alcobrawlic | Week 3; Sunday late afternoon; Percy

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Week 3; Sunday late afternoon; Percy

[ She'd thought the second week had been pretty exhausting near the end, but it's nothing compared to how the third week has gone. Three deaths, three murderers, so many upset people and they hadn't even been able to catch any of the actual culprits. It leaves a bad taste in Sara's mouth, and as much as she'd dearly love for there to be monsters around for her to beat up and burn off this frustration...

She doesn't bother to head out this time, opting to stick around the hotel lounge. She can expend that tension later, but for now... she can't help but feel like she needs to be here. ]

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[Dead inside, do not open. That is to say he's coming back to the hotel after being out for a while, dragging his feet and more or less running on fumes at this point. His knuckles are still bandaged though slightly bloody again thanks to the quick movements to stop Papika from running into Lissa's fire. The dark circles under his eyes are larger than before and he's definitely in the same clothes he was in the day of the trial.

And yet...he feels it's important to keep going. Despite the fact he looks and moves as though he's ready to collapse entirely he heads into the lounge with the idea of picking up books. He hates reading most of the time, but Annabeth always reads and researches. Maybe he can find something himself.

Of course, he wasn't expecting Sara there and when he finds her he stops in the doorway. It takes him a few moments and a few blinks to really comprehend she's there before he nods at her. There isn't a smile like there would be previous times.]

I have a feeling that a lot of us will come back earlier today than usual.

Yeah, probably... it's going to be an early night for a lot of people.

[ And, as she looks at him, taking in his outfit and the way those shadows are only getting darker under his eyes-- ]

Including you.

I have some stuff I want to check out first. Ideas to bounce. Things to do. It shouldn't be much but tomorrow...Sara, you know tomorrow's always weird. The days after the execution have proven to be really, really bad. [Bonfires, corpse trees...what's next?] I want to see if I can figure out what's happening.

[ ... Oh boy. She's closing her eyes briefly. ]

That's fine and all, but right now I'm going to have to stop and say that you're being an idiot.

[...]

Huh? [Very intelligent, Percy.]

You're going to snap, if you haven't already. [ And she says this matter-of-factly. ] You haven't changed clothes, you probably haven't eaten enough, and I know you haven't slept.

So tell me, how do you expect to figure out anything right now when you can't even figure out how to take care of yourself?

[..well all of this is true, but.]

I know how to take care of myself just fine. What do you suggest then?

Doing it.

[It's a very Annabeth kind of answer that for a moment he looks a little stunned, stopping to think on that. The weight of yesterday and today suddenly catches up, along with the fact he hasn't really slept since Wednesday night and the fact that he's frustrated and angry.

So instead of an answer, Percy's first response will be biting on his lip to keep it from trembling too much and giving her a pretty helpless look before he shrugs.]

I will. I just need to do something. [Anything, really.]

[ ... Given the teachers who are any kind of comforting, she'd leave something like this to Mary or Beatrix. The actual nurturing types.

...

But that's not something she has the luxury of passing off to someone else right now, and Percy's on the verge of destruction-- so Sara reaches out after a few seconds, and pulls him against her. ]

Then cry. The rest comes after that.

[He's startled but not enough he pulls away. He's sort of at a loss and he shrugs again, tense and ready to spring into action if necessary. Maybe that's the whole problem.]

I did that yesterday after the trial. [Like that's the only time he's allowed. Considering his voice starts falling apart the long he talks, the more he's aware he's just exhausted.] Crying won't bring her back though, will it? I promised I'd find whoever did this to her and Riku and I didn't.

[ Too bad she's using one arm to wrap around his shoulders, to keep him there. ]

Crying won't bring her back, no. But it's one part of the process. The most important part, actually.

... Besides, Hal said we could bring people back. And in order to do that, you and I are both going to have to fight like hell.

And in order to do that-- you need to remember that you're not fighting alone here. But right now, you're worrying... most of us.

[ Let's be real, Ash doesn't care. ]

[Sara why are you like this? There's a stifled sniff but that seems to do it so. You know. Sorry about your wet shoulder? And if she allows it he's shifting enough to hug her because goddamn Whole Ass is a mess. Leave him alone, etc etc.]

I don't want half of these people fighting. They shouldn't have to, you know that. [People shouldn't feel like this. People shouldn't lose other people like this.] Hal said we can bring people back but do you really trust him to honor that?

Oddly, yeah. And if he doesn't, we'll make sure he does.

[ It's fine, Percy, she'll let you cling. She's not the best at hugs, but she at least knows how to do them. ]

[For the time being he doesn't say anything because he's overtired so silently crying into her shoulder seems like a good plan. The problem with that is that it's also draining so he finds himself leaning into her, sniffling to himself even as he goes quiet. He's also not quite letting go, but. You know. Sorry Sara, he'll make it up to you eventually.]

...I'm so tired of all of this. [So there's that.] Natalie already told me to take a break and I did yesterday. [By beating the shit out of the stocks and staying up drinking with someone else, but whatever.] Is two days in a row pushing it?

Nah. [ Give her a minute, she'll let him lean and give his hair a stroke. Is she doing this right?? ]

The first time I took an actual break, I slept for three days. Before that, I didn't know how to stop.

[Probably, seeing how he seems to be calming down anyway.]

I'm pretty sure sleeping three days won't work here. [It's mumbled, but he also sounds like he'd sure like to sleep for three days.] What made you stop?

Almost getting killed.

[ Well, yes. ]

I'm not gonna die. [Time to miss the point.] I can still fight everybody who tries. [Despite. You know. Not moving at all or even trying to lift his head anymore.]

...does this kind of have to do with the executioner thing? ["And you've told me about where you're from, but this is a person." "That's a story for another day, Percy."]

...

Ah, right, about that...

[ There's a very quiet sigh. ]

Ever heard of jaegers?

No, but that doesn't mean much. Every time I think I've heard of everything, something else pops up at home to try and kill me. [Still, he thinks this is probably different.] But what are they?

Hmmm... then think of them as something like mercenaries. You want bodyguards or someone to do your dirty work and you're willing to pay for it, you hire a jaeger corps. As long as they get paid, they'll get the job done.

[A slow nod. Okay. That makes sense.]

Are you one of them? Or you fought them?

Both. More specifically, I was drafted into the corps when I was just a little kid. At the time [ well, still now ] that corps was the only source of income our country had.

...[He pulls back enough to look at her, face streaked with tears but eyes sharp as he listens.]

But you were a kid. How could they bring you on as a mercenary? [Granted, Annabeth was 7 when she started fighting for her life as a demigod, so.] But was? That means you left the corps, right?

Yeah, eventually. Someone saved my life, and I got out of there.

But you know, by that point, I'd already done what I had to do to survive.

[ Kid or not, if she didn't work, she didn't eat. ]

[FROWNING. THERE IS A LOT OF FROWNING.]

Survival's pretty brutal sometimes, isn't it? [He chews on his lip slowly.] So...what happened after that anyway? The damage was done, but after you left the corps. Things were okay?

Well, I became a bracer-- they're a neutral party who help out civilians, pretty much. But that's a long story too, and involved some more fighting and then I became a teacher when our guild was forcibly shut down.

Aaaand maybe had a run-in with my old group, but--

[ Yeah, she's making a face. ]

Buuut since you were a bracer you had to fight off the jaegers with your students, I'm guessing. [A sigh.] Somehow it always turns out that way.

[A pause.] I'm sorry, Sara. That shouldn't be how somebody lives either.

I fought them all by myself, actually. Some fights you have to take on by yourself.

[ She ruffles his hair now, smiling crookedly. ] But what's going on here isn't one of them. We're fighting with you on this one, Percy.

[It's a weird pause, sure, but he's going over the list of battles he's fought on his own and nodding along.

The hair-ruffle helps put him at ease and there's a tired, imbalanced smile as well. He knows she's right.]

For now. There will be a time I have to do stuff myself. [...] But maybe after a nap? [Yeah. He's pretty much waving the white flag on this one.] A short one. Like an hour.

Of course. A short nap.

[ She doesn't believe that for a second, but she's just going to grin. ]

Do you need me to walk you to your room or are you going to fall asleep on me as a one-time offer sort of thing?

I can walk myself. [He says, after zero attempt of moving.] I don't think you'd let anybody fall asleep on you anyway.

I did say one-time offer.

[ Percy, are you okay ]

[Considering there's a lull of silence because he's already half-asleep? No.]

...what if I wanna cash in on that later? [Please kick his ass, Sara, this is helping no one.]

...

I'm not above dragging you.

I don't think you could drag me. I'm bigger than you are. [Probably, anyway.] Just give me a few minutes...

... You're sassy even half-asleep. That's kind of impressive.

[ Kind of. ]

If it's only kind of impressive, I've gotta up my game. [And speaking of up, he finally stands upright and looks very much like he'd be content to sleep standing up.]

...I think I can probably take it from here. [Probably.] But thanks. Really. It means a lot.

Thank me after you make it to your bed, okay? I mean, like. Hours later.

[ But another hair ruffle for the road. ]

[He'll take it, thank you very much.]

I'll let you know hours later when I wake up then, how about that? [He gives her a bleary-eyed look though.] What will you do now?

Probably hang out in the lounge for a little longer. Don't worry, I'll check on you sooner or later.

Okay. [It's a tentative sort of sound, but with that, he leans his head into her shoulder once more before turning to head out of the lounge.] I'll see you later, Sara. [And off he goes, kind of stumbling over his own feet but at least he's heading the right direction.]

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Week 3; Sunday late afternoon; Percy

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