● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

THE FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS LIT UP THE SKY. andromeda watched with a smile, albeit finding it ironic that they were celebrating independence they as they headed into a war.

usually, couples kissed at the beach, holding hands and taking walks. andromeda hated that. but now, as she saw silena and beck as well as annabeth and evander walk the shore, she smiled at the pairs.

ofcourse, the good mood was short-lived, seeing as she had to listen to the prophecy later tonight. she couldn't even bring herself to eat a thing at dinner. the casserole on her plate just sat there as she frowned at it, waiting for some food god to spew rotten cream at her.

the hermes table was quiet, which didn't help her thoughts. they were so loud in the silence. although she sat at the edge with no one else, she still appreciated their loud-mouthing.

she looked over at nico who was hanging around the pavillion with a simple biscuit. she saw him everyday, he ate so less. and he was always looking over at the forest, as if he wished to be out of here. andromeda knew he would leave them eventually, but just because she knew, didn't mean she had to like it.

a plate slammed in front of her, along with a goblet of blue diet coke. she snapped up her neck, and percy was here. at the hermes table.

"what are you doing here?" she asked in a panic.

"came over to talk."

"at the hermes table?"

he shrugged. "we need to talk."

"couldn't it wait?"

he shook his head. sipped his drink.

she could feel the watchful eyes on them. it had been quiet before, but now it was quieter, somehow. as if they were watching a really enticing scene in a tv show. even chiron looked mildly amused. maybe it was percy's audacity.

"what do you have to talk about that is so important?" she said in a low voice. "you're breaking rules that shouldn't be broken, even by your standards."

"you did it!" he whisper-yelled.

andromeda pointed at herself, mirroring his dramatic theatrics. "i don't even have a table here! so i wasn't technically breaking the rules. you already have a cabin and a table and you're choosing to sit here!"

"i'm choosing to sit with you." he glared. "now what have you decided with the prophecy?

andromeda recalled her dream. kronos. ethan. she frowned. "i'm hearing it."

"andromeda," percy said exhaustively. "why?"

andromeda gulped. "i just have to."

"you don't have to!" percy insisted. "you don't owe it to them."

"you wouldn't get it."

"don't fucking say that." he persisted in an angered tone. "i've been told that too many times in my life and each time it's been bullshit. don't shut me out. don't deflect."

chiron cleared his throat, calling their attention. andromeda shared a look with percy. both of them knew he had to leave.

"i have to, percy. i just have to."

he stared at her, like something in that sentence had held him back. he gulped down his words and stared at the blue drink. andromeda wondered if he was asking his father for help. he looked back at her.

"when are you hearing it?"

"after dinner," andromeda said into the air.

"i want to be there." he decided. he stood up, sensing the urgency in chiron's gaze. "i will be there."

and he left, not even leaving room for argument.

he'd left his drink behind, andromeda wondered if that was intentional.

the crowd was switching their attention between the two, and desperate for something to do with her hands, she grabbed the cup and put it to her lips, drinking down the contents.

a blue chocolate shake. she didn't even know how that had come to be, but it had. and it tasted even better than a normal chocolate shake. it calmed her down, somehow. gave her just enough sense to be able to silence her thoughts and begin eating.

and she thought, maybe having percy there wouldn't be so bad after all.

● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

she stood inside the big house, waiting for chiron.

"it'll be fine."

percy was with her, as he had said. though he looked more stressed than she did, fidgeting with his hands and playing with the cuffs of his sleeves, his leg vibrated as he sat in a chair.

"percy," she started. "whatever is written in there. . ."

she knew he knew what she meant with just the look he gave her. this connection could be bad or good. maybe she was meant to save olympus in case the hero failed to, maybe she was meant to save olympus because the hero failed to. she didn't want him to think of her different just because of that.

and he seemed to get all of that in just a look of five seconds.

chiron entered. he looked surprised to see them.

"i want to hear." andromeda said instantly.

chiron looked at percy. "and you wish to listen?"

"i want to stay with her." percy nodded. he stood up beside her.

"alright, children." chiron closed the door with a click! he trotted over to before them, fishing the tiny paper from his pocket.

"is it bad?" andromeda askes, just for something to look forward to.

"it's. . .well," chiron cleared his throat. "listen for yourself."

and as he unfolded the paper, years seem to speed by, like her teenage was already passed and she was in her thirties. her throat felt too dry, her neck too hot, her hair too heavy. she had the urge to bolt out of the room. her hands shook, she enclosed them in a fist.

a gentle touch unravelled them, fingers slipped between hers. and everything weighed half less. everything bad was divided by half. and that left room for half good.

she inhaled deeply, nodding in preparation as chiron began reciting.

"a child of the shunned will initiate the course
take a life by will or force,
a gift used as a tool to pierce,
save the one who bears the curse,
name glorified and honorable,
but the cost shall be unreasonable."

the world seemed to crack in the silence that flowed forth. like a ship had drowned, a plane had crashed, an earthquake had happened, an iceberg had broken all in those moments.

goosebumps went down her skin, her hand contracted in percy's, and a moment later he squeezed it with just as much force.

"i. . ." she stammered.

"take your time." chiron affirmed.

the front porch caught fire. none of them moved. the flames grew orange but burnt purple as they rose up to the second storey, covering the outer space with walls of fire.

andromeda closed her eyes in focus. she had to put out that fire. she couldn't lose control now. she simply couldn't afford it.

heat came into the room, the wooden platform increasing in temperature.

"um," andromeda's voice shivered. "just — just give me a minute."

"andy,"

andromeda opened her eyes, blinking away the dots that had formed from pressing them close so hard. sea green locked under her gaze, waves lapping over each other in minute circular irises. an ocean of tranquility.

her breaths evened out.

the sea in his eyes seemed to put out the fire in her head, the flames contracted, the heat subsided, and soon the porch was left looking like nothing had even happened. not a scratch.

she heaved a breath. turned to chiron. "was that it?"

chiron only nodded.

"okay," andromeda said in a small voice. "then i can go?"

the centaur frowned. "yes, but —"

"okay. thanks."

and she left, her hand still clung to percy's hand as he followed her. she took long strides, not really having a destination. she couldn't very well take percy to the hermes cabin after the table fiasco, and she didn't want to let go of his hand.

"andy!"

"what!"

she turned around to face him.

"i've called you thrice now!" percy panted.

"well, sorry if i couldn't hear you!" andromeda yelled. "i'm too busy trying to drown out the voices in my own fucking head!"

percy took a breath. "what are they saying?"

she was a little taken aback by the question. just enough to recognize what they might be saying. "they — they're all talking over each. i can't make sense of them and i hate that i can't. i hate that i can't even control what i think. that i get overwhelmed so easily and so much and — and i feel like i'm suffocating in it. i think too much and end up making sense of none of it and —" she gulped. "and i don't know what. . .i can't. . ."

"hey," percy called. he moved closer. "come here,"

and he held her. he just held her. arms winding around her frame and holding her like she would evaporate if he loosened his hold. she buried her head in the crook of his neck, clinging to him like he was the thread binding her to life. his heartbeat thrummed against her, and she found comfort in the rhythm. she found it calming how his breath fanned her neck, how his fingernails dug into her skin through the clothes. it cleared away the voices.

she released a shaky breath, gulping as she parted. "thank you."

he pushed her hair back. "anytime."

she looked away. "the prophecy. . ."

he shook his head. "we don't have to talk about that right now. are you okay?"

her expression hardened as she nodded over and over. "i'll be okay."

he frowned. then leaned forward, pressing his forehead against her's. "just turn off your head for a minute. just don't think."

and usually, she hated it when people said that. just don't think. like it was that easy. but now, it reassured her. she really did stop thinking. instead focusing on how the soft grass tickled her shins or how percy's fingertips rubbed her neck, how his hair teased her temples as the wind blew past it.

she stopped thinking of everything but him. and it helped.

● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

she went canoeing the next day, after quite a while. she needed the calm and still environment, before mornings began for the rest of the world. the early sun made the water sparkle like a giant diamond. blue and brilliant. she dipped her fingertips in the creek, swirling around. the cold sent a rush of tranquility through her. strangely, the feeling reminded her of percy's touch. but maybe it was because she related anything about water to percy.

at the edge of the forest, a new figure came into view. a head of shaggy raven hair, aviator's jacket and a t-shirt with a skull on it, black tracks and rough shoes. he spotted her.

"hey," she greeted with a smile.

nico almost gave her one back. but it seemed strained. like he was reluctant to give it.

"you're going soon, right?" she asked.

"how do you know?"

her smile softened. "i can see it. i see you hanging around awkwardly, waiting for a moment you can slip away unnoticed. you want to get away."

he looked at the water. "this place isn't for me. there isn't even a cabin here. people stare at me but won't look me in the eye, like a look will kill them."

she knew all too well how discrimination could feel. she stayed in a cabin that wasn't even her own. "i know. it's hard. but it gets better eventually."

"i don't have enough time for eventually." nico deapanned. "a year before percy turns sixteen. before the great prophecy is set into motion. and as much as i wish. . ." he trailed off, like he had made a mistake even saying that much. then sighed. "so yes. i'll be leaving today."

andromeda frowned. nico was keeping something from her. and she knew very well he didn't owe her anything he didn't want to share, but the fact that he felt like he had to hide something was saddening on it's own.

"keep popping in, okay?" she told him. "keep in touch."

"you don't have to worry about me anymore." nico shook his head. "i've given you enough trouble —"

"don't ever think that." she said. "we're friends. friends help each other regardless of mistakes. what will you be doing?"

nico recognized the change of subject, but he decided to go with it. "i'll try learning about my past. my family, why i was put in the lotus hotel, who took me out and why. i have a lot of mysteries i need to solve. i think i'll pay hades a visit."

this conversation with nico was intimate. she knew that. it was rare for him to share something like this, and the fact that he had made her heart melt.

she had a guess why he was put in the lotus hotel. hades, poseidon and zeus knew the prophecies. they made a pact to not have kids. but they didn't have a pact that abstained hades from saving up his already living children. she gulped that thought down. nico didn't need to hear that from her. hades would be telling him.

she thought of how prophecies had destroyed so many children. thalia, percy, nico, her, and ethan. . .he didn't even know what awaited him. andromeda had considered talking to him, convincing him to relinquish his loyalties with kronos. but ofcourse, she didn't know where he was.

a sudden idea struck her.

she looked up at nico, barely twelve, yet he had gone through the underworld alone, lost his sister — his only family, been manipulated by a ghost and infinitely more things he was choosing to not disclose. and suddenly, the request felt heavy in her mouth, dragging her lips down in a frown.

"what?" nico asked.

"what?"

"you want to say something." nico insisted. "but you're holding back. what is it?"

she wondered how he knew. "i need a favour from you, nico."

his eyebrows furrowed in attention.

"but it would be too much to ask."

he sat down cross-legged on the grass beside, and it withered a little, "tell me."

and so she did.

● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

she had her bags packed by the time breakfast was over. her spear, her mistform card, her clothes — all neatly tucked into a backpack. admittedly, she was running a little late. she had slept late at night, and woken up at breakfast this morning. she grabbed some toast and lemonade and turned to packing.

now she was running to the car of argus the security guard that would take her home. she found annabeth and percy on the hill.

annabeth didn't have her bag.

"not coming?" she panted.

annabeth shook her head. "i'll be healing chiron a little longer. evander is staying back to check on defense."

"yeah right," andromeda smirked. "you're just looking for an excuse to spend time with your boyfriend."

annabeth blushed, which andromeda hadn't seen in forever, so she assumed they were official.

"you're dating?" percy asked with wide eyes.

the girls looked at him, unamused. "they kissed, hero."

percy's brows furrowed. "yeah, but i didn't — i mean, so did we, but we aren't. . ."

andromeda felt her face heat. "because he kissed her to reassure her that he would be coming back. you kissed me to distract me and went falling in love with a goddess on an island."

percy gulped down whatever he was about to say. andromeda turned to annabeth.

"don't think too much about luke."

annabeth frowned. "lose a love to worse than death. . ."

"love?" percy intervened. "luke?"

andromeda rolled her eyes.

"not all love is romantic, seaweed brain." annabeth cleared.

"and you," percy turned his gaze on andromeda. "save the one who bares the curse, will you be saving him? from the curse of kronos? how do you two not see that he's gone beyond repair!"

andromeda was taken aback by his use of the prophecy line. "i don't know, jackson! i hoped that you would come back. for two weeks! i waited for you for two weeks! and that's what everyone else told me. that you were gone, but you're here now, right? so i'm hoping the same goes for luke!"

that only seemed to anger him more. "now you're comparing me to him? you sound insane!"

"i don't care!" she yelled at him. "he was like my brother, percy! he was the person i was closest to! he was the first person who wanted to be ny friend! i can't just throw all that out the window as easily as you!"

"what is that supposed to mean?"

andromeda rolled her eyes. "calypso must've been really pretty for you to fall in love with her in two fucking weeks!"

"why do you bring her up so much?" percy shot back. "why does she bother you so much? and rachel! you can never give rachel a break! why do you treat them like that?"

"because. . ." the words left her mouth, fell off her tongue into tartarus.

"because what?" percy prompted.

she glared at him, wondering in that moment how she even came to develop feelings for him. she was saved from answering, though. a sparkle of light appeared next to them.

standing on the hill was a tall woman in a white dress, her dark hair braided over her shoulder.

"hera," annabeth gritted her teeth.

the goddess smiled. "you found the answers, as i knew you would. your quest was a success."

"a success?" andromeda scoffed. "luke is gone. daedalus is dead. pan is dead. how is that —"

"our family is safe," hera insisted. "those others are better gone, dears. i am proud of you."

and the anger from the argument with percy was only rising further. andromeda had to collect her wits to not shoot a beam of magic at hera accidentally.

"you're the one who paid geryon to let us through the ranch, weren't you?" percy asked, the same expression of anger on his face.

hera shrugged, dress shimmering rainbow colors. "i wanted to speed you on your way."

"but you didn't care about nico." percy went on. "you were happy to see him turned over to the titans."

"oh, please." hera waved her hand dismissively. "the son of hades said it himself. no one wants him around. he does not belong."

"hephaestus was right," percy growled. "you only care about your perfect family, not real people."

her eyes turned dangerously bright. "watch yourself, son of poseidon. i guided you more than you know in the maze. i was at your side when you faced geryon. i let your arrow fly straight. i sent you to calypso's island. i opened the way to the titan's mountain. girls, surely you see how i've helped. i would welcome a sacrifice for my efforts."

with what she had just said, andromeda felt like sacrificing her. she knew hera wouldn't help them without cause. but why she needed a sacrifice, andromeda had no idea. at any rate, she wasn't getting one.

"percy's right." she decided. "you're the one who doesn't belong, hera."

"so next time," annabeth continued, a hard expression on her face. "thanks. . .but no thanks."

hera sneered. "you will regret this insult, you childish girls. you will regret this very much."

she averted her eyes as the goddess turned into her true divine form and disappeared in a blaze of light.

the hilltop was peaceful again. over at the pine tree, peleus the dragon dozed under the golden fleece as if nothing had happened.

"i'll keep in touch," andromeda told annabeth before she jogged down to the van. she sat behind, arms crossed and trying to shut down her brain.

percy got into car, and they drove off in silence. she caught him staring at her from her periphery through the rearview, but she felt too petty to acknowledge it. if he didn't have anything to say, she wouldn't either.

they rode past tall buildings, the smell of smoke and metal and city felt strangely homey after all the things they'd encountered in the labyrinth. andromeda's house came first.

"andy."

andromeda turned, waiting for him to say more. but percy just stared at her. he opened his mouth. closed it. opened it again and stammered something. he looked like he was trying to say something but didn't want to.

somehow, it angered her more.

"what?" she prompted impatiently.

he blinked. "um. . .the movie, i —"

"can't make it?" she guessed.

he eyed with a weird look. "no. i was thinking we should go on my birthday,"

"your birthday?"

"august eighteenth." percy pursed his lips. "two days from now. i'm sure mom would love to have you over."

"blue cake?"

percy grinned. "blue cake."

she held back a smile in return. "i'll be there. don't expect a gift, though."

"you being there will be a good enough present."

that got a smile.

"see you, hero."

"have a nice year, savior."

she gave him a wave, and turned around. and the urge to glance back at him was overwhelming, though she managed to overcome it and entered her house as she heard the van drive away.

she breathed deeply.

madison came down the stairs, aylon trailing her with his hand in her's. he smiled when he saw his sister, and ran to hug her legs.

"good to see you too, buddy." andromeda crouched and ruffled his hair.

he smiled, and it reminded of her father. the soft amber eyes that crinkled at the edges when he smiled. she kissed his forehead.

"mom's home," madison informed. "and she's kind of mad. so you might not want to make noise."

andromeda nodded in understanding. she stood up, and made for her bedroom.

madison caught her wrist. she turned to look.

"did you do your homework?"

andromeda groaned, homework: something she couldn't do despite being able to perform extensive magic. shield? check. mistforms? no problem. entrancing someone? easy. but homework? that was next to impossible.

"you can tame a hydra," madison raised a brow. "but not do quadratic equations?"

madison just laughed while andromeda dejectedly made her way to her bedroom.

● _____《°•○ \|/ ○•°》_____ ●

help there's only one act left if this the long haul how'd we get here so fast.

alsooo "and that left room for half good." was an agggtm reference. i fucking love ravi singh.

andy and percy are so hot and cold like one night they're hugging the next morning they're arguing what (says me who wrote this)

um anyway i also can't believe we're at 25k views andalmost 1k votes. i love you guys so much. thank you for voting/commenting/sharing! see you next week!