Lost In Memories and Curses (PJO HOO STORY)

CHAPTER 6: EATING FOOD IS THE GATEWAY TO THE SOUL

LEO POV

To feel horrified was a complete understatement. I felt bad, I knew that much, when I had to leave as they were treating Percy and Annabeth in the med bay. I just couldn't stand there and watch and see the scars and wounds that they had. I knew it was my fault. Had I been more careful, had I not opened the sphere out of my own stupid curiosity, I would not have condemned those two to the cruelty of Tartarus.

Hazel was the one who filled me in on as much as she knew, but even she had to leave halfway. According to her, they both had so many scars, too many to even start imagining what down there could have caused it. How many monsters had they faced? They both were already weak and wounded from a quest that finished literally seconds before they fell into the chasm.

I saw a glimpse of them, or more like a frame of them because they both were covered head to toe in bandages and had lost a ridiculous amount of weight, as they both walked together, hand in hand, stumbling over to Percy's room. Their own little victory, I guess.

How could heroes only amount to that? The orientation video spoke so much about the glory of fighting for the gods. The glory of completing quests and making the gods proud, your parents proud. It spoke nothing of this. The trauma and tiredness of fighting in battle after battle, war and war. Sacrificing every little thing, even up to your own breath and heart beat, to see the gods win, the very people they won't even claim you, much less talk and visit you.

I knew Percy gave up immortality for Annabeth, but I could see why he didn't want to be one of the gods. How could you live up there in Olympus knowing that the very people you fought side by side with every day for your life were dying? That's not living, that's just existing, and what's the point of that?

I went back to my job in the captain's deck, letting myself feel the comfort of machinery, things that I could actually fix, and just talking to Festus. I kept myself there, aware that the others were sitting around the table, talking about the two returned members.

"Hey Leo," Piper said from the doorway, startling me. "Come on, let's go eat something. Now's not a good time to be alone and Percy and Annabeth need us."

I was just about to protest, making some stupid joke about how Festus was all I needed, but once she mentioned Percy and Annabeth I immediately felt the guilt washing over me and I stood up.

I had just arrived when I saw those two stumbling down the hall together, struggling to even get to the chairs. Percy had his arm draped over Annabeth's shoulders and she looked like she was carrying most of his body weight, the strain visible on her face. Frank quickly went over to help them out but the two seemed lost in thought and when he touched Annabeth the two suddenly flinched and jerked backwards, causing them to both topple to the ground.

It was so obvious that Frank felt awful, but he pushed down his feelings and motioned for Jason to come help him so they could get them up.

"I'm so sorry Frank!" Annabeth said, wincing as she tried to get up. Percy had a faraway look in his eyes and didn't say anything. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to react like that."

"Hey, please don't apologize, I'm so sorry I should have asked you first," he said back, and Annabeth just nodded. "Can I help you up?"

With one more shake of confirmation, the two boys worked to get the frail teenagers off the ground and into the sofa.

Percy took a seat first and let Annabeth curl up beside him, looping his arms around her into a hug.

"So," Percy started, his face cracking into a weak grin that didn't meet his eyes. It was pitiful because his face was so hollow, but gods was it nice to see that familiar smirk again. "Care to fill us in. We were kinda, uh, out of commission for a while."