“You ever pray we’re wrong?”
Nico lets his next step sound against the smoothed pebbles, dismissed the shadows he hovered on. Will doesn’t turn to face him, but one of his shoulders slumps, stretched-out camp shirt neckline hanging around his collarbones, in acknowledgment. Nico crouches down, inspecting the pebbles until he finds one suitable — flat, almost disc-like, a little bigger than his thumbnail, smooth as shaved skin.
“‘Bout what?”
It skips when he launches it, on the tail of Will’s, one, two, three times before sinking. Will’s goes much longer, as does his next. And his next. Sink.
“About the —
Sink.
— afterlife.”
He doesn’t look as he scoops up another handful, eyes glued to the setting sun. His pebbles are all the wrong shape, but he launches them, one at a time, one at a time, one at a time; each of them skips.
“About the world —
Sink.
— down there.”
Sink.
“Underworld.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You ever hope we just —
Sink.
— dreamed it up?”
Sink.
One, two, four, sixteen. Sink.
Sink.
“The whole thing. Gods and Judgement and Punishment. Hellfire.”
Sink.
One. Twothreefourfivesix. Seven. Sink.
Sink.
“Like the Mist. An illusion to keep us compliant.”
Sink.
One. Two. Ten. Twenty. Sink.
Sink.
“It isn’t,” Nico says, as gently as he can. He runs his thumb over the edge of a pebble, tracing its ridge. A rough broken corner slices along the pad of his thumbprint, and he jumps, breathing a curse, sliding the irony salt into his mouth. “Do you wish it was?”
“I hope it is.”
The blood is long since gone. Nico hooks his nail over his bottom teeth, tongue twisting at the lingering saltiness, and watches him, eyes hooded; the set to his shoulders, his spine; his sand-covered feet and soaked pants rolled to his calves. Lee’s shirt, worn thin, hanging off his shoulders, still; four camp necklaces on his throat, heavy with beads, one wrapped three times around his wrist. Hair, wilder than usual, knotted, matted, whipping in the wind, thick with sand, curling around his eyes.
“Why?”
“I hope we’re wrong and it’s Mist and it’s softer. And it’s —
Sink.
— nothing. Quiet.”
Sink.
“Why?” Nico repeats.
Sink.
“Because I’ve —
Sink.
— because I’m going to Hell, Nico.”
Sink.
One.
Sink.
One.
Sink.
One.
Sink.
Sink.
Sink.
“I’m going to —
Sink.
— Hell, and I’m scared.”
Sink.
“You’re a hero,” Nico says, quiet, and the pebbles in his fist are loud, are grating, and the bitter in Will’s laugh is stronger even than the lingering taste on his tongue, and louder, and brighter, bright, brighter, like the Sun, like the stars, like the brand new moon, and it sears, and it aches, and Nico looks away. And Will laughs, and keeps laughing, and launches his pebbles into the lake, all of them at once, and they hit the water like spit, and spatter, and they sink, and Nico hears them hit the floor, hears them ricochet through, down, descend.
“I hear the injured screaming and choose which ones die,” Will says, sink,
sink,
sink,
sink,
sink, “and I hear them curse me, as they die, and I am going to rot in Hell.”
Sink.
Sink.
Sink.
“You are a hero,” Nico says. His hands shake and he folds his thumb into his fists. “You are a hero. You’ll go to Elysium.”
Will smiles at him. “Okay, Nico.”
Sink.
“I’ve — judged, you know. Before. Good things way heavy. Good things weigh heavy.”
Sink.
“Okay.”
“You’re not cursed, Will.”
He sits, or he drops, on the rocky shore, bones against stone, and he stares, at the lake, at the Sun, at the Sun, at the Sun, and he waits, and he glows, and he burns.
“The gods aren’t fair,” he says. Quiet.
Sink.
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style
"you got that long hair slicked back white t-shirt"
"and i got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt"
pairings: percy jackson x fem!reader
warnings/tags: none. just fluff.
summary: a hot guy invites you for brunch on your early morning walk on the beach.
the first light of dawn kissed the horizon as you strolled along the beach at camp half-blood, the gentle rhythm of the waves lulling you into a state of peaceful introspection. it was your favorite time of day, a moment of quiet solitude before the world awakened in a symphony of noise and chaos.
lost in your thoughts, you almost didn't notice the figure standing ahead of you, his silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of the rising sun. as you drew closer, you realized it was percy jackson, his jet black hair was slicked back and a crisp white t-shirt hugged his frame.
"good morning," he called out, a warm smile gracing his lips as he caught sight of you.
"good morning," you replied, returning his smile with one of your own. there was something about the way he stood there, a sense of quiet confidence that drew you in despite yourself.
percy took a step closer, the early morning light dancing in his sea-green eyes. "i couldn't help but notice you walking along the beach," he said. "mind if i join you?"
you shook your head, a thrill of excitement coursing through you at the prospect of his company. "not at all. the more the merrier."
and so, the two of you fell into step together, the sound of your laughter mingling with the gentle lapping of the waves. with each passing moment, you found yourself drawn to percy in a way you couldn't quite explain, his presence filling the empty spaces within your heart.
as the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a golden glow over the world, percy turned to you with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "you know," he began, his voice playful, "i happen to know a great place for brunch not too far from here. care to join me?"
you hesitated for a moment, the thought of spending more time with percy sending a flutter of anticipation through your chest. but then you smiled, a sense of adventure bubbling up inside you.
"i'd love to," you replied, the words hanging in the air like a promise.
"perfect! i know a place where they serve the most amazing blue pancakes. trust me, you've never tasted anything like it." percy said, his voice warm with anticipation,
you couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm, the sound like music to percy's ears. "blue pancakes, huh? sounds intriguing. lead the way, then."
with a grin, percy quickened his pace, and made his way towards the camp borders. as you followed, you couldn't shake the feeling of excitement bubbling up inside you. there was something about the prospect of trying something new with percy that filled you with a sense of adventure.
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