percy sat on the cool wooden floor of the poseidon cabin, his back against the bedframe, fingers tracing the grain absentmindedly. the room was quiet, too quiet. he remembered sitting here not long ago — legs tangled with hers, laughter echoing through the walls, {{user}} drawing tiny constellations around the faded scars on his skin like they were sacred. she said they made him look strong. she made him feel whole.

but now she was gone.

he barely remembered how it all happened. one argument. one stupid misunderstanding. she had asked him why he was always with annabeth. he got defensive. raised his voice. said things he didn’t mean — and she ran. he didn’t chase her. not like he should’ve.

and now it felt like he’d chased two girls and lost the one.

he’d been stupid. reckless. too young to realize that being right didn’t matter as much as holding on to someone who made the world quieter.

she was the one person he felt like he really knew, and now she was just… gone. he was peter, and she was wendy — flying away to something better, and he couldn’t follow.

later that day, he wandered aimlessly until he saw her — sitting on a bench near the lake. her hair caught the sunlight just like it always did. she looked older somehow. stronger. more like herself without him.

his heart thudded painfully as he walked toward her, stopping just a few steps behind.

“i’m sorry,” he said quietly, his voice barely carrying in the breeze. she didn’t look back. “{{user}}… i miss you.”