I'll be here forever

chapter 7

I clenched my fists, blinking away my tears. I would do better on my own anyways. I didn't need him. I didn't need anyone, least of all some stupid, cocky, attractive, annoying son of a-

"Daisy? Hey, you're awake," said a voice from behind me. I swiveled around faster than I could blink, coming eye to eye with Percy.

He was carrying his sword haphazardly in one hand, the tupperware container previously used for the cookies we obtained in the backpack now holding blueberries in his other hand. He had a crooked grin on his face, which tied my stomach up in knots.

I couldn't help it; I burst into tears, burying my head into my hands. Percy immediately dropped his sword and the (thankfully closed) container, rushing over.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Percy asked, concerned. He reached up and gingerly lowered my hands from my face.

"What happened?" he said gently, trying to meet my eyes. I just wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. Gods, I was so glad he hadn't left me. While I know I could make it on my own, I didn't want to.

Percy seemed caught off guard, but he wrapped his arms around me tightly anyways and held me as I cried into his shoulder. I really shouldn't be this upset, but I was. I thought he'd abandoned me.

What happened to "I don't need him."?

Shut up.

"Seriously, Daisy, you're scaring me," he murmured, and I pulled back, quickly wiping the tears from my face. I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, trying to erase any evidence of me crying.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? I-"

"No, I'm- I'm fine. I, um... I thought you left me," I shook my head and let out another laugh of embarrassment.

"Oh. Shit, I'm sorry. You were asleep, and I- I wanted to see if I could find something other than trail mix for us to eat, and... I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, "It's not your fault, I just... I keep thinking that you're going to abandon me. I don't know why." I shrugged, ashamed.

Percy grabbed my shoulders, gently but firmly.

"I'm not leaving, okay?" he said, searching my eyes. His gaze was really piercing, like he was looking straight into my soul.

"Promise?" I said quietly. I know it was childish, but I really needed the reassurance.

"Yeah. I promise," he smiled slightly, then let go of my shoulders.

"Alright, come on. I found a blueberry bush," he said cheerfully, like the entire conversation never even happened. I think he could sense my embarrassment, and was doing his best to make it go away.

"Are you sure they're real blueberries, not poisonous or inedible?" I asked him, picking up the container to inspect.

"Yes," he replied with full confidence, grinning.

"And how do you know?"

"I don't know, I just... do." he shrugged, plucking the container from my hands and opening it, taking a blueberry from inside and popping it in his mouth. I winced, hoping he wouldn't suddenly combust.

"See, told you," he gestured, "I didn't burst into flames. Is that good enough for you?"

"Shut up," I grumbled, taking a blueberry. They really were delicious.

Percy and I sat in the grass, the container between us, watching the cars, and I listened as he rambled on.

"So I was first hoping to get a rabbit for breakfast or something. Because we have that lighter and we're surrounded by lots of sticks to make a fire right? But as soon as I found one, the rabbit just kinda froze, and I couldn't do it."

I laughed, popping another blueberry in my mouth.

"Don't laugh at me! It's not my fault I have a heart. I couldn't murder the poor bunny just for our breakfast. So I went back to get blueberries from a bush I'd passed earlier."

"Rabbit would be better," I shrugged.

"No, I wouldn't! I'd have that on my conscience until the end of time."

"It's just a rabbit. There are thousands of them."

"There's thousands of people too! We don't just go around killing them, do we?"

"I mean... we could."

Percy turned to me incredulously.

"Your moral compass is pretty broken."

"I'm well aware."

Percy and I talked well into the afternoon. We both knew we should probably have started walking, because we had a long way to go, but we were both comfortable. It was also really hot, and neither one of us had a particular wish to sweat our asses off.

We had finished the blueberries, had a couple of the strange blue cookies as well. Percy showed me where he got the blueberries from, and we restocked for tomorrow. There was a clear creek right near the blueberry bush, and we both drank enough to keep ourselves hydrated for quite a while.

When it started to cool down a bit, the sun starting to sink below the trees and the sky turning all shades of orange and purple, we packed up the tent. I flushed just thinking about how I woke up, which confused Percy, but I was glad he wasn't awake for it. I don't know how I could've explained that one.

I couldn't stop thinking about this morning.

"I'm not leaving, okay?'

"Promise?"

"Yeah. I promise."

His words reassured me much more than I cared to admit, and I was really, really glad he hadn't really left me. I got jittery just thinking about it.

"You ready?" Percy asked, slinging the backpack over his shoulder, handing me the flashlight. I accepted it. Our campsite was completely packed up, and still I felt strange leaving it. It almost felt like home. I wondered if I'd ever have a real home.

We stepped onto the side of the long country road.

"Yup, let's hit the road," I smiled smugly.

"Haha, very funny."

"Really? I thought so."