forest green ● jason grace

twelve

"Ella," Daria said slowly. "What's going on? Are Frank and Hazel okay?"

"Sharing," Ella squawked as she cleaned her feathers. "Sharing Cities, 2015-"

"Um okay." Percy interrupted. "Guess we just let them be."

The two, or well three, sat in silence for a few moments. Daria knew what was coming and already she was trying to prepare her answer. She didn't know what the worse option was, falling asleep and having to pay the debt that her mother asked of her, or this confrontation with Percy.

"So," Percy ventured. And there it was. "Why did Phineas ask you when he would die?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "there's no good way to say this. But promise me that you won't say anything until I've finished. Please."

Percy's eyes widened slightly, as if he wasn't expecting it to be that serious. He nodded. She took a deep breath and started.

"When I was 15, this was right after Mount Tam, Goddess Bellona, Reyna's mom, invited me up to Mount Olympus." She laughed dryly. "Well invite is a gentler term. They forced me to come. I didn't know any better. I was....arrogant. Like there was going to be some sort of praise or award or something. I planned the attack plans for the war you know, all of them."

"As soon as I arrived, I knew something was off. Now I'd never been there before, but I imagined that it would be livelier. It wasn't. There were very few gods there, first off. And they all looked afraid of me, I didn't know why. I was 15."

Percy was listening intently, his eyes never left her face. Her voice wavered, "That's when everything changed. I don't- I don't really remember this part. But whatever they did hurt, a lot.." She bit her lip. "They, the gods, said I would bring the downfall of everyone, they had seen the future I guess, or maybe the Fates had said something."

"They cursed me with this...ability," her eyes were wary. "If someone asks, if someone mentions their death, I see their death day and hour and minute and second. Please, don't ask," she added.

"When I got back, everything was different. I was growing into these newfound powers." She almost mentioned her mother, but when she tried her mouth went dry. "But essentially," she looked at him to see his reaction. "Basically, in this whole Prophecy of Eight, I'm supposed to betray you."

Percy was silent. She could see the wheels in his head turning. When he spoke, it was firm and direct, "You're not going to betray us." He sounded like the idea was absurd. "You're a lot of things but being a traitor...I don't think you have it in you." He laughed shortly before his expression turned to one of concern. "Wha-are you crying?"

She sniffed, "No?"

Percy cracked a sympathetic smile, his sea-green eyes reminded her of the Tiber. "Come here," he opened his arms for her to tuck herself into. "If the gods want to touch you again they're going to have to go through both of us," his voice was tight with responsibility. "I won't let you down Dars."

"Don't call me that," she mumbled.

He chuckled, arms still wrapped around her, "Tough." Percy sat up, "Now get some sleep. We can't have you fucking up the quest because you're tired." He teased.

Daria really didn't want to. Her contacts were dry, she desperately wanted a shower, and she didn't want to see her mother. But she was exhausted, so there was that. Using her backpack as a pillow, she left Percy in the company of Ella and fell asleep.

She was waiting for her when Daria closed her eyes. But now, instead of her ethereal glow, the light was faded. Her gaze was still warm, but colder, like she was scolding a child. "Daria," she murmured, turning to face her with those same forest-green eyes that Daria saw in the mirror.