The Ascendance of Darkness (Percy Jackson Twin fanfic)

Vengeance of the Immortals

"You would betray your family for a man?" Ryker asked, incredulous.

"I would not go so far as to call him a man," Zoё sneered. "A pig. A jackalope, perhaps?"

"You're avoiding the question."

"You are asking too many of them."

Ryker paused, unsure of whether to continue pressing her. He had only asked what circumstance had pushed her toward the Hunt. It should have been an easy subject; a light answer. But Zoё's past was always a dangerous subject to approach.

"You know," he said instead, "Sometimes it's not a bad thing to open up to people. They may surprise you."

"It was a certainly a surprise," Zoё told him quietly, "I had expected him to take me with him. I had expected to be honored, remembered, loved. I opened up to an outsider, and my trust was slain. Forsaken by my family. You would not understand."

"But I do," Ryker said softly, "Just... in the opposite way. Surprise. I left my best friend to come here. To save the world. I didn't want to. I didn't even have to. I had the choice between her and Ally, and I let her down. She's never been anything but there for me. Without her I'd probably be dead. And somehow I found it in me to leave her behind."

When Zoё did not reply, he continued. "I expect you to hate me. I expect her to hate me, even though I know there is no way she ever could. There are some days that I wake up and I hate myself. I try to convince myself that I did the right thing by leaving her, if not happy, then safe, with her father and by protecting my little sister. It doesn't always work."

"Riddled throughout history are instances of men who leave women for the sake of glory." Zoё whispered. "There are reasons far less honorable than thine, Ryker Jackson."

"I know," Ryker groaned moodily. "In fact, that's how I know I did the right thing, how bad it hurts. But that doesn't stop it from hurting. It didn't stop it from hurting her. You weren't there, Zoё. You didn't see the calm acceptance in her eyes when I told her I was leaving. You didn't see the tired smile she gave me, trying to comfort me and hide her own pain, like she always does. You didn't see her anger. I didn't see her anger. Because there was none. There should have been. But there was none. I haven't seen her in two months."

"Heracles has not seen me in two millennia. If he had, would be missing some limbs."

"I can't tell if you're genuinely trying to lighten the mood, or if you just said the first thing that came to mind."

"We both know it is the second one, but for thy own sake, we shall choose to believe it was the first one."

Ryker laughed, suddenly feeling an incessant need to touch her hand or lean against her, letting her know exactly how much he appreciated her. Like they weren't fighting for their lives everyday. Like they were just kids in the forest, enjoying each other's company.

Like he already would have if she were Milli.

He drew in a sharp breath at the thought.

Milli.

His entire disposition became stiff and tense. He could tell Zoё was watching him, concerned, and he smiled shakily at her.

"I haven't seen her in two months," he repeated as if to explain his sudden change, "And for all of the training I've been doing, I can already feel myself growing weaker. I'm better when I'm with her."

"It takes a brave man to admit when he needs others to make him strong," Zoё noted, tilting her head curiously. "It is not something I have seen many do."