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REC: After (Percy/Annabeth)
Title: After
Author: ignitesthestars
Rating: R (M on Ao3)
Characters/Pairings: Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase, Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Fandom: Percy Jackson
Summary: It’s like this every time. She can remember thinking, four years ago now, that she didn’t know if it hurt more being with him, or without him. And every time the months and the distance stretches out a little further between them, she convinces herself that they’re definitely better apart. That a scarred heart is better than an open wound with him lodged inside it.
And then they see each other again and she’s pitched right back into that uncertainty. Three and a half years should be enough to get over a boy, shouldn’t it?
A story of how Annabeth and Percy fell apart, and what it took to piece them back together.
Why you should read this …
This fic takes a very real-world approach to the effects of post-Tartarus trauma on a relationship. If you’re looking for a good dose of adult reality in a fictional world, this is a good read. It grows the characters up and presents a plausible reason for separation, then proceeds to recapture the delight of awkward early Percy/Annabeth but with a more adult UST this time round. The author worked hard to make the break up believable, and that makes the reconciliation, which proceeds slowly, more precious. I’m a sucker for fics that take their time to develop a relationship, and managing to do it believably with a pairing that is already pre-existing in canon is an art. In addition, there’s great dialogue that sucks you right into the scenes-not just between the main pairing, but the supporting cast as well-and makes this story a great read overall.
Author: ignitesthestars
Rating: R (M on Ao3)
Characters/Pairings: Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase, Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Fandom: Percy Jackson
Summary: It’s like this every time. She can remember thinking, four years ago now, that she didn’t know if it hurt more being with him, or without him. And every time the months and the distance stretches out a little further between them, she convinces herself that they’re definitely better apart. That a scarred heart is better than an open wound with him lodged inside it.
And then they see each other again and she’s pitched right back into that uncertainty. Three and a half years should be enough to get over a boy, shouldn’t it?
A story of how Annabeth and Percy fell apart, and what it took to piece them back together.
Why you should read this …
This fic takes a very real-world approach to the effects of post-Tartarus trauma on a relationship. If you’re looking for a good dose of adult reality in a fictional world, this is a good read. It grows the characters up and presents a plausible reason for separation, then proceeds to recapture the delight of awkward early Percy/Annabeth but with a more adult UST this time round. The author worked hard to make the break up believable, and that makes the reconciliation, which proceeds slowly, more precious. I’m a sucker for fics that take their time to develop a relationship, and managing to do it believably with a pairing that is already pre-existing in canon is an art. In addition, there’s great dialogue that sucks you right into the scenes-not just between the main pairing, but the supporting cast as well-and makes this story a great read overall.