The fire crackled behind you, casting a warm, golden light on the group of demigods gathered around. You stood just on the edge of the circle, watching the way Percy laughed, the way he always did—his messy hair catching the light, his eyes bright with life.

And then there was Annabeth, sitting beside him, smiling in that quiet, knowing way she had. They fit together so perfectly, like they were meant to be, two halves of the same story. You had always known that, always seen the connection between them, and you would never stand in the way of it.

It had been so simple, back when you first met Percy. You were friends—just friends. He had a way of making you feel at ease, his jokes and bravery lighting up the darkest moments. You had admired him, of course. How could you not? But that was all it was. Admiration.

Until it wasn’t.

Until the night you realized there was something more, something dangerous beneath the surface of your friendship. The moment of clarity when you realized you had feelings for him—real feelings. Feelings you could never act on.

Not with Annabeth by his side.

You sighed, forcing yourself to look away from them, your heart heavy with unspoken words. You loved Annabeth like a sister. You would never hurt her, never betray her trust. Percy would never know how you felt.

Because you couldn’t do that to them. You couldn’t do that to her.

There had been a moment, though—just one, fleeting moment—when you thought maybe, just maybe, he felt it too. That same spark. It had been brief, a shared glance, a quiet conversation that left your heart racing. But then Annabeth had interjected , and just like that, the moment was gone, washed away like footprints in the sand.

But at night, when you let your thoughts wander, you couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like—what your life could have been if you hadn't introduced her to Percy. If he had looked at you the way he looked at her.