Child of Time

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Risky Route

      *mentions of underage drug abuse*
   ......again

PERCY

"Luke."

It took only one look at him to make me launch myself at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stuffed my face into his neck. He hugged me back tightly like he was afraid I would disappear.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Percy, it's fine." He told me. He combed through my dripping hair in a smoothing motion. "Now what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Everything's fine." He frowned when he looked at me. His eyes narrowed on my red face and eyes. He saw how my clothes were all soaked and I had mud all over my hands and pants.

"You're clearly not fine. You were just crying in the rain. What happened? Is it because of what happened when you went to Camp Half-Blood?"

I looked away from him, not wanting him to see me like this. "I was just frustrated."

Luke frowned at me but decided not to pry, which I was thankful for. He took my hand and just walked through the damp forest.

"You know you can tell me anything, right Percy?" I just sighed and nodded. I guess I could just tell him about what Zeus has been up to. So I did. I told him all of it. Excluding the part where he died a hundred times in different ways in front of me. I don't know how he'd feel about that.

"He's a bastard." Luke swore and I raised an eyebrow at him. "I know you're not telling me something but I can tell it's bad. And whatever it is, it's the reason you're upset."

I didn't answer him, but then again, he already knew what my answer would be.

"And now that we've talked about your idiotic brother, can we talk about what happened at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Which part?" I asked in slight fear.

"All of it. How we kind-of-sort-of broke up? And... about what you said before you left."

Yep... I knew he'd remember that. Kinda hoping he wouldn't.

"Okay... well I already told you that Zeus made me break up with you so you'd never want to see me again. He told me that if I didn't then he would kill you... it seems that still hasn't changed though." He looked over at me but didn't ask. "I don't know what happens now. We can... stay away from each other. Or we could meet up secretly every once in a while but no one can know. Not Annabeth. Not Nico and Bianca. No one."

Luke nodded as he thought this through.

"I think the safest option would be for us to not see each other." I glanced at him to see him have a mischievous grin on his face. "But when have we ever taken the safest route?" I grinned at him.

"Okay then, that works. If you ever want to IM me then I'm free anytime this is black." I reached into the pocket of my ripped jeans and handed him a small blue bead. "You can put that on your camp necklace. Or hold it in your hand like a fucking idiot. You better not lose that Seamonkey. I paid good money for that bead."

He gave me a dry look. "Okay so maybe I just stole it from my dad and made a few modifications. But I was almost caught."

"I won't lose it, Percy." He added the bead onto his camp necklace. "So this is anytime you're free?"

"Yup. Not exactly sure how it works but whatever."

Luke nodded and turned the bead with his other hand.

We were silent as we walked through the trees, hands interlocked together.

"Can't Zeus track us or something?"