Nico

I was standing in the middle of the training arena at Camp Half Blood. The stands were empty, and no one was around. 

"Hello!?" I shouted, but my call went unanswered. Frowning, I walked towards the exit of the arena and stepped outside. It was dark out, and stars twinkled overhead. None of the cabins had lights on, and no one was outside. 

My ears suddenly picked up the sound of water, and I turned to see the beach. Waves lapped gently against the sand as I made my way towards it. 

As I got closer, I spotted a figure standing near the water. They had their back to me, and they had their hands in their pockets. 

"Hey!" I cried, and the mysterious person turned to face me. My eyes widened as I stared at a much younger version of Perseus. 

His hair was much shorter, and he seemed slightly skinner. But the thing that stood out to me the most was his eyes. Ever since my cousin took the throne, I had gotten used to seeing nothing but contempt and hatred whenever I met Perseus' gaze. 

Now though, at this very moment, his eyes were full of life and sincerity. 

"Who are you?" Perseus asked, tilting his head slightly. "What are you doing here? I've never seen you before." 

My breath caught in my throat. He didn't recognize me? 

What the Hades was going on? 

I took a step forward, my shoes sinking into the sand. Perseus stayed where he was as I got closer, his expression giving nothing away. 

I stopped a few feet away, and I noticed that my cousin was still much taller than me, even if I was facing a younger version of him. 

At least I knew that one thing hadn't changed. 

"I'm no one important." I finally said. "I'm just passing by."

Perseus' eyes narrowed before he lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. "I find that hard to believe, but I know that you aren't going to do anything that would endanger Camp."

I pursed my lips as Perseus turned away from me to take a seat on the sand. He crossed his legs and leaned his head back to stare up at the sky. 

"How would you know that I'm not a danger to Camp?" 

Perseus remained silent for a few seconds before he said "I have a feeling that I've seen you before. I can't really explain it, but something is telling me that I've met you."

I took a seat beside my cousin, digging my nails into the sand as I did so. I stared at the water and sighed. "You're right. You have seen me before, and we have met before." 

Perseus' gaze shifted over to me, and a small smile appeared on his face. "Ah. But it's strange. I don't remember your name." 

I closed my eyes briefly, remembering when Perseus had killed Atlas right in front of me, and when he had driven his scythe through my father's shoulder. 

I remembered receiving the news that Thalia and Hazel were dead, and that Perseus had murdered them. 

I remembered hunting him down and confronting him, and I ended up almost dying. 

"Are you alright?" Perseus asked in concern, and I opened my eyes to see him staring at me with a worried look on his face. 

I seriously can't believe that I'm currently having a conversation with the younger version of my cousin. 

With the younger version of him that I miss terribly. 

With the younger version of the most loyal and caring demigod that I had ever met. 

My throat closed up and I stifled a sob, burying my face into my hands. Tears ran down my cheeks, dripping down onto the sand beneath me. 

I stiffened as strong arms wrapped themselves around my shoulders, and I felt myself being pulled into a tight embrace. I obviously knew who was hugging me, and I had to tell myself that the Perseus I had been speaking to was not the Perseus I knew currently. 

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I cleared my throat and wiped away the tears that were drying on my face. I lifted my head and met Perseus' eyes, my lips curving up into a small smile. 

"Thank you." 

My cousin returned the smile as he released me from the embrace. "You don't need to thank me. You looked like you definitely needed that hug." 

I chuckled weakly and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I really did." 

Perseus looked down at his hands before he said "I don't know what you've been through, or what you're going through right now, but you can pull through. I can tell you're strong, and don't let whatever is happening to you bring you down. Once you give up, it's over. So keep fighting."

I blinked in surprise as my cousin reached out to grab my wrist. I opened my mouth to tell him to not touch me, but before I could get a word out, Perseus spoke. 

"I think I remember your name now. So I'll say this." 

I felt my face heat up as he leaned in to brush his lips against my ear. 

"Don't let me win." 

I sat up, breathing hard. I gripped the thin blanket that I had been given like a lifeline, and I took a few seconds to calm myself down. 

I glanced over to see Will lying on his back with the other blanket covering most of his body. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was slightly open. 

I reached up to put a hand on my forehead, my thoughts going back to the dream that I just had. 

What did it mean? What could it possibly have meant? 

I took a shaky breath as I remembered how Perseus looked and acted like the cousin that I had known before Annabeth had betrayed him. 

Why did I have that certain dream? 

Was it a sign? 

I gritted my teeth in frustration and loosened my grip on the blanket. Did I really miss the old Perseus that much for me to dream about him?

I cast another glance at my sleeping boyfriend before lying back down. 

"Don't let me win."

Andrew

I sat on the edge of the bed in the room that I had been given, my head in my hands. I had been trying to help Leo train with the powers that he had received from the Primordials, but he wasn't improving. 

I remembered how he had told me that he had a week to train, and if I can count properly, then that meant that Leo only had about four or three days left. 

Fucking shit.

At this rate, we would be killed instantly if we attempted to fight against Perseus and his army. 

I lowered my hands away from my face and sighed heavily. Sometimes, I would think about what it would have been like if I had joined Perseus like Khione had wanted me to. 

But I knew that if I had done that, then I wouldn't have met Leo or the other surviving demigods. 

I wouldn't have been able to do anything freely. 

I looked up at the stone ceiling before smiling. I have no regrets about joining the rebel army. 

No regrets at all. 

Word count: 1220 

my heart hurts.