excited. The worry from before had faded a bit, knowing that Annabeth was putting in the effort just for her.
She goes about her days, tending to the stables and doing whatever chores Tantalus assigned her. But her thoughts are always drifting toward Percy and the quest. She constantly pulls the Polaroid out of her pocket and gazes at it, chuckling softly when she looks at Percy's guinea pig expression.
Seeing her sister Bane also helps. They help each other keep their minds off things. Bane was hit harder by Luke leaving than she'd admit, but Deianira could see through it all.
One day, while she's working in the stables, Bane approaches her, a wicked glint in her eyes. "Hey sis," she says with a smirk, leaning against one of the stalls. "We're gonna prank Tantalus tonight, wanna come?" Bane asks.
A smile spreads across Deianira's face. It's been a while since they've pulled a prank together, and the thought of playing a trick on Tantalus is too tempting to pass up. "Count me in," she says, a hint of mischief in her voice.
The next morning, Tantalus woke up to a bedroom fill of food that sprung to life, racing all the room, some hitting him in the face on the way. You could say he wasn't exactly a happy camper. Especially not when he found the windows and doors locked.
I don't want to ship deiabeth,
but the parAsItEs in Me wANt to shiP deiAbeth
also I can just imagine percy leaning over Annabeths shoulder while she's writing the letter being like "tell her I say hi."