Similarly to the relationship between Silena and Percy, the relationship between Chris and Percy also makes me sick to my stomach when I think about it too much.
Partly because it really shows the discrepancy between how the demigods who were part of the titan army treated Percy and how Percy in turn reacts to them.
We know that Chris has been part of Kronos’ army since at least sea of monsters and that he resided on board of the princess andromeda during this book:
“You see that Aethiopian drakon in the cargo hold?” one of them said. The other laughed. “Yeah, it’s awesome.” (…) “That was Chris Rodriguez!” (The Sea of Monsters, Chapter 9)
So, there is a very, very high possibility that Chris was present during Luke’s and Percy’s confrontation at the end of that book:
A dozen of Luke’s assorted goons – snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armour- had gathered to watch us get some ‘hospitality’. (Sea of Monsters, chapter 17)
A dozen more warriors poured out, making a circle around us, the brass tips of their spears bristling. (Sea of Monsters, chapter 17)
Which means that in the final chapters of sea of monsters, it’s highly likely that Chris just stood there, and watched, as Luke, this 20-year-old guy, not only openly threatened Percy (who was 13 at the time, might I add):
I was feeling pretty good about myself, until Luke turned and gave me a murderous look. “Kronos was right, percy. You’re an unreliable weapon. You need to be replaced.” (Sea of Monsters chapter 17)
“I’ll kill you quickly,” he decided and raised his weapon. (Sea of Monsters, Chapter
But also brutally attacked him:
Luke lunged and almost killed me on the first try. His sword went under my arm, slashing through my shirt and grazing my rips. (Sea of Monsters, chapter 18)
He dropped to a couch and jabbed at my legs. Suddenly my thigh was on fire, with a pain so intense I collapsed. (Sea of monsters, chapter 18)
And even actively taunted Percy while doing so, which was just sadistic on a different level:
“My, Percy”, Luek chided. “You’re out of practice.” (Sea of monsters, chapter 18)
I’d never make it. Luke knew it too. He advanced slowly, smiling. The edge of his sword was tinged with red. “One thing I want you to watch before you die, Percy.” He looked at the bear man Oreius, who was still holding Annabeth and Grover by the necks. “You can eat your dinner now Oreius. Bon apetit.” (Sea of monsters, chapter 18)
And then in return, when Chris comes back to camp in battle of the labyrinth, only a year later, Percy not only holds no grudges against him:
I shivered, though I wasn’t exactly sure why. Poor Chris…he hadn’t been a bad guy. What could’ve driven him mad? (Battle of the Labyrinth, Chapter 3)
“I heard about Chris,” I said. “I’m sorry.” Clarisse paced a circle around the arena. (…)She had called Chris a hero, like he had never gone over to the Titan’s side. It reminded me of the way Annabeth sometimes talked about Luke. I decided not to bring that up. “Chris was brave,” I said. “I hope he gets better.” (Battle of the Labyrinth, Chapter 13)
But is also actively happy for him once he recovered:
And as I watched Clarisse and Chris singing a stupid campfire song together, holding hands in the darkness, where they thought nobody could see them, I had to smile. (Battle of the Labyrinth, Chapter 19)
Like, the guilt Chris must feel whenever he looks at Percy (and probably also Grover and Annabeth) must be insane. Especially this little interaction between Percy and Chris in the last Olympian drives me a bit crazy sometimes:
Chris would barely look at me. He'd been one of Luke's men until Clarisse rescued him from the Labyrinth last summer, and I guess he still felt guilty about it. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 4)
