Everything About You

Chapter 3

    Percy looked around at the tables. His eyes scanned Hades table and he didn't see Nico. Percy was disappointed that he wasn't able to talk to him after the event before breakfast, but understood that Nico wasn't particularly social.  After he had eaten and thrown some of the food for sacrifice, Percy asked if Annabeth wanted to go on a walk down by the lake. 

     "Sure Seaweed Brain, I would love to". Annabeth grabbed Percy's hand, pulling him into a quick kiss. Percy forcibly smiled, inwardly cringing at what he was about to do. They made their way down to the lake, neither saying anything. Percy stuck in his own head about what to do and Annabeth enjoying the scenery and the moment with her boyfriend.

     Finally, Annabeth broke the silence, "Is everything alright Perce, you seem nervous". Percy looked over at his longtime best friend. His mind raced through everything that they had been through together, from their first quest to winning the Giant War. Percy decided that enough was enough and that Annabeth deserved honesty with him. Percy knew that what he was about to do was something that couldn't be taken back, but was necessary for their relationship. 

     "I...I don't think I can do this anymore. It's not fair to both you and me to continue this". 

     Annabeth looked at Percy curiously, not understanding what he was talking about. "What are you saying, Percy? I don't know what you're talking about. What can't you do anymore?"

     Percy looked Annabeth in the eyes, "Us. I can't do us anymore", Annabeth opened her mouth to talk, "Please, hear me out before you say anything. Our relationship is just too different from what it used to be. And, I know you know what I'm talking about. I know that you're scared of me, I can see it in your eyes when you think I'm not looking. I may be dumb sometimes, but I'm not stupid. The war... T-Tartarus... it's taken a huge toll on us, and I don't think that we are able to help each other. It would be better for both of us to find someone who can support us in ways that we can't support each other. I still love you deeply, but in a brotherly kind of way. And, I will always be there for you, just not in the way that you need or expect from me as a boyfriend. I never wanted to hurt you like this, it's just...I think if we kept doing what we were doing it would only end up hurting us even more." 

     Annabeth looked at Percy for a second, really looked at him, analyzing him in the way only a child of Athena could. And, even though there were tears in her eyes and on her face, she didn't seem as sad as someone who had just gotten their heart broken.

     "I guess I feel the same way. I just didn't know how to approach it. We're still going to be friends, right? I don't think I could take it if we weren't." 

     "Of course, Wise Girl. I wouldn't have it any other way." 

     When the sun went down, Percy and Annabeth headed back to camp. After hugging each other, Annabeth headed in the direction of her cabin. Percy though decided to walk around for a while more. For some reason, Percy felt compelled to go Hades cabin. "Its nothing, you just want to make sure a friend is okay. There's nothing weird about it. Right?" It took him about 10 minutes to reach Nico's cabin. He knocked on the door, but nobody answered it. He knocked again, and heard a muffled voice that said, "I'm coming".

    Nico opened the door, glaring for a second until he looked up and saw who it was. 

     "Ummm, don't take this personally, but why are you here?". 

    Percy for some reason couldn't hold back when he answered, "Annabeth and I broke up".