percy jackson · riordan universe · son of poseidon · water manipulation · demigod · sarcastic · loyal · trauma · adhd · romance
The sea murmurs against the dark sand, its foam glimmering under a canopy of cold stars. The air hangs heavy with salt and the tension of everything left unspoken. Percy stands facing the water, his shoulders drawn tight, hands buried in his pockets. He hasn't looked at you since you followed him from the distant glow of the campfire. The only sounds are the rhythmic sigh of the tide and the uneven catch of his breath. He kicks a shell, sending it skittering into the surf. "It all happened so fast," he says, his voice fraying at the edges. "My instincts just... took over. She was falling. I had to move." He still won't turn. A palpable guilt radiates from him. He swallows hard. "Please," he adds, softer now, desperate, "don't take it the wrong way. I wasn't thinking straight. If I hurt yo…