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At first Percy thinks it's Nico. It wouldn't be surprising. Ever since he'd shown up on his birthday he'd been a very frequent visitor, though mostly unannounced. He was probably here to talk about the Achilles Curse, and he knows it's inevitable, but that doesn't make the reality any easier to swallow.
"You've changed Percy" a voice greets, deep and familiar and definitely not Nico.
Luke looks exactly like he remembers. Blond hair styled nicely, dressed inconspicuously. The only thing different now is that the ever present golden hue to his eyes is dulled. There's something almost softer about him, standing in his window under the moonlight. It's Luke, not Kronos standing across from him now. He's not sure how to feel about how that knowledge makes him relax slightly.
It hurts, because in his mind when he thinks of Luke he thinks of the boy that welcomed him with open arms. That taught him how to fight and how to use a sword. A boy that stole supplies for him and never judged. A boy that had watched with awe as water responded to his every movement. Luke, his mentor. Luke, who had shown him how to be. Luke, who never feared his powers. Luke, who had always been honest. Luke, who had taught him more than anyone ever had. Luke, who had tried to kill him. Luke, who's standing opposite him now.
He can't help but think that if Luke had truly wanted him dead, he would be. But he isn't, and that stands for something. Luke standing here now means something, even if he doesn't want it to.
"Why are you here?" He asks, voice harsh as he fiddles with Riptide in his pocket. He doesn't pull it out, not yet. He doesn't want to, not if he doesn't need to. Luke's eyes glisten, and he gets the feeling he hasn't come for a fight.
"We both know what happens now" Luke says instead, answering and not answering him in one breath "aren't you scared of what they've made you? Of what they'll make you do? I thought you better than just being a servant to the gods" the words are sharp, pointed and aimed with perfection to hit on every open wound. They both know what Luke's doing. Percy snarls anyway.
"You've got a lot of nerve to talk to me about my fears" he bites back, but it doesn't completely cover the shake in his voice. They both hear it. This, it's something only Luke can do. He's always known him better than he wanted him to.
"Why? They've never done a thing for you Percy, why are you so willing to die for them?" Luke pushes, voice barely above a whisper but the words pierce him like knives anyway. His fist tightens around Riptide and he feels like screaming and Luke's eyes are blue.
The thing is, Luke is right. He'd always been right, in a way. The Gods had done nothing for him. They'd never protected him, never done anything to make him want to save them. They cursed and commanded and wanted to kill for the crime of simply existing. They did kill Thalia for it. Most of the Gods would probably celebrate his death. They saw him at worst a rabid dog to be put down and at best a soldier. He was only what he could do for them, and he knew that. He'd always known that. He didn't like the Gods. Fuck, he hated most of them. He didn't want to save them, and what a terrifying thought that was. He wasn't doing any of this out of some misguided loyalty. He was simply choosing the lesser of two evils. Kronos would be worse, he knew that. The Gods weren't good, but they also weren't as bad as they could be. They weren't the best option, just the only one. He'd known that for a long time, and he thinks somewhere in his mind, Luke does too. He thinks the proof is in the fact that Luke is standing here now.
"Ever heard of the lesser of two evils?" He asks, though it isn't really a question and Luke snorts, looking for a moment so like the boy that had almost been a brother it makes him dizzy.
"And" he continues, not quite meeting Luke'a eyes "I'm already dead anyway, aren't I?" Again it's not really a question, but something feels all too final in saying it aloud.
Percy had known for a while now, that his time was limited. Sixteen. It had already been decided, just by virtue of him existing. He'd seen that string, all those years ago. It had been wrapped around his neck ever since, tightening like a noose. The closer sixteen got the tighter it became. Even when Thalia came back, it had never really gone. He supposed some part of him had known that he wouldn't escape it that easily. That seeing that string that day meant more than he could understand at the time. It meant more than he could understand now. One thing he was sure of, is that he wasn't going to live past this. Just another in a long line of greek tragedies. Maybe that's all he'd ever been. Maybe it's all either of them had been.
"Yeah" Luke breathes, something heavier to it now "I think maybe we both are" it's the truth, but it doesn't make it any easier to hear.
For a moment the silence sits, and it's almost companionable. Almost like when they used to watch the lake and Luke would tell stories until his hands stopped shaking. Desperately, childishly he wishes for it back. Wishes they could still be those kids telling stories and watching the stars. But even then, the noose had already been tied. He's fifteen, but fuck if he doesn't feel all the decades he'll never get looking at Luke now. Luke, who looks young and tried and lost in a way that he normally sees in the mirror. This shouldn't be the way it's ending, but it is. It shouldn't be them, but it is. He knows he should call someone, anyone. He knows they'd want him to capture Luke, but he can't bring himself to move. They hadn't called a truce, but they didn't need to. They didn't need words to know what this was, what they were.
Just two soldiers, meeting at the side of a battle field. For a moment they aren't enemies, just kids who's fate had already been decided. They're young and afraid and they both know the stories already been written. They're too far gone to stop any of this now, even if he wished he could. The noose is getting tighter by the day, and he knows it's only a matter of time. Luke does too, because they've always known.
Luke's eyes glisten, and he knows what this is. He knows that goodbyes are far more than just words.
"For what it's worth, I wish it had've been different" Luke says, gold creeping into the edges of his eyes and then he's gone, like he'd never even been there in the first place. The only evidence is his still open window, but it's enough. For what it's worth, the words are worth everything.
"Yeah" Percy whispers to the empty space "me too" it's the truth, but the words sit heavy on his tongue anyway.
It had always only been a matter of time. They had only been a matter of time.
"Cmon Percy, try again" Luke encourages, eyes bright and sparkling like the ocean. Percy grits his teeth and this time a bit of water raises as he stares at it. It jerks, and collapses back into the surface of the lake. But it was real, it happened. Luke's blinding grin is evidence enough of that and Lercy can't help but grin back.
"That's really amazing" Luke says, something like awe in his voice and after all the weird looks and people shying away from him, Percy can't help but preen at the words.
"You think so?" Percy asks, voice coming out more hesitant than he wanted it to but Luke just laughs, patting his shoulder comfortingly.
"Of course" he says and catching the look Percy's sure is on his face, sighs, smile becoming a bit strained "people fear what they don't know. They also fear people stronger than them and given you can do this after less than two days, well, you'll be stronger than any of us" Luke says, voice confident even if Percy finds the words hard to believe.
The Bullies had never had an issue and Gabe had spent most of his time kicking him around. He'd never been stronger than anyone, and he found it hard to believe that would change. But, he guess, he did already fight the Minotaur. He'd won. Even if he wasn't quite sure how, he could control water and maybe the ocean. He was something.
"Trust me" Luke says, voice deceptively light "you'll be better than any of us Perce. You have enough power to change the world, if you try. Maybe one day, you will" and funnily enough, he believes him.
Luke was right. He did change the world. They both did.
Someday he'll wish he hadn't.
Luke had always been right.