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poseidonsdaughterthesiren · 1 month

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You're Losing–You Lost Me

A/N: So uhhh this experiemental. I'm trying to create Della and Luke's past. So obviously for my nonbooker readers...Spoilers. Ummm So we drift from Della to Percy to Luke's POVS and they're not all linear. Think of them as if you're sporadically going through memories.

Della sits by the lake as fireworks and torches flicker across the waves. In the distance, she hears a splash of water. Clarisse and a bunch of other campers toss her brother and her best friend into the lake.

It’s about dam time he told her.

Della smiles but it crumbles when she thinks about what she’s been through the last year and a half. Her memories had recently all been fixed thanks to the Hypnos kid Clovis. She takes a deep breath…and meditates for a moment

⬳

Della opened her eyes to a dimly lit room. She tried to yell for help but realized her mouth was gagged.

Where is she? How did–the battle with the manticore, Dr. Thorn came rushing back to her. She and Annabeth tackled the beast as it fell over the cliff. Shit, Percy was going to kill her–if whoever captured her didn’t first.

“Well, well if it isn’t Della Jackson,” a voice called

Della stilled at the voice. She knew that voice. Luke.

Luke creeped out of the shadows into the light. He smiled but it made Della flinch in terror.

He looked pretty beat up. Good.

Luke crouched down in front of Della.

Della tried to scoot back from him but didn’t get very far. The rope around her ankles and wrists was also bound to a pillar.

“Hey,” he whispered, I won’t hurt you. Trust me.”

Della narrowed her eyes at him.

Luke moved forward and reached behind her head. He undid the knot holding her gag and removed it.

Della tried to scream but Luke placed a hand over her mouth.

“Hey, no, come on now, none of that,” he whispered, “Besides no one will be able to hear you.”

Della leaned back and glared at him.

“Where am I?”

“Safe,” Luke said.

“Pfft, not with you I’m not.”

“Del–”

“No, only my friends call me Del.”

“We are friends–”

“We were, past tense.”

Luke grinned at her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“My offer still stands Del, you can be more–”

“No, no this isn’t you.”

“Still don’t have your own opinion, still emersed in everything Percy believes.”

Luke leaned over maneuvered her ropes and pulled her towards him. He lifted her up and led her towards the darkness he emerged from.

“Come on,” he whispered in her ear, “time to see what we’ve been working on.”

Della felt shivers run down her spine. She hoped Percy would find her soon.

⬳

Della and Annabeth were gone. They fell with the manticore–the only thing left of Della was Leda. Mom is going to kill him.

Percy paced around as his thoughts tortured him. It had always been his job to protect her, and he failed.

“Percy,” Grover said. He placed a hand on Percy’s shoulder.

Percy shrugged the hand off.

Thalia was pissed. She white-knuckled Annabeth’s Yankees cap.

“Percy, I’m sorry–”

“No,” he snapped, “Don’t say you’re sorry for my loss. They’re not–She’s not dead.”

“Percy,” Grover said. There were tears in his eyes. “There’s no way they survived that and if they did, Luke–”

“No, they’re alive, I can feel it! They…can’t…she can’t be gone.” A tear escaped from his eye.

No Della was alive. He couldn’t explain it–but he could feel it like a thread connecting them. And if Del was alive so was Annabeth.

“Percy Jackson,” Zoe Nightshade called, “Come with me Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee.”

⬳

Luke leads Della up a dark hill. There was little to no light. It was black but there were whisps of blue light. Black charred ruins are scattered almost as if there had once been a battle here.

Della felt like she was in a demonic episode of Scooby Doo. Doesn’t help that Luke led her on a rope like a dog. Bet Scooby never used a leash.

Luke paused near the crest of the hill. He turned toward her.

“What I am about to show you,” he said, “Is your fate if you don’t cooperate.”

His face twitched and sniffed almost as if he were about to cry but he stopped himself. He turned back toward the hill and pulled her rope hard.

Della glanced around when she felt the air leave her lungs–at the top of the hill was Annabeth holding up what appeared to be an invisible ceiling.

“Annabeth!” Della screamed.

Luke yanked her rope and pulled her against him. He used his free hand to angle her head at the sight.

Della closed her eyes as Annabeth screamed for her.

“See that could be you,” he whispered, “but I think I have better use for you.”

Della choked back a sob refusing to open her eyes.

“Della,” Annabeth groaned, “No let her…go”

“Say bye to Annabeth, Del,” Luke said, “We’ll see her later.”

“NO! ANNABETH!” Della yelled. She struggled against Luke.

“Aww,” Luke cooed, “come on Siren, we have more work to do.”

Della screamed as he picked her up and led her away from Annabeth.

“LUKE! LUKE!” Annabeth shrieked.

Della sobbed as Luke dragged her away from her best friend. She felt spots flood her vision before everything went dark.

⬳

` Percy sulked into his cabin and threw himself on his bed. He rolled onto his side to stare at Della’s empty bunk. Nestled in her blankets was a plush blue whale who’d seen better days. Mr. Finn. Della’s favorite stuffed animal.

How could Mr. D refuse to search for her or Annabeth?

Percy sighed slipped out of his bunk and grabbed ahold of the whale. Its big black button eyes stared up at Percy. He pulled it close to his chest and squeezed. After a moment he placed him in his bunk.

He heard water running. He looked around before in the back of the cabin he spotted a new item. A fountain–obviously a gift from Poseidon.

Percy made his way to it and noticed it was heated as it created a mist with tiny little rainbows. He looked at the bottom to see it was full of drachmas. He realized what this was for. It was a reminder to keep in touch with his family.

Percy scooped a coin out and ran his fingers along it.

“Iris, oh Goddess of the Rainbow,” he said, “please accept my offering.”

He knew he should call mom and tell her what happened, but he wasn’t ready for that yet. Until he knew more about where she was he was going to hold off telling Mom.

He could call Dad, he hadn’t talked to him in two years. But could you call a god or would that be an insult? Besides, he had a feeling Poseidon knew about what had occurred only a few hours ago. Hopefully, if she asked for help Dad would be there.

He suddenly knew exactly who to call.

“Show me Tyson,” Percy said, “At the forges of the Cyclops.”

The mist shimmered to show his half-brother Tyson surrounded by fire. Tyson was bent on an anvil, hammering a red-hot sword blade. There was a marble-framed window behind him, and it looked out onto dark blue water–the bottom of the ocean.

“Tyson,” Percy yelled.

He didn’t hear Percy at first due to the hammering and roar of the flames.

“TYSON!” Percy yelled again.

He turned his one enormous eye brightened. His face broke into a crooked yellow grin. “Percy!”

He dropped the sword blade and barrelled at Percy trying to hug him. Percy lurched back. “Hey, Big Guy, this is an Iris message, I’m not really there.”

“Oh, yes I knew that,” Tyson said. He seemed embarrassed for a moment. He then looked around Percy. “Where’s Della?”

Percy’s smile faded. “She’s not here right now buddy.”

“Oh, tell her I say hi! Tell Annabeth I say hi!”

“Okay, Buddy will do,” Percy swallows the lump in his throat. “Hey Tyson, do you hear from Dad?”

Tyson’s smile fell a bit. “Not much. Daddy is busy. He is worried about the war.”

“What do you mean?”

Tyson sighed and placed the sword out the window, where it erupted in a swirl of bubbles. When he brought the blade back in the metal was cool and silver.

“Old Sea Spirits making trouble. Aigaios. Oceanus. Those guys. They’re protecting the bad boat.”

“The Princess Andromeda? Luke’s boat?” Percy asked.

“Yes. They make it hard to find. Protect it from Daddy’s storms. Otherwise, he would smash it.”

“Smashing it would be good,” Percy agree.

Just not with Della or Annabeth on board.

“Yeah. Don’t worry about bad boat. It is going away.”

“What do you mean?”

“Panama Canal. Very far away.”

Why was Luke all the way down there? Last theyd seen he’d been near the East Coast recruiting demigods with grievances against their godly parents.

“Well that’s good I guess. Hey tell Dad I–”

Before he could finish the message dissolved leaving him alone in the cabin again. Percy sighed and shuffled back to his bunk.

He slipped under the covers and held Mr. Finn close.

“Where are you Del?” He whispered before drifting off.

⬳

Della opened her eyes to see she was nestled in a makeshift cot. She was wrapped in a thick blanket. She glanced around to see she was in a dimly lit room. Not like the apocalypse she’d been in earlier.

There was the cot she was in. A small chestnut drawer, a desk, and the door. Whoever’s room this was they were a very extreme minimalist.

She sat up and stretched when she realized her hands were untied. She froze–where’s Luke?

The handle of the door jiggled and opened into the room. Revealing the man in question.

Luke closes the door behind him. And tosses a map on the desk before he turns to Della.

“Oh, good,” he said, “You’re awake.” He sat at the end of the bed.

Della examined his face. He looked like he’d aged ten years since the last time they’d seen each other. There were heavy streaks of grey Della could hardly see his black hair.

Luke’s eyes were examining her..

“What happened?” She asked. She glanced down at the floor.

“You blacked out,” he said as if it were obvious.

“Doesn’t explain why I’m in your room.”

“You really don’t get it?”

Della glanced up at him. Her eyes narrowed.

“You’re here,” Luke said, “Because you’re the key to winning this damn thing!”

“What do mean I’m the key?” Della yelled at him. “I thought Percy was your Golden Boy.”

“It has become quite clear your brother will not join me, but you,” Luke said. He reached out to touch her cheek. “You could counter the prophecy. You could be mine.”

Della flinched at the contact.

“A half-blood of the eldest gods

Shall reach sixteen against all odds

And see the world in endless sleep

The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap–”

“A single choice shall end his days. Olympus to preserve or raze,” Della finished. “I know but what that’s between you and Percy–”

“It would seem the fates have made it so, but with you by my side, it’d be an equal fight. Come on Del, I’ve seen how Percy treats you on quests.”

“First,” Della said, “Quit calling me Del. Second, I’d never betray my brother. And Third, my brother loves me.”

“Does he Della? I remember the last time I saw you two he treated you worse than the Cyclops.”

Della looked down at her shoes. He had a point even on this last mission Percy had been a dick to her.

Luke tucks a finger under her chin and makes her look at him.

“It’d be you and I against the world.”

Della doesn’t pull away this time. She’d always been attracted to Luke. The two of them against the world didn’t sound too bad.

A loud ruckus stomped above them. Luke pulled back and growled in frustration. He then looks back at Della. “I’ll be back. There’s tea on the desk. He moved towards the door which clicked shut behind him.

Della sat up and on shaky feet grabbed the tea cup. She hobbled back into the cot pulled the blankets up to her chest and sipped her tea.

What if she stayed? Switched teams. Maybe then people wouldn't doubt her ability. They’d always compare her to Percy she’d always known that. She’d finally get to be with Luke–then she thought about Annabeth in the invisible cavern–no she would never stay with him.

The door opened again to reveal Luke. He didn’t look as pissed, but he certainly wasn’t pleased. “Change of plans I have a meeting to attend. But I’ll be back soon.”

“Where–”

“Doesn’t matter, but you’re going to stay here aboard the ship.”

So she’s on the Princess Andromeda….her mind went fuzzy fast. Luke was just a blur when he left.

“I’ll be back I promise Del.”

⬳

“I should throw you in the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence,” the General said, “I told you to bring me the boy, not the scrawny Athena girl.”

“But,” Thorn sputtered, “I brought you one of the Big Three’s children! I brought you the Daughter of Poseidon!”

“Hmmm,” the General nodded, “She may be useful…but right now she’s a prize to you Boy.” He looked straight at Luke.

Percy felt his heart thrum in his chest. The girls were alive. What did he mean Della was a prize to Luke?

He’d missed bits of the conversation when–

“Della will serve her purpose in time,” Luke said, “It just needs some pushing.”

What the hell? I mean yeah Della was his twin but the prophecy referred to him–or at least they’d always assumed it was him–what was Luke doing to her?

⬳

“Della, hey come on now Del,” a voice sighed.

Della is met with the sight of Luke bending over worry evident on his face.

He smiled a bit at her. “Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he cooed.

Della grinned in response but then realized she didn’t remember falling asleep. “What time is it? I thought you just left–wait I’ve been asleep–what’ve you–”

Luke’s face fell a bit as he tried to calm her. He pulled into him,

“It’s okay, Della–hey it’s okay–”

“No!” she yelled. She pushed against him. “What have you been doing–”

Luke sighed he grabbed a bowl and passed it to her.

“What is this?”

“Oatmeal.”

“Is this magic oatmeal?”

“It’s apple-cinnamon.”

Della sniffed it and indeed it was apple-cinnamon oatmeal. She takes the spoon from Luke and eats a couple of spoonfuls.

“There you go,” Luke said. He ran a hand through her hair.

Whatever anger Della felt vanished. She couldn’t even remember why she was mad. She set the bowl down.

“There you go Della,” Luke whispered. He took the bowl placed it on the floor and tugged her close to his chest. “I love you,” he murmured.

⬳

“Ah, how touching,” A voice said.

The group turned to see the General standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side was Luke and half a dozen dracaene bearing the sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth stood at Luke’s side. Her hands were cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, Luke held the point of his sword to her throat.

Percy met her eyes seeking answers. The only message was clear RUN!

“Luke let her go,” Thalia growled.

“That’s for the General to decide,” Luke smirked, “But it is good to see you again though Thalia.”

Thalia spat at him.

Percy whipped his around and realized someone was missing.

“Where’s Della? Where is my sister?” He yelled.

A tear escaped Annabeth’s eye.

“Where is she?!”

Luke’s smirk disappeared a single tear dripped down his cheek.

The General however laughed. “She’s alive Son of Poseidon, for now.

More tears sprung from Annabeth’s eyes she shook in Luke’s grip.

Anger bubbled in Percy’s veins and he unleashed Riptide.

⬳

Luke looked over the railing at the sea. They were just a bit away from the camp’s borders. He stretched and felt his back protest. He sighed, fighting Thalia was not easy to come back from. But the plan had to go. The concoction of poppy seeds and a drip of Lethe to keep Della here worked too well. He knew she liked him but–he didn’t think he’d catch feelings for her. He has to get her out of here before Kronos makes him do something awful–or even worse kill her.

He went below deck and opened the door to his room to see her asleep just as he’d left her. Luke picks her up bridal-style. He carries her up to the deck.

He drops her into the water and watches as she sinks. The Old Sea Gods push her back into Poseidon’s territory.

⬳

When Della came to she was no longer in Luke’s room, no instead she was–well–she had no idea where she was.

She was situated in an actual bed, not a cot. The room reminded her of the cabin her mom rented every year. The room was in natural beach tones. She could see a window encrusted with sea glass that looked out into blue water–wait blue water?

Della sat up and slid out of the bed. The floor was freezing but she didn’t care. She was almost positive she was close to her Dad or at the very least Percy. She stumbled for a moment not used to being on her feet.

There were two double doors a few feet away. Della grabbed a handle and bolted from the room.

The hallway was fancier than her room, but the architecture told her all she needed to know–she was at her Dad’s place.

Two mermaids spotted her and gasped.

“Miss Della you should be in bed,” one of them chastised. She had a shimmering pink tail.

“I’ll go inform Poseidon,” the other said. Her tail was multicolored like the rainbow fish book.

Rainbow Fish swished back down the hall they’d come from.

Pink Tail swam towards Della and placed a hand on her forehead.

“Well, you definitely look better,” she said. “You looked like death when the patrol found you.”

“What do you–”

“DELLA!” a familiar voice boomed.

“Tyson?” Della asked.

The Cyclops tackled her in a giant bear hug.

“Wait till Percy hears you’re okay! He’s been worried.”

Della hugs her half-brother back.

Percy’s been worried about her?

“He was so sad when they didn’t find you!”

“Alright Tyson,” Let her breathe there Kiddo.” A masculine voice laughed.

“Dad?” Della breathed.

Tyson let go of her. And moved out of the way.

At the end of the hallways stood her father Poseidon. He looked similar to the last time she’d seen him. Same fisherman’s getup, the same beard, the same everything really–except now he looked incredibly exhausted.

She moved towards him but stopped just a few feet in front of him. She didn’t really know what to say to him.

“Hello, Della,” He smiled. He and Percy shared the same smile. “You’ve been so brave.”

“Not that I’m not happy to see you but why am I here? I don’t remember–”

Poseidon’s smile fell. “There is much to discuss but you need to get home to your mother and brother.”

“But–”

“I am very proud of you Della,” Poseidon said. He pulled her into a hug. This was the first hug she’d ever had with her dad. He held her similar to Mom–a hand at the back of her head and the other between her shoulder blades.

“Never forget little Siren, you are my daughter, not just Percy’s sister.”

⬳

“The sword, Della,” Annabeth muttered, “Your sword…Hero…cursed blade…”

Della and Percy looked at each other. Percy nodded at her.

Della looked at Luke his lip trembled.

“Del…please…I’ll be good I promise…”

Della felt tears stream down her face.

She raised her sword but then she looked back at Percy.

“Together,” she said.

“Together,” he said.

They passed the blade to Luke together.

Luke without hesitation snatched Leda and he undid his chest plate. He aimed Della’s sword under his left arm and he stabbed himself.

Leda, Della’s sword clattered to the ground as Luke fell backward.

Della caught him before his head could hit the hearth. She cradled his head in her lap.

“Del…”

“Hey, no none of that,” Della whispered.

Annabeth, Grover, and Percy surround them. They crouch over the pair.

“I–I’m sorry Beth…”

“Shh, you were a hero at the end, you’ll go to Elysium.”

“Did you love me?” he asked looking at Annabeth.

“At one time but…you were always a brother to me.”

He nodded and coughed red painted his lips. His eyes gazed up at Della.

“Del, no matter how much I hurt you…I want you to know I meant it when I said…I love you.”

Della’s tears cascaded on his brow. She leaned over and kissed his brow.

“It’s okay…” he said, “it doesn’t hurt.”

“Luke I love you.”

He smiled up at her. His eyes went to Percy. Luke brought himself up a smidge and gripped Percy’s sleeve.

“Ethan. Me. The other unclaimed, don’t let it happen again.”

“I won’t I promise,” Percy said.

“Good,” Luke breathed. He fell back into Della’s lap and his hand went slack.

Della choked on a sob. Grover closed Luke’s unseeing eyes. Annabeth clutched onto Percy’s shoulder.

“Percy…Della,” Their dad called, awe in his voice, “what…what is this?”

Percy turned and faced the Olympians.

“We need a shroud,” he announced, his voice cracked. “We need a shroud for the Son of Hermes.”

Della tried not to scream.

#oc character #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #percyjacksonxsister!reader #fanfic #heroes of olympus #percy and annabeth #luke castellan x reader #della jackson

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sumu-samu · 3 years

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Broken

“Hi i saw that you were gonna start writing stories and we're looking for ideas and things,, maybe a Luke x f!reader oneshot around the time of The Lightning Thief. I think it would be cool if the day before he snapped and revealed himself as the thief,, he confessed his feelings to someone or took an s/o on a special date as a type of "goodbye" without saying anything. There's not many luke fics and his TLT story is so fun to explore :3″

Pairing: Luke Castellan x daughter of Poseidon!f!reader

Genre: Angst basically. Some fluff, but angst.

Warnings: non that I can really think of

A.N: Literally listened to The Lightning Thief musical while writing this.This was super fun to write ngl, I also may have gotten carried away with the back story and such but meh :3. I also took a few freedoms and made you Poseidon’s daughter, hope you don’t mind it too much, and I changed the ending of the book a bit because I can’t remember exactly how it ended, just the basics, and I can’t find my book to fact check myself. Hope it doesn't bother you too much and that you like it.<3

Y/N sat at her cabin table, her newly found brother had just come back from a stupid quest he had to go on because her uncle was throwing a fit (as he usually does) about someone stealing his lightning bolt, and he immediately blamed it on her family. She knew all about the prophecy and the whole half-blood child of the big three turning sixteen and having the power to either save or destroy the world. Thing was she had already turned sixteen (if you’re not sixteen yet, just go along with it please) and nothing special really happened, so when Percy showed up at camp and killed a minotaur on the first day, Her and Chiron had been a bit weary of the new half-blood.

When Percy was claimed by Poseidon you’d think she’d be happy that she had found family, after losing her mother at five and never seeing her father, but she wasn’t, She was more worried than anything. Worried that she would lose the family she had just found. And when Percy left to go on the quest, Y/N felt like she couldn’t breath. She didn’t know him very well, but Percy was a good kid, she could just feel it, and she wanted to get to know him more. The thought that he may not come back from this quest in one piece terrified her. And what made it even worse was that he brought Annabeth with him. Annabeth was like Y/N’s little sister.

Ever since the day she found the seven year old blond they had been through alot together. She had run away from camp after getting into an argument with Chiron, she soon learned that it was a big mistake, then ran into the little girl somewhere in Pennsylvania. She then met Luke and Thalia, and then ran into Grover. The five had been through alot, especially when they lost Thalia, she was yet another pice of family she lost. She hadn’t walked into the camp with the other three, she just stayed and watched as Thaila’s body formed into a tall standing pine tree. She cursed Zues for letting this happen to his own daughter.

As the years went by she took care of the spunky little blond, and Luke liked to help every now and then. Feelings grew for the blond boy, no doubt about it, but she also remembered how Annabeth would squeal to her and rant about her little crush on Luke.

When they came back, all three of them, in one pices to say she was relieved, was an understatement. There had been a lot of events that happened after they were back, her favourite being the look on Clariese’s face when she heard that her father had stolen the bolt. The whole cabin was angry and Percy, and the fact that he had made their father look like a fool. But what she really cherished was right now. She was able to catch up with her brother and everything. Talk about his life, get to know him and how much of a good kid he really was. They talked about the prophecy and how he was confused about being betrayed by a friend and failing to save what matters the most.

“People who know nothing about prophecies may say something like ‘oh well you know the prophecy is crazy and could be wrong in some way,’ but, I know that isn’t the case. So I’d say, that the prophecy isn’t done with you yet.” She shrugged.

“Oh, how great.” he rolled his eyes.

“Hey, Y/N” She heard the smooth deep familiar voice and looked up to meet bright blue eyes. “Right before curfew… could you uh,” he scratched the back of his neck. “Just, meet me by the lake.” he quickly stated then walked off. She sat very confused, she had never seen Luke like that before. He was usually a cocky, joking fellow. Seeing him shy and flustered,and maybe even worried, had concerned her.

When the sun had fallen, and curfew was about twenty minutes away, she snuck out of her cabin and went down to the lake. “Luke?” she called out not seeing him anywhere.

“Y/N.” she then heard from behind her. Turning around she saw a familiar silhouette, She couldn't see his face due to the lack of light but she knew it was him.

“Hey, what’s up?” She walked towards him.

“I-” He looked around and took her by the arm to drag her further away from the cabins so that they could be somewhere where he knew they were truly alone. “I have something to tell you.” He sounded sorrowful and serious. This made Y/N’s heart race faster in worry for the boy in front of her.

“What is it Luke?” She moved her hand to his cheek so he could look at her. He just stared into her eyes for about a minute. He was dazzled by her (e/c) eyes, that she had gotten from her mum and her dark hair that she got from her father. His hands moved to her waist before he viciously pulled her close to him, foreheads touching. Her heart sped up even more, this time from the closeness of the two rather than worry. “Luke?” she questioned.

“I’m so sorry.” He squeezed his eyes shut in pain. “I’m so… so sorry Y/N.” He wrapped his arms further around her waist, pulling her into a hug. She took in his scent as he did hers.

“Luke, I don’t understand, why… why are you sorry?” She pulled away to look into his eyes again.

“Y/N, I… I like you… I like you so much I think I love you. And it hurts me, ever since we lost Thalia, you were there, you were alway there. And I don’t know why I couldn’t be satisfied with just you and Annabeth, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry. I was just so pissed, I needed to get it all out. But in the end, I want you to know that it was you, It was always you.” And that's when he did it. He made her heart completely stop, He leaned in and kissed her. His kiss soft and gentle, the kiss was passionate. She melted into it, wanting it to last forever but alas he pulled away. “I just hope you will forgive me at some point.”

“Luke, what’s going on? What do you mean forgive you?” She was seriously done with this mysterious way he was talking.

“I can’t tell you, not yet. Just, stay with me, for the night. Tonight only, sleep beside me, let me hold you one last time.” He pleaded.

“Luke, where are we gonna sleep, we can’t go to your cabin, because… well,” She thought of the cramped cabin 11 and how embarrassing it might be to wake up in the morning with all those kids around her laughing, or how maybe the twins would try playing a prank of them in their sleep. “Percy’s asleep in my cabin, and we can’t stay out here… the harpies.” She shuddered at the thought of being attacked by those bird ladies.

“Y/N, i’ve seen Percy sleep, there's no way he's gonna wake up before us. I’ll be sure to leave before he even knows I’m there.” He rested his forehead on hers.

She thought for a while. “Alright fine.” She smiled and they walked back to the cabin.

That night she had the best sleep she had ever had. Luke’s warmth,and his scent. It relaxed her in a way that she didn’t know was possible. But he held true to his word of getting out before Percy knew he was there. In fact, she had to sit there for a while trying to be sure it was real and not just a dream, because when she woke up, he wasn’t there. Her heart dropped. It was too vivid, too detailed, too… too real, to be a dream. She got out of bed, and got dressed before hearing a snore. She grabbed her pillow and threw it at the drooling boy, still asleep in his bed.

“Wake up ragworm. You’re gonna miss breakfast.” She said, waiting till he got out of bed and started getting changed to leave and go to breakfast.

They sat at the table eating their food when Mr. D. had stood up to tell everyone to decide whether they were staying for the year or leaving before noon. “What are you gonna do?” Percy looked at his sister.

“I'm staying here.” She shrugged as if not going home was something she was used to.

“You’re not going back to your family?” He sounded confused. But he too was confused if he wanted to go back and see his mum or if he wanted to stay with his new found family. He was kinda hoping she was gonna go so that it would make it easier on him.

“Have no family to go home to, Perc. This right here,” she motioned to all the other kids at their respective tables, “this is the closest thing I have to family.”

As the day had progressed the thought of what happened with Luke last night being real faded as Luke had avoided her all day. And as she was walking around Camp, enjoying her last day with some of her friends she saw some wood nymphs carrying a body wearing blue jeans and a bright orange camp shirt. “Percy.” she gasped as she saw the black head of hair. They carried him to the infirmary where he was tended to and given some nectar to recover.

Once he woke up he started ranting off nonsense. “Luke, it’s Luke we- we need to look for him.” he tried to get up but Chiron stopped him.

“What do you mean it’s Luke, Perc?” She was worried by the tone of her brother's words.

“The… the friend who was supposed to betray me… it’s Luke. He’s the lightning thief” At Percy’s words Y/N’s head went fuzzy, her stomach turned. “He’s serving Kronos, hes trying to bring him back.” she didn’t want to believe what she was hearing, “ Oh… and Y/N… he said that if I happened to survive, to tell you… he meant what he said last night, and that he is really sorry.” Percy said that as if it was irrelevant.

“No, you're lying. Luke, he wouldn… He isn’t... “ She shook her head trying to deny it but then something came back to her.

“I’m sorry. I was just so pissed, I needed to get it all out.” She ran out of the infirmary, tears stinging her eyes and her head steaming. She ran into the cabin, and without thinking rationally started to throw things around out of… well, she wasn’t really sure what she was feeling, she just needed to get it out.

Once she was done throwing things around, and the cabin was totally trashed, she knew exactly what she was feeling. She ran to the lake, feeling angry and sad. She took her shoes off and sat at the edge with her feet in the water. Tears running down her face.

“I just hope you will forgive me at some point.” Luke’s words rang out in her head. “I don’t think I ever can.” She thought. It wasn’t because of the fact that he had betrayed her friends, her family, betrayed her. It was more the fact that Luke was so selfish, so so stupidly selfish that he had to dump that onto her. He had to tell her how he felt and then go and break her like that. Because of that, she hated him, but at the same time, deep in her heart she still loved him, something small was telling her that this wasn’t actually Luke, that he was really the Luke that she loved and that something was controlling him.

She looked up at the sky, the clear blue sky. To anyone else, on any other day, it would have been a beautiful day. But no matter how much the sun shined, all she could see was grey. “Why? Why can’t I be happy? Why do you insist on torturing me constantly. What did I do to make you decide I don’t deserve happiness? Was it because I was born? It’s not my fault that my father can’t keep a stupid promise. It’s not my fault i’m alive. I never asked for this. So why do you do this to me? You petty little brat! I hate you with every bone in my body.” She screamed at her uncle. Zeus wasn’t listening to what his pathetic niece was saying, but someone was.

His chest felt heavy. Listening to what the beautiful broken girl was saying. He had wanted to hold her like he should have for every heart breaking moment of her sixteen years. “I’m sorry i couldn’t save you from that. But I gave you Percy. You have each other now. Take care of each other like I can’t.” Poseidon sighed.

#percy jackson #luke castellan #luke x y/n #luke x reader #luke castellan x reader #percy jackson x reader #percy's sister #daughter of poseidon

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thewidowsghost · 3 years

Text

The Daughter of the Sea - Chapter 8

(Y/n)'s POV

I know someone at camp resents Percy and me because one night, I come into the cabin alone and find a mortal newspaper dropped inside the doorway, a copy of the New York Daily News, opened to the Metro page. The article takes me almost an hour to read, because the angrier I get, the more the words float around on the page.

GIRL, BOY, AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER FREAK CAR ACCIDENT

By Eileen Smythe

Sally Jackson, son Percy, and daughter (Y/n) are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a north Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had flipped and skidded for several hundred feet before exploding.

Mother, daughter, and son had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the scene of the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Jacksons. Residents in the rural area reported seeing nothing unusual around the time of the accident.

Ms. Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepson, Percy Jackson, is a troubled child who has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and has expressed violent tendencies in the past.

Police would not say whether son Percy is a suspect in his sister's and his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play. Below are recent pictures of Sally Jackson, (Y/n), Percy. Police urge anyone with information to call the following toll-free Crimestoppers hotline.

The phone number is circled in black marker.

I wad up the paper and throw it away, flopping down on my bunk on the far edge of the cabin under the window facing the sea.

I remain silent as Percy walks into the cabin, flopping down onto his bunk as well.

That night, I have the worst dream yet.

I was running along the beach in a storm. This time, there was a city behind me. Not New York. The sprawl was different: buildings spread farther apart, palm trees and low hills in the distance.

About a hundred yards down the surf, two men were fighting. They looked like TV wrestlers, muscular, with beards and long hair. Both wore flowing Greek tunics, one trimmed in blue, the other in green. They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked, and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose.

I had to stop them. I didn't know why. But the harder I ran, the more the wind blew me back until I was running in place, my heels digging uselessly in the sand.

Over the roar of the storm, I could hear the blue-robed one yelling at the green-robed one, Give it back! Give it back! Like a kindergartner fighting over a toy.

The waves got bigger, crashing into the beach, spraying me with salt.

I yelled, Stop it! Stop fighting!

The ground shook. Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice.

Come down, little hero, the voice crooned. Come down!

The sand split beneath me, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth. My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me.

I wake up, sure I'm falling.

I am still in bed in Cabin Three. My body tells me it's morning, but it's dark outside, and thunder rolls over the hills.

A storm is brewing.

I hadn't dreamed that . . .

I hear a clopping sound at the door, a hoof knocking on the threshold.

"Come in?" Percy asks, sounding uncertain.

Grover trots inside, looking worried. "Mr. D wants to see the two of you."

"Why?" I ask, peeking through the curtain separating mine and Percy's side of the cabin.

'He wants to kill . . . I mean, I'd better let him tell you."

Nervously, Percy and I get dressed and follow, sure we were in huge trouble.

For days, Percy and I'd been half expecting a summons to the Big House. Now that we were declared children of Poseidon, one of the Big Three gods who weren't supposed to have kids, I figure it's just a crime for us to be alive. The other gods had probably been debating on the best way to punish us for existing, and now Mr. D is ready to deliver their verdict.

Over Long Island Sound, the sky looks like ink soup coming to a boil. A hazy curtain of rain is coming in our direction. I ask Grover if we'd need an umbrella.

"No," Grover says. "It never rains here unless we want it to."

Percy points at the storm, 'What the heck is that, then?"

Grover glances uneasily at the sky. "It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does."

I realize that he's right. In the week I'd been here, it had never even been overcast. The few rain clouds I'd seen had skirted right around the edges of the valley.

But this storm . . .

This one's huge.

At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin are playing a morning game against the satyrs. Dionysius's twins - Castor and Pollux - are walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow. Everyone is going about their normal business, but they look tense; they keep their eyes on the storm.

Grover, Percy, and I walk up the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sits at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on my first day. Chiron sits across the table in his fake wheelchair. They are playing against invisible opponents - two sets of cards hovering in the air.

"Well, well," Mr. D says without looking up. "Our little celebrities."

I wait.

"Come closer," Mr. D says. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortals, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father."

A net of lightning flashes across the clouds; thunder shakes the windows of the house.

"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus grumbles.

Chiron faints interest in his pinochle cards and Grover cowers by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth.

"If I had my way," Dionysus says, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."

"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron puts in.

"Nonsense," Dionysus says. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."

"Mr. D - " Chiron warns.

"Oh, all right," Dionysus relents. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rises, and the invisible players' cards drop onto the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you two must do."

Dionysus picks up a playing card, twists it, and it becomes a plastic rectangle. A security pass. He snaps his fingers. The air seems to fold and bend around him. He becomes a hologram, a wind, then he is gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.

Chiron smiles at me and Percy, but he looks tired and strained. "Sit, Percy,(Y/n), please. And Grover."

We do.

Chiron lays his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.

"Tell me, (Y/n)," he says. "What did you make of the hellhound?"

Just hearing the name makes me shudder.

Chiron probably wants me to say, Heck, it was nothing. I eat hellhounds for breakfast. But I don't feel like lying.

"It scared me," I admit. "If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."

"You two will meet worse. Far worse, before you're done."

"Done?" Percy asks. "With what?"

"You're quest, of course," Chiron says. "Will you accept it?"

I glance at Grover, who is crossing his fingers.

"Sir," I say, "you haven't told us what it is yet."

Chiron grimaces. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."

Thunder rumbles across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I can see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.

"Poseidon and Zeus," I guess. "They're fighting over something valuable . . . something that was stolen, aren't they?"

Chiron and Grover exchange looks.

Chiron shoots forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"

"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And...I've also been having these dreams."

"I knew it," Grover says, his eyes bright.

"Hush, satyr," Chiron orders.

"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes sparkle with excitement. "It must be!"

"Only the Oracle can determine," Chiron strokes his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, (Y/n), you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."

Percy laughs, looking nervous, "A what?"

"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warns. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."

"Oh."

"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron says, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

"And it's missing?" I guess.

"Stolen," Chiron corrects.

"By whom?" I ask though I guessed what he was going to say.

"By you two," Chiron says and Percy's jaw drops.

"At least"—Chiron holds up a hand—"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon argued. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."

"But I didn't - We didn't -" Percy goes to say.

"Patience and listen, child," Chiron says. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you two as his children. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief.

"But we've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"

Chiron and Grover glance nervously at the sky. The clouds don't seem to be parting around us, as Grover had promised. They are rolling straight over the valley, sealing us in like a coffin lid.

"Er, Percy . . . ?" Grover says. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."

"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggests. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam...." He looked at Percy.

"The Golden Net?" I guess again. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods trapped Zeus in it and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler?"

"Correct," Chiron says. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you two have come along—the proverbial last straw."

"But we're just kids!" Percy protests.

"Percy," Grover cuts in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, and that he's father, not one, but two mortal heroes who might be used as a weapon against you . . . Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"

"But I - we didn't do anything, Poseidon - our dad - he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?" Percy asks, and I remain silent in thought.

Chiron sighs. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a fullfledged war would look like, Percy? (Y/n)?"

"Bad?" Percy guesses.

"I'd guess that it would be like nature at war with itself," I say and Chiron nods.

"Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight," Chiron adds to (Y/n)'s statement.

"Bad," Percy repeats.

"And you, Percy and (Y/n) Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."

And then, it starts to rain. Volleyball players stop their game and start in stunned silence at the sky.

We had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of us.

"So we have to find that bolt," I say. "And return it to Zeus."

"What better peace offering," Chiron says, "than to have the son and daughter of Poseidon return Zeus's property.

"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" Percy asks.

"I believe I know." Chiron's expression is grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago...well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."

"Why can't you tell us where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy asks.

"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."

I swallow thickly. "Good reason."

"You agree then?" Chiron asks.

I exchange a glance with Percy, then Grover, who nods encouragingly.

Easy for him, I think. We're the ones Zeus wants to kill.

"All right," Percy says. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron says. "Go upstairs, Percy and (Y/n) Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

. . .

"Well?" Chiron asks us.

We slump into our chairs at the pinochle table. "She said we would retrieve what was stolen.

Grover sits forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!

"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron presses. "This is important."

My ears are still tingling from the reptilian voice. "She said we would go west and face a god who had turned. We would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."

"I knew it," Grover says.

Chiron doesn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"

"No," Percy says. "That's about it."

He studies Percy's face, then meets my green gaze. "Very well. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."

I get the feeling he knows we're holding something back, and he's trying to make us feel better.

"Okay," Percy says, looking anxious to change topics. "So where do we go? Who's this god in the west?"

"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron says."if Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain."

"Someone else who wants to take over?" I guess.

"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."

"Hades," I say, raising an eyebrow.

Chiron nods. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."

A scrap of aluminum dribbles out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh - what?"

"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminds him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."

"Yes, but - but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protests. "Especially if he has found out Percy and (Y/n) are children of Poseidon . . ."

"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continues. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy and (Y/n) to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill these young half-bloods before he can take on the quest."

"Great," I mutter. "That's two major gods who want to kill us."

"But a quest to . . ." Grover swallows. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in someplace like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."

"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy and (Y/n) must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."

A strange fire burns in my stomach. The weirdest thing is, it isn't fear. It's anticipation. The desire for revenger. Hades had tried to kill me two times so far with the Minotaur, and the hellhound. It is his fault my mother had disappeared in a flash of light. Now he is trying to frame me, my dad, and my brother for a theft we hadn't committed.

Grover is trembling now; he'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.

The poor guy had to complete a quest with me and Percy so he could get his searcher's license, whatever that is, but how can I ask him to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said we were destined to fail?" This is a suicide mission.

"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy tells Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus and Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."

"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron says. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades—and I imagine Poseidon does—they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"

"You're saying I'm being used," Percy says.

"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon had claimed you and (Y/n) now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs the two of you."

My dad needs us.

Emotions roll around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope. I don't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed me.

3rd Person POV

Percy looks at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"

"I had my suspicions. As I said . . . I've spoken to the Oracle, too."

(Y/n) gets the feeling that there is a lot he wasn't telling them about the prophecy, but she decides that she couldn't worry about that at the moment. After all, she and Percy were hiding back information too."

"So let me get this straight," Percy says. "We're supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."

"Check," Chiron says.

"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."

"Check."

"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."

"That's about right."

(Y/n) looks over at Grover, who gulps down the ace of hearts.

"But I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asks weakly.

"You don't have to go," Percy tells him. "I can't ask that of you."

"Oh . . ." He shifts his hooves. "No . . . it's just that satyrs and underground places . . . well . . ." He takes a deep breath, then stands, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his t-shirts. "You saved my life, (Y/n), Percy. If . . . if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let the two of you down."

Percy feels so relieved that he wanted to cry, though he didn't think that would be very heroic. Grover is the only friend she'd ever had for longer than a few months. Percy isn't sure what a satyr can do against the forces of the dead but he feels better knowing he'd be with them.

"All the way, G-man," Percy turns to Chiron. "The Oracle just said to go west."

"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."

"Where?"

Chiron looks surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."

Percy's POV

"Oh," I said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane -"

"No!" Grover shrieks. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"

I shake my head, feeling embarrassed. My mom had never taken me and (Y/n) anywhere by plane. She'd always said we didn't have the money. Besides, her parents had died in a plane crash.

"Percy, think," Chiron says. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."

Overhead, lightning crackles and thunder booms.

"Okay," (Y/n) says, not looking up at the storm. "So, we'll travel overland."

"That's right," Chiron says. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered if you will accept her help."

(Y/n)'s POV

"Gee," I say, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a suicide quest like this?"

The air shimmers behind Chiron.

Annabeth Chase becomes visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," she says. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

"If you do say so yourself," I say. "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?"

Her cheeks flush. "Do you want my help or not?"

The truth is, I do. I need all the help I can get.

"A quartet," I say. "That'll work."

"Excellent," Chiron says. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."

Lightning flashes. Rain pours down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.

"No time to waste," Chiron says. "I think you should all get packing."

Word Count: 4018 words

#percy jackson x sister reader #percy jackson and the olympians reader insert #female reader #reader insert #fem reader

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gracedpersassonality · 3 years

Text

The Best Present - A Little Christmas Story

I wish we were kissing under mistletoe

The stars on the sky just can't match your glow

Now I can't wait 'til you're by my side

We'll be warm by the fire all night, oh

I wanna hold you while the bells are all ringing

Want you to be here while the angel's singing

Days are perfect when I got you near

My only wish is you here

Christmas Without You - Ava Max

The snow was slowly falling in big white flakes to the ground and covered everything with a beautiful thick coat. The streets were empty and everything was peaceful silent. Percy was shivering from the cold and pulled his scarf a bit tighter. He was running late as usual. Leo invited all of them for Christmas eve to his home like he did every year. He loved the tradition. And the food. And the decorations. And the fact that mostly everyone of their friends was able to come. It was far too seldom that all of them saw each other.

Percy went a bit faster which wasn't easy because the floor was icy and slippery and he was carrying his Secret Santa present for Annabeth in both hands and balanced the blue homemade chocolate chip cookies from his mother on top of it.

He almost made it safe to Leo's front door. Almost. On the path to the house was ice under the snow and Percy slipped, pressing the gift and the cookies to his chest, trying to catch himself. "Woah! Watch out!" Jason shouted before he grabbed him in the last second and made him standing still again. "Gotcha" he chuckled.

"Oh gods thank you. You saved me and the cookies." Percy said breathless.

"For the sake of the cookies look where you're going the next time." Jason joked.

"Yes... You're right. The next time I just fly to the door. No big deal." Percy replied sarcastically looking into Jason's bright blue eyes. They sparkled in the Christmas lights and reflected all the different colours. Percy can't help it and a goofy grin spread over his face which Jason mirrored. The snowflakes has covered Jason's blond hair, which made it look white and his cheeks where light red from the cold. This was one of these moments Percy got totally lost. He just want to take a picture and framed it that's how beautiful Jason looks in these light.

He was shaking his head to clear his mind, he was getting creepy again. He really had fallen for Jason in the last year. There were these moments when they looked at each other a second too long or when they touched accidentally. But it never happend more than this. They never cross the line that would end their friendship. Percy still waited for the perfect moment to confess his love. He was to afraid that he just interpreted too much in their interactions. Maybe Jason was just too dense to get the hints Percy dropped time by time. Maybe Percy was just wishing that Jason always seemed to making excuses to touch him or be in his near.

Jason cleared his throat. "Maybe we should go inside."

It took it's time till Percy realised what Jason said. " Yeah I guess so." But both didn't move. They still locked their eyes, smiling like idiots and no one want to look away first. It hit him like a sudden and blinding realization and it dawned to him. This moment seemed to be perfect. "Uhm, Jason? I have to tell you something." Suddenly he was getting really nervous. What if Jason didn't feel the same? Would he believe him? What if he even laugh at him? What if Percy was about to destroy their friendship right now? Maybe he should wait with it after the party. Then he wouldn't ruin it by make it awkward at least. He felt like a coward. He just was searching for excuses.

"What now? Say what's on your mind." Jason face turned serious.

He got an urgent feeling of throwing up. "It's freaking cold and I'm freezing. Let's go inside. Why doesn't the cold bother you too?" He said laughing. Hopefully Jason didn't hear that it was forced. Yep, he definitely was a coward.

They knocked at the with ornaments decorated door and Hazel opened it. The smell of pine, cinnamon and hot chocolate filled the cold evening air and Christmas songs are played in the background. "Ah there you are, we're finally complete. You two are late. What happened?"

"Nothing" Percy said a little bit too fast as he entered the house, hoping that everyone attributed his red face to the change from the cold outside to the warm inside.

"Percy's just being clumsy not more", Jason laughed and entered the house as well.

Both took off their thick coats and scarfs and hang them on the wardrobe. "Nice sweater Percy" Jason teased him.

"I can only give that back." Two years ago Jason had Percy as his secret santa and he got the ugliest sweater Percy could found. It was baby blue with lighting bolts on it which actually can blink. The next year Percy got his payback. Jason bought him a green sweater with tiny waves on it. There were also a button which caused an awful sung christmas song when it was pressed. Percy secretly loved it.

Hazel led them to living room. They were welcomed by 'Merry Christmas Everyone' that was blasted by Leo's sound system. Percy couldn't stop to be surprised how much efford Leo put in the decorations every year. And he tops himself year by year. There was a huge christmas tree with every kind of decoration you could put on. The whole room had it's own christmas themed light installation and Percy really become worried that all of this would end in a short circuit.

The whole crew was spread out in the room. Frank, Reyna and Piper were sitting on the couch chatting and eating from the with sweets filled plates in front of them. Leo and Annabeth standing in the corner bowed over some cables and it seems like he was explaining how he managed the power distribution. Grover, Will and Rachel were standing in front of the music system singing along. Only Thalia wasn't there. She was on the other side of the country and didn't make it this year.

Jason and Percy put their presents under the tree while Hazel took the cookies and put them in the kitchen. As she came back she shoved Nico in the room with the words "You can't stay in there forever." "But there I don't have to deal with all these happy people." He mumbled, but everyone knows that Nico secretly was enjoying the Christmas Partys.

"I'm going to grab us some hot chocolate" Jason declared and vanished in the kitchen. He came back with two steaming cups. Percy has joined their friends on the couch and so did Jason. As he recognized that there were only blue marshmallows in his cup, a smile stole on his face again. He was always smiling when Jason was around.

And so the time passed away with a lot of laughter, crooked sung songs and many happy faces. Even Nico smiled from time to time and everyone was filled with love for their friends.

After everyone had handed over the presents, Percy just leaned back and enjoyed the scene which was chaotic as usual. Annabeth already has started to read in one of the books Percy got her, while Leo was leaning over her shoulder and pointed at something in the book. His socks he got from Grover were flashing like a Christmas tree. Frank with his new purple sweater from Reyna was about to put a necklace around Hazel's neck. Jason gave Nico a new necklace as well and Rachel got a new sketchbook set from Piper and was about to draw her sitting under the Christmas tree. She was reading the voucher she got from Will and Reyna got a new pair of dog leashes and collars from Annabeth. Will was presenting his new shirt from Hazel which fits the one Nico was wearing. Rachel's gift for Grover was a new pair of shoes she has customized. Leo tried to get Thalia home for Christmas but it wasn't possible so he organized a video call for Jason as a compromise solution. And Percy has to keep himself from starring at Jason who was laughing with his sister. Little tears of joy in the corner of his eyes. He himself received new gloves and a matching scarf from Nico.

He was so happy that he can count so many people as his friends. No they were more than friends. This was his second family. And he knew that everyone was feeling the same.

After some time has passed, Jason ended the call and looked a bit sad for a moment, but quickly recovered. His sister was the only one left from his family and it was the first time he was supposed to be alone on Christmas and new year. Percy leaned over to Jason and whispered: "Don't tell anyone but remember me to give you your Christmas gift when we are leaving." Maybe it was against the rules of Secret Santa but he couldn't stop himself to get Jason a present as well.

"That's not fair! I haven't a present for you." He whispered back.

"Nah it's fine. It didn't cost anything so it's totally okay"

"So you made it by yourself? Now I want to know what it is."

"You will see." Percy made his troublemaker smile and looked into Jason prying eyes.

"Hey you two lovebirds, " Reyna interrupted their eye contact with a snap and both turned their heads towards her, "I've asked if you want to play charade with us but you seem to be busy."

"No no. I would love to play! What about you Jase?"

"I'm in!"

Laughter filled the house and in the end nobody knew who won.

It was late. Very very late. Well past midnight. Maybe Percy fall asleep once or twice, he wasn't really sure by himself. "Maybe I should go home soon", he declared with a yawn, his head resting on Jason's shoulder.

"Yeah me too." Jason shifted a bit, so he can look in Percy's tired eyes. "I drive you home. It's cold and dark outside and I don't accept a 'No'."

Percy knew he didn't have a chance to deny. Jason could be very stubborn when it come to situations like this. So he didn't resist and as a bonus he has time to give Jason his gift. After a lot of hugs they were driving to Percy's.

"So the present I was talking about... You still alone on Christmas?" Percy asked softly.

"Yeah but it doesn't matter I'm fine, just having myself a little Merry Christmas you know" Everybody would believe him but not Percy. Jason's voice was a tiny bit rougher than normal.

He could feel his heart nervously beating in his chest. "You can stay with us. I asked mom already and she said she would be very happy if you would join us."

"No I can't." Percy felt his heart stutter. He planned this since he knew that Thalia wouldn't make it. Nobody should be alone. Especially not Jason.

"Why not?"

"It's your family and I don't have any presents. I can't crash Christmas without presents."

Percy let out a released laugh. "That's what you are worried about? Well than you can come with me. I bought too many gifts anyways. We just change the tags. And for me it's really enough when you celebrate with us. How about that?"

A defeated smile stole on Jason's face. "Only if I can give you your money back."

"Alright. If you want to drive home first, you need to pack your things, you can stay at my home. It's already late and so you can't oversleep. " in the joy of Jason saying Yes he invited him spontaneously but regretted it right after saying it. He didn't want to overdo it so hopefully it wasn't a big deal for Jason.

"Unlike you I never oversleep but I would love to stay at your's"

Percy looked with a wide smile outside the car window. This was one was on it's best way to be the best Christmas ever.

As they were finally parking by Percy's mom it's started to snow again. Luckily they didn't have to drive anymore. His house wasn't decorated like Leo's but at least there were Christmas lights and one look at Jason was enough to be reminded of earlier this day. His eyes, it were always his eyes that made Percy fall in love with him a little more. And the way he was smiling at this moment brightened his heart. “You know this is one of the best presents I ever could get? I thought I would be lonely on Christmas." There were tears in his eyes and without thinking Percy hugged him.

"Nobody deserves to be alone if they doesn't want to. And I am so happy you are here with me."

"Thank you." Jason voice cracked and he cleard his throat. Percy let go and before he could start a second try to confess his love he pulled out his key awkwardly and said: "You don't have to thank me. But I'm freezing, let's get inside." At which point in his life he turned in this little coward? The problem was Jason was way too important for him and he didn't want to lose him.

"I guess my family already fall asleep, so we have to be silent." Percy whispered as he opened the door. They entered the house and walked as quiet as possible through the hallway till Jason suddenly stopped.

"You okay?" Percy turned around an looked at him. He seemed to be a bit nervous. Maybe he was afraid what his family could say.

After not answering his question Percy tried to calm Jason. "Hey, you don't have to be afraid or something. My family knows that you are coming with me. And especially Estelle is glad to see you."

"Yeah I know, that's not the problem."

"Then what is it?" Percy started to getting nervous too. What if Jason didn't want to be here and was just too polite to deny and now he regretted it? But Jason seemed so happy to be here a few seconds ago. So what was making him so nervous?

"Look up." He didn't suspect this reply at all and look at the ceiling in confusion.

A mistletoe. There was a mistletoe above him and while Percy still was wondering why it was there, because his mom never hung up one, Jason take a step towards Percy. Percy slowly look back to Jason. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. Jason was starring on his lips. He couldn´t breathe. He couldn´t think. With a glance in his eyes Jason made sure if Percy was okay with this and finally overcome the last few centimeters. Cross the line of their friendship.

And then he kissed him.

Once, twice and then a third time. They couldn´t stop and soon it happend that Jsaon was pressing Percy against the wall. It taste like Christmas and chocolate and it felt like finally coming home.

They only broke away from each other to catch a breath. Jason leaned his forehead against Percy's, while their hearts were racing, both with a big smile on their face and a little bit of disbelive in their eyes. Like this was a wonderful dream. "Merry Christmas, Percy." Jason whispered.

Percy was way too overwhelmed to reply but one glance was enough to know this wasn't just a kiss under the mistletoe. This kiss was the certainty that his feelings wasn't one-sided. This kiss was all he ever wanted. And this kiss was the best present he ever could get for Christmas.

#jercy #percy and jason #jason and percy #jason grace #percy jackson #and yes I still don't know how to use the tags correctly 😂#There is a chance that I wrote the first 1000 words in the end of May and yes I listen to Christmas music in the summer and I'm proud of it

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scarpool-gmk · 3 years

Text

Title: Godly Marine: Killed Author: Scarpool Fandom(s): NCIS, Percy Jackson & the Olympians Pairing(s): Gen Rating: PG/K+ Summary: Chapter 10 (12/13) — Staff Sergeant Michael Kahale, Marine Corps Mechanic and Son of Athena, was murdered. Annabeth Chase is determined to find out who did it and why. She, along with Percy Jackson, Grover Underwood, and Clarisse La Rue, infiltrate NCIS where they team up with NCIS Agents Leroy Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, and Ziva David. Complete Genre: Fanfiction, Mystery, Drama, Humour, General, Action Warnings: N/A

Annabeth sighed. "It was Michael's father, wasn't it?"

Gibbs's masseter muscles flexed. "Impersonating a federal agent is a criminal offense."

Well, she already knew the answer to her question anyway. "I know that."

"Is that all you've got to say, Chase?"

"I won't apologize if that's what you're searching for."

Gibbs jabbed a finger at her. "You lied to me! In my house!"

"Did you expect me not to? What did you want from me?"

"The truth. Honesty. Trust."

"I couldn't take that risk."

"You took that risk the moment you came into my investigation, meddling with my team."

Was this guy for real? "I had more than myself to worry about, Agent Gibbs. I had my mission, my friends, and Michael."

"Your mission? Something other than Kahale?"

"He called me because something was wrong. 'Help them,' he told me. That was my mission. Find out who needed protection and from what."

"His family," Gibbs concluded, "And you entrusted me with them, what he told you to protect."

"Justice still needs to be carried out, and by leaving it to you, I know it will be dealt with professionally and impersonally."

Gibbs took a second. "You trust me in that."

Annabeth nodded. "Yes."

Gibbs peered at her. "How'd you know?"

"About Mr. Kahale? He would have told me the truth."

"That simple, huh?"

"He knew who we were, there was little excuse. And when I figured out his family was what Michael was talking about, I knew they had to be involved."

"He's family."

Annabeth looked up in surprise.

"Greek gods have a pretty messy family tree," Gibbs said. "You were his family. The one on his god side."

Annabeth breathed out an airy laugh. He was a smart one. "He was my brother. We shared the same mother."

"Athena."

Annabeth considered him. It wasn't a question. He knew. Gibbs was definitely not to be underestimated.

"Did some research on the myths. It's part of the job when a case revolves around it, especially when they turn out to be real."

Well, that wasn't vague at all.

He was probably making assumptions again. Annabeth narrowed her eyes. Or was there something more?

"I couldn't turn my back on him. I know you understand that."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"We both know that's not true." Annabeth pointed to herself. "Child of Athena, remember. If there's one thing we're good at, it's analysis. This is your team, but it's also your family. I've been to your house- your living space says a lot- and I did my own research, Gibbs. On you. Family isn't just important to you; everything you do has your family at its core. Your rules probably don't have anything on family. Family is why you do what you do, so there's no need for rules about them. It's your drive. Your center."

Gibbs said nothing. Annabeth huffed. 'That's right. If you get to use your vague assumptions, I can one-up with deduction.'

"You do what you have to for family," Gibbs said. "You and Michael were close?"

Annabeth noted the softness that permeated his voice. "Not in particular."

"He held your contact close to him. He told you that he was heading to Peru."

"You're assuming that-"

"It's part of the fake name you created. Hell yeah, I can assume! No such thing as coincidence. You knew the ship's next dock. He must have told you; he trusted you. Out of everyone, he chose you to help. There is obviously some sort of network for you. The evidence has been working with me for two days. Maybe that's how you met, maybe not, but he has to have more connections. He decided to bring you into this, not someone older."

"I am older!"

Gibbs's eyes flashed, questioning.

"The world isn't the safest. Demigods attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. There is a safe haven, and we either make our way there or get killed off."

She turned to look at the rest of the two teams staring wide-eyed at them. She met Percy's green eyes and held it for a moment, before turning back to Gibbs.

"Look. I had a job to do, a mission to finish, and family to take care of."

"That you did."

"We understand each other, then?"

"Yeah, guess we're good." Gibbs smirked. "Agent."

Annabeth almost sighed with relief.

"And if anything happens." Annabeth straightened. This was Gibbs. Of course, he wasn't done. "If you hear anything…"

"We'll handle it. But," Annabeth added as Gibbs's entire body stiffened, "I'll keep in touch."

She saw a vein on his temple twitch in annoyance, but he stayed silent— stubborn Navy cop.

"So," Grover fidgeted under everyone's stare. "What now?"

"It's time for you to go home," Gibbs said firmly.

Annabeth saw Ziva playing around with one of her other celestial bronze knives. Ziva tried grabbing the blade, but it continued to faze through her. She shook her head and extended it to Percy. "Thank you for lending us these."

Percy looked at them. "Keep them. You never know when you might need them again."

Annabeth smiled at him. "Even though those aren't for his to give, Seaweed Brain is right. You should have them. You were able to see through the mist and should have something that actually works against monsters."

Gibbs tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"I guess this is where we part ways," Annabeth said, feeling exhausted all of a sudden, the adrenaline's and ambrosia's effects wearing off.

"Hey," Gibbs said. "This will be the last time I catch you impersonating federal officers." Annabeth smirked. Old people are so demanding. "And try not to land in any more newspapers, especially you, Jackson."

This time, Annabeth let out a laugh.

Percy squawked. "What! Just because- those times- it wasn't my fault!"

Annabeth suddenly remembered something.

"Gibbs! One more thing. Michael's body…"

Gibbs nodded in understanding. "That strawberry farm any valid?"

"You won't be able to enter." Although, Annabeth was sure he probably assumed that anyway. Probably thought he wouldn't be able to find it, either.

Gibbs grinned.

"I'll call you."

-Κλαρίς-

Clarisse watched the greyed Jarhead, and his three teammates walk away. Faithful. Loyal. Proud. That man had her respect from the beginning. He was a man trained for more than combat. It took courage to break the rules, independence to do so with solid reasoning, and leadership to have his teammates follow not because of fear but because of trust. Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a great Agent, a great Marine, a great man.

Clarisse was proud to know and say she had worked and fought alongside Agent Gibbs. Although she had to be purely honest.

"I will never step foot in an office again!"

-Αν��ώνης-

"Are you really going to keep this quiet, Boss?" Tony clicked his seat belt in. "I mean, this is pretty big."

Gibbs shrugged. That was a yes, then.

"I don't want any of you to lie for me," Gibbs told them. "Your reports are your own. It's your own decision."

"Well, I don't think putting down that I fought against snake ladies and such will go down very good with Vance. Not to mention how a supposed NCIS Agent is part donkey."

"Goat."

Tony snapped his head to McGee. "What?"

"He's a satyr," McGee said. "He's part goat, not donkey."

Tony was prepared to make a snide remark but held back when he took a proper look at his younger partner.

"You look a bit pale there, Tim. You alright?"

Tony's concern grew when McGee looked at him with a terrifyingly vacant expression. "He was part goat, Tony." He waved his hand in front of his chest. "Half human. Half goat."

Oh, boy. "Yeah, I get that. You should drink some water. Lie down."

Ziva gave him a threatening look. "Not on me. It is hot, and we are covered in dirt. Wait till we get back, McGee."

"He might not make it," Tony warned.

"He is perfectly capable of-"

"Do you think there are elves?"

Ziva spluttered to a stop, looking incredulous in McGee's direction.

"You know. Like, do they have other magical weapons? Gems and potions and..."

Ziva felt his face. "Oh, McGee, you are burning up. No! Don't fall asleep! McGee!"

"We gotta get back to base, Boss."

Gibbs nodded, and Tony groaned at his words.

"Back to work."

-Γκρόβερ-

Grover frowned. "Is telling him our address a good idea?"

"He already had it," Percy pointed out. It was a good point, too. It was already in their system.

"Can't we use the mist and the laptop to make them forget about us? Chiron is not going to like-"

"It will be fine, Grover," Annabeth said, halfway leaning on Percy. "I trust Gibbs."

Gibbs… That man was something else.

Grover had felt so anxious! He didn't think he could have been in Annabeth's position. Gibbs had such control over his stare. Even though he wasn't the one under it, Grover had felt the cold steel gaze he pinned Annabeth with.

All that disappeared when he felt a weight across his shoulders. Percy had wrapped his arms around Grover and Annabeth. Squishing them together. Clarisse grumbled as Annabeth held an arm out to her, but let herself be pulled in any way.

And it felt right. The four of them waddling awkwardly away. Grover felt Percy's happiness practically envelope their link.

"I'm totally gone," Annabeth said with a laugh. "I hope whoever's in the backseat doesn't mind me laying on them."

They almost fell as Percy jostled in the middle. "I don't mind!"

Grover laughed. Being with friends always felt right.

"Let's go home."

-Λεον-

The door swished open. "You called, Leon?"

Leon looked up from. 'Leon.' The Long Island team was really gone, then.

"Some disgruntled scholars are calling us cheats, Gibbs. Accusing NCIS of hiding intricate historical artifacts vital to their field."

"'Vital,'" Gibbs chuckled. "I didn't realize dealing with annoyed university professors was in the Director's job description."

"It's not. I was just made aware of the situation and went to ask Ms. Scuito about it. Now, accuse me of being curious if the knife they were all after was gone. Part of another investigation. One that I am unaware of. I go visit the good doctor downstairs, and Kahale's body has already left the building."

"Things move fast around here, Leon."

Leon felt his teeth grind together. "The chair is big, not slow."

"We solved the case, Leon."

"You did, collaborating with Long Island. Speaking of which, where are they?"

Gibbs handed him the case file. "Kahale had a run-in with the Reynosa Cartel. They went back up to follow leads on their end."

Huh, so the Reynosa Cartel is involved.

"What about on our end?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Their case. It's all in the report."

Gibbs gave another team his evidence? His body? His case?

Leon felt a bit bad for those academics. They would never see the knife nor Scuito's findings.

"So, they're fighting Reynosa alone? I don't remember giving that directive. Seems inefficient."

Gibbs raised his brow. "You are Director, Leon. You can assign tasks as you like."

Leon made a face. "Not that team. Can you believe I didn't even know there was a small NCIS department in Long Island? Apparently, something in the works by SECNAV. He's all secretive about it."

Gibbs shrugged. "It's the top dogs, Leon. They're always secretive."

Leon glared at him. Something about the way Gibbs spoke made a small part of Leon nag at him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"We should start digging into the Reynosas. It's bad enough that they've infested our neighbor's lawn. We don't want the same in our own backyard. I want this wrapped up, Gibbs, and I expect you to lead me through every step."

"Of course."

The nag got stronger.

"I trust you put as much detail in the report about what happened."

"Of course."

Leon's grip on the file tightened. He felt like he was being played, which means he probably was. He had read enough of Gibbs's and his team's reports to recognize garbage. He was sure that's what he would find. He hadn't even opened the thing, but he could already smell the stench. Leon should take Gibbs's badge, break up his team, file a report. Do all the things he swore he would do when he took the chair. But he couldn't. Not yet. With SECNAV also waving his secrets around, Leon had to be patient about this. Had to be smart.

"And you found out about all the Greek stuff?"

"It was a part of his life. He and his family lived like these stories existed. Had to fight them to survive." He carried a bit of a faraway look on his face. "We finished it for him."

Gibbs missed the skeptical look Leon threw his way "What were you fighting?"

Gibbs snapped back to reality. Replacing the lost-in-thoughts look with a mischievous one. "Hellhounds, harpies, a hydra." Gibbs grinned. "I took out a Cyclops!"

Leon ground his molars, wanting to punch that smug look off his face. Trying to be Mr. Funny, huh? 'It doesn't suit you, Gibbs.'

"Really?" Leon said. "And what happened to all of them?"

Gibbs mimed an explosion with his hands.

"Poof!"

-Περσεύς-

Michael's shroud was a silken sheet designed as the flag of the United States of America. The cords tying the body were embroidered with grey owl tassels. It was beautiful and patriotic, but it had turned to ash long ago. The fire burned low, surviving on the remaining cinders. Most of the campers had left. Only a few stragglers remained.

Clarisse stood by the forest, staring moodily at the smoke rising into the clouds.

Grover sat far from the fire, whispering with Juniper.

Annabeth sat nearest. Percy couldn't figure out the face she was wearing. Troubled, perhaps? The bonfire was a neutral grey. Lost in thought then.

He sidled up next to her. "It's over. Mission complete."

"I know. It's just…"

He gave her a smile, hoping it wasn't as awkward as it felt. "You are overthinking about what's going to happen next. I know you. You're going through every detail of what happened."

"It's just- It's so odd to see a network between mortals and monsters. I can't shake the feeling like I'm missing something."

He nudged her side. "You're overthinking it."

Annabeth rolled her eyes at him and leaned over. "I'm compensating for your lack of thinking."

"Hey!" Percy pushed her but put no force behind it. He was glad she wasn't frowning anymore. "Seriously, though, I'm sure you've thought about it enough. If anything does happen, it's nothing we can't deal with, and we'll get through it together. I promise, Wise Girl."

Her eyes sparkled from the fire's light. "Thanks, Seaweed Brain."

Like magic, the fire burned brighter, turning a colourful shade of pink.

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#scarpool #fanfic #fanfiction #Godly Marine: Killed #NCIS #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #PJO #Crossover #gen fic #PG/K+#Writing #Complete

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perseusjackson-jasongrace · 4 years

Note

Ma'am- how dares thou leave us off on a cliffhanger for both Empires on the Horizon and Kingdom Collisions V >:L I demand to know whats going to happen next!! (also take your time to write them lol )

Ah my friend you are right I am sorry for being so rude😭👀here's a Kingdom Collisions update. Please forgive me?🥺

Y’all know the drill by now. This is a fic i’m writing to try incorporate more descriptions into my writing. I do not have pre-written chapters so we’re both lost on what comes next or when the next update will be?! Please enjoy!

masterlist

TW: Suicide mention

Kingdom Collisions VI

Once upon a time in a land known for water and jewels there lived a young boy. He had skin the colour of soil and eyes the colour of oceans and were your gaze to ever fall upon this little figure you knew the earth was created just for him. The boy lived in a white-stone castle, surrounded by guards in clanking silver armour and blue-feathered helmets. Swords gleamed with their newness. They are decoration, a rite of passage. They only reflect the water. Children darted between their legs as they swoppeed shifts and if you looked closely the boy was often one of them. The castle stood proud and tranquil in the kingdom and gave the people hope.

If the white walls stand tall the queen will rise above all.

A piece of poetry long since washed away.That single line ran through the city streets like rain water. Ran into people's homes, and under the wheels of rumbling cars. Generations had forgotten the poem to time but that line for it's power and rhyme had weathered the changing tides. If you listened closely the trees still knew the words. But nobody ever heard. The world was too busy and the day too new to remember what it was like to become one with evergreens.

Percy Jackson wakes up with a gasp, heart beating like conga drums. His fingers curl into his chest, leaving red marks as he winces sleep away. The world is still pitch black; stars hidden behind a blanket of storms. He wonders if they find comfort wrapped in the clouds. If those white puffs feel as soft as they look. Sleep is faraway, a distant friend stuck at a cold airport terminal. So he drifts to the window, ignoring the wind prickling his skin and sits down at the bench. The chiffon curtains rustle softly, talking to him in a language he hasn't quite yet learned. He knows they're saying something important. They must be if they brush against his legs every few minutes. Everyone is always trying to tell him something important. Something life changing and groundbreaking. He wishes he could pause time for a little while. Stroll through the gardens and into the ocean without anybody running after him.

The curtain drifts towards him again and he sighs as if the universe has made him designated driver. An unwanted, unwilling task.

Somewhere a bird caws and he snorts softly, "Okay, okay. I'm handling it."

He let's the sounds of the wind take him through the endless corridors, let's it carry him like a dying flower, like autumn leaves, like bonfire embers. The stone floor is cold under his bare feet and his body is littered with bumps. He misses the warmth of his castle. Misses the warmth of the hearth in every room and the smell of the sea that drifts in through open windows. Mostly, especially, he misses his mom. There is something distinctly missing from the Castle of Caelum. He hasn't quite put his finger on it but it doesn't feel right.

He doesn't have time to delve into that thought because all at once everything goes quiet. A large door looms before him.

"So this is it huh?" His voice is soft, afraid to disrupt the silence.

Taking a deep breath, filling up his lungs with the air of the Kingdom of Wind, he knocks on the wood. It is gentle and solitary and he's almost certain no-one heard it but his ears perk up anyway. He knows you can't pick up footfalls on stone but it doesn't stop his heart from racing in anticipation. The door opens with a soft click and tired eyes look at him.

"Percy," Jason's voice is raspy with crying and his heart shatters.

"Hey, can I come in?"

The blonde looks at him, brows furrowed and tear stains carved into his cheeks. Percy can see the tiredness in the prince's bones, like x-rays of exhaustion. He's about to say nevermind, about to walk away, walk past his own chambers and into the lifeless night. But the Prince nods once and moves aside.

He feels almost disappointed that he couldn't escape. Disappointed he couldn't just go back and never return. His mother's voice flitters into his head.

When your people are suffering you must lie down with them and ask them to tell you their story.

Why mom?

Because little one when the time comes you will know what to do.

How momma?

We are made of stories little one. We are made of all the things people tell us. Our dreams and hopes and memories are just threads in a tapestry and every person is connected to it.

I don't understand momma?

She smiled at him, perfect white teeth and dark blue eyes: When you think of me little one, what comes to mind?

Ten year old Percy frowned, Chocolate chip cookies, and your bedtime tales, and the beach, and hugs.

And what do you think about Grover?

Percy's green eyes had lit up like the sun: Play time and movies and ice-cream!

She laughed: And what about Dad?

His little brows furrowed: Fancy clothes and swords and paper and cuddles.

And Princess Piper?

His nose scrunched up: Cooties! He squealed and then he was running around the room; the world a flowing river, him a little fish learning its current.

You see little one, you didn't think about bones or skin or blood. You thought of memories and stories. Do you understand now?

He nodded as he scrambled into her lap: I think so momma. So if my people tell me who they are I can use their stories to help them when they're sore?

Almost little one. Half of hurt is because nobody listens. If you just listen to what your people are saying they will not hurt so much.

Is that because we have to tell our stories momma?

"Exactly. That is how we live. And live on."

Prince Perseus Jackson takes a deep breath and steps into the room. Immediately he can feel the icy wind, so much colder up here, stinging his bare arms, chest, legs. Save for the small silk boxers covering his most sensitive parts his body is exposed to the brutal temperatures and he cannot hide a shiver as he settles on the couch. The fire has died long ago, maybe not even put on for the night, if the grey ashes and lack of heat are indication enough.

"What are you doing here?" The blonde prince looks at him.

"The curtains told me to come."

"What?" He can hear the confusion, but more than that the weight of a thousand heartaches.

He wonders if every person who has their heartbroken feels like they're the first to ever go through it. If that feeling is so perfectly human it feels unique and special to each one.

"Sometimes the world talks to me and sometimes I listen."

"I don't really know what game you're playing but I'm not in the mood so if it isn't an emergency," Those eyes are ice blue, "And I honestly wouldn't care even if it was, please get out."

"I cannot." He shrugs and pulls a velvet blanket over him.

"I'd appreciate," Jason's teeth grit, "If you respected my boundaries enough to leave. I am not in the mood."

"The window is open, there is paper sitting on the desk and many crumpled pieces on the floor, and I can see you haven't even sat on your bed, never-mind slept in it. What do you plan to do Grace?"

"You know what." That voice is hard, malicious with fear, pain.

"I will not leave. And you will not either. You can sit there on your bed hating me till the sun graces us once more. You can punch me until I am the same colour as the dusk but I am not leaving."

"I hate you. Leave me alone." He can hear the tears hit the cold stone. He doesn't react. A shadow blocks the moonlight finally peaking through the clouds.

"I said leave me the fuck alone!"

"I cannot do that Prince."

"Don’t call me that." He snaps, pushing his face into Percy's, "Go away! I want to be alone."

"I can't Jason,"

"JUST LEAVE!" Golden fists pound at his chest, droplets of salt soaking into his skin, as if trying to wash away the bruising.

He grabs his husband's hands gently and pulls him to the couch.

"I'm not going to leave you."

"They all left." Jason gasps, "They left. HE LEFT!"

The scream draws blood from his ears, pulls oxygen from his veins.

"I'm here. I'm not leaving. I am here."

"Please," Sobs wrack that broken body, and Percy can feel the first cracks in a kingdom. "Please don't leave me. Please, please please."

He rubs his hand over a shaking back and mutters over and over again, "I will not leave you."

Prince Jason Grace cries a new ocean and he names it after the fire that caused it. When the sun peaks over the horizon, fracturing a wall of crystal, and attempting to warm those cold grey stones, Percy Jackson takes his husband to bed and ignores the fissures running under his feet.

Once upon a time in a kingdom known for storms and gold there lived a little boy. He had eyes of lightning and skin the colour of sunlight and if you ever caught a glimpse of him you knew only the darkest nights could ever produce something so beautiful. The guards are bathed in riches, weighed down by diamonds cut from dreams and earrings weighted with the pureness of gold. Swords are varied and prized. Bred for fodder. Used at will. He lived in a castle made of grey stone and it loomed over the kingdom like a black cloud. The people looked at it and shied away. For they too had a poem about their crown but they remembered every line.

Those who fell under the shadow of stone were sure to be left to ruin by their king and cursed forever alone. A young boy with hair spun from starlight is trapped inside. Who will save him if he cannot hide?

Forgetting was a death warrant.

---------------------------------------------------------------

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@queen-of-demons-and-hell

@leydiangelo

@sparkythunderstorm

@asami-sato-has-never-sinned

#Kingdom Collisions #Part 6 #Baby fanfic #Baby fanfic series #PJSSG fanfic #PJSSG series #Jercy #Jercy royalty AU #Royal jercy #Jason grace #Percy Jackson #PJSSG asks #Ciara's Convos #She speaks #This ask made me so happy!!!#Thank you for being invested #don't ask me what direction this is supposed to be going in becaue i have zero ideas #we just vibing #it be like this sometimes

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percabeth4life · 4 years

Text

Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants

First Chapter || Previous Chapter || Next Chapter || AO3

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

Naturally I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.

I know its rude, but I’m still nowhere near able to trust him. I’m getting really mixed signals from him.

Ugh, I wish I could talk to Triton. He’d know what to do.

I fingered my bracelet and caught a taxi uptown.

“East One-hundred-and-fourth and First,” I told the driver.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

Now, everyone of course knows how amazing my mom is.

Her name is Sally Jackson and she’s had a sucky life, but she deserves the world.

She’s really the best person I know and an amazing mom, even if she’s a little overprotective of me.

Her parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn’t care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she quite school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

The only good break she’s gotten was meeting my dad, probably Oceanus.

She won’t tell me about him, and I don’t have any memories of him except for the dreams I’ve had of being in his palace. My mom doesn’t like to talk about him cause it makes her sad. She has no pictures too.

They obviously weren’t married, Oceanus has Tethys, and Tethys is really nice, so I can see why he wouldn’t want to leave her. But I can’t understand why he would cheat on her with my mom. Unless Tethys was okay with it? Immortals don’t make any sense.

Mom just tells me that he’s rich and important, so their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back.

Of course, Oceanus is a sea king. He’s extremely busy. And has a bunch of kids, even if most are fully grown and immortal. Of course, he can’t visit. That doesn’t make it hurt any less.

The myths speak highly of him from what I can find, and he was nice when I was there. I still wish that I had a dad here though, then mom wouldn’t need to marry Smelly Gabe.

She’s raised me all alone, taking odd jobs and taking night classes to get her high school diploma. She never ever complained or got mad, not even once. I know I’m not an easy kid, but she’s amazing.

I did my best to ignore the faint buzzing tugging at me and walking into the apartment.

Unfortunately, mom was not home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.

Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, “So, you’re home.”

“Where’s my mom?”

“Working,” he said. “You got any cash?”

His greeting wasn’t a surprise, that was his usual response.

Looking at him I could see he’s gained weight. He has like three hairs on his head instead of the previous five, and all are combed over his bald scalp. As if that could make up for the rest of his ugly.

He manages the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, supposedly. I have no idea how he hasn’t been fired previously, seeing how he’s never gone into work as far as I know.

All he does is collect paychecks, spend money on cigars that made me nauseous, and buy enough beer to drown in. Whenever I’m home I’m expected to fund his gambling. Thankfully the river has lots of money so all I have to do is give him a little and that covers it.

The few times I’ve refused… Well let’s just say it’s a good thing I have healing in water.

“Here,” I grumbled, tossing a five at him, “I hope you lose.”

He sneered as I stalked out, “Your report card came, brain boy!” He shouted, “I wouldn’t act so snooty!”

Jerk.

I slammed the door to my room, which currently smelled like cigars and beer.

Gross.

Gabe was using it as his “study” while I was at boarding school. All the more reason to never go to another ever again.

I pulled Carl, in his newly adapted portable fish tank, from my enchanted back and settled it (and him) on the desk.

He swam in circles happily, until he noticed the mess. Then he grumbled about Gabe.

Honestly the smell was almost worse then the feeling that those old ladies gave me, definitely worse than the nightmares I had about Ms. Dodds. She’s okay now after all.

I shuffled, scratching at my arms, the feeling from the old ladies itching at me, my breathing sped up.

“Percy?” My mom called.

She opened the bedroom door and suddenly everything felt better.

She can make me feel good just by being there, it’s always been like that.

Her and Triton are safe places, I know I’m okay when I’m with them. Nothing could ever go wrong around them.

Her eyes sparkle and change in the light, her smile is as warm as a quilt, she’s got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as any where near old. Whenever she looks at me it’s like she sees all the good, all the things that make her proud, she never sees the bad. I’ve never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even when I was younger or to Gabe.

“Oh, Percy,” She hugged me tight. “I can’t believe it. You’ve grown since Christmas!”

I blinked, had I? My clothes from Triton fit the same. Though, my normal clothes were a little tight…

“And your hair is so long now, we’ll have to cut it later.”

I touched my hair.

“Oh and it’s still so blue, it looks nice.”

I smiled.

Mom looked well though. Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She’d brought me a huge bag of “free samples” it looked like, just like she always did when I finished school, or like she did when I came home for winter break.

“Sit,” she tugged me to sit beside her on the bed now, before starting to question me.

We sat together on the edge of the bed. I attacked a thing of blueberry sour strings and she ran her hand through my hair demanding to know everything that had happened to me while I was away for the last few months that hadn’t made it into my letters.

She didn’t mention me getting expelled, she didn’t seem to care. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing alright?

I leaned into her while laughingly saying she was smothering me. Her presence made everything so much better. I’m… I’m really, really glad to see her.

I blinked back tears, everything has just been so much I don’t know what to do.

From the other room, Gabe interrupted, “Hey Sally—how about some bean dip, huh?”

I gritted my teeth, I really just want to drown him.

My mom is the nicest person in the world. She should’ve been married to a millionaire, not some jerk like Gabe.

For her sake, I kept my last days at Yancy Academy happy. I told her I wasn’t down about the expulsion, I’d lasted longer than usual this time. I’d made a new friend (even if I ditched him now), and I’d done good in Latin and Pre-Calc. Honestly the fights hadn’t been anywhere near as bad as the headmaster said.

I put the best spin on the year that I could, pasting a smile on my face and keeping my voice light.

“Until the trip to the museum…”

“What?” my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. “Did something scare you?”

I couldn’t lie, not to her. But I also can’t tell her about Ms. Dodds.

“No Mom, just… Nancy pushed Grover and I lost control of my waterbending a little. It shoved Nancy into the fountain. But no one seemed to really notice!”

She pursed her lips. “But no one noticed?”

I nodded, “Yeah.” No one that could do anything at least.

She relaxed, “I have a surprise for you,” She said. “We’re going to the beach.”

My eyes widened. “Montauk?”

“Three nights—same cabin.”

“When?”

“As soon as I get changed.”

I was excited, we haven’t been able to go for the last two summers. Gabe said there wasn’t enough money, as if we didn’t get a massive discount because my grandmother had been close friends with the person that owns the land the cabin is on. I doubt we’d be able to afford it if we didn’t have that discount, but we did so there.

Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, “Bean dip, Sally? Didn’t you hear me?”

I wanted to punch him, or better yet, drown him. But I met my mom’s eyes and I understood the deal she was offering me: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here.

“I was on my way, honey,” she smiled at Gabe. “We were just talking about the trip.”

His eyes narrowed, “The trip? You mean you were serious about that?”

I bit my tongue to keep from snarling at him. Mom wouldn’t let him stop us, she never broke her promises and she’s probably already paid. If I snap now, then he might try to stop us out of spite.

I just glared.

“Of course, I’m serious,” Mom said evenly, “You won’t have to worry about money. And besides,” she added, “You won’t have to settle for just bean dip. I’m going to make enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works.”

He softened a bit. “So this money for your trip… it comes out of your clothes budget, right?”

“Yes, honey” she said.

I made a mental note to use some of the money I have hidden in my magic bag to buy her something nice to wear.

“And you won’t take my car anywhere but there and back.”

“We’ll be very careful.”

Gabe scratched his double chin. “Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip… And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game.”

Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot and see how long you can hold your breath under water, I thought.

But mom’s eyes warned me to not make him mad.

I wanted to scream, I can’t understand why she puts up with this guy.

I put on my princely face just like Triton taught me and turned to him, “I’m sorry. I’m really horribly sorry for interrupting your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now, don’t let us keep you from it.”

Gabe’s eyes narrowed, probably trying to use his jellyfish sized brain to look for sarcasm.

“Yeah, whatever.” He decided.

He went back to his game.

“Thank you, Percy,” my mom said. “Once we get to Montauk, we’ll talk more about… everything.”

For a second, I saw a fear in her eyes, the same kind that I saw in Grover’s. A nervousness, as if my mom could feel the buzzing too.

But then she smiled again, and I could almost believe I’d imagined it.

But the image didn’t leave my mind.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

We were all ready to leave, I didn’t bother to unpack my bags, just put Carl’s magic portable fish tank back in my magic bag. I don’t trust Gabe to not mess with my stuff so I’m just bringing it all with me (except my school books). My magic bag holds all of the important things, my books from Triton and my friends, all their gifts, and a few changes of extra clothes (the nice ones from Triton and one pair of normal mortal clothes).

Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom’s bags to the car, griping the whole time about losing her cooking—and more importantly, his ’78 Camaro—for the whole weekend.

“Not a scratch on this car, brain boy,” he warned me as I loaded the last bag. “Not one little scratch.”

I rolled my eyes out of his sight. Obviously, I was planning to drive the whole way, I’m already twelve, might as well get the practice in. I snorted.

I watched him lumber back towards the apartment building. I felt the well of anger in me, just needing a release somehow, and I did the same symbol that Grover did before, only this time I channeled a bit of my power into it, just like I do purification powers.

The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the suitcase as if he’d been shot from a cannon. I hid a smile and got in the Camaro, telling my mom to step on it.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

The rental cabin is on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It’s a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There’s always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, most of the time the sea is too cold to be considered swimmable.

I love the place.

We’ve been going here forever, since before I was born even. My mom met my dad here, even if she never told me I know that’s why it’s so special to her.

It’s special to me because it’s where I waterbended for the first time.

I smiled at the sea and could almost imagine it was welcoming me back.

My mom almost seems to grow younger as we get closer to the sea, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea. They change color a lot, but this spot, here at the beach, is when they look the most like the ocean. I think it’s where they’re prettiest.

Sometimes I wonder if she has immortal blood in her somewhere, it almost seems like it with how she changes based on the place.

We arrived at sunset, opened all the cabin’s windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work. I left Carl’s portable tank in the bag for now, I’d pull him out tomorrow (though I did remember to feed him).

When it finally got dark, we made a fire.

We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash.

She told me about how her dad was so very handsome, she’d inherited his eyes, and how her mom had eyes the color of seafoam and had loved the sea just as much as my mom does.

She told me about all the books she wants to write someday, I really want to read them too. Fantasy books are more fun to me, if there’s audio books of her books I’m definitely reading (listening to) them.

Eventually I pulled together the nerve to ask about my dad, maybe she’ll say something new, something that would help me be sure that Oceanus is my dad. I’m almost positive of it but… but a little more confirmation wouldn’t hurt.

I mean though, who else would be a danger for me, even at the camp, to have as a parent? I would think Poseidon, but the myths are filled with his kids. He wouldn't be a danger as a dad at all. So it has to be Oceanus, he's the only one strong enough that would also be someone the gods might not like.

“He was kind, Percy,” she murmured. “Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle too. You have… had,” she gave a small laugh as she glanced at my blue hair, “His black hair, and his green eyes. Yours is a bit longer than his though.” She ran a hand through my hair.

Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. “I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud.”

I wondered if he would. In terms of sea magic, he might, I know Triton is proud. He tells me he is, that he’s very pleased with how far I’ve come. Oceanus might be pleased with me by sea standards, but would he agree with Triton that land lessons are dumb and shouldn’t count? Or would he see me, a dyslexic, hyperactive boy with at D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years and be ashamed.

“How old was I?” I asked. “I mean… when he left?”

Does he just not recognize me?

She watched the flames, “He was only with me for the summer and a little into the fall Percy. Just the one short time. Right here at this beach. This cabin.”

I blinked, I swear I have a memory of a smile, something…

“But… he knew me as a baby?”

He had to… right?

“No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born.”

My heart sank, but also lightened.

If Oceanus had never seen me then I suppose it makes sense that he couldn’t recognize me, even if he could tell that I was something familiar to him based on his comment in my dreams.

“I sense my power on you, you’ve interacted with something of mine.”

Was he recognizing me? Did he not expect me there and assumed I was someone else that had met… me?

I’m not sure but… I was still sad.a

He obviously has his duties as a king, Triton is so busy as a prince being a king must be so much worse, but still. He couldn’t even come to check on mom?

The ancient laws that Zeus made wouldn’t apply to a Titan, would they?

I only know the basics of these laws but…

“Are you going to send me away again?” I asked mom now. “To another boarding school?”

She pulled a marshmallow from the fire.

“I don’t know, honey,” Her voice was heavy. “I think… I think we’ll have to do something.”

Does she not want me around? I just… I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to leave again.

“Are you… are you sending me away because you don’t want me around?” I whispered.

My mom’s eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezing it tight. “Oh, Percy, no. I—I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away.”

But why.

“Because I’m not normal? Because… Because I can waterbend?”

“Oh, oh Percy, you not being normal isn’t a bad thing. And your waterbending is wonderful. I just, I just want you safe. I thought Yancy Academy was far enough away, I thought you’d be finally be safe.”

Safe from what? The monsters? Does… does mom know.

I’ve been assuming she didn’t, but maybe that was dumb.

Does she know? Know who dad is? Know what I am? Does she know about the myths?

“Safe from what mom?”

She stared at me for a long moment…

“I’ve tried to keep you as close to me as I could,” My mom said. “They told me that was a mistake. But there’s only one other option, Percy—the place your father wanted to send you. And I just… I just can’t stand to do it.”

I frowned, Oceanus wanted me to go someplace special?

“He wanted me to go to a special school?”

“Not a school,” She said softly. “A summer camp.”

Camp Half-Blood. Grover had a card for it.

Triton told me about it, though not the name, the camp for Half-Bloods, half immortal, half mortal.

That had to be what mom is talking about.

“I’m sorry, Percy,” She said, her voice breaking. “But I can’t talk about it. I—I couldn’t send you to that place. It might mean saying goodbye to you for good.”

I frowned, Triton didn’t tell me much about the camp, but for good?

“For good?”

She turned towards the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I stood on the beach, a storm raging overhead.

I know that I fell asleep, that I was in the bed in the cabin. But now I’m on the beach.

Another one of my dreams? It’s not someplace familiar.

There were two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf.

The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse’s muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle’s wings.

A low, familiar, chuckle rumbled from beneath the earth. The chuckle from the pit. I could hear whispered goading, urging the two animals to fight harder. The ground rumbled. Sand curled around me. Salt rubbed at my skin, lightning sparked over me.

None of it was there, but the sensations were clear.

I moved toward them, they shouldn’t fight!

“Stop it!” I called, “Stop it Mr. Pit Guy. Stop!”

I was moving so slow, like time was slower for me than for them.

The voice laughed again. “Stand away little Half-Blood,” It crooned. “Let them fight, do not interfere.”

I reached out as the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse’s wide eyes.

I screamed.

I woke up.

For once there was no peaceful sunlight to wake from my dream to, a storm raged outside. Lightning crashed, the wind howled, the waves pounded the dunes.

There was no horse or eagle fighting.

With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, “Hurricane.”

It’s crazy, Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer.

But the ocean was like salt rubbing into my skin, rough and course, like there’s an open wound. The lightning was crackling across my skin. My senses are on fire. This was no ordinary storm. And it’s a very bad one.

Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my already frayed nerves worse.

Then much closer, another noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice—someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.

My mom sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.

Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn’t quite the Grover I knew, or… now he was showing the Grover I’d been suspicious of all year.

“Searching all night,” he gasped.

Creepy.

“What were you thinking?”

Obviously that you were out to get me?

My mom looked at me in terror though—she wasn’t scared of Grover, that much was clear. She was scared of why he was here.

“Percy,” she shouted over the storm. “What happened at school? What didn’t you tell me?”

Where should I start!? Why did it seem like I was in trouble? I’ve dealt with everything before! There was nothing really new!

“O Zeu kai alloi theoi!” Grover yelled. “It’s right behind me! Didn’t you tell her?”

Tell her what.

Grover is standing there, a satyr, mom isn’t surprised at all, there’s a storm raging filled with so much blazing power that I’m shocked it didn’t wake me sooner, and no one seems to want to explain anything.

My mom turned to me though and talked in a tone she’d never used before: “Percy. Tell me now.”

I blurted out that Ms. Dodds had turned into a vampire bat lady and attacked me, my mom listening with a deathly pale face, visible in the flashes of lightning that scorched my skin with their power.

She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, “Get to the car. Both of you. Go!”

I grabbed my magic bag, and hurried to the car, following Grover.

#percy jackson #PJO #perseus jackson #Grover underwood #grover #sally jackson #percy figures out how to control water young #percy calls himself a waterbender #waterbender percy #pjo aus #pjo fanfic #pjo fanfiction #percy jackson fanfiction #Triton #avatar: the legend of percy #Avatar the legend of percy #avatar fan percy

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meowingjasper · 4 years

Text

Lost Souls Ch 15 Anastasia - Not the Weirdest Conversation

After Nadia separated from me to find a place to rest, I made my way to the apothecary. I found Thalia unconscious with her torso covered in bright white bandages stained with blood. Relief washed over me as I watched the steady movement of her chest. A voice spoke up next to me, “You must be the Greek Apollo girl responsible for healing her.” I spun around and came face-to-face with a blond man in his late 50s.

Hesitantly, I stepped back, “Y-Yeah, th-that’s me.”

The man smiled, sending a warm feeling through my veins, “Not bad. It was clearly your first time, sure. But you also have some talent.”

I blushed with embarrassment as I denied, “W-What? No! I-I didn’t even know what I was doing! I just… well…”

The man cut me off, “Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. Like I said, it was your first time. I doubt anyone actually knows what they’re doing the first time around. What I’m saying is Thalia should be grateful that you were there. Thals has a problem of charging into trouble without thinking.”

I repeated, letting my confusion sneak through, “Thals?”

The man ignored me, “Being the one to care for her, I heard what happened. I believe it, but…”

I sighed, looking to the ground, “Never meet your heroes, right?”

The man replied, “No, that’s not it…” He trailed off before perking up, “Oh! There’s a place you should check out. Have you seen where the Neptune kids stay? It’s pretty neat, you should go check it out!”

I tried to protest, “But-!” He cut me off by shoving me out of the building. I turned around, but he slammed the door in my face. Walking off, I grumbled, “Rude.” After asking around, I found myself standing in front of Neptune’s cabin. The building appeared well-kept overall, only minor damage here and there. In fact, it appeared completely untouched. The whole place, with its several empty beds and emptier rooms. An aura of abandonment emitted from its very presence. Neptune… so this is where Percy must’ve stayed. He really left an impact on everyone’s lives, even after he passed. And now that he’s back, I have to… take… his life. This unkillable demigod, do I even stand a chance? Does anyone?

“You know, he told me the first time he stayed here, he was just as conflicted.” I spun on my heel to see a scrawny man in his 30s with… goat legs, I think?

Confused, I questioned, “I’m sorry if this comes out rude, but who- what are you, exactly?”

The man (?) burst out in chest-filled laughter, “You mean to tell me that you’ve never met a satyr before?” I frowned, the satyr meant it as a joke, but the guilt just added more weight on my soul. The man noticed, concern in his eyes, “Hey, what’s wrong? I may be a stranger, but I promise I’m good with emotions. Satyr speciality!”

I felt a small smile grow on my lips as I replied, “I heard. It’s just… Percy Jackson’s now a villain, but before he left such a positive impact wherever he went. But now… he’s a threat. One that I have to fight or else he’s gonna take my cousin from me and use her for something unforgivable! But I just… I don’t want to fight him! I don’t! But I just got Nadia back and… and-”

The older man cut me off calmly, “I get it. Percy did do a lot of good, for both camps. But the dude’s still human, they have a bad case of miscommunication. Sure Percy’s changed a lot, but hurting the people he cares about? That’s impossible, for him especially. There has to be a reason for his actions. For all you know, there may be something deeper hidden that may give you a different option. Especially with Percy, who never fights unless he sees no other option.”

I pointed out, “You talk as if you know him.”

The satyr ignored my statement, “Head towards the training grounds. If you really think you’re the one who has to take down Percy, she’s one of the few who knows how.” I followed his gaze towards a nearby valley with an area that looked like a small arena.

Realization of my mistake struck me as I turned back, “What, I never asked your-” Yet, I found only empty space. Alone, again. Why didn’t anyone seem to want to share their names? Is there something more to this? Something I’m… just not seeing?

No matter, I made my way to the arena the satyr suggested. I noticed right away the place was unusually empty. Everything was set up in perfect order and cleaned to the point of brand new. There was only an older woman in a wheelchair cleaning a spear. Her back faced me, but I already felt an aura of intimidation and strength overwhelming me. I opened my mouth, but the woman snapped, “You gonna say something or stand there looking like an idiot?”

Shocked, I stuttered, “W-Well, it’s just- I wasn’t expecting-”

That was the wrong choice of words, which I learned when the woman cut me off, her voice sharp with rage, “What? Someone in a wheelchair? Spoiler alert, injuries exist. The sunshine children and their sunny legacies can’t heal everything. The more you know, or whatever. So you can do whatever you want, just don’t bother me, girl.” Terrified, I complied and chose to look closer at the weapons area. I may have misheard, but I could hear the woman grumble, “Dam, Jackson. Just my luck that when you finally return, I can’t even fight you. You were just so lazy you couldn’t bother coming a few years sooner.” Despite the spite in her voice, one glance to her eyes spoke a different story. That look, one I noticed matched everyone I've met so far, one of loss and guilt.

Hesitant, I spoke up, “Hey, did you-”

The woman cut me off, her eyes flaming with murderous intent, “Didn’t I say to leave me alone? I know you have something more important to do than stand around and annoy a disabled woman.”

Just then, Keith and Silena decided to appear. Keith started, “Hey Anastasia, Rachel let us know that-” He cut himself off as his eyes met the woman’s. A beat of silent tension passed before Keith shook his head and continued, “Uh, yeah, Rachel contacted the help she mentioned and they’re going to meet with us in the strategy room, or something.” I nodded and the three of us ran out. Little did I know, the woman’s eyes followed us as we ran out, a small smirk on her lips.

She chuckled, “This is gonna be a real treat.”

We found ourselves in a bronze and silver colored room with a giant dark wood table and chairs, which had carvings of a different number or godly symbol each. At one end was Harli with Kyle in the seat next to her. Nadia sat in the seat across from Kyle, her eyes closed in thought. Silena asked, approaching the trio, “So where are they?”

Harli only smiled, “You’ll see. Based on what Kyle saw, I have a feeling you might recognize them.” What? Wait, was Kyle spying on me?

On cue, said people walked in the doorway on the other end of the table. They were- wait, hang on! The trio of adults that entered were none other than the very adults I chatted with! The woman smirked, “Told you I knew you had more important things to do, Anastasia Roma.”

To my surprise, Keith stepped forward, smiling, “I knew I recognized you three. Will Solace, resident sunshine boy; Grover Underwood, resident goat boy; and Clarisse La Rue, resident angry bi-”

Clarisse snapped, “And you, Leo Valdez, resident repair boy.” Keith frowned and his eyes dimmed. Calmly, Silena placed a hand on his shoulder and the two exchanged a silent conversation.

Hesitant, Keith looked back to the trio, correcting, “Actually, I go by Keith now. Keith Volace.”

Smiling, Will ruffled the shorter blond’s hair, “Alright then, Keith it is. Calling you Leo felt wrong, anyways.”

Kyle spoke up, “Can we please get back on topic, please?”

Harli nodded, her face expressionless, “Certainly. So, the three of you were all close to Percy Jackson, correct?”

Grover replied, “That’s right. Will dated Nico, Percy’s cousin. Clarisse and Percy were good friends and bitter rivals. And I had been Percy’s best friend since before camp. But Le- sorry, Keith, you have Leo’s memories, right? You must know some things to help us out here.”

Keith pondered, “I… maybe. I haven’t really scoured my memories with all that’s been going on.” He closed his eyes but his focused mindset seeped through. He murmured, “Percy… he cared about his friends more than anything. He… tried to bury his emotions to appear stronger. He was… stubborn, but at times gullible. Especially when important stuff was on the line. He was much better at strength than brains… which Annabeth helped with using her own brains.”

Nadia spoke up, “Well clearly something must have changed between then and now. Not only the obvious fact that he nearly killed Thalia, his own cousin, but he seemed extremely clever. He tried to convince me to join him, and he seemed to know exactly what to say to affect my beliefs to the very core.”

Clarisse crossed her arms, “So is it safe to say the Percy we’re dealing with is nothing like our resident Seaweed Brain?”

I suggested, “I don't… I don’t actually think so. During the fight, he regretted every second of the fight. He even said ‘There’s no other way’. I don’t think he’s doing all of this damage to cause harm. I think- it’s like you said, Grover, is it? There has to be something more going on. I think… I think it has to do with why he revived instead of became reborn like Leo-”

“Or Nico.” Everyone’s gazes snapped to Silena. Most of us forgot she was there. She chose to lean against a wall and hide in shadows, surrounding herself in an eerie aura. Silena pushed off the wall and started walking towards us, explaining, “Despite common beliefs, souls don’t have a gender. Especially when it comes to rebirth. Not only that, but some souls can pass on items to their reborn forms they’ve gained a spiritual connection to. In Leo’s case, it was the belt of his dad. But for Nico… well I couldn’t help but notice a new piece of jewelry you’ve attained after you vanished, Nadia.”

Will’s eyes darted to the skull ring Nadia twisted on her hand, realizing, “That’s Nico’s ring! I know it for certain. He… He even has the same fidgeting habit when he’s upset.”

Nadia took a deep breath, “Yes. I am the reborn form of Nico Di Angelo. But, unlike Leo, I couldn’t inherit his powers and he chose not to pass on his memories. All he told me was the threat Percy posed. I don’t think Percy recognized me. But, there’s something else I didn’t mention. The reason why he managed to gain so many demigod supporters despite the fact he also enlisted the support of several monsters. He doesn’t torture them, he barely tortures them mentally. He does make them test their loyalty, but you saw the farthest he’s got. Even with me, he never tried to push me beyond my limits when he made me hold the sky.”

Grover cut in, “He made you what?”

Silena muttered, “That explains the grey hair.”

I looked between them, “Wait, why does that affect her hair?”

Nadia declared, “Not important. What matters is he always made sure to treat them like humans, not pawns. And, if Tyche was anything to go by, the demigods he recruited came from terrible backgrounds and he gave them a new chance, a new home, a new family.”

Harli concluded, “So he goes for the very values his targets hold dear.”

Grover spoke up, “It goes deeper than that. There’s something that connects the people Percy tried to manipulate.”

Keith realized, “They’re all values and desires he had. He wanted to appear strong. He wanted friends and a family beyond his mother. He knows what to say to sway the values because they’re his own.”

Kyle spoke up, “So we should have the same thing.”

Harli turned to him, “That sounds like an idea.”

Kyle explained, “There’s no way we can beat the strongest demigod in history. At the very least, we cannot beat him physically. That only leaves one option, we resort to out-smarting him.”

Nadia continued, “And that reminds me of another thing Nico said. The only way we have the ability to… kill Percy… is if he lets us.”

Will asked softly, “Wait, do- is killing him really the only option we have?” One question, no, two words. That was all it took to raise the tension to max. Silence choked at the air and no one could grasp at their voice tight enough to reply.

“We have to.” It was I who took it upon myself to break the silence, to cut the tension. I explained, “Think about it. Think about everything we said. Percy saves demigods and hates the fact he’s attacking his friends. He’s clever at hitting the values he knows best and he claimed to believe that what he’s doing is the only way. He doesn’t want to bring ruin, he wants to die. For some reason he kept his memories while his friends got the chance to start over. He’s doing this because he wants us to kill him. He wants us to see him as a villain so we hate him and not feel guilty overtaking his life.”

Grover’s gaze darkened, “But, why? It… It explains so… explains so much. But just, what could make Percy want to die?”

Harli declared, “That is uncertain. But we must use our knowledge to gain the slight advantage. Clearly, he must think taking Nadia might give him some sort of gateway to dying. We must use that. She will return to Percy, but as bait. She will not be alone, her and two others-”

I spoke up, “It has to be her, Silena, and me.”

Keith blurted out, “What the fuck?”

Unfazed, I elaborated, “We have to bring Nadia, not only as bait but also because of her ability to freeze time. Silena must come because she’s our escape route if things turn south.”

Silena stepped forward, “Yeah, we get that, but why you? If there has to be a third person, wouldn’t Keith be better?”

Keith suggested, “Or maybe the trio that survived two wars and lived during one of the greatest Ages of Heroes?”

Will let out an awkward chuckle, “Er, that’s not the best choice. I mean… There's a reason we managed to survive this long. We’re, um, we’re not exactly part of the group you see on the front line, you know?”

Grover snickered, “Well, not anymore.”

“Screw you, goat boy!”

I studied the trio. On closer inspection, I realized just how scarred they were. Not just physically, with their scars scattered on their skin, grey hairs, and injuries, but mentally, with their tired eyes and sullen expressions. What once were great warriors of legends were now simple folk just trying to live through the day. I shook my head, “No. Keith should fill Thalia in when she wakes up. Besides, it was my prophecy, my quest. Remember the line about the quietest demigod? It’s about me. It didn’t mean literally, it meant the one who blends in the background the most. The rest of you all stand out, being Praetors, rare children, or war veterans. I don’t. I barely even have any special powers beyond accidently blinding people. He’d never expect me! The moment I realized just what we were up against I knew it would have to be me to commit the deed.”

Clarisse scoffed, “Well no duh, I mean the rest of us already figured that out when Rachel filled us in.”

Silena shot her the classic ‘Silena skeptical glare’, “Really?”

Harli reminded, “It does appear only logical that you doing the deed is an appropriate conclusion. After all, this mess did start once the two of you arrived. And it was your cousin that was targeted.” I looked around to others, and they all appeared in agreement with the girl, though some looked more reluctant to admit that fact than others. Harli sighed, “It appears we are all in agreement. So it is settled, tomorrow Nadia, Silena, and Anastasia shall set out for Percy Jackson on Mount Othrys. However, tonight you three must have a healthy rest to ensure our victory. Grover, can I entrust you to escort them to their chambers? Dismissed.” Grover nodded and led our group to our rooms, leaving mine for last.

Before leaving, he pulled me into a hug, whispering, “Please, save him from himself.”

I assured, returning the hug, “I will.” In reality, I couldn't tell if I said that for his sake or mine. But it didn’t matter, now I had to come back victorious. After all, I keep my word.

In slumber, I found myself wandering once more through eerie darkness. Out of nowhere, a light blue glow appeared in the distance. Before I realized it, I started sprinting towards the light. I reached an image of the man I have to fight on his knees. He stared up at three old ladies, begging, “Please, haven’t I paid my dues? I want to be done with the fighting and danger! I was then you killed me and put me right back here! I fought in every war! I traveled on every quest! I just wanted a chance to start over, but I can’t! Why? Answer me!” The three women boomed in sync,

“Your time had ended too soon

Six souls revived for time

Your sins will be your doom

Only then may end a lifetime.”

Percy cried out, standing up, “What does that mean? Why can’t you be straightforward for once?” He charged at the trio, only for them to vanish upon contact. All that remained was a single piece of paper, which Percy clutched with pure hatred in his eyes. Around him, the environment shifted to a chamber in, I presume, their hideout.

Tyche entered, “Percy? I’m sorry, we failed to find them. But I’m sure we’ll get them tomorrow. After all, we have luck on our side.”

Studying the page, Percy replied, “Right. Make sure your team is rested and well fed before you head out. We don’t want you to be hungry cause I doubt San Francisco food can be classified as edible.”

Tyche softly chuckled, “Heh, right. Well, you make sure you take care of yourself too, Percy. We won’t get very far without our leader.” With that, she walked out. So that confirms it. Even with the desperate state Percy seems to be in, he still puts the well being of others first.

Once Tyche vanished, Percy’s composure shattered as he crushed the old page in his hand. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a bone-chilling laughter. He switched out the paper for his bronze blade and chucked it towards the door. Tyche came through, slicing the wood in two, letting out a scream that rattled the deepest corners of my soul. Falling to his knees, he hugged his chest and let out crazed sobs, “Please… Please… I just want to rest…”

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ginny-chase-shadeslayer · 4 years

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Sleeping at Last - Saturn

I think it was a few months ago in calc class when I first came up with this, but it’s the corona house arrest that’s finally making me post it.

Stay safe everyone, and have some more Percy angst.

Find it on FanFiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13517771/1/Sleeping-at-Last

“I’d give anything to hear, you say it one more time, that the universe was made, just to be seen by my eyes”

________________________________________________________________

He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the darkness reminded him of that pit and the pain of having to live through it. Sometimes Annabeth’s presence next to him helped, but tonight, she wasn’t with him. The sad truth was that as much as they helped each other heal their wounds, they also reminded each other of what they had been through. For the better part of eight days now, Percy was faced with the heartbreaking pain of choosing between seeing her and either being comforted or being triggered into a panic attack.

As much as he loved her, it hurt to be around her. He was being unfair he knew, expecting her to be the same as before, when he himself was only a shell of a man. But watching Annabeth shiver or snip and snarl at everything, only pushed him deeper still.

The argument that had resulted from that was vicious, and had left more than just the participants shaken.

Sitting up after an unsuccessful attempt at sleeping, he got out of bed and reached for Riptide. The weight of his loyal blade grounded him, pulling him towards the arenas.

…

THWACK!

There rolled the head, cleanly sliced off from the body.

Another strike. There were the disemboweled guts of a straw man.

It wasn’t enough. No matter how much he stabbed and slashed, it never helped abate the darkness. Riptide would cut through the clouds for a second, a shining streak of bronze. But then they would gather back faster than before.

It wasn’t long until Percy was panting, harder than he should have been. Taking shorter breaths than he should have been.

He tried blinking back the images. But the arena began to transform. He attacked a dummy viciously, face screwing up in determination, trying to fight back, but in vain.

Akhlys was laughing. Annabeth was crying his name. Bob was yelling for him, while Damasen tried to pull his sword out of the dragon’s mouth.

And Percy? He was on the floor. Staring at them from behind an impenetrable curtain. It took him some time to realize he was under water. He was looking at them from the bottom of a lake. He pounded the surface, trying desperately to break free. Even under water, he could taste the sulphurous air on his tongue as it burned his mouth, along with something more metallic. Every breath he took his poisoned his lungs, as if the water itself had turned into acid.

He heard Akhlys whispering as if she were next to him, “You killed me using your father’s powers. Here. See if they protect you now.”

His lungs began to fill. He was drowning. No, he couldn’t drown, he was the son of Poseidon. He choked and sputtered. But that only made it worse.

In front of him, Annabeth had gone blind again, and was desperately trying to call out to him through horrible coughing fits. She had her back turned to Damasen, and through his fading view, Percy saw Damasen yank his sword out from the Dragon and raise it against Annabeth.

Percy fought like a demon against the water then. He tried to control his breathing, but the water wouldn’t let go of him. He had to get to Annabeth. He had to. He swung his sword left and right, trying to fight the element that had protected him all his life. His eyes streamed, and he cried his voice hoarse. He swung his sword with all his might against the water –

CLANG!

His sword hit metal. But he couldn’t see where it came from.

The scene in front of him stilled. Annabeth had her face away from him, and Damasen still had his sword raised, so he hadn’t stabbed her yet.

A low voice from somewhere near him said, “Percy, snap out of it. It’s not real”

Slowly, the mist from his eyes cleared, and he realized he was on his haunches. His throat was raw. Riptide was still gripped under his white knuckles, as if the blade could cure his visions.

“Get up.” She ordered him. She didn’t hold out a hand, so Percy braced himself against the ground and heaved himself to a standing position. He regarded her cautiously, still trying to figure out if she was real or not.

“Do you still have the energy to fight? Because we need those dummies for practice tomorrow.”

Percy was weak, he needed a good night’s rest. His face still stung under the tear tracks. He wiped his nose, and glimpsed a streak of red on the blue of his shirt.

He nodded.

Clarisse raised her sword and swung at him.

Percy parried the strike, and his senses sharpened. He experimentally stabbed at her stomach. She easily dodged that, and returned with a blow of her own.

Slowly, they picked up the pace. Percy went from autopilot to actually focusing on the fight. He noticed that in the time he had been missing, Clarisse had gotten better at the sword. Or he had gotten worse.

He also noticed that Clarisse wasn’t really trying to fight him exactly. It was more like…leading him somewhere. He saw some mistakes in his technique that she could have taken advantage of, but she still let him move to the next position without taking the chance. Almost as if she were listening to him, to what his sword had to say, to what his tired body had to say. He had never heard of swordplay that was meant to be caring, and least of all, he didn’t expect Clarisse to know it.

He let his body go, slowly, but surely. Getting into the flow of their blades. They picked up the pace further, but that only calmed him more. This was sword fighting, it was something he knew. He was in control. In that moment, he was a blur of bronze, pouring his frustrations out into his weapon.

And Clarisse let him. In that moment, he had never felt so rested.

But when the deadly dance took him towards the armoury, a draught of wind transported the smell of gun powder, and with it, Sulphur. His eyes darted to the torchlight bouncing off her sword, flickering against the beams and columns, creating shadows that hadn’t been there a second before.

This time, there was nothing he could do. His mental shields had been down, and he had been too focused on Clarisse to notice the signs. The visions were brutal, as they were every time he thought he had finally evaded them.

He crumpled.

…

He found himself near the stairs of the arena, sitting up with his back propped against a pillar. He didn’t remember what he had seen this time, and he definitely didn’t remember losing consciousness.

“It’s going to take some time”

He was surprised to see Clarisse still there. She was sitting on the stairs next to him.

“What?”

“Your blackouts, your hallucinations. It’s going to take some time to get better.”

He stayed silent. Not ready to talk yet. Not ready to accept that he was not getting better, despite Chiron’s healing and Grover’s magic.

As if reading his mind, “Chiron’s ambrosia only works temporarily, and only on the physical pain you feel. Unfortunately, the Greeks either never thought about healing the head, or they never lived long enough to experience PTSD.”

“How do you know so much about this?” he asked, curious.

He had never expected Clarisse of all people to be sympathetic to trauma, especially not like the one he was experiencing. But if he was being honest with himself, he was grateful for her presence. Her familiar scowl surprisingly reminded him of life before Tartarus, and it comforted him. And he didn’t think he was ready to be alone just yet.

Clarisse just sighed. “Ares is the god of war, right? You want to go conquer a land, fight a battle, you make sacrifices to Ares and hope he favors you enough to let you win. At least that’s only how the Greek civilization chose to see Ares, and it stuck.”

She paused.

“But over the years, Ares has come to represent all battles, all wars.”

She looked at him knowingly, “including internal ones.”

They were quiet after that, watching the sun rise over the Long Island Sound. ‘It makes sense’, thought Percy. Although he berated himself for letting his guard down, he had to admit that dueling with her had felt good. Better than he had felt in a long time.

Finally, he asked, “that sword fighting technique, where’d you learn that?”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t have to learn anything, punk. I’m a daughter of Ares, sword fighting techniques are instinct to me.”

He smiled lightly and conceded. Understood.

The dew on the strawberry fields glittered in the morning light. The Apollo cabin, naturally the first to wake up, began to stir, while the dryads in the forest softly greeted the earliest songbirds. Watching the life below him, he felt like he should have had some poetic internal dialogue about permanence and the transience of life. Or at least some epiphany prompted by the sun’s rays through the clouds.

But in that moment, he simply reveled in the fact that there were beautiful things still left in the world, outside his head. Like the tugging of his heart at the sight of a familiar blonde head that emerged from the cabins below, and the warmth of a friendship, reaching out from the person seated next to him.

________________________________________________________________

“How rare and beautiful it is, that we exist”

The title of this fic is from the song Saturn, by artist Sleeping at Last. They’re amazing you guys should go check it out if you haven’t already!

Also, I haven’t personally dealt with PTSD, but I know that different people deal with / experience it in different ways. Nothing I’ve written here is meant to be harmful in any way.

#percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #pjo #pjo fanfiction #percy jackson fanfiction #percy #clarisse #annabeth #this is only my second post don't kill me #sleeping at last #saturn #fanfiction

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goggles-mcgee · 6 years

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You Are Watching: GHOST KING (Ch. 29) pt. 1

They were distant, but he could hear them. Nico could hear voices, which yes, he always did because there were spirits everywhere, but he knew these voices. Which was weird because he remembers being taken to the nurse’s office so that he could wait for his father to pick him up, but Hazel had told him, before he had fallen asleep, that their dad was caught up in a meeting, but he would be here as fast as he could go after it was done. There weren’t many people in the nurse’s office that day and Nico had a pretty good memory, so he knew that the voices he was hearing didn’t belong to anyone in the room.

The people in the room had been Connor, Mitchell, Will, Hazel, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Rachel. And as far as he knew, they were all still there, but there was always the possibility that people had walked in or left. Somehow though, Nico knew that wasn’t it, his instincts were screaming at him to open his eyes but his brain and heart were doing everything they could to tell him not to.

Instincts won.

Nico opened his eyes and knew immediately that something was off, because instead of laying down on the uncomfortable bed in the nurses office, Nico was standing in darkness with just a touch of light leaking out from under a door at the end of what he assumed was a hallway. The closer he got to the door the louder the voices were.

One was speaking in Latin, the other was begging. A chill ran down Nico’s spine when he realized that the voice that was begging was Silena. As fast as he could Nico ran towards the door and went to grab the handle only for his hand to go through it.

For the longest time he did nothing but stand there staring at his hand, even though his instincts were screaming at him to go into the room. He was so confused. How was this happening? Why was this happening?... What was happening? He wished he knew the answer but all he could do was shake himself out of the weird trance-like-feeling that had taken hold of him and get into that room.

Though he had no idea how to do that if he couldn’t even grab the handle. A stray thought whispered to him to just walk through the door. If he couldn’t grab the handle, then surely, he could walk through the door. He could do it, somehow, he knew that, but he couldn’t make himself do it. He was…scared. Nico didn’t want to go through the door, he didn’t know what it would mean if he could actually go through the door like that stray thought suggested, and he was scared. But he pushed through his fear and took the first step. The best way to describe what he felt as he walked through the solid object was that feeling you get in your stomach and throat when you’re on a rollercoaster and that big drop is coming up, you know it is and you try to prepare yourself for the click that seals your decline, but despite preparing yourself, once you drop, your stomach tightens and drops and the back of your throat tingles like you smelt a sour candy. It was odd, and Nico really didn’t know how he felt about it, but all that left his mind once his eyes fixated on the scene in front of him.

It was Luke…or something that looked like Luke, his skin was too pale and blotchy, his eyes were pure black, the whites and all, blisters littered his body at random, and the smile he wore was too wide. He looked…scary, and that was never something that Nico associated with Luke. He always seemed…average but cool, and safe. Luke had always seemed safe, nothing like how he was now. Nico couldn’t even look down at what he assumed was a pentagram on the floor, it shined too brightly and burned his eyes.

“Please, please don’t make me do this! Please, Luke!” Silena screamed from the corner of the room Nico assumed she was trying to make herself feel safe in.

Her hair was ratty and wild, which it never was, she was sweating buckets and her nails were digging so hard into her skin that she made herself bleed. Luke, or whatever looked like Luke twisted his head to an extreme angle just so he could smile wickedly over at Silena. Though he was smiling his eyebrows were furrowed together, and when he did turn his head that obscenely gross amount, Nico could hear the bones cracking from the force, and it seemed like Silena could too because she winced with every crack and pop that echoed in the room.

“I'm sorry, but Luke is no longer here. You may call me Kronos, your new god.” Luke, or Kronos stated. His voice was so deep and it was like other smaller voices said the same thing at the same time giving his voice an eerie echo. That voice sent a shiver down Nico’s spine.

“Kro-Kronos? What did you do to Luke?” Silena yelled out.

“I think the better question is, what am I going to do to you?” Kronos responded as he fully turned to face Silena and slowly stalked over to her. The grin on his face only grew larger, Luke's lips had been so chapped that various parts of his lips ripped causing a little blood to spill out of all the tiny rips especially at the corners of his mouth. Silena was sobbing at this point and shaking her head, she tried to push herself more into the wall, trying to escape the inevitable. Luke’s body got closer and closer and the more it did, the more Silena screamed and the more Nico’s heart pounded loudly in his chest as he watched it all. He felt so useless, if he couldn’t even grab a handle, how was he supposed to help? No he had to try. So, Nico focused all of his energy into grabbing Luke by the elbow and pulling with all the strength he could muster in this form and yelled at the top of his lungs, “NO!”

Nico didn’t know if it would even work, he had kind of expected it not to, but he had hoped it would. Surprising not only him, but Kronos, it did and they both ended up sprawled on the floor, though Kronos passed through Nico like fog. Both were silent and still, Nico held his breath as he watched Kronos just lay there on the floor. Silena remained in her spot in the corner, she was watching Kronos as well but she was poised as though she was planning to run. Nico wanted to warn her not to, the energy around them was overwhelming, it was popping, crackling, sizzling, and oddly, Nico could see it do so in a multitude of color. Blue hues were popping, purple hues were crackling, and yellow and green hues were sizzling. It was bizarre for Nico because he had never had the ability to see energy like this, he was able to see spirits and their auras pretty well, but nothing like this. Due to the sights around him, Nico scuffled back and stood up, inching his way over to Silena.

“Silena, you need to run! You need to get out of here!” He shouted, and he watched Luke, no Kronos spasm. His arms were bending at freakish angles and his back was arching, he was making weird sounds, like gurgling or roaring or some hellish combination of both. Of course, though, Silena did not hear him.

Nico let out a desperate groan and focused his energy in his hands, he immediately grabbed the shaking girl before him by the shoulders and roughly pushed her towards the door. “Go!”

It seemed like she got the message because she snapped out of her shocked state and began to run towards the door, Nico watched as his heart hammered in his ears. He thought she was going to make it, but then he heard a strange noise, Silena must have also heard it because she turned around to look and screamed. Nico slowly turned to see what she was looking at and the scream he was going to release caught in his throat. He watched as Luke’s body slowly lifted itself up to stand. This wasn’t someone sitting up and pushing themselves up to stand. No. Luke’s body went from lying completely still on the ground, and from his sneaker covered heels, rose up till he was standing upright. It looked as though his features were glitching out. His head whipped back and forth, His head whipped back and forth, and he groaned and whined before he lifted his head and looked directly at Nico. And then he smiled, and Nico had never felt more in danger during his encounters with paranormal entities than he did now. “Looks like a fly found it’s way in here. Mmmm…a psychic, huh? I bet you think you’re something special just because you are able to manifest yourself here. Think you’re some kind of hot shot, do you? You listen to me, and you listen well, boy. I’ve killed many of your kind and I’ll take great joy in doing the same to you.” Kronos laughed.

Nico felt cold, so cold. This…this was more than he was capable of handling. He took a step back from Kronos, hoping that by putting some distance between them would help Nico better control his fear.

“Who the hell are you talking to? Let me out of this room!” Silena yelled as she pushed and pulled at the door, it wouldn’t budge, not even a little bit.

Kronos laughed again as he slowly walked toward Nico, who continued to back away from him not breaking eye contact. “A friend of yours. Nico.”

“Nico?” Silena stopped her attempts at escaping, she looked completely baffled. “That’s not funny.”

No…It’s not. Nico thought, he was sure all color drained out of him and he must have resembled the flour covered people, people used to believe were what ghosts looked like from the old movies. The energy around them grew more intense and felt like it was squeezing every part of Nico’s body, like it was trying to squeeze him out of existence. How did he know his name?

“I’m being serious. I’ll dispose of him first, then I’ll deal with you.” Kronos declared as he took a big step towards Nico who, in a panic back away so fast it felt like he got slingshot through the air and the next thing he knew he was his body lurched forward and he was gasping for air. Tears were freely falling from his eyes and his hands clutched at his shirt. Air. He needed air goddammit! Every hair on his body was standing on end. That…had just happened. Nico felt someone touching his arms, his face, they were trying to get him to look at them. That had really just happened. There was two voices yelling at him, Hazel and Will he recognized.

“Is he okay?” That was Connor.

“I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like he can breathe!” Hazel sounded so worried. He just had to catch his breath. If he could do that he could comfort her, tell her not to worry. Though she should worry, they all should. Nico had to tell them.

“Come on Angel breath. In, out, in out. Where the hell is the nurse!?” He had never heard Will sound so desperate.

“I don’t know, she said she’d be back right away.” That was Mitchell, he sounded stressed.

“….ilena…” Nico finally gasped out.

“Hey, hey, Angel. How are you feeling? Can you breathe? Are you okay?” Will asked in a soft voice as he pushed Nico’s bangs out of his face and searched his eyes.

Nico shook his head and pushed Will’s hands away and stepped out of bed, only to almost black out. Will quickly grabbed him by his sides and held him up. Everyone in the room watched in worry as Nico desperately tried to tell them they need to get to Silena.

“You need to lay down. The nurse should be here soon.” Will said as he tried to place Nico back in bed, but Nico only shook his head harder and tried to push away.

“Sil…ena…we…we have to go…”

“Silena? What about Silena?” Mitchell asked as he rushed over to Nico.

“Help…she needs help…we…the old band room. We need to get to that room…now!” Nico pushed out as he used Will to help him stand up.

“What do you mean she needs help?” Connor asked as he walked up to Mitchell and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“How do you know she needs help?” Mitchell questioned.

“That’s not important! We need to go now!” Nico shouted and pointed to the door. He knew he sounded crazy, and he knew he was doing nothing to help his friends not worry about him, but they needed to go! They needed to get to Silena before it was too late. And maybe it was the tone of his voice or the look in his eyes but everyone hesitantly led him out of the nurses office, class was still in session so the halls were clear and eerily silent. Once Nico felt the strength return to his body he stopped leaning on Will but did take his hand and give it a slight squeeze, one Will returned. Then he led them out of the Student Services building and headed straight towards the Performing Arts building.

They were all jogging, when they had started Nico didn’t know, all Nico knew was the more stairs they went down, the more halls they jogged/ran through, the stronger the energy got and the more the stench of sulfur surrounded them.

“What is that smell?” Connor asked as he plugged his nose.

“Sulfur. It means we’re getting close.” Nico answered simply as he picked up his speed, Will easily following along his side and refusing to let his hand go.

“How could he know that?” Connor tried to whisper to Mitchell, key word being tried.

“I don’t know…he kind of sounds like…” Mitchell started as they continued to run, even skipping some steps on the way down.

“Like?”

Mitchell didn’t get the chance to answer that once they reached the bottom level of the Performing Arts building because he coughed at the absolutely intense stench of sulfur, it was suffocating. Everyone else was covering their noses in some way, Mitchell brought his shirt up over his nose, Connor brought both hands over to cover his nose, Will used his free hand to plug his nose, and Hazel grabbed her hair and held it under her nose to at least get a nice smell. Nico did none of those, he was used to this smell whenever he was in the presence of a negative entity. Of course, none of the ones he had experienced before hand were ever this bad. He did however wrinkle his nose at the putrid smell. Nico slowed his run down to cautious steps, making the others do the same.

“What’s wrong?” Will whispered.

Nico looked around, immediately he knew something was wrong, especially since he heard Silena’s voice, now calm and sickeningly sweet. “Hide.” He hissed to the others, thank god these basement classes and halls were being used as storage or else they wouldn’t have had any time to hide before Silena walked down another hall with Ethan Nakamura and Chris Rodriguez towards the room Nico now recognized as the one he had seen when he was asleep.

“Sil-“Hazel had started but Nico quickly clamped his hand over her mouth and watched from their hiding spot behind a tower of boxes the odd trio as his heart tried it’s best to overtake his hearing.

“What was that?” Ethan asked as he turned his head.

(( beta tested, beta approved ❤ by @honestoafault ))

#yawgk #you are watching ghost king #ghost king #nico di angelo #will solace #mitchell pjo #connor stoll #hazel levesque #gk ch. 29 #gk ch. 28

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sassysweetstories · 6 years

Text

Rivalry 3 //Shawn Mendes Series

Summary: You are a demigod that’s been brought to Camp-Half Blood in hopes to find yourself and learn more about your powers. In fear of being bullied, much like before, you intend to stay behind closed doors until there in no choice but to come out about who’s child you truly belong to.

Ship: Shawn Mendes x Fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, fighting, swearing, fluff, blood, etc.

Tagged: @hard-satin @cynicallystiles @archer-whovian-violinist

Notes: none of these gifs are mine. i saw another fic about demigods and i wanted to try and make it a series. the thoughts been festering in my mind forever now. i hope you like it. (also, none of the demigods and gods are really related. because of the parents fucking around, it’s not legitimate in this series. I ALSO RECOMMEND YOU TO LISTEN TO THE PERCY JACKSON SOUNDTRACK WHILE READING THIS. IT’S SO COOL)

Your P.O.V

I don’t want to leave the comfort of my home, especially after that fight. I knew this was going to happen but I have to leave. I still have classes to attend to after-all. It takes longer than usual to get dressed and head out, my procrastination at it’s peak. I keep my head down and avoid all eye contact. Kids walk by but there’s only a few here and there, whispering words of judgment to one another. But upon arriving to the cafeteria, the room is filled up to the brim with kids. Everyone, and I mean everyone is here, eyeing me warily. The ruckus dies quickly and I feel my face flush in embarrassment, like I’m just going to spontaneously com-bust. I keep my gaze down and head over to get some food. People part and even jump away from me in fear.

I gulp, attempting to suppress the pain I feel inside. Grabbing a breakfast sandwich, some fruit and a drink, I turn over my shoulder to see that everyone has moved to the other side of the room, some even opt to sit on the tables, as long as they’re away from me, they’ll do anything. Even Clarisse is scared. I sit at an empty table and eat as I normally would but the cafeteria, which is usually humming with energy is very dead, no pun intended. I sip my gauntlet, munching here and there, hoping they’ll stop staring but I know they won’t. All of a sudden three bodies sit across from me. Glancing up, Annabeth, Percy and Grover send me a kind smile. My friends. I smile back but it vanishes when I realize that the one person I want most is nowhere to be found. At least, choosing to avoid me.

For the rest of the day, most people choose to avoid me. Whether it’s out of fear or genuine awe, I’m not sure. It’s not at all a nice feeling. I am alone once more, pushed aside like an outcast. I wonder if this is what my father felt when he was banished to hell? I opt to stay in the shadows all day. Sitting in the back of the room for all of my classes where I am not seen. To the kids below, I am nothing but a blur. They cannot fear me if they cannot see me. This process goes on for a few days but eventually people begin to ease up, some, not all. But I cannot wait to expect some sort of change. I let out a heavy sigh and leave the cafeteria heated, attracting more attention than I want. No more, I can’t do this anymore. I think to myself as I pack my belongings into my one suitcase.

Taking a deep breath, I look around the room one more time before sheathing the gargantuan sword to my side. “It was fun while it lasted.” I mutter to the walls as if it was a living breathing thing that could hear me. Resting a letter atop of my counter-top, addressed to my friends, to Shawn, I let a tear fall from my cheek before snapping my fingers. A layer of smoke develops around me, taking me exactly where I intend to go. The only home I seem to have left. The smoke disperses around me and I am left to stand before my fathers temple. I don’t bother to knock, not exactly sure where the doorbell would be anyways. “SHE BETTER BE OKAY, I SWEAR TO THE GODS, HADES!”

Turning around the corner to see my step-mother, Persephone, yelling down at my father. Though I’m not exactly hers, she has taken me under wings as her own which I’ve always appreciated. “Can I ask why you’re ripping him a new one?” I say aloud, enough to catch their attention. Persephone, looking nothing but beautiful, powerful and soft all at once, squeals at the sight of me. Running across the room to pull me into a tight hug, I can’t help but smile. I’m glad to know I’m wanted here. “Hey sweetheart, I missed you so much! You’re alright, right?! You’re not hurt or anything?!” She asks, taking my face with her hands. I can’t help but laugh at her immediate concern. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

My dad comes up from behind, pulling me into a warm side-hug before he pecks my head softly. “Hey, sweetheart. Welcome home. I’m sorry things didn’t work out upstairs. Maybe you can go back in a few days, once everything calms down?” I joke, trying to hide my internal pain. “Kicking me out so soon?” He shook his head, glancing back at his wife with a sad smile. “(Y/n), the point of going to Camp Half Blood isn’t so that you end up back down here with me. Your life is out there, in the real world. You train to inevitably attend missions and save the world from the monsters that threaten to destroy it. I’m not happy about you being in danger but as you have told me before, you’re a big girl. And you are.”

“Your father’s right. Though he may be an ass at times, he has a point. You are always welcomed here. But at the end of the day, you belong up on the surface, fighting and making the world a safer place.” I grin at her wise words, glancing between the two people I adore most. “W-Would it be okay if I stay for a few days? Just to re-evaluate myself?” They share a happy smile, wrapping their arms around me which consoles my broken heart more than they will ever know. “We’ll have a big dinner soon, okay? Cerberus is in the other room if you want to go see him?” I set my suitcase down, hugging them both before running into the other room to see the three-headed dog.

When I return, my father, the god of the underworld, sports a bright pink ‘kiss the cook’ apron. I snort at the sight that laid before me. The god who supposedly is the most terrifying and treacherous of all the gods to ever exist, is dancing around to Highway To Hell by AC/DC while attempting to not burn pancakes. Persephone pecks his cheek as she walks by and he gives me a cheeky smile, shimmying his shoulders and I laugh. It’s such a wholesome image, you’d have to be here to believe it. I peck his other cheek and sit next to my step-mother who pulls me into a nice side hug. “Is AC/DC the only band you listen to, pops?” He scoffs at the question. “It’s a classic!” Stating it as if it were a fact before winking.

“It’s all we have for some odd reason.” Persephone confesses dramatically. I can tell she’s faking it but I hop on board with her sch-peel. “I’ll make sure to buy you guys lots of music next time I come to visit.” She giggles, kissing both my cheeks in delight before helping my father with the cooking. “This is why she’s my favorite.” I watch the interaction between my step-mother and my father, intrigued by their day to day life. You’d expect them to look dreary and solemn but they themselves seem to bring the most vibrant energy the world could offer. “DAD, DON’T BURN THE PANCAKES!” He jumps into action, pulling the pan off the fryer before it could burn anymore than it had. “Nice call, pumpkin!”

We eat together as a normal family would despite the small detail that we were nothing but normal. The conversation is rapid firing, flowing and bouncing wildly. I’ve never laughed so hard, listening to the bickering that’s exchanged between my parents. It’s almost hard to keep track of who is jokingly dissing who. I’m not sure how late it is by the time we finish dinner, but I’m more than exhausted. I say goodnight to the adults and Cerberus, looking up at the dark, empty sky, wondering and hoping that if or when I return, things will get better.

Shawn’s P.O.V

For the love of gods, what have I done? I think to myself as I realize I haven’t seen (Y/n) in a few days. This is all your fault, you blithering idiot! Why did you say something so cruel and untrue to the girl you love?! For the past few days, ignoring her was easy because everyone else was doing the same thing. Not a great excuse, I’m aware. But it was easy to think that because of who she belonged to, I wouldn’t have trouble pushing myself away. But that was honestly the biggest lie. How could I push myself away from someone I was falling for? I slam my hand on the side of the wall in anger. Where had she gone? Was she safe? What if she’s dead? What if she decided to go back and prove her father wrong?

Questions began to boggle my mind as I headed over to find my friends. “Has anyone seen (Y/n)?!” Annabeth looks up at me with distaste, breathing heavily through her nose. Almost as if she’s trying to hold herself back. Percy and Grover eye her warily, looking at me with an equally as upset expression. “She’s gone.” The second the words leave Percy’s mouth, I feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach. What have I done.. I’ve driven her away.. Why am I such an idiot?! I pushed her away.. Looking around the room, I realize how cold it’s become. With her gone, the warmth and happiness seemed to slip away. Grover hands me a small letter with my name on it with (Y/n)’s hand writing. I tear it open greedily, hands trembling as I read.

Shawn,

I can’t be sorry for who I’m linked to. I can’t apologize for something I cannot change. Hades is my father and I know he might seem like a monster to you, but he save me. He is not as bad as people have made him out to be. But if you believe what you said, that I’m like my father, that I’m a monster, than don’t worry about me. I’ve gone to the one place I’ll be accepted. You’ll never have to deal with me again because I’m gone for good. Not that you would care. I guess we are like our parents, huh? I’m lower than dirt and not worth your time and you’re the golden boy. It’s only best if we stick with those roles.

Goodbye,

(Y/n) (Y/L/N)

The longer I read, the more angry at myself I become. I didn’t mean those things. I reread it again, swallowing down the pain that began to fester. I cover my mouth to stop myself from sobbing. Percy rests his hand on my shoulder to comfort me before leaving with Annabeth and Grover. Alone, I let my knees fall onto the hardwood floor and I sob for the love of my life. She’s gone and not coming back, ripped away from me because of me. I clutch the paper and hold it close to my chest, the last piece of her I’ll ever have. Crying out for my father, for her, someone to console me in time of need but for once in my life, it’s quiet and I am completely and utterly alone. I wonder if this is what Hades felt like? If this is was what (Y/n) felt like?

The thought makes my mouth go sour and I want nothing more than to just gag. All of a sudden, a loud explosion irrupts from outside. Wiping away my tears, I slip the letter in my back pocket but as I do I feel the guilt burn into the side of my hip and run out to see what was going on. Just over the tree-line, a hulking mass with horns the size of mountains lets out an unearthly cry. What the hell is that?! The closer I came, the more I wish I hadn’t. A Minotaur, not as big as Cerberus but none the less, dreadfully intimidating, smashes everything it’s path, crushing and destroying the trees with it. And resting on its shoulders was Luke. How he escaped, managed to control a Minotaur and balance himself on his shoulders was beyond me. What the fuck?! I thought he was taken somewhere else to be charged for his crimes?! I run in a different direction, making my way to Percy, Annabeth and Grover.

“LUKE SUMMONED A FREAKING MINOTAUR?!” Grover shouted over the destruction. “WHERE THE HELL DO YOU EVEN FIND A MINOTAUR?!” Percy and Annabeth glanced at me in shock, not exactly sure how to tame such a treacherous beast. First Cerberus, now a Minotaur?! This wasn’t even a mission but it was definitely the most dangerous task we’ve ever faced, let alone in the past few days. Except this time, we don’t have (Y/n). But I’m glad she’s not here. I couldn’t bare to see her get hurt. Looking over at Percy with a determined expression, my hands tighten. “PERCY! I NEED YOU TO KNOCK LUKE OFF THE MINOTAUR’S SHOULDERS! WE NEED TO GET THOSE TWO SEPARATED SO ANNABETH AND GROVER CAN TAKE HIM DOWN!

“YOU AND I WILL GATHER AS MANY FIGHTERS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND FACE THE MINOTAUR!” They nod in unison and then we split apart, Percy running in the opposite direction to get a clear shot at Luke while I distract the monster. I bring my hands together to create a storm. The energy runs up and down my finger tips, just itching to get out. A warm hum falls over the camp and I can feel the storm coming closer. Flicking my wrist, I let one lose. It crashes right down in front of the Minotaur, catching the monsters attention as well as Luke’s. “Why, if it isn’t the golden boy?” While he isn’t looking, Percy sends a wave towards his side. He falls off the Minotaur but successfully lands on his feet.

Annabeth, armed and ready, growls up at him with rage and distaste. “This is over Luke!” He brushed his shoulder, smiling wickedly. “Oh, my dear. It’s only just beginning.” Luke pulls out a long sword, one that looked too heavy for him to hold but he managed before bolting forward to attack Annabeth and Grover. Their swords clashed and the sound rang all throughout the camp. We could actually win this fight. I thought to myself before my heart fell. Right behind the Minotaur came a Chimera, the head of a lion, the body of a goat, a blood caked mane and a ten-foot-long diamondback snake-headed tail which grows out of its shaggy behind. “ARE YOU SEEING THIS SHIT?!” Grover exclaims while he attempts to slow Luke down.

Percy ran between the monsters legs to help me but was pushed to the side by the Chimera’s SUV size paw. Annabeth cried for him, scared for her friend. “PERCY!” Whist distracted, Luke cut her hand. She hissed in pain before dropping her blade. Grover stood in front of her with a short knife, one that probably couldn’t hold Luke off. My friends are hurt, the love of my life might be dead, and I have no means of saving them. Without realizing it, Percy grabs my arm and pulls me in the opposite direction of the chaos. The only thing letting me know that this is all real is the terrifying sounds trailing behind us and the falling trees we attempt to avoid. Grover and Annabeth some how meet up with us and we run in step.

That was until the tail of the Chimera tripped us, making our four bodies quite familiar with the dirt. Just over the tree-line, Luke stands a top the Minotaur’s shoulder while the Chimera trails after him. Kids run away from them but as of right now, they aren’t after them, they’re after us. “IT WAS NICE KNOWING YOU GUYS, REALLY! BUT I NO LONGER HAVE ANY USE FOR YOU ANYMORE.” Luke says with a sinister grin. The Chimera huffed, preparing to burn us alive. I’ve been at this moment before. But before (Y/n) saved me. And because of me she’s gone forever. This time I’m really going to die. I’m going to perish without letting her know how I really felt, if she’s even alive. I intertwine my hands with Percy, too scared to do this alone. He squeezes back and smiles.

Your P.O.V

I look in horror as Luke and his monsters tear apart my home. How dare he?! I clench my fists to suppress the anger that slowly begins to fester but then let my hand fall open. Maybe that’s what I needed to do.. Let my anger and rage go. I shouldn’t have ever left.. Maybe none of this wouldn’t have happened. But right now I cannot wallow in my guilt. I have to act while there’s still a camp left to save. My father rests his hand atop my shoulder, smiling down at me with pride. “Honey, you need to go help them. You belong up there. Go save your friends.” Persephone gives me a supportive nod. I grab my sword, more than ready to rip Luke a new one when my eyes fall on Cerberus. And then, just like my father, I have a dangerously wicked idea. “Hey, dad? Do you happen to have any monsters you don’t need right now?”

Third P.O.V

(I would highly recommend listening to Welcome to The Jungle by Guns N’ Roses, like, right now)

The four demigods held onto one another, scared for their lives and the lives of the others. Even the children of Ares were frightened. None of them would back down from a fight but even Clarisse wasn’t sure how to go about this situation. A large group of kids, most of which couldn’t even protect themselves, cower behind children of Ares and Athena. And poor Percy and Shawn, scared to death, held tightly to their friends. They were sure this would be their end. But when the earth begun to shake and roar, they new the fight was only beginning. Shawn thought Luke had conjured more beasts to reek havoc upon Camp Half Blood, but when he looked upon the son of Hermes’ face, he knew he was wrong.

This was not Luke’s doing. To the left of them, the fire pit which sported all of their celebratory events begun to grow at an unusual rate. The flame grew until it was as tall as the tree-lines. All of the kids inched back, afraid of what else it could possibly be. Even Luke’s Minotaur stepped back in fear. And as the flame dies down, a woman tall and dressed in nothing but black, orange and red, forms from the fire. She steps off the coals and onto the rock railing, clutching the handle of her sword, looking nothing but powerful. “Well if it isn’t Hades’ little spawn.” Luke attempts to say strongly but there’s a tinge of fear in his voice, one that he cannot hide no matter how hard he tried. “You seem to be out numbered.”

The second the words leave his mouth, (Y/n) chuckles, sporting a wicked grin. “It seems I am. But you see, you’ve threaten my camp and I won’t allow that.” He laughs as the Chimera eyes her curiously. “Your camp?! Everyone here hates you. You are the daughter of that monster, after-all. Even your golden boy boyfriend said that.” (Y/n) clenches her fists, bringing her head down to nod before taking a few steps forward. The ground beneath her feet irrupts in flames, searing the dirt below her. “That may be true. I may be a monster and the daughter of a monster.. But it does come with perks-” Drawing her sword, (Y/n) looked more terrifying than ever. Bring her fingers up to her lips, she whistled.

All of a sudden, two roars irrupted from behind her. The kids inch back in fear, but sport a tinge of excitement. She was fighting for them despite how they had treated her. They could actually win this battle. Bumbling from the fire pit, came Cerberus, the three-headed beast. He took her left side, roaring so loud the kids found themselves forced to cover their ears. “You’re still out numbered. Two to one.” Luke says greedily, trying his best to hide his discomfort. Once again, he could lose. There was a chance he would go somewhere worse than the previous prison he successfully saute to get out of. (Y/n) glanced over at Cerberus, his teeth bright and long as saliva poured from his mangled lips. “Yes, I guess so. Why don’t we make it even then?”

She pulls a small whistle from her pocket, grinning up at Luke with her bright red eyes before blowing. The noise is non-existent but just because it isn’t loud doesn’t mean there isn’t something coming, something much more terrifying. And by the gods, there was. If Luke or any of the kids were scared of Cerberus, they’re for sure going to have nightmares about the beast (Y/n) easily summons with a faint blow of a pocket sized whistle. A roar louder than both the Chimera and the Minotaur combined cries out throughout the camp. All of a sudden, a beast with more than five heads sprang from the ground, ripping the earth apart. A hydra, outstretching the size of both the Minotaur and the Chimera. The demigods gaped in awe as the monster cried and took the right side of it’s leader. (Y/n) glanced between her two faithful and loyal guardians with pride.

Luke’s hands trembled in fear but he would never back down from such a fight, never go back to that cage. Whilst the two were distracted, Percy and Grover yanked Annabeth and Shawn’s arms, getting them out of the deadly Chimera’s grasp. Despite the fact that the movement was so small and insignificant, it caught (Y/n)’s gaze which evidently met Shawn’s deep chocolate brown eyes. In that moment, his heart ached for her, as did hers for him. But of course, she would never let him see that innocence, not when such foul words were shared and two hearts were broken not less than a few days ago. Instead, she stood up straighter, jaw-clenched in protest.

Anybody with eyes would know that she was the daughter of Hades. Eyes bright yet dark at the same time with armor as black as night. Nobody could possibly imagine nor grasp the amount of power that festered behind her very skin, just itching to release from her fingertips. With her sleeves cut at the shoulders, the shirt could barely withhold her bulging muscles that seemed to tear away at her waist. (Y/n) did not look like a demigod, for she excelled far greater than that title. She presented herself as a goddess, nothing but strong, terrifying and beautiful all in the same mix. This is who I am. She seemed to say to her unrequited but actual requited love, gazing down at him briefly. I cannot and will not be changed.

And before she could even register his facial reaction, the battle had begun. Cerberus charged forward, barreling towards the Minotaur with a loud and treacherous roar. Luke leaped off the beasts shoulder, jumping just in time to avoid the attack. But the Minotaur took to the ground, trying to fight off Cerberus, who mercilessly drilled into his side. While Luke was on the ground, it was (Y/n)’s moment. She moved quick, avoiding the Chimera’s countless attacks before successfully slipping between its gigantic legs. Just as the Chimera tries turn around and take her down, the Hydra lights up, blowing down on the beast to protect it’s master. The demigods watched in awe, almost too captivated to get up and fight.

Shawn and Percy stand from their hiding spot, glancing at one another with a small smile. “Together?” Percy asks, sheepishly. Though he was one of the most powerful demigods to live on the camp, he was still the same old Percy which was something Shawn always admired. His simplicity and never changing attitude brought the golden boy open and more trusting. The taller boy took his hand in respect before saying, “It would be an honor to fight along your side.” Pulling out his flying shoes, Percy tied them down quickly before unsheathing their swords in unison. Annabeth and Grover joined in, looking as dirty but as determined as the rest. Percy and Shawn take to the skies, aiding Cerberus and the Hydra against Luke’s creatures.

At first, both creatures watched the boys defend them, almost dying in the process. They watched curiously as Shawn let a bright lightning bolt lose, crashing down in front of the Chimera before it could even get near Cerberus. The three-headed dog was more than ready to kill off the demigod. That was until Shawn saved its life. The golden boy looked at the gargantuan dog, gulping before the large beast sniffed him warily before proceeding to stand in front of Shawn, to almost protect him. But in the midst of all the blood, conflict and war, he can’t help but subconsciously look for his beloved, wanting more than anything for her to be safe and out of harms way. But knowing her, she’d be doing the exact opposite.

A few hundred feet away from the golden boy, Shawn fought and kept an eye on her as she dueled with Luke. His fighting was never past Annabeth’s but it was definitely a match for (Y/n). If she was tired, she wouldn’t show it. The daughter of Hades would never show defeat. Their swords clashed together, ringing loudly throughout the camp. The son of Hermes was drenched in his own perspire, wet from head to toe. And though (Y/n) looked alive and thriving, she was getting tired. With a heavy gulp, she suppressed her exhaustion and continued fighting, bringing pain to those who’s day is but a reckoning. And she was winning, soon to be the champion and savior of camp before Luke blocked her sword and with a free hand plunged a knife to her side.

“NOOOOOOO!!!!” Shawn wailed, eyes wide as his once best friend plunged a dagger into his beloveds waist. The golden boy always had control over his lightning and powers, bending and wielding it as he so chooses. But watching the life leave the love of his life’s eyes threw him overboard. All of the energy and power bubble up within him seemed to vanish and disperse, striking down on the camp in all different directions. For once in his life, he couldn’t control his emotions, his powers. All Shawn wanted to do was make Luke pay. A large light blue bolt came crashing down in it’s loud, vibrant and powerful glory, striking Luke down. The son of Hermes went flying in the opposite direction, rolling onto the dirt before he slipped into unconsciousness.

The son of Zeus couldn’t even try to hide his tears even if he tried as he fumbled over to her limp body. As the lightning dispersed, the only thing remaining was a faint hum of energy in the air. “(Y/n)- P-Please be o-okay-” He brokenly mumbled as Shawn wrapped his large hands around her face, cradling her like a child. “O-oh my g-gods, please, I-I can’t lose you-” All of a sudden she gasped back to life, coughing and groaning in pain. Relief washed over the both of them, knowing the other was safe and no longer in harms way. “Shawn?” She asked, not entirely trusting her lopsided vision. He couldn’t help but laugh at her loopy expression, missing the light that fell onto her cheeks whenever he saw her. “Yeah, it’s me. Gods, (Y/n), I am so sorry for the things I said to you-

“I had no right to say such horrible things. And none of them were true. You’re not a monster- neither is your dad- I-I am so sorry about everything- I thought I lost the love of my life- I thought I lose you-” He says quickly, scanning her face likes it’s the last time he might ever see her again. Shawn wants to remember her, every feature, every flaw before she slips from his grasp. “Y-You love me?” She asks, her voice so much softer and innocent, it almost doesn’t sound like her. But he knows it is. He nodded, glancing back and forth between her eyes and her moist lips. “I thought I lost you, (Y/n)..” And despite the situation, and its seriousness, she chuckles. “You’ll never lose me. I am the daughter of death, after-all. You think a butter-knife will kill me?”

She wipes his tears away, admiring his bright smile as he shakes his head before saying. “Oh, shut up-” Before (Y/n) could make another witty comeback he placed his lips atop hers, and just like he’d imagined, they were hot and moist, like being filled up with fire and energy. He felt like a thousand degrees, not in a smokey, suffocating way. But just to leave you begging, wanting more of her warmth and what power she has to offer. His lips were soft, just as she’d thought despite the destruction he could give off. Warm but colder than hers, definitely. A small bolt transferred through her and (Y/n)’s whole body felt alive, fuzzy and tingly. She could feel the electricity and power he gave off and the feeling was outwardly. “I love you..” She mutters against his lips, wanting to feel his energy again. He cradled her close and smiled bright. “I love you, too.”

(I hope you guys liked it!! Please comment below! I REALLY appreciate the feedback. I loved this AU and I’d really like to more if you think of some!!)

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the-dam-daughter-of-hades · 6 years

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Percy Jackson AU told from Annabeth’s point of view—— The Musical

This is for the @demigodsecretsanta thing for the blog.... @guyshowdoimakeausername I hope you like it and Merry Christmas. 😊 also, I’m on mobile so I can’t do the read more function. Sorry!

Sometimes I wonder if it could have been different. Yeah, probably. Maybe I’d be dead, or running in the streets, or maybe still the most socially awkward nerd of the school. And then I wonder. How did I even get to this hellish heaven that I call home? I guess you could say it started with the musical.

Yeah, people call theater life changing, but this time it actually was. I was a weird nerd who most people didn’t know existed or if they did, it was only because of the incidents that always happened around me that I had nothing to do with. I definitely wasn’t your typical high school student. When I woke up in the morning, I scrunched my oddly curly blond hair in a ponytail and grabbed my backpack and left. I always made sure to carry an architecture book with me incase class got too boring and I needed something to do. Definitely not something you see everyday.

It all started when my architecture class told us we’d get extra credit if we helped with the spring musical. I didn't need the extra points. I had over a 101% in the class, but it was architecture class so I signed up before Christmas break for stage crew. The holidays were always an awkward time with my dad and stepmom. I know my dad loved me, but there was always an underlying tension between everyone, so I was happy to get out of the house for musical rehearsals.

The musical, which happened to be “The Little Mermaid” had a huge cast and elaborate sets to make and move so everyone had a lot of work to do. The musical had started off with a rocky beginning. The casting itself had caused so much drama that it had left half the cast in tears before the first rehearsal even stated. This was mostly due to the fact that new boy had gotten the male lead. This boy was already known around the school for breaking school records on the swim team. I knew him only because he’d answered every question wrong in biology class. Maybe he had dyslexia like me, but still that statistic wasn’t something to be proud of. Yeah, maybe you know who he is by now. He was Percy Jackson. Or Jackass as I called him sometimes when the swim team knocked me over spilling the contents of my backpack everywhere. His name just had that kind of ring to it.

So, anyway, despite the drama, everyone managed to work hard on their roles and the play was starting to take shape. I wasn’t really a drama person, but I was starting to enjoy making the props and the scenery. And you know, Percy Jackson wasn’t really too bad. He helped us with the props when he could and told jokes to settle everyone’s grumbling when the director added more rehearsals. So yeah, you get the idea. Life wasn’t too bad.

“Annabeth!”

I turned to see Grover, Percy’s friend, hurrying over. Rehearsal had finished and I was one of the last to leave.

“Hey, Grover, what are you doing here?”

He laughed.

“Haven’t you noticed? I’ve been to every rehearsal. I’m your moral support.”

I hadn’t noticed, and I blushed pink in embarrassment.

“Sorry”

“It’s fine. Hey have you seen Percy? Im supposed to go home with him.”

I looked around quickly, but Percy was nowhere to be found.

“do you want me to go look for him?” I asked reluctantly.

“If you don’t mind.”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

I turned and headed back into the theater. It was pretty dark and everyone had already left. I was pretty sure no one was still there when I heard a muffled sigh and a sniff. I froze and then took a few hesitant steps forward until I reached the stage where a cluster of boxes was casting shadows in the grey darkness.

“Hello?” I asked softly.

The muffled sniffing paused, and a face came into view from behind the boxes. I jumped and then sighed.

“Oh, it’s you.”

I came closer. Percy was sitting dejectedly, his chin resting on his knees and his messy black hair was more disheveled than usual. Even in the darkness, I could see his eyes were red and puffy. Cautiously, I slid down the boxes and sat next to him.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course I am,” he said quickly, swiping at his eyes.

I gave him a look.

“What’s wrong?”

He let out a deep sigh and shook his head softly.

“It’s just family issues.”

I hesitated.

“Like you’re grounded or…?”

“No. Like I don’t want to go home and see my stepdad playing cards with his friends and ordering my mom around and she just...just taking it. We could leave. We could go, but no. We stay and he uses her and me, and we just have to sit and take it.”

My heart flipped. I could almost hear myself saying something very similar. He sighed.

“But, don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

I scooted closer.

“No, you’re not fine, but you’re not alone. I have a stepmom too and he's horrible. It’s like I'm different and foreign and don’t even belong in my own house. And this play was the only thing that got me through break so I didn’t have to stay with them and listen to them and feel so much hared and anger like I’m walking on a rubber band that’s about to snap.”

I gasped softly at my own words. I’d never spoken them out loud before and here I was pouring out my soul to a stranger. I hid my face.

“I’m sorry. I should go.”

“No. Please don’t. I’ve never met anyone who knows how I feel. They just say they understand, but they don’t know what it’s like.”

I smiled at him softly.

“Maybe there's more to you than I thought, seaweed brain.” I said quietly

He laughed.

“And you’re just a nerd, wise girl.”

I punched him playfully.

“Hey, Grover wanted me to come in and get you.”

He groaned.

“That means I have to go home then.”

“I know you can make it through just one more day. You can do it.”

“Thanks”

He stood and helped me to my feet.

“Hey, do I look like I’ve been crying?”

It was hard to see much in the dark so I said no. He looked at me skeptically then shrugged and walked out of the theater with a bounce in his step like nothing in the world was wrong.

I didn’t see much of him the next few days. The musical was only a few weeks away from show time, and everyone was busy. It wasn’t until I opened the last of the boxed that I saw him again. I lifted the lid and a gigantic spider crawled out of the box. Well, maybe it wasn’t that big, but i was instantly paralyzed in its monstrous red eyes and I screamed. (quite naturally really) That was how Percy found me, scrambling on the table prop pointing hysterically at ta spider crawling across the floor. Percy laughed softly and quickly ground the spider beneath his shoe. He smiled up at me.

“I don't know you were afraid of spiders.”

I blushed red realizing that I must have looked like a frightened child screaming hysterically.

“I didn’t know you noticed people like me.”

It was a low blow, but what else was I supposed to say?

“Oh.” he said softly, “You were the girl they always picked on.”

“And you did too.”

He shook his head.

“I didn't know what they were doing and when I found out I didn’t want them to turn on me if I stopped them. I’m sorry.”

I tried to fume, but he was too sincere.

“It’s alright,” I said softly, “I’m just a nerd.”

“You’re not just a nerd, wise girl. Those buildings you drew in architecture class were amazing.”

“You saw them?”

“Yeah.”

“You can see?”

“Shut up.”

We grinned at each other for a moment before hurrying back to our duties.

After that, we saw each other a lot more often. Percy wasn’t someone I’d normally pay attention to, but there was something about him that drew me like a magnet. It wasn't long before I found myself smiling wistfully after him and staring at his brilliant green eyes. THe musical went on with many hysterics and mishaps but non where were extremely noticeable to the audience. Prom was in a few weeks, but of course I wasn’t going. That is until one spring day when Percy and I were walking home from school together.

“So, what color dress are you wearing to prom?”

It as a simple enough question, but it still hurt that I didn't have any friends to go with.

“Oh, well, I’m not going.”

“Really?” he looked crestfallen. Then he laughed as if at himself, “But would you like to go with me?”

I stopped dead.

“With you? To prom?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“No reason. I just…”

I shrugged as if it was perfectly normal to get asked to prom, but my heart was soaring. Little did I know there was a very good reason why not to go to prom with Percy Jackson.

I picked out a green dress to wear and Percy’s mom insisted that she pay. I wish she hadn’t but I had to consent eventually. When his mom picked us up to drive us to prom, I couldn’t help but stare at him. I don’t like saying sappy things, but he was beautiful that night. Grover was going to meet us at the dance, and we began our long journey. We had almost arrived at the dance when the car door suddenly flew open and Grover, or at least I thought it was grover, flew inside.

“Mrs. Jackson, you have to go. Get them to Camp Half-blood now.”

His voice was panicked but I couldn’t help but keep blinking at his legs which had turned all hairy and were those hooves? I felt nauseous. Mrs. Jackson and Grover were arguing in the front seat and I caught the word“Minotaur.” I had no idea what was going on, but Mrs. Jackson tuned the car with a screech and took off heading straight out of the city. The events of that night are still a blur to me. It was raining that night, and I remember Grover giving Percy a pen telling him to uncap it if he was in need. And then, there it was. The minotaur. And Percy uncapped the pen. It grew into something else. Something beautiful and frightening, a sword like I’d only seen in books. Someone kept telling me to run and I ran, pulling off my heels as I went, my heart thundering in my ears. Something alive jumped in front of me. I screamed and drove the end of my high heeled shoe into its chest, and it disintegrated into powder. I stared at it, but only for a moment before I began to run again, and I ran until I felt arms around me and heard the buzz of startled voices. I heard my own voice saying.

“He’s still out there. You have to help him. Percy. Help Percy.”

I’m not really sure what happened after that until I work up in the infirmary next to Percy who as drooling in his sleep.

I guess that how I got here. To my home, Camp Half-blood. A place where I could be be me, a daughter of Athena, with the rest of my siblings. Percy recovered just fine and lives by himself in the Poseidon cabin. There's so much more I could say, but I don’t really have the time. You see, Percy’s gone missing and I have to find him because even though he brought me into this mess, I love him and I won't rest until my heart is whole again.

The end.

#percy jackson #demigodsecretsanta #annabeth #au told from annabeths point of view #musicals #grover #camp half blood #i tried yalls #😊#i hope you like it

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dotshiiki · 7 years

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CoL, chpt 18

XVIII: PERCY

The Jackson-Blofis apartment wasn't spacious to begin with. Now, with nearly twenty people crowded into the living room, it seemed five times more cramped than usual.

None of the friends Percy had invited over for Christmas seemed to mind, though.

His mom and stepdad had pushed all the furniture to the walls so that their guests could sprawl on the floor, passing cookies, chips, and seven-layer bean dip around.

They were all here—Percy's closest friends, the ones who had voluntarily trudged through Tartarus with him, or travelled cross-country to get them out of the pit. Others who hadn't been directly involved, but were part of his weird extended family all the same.

On the couch, Jason and Frank were deep in conversation with Paul, looking for all the world like a triad of high school teachers. Piper, Calypso, and Rachel sat in a cross-legged circle around the two-foot plastic tree they were decorating. Hazel, Tyson, and Ella played patty-cake with Percy's half-sister Joy. Thalia, Reyna, and Annabeth were having a discussion (Percy couldn't hear what the topic was, but he caught his name occasionally). Grover and Nico were locked in a debate on—of all things—reincarnation versus rebirth.

Percy himself was competing with Leo and Will to see who could build the tallest tower out of tortilla chips. He was losing at the moment—his stacks kept falling apart and he'd already started over from scratch several times.

Annabeth detached herself from Thalia and Reyna and came over to observe Percy's pathetic tortilla tower.

'You need a stronger foundation,' she said.

'How would you do it?'

She thought for a moment, then smeared bean dip across his chip base as a coagulant. He stacked a couple of chips card-house-style, and they held firm this time.

'Hey, no fair getting help from the architect of Olympus!' Leo complained. His tower was almost a foot tall. Percy had no idea how he'd managed it.

Will sneezed. Both his and Leo's chips went flying into the branches of the mini Christmas tree.

'Hey!' Leo and Piper cried simultaneously.

'Sorry!'

Piper brushed chips out of her tree. It was practically dripping with tinsel and overloaded with shiny baubles.

Leo raised his eyebrows. 'For a daughter of Aphrodite,' he commented, 'you're not doing a great job dressing that thing up, Pipes.'

'Don't call me that,' Piper snapped. 'And what would you know about accessorising, Mechanic-man?'

'I like it,' Calypso said. 'It's colourful.' She glared at Leo, who raised his hands immediately in surrender.

'It does need more white space,' Rachel mused. 'We could do a better job with a bigger tree.'

'Does it look like a bigger tree would fit in here?' Piper spread her arms and smacked Jason's calves, proving her point.

'Well, if it's a bigger tree you need, why don't you dress Thalia up?' Will joked.

Thalia flipped him a gesture that made Grover shoot her an accusing look and reach over to cover the eyes of the two-year-old in Hazel's lap. Reyna grabbed Thalia's offending hand and laced her fingers in it. Thalia grinned ruefully.

'Sorry, Paul,' she said to Percy's stepfather.

Paul accepted this with a shrug. 'I don't think Joy's old enough to understand what that means. Then again, I'd rather she not copy that particular hand signal in public.'

'And I gave up being a tree for Lent,' Thalia shot at Will. 'Oh wait, it wasn't for Lent—it was to save your sorry ass.'

'THALIA!'

Percy laughed. Gaining back six years and resigning as a Hunter certainly hadn't made much of a dent in Thalia's feisty personality.

Joy wriggled against Grover's hands, which were clamped over her ears this time. 'Tree!' she shouted gleefully, and stomped right through the collapsed chip towers and bean dip to Piper, Rachel, and Calypso's trussed up masterpiece.

Annabeth snatched up the plate of blue chocolate chip cookies—only one was left—before Joy could trample it, too. Percy beat Leo to the last cookie and stuck his tongue out at his friend before popping it into his mouth.

'Real generous host you are,' Leo grumbled.

'Hey, all's fair in love and blue cookies!' Percy grinned. 'I'll get more,' he promised, taking the plate from Annabeth. He kissed her on the cheek and got up, brushing crumbs out of his lap.

His mom was bent over the oven when he entered the kitchen.

'You should come join us,' Percy said.

'I will,' said his mom. 'Once this last batch is done.' She eyed the empty plate he set on the kitchen counter. 'Looks like they're a hit.'

'Your cooking's famous,' Percy assured her. 'Thanks for letting us have the party here.'

'You know your friends are always welcome,' said his mom. 'And Paul and I love having you home. Especially after you've been on a quest.' She shook her head. 'Every year I think maybe this will be the year that you stop scaring me with your adventures, but it never ends, does it?'

Percy shrugged. 'We can always hope. I'm sorry I made you worry again, Mom.'

His mom made a little pffft noise and waved her hand dismissively. 'It wasn't your fault. And you're here now. You've always come back.' She reached up to muss his hair. 'Every time, you come back.'

He shifted guiltily, remembering the disastrous Iris-message a few weeks back, when he hadn't a clue who his family was. He was so sick of the way stuff kept coming up—it wasn't just his life it disrupted. There were his friends and family, too, who always got caught in the crossfire of his unpredictable life. He'd hurt so many people over the years, intentionally or not.

His mind flitted to Jessica. He hadn't really thought of her since their catastrophic date, which now felt like something from another life. He wondered how she was getting on with her goal of living a life uncomplicated by the gods. Maybe he should have invited her here as a sort of apology. Then again, given her distaste for her mythological heritage, hanging out with a group of first-generation demigods—not to mention a satyr, a Cyclops, and a harpy—probably wasn't her idea of fun.

'Do you think your life would have been better without all this mythological shit—er, I mean—stuff? If you didn't know it existed?'

'That's a tough question, honey. Do I ever wish things had been simpler? Yes, of course. And I won't deny that the mythological shit,' she winked at him, 'is complicated. But it's easy to blame the gods when really, that's just life. Life's complicated. You don't have to be a demigod for things to keep happening to you.'

He remembered then that her life had been pretty crappy even before she'd ended up a pregnant single mom with a child who had a big target painted on him. Still, could her life have been better if she hadn't met Poseidon, if her path had taken her straight to Paul and Joy without the detours around a delinquent son and an abusive husband?

'I wouldn't give any of it up,' his mom said firmly. 'No matter how hard or painful it was, meeting your dad gave me one of the best things in my life—you. And I wouldn't trade you for anything. Nothing worth having is easy, Percy.'

Percy knew she was right. If there was one thing he knew from all the battles he'd fought, it was that they made him appreciate what he had so much more. The friends he'd made—so loyal that they'd voluntarily descended into a land beyond hell just for him. Those friendships had been forged in quests and tempered by trials into a bond as powerful as the celestial bronze of Riptide. Their last trudge through Tartarus had only strengthened it further.

And he thought of Annabeth. He could hear her laugh rising above the chatter in the next room. He'd known forever that he wanted to build something permanent with her. Now, more than ever, he wanted to seal the deal. His eyes landed on the thin, gold band on his mom's ring finger. If his memories ever got stolen again, he wanted official proof that could remind him of what Annabeth meant to him.

His mom seemed to read his mind. 'I think if you don't pop the question, she might very well ask you.'

'We haven't really talked about it. I mean, we're only sophomores, and I don't even know if I'll make it to graduation, with all the stuff that keeps happening—'

'But you'll get there,' his mom promised. 'You know, when you were a kid, I used to tell you that you could do anything. And you survived everything your world threw at you, you passed high school, and you found a whole family sitting out there.' She waved her hand towards the living room. 'Look at how far you've come, Percy.'

Again, she was right. The future stretched out in his imagination: college graduation, Annabeth in a wedding dress, babies with black hair and grey eyes.

Percy wasn't Rachel; his visions didn't predict anything. But he could work towards making them come true.

The oven timer went off with a ding! His mom pulled out the cookie tray and refilled the empty plate.

'Nothing's impossible, Percy,' she said.

Percy looked down at the full plate. It was his mom's enduring, edible reminder that little miracles could and did happen.

'Cookies can be blue,' he said with a grin.

'Exactly.'

And together, bearing the full plate of blue cookies, Percy and his mom made their way back into the circle of love and family in the next room.

THE END

And that’s a wrap! The end of this massive project that got way out of hand. I actually wrote this epilogue twice. The first version involved Percy and Sally and a long angsty conversation, but it refused to come together and I realised ... well, I needed everyone together for the final curtain call. So here they are. Thank you for sticking with this story. I hope you've enjoyed the ride. I certainly have. And with that, I have to say one more enormous thank you to my betas, @supernaturally-percyjackson and @preciouschildrenofolympus or their help in whipping this monster of a fic into shape. They were an amazing team to have and I am so grateful for all the feedback they've given to help make this story better!

Also, if you haven't yet, go check out @preciouschildrenofolympus‘s amazing art for the story here and here!

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scarpool-gmk · 3 years

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Title: Godly Marine: Killed Author: Scarpool Fandom(s): NCIS, Percy Jackson & the Olympians Pairing(s): Gen Rating: PG/K+ Summary: Chapter 8 (10/13) — Staff Sergeant Michael Kahale, Marine Corps Mechanic and Son of Athena, was murdered. Annabeth Chase is determined to find out who did it and why. She, along with Percy Jackson, Grover Underwood, and Clarisse La Rue, infiltrate NCIS where they team up with NCIS Agents Leroy Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, and Ziva David. Complete Genre: Fanfiction, Mystery, Drama, Humour, General, Action Warnings: N/A

The ride to Botsaris’s get-a-way car was done as quickly as possible. Clarisse had grouched about Annabeth being driver and stole Percy’s claim to riding shotgun out of spite.

Typical.

For the demigods, getting out of the office couldn’t have come fast enough. Grover, however, had doubts.

“Are you really okay leaving now? They’re going to question Michael’s family. Shouldn’t we be there? It might help us in the case.”

Clarisse cracked her knuckles. “It might end it.”

Annabeth sighed. “The others will take care of it. They will find Michael’s killer.”

Clarisse stared at her. “You’d let the mortals completely take over the investigation?”

“Our priority is to make sure we are the ones to find General Botsaris and Monster Donuts.”

“Wait a second,” Percy said. “I thought the quest was to find out who killed Michael.”

“The more important objective is to find out what Michael was digging up,” Annabeth said. “Based on Michael’s notes, there is a huge monster threat here.”

“A-and you want to upset it?” Grover asked.

“That’s what your brother did,” Clarisse said, “And I’m not overly fond with the idea of turning out like him.”

“Hey!” Percy glowered at her. “Not cool.”

“Use the kelp in your soggy head, barnacle boy,” Clarisse growled. “We’ll be in their territory. We’ll be outnumbered and out armed. Michael said they were arms dealing with Mexican Cartels, which means they’ll have guns. We can’t be sure they’ll be stocked with celestial bullets, so we’ll be the ones with the holes, not them.”

“Then we shouldn’t rush in there,” Percy said. “We’ll need a plan.”

He looked at Annabeth expectedly.

Annabeth stayed silent, focusing on making a left turn.

“Um, w-we do have a plan, right?” Grover stuttered.

Annabeth took a breath. “Of course. It’s simple. We sneak in and do some reconnaissance. We keep quiet. In and out.”

Annabeth looked at Clarisse and Percy like they would be the most trouble to her plan.

‘In and out, low profile,’ Percy thought. ‘I can do that.’

“And making sure the mortals get the killer?” Clarisse said. “If it was actually a monster who killed Michael, what do you plan?”

Annabeth glanced at her. “I’m sure it was a mortal. They are seasoned investigators. We are not. We should let them do their jobs. We must do ours.”

“You trust them?” Clarisse asked.

“I do. So should you.”

Percy looked between them and decided to change the topic. “What did Chiron say about Rodriguez?”

It was the wrong thing to bring up. Annabeth scowled. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“He wanted me to hand over all of the IDs and footage we got. He wants to tell the families.”

“Sounds alright to me,” Grover said.

Percy saw Annabeth’s grip on the wheel tighten as her scowl deepened. He leaned forward and placed a hand on her arm. “What’s wrong?”

Percy felt better as she relaxed a little to the touch. “I’ve known him for too long. He was dismissing my questions. Avoiding giving answers. It’s not like him to hide important information.”

Percy scoffed.

“At least, not with me,” Annabeth added.

“Are you going to let him do that?” Clarisse asked.

“Sure.”

Clarisse narrowed her eyes at her.

Annabeth smirked. “But he didn’t say I couldn’t keep copies of the files.”

Clarisse leaned back into her seat with arms crossed. “I should have talked to him. I’d have gotten the sense out of him.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes and turned into a large parking lot.

“There it is.” Percy pointed. “The car Tony and Agent David saw.”

Annabeth parked the car, taking up three spots.

“A black 2007 Porsche 911,” Clarisse said.

“Fits the description,” Annabeth said. “Correct license plate.”

“Also has a police officer keeping tabs on it,” Grover noted.

The demigods looked up to see a cop car rolling to a stop.

“I don’t know,” Percy said. “They’re probably giving us a ticket for Annabeth’s parking.”

Annabeth gave an airy laugh. “This place is empty,” she said. “They probably won’t even say anything.”

The window rolled down.

“You the, uh, NCIS?” The woman said after a quick glance at her computer screen.

“Yeah,” Annabeth said, showing her ID and badge, prompting the rest to do the same. Not that it mattered as the officer hardly even gave it a glance.

“Street cams have it coming in here yesterday afternoon.”

“Thanks for calling us,” Annabeth said.

“Do you need a tow?”

Annabeth shook her head. “It’s part of an ongoing NCIS investigation. We’ll have it picked up as soon as we can.”

The cop shrugged. “No worries. You can take your time.” She drove off. However, she did say one last thing as she rode passed them. “Oh, and please only take one parking space.”

Grover grinned at Percy. “Nice.” They shared a fist bump. Annabeth grumbled as she got back in the car.

Clarisse looked around. “If Botsaris left his car here, where did he go?”

“Maybe he went into the mall or got picked up?” Percy said.

Clarisse disagreed. “No, not at the mall. Since he knows we are involved, he didn’t park too close to the Hydra nest. But, if he wanted to come back to his car, he would have wanted to be somewhat near it. Grover, see if you can get up something and look around.”

“Get on top of something?” Grover said. “Like what?”

“There’s a tree right there, Goat boy,” Clarisse said. “The car is fine. You can even get on top of Prissy.”

“Um, let’s not,” Percy said, hands up in surrender.

“The tree is fine,” Grover said. He kicked his shoes off. The fake feet followed right after. He hopped up the tree like, well, like a goat. It looked a bit funny, a professionally dressed guy with hooves for feet surveying the land on top of a tree in a parking lot. A bit surreal, too. Even considering all the things Percy had seen.

It took a few seconds, but eventually…

“I see it!” Grover said. He launched himself back down and thanked the tree.

Annabeth got out of the car. “What happened?”

“I found Monster Donuts!” Grover told her. He snatched the keys from her hand. “Come on!”

“But I just – ugh!”

Percy felt for her and tugged her along to sit by him. He explained what happened as Grover revved up the car and went back on the street.

“Woah,” Annabeth said, as they got closer. “I’ve never seen one so big.”

Percy coughed down a joke and leaned over to get a look. The doughnut store was nothing like the one Annabeth, Tyson, and he found years ago. This one was much larger. “It has a drive-thru?!” Percy exclaimed. Did monsters drive? Or did this one also cater to non-monsters?

“Hmm, but it’s closed,” Annabeth said, noting the large sign, closing the drive-thru off. “Grover, park over there. We don’t want to alert any monsters by parking right in front of them.”

Grover parked the car out in front of an electronics store two stores down. They grabbed their gear.

“Right,” Annabeth said as they snuck through the drive-thru, “A place this big will have a staff-only entrance at the back. I’m guessing that’s where they keep weapons and deal with Cartels.

“Clarisse, you’re with me. Going in through the front sounds like a bad idea, and it looks like the only door that isn’t at the front is that back door reserved for loading and staff. We’ll have to go through there. We should be out in twenty minutes. If that doesn’t happen and you don’t hear anything, regroup and try IMing us to get a grip on the situation. If it doesn’t connect, call Chiron and leave. Don’t go barging in.

“Percy, stay out here. See if anything loads in. Hopefully, no one goes in or out while Clarisse and I exit. If it happens, we might need your help. Grover, you’ll be posted at the front. Try not to be seen. See who enters. It’d be great if you can…”

Percy’s eyes started wandering. Oooh, a Boston Crème with chocolate icing.

“Percy! Stop looking at the menu and focus!”

Percy snapped back to attention. “Sorry, Annabeth.”

Annabeth sighed. “At least you understand your part of the plan, right?”

Percy nodded. “Stay out here on lookout. Be backup when you guys leave. Regroup after twenty minutes.”

‘And if you’re not out by then, barge in for a rescue.’

Annabeth nodded. “Let’s do this.”

They split up. Clarisse and Annabeth sneaking their way in, and Grover heading off to find his own place.

Percy went nowhere. This felt oddly familiar. Annabeth giving out orders. Annabeth going into enemy lines. Annabeth leaving him right on the edge of the enemy base. Ah, Percy got it.

‘It’s just another game of Capture the Flag for Annabeth,’ Percy thought. Why did he always get left in the middle?

Great, and now he could hear a car coming in.

Percy stopped. Was that car coming through the drive-thru? Wasn’t it closed? Wait a second. If someone was coming through the drive-thru, they had to come around back which was where-

Percy cursed when he realized he was just standing there. He would never hear the end of it if he was seen. He looked around for a hiding place. ‘Oh, not again.’ Percy forced his pride down and shoved himself in the tight place. Percy couldn’t tell which was worse. Being in the dumpster or stuffed in between two of them. At least when he had been in the dumpster, he had Tony’s company.

A black SUV came coasting through the road and stopped by the corner of the building. Percy watched as three people stepped out. The woman was carrying a briefcase.

For such a professional-looking ride, they didn't dress the part. All of them in casual clothes. The lady with the briefcase gazed around the back area. Percy tried to shrink himself further into the shadows.

They went up to the store’s back wall. But they weren’t anywhere near the back entrance. With one final glance behind her, the lady raised her fist and knocked on an unassuming part of the wall.

And just like magic, the wall opened to reveal a secret doorway.

Percy couldn’t see who opened the door. What he did know was that Annabeth and Clarisse definitely needed to know what was happening in this secret entrance. Annabeth probably wouldn’t want him to move, but this was a reconnaissance mission. What kind of information would he get from outside the secret hideout?

Percy pushed himself out from between the two dumpsters and ran over to the wall, after making sure no other surprise visitors were coming.

He inspected the area. He brushed his hand over the wall until he found it. A very small, straight chasm. Unnoticeable to those who didn’t know what to look for.

Percy went back to the trash to find anything he could use. He picked up a thin sheet of metal that had corroded off of the dump itself. That should do the trick. He went back to the secret door and tried opening it. He jimmied the metal piece through the small area. The door slid open. He was met with a small, dark hallway. He entered, closing the secret doorway on the way. Percy crept in.

A couple paces away, the path turned, and there was a door-sized opening.

Percy pressed himself to the wall and took a chance, braving a peak. He gulped.

Those were a lot of monsters. Tens of telekhines and dracaenae were standing in different places around the room. A few harpies hung from the ceiling. A Hydra was curled up in the far corner. The mortals either didn’t see them or didn’t care. They just kept walking to the center.

There, dozens of long cases were strapped on rolling two-wheelers. And with them, stood Markos Botsaris.

“Mr. Tarsibo,” the woman said, emotionlessly.

“Ah, Ms. Cuadra,” Botsaris said, going in to shake her hand, “How wonderful to see you again.”

Ms. Cuadra waved him off. “Sí, sí, sí. Just the deal, Mr. Tarsibo.”

Botsaris went to grab her case. “Of course. Business as usual. Now, for the rest of the money.”

Ms. Cuadra held the case away from him. “Where are the rovers? You usually have them set up out back.”

“Ah,” Botsaris said, “Yes, there has been a little mishap with the vehicle order.”

“Mishap?”

Botsaris spread his arms in a shrug. “We don’t have them.”

“You don’t have them?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then the deal is off,” Ms. Cuadra said. A couple dracaenae hissed, but the woman continued. “Reynosa would have the transfer she gave you up-front back.”

“The money cannot be recalled. Unfortunately, we do not have access to our vehicles at the moment. And won’t have for some time. Your car order has, at the moment, been canceled.”

The woman bristled. “We have been trusting you and doing business together for a while. Do not get on the Reynosa’s bad side.”

Botsaris didn’t look bothered. “We will, of course, try to send the cars you ordered as soon as we may get them, but…” Botsaris looked at the wall behind him towards the inside of Monster Donuts.

Percy froze. Had they been found out? Had he sensed Annabeth and Clarisse?

The lady chortled. “What? Don’t remember your excuse?”

Botsaris smiled. “I’m sorry. But it seems we must have a break in proceedings. We have uninvited guests.”

The building rumbled, and the sounds of gunfire began.

-Αντώνης-

Tony left the car door open as he and the rest of Gibbs’s team surrounded the very familiar black Porsche.

“That’s the car that tried to run us over, Boss,” Tony said.

“Call it in,” Gibbs said.

Tony looked at McGee, who nodded and took his phone out.

“What are we thinking, Boss?” Tony said. “Chase and her friends find anything in the car that leads to Tarsibo?”

“Car is locked,” Ziva said. “It’s abandoned and empty. They couldn’t have found out anything by it.”

Tony frowned. “So, where’d they go?”

Gibbs gestured behind him. “Officer.”

Tony turned to see a local enforcement officer stop her ride. She looked out her window with pursed lips. “Let me guess,” she said. “NCIS?”

Gibbs flashed his badge, which was pointless as the officer didn’t even look. “Thought so. No double parking.”

Tony looked at where the federal vehicle was. True, it was taking up two spaces. “But there’s no one here.”

He got an unimpressed look. “You know how many times I hear that?”

Tony started to sputter a rough estimate, but Gibbs spoke over him.

“There was another team that came over here. Know where they went?”

The officer cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t know where your co-workers are? Do you not like talking with each other?”

Gibbs shrugged. Tony forced a chuckle out. “Government employees, am I right?”

Her face showed that no, she did not agree. “I think I saw them going down that street. I can’t be sure, though. They had one of their agents climb up a tree.”

Gibbs lifted an eyebrow and looked at his team.

They all took a step back. Tony, McGee, and Ziva made their excuses at the same time.

“You know, I’ve just got this cramp in my legs- ooh. There it is.”

“Boss, I’ve never seen a tree before. I’m probably allergic.”

“I will light the tree on fire before I climb it. I’ll toss Tony in, though.”

The cop smirked. “Government employees, indeed.”

“Mmhmm,” Gibbs hummed and went back in the car.

Tony gladly followed. He almost didn’t have time to click in his seatbelt when Gibbs put the pedal to the metal and raced down the street.

“Where are we going?” McGee asked.

“Following a hunch.”

Tony and McGee shared a look. Gibbs’s gut.

“Gibbs,” Ziva said a minute later, pointing out the window, “Monster Donuts.”

Tony stared at the passing store. He had been searching this whole time! How did he miss that?

Gibbs turned into the nearest shopping area.

“Boss,” McGee said, “It’s Lima’s- er, Chase’s car.”

“They must have gone in already,” Tony said.

“Let’s go,” Gibbs said. They moved in on Monster Donuts on foot. Tony felt uncomfortable. Like they were being watched.

“It’s closed,” McGee said, noting the sign as they came up closer.

Gibbs tried the door. It didn’t open. Locked. He gestured to McGee.

“Not kicking down the door, Boss?” McGee asked.

Was he for real? Making snarky comments in this situation?

Gibbs’s eye twitched.

McGee withered. “Sorry.” He clicked his way through the lock, and they all filed in. The lights were off, and nobody was in the customer area. Seemingly empty. However, soft sounds came from behind the service counter.

Gibbs pointed at Ziva and signaled for a wedge formation. They went in. Gibbs taking flank, McGee watching six. There was a ton of equipment. Large tray stacks, fryers, a whole bunch of connecting rack wheels, conveyor belts. It was pretty cramped.

Ziva froze and held a fist up for the others to do the same. Tony watched with bated breath as she pressed herself against a large refrigerator. Ziva dropped to a crouch and waited a second. She suddenly whirled around and popped out of cover, gun at the ready.

Tony sighed through his nose when she gave the okay. Ziva made a hand sign. Tony frowned and took a peek behind the huge appliance.

A white poodle was lying down, stirring awake. Whoever put it there had cleared a really large space for it. It started to growl the instant it saw them. For such a small dog, it made the sound of a truck. Its beady eyes were murderous.

“Gibbs,” Ziva said quietly.

“I see it.”

Both had their guns drawn and pointed upwards. Tony didn’t see anything.

“What are you guys looking at?”

“Use your eyes,” Gibbs said.

“And let yourself believe,” Ziva added.

What? Tony looked back at the snarling dog. Use his eyes and believe was what they told him. Keep an open mind. It was essential for an investigator. Anything was possible.

And for perhaps the first time, Tony really looked. The white poodle faded away, replaced by a massive paw.

Tony drew in a long breath. He slowly tilted his head back, letting the air out in time.

He had no idea what he was seeing, but it was slobbering, had teeth almost the size of Tony’s head, and was much, much more menacing than the little poodle.

A small gasp to his right told Tony that McGee also saw it. His younger friend took a step back. For a scary moment, Tony thought he saw the dog smile.

“Easy,” Gibbs said.

“What is it?” Tony asked.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. “A hellhound.”

As if recognizing the word, the hound responded.

Its bark shook the building.

-Ανναβετη-

Annabeth couldn’t even act like she was surprised. She and Clarisse were already on there way back out when Hades broke loose. Out of all her plans to be garbled, it always had to be one of the more important ones.

They scrambled outside and were immediately on edge upon seeing a black SUV.

“It looks empty,” Clarisse said, “Where’s Percy?”

Annabeth eyed the tinted car warily. She could take a good guess.

A slab of the wall slammed open. Annabeth didn’t even jump, but Clarisse rounded on it in a flash.

Percy yelped when he saw the gun in his face.

“You,” Clarisse said. “Where have you been?”

“The secret meeting room,” Annabeth answered.

Percy gaped at her. “How’d you know that?”

“The dimensions of the place didn’t add up.” Honestly, who were they trying to fool?

“Well, Botsaris is there with a ton of monsters and some people from the Reynosa Cartel.”

Clarisse spat a curse. She hefted her spear off her back and expanded it to full length.

“They are coming out right now!” Percy said.

“Guys!” Grover scrambled to a stop. “It’s the team. They went in through the front.”

“Let’s grab them and go,” Percy said.

The secret hatch crashed open once again.

“Go?” A dracaena hissed. “No one’ssss going any-“

She let a short wail as something gutted her stomach.

“Oh, someone’s going alright.” Clarisse bared her teeth. “But it sure as Hades ain’t gonna be me.” She twisted her spear, and the snake dissolved to dust.

The man who had stood behind the dracaena growled. Clarisse readied her spear as the man did the same with his own weapon.

Percy’s eyes went wide. “Gun!” he shouted. He grabbed Clarisse by the collar and dragged her away just before the shot came out.

Annabeth took cover with Grover behind the SUV. Clarisse and Percy joined them a second later. She took out her gun, prepped it, and fired a few shots. She missed the mortals but at least got them scrambling for their own cover. They weren’t the only ones with guns.

Clarisse followed her lead, taking shots at monsters. While being unable to kill immortals, regular bullets could still pack a mean punch. As they fell, vines and roots grew from the ground to keep them in place.

Annabeth looked at Percy. He had his sword out, but it was pretty out of place in a gunfight. “Percy,” Annabeth called, “The NCIS team. Go to the front and help them.”

“I would, but,” he ducked as an arrow chipped the car’s hood. “How am I going to get passed this?”

Annabeth thought for a second. “We’ll need a big distraction. Grover, can you get us something big?”

Grover paused his reed pipe rendition of ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams.’ “I’ll try, but I don’t really know. Having to keep all this playing up is making me tired.”

Shoot.

“What’s plan B?” Grover asked.

“We fight!” Clarisse said, unloading a couple shots.

“Actually, that’s plan E,” Annabeth said.

“Whatever.”

“Try anyway,” Annabeth told Grover. “Percy, just help while I figure this out.”

Percy’s brows scrunched up. He looked down at Riptide. “How?”

“Use your gun!”

He nodded at her and pried it out. He crouched over his cover and pulled the trigger.

Nothing came out. Percy looked at his gun in shock. Annabeth facepalmed. “Percy! The safety!”

“The what?!” Percy held out his gun. “How in Hades do you use this thing?!”

Clarisse snatched it away. “Give me that, doofus.”

“Hey!” Percy made to retaliate but had to dive down as a flurry of bullets came his way.

Annabeth watched as Percy screwed eyes tight. There was a squeal of metal. And suddenly, the barrage died out. Pipes burst from the doughnut store and sprung from the ground, water gushing out.

A harpy took its chance at the pause of gunfire and arrows. It swooped down on them. It didn’t get far. And it screamed as an electric spear pinned its wing to the ground.

“Percy!” Annabeth said, “You’re amazing!”

“I am?”

“You just made the distraction!” Annabeth gave him her spare knife. “Give this to one of the NCIS mortals.”

Clarisse also threw him a knife.

“You keep spare knives?” Percy asked.

“Always carry a spare knife!” The two girls said.

“Now, go! We’ll cover you.” Annabeth pushed him out.

They turned back to the horde of damp monsters and made sure Percy made it out of the fight zone.

“Hopefully, the mortals can help us out,” Grover said.

“I hope they don’t shoot at us.” Clarisse paused for a second, reloading a magazine. “Or die before they get the chance to.”

Annabeth said nothing. They shared a nod and, together, popped out and fired their rounds. Annabeth focused on the mortals. Although few of the monsters also carried firepower, their aim proved to be atrocious. Most likely attributed because their flippers and snake-limbs were not taken into consideration when guns were made.

Clarisse ignored the mortals entirely and let her bullets fly to Botsaris, who simply hid behind a telekhine, causing it to take each hit.

“Letting others take the shots!” Clarisse yelled. “What kind of son of Ares are you?”

Botsaris smiled at her. “I’m not a son of Ares.”

-Αντώνης-

Tony dodged a snap of teeth that would have cut him in half. Barely.

Tony almost went for the holstered gun at his hip, again. Not that it would do anything. Gibbs had ordered them to hold off after firing a couple shots at the beast proved to do no damage.

A knife flew by him and would have gone hilt deep into the dog’s head had it not been indestructible.

Ziva cursed behind him. Well, Tony had to give her kudos. It was one hell of a nice throw and had the absolutely wonderful effect of pissing the beast off even more.

Now, it really wanted to kill them, starting with Ziva. And Tony just happened to be in its way.

“Go!” he shouted.

He grabbed a spatula and held it like a bat.

“Come on. Come on,” He muttered, hoping to God that the hellhound didn’t actually do it. But it did.

This was it, Tony realized. He was going to die by dog. How pathetic. He always thought that this was how McGee would go. But if McGee, Ziva, and Gibbs survived because he, Very Special NCIS Agent Anthony DiNozzo, made the sacrifice, then that’s what he would do.

Tony was about to swing his flimsy weapon and get himself eaten while totally not screaming when something slipped by him. No, not something. Someone. A flash of bronze sliced in front of the hound. It let out a yelp, and a gold ooze ran into its furry chest. The hellhound swiped a massive paw at the new attacker. But the boy just flipped over it.

Tony stared. That was Jackson! He was fighting a massive dog beast with a sword! And doing some epic parkour, too. Wow, he was pretty impressive!

At some point, Percy had managed to get on top of the beast. With both hands on the hilt and a victorious yell, he thrust his sword into the dog’s neck.

The dog let out a whimper before rupturing to dust.

Percy landed on the ground, covered in gold dead-monster sand. If his brain was working properly, Tony would have thought that the scene he just saw explained a lot.

“Aw, did you have to kill him?” A voice called out. Tony turned around. A lumbering figure came out from the back. A man as big as a bear stepped into the destroyed area. He was wearing a colorful uniform and an apron that read, ‘Donut panic! I’m Cooking!’. According to the name tag, his name was Steve. “He just wanted to play.”

Tony swallowed. The man had arms thicker than turkey legs. And he could probably wield a spatula a lot better than Tony could. But what was really having him freak out was the one, big eyeball that was stuck right above his nose.

“Heh, you know, we got that dog when we figured out someone was sneaking around. Placed him right by the entrance.”

Jackson frowned. “So, why didn’t you put one by the back door, too?”

The cyclops blinked his one big eye. “Uhhhh….”

‘Thunk!’

Tony watched in a repulsive fascination as that great big eye rolled backward. Its owner struck to the floor.

Gibbs stood behind the body, a huge rolling pin in his hands.

Jackson blinked in surprise, then smirked. “Looks like you’ve got yourselves covered.” He dropped down two bronze knives. “Your weapons won’t work. Use these.” And before anyone could say anything, he rushed out back again.

Gibbs twirled the wooden utensil in his hands.

“Boss,” Tony gaped, “You just knocked out a Cyclops!”

Gibbs’s lips curled. “Yeah. I did.”

Tony, Ziva, and Tim could only stand and watch as Gibbs turned and followed Jackson to the store’s back.

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#scarpool #fanfic #fanfiction #Godly Marine: Killed #NCIS #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #PJO #Crossover #gen fic #PG/K+#Writing #Complete

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