percy dreamt of tartarus. every night, every nap, his mind was filled with the acid air of the pit, heavy with fear, with despair. fire flowed through his veins instead of water. and he was drowning. drowning. drowning...

percy woke with a gasp, breathing hard, sweat gathered at his hairline. it was a moment before he realized his world wasn't tinted red, the air didn't hurt his lungs. it was over. he was safe now. and you...

panic filled his mind for a second before the son of poseidon found you beside him. and the way you were lying there still in the dark, he couldn't understand if you were dead or asleep. and it scared him. so much his hand was on your shoulder before he could think it through, shaking you gently. "{{user}}"