Climb (Percy Jackson x Reader)

forty-three

✺ HAUNTED DAYS AND NIGHTS ✺

(Y/N) releases a long and exhausted sigh, tilting her head back. She closes her eyes, letting the sun's warmth wash over her skin as the stormclouds start to clear. As the king of Olympus and his anger grow more distant, humidity lifts from the air. The Earth hums against her knees, energized with the power she'd used to heal the damage left behind by Zeus's lightning.

"(Y/N)?" Percy asks, squeezing her arm. "Are you all right?"

Her eyelids tug against her will, weighted with the exhaustion that seeps into her muscles. Her gaze skims over Annabeth and Nico as she turns to look at Percy. His dark brows pinch together, his lips somewhat stiff as he examines her.

"I'm okay," she breathes. The words tremble.

Her pulse quickens with the thought of how it had felt to have so much power—to absorb a surge of divine lightning, to press a blade to a god's throat, to watch as he flooded with fear at the sight of her. Her soul had been so excited, so alive.

But she could feel something shift, darken, hunger. Something ethereal and otherworldly, once foreign but now woven into her being.

You are becoming everything you do not want to be.

What have you done?

"But I don't know how to stop it."

Percy swallows. He folds his lips inward, thinking of what to say.

Nico moves forward. He extends his hand to (Y/N).

"In all honesty," he says, shrugging sympathetically, "we've known that you won't exactly be able to. Not before it happens."

Percy frowns at Nico, evidently disapproving of his blunt honesty. (Y/N) lowers her head.

"But," the son of Hades continues, "that's not exactly a problem. Because you just proved that you have control. The power's yours to use. And that means that when the time comes, you'll be able to push it away." Nico nods at his hand, encouraging his sister to take it.

She sighs. Reaching up, she grabs Nico's hand and allows him to help her from the ground.

"As long as you don't want it to be, what we saw doesn't have to be the end." Nico squeezes, the corners of his lips turning upward slightly. "I, at least, trust that it won't. I'm sure that goes for them, too."

Annabeth nods furiously. Rising to his feet, Percy pats (Y/N)'s shoulder in reassurance.

The daughter of Persephone smiles. "Thanks, kid."

Nico frowns. "You do remember that I'm way older than you, right?"

(Y/N) rolls her eyes. "Thanks, grandpa," she amends, huffing a chuckle.

Annabeth relaxes when the tension visibly escapes (Y/N)'s body. She moves over as Nico lets go of his sister's hand. Annabeth wraps (Y/N) in a firm hug, patting her back. "On the other hand, that was an amazing fight. You're such an amazing boss bitch."

(Y/N) laughs. "If only I had my jacket to match the look."

Percy raises his eyebrows. "The armor did that for you," he says, tapping on one of her shadowy shoulder guards. Ripples seem to run across the glassy surface, swirling with a tide of smoke.