Slash. Kick. Jab. Slice.
Repeat. Again.
Slash.
"Anóitos," she muttered under her breath. "Stupid, idiotic little shit." With that she all but massacred the wooden figure in front of her. Ignoring the pain, the hurt.
You might find Thalia Grace this enraged more often than she would like to admit. However, while she fought the battered dummy as though her life depended on it, she figured her anger must have been felt through Olympus and back.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and she cursed the summer weather. The wind picked up around her and she could feel the sparks of electricity buzzing about her fingertips. Precious gift from her dearest father.
The molecules in her blood seemed like they had caught fire. Kick. Don't think. Let the anger do the fighting. It's better than letting… A roar resounded in her ears like a giant wave and no, stop thinking about it, for fuck's sake!
She realized the roar was emanating from her mouth.
With one final jab, the dummy leaned backwards and crashed on the floor. Panting¸Thalia wiped the sweat off her forehead. She finally crouched down, breathing heavily. Her anger, despite having receded down a notch, was still thrumming with static energy across her body.
And what, you may ask, was the source of Thalia Grace's rage?
Easy. Three words. Perseus. Freaking. Jackson.
Like almost anything that happened between both of them, it had started as nothing. Some monster attack in the streets of New York. Nothing two children of the Big Three couldn't handle. Yep, typical Thalia Grace day. Until the monsters started multiplying. Dracaenae, Stymphalian birds and telkhines started swirling around them, snorting and snarling. The pair eventually had to lose ground, and retreat into a small alley.
"Kelp Head, on your left!"
Percy spun on his heels. Riptide slashed through the empousa, and the golden dust swirled around Thalia's feet. Percy scowled.
"I saw it coming, Grace!"
"Whatever." She grunted and jabbed with her spear.
Between two kills, she spared a glance towards the son of Poseidon. Despite his wide, energetic slashes, he did not seem that tired. Thalia had to give the jerk some credit, he knew how to fight. When she had first woken up after that day (and of course the first person she had laid eyes on had been him), Annabeth explained Percy had appeared three years ago, killing the Minotaur and whatnot. She knew by experience three years of fighting monsters could turn you into an automatic monster killer like this. Percy's moves were coordinated with a flawless deadliness she had only seen Luke achieve.
His eyes flicked towards hers, and he smirked. Huffing and rolling her eyes, she averted her look as she impaled yet another monster. That's what you got from thinking good of the little bugger, she thought.
Against all odds, they'd actually managed to fend off the majority of the monsters. Their ranks had started to deplete, and Thalia could actually see the end of the alley instead of a never-ending swarm of fur and saliva. Both demigods had actually ended up unscathed, save for some minor scratches and bruises. Nothing a little ambrosia couldn't fix.
It wasn't long until all that was left was some shattered water tubes, a couple of scorched debris and a thick layer of golden dust. Panting, Percy wiped his sword on his jeans. His eyes darted around the alley, searching for any rogue monsters.
Thalia hated it. The silence after a battle. The sinking feeling that it happened again and it will happen again. The imminent thoughts of dread and anger because that was her goddamn future and she was powerless against it and… Gods, did she hate that feeling. And the silence made it even more unnerving. Somehow it always ended like this. Be it five seconds, or three years. Silence.
"Thank the gods it's finished." Percy sighed finally.
Thalia grunted. "Like hell it's finished. And don't thank them."
The boy tiredly ran a hand through his hair. "Are you always like this? Geez, Grace, relax. Besides, it's just an expression. No need to get your hair in a knot."
"And why shouldn't I? It's their damn fault we're even here in the first place. It's their damn fault we face monster upon monster every day!"
"You think I don't know that? Of course it's their fault, I'm not denying it. I'm just tired of you complaining about them all the time."
Thalia could already feel the palpitations of her temples, her usual symptom of staying too long with Percy.
"I don't complain, Kelp Head. I just state the facts."
"But why do you have to bring everything down to them? It's not like they actually sent the monsters-"
She scoffed. Knowing them, they very well could have, those bastards.
"Why are you even defending them, anyway? Does your dear father have a special place in your heart? What, he gave you a 'Good son' badge when you obediently fetched that lightning bolt?"
The bitterness rooted in her thoughts ever since Luke was raising its head and spurring her on. She had a feeling this was a sore subject for Percy, but right now she only listened to the long quelled ravings of her anger.
Percy's eyes had flashed at the mention of Poseidon, and clouds had shadowed his tanned complexion.
When he spoke, his voice quivered with barely contained anger.
"Just because you got turned into a tree for three years doesn't mean you can patronise me like that, Pinecone Face. You're not the holder of some sacred knowledge, and you're certainly not the only one in your position! So quit complaining!"
Tension sparked in the air like the sudden flash of a lightbulb, and Thalia knew she could snap at any moment.
"How can you even say that? You have it easy! Just look at me, the golden-clad hero! The perfect goddamn role-model whose only fault is literally loyalty! Well look here, Mr. Nice Guy, you don't get to give me speeches! You don't get to tell me what to do just because you're the beloved son of Poseidon! Who cares about your parentage! The gods abandoned us long before you were born, he abandoned you! So how about you stop fooling yourself!"
There was no playful banter this time. Thalia had let her fury take over, the months of resentment and annoyance coming out in waves at the boy, whose eyes betrayed the same dangerous feeling.
"Oh yeah? Well how about you come off your stupid horses and decide to move on!"
"Cause that's so easy, isn't it? You don't have a stupid prophecy on your shoulders! You can just forget everything, 'cause you always end up saving the world anyway, and run to your mommy if anything goes wrong!"
"At least my mother didn't abandon me!"
And that was it. Right there. For the first time since she met Luke she wanted to let everything down and out. But she couldn't. Not in front of this fucking asshole.
So she bit back the treacherous salted substance racing to her eyes and ran. Ran, like the coward she was. Sprinted in the bustling streets of New York. How had they ended up there again? Finally stopped at the only place she could, the only place she knew. She was tied to the camp, for the simple reason she desperately feared a life on the streets alone again.
Looking back, she wondered if she had imagined violently shoving Percy out of the way, sending him an uncontrolled electric shock. Serves him right.
Eventually, her anger died down. She was left a numb, hollow chaos which was, in a way, more soothing than tears.
She sat down in the dirt, ignoring the pebbles stinging her calves. She sighed ponderously and settled her head on her hands. The usually bustling arena was abnormally quiet. Perhaps the campers had noticed the daughter of Zeus' fit of rage and wisely turned away. Perhaps they were too occupied with the return of Perseus Jackson. Who knew.
The brooding, heavy silence was suddenly interrupted by the scrunching of gravel across the open space. Reluctantly looking up, she recognised the white sneakers and bent her head again. The figure flopped down next to her, and Annabeth's long curls came into view. The pair stayed silent, waiting for the other to talk, enjoying the familiar comfort around old friends.
Eventually, Thalia spoke, ardently glaring at her shoes.
"I hate him, you know."
"Who? Percy? Or Zeus?"
Annabeth's gaze was as piercing as ever, and Thalia found herself searching for the answer.
"I… I don't know. Both, I guess."
Her friend hummed, and her steady breathing, the atmosphere of utter trust radiating around her, reminded Thalia of better days. Of soft cuddles in the night time, tucked in a safe-house and exchanging insecurities. Of worried glances sent backwards, and calming rubs on the shoulder. Simpler times, with just the three of them, like a family.
"Well," Annabeth sighed, "I had a feeling it'd end up like this."
"What do you mean?"
"You kept on testing each other's limits, a big rift was bound to happen." She chuckled tiredly. "You know, I told Percy you two were so alike you'd end up either best friends, or mortal enemies."
"Not so alike. Everything goes easy for him."
Another silence. Annabeth shifted.
"When he first came here, I thought the same. Twelve years old, no experience whatsoever, and he stumbles here having killed the freaking Minotaur. At the time I was so desperate for a quest, and Chiron just wouldn't let me on one. And guess what, the second he gets here, bam! Quest."
Thalia laughed without humour. "Bet everybody loved him too."
"Actually, no. He ended up Clarisse's punching bag for the week after that toilet incident. And, even after he got claimed…" She trailed off, hesitating.
"He… he mentioned my mother, Annabeth. Said at least he hadn't been abandoned by his."
Annabeth's sharp intake of breath made her regret the sentence.
"I mean, I know I should be over it already, but it still…you know."
"Yeah." Her grey eyes travelled over her, and the empathetic gaze made her realise she did in fact understand. "I know."
Funny how different silences could be. Now, she despised this reminiscing, pondering silence that took over.
"He never wanted this, you know." Annabeth said finally. "The questing, the attention. Recently, he seems…different. More… tired, I guess. Ever since the Sea of Monsters, where Grover almost died."
Thalia looked down. Grover had been one of the only people to care about her right away. Despite his fidgety attitude and nervous stuttering, he had managed to gently weave his way into a heart sealed-off years ago. When she had woken up, the satyr had seemed to have become close friends with none other than Percy Jackson himself. She would have been lying if she said it didn't sting a little.
The daughter of Zeus grunted. "Everyone gets tired, Annabeth."
Sighing, her friend smiled wearily. "All I'm saying is, you should talk to him. I don't mean you should forgive him. He was a jerk. But maybe some cool-off time could help, as well as a casual conversation without constantly being on the brink of death."
This managed to pry a genuine smile off the stern-faced teen. "I'll try. But don't go complaining if I accidentally wring his neck in annoyance."
Annabeth laughed, and the pure, echoing sound was just as she remembered.
Figured the son of Poseidon would be on the beach.
Believe it as you may, Thalia had spent more time than she would like to admit searching for him. At lunch-time, green eyes had met blue for a millisecond, but were quickly averted. Thalia pretended to ignore the wistful, uncomfortably familiar glances sent to the bustling Hermes campers, as opposed to the deserted Poseidon (and Zeus, a voice whispered) table. After the meal, Percy had been so quick to leave Thalia hadn't even seen him zoom past.
She was pretty sure he was avoiding her, which did not ease her mood in the slightest.
She had first tried the sparring area, where a few new campers were trying out a variety of weapons. As a deafening bang vibrated through the ground, she saw a blond daughter of Ares hit the target with a Celestial Bronze gun. No trace of the familiar mop of black hair.
The lake was no more fruitful, gentle ripples lapping the shore as she shivered on the sand. She had even, to her credit, talked with a naiad who shrugged carelessly and leaped back underwater with a giggle. Damn those effing spirits.
So could you blame her for feeling slightly irritated when facing an empty beach?
The crashing waves laboriously met the rolling sand as she trudged along the shore. Her feet steered away from the cool water. She gazed around, followed the trail of sand stretching out in Long Island Sound. No brooding teenager ahead. Behind her, the Poseidon cabin gleamed in the sunlight, shells reflecting the afternoon glow.
Turning on her heels, she faced the vast expanse of foamy seawater and cupped her hands around her mouth.
"Jackson!"
The call travelled in the wind, carried away like a bird riding on a breeze. No answer.
"Look, I'd really appreciate it if you stopped avoiding me like an idiot like you've been doing this past week." Nothing. Did he even hear what she was yelling? Because Thalia sure felt stupid berating the ocean.
"Oh, come on," she muttered. The one time she was actually willing to see the guy, and he stubbornly refused to even acknowledge her presence.
"You know what? Fine! Just continue running away, I'm sure it'll work out on its own. I was just trying to make peace, but whatever." There she went again with her astounding eloquence.
Upon the persisting silence that followed, Thalia turned away, ready to head back to camp and admit defeat to Annabeth. While she was disappointed to give up, she secretly sighed from relief. Dealing with feelings, especially in conversation, had never been her greatest asset. On the road, hers and Luke's policy had pretty much been, 'Run now, feel after'. Now that her best friend was… was gone, she had no idea how to apprehend the overload of emotions menacing to clog her thoughts.
All of a sudden, she tensed as a crashing sound came from behind. An oversized wave deposited on the ground, and Percy's lean figure came out, approaching her silently. His steps were heavy, and Thalia noticed his drenched clothes and dripping hair. Why he let himself wet when he could literally stay dry forever remained a mystery to her. She couldn't seem to find his eyes, but she could very well find the flushed cheeks and the bent forehead, creased with worried lines travelling across his face. Thalia remained still as he sighed and flopped on the ground. His wet jeans stuck to the sand.
"The fish insulted you," he said. "Didn't like that ruckus you were causing on the beach."
"Flip him the finger for me, would you."
The air smelled like salt and old tension. Thalia decided speaking on equal terms would be best, and settled herself next to the other demigod. She would later take pride in her patience, waiting for Percy to make the first move.
"Look, Thalia, I… I got carried away, I- I didn't mean to…To-"
"State the facts?" She laughed without humour. "Yeah, well now it's said."
Percy opened his mouth and closed it, and the image of a fish flashed in Thalia's mind. His eyes shone as green as the ocean next to them, and she could perceive the faintest trace of underlying guilt in his features. His hands drew circles in the sand, and the wind blew away the designs as he breathed quietly.
"I… I never asked to be a half-blood," he said after a while. "All I wanted was to be accepted. To be…normal."
His story was starting to get eerily familiar, and Thalia looked away, humming to show him her attention.
"I used to ask my mom about my dad when I was a kid, and she'd always look so hurt, I'd drop the subject immediately. And I ended up accepting that he'd never come back. But, when he suddenly became such a big part of my life, I… I let myself hope again." He looked down. "Never should have."
No way. Nuh-uh. This wasn't becoming a pity party. She had just wanted to follow Annabeth's advice for once, not to have a bonding moment with Percy Jackson.
And yet somehow, Percy's tale struck home. As she'd found out that he wasn't that perfect after all, she also discovered that they had much more in common than she originally thought. Damn that daughter of Athena, always being right.
"I never had much," she replied. "My mom always told me I was the daughter of a king, used to dress me like a princess." To his credit, Percy's face showed no trace of amusement. "That was just about the only amount of attention I got. I… I clung to it. Hoped she would see how much I loved the few times she looked at me lovingly. Guess we both hoped a little too much."
Percy nodded, smiling bitterly. His face fell though as sombre thoughts clouded his eyes.
"My mom is everything to me. I don't know what I would do if I- if I lost her." He ran a hand through wind-torn hair. "Gods, Thalia, I'm so sorry. I really was an asshole."
"Watch your language, young man, or I'll wash out your bad mouth with soap."
The joke managed to pry a snort out of Percy's throat. And, just like that, the tension evaporated, like steam out of a long-shut boiler. The pair watched the sun lag behind the sea, in a heap of pastel colours. Aside from a few side comments on the sickly sweet mushiness of the situation, no one said a word. And Thalia realised that, for the first time, they didn't have to. No banter, no eye rolls or playful smirks. Just silence. The one signifying understanding and new-found trust. Not entirely established, but peaking between layers of clouds into new territory. The one allowed by opening up just a tiny bit, by admitting things you never dared mouth before. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
She decided she liked this kind of silence.
The Poseidon cabin gleamed, and the pine tree on Half-Blood Hill rustled in the gentle breeze enveloping the camp.
A/N: *drops Percy and Thalia angst* *scurries back to hole* Feed me reviews? Please?