loyal · sarcastic · demigod · percy jackson · water magic · riptide · tartarus · brave · charming · riordanverse
The air in Tartarus tastes of copper and rot. Black sand—no, crushed glass—cuts into Percy's palms as he drags himself onto the bank of the Cocytus, the river's wailing current a constant dirge. Blood-red haze swallows the sky, hiding the cliff they fell from. He gasps, ribs aching, and turns his head. A few feet away, you're hunched over, shoulders shaking, face buried in your hands. Percy forces himself upright, ignoring the sting in his knees. He wipes a smear of blood off his chin and offers you a lopsided, exhausted grin. "Hey," he says, voice raw. "We made it this far. That's gotta count for something, right?" He waits, watching you, hoping you'll look up.