moment: the parting
song: Hello, Goodbye by The Beatles
extras: complete, wind, linger

note: takes place immediately after the last chapter. also, the song is from percy's perspective this time.

you say why and i say
i don't know

-:-

"Oh," she murmurs, because what else can she say. "Sorry."

Her candle, still on the sand behind her, seems to glow a little less brighter, a little more darker.

Percy sighs, running a nervous hand through his hair. "Dominique, I – I'm sorry," he says helplessly. "It's just – she's – Annabeth – and I – " His words die in the chill of the evening, lost in the winds that flutter around their heads, and it's almost poetic, except it's so completely not.

"Yeah," Dominique says, not sure if she wants to sound as bitter and hopeless as she feels. "You're in love with her. I know that."

"We've been through a lot," he tries to say, but she turns away, unable to linger a minute longer in his presence. "I'm sorry, okay?" he calls as she walks away, stopping only to pick up her candle. "Dominique, please don't run from me again."

"Again," she repeats incredulously, whirling around. "Right, forgive me for not wanting to see the guy I love flirt with someone else. Forgive me for not feeling like I belong in a world of monsters and heroes. I'm sorry, Percy. Now, could you just fuck off?"

He stumbles back, perhaps from the curse word or perhaps from the hostility radiating from her. But he doesn't leave, and she's not sure if she hates or loves him for his stubbornness.

"Dominique," he murmurs, taking a step forward, but she steps back again. "I don't want to leave you like this. Can't we – can't we fix this?"

She takes a breath, and his hand is suddenly warm against her cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispers again, "and I – I love you."

"You don't," she tells him, but he presses a kiss to her temple anyway.

And then he leaves, and she's not sure why, but it doesn't really feel like goodbye.

-:-

you say goodbye
and i say hello

a/n: well. that's it for this challenge. however, this is obviously not their full story, so I don't think I'm going to mark this as complete just yet. I may or may not steal other prompt sets to fill in the stuff I didn't get to write about here :) that's the plan, anyway. thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, and if you're reading this far, please drop me a review? :D

and don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.