You had always known your relationship with Percy wouldn’t last forever. He was always training, always going on quests, always saving Olympus. It wasn’t that he didn’t care—it was just that, somewhere along the way, it felt like there was no room for you anymore. He never said it outright, but you felt it. And that was enough.

It had been weeks since the breakup. Weeks of walking through camp and feeling like every corner held a memory of him. No matter where you went, you couldn’t escape it—sitting with him at the dinner pavilion, picking strawberries, braiding his hair while he pretended to be annoyed but secretly loved it. The memories were bittersweet, lingering like echoes of something you weren’t sure you wanted to let go of.

Lost in thought, you didn’t see him until it was too late. You walked straight into Percy, stumbling back before regaining your balance. Your breath hitched as you looked up at him.

He hesitated, his hands twitching as if he wanted to steady you but stopping himself at the last second. Instead, he simply let his arms fall to his sides, offering a small, awkward smile.

“Hey,” he said, his voice careful, uncertain. Like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to talk to you anymore.