TERRIFIED . . . annabeth chase

two.

VAL WAS GETTING WORSE.

It wasn't that bad at first — every time she thought of Annabeth she coughed up rose petals. She'd hated her last name since then.

She thought she got better. Eventually she could go with kissing her until she left and then Val coughed up flower petals. Lots of them.

Annabeth never saw. Thank the gods.

The only people that knew at the moment were Val's close circle — Nico, Travis and Connor, Drew Tanaka, and soon Will Solace after they'd gotten him to join after insisting that she needed help and treatment from Will.

Why she needed treatment? Every time Val kissed someone else, flowers would explode out of her mouth.

She still met up with Annabeth sporadically, because Val and Drew weren't in her area very long. They were in Cali for a little bit, then went to New York for the winter months, and then went to Tokyo for the months after that.

But since being in camp, they've met up basically every night to kiss and make out. Val would neither confirm nor deny if they've had sex unless it was to Travis and Connor. Then she would say no.

Of course, then they'd leaked that she had the Hanahaki disease, but that doesn't matter. She'd forgiven them.

So now Val was in her room, staring at the ceiling, hiding the trash can from view. She was tired, and wanted to take a nap, but Will said that he'd bring her ambrosia, so she was waiting for him even when the conch horn shouted when someone opened the door.

Val only saw blonde hair, so she said, "Will, thank the gods! I can't get up, you have the ambrosia?"

A clearly not Will voice said to her, "Val? Why can't you get up?"

Shoot. Why was Annabeth here? Where was Will?

"Val?" Annabeth asked.

"I'm sick, Annie," Val snapped, before sighing. "Sorry. Didn't mean to. Where's Will?"

Val could feel the worried gaze on her. "I was supposed to get you to go to the war council — he offered when I came out, but I went — they said they needed you, but if you're sick, then I'll just tell them—"

"It's fine, I just need ambrosia," Val sighed. "Do you have any?"

"Val, you're sick," Annabeth insisted.

"I'll be fine once you give me the ambrosia!" Val retorted harshly, then shrunk back. She never meant to be angry. The curse was just weighing on her. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, seriously," Annabeth was suddenly in her vision, digging in her bag until she brought out the familiar amber square and pushed it in her mouth.

Val didn't need the whole square. She didn't want the bittersweet taste of her mom's churros in her mouth, but she swallowed it down and felt the strength in her grow.

"Oh my gods," Val rolled out of her bed, landing next to Annabeth's feet. "I couldn't even move for like half the day."

"Are you sure that you'll be able to go?" Annabeth kneeled down to be on Val's level, and, gods, she felt so much better, but it wouldn't last. It never would.

Val nodded, sighing as she sat up. "Just . . . lemme change, alright? And I'm sorry for the harsh words."

"It's nothing I've never seen before," Annabeth frowned. "And it's fine, Tina, seriously."

"Shut up!" Val pushed at her arm, rolling her eyes. "Get out. Shoo."

Annabeth smiled at her before getting up and leaving, closing the door behind her. Val promptly turned and coughed up more petals — only they weren't petals.