Hazel Levesque || ANGST

Golden eyes

Basic info: platonic Hazel and Annabeth, set after SoN and before MoA
Tw/Cw: implied bullying

When Hazel and Annabeth first met, Hazel thought Annabeth hated her. There was something in the way Annabeth had flinched back when their eyes met, and then simply refused to sit near her. Percy had told Hazel to give her some time, that she was under a lot of pressure from Athena. But Hazel couldn't help feeling like she had before her death - isolated. Excluded. Judged, just because of her appearance. She'd brought her worries up with Nico, but he was quick to reassure her that it was nothing like that.
"Annabeth has had a very rough past, very different to the type of rough as you and me, but still very rough. She's got her reasons. But Hazel, she's honestly the sweetest person you will meet once she warms up to you. Don't fret, sorellina."

Days passed, and Hazel was growing increasingly upset. There was nothing Frank or Percy could do to calm her, she paced her cabin relentlessly and often woke screaming from flashbacks to when she'd been isolated as a child. But despite the temptations to ask Annabeth what her deal was, Hazel gave the girl some space. She didn't want to burden the daughter of Athena with problems that weren't her fault... well, mostly weren't her fault.

But the breaking point was when Annabeth refused to go on watch with Hazel while the others got some rest.
"But, Annabeth, it's your turn—"
"I said no, Grace! I'm not going on the night watch with her!"
"Annie!" Percy's voice was oddly stern, and he took his girlfriend gently by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Hazel is like a sister to me. She is not like him. The circumstances are very, very different. Give her a chance."

Annabeth looked at him, obviously scared and upset. "Percy, I—"
"Just give her a chance." Percy murmured, resting his forehead against Annabeth's. Hazel took Frank's hand, feeling very out of place and uncomfortable witnessing this scene. In the society she was used to, showing this sort of affection in public was not okay. In fact, you could even describe it as scandalous. But she knew society had changed, and while she herself wasn't comfortable with showing too much affection in public, she would have to get used to the others doing it.

"Fine..." Annabeth bit her lip, and looked over at Hazel. "Sorry, Hazel. I'll go on watch with you. Meet me at the bow?"
Hazel nodded in response, unsure how to feel about the stormy grey eyed girl. Everyone had told her that she was very kind and smart, but Annabeth honestly scared Hazel. She hoped she could get on Annabeth's good side, because she knew for sure she didn't want to be on her bad side. She couldn't shake the feeling that Annabeth was more afraid of her, though. The way the girl always flinched away from Hazel added to her suspicions. Hazel was done with good people being afraid of her. It happened enough in the 30s... she didn't want it to happen anymore.

She wasn't an animal. She wasn't crazy, and she wasn't wanting to curse everyone who touched her. She didn't spend her nights cackling away at a cauldron like a stereotypical witch. She wasn't even a witch! Hazel's breathing quickened and she let go of Frank's hand, excusing herself quietly and running off to her cabin. Once she was safely inside, she locked the door and sank against it, clutching at her hair. "Not a witch, not a witch, not a witch..." she muttered, repeating it like a sort of mantra. "Not a witch, not a witch..."

Against her better judgement, Hazel allowed the tears she was holding back to steadily flow down her face as she sobbed. "Not- Not a witch!" She sobbed. She was making a racket, she knew. But this was all to similar to being back in the 30s, where people would do anything to get out of spending time with Hazel alone. "I'm not a witch, I'm normal-!" Crying, she curled her hand into a fist and hit the wooden door in despair. The door opened, and Hazel fell back, into the arms of Annabeth Chase.
"H-Hazel..." the daughter of Athena's voice sounded incredibly worried. "Come on. Talk to me, what's wrong?" She gently guided Hazel over to the bed and sat her down.

"I'm not a witch!" Hazel told her, defensively. "I'm not crazy- I'm not evil, I promise..."
"Okay. Okay, why do you feel the need to tell me that?" Annabeth's grey eyes shone with unanswered questions and concern.
Hazel took a deep breath in. "I- I thought you hated me, like they did... before I died, at school..."

It was no secret on the Argo II that Hazel had died and gone to Asphodel, brought back by Nico. At the beginning of the quest, they had all decided to share some information about their past, so no one accidentally triggered another. But it appeared to Hazel that there was something Annabeth and Percy hadn't shared. Not that she blamed them.

"Hazel. I don't- I don't hate you... it's just-"
"Just what, Annabeth? My skin colour? My powers? My parentage? I've heard it all before."
"Your eyes, Hazel. They're so gold..."
"Yeah, I noticed." Hazel snapped, defensive to the end. She wasn't about to let Annabeth list off all the reasons why Hazel was unnatural.
Annabeth sighed. "No, that's not what I meant- I used to have this friend. His name was Luke."

The name rang a bell, and Hazel vaguely remembered hearing it amongst Percy and Annabeth's murmured conversations.
"He was like a brother to me, he saved me on countless occasions. We were family. He promised. But he turned against the gods, and Kronos possessed him. And his eyes- they turned gold. Like yours. I thought he had come back..."

"I'm not him." Hazel whispered. "I'm not evil. I'm not possessed... that was my mother. Not me. I'm not possessed by Gaea... nor Kronos."
"I believe you." Annabeth whispered back, hugging Hazel close. "And I'm sorry I made you feel like I hated you. I... I actually think you're amazing."
Hazel smiled. "Likewise, Chase."

Nobody except those two knew what happened that day, how Hazel and Annabeth miraculously became close friends. But they did.