Percy Jackson Series. Annabeth Chase X Male Reader Story

The Pride Comes Before The Fall

(Y/N)'s POV

The stage was set, we were finally going to fight, once and for all. I grinned happily, as did he, his eyes shining with joy that I hadn't seen on his face since camp half blood, since he won capture the flag

By the time we finally met each other, the world was standing still. And I'm not talking about the movie with the robot or being poetic about how we could only focus on one another, I mean everything around us, bar me and Luke, was frozen in time.

It started with Ethan, who had reached for his sword only to pause in the middle of pulling it out, I don't know if this was a last effort from Kronos to take control, or Luke just not controlling the power he held, but I was having so much fun already, I barely even noticed.

Just seeing that look on Luke's face was enough for me, it showed me that this was all worth it, Kronos didn't fight either, he knew he would never kill me with a scythe, but Luke could manage it with a sword.

I had been wanting this, building up to this longer than I thought, I didn't really know how happy this match up made me until it was beginning, maybe it was my vengeful nature, but it was satisfying, for years we had danced around one another and never had our true rematch.

We were both caught up in our ambitions, both more focused on other threats, I thought this would never come to pass, I always believed that Percy was the only one Luke cared about fighting, but I was wrong.

After all, I had known Luke longer than Percy, I had fought him more times, and even as I grew stronger and so did he, we had never reached the conclusion I know we both desperately wanted, save for that one time, that one perfect fight.

I had lost against him once, I didn't plan on it ever again, sparring or not. I knew he felt the same, I knew for this brief second, my friend Luke was back, and wanting to prove he was better than me once more.

Kronos was talking to Luke before that fight, and had interrupted our true third battle, but that sparring session wasn't about Kronos or Olympus, or anything, it was two strong fighters, enjoying the thrill of a battle.

In a way, it was something sacred, not tarnished by anything else, it was for us, nothing else, and I had lost the last time, so I had a score to settle, regardless, one thing I could tell you was, this was a far cry from any sparring session.

It started slow, not running at each other clanging our swords off one another like the past or in the movies, no, instead we walked towards each other until we were in proper range for our swords to do damage to our opponent, and then we began pacing in a circle.

I had always imagined us doing this in the rain, surrounded by thousands of onlookers, perhaps shirtless, maybe I was just a hormonal teenager with a vivid imagination, or maybe I watch the Matrix too much, but this was just as satisfying.

The slow crawl of the tension in the air, the silence in the air so heavy not even Atlas could fathom its weight, soon the build-up of years of anger, frustration and betrayal would be here, we could both feel it.

The fist exchange happened so fast it was like a pin had dropped, breath filled my lings again, and despite the frozen world around us, the speed at which it happened was mindboggling. It was so simple.

A simple lunge, but the weight of Luke's steps echoed around the halls, almost seeming to shake the world. I hurried to parry, and from that moment, it had started, as I pushed Backbiter aside, I swiped at him with my dagger.

Through sheer force and strength, he managed to knock my sword free of his and then in the same motion, he followed through and hit the wrist of my off hand with his pommel. Avoiding both of my attacks and doing damage. The remise was smooth as butter.