look, i didn't want to be a half-blood.

are you sure you don't want me to wait?

you look stupid just standing there.

i'm not going to bite.

i'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe.

it's my shoulder. it burns.

my poison causes pain. it will not kill you.

unfortunately, you are wanted alive, if possible. otherwise you would already be dead.

we don't have any family.

we've got no one but each other.

oh, super idea. you're completely nuts, too.

i'm sorry, but your friend is beyond help.

you are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs.

you know what that monster us?

let us pray i am wrong.

you never call. you never write. i was getting worried.

he's a traitor. don't trust him.

why should i trust you?

i've been terrible to you.

in the meantime, try not to die.

i'll pulverize them.

if you hadn't butted in, we would've won.

a daughter of aphrodite does not wish to be looked at. what would your mother say?

i don't pretend to understand prophecies.

both of you together would be a dangerous thing.

you need to do whatever you think you have to.

your heart is always in the right place. listen to it.

i'm telling you that i'll support you, even if what you decide to do is dangerous.

you surprised me. it will not happen again.

i'm not going to hurt you. just let me cut the net.

you're planning to go anyway, aren't you?

so you'll excuse me if i have no love for heroes. they are a selfish, ungrateful lot.

i should throw you into the pits of tartarus for your incompetence.

but you promised me revenge.

this is why i don't use mortals. they are unreliable.

try to keep it distracted until i think of a way to kill it.

you are part of this quest now. i do not like it, but there is no changing fate.

sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters.

do me a favor. get out of my car.

i don't trust your father.

i never behead my enemies in front of a lady.

you even dream about her. that's so cute.

so why haven't you killed me?

be careful. aphrodite has led many heroes astray.

it happened just as it was supposed to.

i'm kind of in a hurry. i'm in trouble.

do yourself a favor. forget it. forget you ever saw me.

i won't leave you. we fight together.

you're hurt. let me see.

life is a fragile thing.

please remember, you always have a home with us. we will keep you safe.

you didn't believe i was dead?

you won't let me down, i hope.

i won't let you down.

the gods use heroes as their tools. destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled.

you promised you would protect her.

i shouldn't have trusted you. you lied to me.

i wish you were dead.

Percy Jackson, who had a childhood, who had a mom, who seems all the better for it. Jason can finish his quests and missions and get a pat on the back and congratulations for bringing honor to the Legion and nothing else because that’s what’s expected of him, while Percy gets hugs and cookies and tears of relief and so much love because people had been hoping he’d succeed, not because it meant victory, but because it meant he'd live.

rachel doesn't tell annabeth this, but she's tried to force herself to dream of percy. she paints and paints and paints, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, somewhere. anywhere. alive, fighting, even on the toilet, if it means he's alright. she doesn't tell her, because every time she's tried, all she's gotten is a big fat load of nothing. no sign, no symbol, nothing. ❝ don't say that, ❞ rachel says softly. ❝ have a little faith in him. as dumb as he can be, you know he wouldn't let anything or anyone keep him from coming back to camp. to coming back to you. ❞

" No,   it's not! "   His voice almost bellows,   head quickly snapping in her direction with a near snarl to his bared teeth.   For a moment,   his anger seems to consume his cheeks,   bringing a bright red to his usually smooth   (   almost golden   )   cheeks.   It takes him a moment to realize that he's looking into @titanswar's eyes,   seeing only a blur in his own momentary rage   ...   Shit,   he thinks.   In an almost cowardly way,   he ducks his head.   He shouldn't yell at them,   it's a cruelty they don't deserve,   not from a friend.   That's what he is,   that's what she is   ...   &   he cannot afford to lose friends.   " Sorry,   sorry. "

its times like these when they think back to the first time they met zoe, when she warned them that luke would let her down some day. thalia hates that, lately, she's been thinking she might be right.