Vines and Thorns

𝟘𝟘𝟝-𝕀 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕒 𝕄𝕒𝕟𝕚-ℙ𝕖𝕕𝕚

I really hate boats.

My arms feel like they're about to fall off by the time Annabeth manages to make a makeshift sail of a one of my grey shirts—and I practically collapse against the side as we let the wind do the heavy lifting.

Jackson hasn't stirred since he picked him up, but he was still breathing fine so I tried to tell Annabeth that he was ok, just needed rest. When he finally woke, his chromatic eyes widening as he tried to sit up, only to lay back down.

"Rest. You'll need it." Annabeth says sternly, and I reach into my bag to grab a fistful of ambrosia.

"Tyson...?"

I wince, watching silently as Annabeth shakes her head, guilt crossing her face. "Percy, I'm really sorry." She says softly, but I can see the pain in his eyes as he looks away towards the sea.

"Here." I tell him, dropping the clumps of ambrosia into his palm. He doesn't hesitate before popping the substance into his mouth, and I watch as the color finally begins to return to his face.

"He may have survived." Annabeth adds quietly. "I mean, fire can't kill him." Her attempt to give hope didn't appear to be working as the boy just nods his head, his face blank. Her shoulders fall in resignation as she goes back to directing the small boat through the choppy water that slapped against the side of the boat.

Jackson doesn't say anything in return, and we sit in silence for a while, Annabeth popping open a Dr. Pepper and offering some if to me. I grimace, grabbing my bag and sticking my hand inside to pull out one of my emergency cokes.

"Dr. Pepper is disgusting." I tell her flatly, and she laughs, leaning forward to offer the can to Jackson, who just takes the can and brings it to his lips.

The next few hours pass by slowly—and there's nothing but the sea as far as the eye can see. The makeshift sail that Annabeth has made slowly pulls the boat along, the current underneath us doing most of the work.

Annabeth catches me up on Jackson's dreams about Grover—and the Cyclops that was holding him captive. I laugh when I hear about how the satyr had disguised himself as a bride and was due to 'marry' the monster in less than 24-hours.

"Of course the Fleece is being guarded by a fricking Cyclops. Couldn't just be somewhere nice, like on a beach." I sigh, crossing my arms as I lean back against the boat.

Jackson scowls, and he narrows his eyes. "Yeah, you can never trust a Cyclops." His voice comes out cold and bitter, and he aims that venom towards Annabeth.

"I'm sorry Percy." She says softly, her lips pursing together into a thin line. "I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."

Jackson ignores her for a moment, his eyes downcast once more. I sigh through my nose. "If you're going to be moody this entire trip, then it's going to be long fucking day." I remark earning me an exasperated look from Annabeth, and a cold one from Jackson.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be with Clarisse?" He asks pointedly, and I roll my eyes.

"Trust me, I'd much rather be with her right now than stuck on this boat with you barnacle boy." I say with a fake smile.

"Why do you hate me? I've done nothing to you, I'm just trying to save my friend." He says sharply, and I clench my jaw, a million different words landing on the tip of my tongue, begging to be let out.

I uncross my arms and lean forward onto my knees, giving him a pointed stare. "Why did you think that Clarisse and I couldn't complete the quest? Were we so inferior to you, that you thought there was no way that we could reach Grover and save him ourselves? The whole camp is supposed to have faith in you, a son of the big three, but you can't have any kind of faith in anyone else. How fucked up is that?"