Percy Jackson and the Saviors of Tartarus

The Eye of the Storm

Percy's POV

"Race you there!"

"Oh, you're so on!" I challenged as I chased my girlfriend. It was so dark that we could barely see, but we both knew the terrain well enough that we had no need for light.

"Percy, Annabeth!" A voice hissed. "Stop being so loud, do you want the harpies to eat you?" Hazel sounded fed up, yet slightly amused by our behavior. Annabeth and I struggled to hold in our laughter as we continued toward our destination.  Just as we arrived, Frank dropped a last twig into the fire pit and Leo threw his signature fireball. The wood caught and he fist pumped.

"Leo, bad boy supreme, at it again." He gloated. Everyone laughed, and Piper pushed Leo towards the fire. He almost fell in but regained his balance.

"Y'know Pipes, it's almost like you don't love me." She rolled her eyes.

"Love's a strong word." She snorted and snuggled closer to Jason. We settled into a comfortable somewhat-silence.

Annabeth was sat on my lap sleeping, her head tucked against my neck. Hazel was attempting to teach Frank some sort of hand game and laughing at his confusion. Leo and Calypso had returned from Ogygia a few months ago (I wouldn't be surprised if Leo still had the bruises from Hazel beating him up for making us think he was dead), and were playfully bickering about something. Piper played with Jason's hair as he dozed off in her lap.

We had made this area in the woods near Zeus's Fist for the ten or so people that knew about it to hang out and relax at. Leo had made the fire pit so that it camouflaged into the forest floor when we weren't around. Usually, Nico and Will would have been with us, but they had just gotten into some petty argument. Nico's grudges and Will's stubbornness often made it so they would take forever to make up, and it was extremely annoying for the rest of us to be around them. They were so obviously in love with each other, but refused to apologize, leaving us trapped in the middle. However, I got the feeling that they would come around soon by Will's constant pining looks at Nico and Nico's worse-than-usual depression.

"So," Jason cleared started, interrupting our peaceful silence. "Immortality, huh?"

"Yeah." Annabeth sighed. All of the seven, Nico, Reyna, and a few more campers from both camps had been offered partial immortality, the same as what the Hunters of Artemis had. This round, I accepted. Both this time and when I was offered godhood, Annabeth was my deciding factor. Last time, the prospect of spending eternity without her had stopped me. This time, the prospect of spending eternity with her had made my decision. The only one who had not initially accepted had been Nico, but when they offered to grant Will immortality as well, he gladly expected. This had all taken place earlier in the week, but we had all been so busy that we hadn't gotten the chance to talk about it since.

"It's so weird to think about," Piper admitted. "Never growing old, outliving everyone. Honestly, it kinda scares me." Jason put his arm around her shoulder.

"We'll get through it. Besides, there's no need to think that far in the future for now." Annabeth roused from her sleep and leaned back.

"I love you," she whispered in my ear.

"I love you too." I leaned into the love of my life's touch and found myself closing my eyes.

A moment later, I found myself soaking wet. Annabeth and I jumped up in shock. Annabeth was dripping as well, and Leo and Calypso stood before us, each holding one side of a now-empty bucket. I glared jokingly.

"Is this when we run?" Leo asked his girlfriend.

"Yup." In perfect synchronization, they dropped the bucket and sprinted off, laughing the whole way. I dried Annabeth and myself off, then we began chasing them.

"Split up." Annabeth said in what I lovingly referred to as her 'bossy voice'. I ran one way and she ran the other. We effectively cornered Leo and Calypso.

"Have mercy, have mercy!" Leo begged. Calypso tried to run away but Annabeth stopped her.

"Not so fast." She said. I grinned evilly. Using my powers, I picked up all of the dirtiest, most seaweed-filled water and brought it over Leo and Calypso's heads. They looked up in horror, and I released my hold on the liquid, leaving two wet, seaweed-covered immortals before me. Calypso slapped Leo in the face with a piece of seaweed that she pulled from her long blonde hair.

"You idiot, why did I listen to you?" Calypso protested. Leo laughed.

"Why Callie, it's 'cause you love me." He pulled her closer to him, and Calypso sighed in a mix of adoration and annoyance.

"Yeah, I do." They kissed, and I tried interrupted their moment by clearing my throat. When that didn't work, I coughed pointedly. This time, the lovers sprang apart, both blushing.

"We should, uh, probably get back now." I stuttered, caught up in the embarrassing moment.

When we arrived back at the fire, Piper wrinkled her nose.

"Someone smells like... saltwater and dead fish." Leo and Calypso raised their hands.

"That would be us," Calypso confessed. Leo raced to give Jason a wet and smelly hug while Calypso did the same with Hazel. The two girls had grown surprisingly close, bonding over their shared cluelessness over modern culture. Jason tried to pry Leo off him, but the boy held on with surprising strength. Hazel, on the other hand just giggled and gave in, hugging Calypso right back. After the huggers separated, Jason opened his arms toward Piper, who backed up.

"Not with you smelling like that." She protested, pretending to gag from the stench. Taking advantage of his distracted state, Hazel wrapped her arms tightly around Frank. He rolled his eyes but hugged her back just as fiercely. After looking at Frank and Hazel, Jason turned back to Piper, pouting. "Fine." She groaned, and the two embraced.  We all laughed before Annabeth hurriedly shushed us.   

"Did you hear that?" She muttered.

"Hear wh-" Leo was silenced by Calypso smacking his arm.  "Ow." He mouthed.  We waited in silence for a minute before I heard it.  A small crack, like a twig snapping.  I met Annabeth's eyes.

"Harpies." We said at once.  With that word, there was a flurry of action.  Two harpies burst from the woods, jaws snapping.  I pulled some water from the dirt and doused the fire.  We all sprinted in different directions.  Annabeth and I ended up at the Poseidon cabin, both of us in hysterics.  We stood before the door, attempting to compose ourselves. 

"I love you," I told her, grinning like an idiot. 

"I love you, too."  She turned to go to the Athena cabin. 

"Goodnight, Wise Girl," I called after her.

"See you in the morning, Seaweed Brain."  Her response carried in the summer breeze, and I felt my smile grow impossibly wider.  With no wars in the foreseeable future and the promise of immortality, I was, for once, optimistic about what the future would hold.