Save the World before you Save Yourself

Dont you see?

Percy Pov

Grover didn't handle it well. In fact, he handled it worse than me. I sat with my back to the wall and my hand on his shoulder while he was lying face down on my bed crying salty goat tears.

"Hey man, you're gonna ruin my sheets with all this salt," I tried for humor.

"What do you care you're the son of Posiedon," he answered back in a muffled voice.

True.

"Grover please. You don't need to be like this. I'm okay. Just calm down."

"No. I will not will not calm down. Do you realize that for the past few months I didn't even notice. It was the empathy link? I was to self absorbed to notice that my best man was struggling!"
Grover said all of it in an uncharacteristically angry way. It kind of felt good that he felt that way. He cared enough but didn't force me to tell him . I actually got to do it myself. He respected me and I respected him.
Especially now since he was crying.

"It's- it's fine, goat man. It's okay."

He didn't respond. Just shook his head slightly and tried giving me a hug. It was a bit difficult from his position so he was mostly just holding my waist in an awkward way. But it was okay.

I was okay.

I had leaned back and closed my eyes for a few moments when Grover moved his hand to tap mine and without lifting his head up, asked me a question.
"You can still control water right? I know how much it means to you." He looked up with red eyes and had a hopeful expression.
I felt a surge of love for my G man. He really cared. I Ruffles his curly hair before answering.

"Yeah I can control it still. It doesn't not work. It just sometimes, um, work when I don't need it too. Or it will respond to my emotions too strongly. likes at week, I tried to just move water from one bucket to another for Blackjack, when it went a bit to forcefully transitioning and made a bit of a mess. It was because I was feeling a bit anxious. But that happens.
It does help though. I can tire myself out with it."

"Tha- that's good, Perc. Good."

I nodded and settled back, determined to not let anything else ruin this day. It could only get better. I hoped.

Everything felt alright at the moment. I could feel the breeze through my window, the slight gurgle from my fountain(Tyson fixed it. Yay brother!), and the low sound of the waves rolling on the shore. It smelled slightly salty. Everything felt right.

Until someone knocked on my door. My heart leapt into my throat at the sudden noise and i accident my hit Grover in the nose. I mumbled an apology to the red nosed goat and opened the door. It would be an understatement to say I wasn't pleased.

(A/N omg this is really crappy RN)

Annabeth pov

Jason and Piper stood behind me while I knocked on Percy's door. We just wanted to check on him. I felt a bit worried when I saw his sick expression at dinner and how he leapt up with Grover behind him. Piper was furious of course.
"He said he was okay why isn't he eating he's running away with him i literally talked to him this morning." Was basically everything that came out of her mouth, plus a few extra colorful words.

Jason came along just to make sure Piper didn't murder him. Jason was a bit uncomfortable with a direct approach and wanted to let Percy come out o us on his own. I assured him that we were just coming to see if he was okay.