o7 ♆ video (house of hades spoilers)

[kelpful]

[Unsurprisingly, Percy and Annabeth are together - it’s likely no one’s seen them apart from each other for the last month or so. He has his arm curled around her waist, holding her tightly to him.

They look absolutely shattered. If exhaustion had a definition, this would be it. But there’s something settled about the, especially Percy. He no longer looks like he’s going to rip somebody’s head off, even if he does seem like he’s on the verge of falling asleep]

We made it. [His voice is hoarse, like he’s been yelling, or crying, or maybe both.] Both of us, we made it through, the whole freaking way. It was - it wasn’t - we’re okay. That’s the main part.

[Though Annabeth’s slumped into and against him, the way she’s holding him, too, is just as tight and supporting. She laughs a little after he speaks, but the sound is just as hoarse, her voice the same way.] Probably worth mentioning we shut the Doors, too. [A beat.] With Hazel, but - you know, on our side. [Something dark flashes in her face, but it’s gone, replaced once more by a relieved sort of exhaustion.] And don’t raise the alarm if we’re gone for a week.

A week and three days, for some of us. [That same darkness shades his expression, but it disappears as he smiles down at Annabeth] This is gonna make like, no sense to most of them.

[She glances up, with a bit of a look.] I really don’t care at this point.

[And then she reaches out to turn off the feed, cutting right into and silencing the sounds of Percy’s tired laughter.]

Comments

[kelpful]

[Percy's face screws up in a scowl. He is so not in the mood for this] We're not - we're not cousins either. [Hrrrgh. He just lets his eyes slide shut, looking totally exhausted] Doesn't count unless you have the same godly parent. No DNA. [One green eye cracks open] Why's this important???

[sophos]

[She nods her concurrence with Percy's explanation, expression deepening between grumpy and exhausted.]

It's not important. Especially not right now. [That is her answer to both of them.]

[everylittlegirl]

You two look so cozy. I figured someone better let you know about the whole incest-ruins-babies thing before you get your hearts too broken.

But if now's not a great time? I can totally try again later. I just thought- well, you guys admitted yourselves that no one's going to understand you, right? So I thought it couldn't be that important or you would have taken the time to explain.

[kelpful]

[Hayley has probably never had occasion to see Percy angry before, but his expression twists now. He hadn't had a good handle on his temper before, and after everything he's just seen, the handle has completely fallen off the door, leaving all that anger free to run rampant.]

Or maybe we just watched ourselves literally go through hell, and wanted to make sure the people who care about us knew we were going to be okay. If you don't understand, that's fine, but you don't have to be a freaking jerk about it because you couldn't figure out how to ask a question.

[sophos]

[Annabeth can feel the anger rising in him, and though she's pretty irritated herself, she squeezes his hand anyway. Her own temper flares up further, too, but she'll keep a hold on him. If Hayley gets a glare in the process, it's the other girl's own fault, and she doesn't really care right now; but she doesn't give any sign that anything Percy's said is less than the truth.]

I don't know why you're trying to piss us both off, but we really don't need it right now. So if that's all you have to say, jabs at our parentage included, you might as well hang up.

[everylittlegirl]

[Percy's anger actually surprises Hayley and she frowns a little, though not as deeply as someone who felt genuinely apologetic might.]

I'm sure whatever you went through was terrible and I'm sorry that I brought up such a sensitive issue right now? You guys take time to get through.. things. And I'll talk to you again later, okay Percy?

[Because it's not like Hayley and Annabeth are exactly friends.]

[kelpful]

[His expression softens, but he's still scowling.] Yeah. Okay. See you later.

[Honestly, he doesn't mean to be that short, but he wasn't in the best place already, and this has only made it worse. He squeezes Annabeth's hand back]

[sophos]

[Annabeth's huffy and grumpy and kind of. Doesn't care right now. About much of anything except Percy beside her, and herself, too. But her patience for the conversation hits subzero.]

[So she just cuts the feed.]