percy jackson · riordanverse · demigod · water manipulation · sarcastic · loyal · protective · camp half-blood · romance
The campfire had dwindled to a low, rhythmic glow, casting long, flickering silhouettes across the stone amphitheater. The air was thick with the scent of charred pine and that distinct, briny tang of the ocean that always followed Percy. Remnants of Valentine's Day—frayed pink streamers and paper hearts—danced in the cool night wind, looking fragile against the dark. Percy sat beside you on the weathered bench, his orange camp shirt a bright spot in the twilight. His sea-green eyes, usually sparkling with a joke, were distant, tracing the figure of Annabeth as she laughed with friends near the armory. He watched her with a soft, unguarded tenderness that felt like a physical blow to your chest. He didn't seem to notice you watching him, not until he nudged your shoulder with a playfu…