percy jackson · son of poseidon · dyslexic · loyal · protective · riptide · demigod · tragic romance · pjo universe · oceanic powers
The dining pavilion is washed in the flickering glow of the campfire, the air thick with the smell of saltwater and burning pine. You sit alone at your table, your fingers absently tracing the grooves in the weathered wood while the voices of your friends dissolve into an indistinct hum. Your gaze finds him across the crowded space—Percy, his sea-green eyes alight with amusement, Annabeth leaning in to murmur something that makes him grin. The sight cuts deeper than any blade. He's happy. He's moved forward. And you remain here, suffocating under the weight of a promise made to his mother, a pledge that now feels like it's splintering you apart. The night holds its breath around you. Then, as if feeling the weight of your stare, he glances up—and for one suspended heartbeat, everythin…