A Game of Promises

Chapter 27: The Last Time

Even though this chapter may sound dirty at times, it isn't. I'm keeping it PG for the younger viewers out there. Don't get any wrong ideas.

Annabeth's POV

I wake up, gasping from a dream. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes and a scar over his eye. It's the same as the flashback I had on Olympus.

Percy hears me gasping and he wakes up.

"Are you okay?" He asks me with concern obvious in his voice.

"Just a dream. It was nothing."

Percy scoots over closer to me so that our faces are inches apart.

"Are you okay, even if it was just a dream?"

"Yes, Percy. I'm okay."

"Good. I love you."

"Love you too."

We fall silent, but sleep doesn't claim me. I want to say something, but I don't know if Percy is awake or not. I decide to just say something anyway.

"Percy?"

"Mhmm?"

"I'm...cold," I say, slightly embarrassed that had to admit it to him.

"Do you need my sleeping bag too?"

"Gods, Percy, I couldn't just take your sleeping bag from you. You need it too."

In response, he gets out of his sleeping bag and drapes it over me. I smile up at him and pull him down.

"You need the warmth too. I refuse to hog two sleeping bags. Get in."

"Yes m'am."

Percy climbs into my sleeping bag. I get warm immediately with the extra warmth from the sleeping bag and from touching Percy's hand.

"Are you good now?"

"Yes."

He leans over and closes the space between us. I kiss him back and we stay that way, kissing desperately in the shadow of the night. Heat comes from our kisses and spreads to the rest of my body.

"I love you, Seaweed Brain."

"I love you too, Wise Girl."

I kiss him again. He grabs the back of my hand and presses me closer to him, as close as I can be.

Percy runs his fingers through my hair. I imagine them in my mind, every callous on his hands touching my strands of hair.

Time stops in that moment. In the middle of a fight to the death, I'm right here, with Percy. It's the way that it should be.

And I know that it's the last time it will ever happen, knowing my plan for tomorrow. I can't let Percy die. He needs to win, to live. I don't. I only need him.

Tears pour down my face, making my lips salty.

"What's wrong," Percy asks, breathless.

"Just kiss me," I say.

"Not until you say what's bothering you. Tell me, Annabeth. You can trust me."

"I already do, Percy. I trust you with my life. It's just the whole situation is dawning on me. Only one demigod can win, not both of us. Only one."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Annabeth. We'll find a way to get us both out of here alive, okay?"

I nod, trying to hold back all my tears. I can't tell him what I'm going to do. I can't break him right now.

Percy kisses me again and it tastes like finality. It tastes like the last time I'll ever love anyone. It tastes like regret from a young age. It tastes like love.

I pour everything that I am. I try to tell Percy how much I love him, how much he feels like home.

Percy finally falls asleep. I carefully get out of the sleeping bags and I take the one on the top. I roll it up and but it in my back pack. I gather all of my supplies. With a burned stick, on the back of the note Aphrodite sent us with the medicine, I write a message to Percy.

Percy-
I love you. But only one of us can get out of this alive. And it needs to be you. You deserve it the most. I love you so much, but you need to be the victor. You're the strongest. You're a survivor. So survive. Win the games. And remember me. I don't want to hurt you, Percy, but this is how it's meant to be. I'll always love you.
-Annabeth

With a lump in my throat, I take one last look at the man I love. His black hair is a mess and he's drooling. A tear comes out and I leave him for the last time.

So that wasn't nice and fluffy. Whoops. Next chapter actually will be. Probably. *dodges butter knife that MELISSA_JACKSON21  throws at me* I promise it'll be awesome!! Now you can all go mend your feels!!