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twoidiotwriters1 · 7 months

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Daughter of Olympus (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: One thing I love about these two is how blatant they are about their feelings, there is no hesitation (there is a lot and is drowning them) -Danny Words: 2,634 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter / Next Chapter Listen to: 'Message In A Bottle' -by Taylor Swift

XXVII: I Don't Have High Hopes but I Think Leara Should Be Our Ship Name

"You remember when Annabeth explained to us how Athena kids are born?"

"Yeah?"

"I get it now," Ara mumbles absentmindedly. "The meeting of minds thing."

Lily peers over the chariot. "What?"

"I've got a crush," Ara tightens the nave, hunching so she doesn't have to face Lily.

Her friend gasps and pulls Ara up, dragging her to a tall bench. "Who is it? You always go for the craziest option available!"

"That's not true!" She scowls.

"I always thought Aphrodite kids had good taste, but you don't."

"I'll ignore that," Ara leaves her tools on the workbench. "Cause I really wanna tell you."

Lily smiles eagerly. "Okay. I'm listening."

"Well... It's a boy."

"Yikes," she sits on the bench next to Ara's and supports her elbow on the workbench. "Do I know him?"

"Yeah, er... just met him."

"Oh," Lily's expression shifts. "Oh no, Ara."

"What?" She pouts. "You can't say that's a bad pick!"

Her friend wrinkles her nose. "Leo Valdez? Are you sure?"

"You don't approve," Ara sighs knowingly.

Lily rolls her eyes. "I get why you like him... but is he really the safe option?"

"Lily!"

"Well," she frowns. "All I'm saying is, you get along with Jason just the same!"

Ara's taken by surprise. "Jason?"

"Why not?" Her friend insists. "Your siblings love him, like, they're obsessed—"

"Piper likes him, Lily," Ara makes a face.

"Ugh, fine! But Leo is bound to get you hurt," Lily explains like it's obvious.

"No, he wouldn't! Why would you even think that?" Ara's getting upset for no reason, she has to wrap it up.

Lily crosses her arms and Ara knows she's in for a lecture. "He's insane, Ara. Have you talked to him for more than just five minutes? I have the feeling he doesn't even like people at all."

"That's not fair, you don't like talking to people either," she reminds her.

"Yeah, but I like you, and I make an effort for you," she insists in an exasperated voice. "Nothing against him, he just doesn't have time to be a good boyfriend, and you know it. Don't pursue him, Ara."

Telling Ara she can't do something is giving her entrance to prove others wrong. "But I like him, isn't that enough?"

"Listen, if you date Leo, you won't be his priority," Lily tries to reason. "You shouldn't settle for the bare minimum. Also, you're Olympus's go-to girl—"

"This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you," Ara snaps defensively. "You go on about common sense like it's so easy. I know better."

It's not up to her to decide anymore, Leo's soul light matches hers, and all she can do is come to terms with it. Lily's observations aren't wrong, but she doesn't understand just how much of a dead end Ara is facing.

Lily's eyes darken. "Right, because you have always made the right choice."

Ara knows what she's insinuating, and she won't allow it. "Thank you for helping me with the chariot, you're dismissed for the day."

"Naí, Strategus."

Lily grabs her stuff so she can leave, but someone else storms into the room before that can happen.

"I'm going to gut you!" Nico Di Angelo stops in front of Ara, holding the old aviator jacket to her face.

We convince Nico to stay for the rest of the summer, but it doesn't matter how much we try to include him in our routine, he doesn't like it here.

Lily hands him a bag with food and drachmas. "Thank you for helping us this summer."

"You won't try to stop me from leaving?" He asks reluctantly.

"We know you'll be careful," I smile. "Ghost King."

Nico makes a face. "Shut up."

"It suits you," Lily teases him. "It's an honor to be friends with a king."

"Whatever," he turns away.

"You didn't deny we're friends, though!" I laugh. "Wait! We have one last favor to ask you!"

He glances back over his shoulder. "What?"

"Look for the children of Olympus!"

"What's that?"

"Nothing important, just... if you contact any of them, ask them how they became it. Heracles and Achilles."

Nico's face is hard to read, but he nods. "I'll try."

"See you later, Neeks!"

"Maybe," he replies shortly.

Percy runs into us at that moment. Lily goes away claiming she has business to attend to with the Stolls, but I know she wants to be sad in private. Nico's the only kid who resembles her around here, and now he's leaving, claiming this is not his place. I wonder what that makes her think.

Mr D asks Percy and me to walk with him. He takes us to the campfire, where Clarisse and Chris are having a moment.

Percy doesn't understand Mr. D's sudden change of heart, but I do.

"...remember that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword. As a mortal, I was never a great fighter or athlete or poet. I only made wine. The people in my village laughed at me. They said I would never amount to anything. Look at me now. Sometimes small things can become very large indeed." He gives me a look. "That weapon you carry is flashy... Make sure it doesn't dim your brains."

He leaves us, and I stare at the purple aura surrounding Clarisse and Chris. Percy speaks beside me. "Hey! That's right, you got a sword!"

I smile. "Hephaestus gave it to me. It's called Pantodýnamos."

Percy cocks his head to the side. "That's weird... I feel like I've heard that before."

"Almighty? Yeah, about a hundred times in every book of ancient history."

"Right," he grins. "And it sure is almighty, I saw you killing all those monsters—How did it feel?"

"Like small things can become very large indeed," I quote for Percy's amusement.

He pauses for a moment, suddenly worried. "But why did Hephaestus give it to you? He didn't seem to like you at first."

I open my mouth to reply, but I'm his little sister, he'll freak out if I tell him what my fate is. "I guess he changed his mind," I lie. "Maybe he likes that I chose him over my mother."

Percy seems to believe it. "Well, I feel better knowing you have a good way to defend yourself."

He ruffles my hair and walks me to the campfire. Lily's with the Stolls, next to her is Michael, and he's staring at me. When we lock eyes he smiles and winks. I look away feeling self-conscious, and a golden light brightens my skin.

"Oh, crap..." I mutter in distress.

During the campfire, Ara realizes Leo is nowhere to be found. It comes to her that if he's not here then he probably didn't have dinner either, and she can't ignore that.

The girl leaves the amphitheater and goes to get drinks and her on-the-verge-of-dying T-Rex bag, then approaches the forest, where she whistles and Apollo is quick to appear on her side. Ara rides him to the bunker, it's dark out and she's not looking to fight monsters at this hour.

She enters the bunker quietly, all the lights are off with the exception of one on top of Festus's platform, next to it Leo is scribbling something on a blueprint.

"Holy, Hephaestus!" Ara gasps. Before her, the ship's shell is already being built.

Leo gives a start. "Hi, doll!" He hastily tries to clean his workspace. "I know, I know, dinner time. Let me just—"

"Dinner was two hours ago," Ara walks up to him.

"Oh," he blinks. "Whoops."

The girl places a soda and a sandwich on his workbench. "You forget to eat and your reaction is 'Whoops'?"

"You can't judge me, Miss 'Huh'," Leo grabs the food. "I just thought—"

"You can think?" Ara sits on the platform and pats Festus' head, Apollo curls next to Leo's workbench ready to take a nap.

"Ha ha," Leo rolls his eyes. "I'm a genius, you know..."

"Don't get too comfy, boy," she speaks to her lion. "We'll head back in a moment."

Leo pouts. "You're leaving already?"

"You're coming with us," she raises a brow. "I can't let you stay here."

"You're no fun," he sighs. "My mom and I used to sleep in her workshop sometimes."

"You have a good bed in cabin nine," she insists calmly. "And I'm a fun girl, you just push my buttons."

"I've noticed," Leo smirks. "But you keep coming back, so maybe I don't push them enough."

"Hm," Ara looks around curiously. The bunker's full of life already; Annabeth was right after all, she's dying to work here. "Anyway, hurry up and eat. I gotta leave Apollo with the pegasus, he'll spend the night chasing the poor harpies otherwise."

Leo makes a face. "You know how batshit that sounds?"

Ara smiles a little. "You'll get used to it eventually."

Leo walks over to where she is. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Is it true what they say? That you can't fall in love?"

Ara laughs. "Who says that?"

"Malcolm."

She shakes her head. "No! That's nuts!"

"It's not true?" He asks, sitting next to her.

Ara notices the faint glow of his skin. "Love is the one thing that keeps me going."

He tilts his head. "Really?"

"I mean, if I were incapable of loving, my life would be pointless."

"So you're willing to date?" His voice turns a bit hopeful. "Let's say, a mechanic genius with amazing looks?"

"Are you asking me out?" She inquires with amusement.

"Yeah, I think I am," Ara's shoulder is touching his, and Leo's breath catches in his throat as he leans closer.

"Leo..." Ara's not sure this is how she wants things to happen. "I... I..."

A playful smirk appears on the boy's face. "Are you about to confess? It'd be great if you said something like 'You're so attractive it makes me insane', even if it's a lie."

"Are you teaching me how to flirt with you?" Ara's head is spinning but his teasing annoys her enough to clear her head.

"You look like you need help. And you're not threatening to maim me for sitting this close to you like the day we met," Heat spreads across his cheeks, and he finishes the sentence quietly. "I can stop if you want."

Ara blushes, looking down at where their hands are placed, one next to the other. "I've gotten used to you, that's all..."

Leo glances at their hands and he lightly touches hers with the tip of his pinky. He looks up to her eyes and waits. She's not doing anything, but his heart is throbbing painfully as he sits in expectation.

"You're doing a great job here, by the way," Ara tells him.

Leo nods, not listening to a single word of what she just said. He moves slightly closer, closing the gap between them until their faces are just a few inches apart. The boy tilts his head and softly brushes his lips against hers for a brief moment.

The proximity makes him so dizzy he pushes himself away almost instantly. He's in honest disbelief, no girl had ever allowed him to get that close, he nearly wants to ask Ara if she's in her right mind.

In spite of his attempt to stop, their noses are still brushing. He's right there, he could kiss her if he wanted to, and he is dying to, but he wants her permission.

"I know I don't know a lot about you," he places his hand on top of hers. "But since I met you I've had this feeling... I don't even know what it means, but I'll try my best to be whatever you want, just..."

Ara wants to kiss him so badly that her chest hurts. The girl clears her throat and moves away, desperately trying to de-escalate the situation. "I don't date guys that could set me on fire, though."

For a moment, the sound of his heart pounding is all Leo can hear and process. Then Ara's breathing, slow and strained. It takes him a while to make sense of her words.

The way she's acting gives him hope. He feels so close to getting all he ever wanted, even if he doesn't even know what that entails.

He moves away too, trying to calm down. He drinks half of his Coke in one gulp. "You're gonna talk about cons? Let me talk about yours, then."

Ara's mouth falls open. "You've known me for like three days!"

"Six, actually," he replies. "So it's a looong list." Ara punches his shoulder. "Ouch! That a yes or a no?" Leo laughs, he can't help but think how cute she looks when she's pouting.

"I'll give you one and you gotta say one in turn, alright?" She replies. "Let's see who's got more."

A devilish look appears on Leo's face. He tilts his head slightly. "You're bossy."

"You're a flirt with every girl you find pretty."

He grins. "That sounds more like a compliment."

"It's not."

"Are you sure?"

"Just give me a con!"

"You're impatient."

"Some of your jokes are cringe."

Leo gasps, pretending to be insulted. "That's harsh."

"I give you permission to be a little harsh, then," Ara grins.

"Alright. You're a terrible flirt."

Ara responds with a feisty look in her eyes. "You have no proper strength for a demigod."

"Dang, now this is just roasting," Leo takes a bite of his sandwich. "My powers are a work in progress, sunshine. I'd try my best to protect you though, if that counts for anything."

Ara sighs and stares at her feet. "If you're not sure you can, then don't do it," the girl nudges his arm. "Your turn. You said you had a long list, right?"

"I was lying," he admits casually. "But feel free to keep going, I need the reality check."

Ara groans and looks away. "I ran out of cons too."

Leo pats her knee. "At least we tried. Now what?"

Ara's knee is tingling where he touched it. "I'm not a flirt," she blurts out. "Silena taught me to be kind and hand out compliments to everyone. If I'm a terrible flirt it's cause I've never tried to flirt with anyone, this is just how I am."

Ara is kind of weird, but Leo is starting to get her. She isn't as hard to understand as most people, maybe cause she always says what she means. "I'm a bit of a flirt," he replies, "but I try not to flirt with you at all, 'cause if you were to flirt back, I'm pretty sure I'd drop dead."

Ara giggles, her face is as red as the strawberries they grow in camp, but she doesn't seem to mind. "You're so dramatic—But you make me laugh, like, real laughter. Can't do that easily nowadays..."

"Wow," he says, trying to sound like he's joking. "You like me a lot."

He lets the statement sink in, giving her the opportunity to deliver a firm rejection.

"I never said I didn't."

"What?" There is a whirlwind of emotions inside of him, too much data has entered his hard drive. He can't even feel his face at this point. "What do you mean?" He urges her. "Cause it's kinda sounding like you've got feelings for me—"

"I know how it sounds," Ara scowls.

"But... then..." He stammers.

Ara fixes her eyes on the lion. A sudden wave of panic is making her second-guess everything, maybe she should follow Lily's advice.

"Listen, Leo... You have a ship to build, and I have to find my brother. Those are the priorities. After that, we have to defeat Miss Dirt-face. We don't have time for feelings."

It's like she's trying to convince herself, but what he hates the most is that it's true, and it hurts like hell. The first time he meets a cute girl who's attracted to him, and they can't be together. His life is just that great.

"Right. Let's focus on the prophecies now, and maybe if we survive that, we can think about dating," he replies, sounding overly sarcastic. "Sorry for asking..." Every fiber in his body wants to scream. Is he destined to be rejected even by the people who want to choose differently?

Ara gets up as gracefully as possible. "Please, don't stay here for long. Go to sleep."

She heads to the door in silence. The boy doesn't go after her, all he does is reply under his breath. "See you."

Pollo gets up and follows Ara out of the bunker, leaving Leo alone with his longing.

Next Chapter ->

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @ash-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris

#twoidiots writing #pjo fanfic #pjo hoo toa #pjo fandom #percy jackson and the olympians #leo valdez x oc #leo valdez fanfic #doo

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gil-shalossssss · 1 year

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Okay so I just has the most fun brain vacation ever thinking about the Percy Jackson demigods watching Disney's Hercules. I love Hercules, not gonna lie, but it's... less than accurate. No interpretation of the myths are 100% accurate, including Percy Jackson. It was funny because these universes are just so unmeshable.

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Hazel, Nico, Jason, Thalia, Leo, Will, Calypso, Reyna, Piper, Apollo, and Meg are piled in Percy's living room watching this

All of them are just quiet and watching (slightly confused) until they figure out that the pink lady is supposed to be Hera. Then everyone goes BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! so loud Percy's mom comes in to check on them. Obviously Meg doesn't know Hera, but she's gonna boo anyway bc why wouldn't she.

Nobody can keep a straight face when they realize that the blue dweeb is supposed to be Hermes, especially not Apollo. And do I even need to tell you how they react to Dionysius's design?

Nico continually mutters throughout the Underworld scenes. "The Underworld doesn't look like that. What place is that supposed to be? Why Charon rowing Hades across the Styx, and why is he just a skeleton? Who are these two demony dudes? Cerebrus is a lot cuter than that. Etc. Etc. Etc." Eventually everyone just tunes him out.

Grover makes some comment about Penelope the donkey and how nice Hercules is for stepping in for her

Annabeth is also making observations and corrections throughout the movie, and they also tune her out for the most part. We got two constant commentaries going on

Thalia starts laughing SO HARD when Zeus's statue comes to life and says endearing things to Hercules and does not stop until Hercules leaves the temple bc she can't actually imagine her father saying these things to anyone. Apollo tries so hard to not laugh and fails, and Jason just sits there with his poker face

Hercules: If you're my father, then that would make me a...

Everyone in the room: A demigod.

Zeus: A god.

Everyone: ?????

Grover sees Phil and is like "Satyrs aren't that sort do I look that short?"

Everybody cracks up at Phil's impersonation of Zeus reading a bedtime story

Piper and Jason both go "Poor Achelous he's getting misrepresented he's not mean he's just sad."

Meg considers herself superior to movie Meg, but pretty much everyone likes movie Meg

Percy is far too excited during the fight with the hydra. Like he has the most dramatic reactions and everyone else is just going "wtf Percy" I haven't decided if he's rooting for the Hydra or for Hercules

Nico has finally accepted that this is just a person they decided to name Hades and has no actual resemblance to his father

Everyone yells at Hercules for giving up his strength. Then Leo starts teasing Piper about not encouraging him to do it bc it's for Meg and love and stuff and she smacks him

Everyone is extremely confused about why the Titans are under the ocean and why Hades is releasing them. Piper goes, "No don't set them free you idiot!" to which Leo says, "Why, does he have a crush on them?" and earns himself an exasperated sigh and an eye roll

Everyone laughs when the Titans are unleashed bc I mean they are moving mounds of element and don't fit any Titan at all

They've just recovered when Leo goes, "FrEeEEeeEze zuEeS" and Reyna has to pause the movie so they can laugh and not miss stuff

Nobody is happy when the pillar smushes Meg

Nico wants to know where this is that Meg is bc it doesn't look at all like Asphodel

Nobody understands how Hercules got regodded

Hercules's homecoming scene is completely drowned out by boos for Hera

However, they do catch, "I'd like to stay on earth with Meg" which gets everything from "ew why" (Meg) to "awww" (Grover) to "That's not how it went" (Annabeth) to "He did a Percy!" (Will)

Reyna, Leo, Hazel, Jason, and Meg require him to explain because whAt Percy rejected immortality?

The end. It was fun. Definitely not gonna watch it again with Annabeth or Nico, but maybe without them :)

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fbfh · 3 years

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I mean, you did ask - leo x reader

all characters are aged up to 18+ for smexy subtext

word count: 2k

pairing: leo x gn child of calliope reader

genre: adventure, romance, hints at a lowkey soulmate au

summary: after a bumpy reunion turned interrogation with your friends, you finally prove to Leo that you’re someone worth catching up with

warnings: swearing, friends hold you at knife point (for good reason) memory loss, dimesion/reality travel, the phrase “horrible sexy little goose” not about an actual animal, moderate time difference between worlds, reader is acting like a cocky piece of shit half the time, you call yourself sexy a lot, annabeth slaps reader and reader is unbothered, reader and leo hae very visceral reactions upon seeing each other, piper picks up on this, moderately aggressive face grabbing, discussing personal info with someone somewhat privately, brief mentions of hand holding and hair pulling during sex, you spill tea about the rest of the demisquad, I think that’s it pls tell me if I missed any

song rec: choke - i don’t know how but they found me

a/n: this is from a very vivid daydream I had so er ah if reader seems op coded that’s cause she is uwu

You were excited to reunite with your friends after so long, but being tied up and held hostage at knifepoint by the people you love who don’t even remember you wasn’t the welcome wagon you were hoping for. Then again, as a child of Calliope, you can’t say you’re surprised.

Apollo has a lot of kids, but demigod children of the muses are exceptionally less common. They’re volatile, really powerful, extremely engrossed in their art, and usually care more about their latest thesis paper or painting or manuscript than going on quests, and more often than not have very specific powers. You, for example, love quests but feel like you never get to go on any, usually because you’re fighting monsters somewhere else. One fun little power you inherited from your mom is - somewhat involuntary - dimension shifting.

A lot of times you just get summoned somewhere else, with a little inherent background knowledge and your weapon, set free into the new world like a horrible sexy little goose. There’s usually some kind of objective you need to meet; find this person, set something in motion, give someone support in a time of need, deliver a package. After that, you get sent back to your family at camp half blood. The catch, one of them at least, is that a few days Somewhere Else could be no more than a few minutes in your homeverse.

Another catch is that because of all that, and the fact that you wouldn’t know how to begin explaining, let alone if anyone would believe you, no one knows you can do this yet. Chiron has an idea, but you’ve never told anyone outright.

You guess now is as good of a time as any to come clean, as Percy holds his sword threateningly close to your neck. You let out a disbelieving laugh, and bite the inside of your cheek.

“Okay, okay… you want the truth?” he starts to back off, and you continue, leaning forward, “I’m not surprised you’d want to know where someone this sexy-” your words cut off as Annabeth’s hand slaps you across the face. You let out a laugh of disbelief, cheek stinging.

“A cheap shot, Annabeth? Wow, I really didn’t take you for the type,” she grabs your face, leaning in close, knife once again against your throat.

"How do you know my name." She hisses, and behind her, the door opens. Messy dark curls peek over her head in your vision and you know instantly who it is. Your heart starts pounding, loud and hard, and something heavy starts swirling deep in your gut. Your eyes lock as soon as he enters the room and an instinctive smile blooms on your face, knowing what's inevitably on its way.

"Hey Sparky…"

Your voice, slow and drawling (and, he'd be lying if he didn't say kind of very sexy) impales him as soon as he enters the room. He watches your pupils expand, eyes locked, immediately swept away by your magnetic aura. A fox like grin decorates your pretty face, and he gets the feeling you know more than you let on. Way more. He's so drawn to you on a guttural level, way more than he's ever been to someone before. His face is hot, and when you slowly wink at him, he feels flames erupt on his cheeks. It takes him a second to put it out, feeling your white hot gaze on him the entire time.

Piper, who's been helping with your interrogation, looks back and forth between you two as this progresses, taking in a breath and mumbling a shocked, "Oh," as she begins to understand.

"How are those repairs coming?" Jason asks, oblivious to everything that's happening between you two.

"Uh… nearly done…" Leo mutters, watching as you hold back an elated giggle at the sound of his voice. You never forget how good it feels to see him again, but the fresh feeling is always better than you can imagine. Jason glances between you two, and walks over to Leo, suspicious of your interest in him.

"I'll walk you back," Jason says, glaring at you. Your eyes stay locked with Leo's until the door finally closes again. Piper stares at you, bewildered by the tension turned to frantic energy crackling around both you and Leo. She can sense it on him even after he's out of the room.

Annabeth finally drops your face, pacing and pinching the bridge of her nose. Percy slams him hands down on the table and levels his face with yours.

"I'm gonna ask you one last time. How do you know us?"

You stare at the table for a second, still thinking about him. You have to see him again. You’ve waited for too long, you just can’t do it anymore.

“H- okay. Um,” You blink a few times, facade falling away almost instantly as you look up in a silent prayer that this doesn’t go as badly as you feel like it will. You sigh, looking back up at the other people in the room, a new, deliberate intention in your eyes that they hadn’t seen before.

“You want to know why I’m here?”

Their answer is the silence that follows.

“You’re not gonna believe me.” They look around at each other, collectively thinking about everything they’ve been through in the last year alone.

“Try us.” Annabeth replies. You sigh again, and introduce yourself. “...I’m a child of Calliope, muse of epic poetry, and I know you all because we grew up together. One of the fun - quirks, I inherited from my mom is traveling into different stories, or realities, I guess. It’s hard to control, and sometimes happens involuntarily. I adapt to wherever I am, and the universe sort of auto adjusts to follow the rules that stories have to follow.

The reason you don’t remember me is because I was gone for a really long time, and your story had to keep going. Trying to find me wouldn’t have moved the plot forward, questioning where I went would have been confusing, so it did the simplest thing and edited me out so you could get closer to meeting your objectives.”

Once again, their silence is your answer.

“Guys, sidebar.” Annabeth says, pulling Percy, Jason, and Piper out of the room for a moment. The come back in a little while later, and she looks you dead in the eye.

“If you really know us as well as you say you do, prove it. Tell us you’d only know if we were as close as you say we were.”

You sigh yet again, having lost count at how many times that’s happened today alone. You roll your shoulders and bob your head, irritable that you’re still restrained and itching to move.

“Is there anything we can do before the whole tell me something really personal thing?”

Percy looks at you, challenging.

“Can you do it or not?”

Another noise of exasperation leaves you, and you agree, resignation all over your face.

“You know what, yeah. Okay, we’re doing this. Someone go get Leo.” An involuntary smile once again launches onto your face at the mention of his name. Jason starts to object.

“Hey, I’m not going to spill something personal about someone when they’re not in the room.” They agree reluctantly, and Jason leaves, returning again with Leo. You look at him again, enraptured by his presence. He can’t say he doesn’t like the attention - a hottie like you looking at him like that? Yes, please - but something about it feels different, and he gets the feeling there’s a lot more going on than they’re aware of.

You nod your head once, indicating for him to come closer. He gets a little closer. You widen your eyes, nodding two more times, and he hesitantly gets within whispering distance.

You turn your head to your left, dangerously close to his face. He can feel his pulse already speeding up. Heat radiates between your faces, your breath fanning over his neck as you whisper slowly,

“You really… really like holding hands, and when I pull your hair during sex.”

He pulls away from you quickly, beet red, bewildered expression obvious to everyone in the room. “H-how-”

“How do you think?” You reply calmly, loving everything about him, “Okay, to be fair…” you nod once more, eyes flaring, and he leans in once again, equally hesitant and curious. Your words tickle his ear, seeming to light up his entire nervous system like a firecracker.

“I really really like when you bite that spot on my neck, just below my ear.”

He pulls away again, trying not to literally and figuratively combust. He stares in your eyes intensely, searching for anything besides the truth. He finds absolutely nothing. He turns around, unable to look his friends in the eye.

“They’re legit, guys.”

“Wait, what did you say to him?” Piper asks, unsure if she wants to know the answer.

“Yeah,” Annabeth agrees, “what if it’s some kind of mind control-” Your deep, burning desire to finally hold Leo after god knows how long is starting to beat your better judgement, and you really, really want to be untied from this stupid chair. “Annabeth! Your favorite show was Cyber Chase growing up, you used to come up with plans on how to defeat Hacker, your best was cutting off his food supply - good strategy, I’ve used it before, myself.

Percy, you feel like you can’t sing because you were forced to participate in an elementary school recital and some kid called you tonedeaf behind your back, it kicked you right in the RSD balls.

Piper, you’re a closet weeb, you watched Ouran High School Host club obsessively and still do sometimes, you fell for Jason because he had, quote, 'Tamaki's looks and Kyoya's brains, the ideal man'.

Jason, that scar on your lip is from biting a stapler as a child-"

"Okay, everyone knows that-"

"-and," you continue, showing no signs of stopping, "the reason you ate the stapler is because you were pretending to be a trash compactor because you saw one on TV.

Nico is totally not right outside the door keeping guard right now, but if he were and you asked him if he likes the diary of a wimpy kid movies he'll ask how the hell you know that - should I continue."

Again, the answers are in the silence hovering in the room.

“I think it’s about time to catch me up on what I missed.”

A beat passes.

“Right,” Annabeth says, blinking and readjusting her ponytail as she sits down across from you, Percy already taking the bindings off of your wrists, “so, about the quest…”

She starts to fill you in on the details you missed, bringing you up to speed. After a little while you all decide to call it a night. Piper senses your energy ramping up in spite of the exhaustion settling in. You finally bid them all good night, but Piper’s not sold by your forced yawns. After what feels like another lifetime, you finally leave the room you’ve been in for hours with one objective.

You can’t stay away from him anymore, you have to find Leo.

After navigating a maze of hallways and doors, you finally push open the right one to see him looking up at you, and find yourself saying for the second time tonight,

“Hey, Sparky…”

His heart is racing, and he gets that heavy, full feeling in his chest again, not having fully shaken it from the last time you saw each other. Looking into your eyes makes him nostalgic for something he can’t quite remember, and he knows with full certainty that you have more history than he’s aware of. He wants more than anything in this moment to remember. He sets down the wrench in his hand, taking a step toward you.

“Hey…”

#leo x reader #leo valdez x reader #leo valdez #heroes of olympus #heroes of olympus x reader

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thebigqueer · 3 years

Text

I'll Come Back to You - Valgrace

hologram_2: I Wish I Was Her

Read on AO3

[image of LEO VALDEZ smiling softly]

guess who's back. [empty laughter] not that it matters to you, though. you won't even see this. not for a while, at least.

it's been some time since my last hologram. since then, me and calypso have made a lot of headway. i think we're somewhere in the atlantic sea right now. we've stopped at some island for the night.

[LEO VALDEZ looks to the right to something off the screen] she's sleeping right now. she's kind of cute when she's sleeping.

[LEO VALDEZ turns back to face the screen, a serene look in his eyes]

she's certainly cute. but i know that's all that i have going for her. besides her prettiness, i don't think i really feel anything for her.

not the way i felt - feel - for you.

[desperate sighing] i shouldn't be leading her on like this. i know i shouldn't. it's not fair to her nor to me.

i don't love her and it's not right for me to keep her around. i'm not entirely sure how she feels for me, but even then i know it isn't fair to keep her on her toes for a boy who isn't even sure loves her.

but i just... is it so bad to want to be loved, jason? is it so bad to want something more than simple friendships?

i'll admit, i should have taken more time for myself and understand that not being in a relationship doesn't ruin my value as a person. i think i know that.

but i never felt that. i never internalized that truth. and being on the argo II with you and percy and annabeth and hazel and frank and... and piper... your girlfriend... i just found it hard to really take that in.

i know i don't need a partner. but my surroundings made it feel like i did.

and is it so bad to just want something like that? to want... to want what you and piper have?

to want you, jason grace?

i know now that a romantic relationship isn't really going to help me. goddammit, jason, i know that so well.

but i can't... i just can't internalize any of that. especially seeing how happy you and piper seem. especially seeing how happy you are.

i want to be that happy. i want to be the reason you're happy.

i love piper. i do. but sometimes i can't help but to wish i was her. because she has everything i want - the perfect life, the perfect friends, the perfect expectations.

the perfect boyfriend.

[shaky sighing] [image of LEO VALDEZ hugging his arms to his body]

as much as i love her, i can't help to hate piper. she's everything i wish i could be.

she's everything you want. and i guess... i want to be everything you want.

but i know better now. i shouldn't change myself just to fit some stupid expectations, especially not for other people's expectations.

but i can't stop thinking... what if it could be us...?

[exasperated sigh]

goodnight, jason. maybe we'll be back together soon. maybe i'll be able to tell this all to your face instead of through a screen.

[end hologram]

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outoftimewriting · 4 years

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Imagine (Son of Hades! Percy; Godswapped! Big Three's kids) Mark of Athena AU Pt. 1 (3/7) or (8/12)

Hello!! MoA is freaking extensive, so you're getting it in two parts. What are y'all thinking about this AU? Do you like it? Do you have suggestions? Anyway before reading this, check on the masterpost - all parts are essencial for the understanding of this - PJO or HoO - and check on the warnings before proceeding :))

Before everything, everyone's ages. Malcolm is 20, Reyna and Octavian are 19; Percy and Annabeth are 18; Frank and Jason are 17; Piper, Leo and Nico are newly 16; Will and Hazel are 15 - everyone is older, because I can.

Perseus is on a very uncomfortable toga praetexta, and he is late to the committee he has been organizing for at least two weeks now.

Planning for the greek commission - that he really hopes has planned a decent diplomatic mission, come on, Annie - is a very difficult job.

Mainly because Octavian is being a pain - and his direct superior, the Pontifex Maximus, is his grand-uncle, so nepotism is, of course, making Perseus life very hard.

They don't have any real say about the subject - the Vestal Virgins outrank them, and they're all for it because their Lady said so - but they still can protest every single one of the Alliance Committee decisions. Every single one.

They don't know how the greeks are getting here - it seems to be by ship, so they are keeping people at the closest bay, but no one is sure, so they are preparing for everything.

Hera gave him a date - July 8th, a Sunday - and they're working with that. Saturday is a day of rest, to the Roman people, so they organize everything on Friday - food, beverage, accommodations. Will they need garments? Perseus is not letting them walk around in those orange monstrosities.

Well. Hazel and Frank organize those - mainly helped by Questors and Magistrates - while Reyna and Perseus lock themselves up and review all the paperwork.

Because if they're not coming with their own mountain of paperwork, Perseus is kicking their asses, from Jason Grace - the previous Praetor - to Annabeth - she is supposed to be smart.

He also works on the mess that is the patrol rotation, the defense plans for the city, in the reconstruction efforts and in rising the wall at least 10 feet - getting it thirty feet tall, an impenetrable fortress for the upcoming war against the Giants.

Perseus has also made time for Iris Messaging his mother, - who is always overjoyed to hear from him - Persephone, - who he was only able to talk to once - Rachel, - who was not surprised to hear from him, and keep suggesting that he goes to the college closest to Parsons instead of staying in Nova Roma - and Calypso - who no Iris Messaging has been able to connect, nor can he find her location, so he guesses she is also in Olympus.

So back to the present - Perseus is late. It's 9h22 - he doesn't think that the greeks are getting here in the afternoon. He passes by Reyna's villa - with a cup of coffee and half their paperwork - and she is also late - a first when it comes to Praetor Arellano. Because they aren't Perseus and Reyna from now - they're Praetor Jackson of Styx and Praetor Arellano.

So they go to the courtyard - where the whole army is waiting, swords and shields gleaming with Frank in the head, plus the Consul, his two assistants, the Pontifex Maximus, Augur Primus Octavian, the six Questors and Perseus, and Reyna's assistants.

Perseus was never so grateful for someone as he was for Commander Sabina Artorius - the legacy of Pomona had been injured in the battle against Polybotes and lost her right leg and an eye - didn't make her any less valuable for him - but in the eyes of the prejudiced Roman people, she was a burden - so Reyna appointed her for the job.

She did everything Perseus wasn't able to - including proof-reading everything he wrote, teaching him the intricacies of Roman Politics, and giving him paperwork to sign.

Everyone who called her a useless servant was lying - Sabina was an amazingly competent P.A. and diplomat, and Perseus was very grateful for her, and her salary reflected that. Even if the Romans found weird a Praetor was paying for work - weird slaver fascist culture.

Reyna also has an assistant - a boy called Aeneas Nerius - a son of Virtus - who was born blind, so was relegated to poor-paying (or not paid at all, because housing and food aren't payment) jobs. Because Nova Roma is not only queerphobic and racist, no. It's also ableist.

The Pontifex - his name is Septimus Gavius, and he's a direct son of Phebus Apollo - looks at them angrily when they arrive late - but the Consul doesn't even notice the time - the man is too afraid of their conjoined power over the masses.

The Consul plays for the people as if Perseus would be a good successor - calls him Augustus and Imperator - even when everyone knows Reyna is the obvious choice - the man is as misogynist as all the older Senators are.

While Reyna tries her best to make her purple stola less constricting and Aeneas corrects Perseus toga with the practiced movements of someone who has been trained to do it - and that's when Perseus remembers that Aeneas was a servant to Octavian's family.

He pointedly avoids looking at the boy's hands - the demigod is no older than Percy, and his hands are burned and scarred. Perseus doesn't pity him - he rages internally against Octavian and his bigoted, slaver, prejudiced family.

They are talking - he is still seething from his realization - when the Greeks appear. And Perseus wants so much to kick their butts.

He has no words. He wants to scream. Reyna massages her temples with the face of a resigned person, and Sabina - the bloodthirsty woman that she is - snorts in amusement.

"Praetor Jackson. I fought beside you! I didn't expect your people to be... well... barbarians!" Whispers Reyna in his ear, in utter exasperation.

"I wasn't expecting this either! They have Grace, who is a roman! Why are they doing this?" He whispers back, as lost as she appears.

It doesn't matter - he tells Frank - Legatus Legionis Zhang - to make the troops stand down. This is not a fight - not yet, Lady Lupa whispers in his mind.

Hazel - Centurion Levesque - looks at him worried. She has been frenzied since her brother's disappearance the day after her birthday, but this is just the cherry on top. Are they fools?

The ship crosses their wall - and hovers in the air as, one by one, six people climb down. Perseus recognize almost all of them - there's Annabeth, Malcolm, Will, Jason Grace, and two other demigods, who he doesn't know.

At least Grace is wearing a toga. A makeshift, purple toga picta - as if he was a Triumvir or an Imperator - but a toga nonetheless, even if pretentious.

The Consul is the first to talk - the Greeks approach slowly, wary of the army behind them. The man welcomes them to Nova Roma - looking at Grace's toga with something akin to disdain - and then promptly passes the torch to the Praetors - the organization of this whole thing has been in their hands from the start.

"I am Praetor Urbanus Arellano" Reyna starts, in an official tone that no one questions "And this is Praetor Peregrinus Jackson of Styx. These are Pontifex Maximus Septimus and Augur Primus Octavian, Legatus Legionis Zhang, and the Twelfth Legion of Nova Roma. Please, follow me - let's continue our talking in a more private setting, I'm sure you're must be exhausted."

It's just an excuse to avoid the mocking looks the bigots are throwing them - Perseus can hear their voices in his head, calling him an ape, a savage bringing barbarians into their home.

The greeks - with their orange T-shirts and faded jeans and mocking purple toga - look as out of place in Nova Roma as Perseus feared they would. Reyna and he take them to the Praetor Villa - is as much as they can restrain themselves.

Annabeth - who knows him longer than anyone here - doesn't jump him - she just looks a little overwhelmed - Nova Roma is probably a bit much for her Athenian brain, which is now possibly being overridden with possibilities. It's Jason who makes the first move - and what a weird move at that.

"Reyna" He greets, and they hug briefly - and as manly as possible, for some weird roman reason about feminization - before the blonde turns to him "Perseus Jackson"

"Jason Grace" He answers back, and they exchange a handshake, but there's something weird in the inflection of his voice that Perseus doesn't necessarily care for "Annabeth"

Her greeting - when she gets off the subspace she dropped to - is much nicer - and warmer - he even gets a hug out of it.

They introduce him to Leo Valdez - who Perseus looks at once, remembers Charles Beckendorf, and swears to never let any harm come upon his baby brother - and Piper McLean.

"I know you!" They say at the same time - because that's where English gets you.

They explain that they went to Yancy together - two years, doing the same English tutoring. They give each other a high five for surviving the highs and lows of high school as monster bait. Malcolm and Will both hug Percy and greet Reyna with the same respect they give Annabeth - Praetor Arellano is terrifying.

The conversation eventually goes to how - how did they find Nova Roma, why they aren't surprised to see him here - and the answers are kind of obvious.

"I dreamed of you," Says Grace, still with a strange tilt to his voice. Perseus guesses he probably isn't okay with losing his place as Praetor - but he was kind of lost for eight/seven months. It's the gods' fault, really.

"Me too. Kind of - Lady Juno... I mean, Hera, she sent me dreams for about a month or so? It was all very weird - like basically the training I was doing at the day, you were doing at night. I think she was trying to tell me to follow in your footsteps. Helped me a lot - thank you, man."

Jason - and all of the greek entourage - seems a bit downtrodden - like he just gave a big miss. But Perseus has more important things to care about.

"Who had the brilliant idea to come for an alliance in a military flying ship?!"

Jason Grace wants to punch Hera, or Juno, or whatever is her name in the face. He wants to punch himself either - the gods never did anything good for him, why would they now?

He talked - like a creep - about the dreams. And turns out? He is the only one having deep, emotional dreams about Perseus' past for months. He got a crush on someone he knows, like the palm of his hand - but that doesn't know him back, because really, why make this easy? Why give him those dreams at all - if they were doing this one-sided?

So he stays quiet, as Leo apologizes for the worst idea ever - coming with a warship to a military city - and, while Perseus and Piper trade stories, Reyna beacons him for a quick walk - to show him the development of plans they did together - their own way of catching up.

"You're infatuated with him," Jason says but is not an accusation, is just the truth, in the worst time possible.

"Can you blame me? You were gone." She retorts "Wait... It's not me you're jealous of. But how do you? You never met before."

He explains the dreams - the seven months of dreams, the only link to his past, the way Camp Half-Blood worships Percy - the way that they don't have rules about who you lay with. Jason feels Nova Roma around him - the decadence of water everywhere that CHB simply lacked.

"Well, we should open a club. Me, you, that blonde girl, Di Angelo, half of Nova Roma..." And they laugh, for it seems impossible to not fall for Percy's charm, just as impossible as making him notice any of them. "Now can you explain to me why are you wearing purple of all things?"

He is apologetic - it was the only toga they could find in short notice without leaving Camp. Then, she shows him the plans - Reyna can do multiple things at once, and her best friend's love life is merely a blip in her radar.

Reyna loves differently - she has known that, all her life. It doesn't make a difference where it comes to Perseus - she loves him, even if she can't imagine ever laying with him. Maybe that's why she hasn't made any moves under the course of three months. She should let him go - he has so many options, anyway.

When they go back, is to see Perseus and Annabeth in a heated debate about she wearing a chiton or a stola - anyway, no greek can go to Senatus in jeans and a T-shirt.

Eventually, they manage to get them all in togas - the girls refuse the stolas, but they are convinced to put on the chitons for diplomacy.

They didn't come with mountains of paperwork. But between Malcolm, Will, and Annabeth, by lunch they have outlined most of their possible contributions and what do they need - and what they're unable to give up.

Perseus and Jason - and possibly Nico di Angelo, who's missing - are the only ones who know the full information - how many battle-ready people both sides have, how many disabled people, how many children, healers, resources.

Nova Roma is winning - in everything. Except for power - because Camp Half-Blood only has, maybe, five legacies out of more than 150 campers, while Nova Roma is mainly composed of legacies, second-generation demigods, or minor gods' demigods.

The Greeks are composed of 63% Olympian's children, 36% minor gods' children, and 2% legacies - all children of two demigods, so second-generation demigods. They don't have Nova Roma's training - but they have powers the Romans could only dream of.

The Romans are composed of 12% Olympian's children, 39,5% minor gods' children, and 48,5% legacies - most who are at least a few generations diluted. They don't have Camp's power - but they have techniques and numbers the Greeks couldn't even hope to have - if you counted the able non-fighters - the ones who would fight either way for the sake of Rome - it was a number bordering on 700 hundred strong.

It is a gamble that could only bring destruction - for both sides. So Perseus and Jason exchange looks - and decide not to divulge all information. Egos are so fragile - especially between the older generations - so it's best they don't have material to plan in accord.

The Greeks and Roman heed together to the Forum Romanum. Is still weird to see the Romans - especially for Leo.

You see, Leo has been surrounded by a cult of Perseus Jackson over the last few months. Half the people he knows are infatuated with the guy - including the meticulous Annabeth Chase, his best friend, and even scary as hell, Nico "I'm bringing the thunder" di Angelo.

He is expecting a Batman-esque character. He is expecting the heroes from legends - the ones destined to fall. Leo is half-waiting from an automaton - or perhaps Lucifer himself. He isn't sure.

But the guy is... easy-going. He bears a striking similarity to Charles Beckendorf - with surprisingly green eyes. Perseus is wearing sheets - why, Leo can't phantom - and making jokes with Malcolm Cage like the guy wasn't perpetually boomed by something.

It isn't the only thing that surprises him: All his ships (the romantic ones, not the literal one) crashed and burned worse than Helen of Troy and Paris. Perseus is seemingly oblivious to romance - he is all about the job, making friends, rebelling against the traditions and their superpowerful angsty parents.

Well, Leo can get behind this. He can't stop looking at Nova Roma - a whole city, directly taken off a good Gladiator reboot. Leo is not an architecture crazy like Annabeth - but oh, the aqueducts!

Leo wants to take a peak at the place the chimneys are poking of - maybe a two or three hour walk from where he is - but Piper keeps a hand in his wrist, leashing him like a unruly puppy.

Annabeth is in a similar state of amazement - she came here for her best friend and crush - and is surprised.

Not by Perseus becoming some kind of military political person - he always had the potential - and the way he grew, somewhat, harder and prettier at the same time. Annabeth is only eighteen and still on sophomore year - blame the hormones.

But she is amazed by Nova Roma. They have such an intricate society, with traditions the greeks have long forgotten - who still uses clothes like that - and a military formation worthy of Julius Caesar.

Her best friend turned out to kind of be the Julius Caesar to Reyna's - Praetor Arellano - Augustus. Perseus - Praetor Jackson of Styx - is militar and rigid, a political conqueror - while Reyna is infinitely more dangerous - she is a king, a leader to be worshipped as a goddess for centuries to come.

Annabeth came in this mission for three reasons: Her best friend, the war, and the mission her mother gave her. But now, she looks at the politics, at the city - and wants to stay.

They enter the Senatus - Perseus and Reyna upfront, followed by Jason and the greeks - and take their places. Jason - for the anger of most romans - stay with the greeks.

The session starts as normal - titles, names, rankings, people bringing their issues, strifes, budgets, ideas of infrastructure that were authorized by the Censors, marriage licenses and research projects.

Jason thinks they are scarily good together. Reyna works most of the civil front - she is a master at law - but it's Perseus who separates most strifes and solves the money problems - he is the son of a fair judge himself.

He can see the looks - he is Propraetor now. Why doesn't he sit in his side of the Senatus, between his pairs? Does he think himself above them now - even between barbarians?

But Jason can't let his friends to the mercy of the romans - not alone. After all people come - some redirected to the Consul, some with their issues solved for better or for worse - it's their time, to state the case.

The Alliance of Ephesus - for a city that was both greek and roman in nature - is still in it's initial states. But they make their cases - the way Camp Half-Blood could help in the upcoming war against the giants, their own roles in the previous war against the titans.

It is a convincing argument - both Perseus and him are unmovable objects, and Reyna is an unstoppable force - but they do hit a rock in the way.

"If the best your camp has to offer is a healer of Phebus Apollo, a bulla-wearer of Flamen Vulcan, a daughter of Venus Verticordia and two children of Minerva - a virgin goddess - this Alliance is highly unfair for the people of Rome!"

It had to be Octavian, Jason thinks. It is good, then, that Perseus has the tongue made of steel and looks like a Basileus - sat on a throne, overlooking them, with a bored look upon his face, he could demand a crown and they would give him.

"You overestimate yourself, Augur Primus Octavian. You see yourself so mighty that you have no need for allies?"

It is mocking and there's a message behind it - "This is where I come from and I am your Praetor - do you challenge my power?" - it makes Jason shiver.

Perseus - Praetor Jackson of Styx - is his father through and through. Jason only met the god once - in the post-war council in Olympus - but he had the same imposing voice, the same luxury that seduced Proserpina to the Underworld.

Just like he looked leading the greek forces against Kronos, wielding his weapons of choice with a roar that made Manhattan tremble.

It seemed to work - for Octavian shut up pretty quickly. Jason is no longer in a position to do it - he is respected, technically, as a Propraetor, but he barely reached half of his term - after spending a year as Legatus Legionis - a position which Frank Zhang more than deserved.

Everything is going well - too well, for Piper's liking. Perseus is cool, Reyna is cooler, they have a whole government (!), Jason is making heart-eyes at dream dude and even prejudiced guy recognized her as a girl.

They have a feast - where they are introduced to Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque - and Piper sure isn't keeping all those titles straight in her head, this is Annabeth's job.

Centurion Levesque - Hazel, a girl a little younger than them, but apparently already a general - keeps looking at Leo as if he is about to implode - a normal reaction to him. She stops once they are introduced - there's a forlorn air about her.

She catches up a little with Perseus - who is the most oblivious person to ever grace this earth, for so many look at him and he barely looks at anything but his paperwork - who finds it mightly funny to slowly eat a pomegranate while everyone freaks out at the implications.

Well - he thinks they are scared. But Piper knows they're just horny and waiting to pass winter cozying up in hell.

Perseus explains to her (finally) why they give the gods different names - Venus Verticordia, Genetrix, and Victrix; Juno Moneta, Regina, Lucina, and Populona; Mars Ultor, Pater, Quirinus, and Gradivus, etc. He explains they are epithets - different forms of each god.

Different from the greek to roman transition, these are the same gods - in very different facades. Like, for example, her mother could either be Venus Genetrix - the maternal one - Victrix - the war one - or Verticordia - the romantic love one.

Greeks used to have this - but some of their aspects got too jumbled, so they started rebirthing - evolution. Zagreus became Dionysus. Hermes split from Pan. Helius merged with Apollo, Selene merged with Artemis. As their cult changed - so did they.

Children of Venus Genetrix and Verticordia are different from Children of Venus Victrix - still brothers and sisters, but their powers are different - where the first lean towards priesthood and the second towards charm speak and magic - almost all the third's are warriors of the same caliber of Mars Ultor's children.

Everyone here is so different though- Perseus' P.A., Sabina, is a total badass and Piper would be all for her... but wouldn't that invalidate her? She spent her whole life trying to prove she is a girl - to now go pursue sex with other girls? Piper is confused - she should IM Ariel before sleeping

It is all going very well - minor accident when someone mentioned Perseus' decision to send the harpy Ella away days ago - probably to Rachel - until Octavian decides to see the ship. And, of course, Leo just has to go.

Jason is proving to be very smart - for while Leo is occupied above with Octavian, he insists to also be on the ship, with Will and Malcolm as his backup - no one here trusts the drowned rat.

They take with them Frank and Hazel Levesque - two possible candidates for the mission on the Roman side - evening the sides - three Romans, three greeks, and Jason - a medium.

Perseus stays on ground - he is the host and can't leave the party - with Reyna - who is talking to Annabeth in hushed whispers - and her - who is starting to get a little tipsy.

Well. She should've known better.

Leo attacks the camp - it's not him, but it's enough. Perseus - at the first cannon bomb - whispers something in Reyna's ear, and escort her and Annabeth to the ship before Roma can react.

He jumps on board, pops an unconscious Octavian out of the ship, and tells Annabeth to get out of there in the next ten minutes or he won't have an alibi. They do - but look at him like he is either crazy or drunk, still in laurels and a toga, a goblet of wine precariously between his fingers.

"I'm Praetor Peregrinus Jackson of Styx - and this is an espionage mission with the objective of rescuing Legatus Legionis Zhang and Centurion Levesque while finding who is the greek traitor. At least, officially - I'm here because I am not a big fan of the woman encroaching in my territory, trying to kill my friends."

Leo - who is still disoriented of what Frank explain is an eidolon, they had a run with those when the attacks on Nova Roma started - starts laughing and takes Annabeth's place steering the Argo II. After a minute of silence, everyone starts laughing - the man is a genius.

So they go after decent clothing - because just Hazel and Frank are in battle appropriate clothing, and Perseus just noticed that they're floating and he can almost see the equations around his head - he wants so bad to talk to him because he has the same numbers around him all the time.

After everyone is in pants and shirts - Perseus, Frank, and Hazel take the loose shirts - Annabeth brought a stash of clothes in more or less their size, in Jason's word - but, while Frank tugs on a pair of sweatpants, the other two look at each other.

Leo is not really surprised when Hazel is in a skirt - but he gasps when Perseus walks in Frank's roman military skirt. He looks uncomfortable at the mere idea of pants.

No one says anything - not only they lived in CHB, but he has the Minotaur dagger that pair perfectly with Rachel's strapped to his tight, while his ax and Warhammer are crossed in his back.

Leo can see Jason drooling - he isn't the only one. Leo is newly sixteen - the youngest bar Will, and, perhaps, Hazel - and generally more interested in machines but he is not blind - the guy is hot.

Perseus gets hotter when he comes to Leo - still with a resting bitch face that would give Chiron a run for his money - and starts asking questions with the excitement of a puppy - about the ship, about the plans, how the aerodynamics work.

Hazel is roped into the conversation when they try and test if she has any control over the wind - almost nothing, but Perseus thinks he can hone her eventually - while Will and Malcolm start grilling Frank and Jason over Nova Roma.

Perseus mentions Nico - which Hazel supports. He hasn't be seen in either Camp since Perseus recovered his memories - said he was going to make up for it, but Percy knows the guy is a little self-destructive - he is too prideful to know when to just stop.

Piper and Annabeth are on patrol - no one is really sure the Romans aren't going after them. It doesn't serve for much: they are attacked.

Not by Romans, but by griffins. Between Jason, Piper, and Annabeth, Perseus and Leo don't even move. The ship does suffer some damage - which prompts Leo to give the Romans a tour of the Argo II.

Perseus is fascinated by Festus - while Hazel is fascinated by Leo - And Frank is seriously just marveling at the greeks by now - Nova Roma is pleasing to the eye, but they don't have automaton dragon ships.

They go to Salt Lake. Jason, Frank, and Piper go get tar, while Leo, Hazel, and Perseus go to the Celestial Bronze. Annabeth, Malcolm, and Will stay, to protect the ship.

It's the first time Perseus has touched land outside of Roma with his memories back - and he can feel a pressure in his chest: His link of empathy to Grover, never completely off.

They encounter Nemesis - who talks to Perseus about Ethan and Domitia, for which he retorts she has no rights. She took Ethan's eye, and his choice was not worth it - she asked for too high a payment.

Nemesis, or Invidia, laughs. Says the world isn't fair - look at Perseus and Jason, Leo and Sammy, Hazel and Nico, the marks in Roman's backs. She doesn't explain anything - but they understand.

Perseus understands Hazel and Nico - it's not fair, that her brother is missing, probably captured if his dreams have an ounce of truth. Leo understands Perseus and Jason - for Jason confided in him for months. It's unfair that Perseus doesn't know as much about Jason - and that Jason knows way too much about him.

Both Hazel and Perseus muse about Sammy - the one from Hazel's flashbacks. They hold hands and keep silent - this is not the moment. Leo doesn't ask about the marks - he saw Jason bare-chested once. He doesn't need to know more.

Invidia gives the fortune cookie to Leo, and promptly disappears - Percy wants to punch her. For Alabaster, for Ethan, for Domitia and the punishments that she has to dole out.

They meet Echo - who Perseus pity and rages, for it's the gods's fault. She couldn't refuse to help Zeus - neither could she flee from Hera's punishment, or Eros' arrows. It's their fault, that she stands now, alive again, but incapable of happiness.

Narcissus is a dick. And Hazel thinks that both Sammy - Leo - and Percy - who looks just like Pluto, and not in a bad way - could surpass him in both looks and personality.

Percy and Leo distract the nymphs - in different ways. Perseus plays his father well, and the dryads flee to Leo, in search of protection from a hero. A black makeshift toga Echo gives them, and that's it: The god of the Underworld coming to kidnap someone else.

Hazel retrieves the Celestial Bronze - the energy in it is strong enough, with Perseus opening the earth sideways for it to pass. They don't need to run back to the ship: Percy keeps evoking skeletons, which scares the nymphs, and in a fit of fury for Echo, Leo breaks Narcissus' nose - which sends him into a panic.

While getting tar, Piper feels her dagger heating up - Katoptris shows her a man Jason recognizes as Dionysus, in Topeka.

When everyone is back to the ship, they relay their stories. Perseus briefly asks Annabeth about Grover - who she tells him is occupied in Maine this year, but never gave up on looking for Perseus. Then, they leave for Topeka - they have a god to meet.

"I know a friend who could help us get down" Starts Perseus, looking at the emptiness under them with worry. The daughter of Aphrodite sympathizes.

"I thought you couldn't shadow travel more than one person at a time" States Jason, with all the creepiness of the dream stalker that he is. Piper is laughing - while Jason flushes and tries to explain.

Perseus ignores it, for the sake of his sanity, and asks if Jason has a Pegasus: Thalia has Porkpie, and he is right, Perseus couldn't possibly get three of them down and up without draining himself.

Jason doesn't have a pegasus - he does have Arion, the son of his matron, Ceres, and Neptune, his father. It doesn't fly - but Hazel has a venti that does.

So it goes Hazel and Jason on Tempest, Piper, and Perseus on Blackjack. Bacchus is waiting for them, a two-liter bottle of Pepsi in one hand.

While many of the roman aspects of greek gods are mainly more rigid, Bacchus is the complete opposite. Dionysus is a god of madness and, in his older iterations, Zagreus, a god of the Underworld.

Bacchus is a god of drunkness, sex, excess, and parties. He has none of the darker sides of his counterpart - nor the austerity of his aspect as Bacchus Liber, a god of freedom, fertility, and protector of people.

No, this was Bacchus in his most simple form: a deadbeat drunk. Piper is so tired - why couldn't she be born in a serious pantheon? Egyptians seem pretty focused.

Bacchus wishes for Ceres' presence - says it's not his responsibility to deal with plants - this is the dominion of Liber, and he can't be Liber without Ceres here. He asks Jason or Perseus to call for the matron - she should listen to them - but Ceres doesn't answer their prayers.

Perseus is as done as Piper and just rolls his eyes. At the presence of a fertility god, even if he only has a bare connection to it, vines start growing around the son of Hades' ankles, like if they're coming to play. Perseus is not only a son of Hades', Piper remembers, but he is also a champion of Persephone.

And while Jason's only blessing is his magical horse, Perseus was trained and has some mild control over plants - Piper thinks he got the better goddess in the deal.

Bacchus - drunk in Pepsi, if that's even possible - don't answer much. He tells them about Phorcys, and paying tribute - Liber would probably answer to it. He then flees.

Jason and Perseus hold a brief conversation about holding evening prayers - Piper doesn't understand much, but Hazel is nodding along, so it can't be bad: The girl is pretty level-headed.

Perseus is a son of the Underworld, he cannot be possessed by spirits, and fight them off easily, and Jason does too - mainly because he knows Perseus way too much to attack him.

But then the spirits turn to the girls. Jason has to throw a wave over Perseus to wake him from Piper's charmspeak so that he can exorcise them. It works, but Perseus has a small panic attack over drowning, is immediately drained and faints on his arms.

So Jason hauls Piper and Hazel over Tempest, so the venti takes them up first, before he bride-carries Perseus into a hurricane and over to Argo II, and promptly passing out from exhaustion and scaring the hell out of everyone on board.

Jason thinks it's worth it - Perseus asks him to start calling him Percy, and, in the Mess Hall, each takes one head of the table. He feels like he should be bothered - he isn't one to share leadership, but they all know the true head of operations here is Annabeth, so.

Percy tells them what he told Reyna - to stop any from following them, for this was a special ops mission. It's his role, and, later, Jason and he can strategize what Perseus will say in the Iris Messages to the Senatus.

And how they're going to spin crossing the Mediterranean Sea without using Julius Caesar's journey as a comparative too much, least they think Jason and Perseus are planning a coup.

They totally are. The two of them and Reyna would be the first triumvirate to work.

That evening, they sit together on the deck and talk. Not about Jason's dreams, not about Perseus's fear of drowning. But the joke about the Forum, and trade anecdotes of campers both know - and it feels like something.

Perseus dreams of drowning on earth and trashes around in his sleep - just until he starts dreaming of Nico again.

Nico is locked up in a cage - like a bird trying to reach flight. Ephialtes and Otis taunt him - two eagles come and try to attack him. He fends them off - feeding off electricity in the sky - but Perseus knows he won't be able to keep this for a long time.

Perseus goes to the deeps of the ship, just close to the motors, and cuddles up to Blackjack - the Nico situation will have to wait until morning.

In the same night, Leo catches Frank sleeping as a dog - and his crush on the guy threatens to swallow him whole.

It's Will who finds him, twelve hours later. Everyone is pissed that Perseus disappeared - so they don't let him go search for Phorcys with Jason, sending the blonde boy with Frank and Will, claiming the son of Hades is still exhausted from the past day.

Perseus stays on board. He tries to decypher his vision with Piper and Hazel, while Malcolm and Annabeth trace the route to their own mission. Leo is steering the ship and finishing the repairs.

Hazel is worried about what Percy saw. The two eagles match a dream she had, a little over a week ago: Prometheus. If those eagles reach Nico, when Nico gets too weak, he will have his liver ripped off, and no magical powers to regrow it.

Jason's mission is also giving bad results. They meet Keto - who Jason is pretty sure he already killed once - and is uncooperative as she takes Will in a tour. Phorcys is much more open - after a little flattery, he tells them all about the twin Giants, the prisoner in a cage - bait for Perseus Jackson and Hazel Levesque - and a map that would possibly lead to the Athenas Parthenos.

They escape when Will kills Keto with a well-positioned arrow, before breaking the tank together and fleeing to Argus II.

In the way to Charleston, they discuss where could the map be. Perseus trade his first Iris Message with the Senatus - in his room, faking that both Frank and Hazel are helping him, and that the greeks have no idea what happened - that there is a traitor in their midst, but the Alliance continues.

Perseus hopes they can win this war with minimum bloodshed, and then he can claim the traitor was controlled by Gaia or something because that's not his main preoccupation. He trades information with Reyna - she tells him to go to Battery.

Annabeth remembers her meeting with her mother - for this time, she was accompanied by Malcolm. Athena told them they were failures - wasting their time searching for a son of Hades. But that they should have a chance at proving themselves - and gave them the small silver coin. To "avenge" her.

Athena raged and bristled about Annabeth and Malcolm helping the Romans, but that's where Annabeth would not relent. Would her mother prefer destruction over her pride? Oh, how wise.

Annabeth feels ashamed she still craves her mother's approval, while the goddess simply saw them as pawns, even after the war raged by the rejected children - she was one of the Olympians with most children on the opposite side.

This time, they play with the finger trap all together - in the mess hall - and Annabeth looks at them and decides this is her family, not a bitter goddess that never bothered with her. She wasn't doing this for Athena - she was doing this for Camp, and her friends.

Annabeth, Hazel, and Perseus go to the Battery, while Leo, Frank, and Malcolm go to the museum after the map. Jason goes to the bay with Will, to try and free the animals at Phorcys aquarium, and Piper stays on board to patrol the ship.

Aphrodite is flickering between her greek form and her Venus Genetrix aspect, but ends up settling as Venus Verticordia - the closest she can get to greek between a roman, a greek, and Perseus, who, according to her, is both.

"You shall tread carefully with love, Annabeth Chase, for your heart lays elsewhere; You are locked up between two ways of the heart, Hazel Levesque, and shall thread both; And you, Perseus Jackson of Styx, when it comes to the heart, you are my crown jewel."

Perseus would punch her, but he knows better: Verticordia means "the changer of hearts", she is a manipulator, a player. It's this aspect who caused the Trojan War, who tossed Aeneas right and left for Lavinia.

He much prefers Venus Victrix, who appears when they're about to leave, to warn then about the importance of the statue and the location of the map, in Fort Sumter.

Octavian - who was conspicuously missing from the Senatus meeting - is here - against the orders of both Praetors. He tries to attack them - but Perseus makes the earth tremble and they run away. Jason and Will join the fray, and they send a message to Leo's group for them to regroup.

Annabeth gets the map - again fighting against spiders and the voice of Lady Earth - but this time there's no Reyna to confront her - this time, Roma is on their side.

Perseus asks if killing Octavian would be so bad, after all, but Hazel stops him from making the earth swallow the Augur - he is still a person, after all.

They change their minds pretty quickly once Reyna IM's Perseus, saying that Octavian poisoned the minds of the Senatus against the greeks and that she was unable to do much. She says the Augur is claiming that Perseus, Jason, Frank, and Hazel are mind-controlled by Piper - and that he tried valiantly to rescue them, but failed.

Perseus is pretty sure that he should've made the earth swallow him, send him directly to the Punishment Fields so he wouldn't be able to leave the Underworld never again, the lying rat.

It takes three days for them to reach the Mediterranean Sea. These three days are spent most with training and planning - while the children of Athena plan for their mission, Hazel and Frank train their powers, Perseus and Piper spar, Annabeth and Leo steer the ship, Perseus and Jason spar and patrol, Jason and Annabeth trade ideas about the two sides, Will mends a lot of people up.

Leo, especially, admires both Hazel and Frank from afar - since the Narcissus situation, he can't keep his eyes off the girl, and Frank is just adorable - he feels like he just watched Pirates of the Caribbean all over again.

The group becomes pretty tight - especially after Will walks in Percy without a shirt on, and immediately manhandles him into the infirmary. He does the same with all Romans - trying to figure an answer to those scars.

Will has a boyfriend - Jake Mason, seventeen - who has the same bad habit of hiding scars from him. But since he lost his foot - Will has discovered a thousand ways to find someone's health problems.

Piper and Leo are not surprised - they are the closest to Jason after all. Malcolm and Annabeth are up in arms - and they call the greeks barbarians?

Jason blames himself - for he has a guilty streak a mile wide, and apologizes to them - as if is his fault Juno had this godawful idea. Perseus punches him in the shoulder and tells him to stop with the bullshit - they have bigger problems than that.

They meet Heracles - and their best speakers are Piper, Perseus, and Will - the charmspeaker, the Praetor who actually finished high school, and the son of the god of poetry - maybe some flattery would help.

Heracles is a complete ass - no, he is a creep. He leers on Will - who is fifteen and he calls eromenos, yes, like a pedophile - then on Piper - who is utterly unimpressed - but don't try on Perseus - his eyes are as dark as the Pit, and he looks ready to punch Heracles.

They don't mention Hera - because the three are smarter than to mention the woman who turned the god's life miserable - but, after Piper refuses to kiss him, he gives him the mission to get the horn of Achelous anyway.

The Achelous is suitably afraid of Perseus - and it's easier to break his horn. They fight against the god - Will punches the guy in the face, while Perseus has no qualms about swarming him with skeletons and melting his armor.

Jason - who is keeping a keen eye on them from the deck - raises a wave for them to go onboard. Will - dripping and utterly mad - starts throwing curses at Heracles - he shines with the power of his father.

Percy is trembling - he hates water, he hates the feeling of drowning, he hates water in his face. He feels weak.

Hercules throws stones at the ship - but fail to hit anything, even if he almost gets Jason - who is pushed to the ground by Perseus, who grounded himself on the blonde.

For now, they have a cornucopia and managed to pass Heracles - so they just hug and laugh breathlessly at Will's increasingly ridiculous curses.

In the midnight patrol, while keeping watch for Stymphalian birds (Perseus hates those), they talk. Perseus tells him about drowning in his own element, about his distaste for both air and water - explains why he never gets close to the margins of the ship.

"Y'know, I dreamed of you" Percy nods, but Jason shakes his head "Not for a week or two, but for seven months. I thought it was Juno..."

Percy seems tense as if he is about to flee at any moment. High-strung. He looks anywhere but at Jason, and finally, he murmurs, almost too low for the silence that expands between them.

"How much?" "Everything."

He tells Percy about his dreams: Luke, Ethan, Alabaster, Persephone, Hades, Sally, Annabeth, Clarisse&Connor, the Labyrinth, the Sea of Monsters, Bianca, Nico, Zoe, Thalia, the weight of the sky, the Styx, the last defense of Olympus.

There are a lot of pieces missing - Percy Jackson is not a puzzle, but a giant Rubik Cube with ten sides - but Jason saw the worst parts of Perseus, his friends, the betrayals, the deaths, the bitterness that threatened to swallow him whole.

Percy doesn't answer - he flees. Back to his room, to conciliate that someone has dreamed about him, for months. That someone he is barely friends with knows so many deep details about him, things he never told anyone, and didn't plan to, ever.

It's not the only difficult conversation that night by far - Hazel and Leo are having a similar one.

You see, Leo is, by all means, closer to Jason out of all romans, and the least close to Frank - who is Hazel's best friend. Leo is pretty friendly flirty with Hazel since the Narcissus situation - because she is cute and just a year below him - but he also has been nursing this massive crush on Frank - who is a hunk of a man with the attitude of a puppy.

But seeing that Frank is straight as a board and Hazel only sees him as his grandfather, apparently, he is out of luck in this department - nothing new. At least he has a bunch of friends.

"Are you my friend only because of my grandfather?" "Of course not." Leo doesn't believe her, but he lets it go - it's the fatal flaw of Hephaestus' children: Lack of self-worth.

Perseus sleeps fitfully - and wakes Hazel to tell her about his vision of Otis and Ephialtes, for she is Nico's sister. They go to the deck, and he plays with her hair as they watch the sunrise.

Jason - looking at them from the other side of the ship - suddenly has a bad feeling - there's something coming in their direction. He makes Leo - who is steering this night - stop, but they are rammed and overrun by dolphin warriors.

Chrysaor disarms Jason - and his crew manages to tie everybody up - except for Perseus, who managed to flee into the shadows, and Frank, who hid away.

It's pretty simple from there - Hazel and Piper trash around when Chrysaor says he is taking them to Circe, Jason says their Captain is Dionysus, and Chrysaor says he is a roman, and Bacchus is weak in comparison to his greek form.

To prove Jason's point, Frank turns into a dolphin while Perseus makes vines appear and hold Chrysaor into place. Their enemies throw themselves overboard, including Chrysaor himself - and Jason sinks their ship by filling it with Diet Coke and Pepsi and burning it to Dionysus and Bacchus Liber - both of the serious sides of the god.

Perseus sleeps on the deck under the fickle rays of the midday sun and dreams of Gaea. Jason wakes him. They spend an awkward moment looking at each other before Jason hugs him.

"I'm sorry" "It's not your fault, stop blaming yourself for everything, Water Boy" "Sure, Death Boy"

They laugh - and for a second, they feel their own ages - eighteen and seventeen - without a care in the world. They mock-wrestle before giving up and just laying in the sun.

Perseus looks at Jason and thinks his beauty under the light of the day might be a good reason to tolerate the brightness.

It's Leo - with a knowing smirk - that tells them to come to mess hall - they need to plan.

Annabeth and Malcolm are going together to the Tiber River - but the children of Athena aren't leaving without a proper send-off - so they're having lunch together first, all together.

They pile around two tables in a little restaurant. This time is not Percy that asks for pizza - it's Leo and Will.

They eat and joke - and forget they are demigods in a mission that might bring the end of the world. No, for a second they're just teenagers - Malcolm is the oldest at twenty, and Hazel and Will are the youngest, both fifteen.

The group jokes and fools around, spending more or less an hour at the little restaurant. The old man who manages the place has a warm smile upon his face.

They go to the park close to the river to walk around - they are stalling the time they'll have to go back to their hardships. Annabeth and Perseus walk together, apart from the others - she says she wants to catch up.

Annabeth has a crush on Perseus since they were both fourteen. She studied with him for a year - he as a senior, she as a freshman - and this crush only grew. She looked for him for months, he is her best friend and she loves him.

Annabeth still remembers after the war - when she thought they would get together. They were both too caught up in mourning - Perseus even more than her - even if she always knew he corresponded. But this... this might be her last chance to tell him.

So, she kisses him.

Perseus is shocked. He is shocked, and speechless.

"Annabeth..." He says, but she takes this as iniciative and goes back to kissing him "Annabeth!"

Kisses have to mean something to him. And Percy only feels friendship with Annabeth.

She stops, and there are tears in the corners of her eyes. But Perseus just hugs her and says, slowly and as kindly as possible.

"Annabeth... We can't do this. It's been... it's been months. I-... I love you. But we-... I-... Not that way, Annie, not anymore. We spent months apart, and before that, I was too busy with school, and before that..." He takes a deep breath, and clear her tears with his thumbs "I'm sorry. I don't think I can do this."

Annabeth doesn't cry. She doesn't scream and rage with jealously and ask "Who else? Who else if not me?". She wants to because she knows, she knows he loves her, and Annabeth has never been wrong before.

Because she remembers Aphrodite. Her heart doesn't lay with Percy - her heart lays elsewhere. It still hurts - but she just nods and asks him if they can still be friends, for which he answers an enthusiastic yes.

There's a little voice in her head, that keeps comparing her to Reyna Arellano, Jason Grace, and Nico di Angelo, their powerful heritages and legacies. A sliver of poison in her heart, that shows her Rachel, Calypso, and Piper - their beauties far beyond hers.

Then she takes a deep breath, finds her brother, says goodbye to everyone, and leaves with Rhea Silvia and Tiberinus. Annabeth has a mission.

Annabeth and Malcolm pass by the same challenges - she with a broken ankle and him with a twisted wrist - and both fall again in the hands of Arachne.

While the children of Athena fight their way through the underground, Perseus, Hazel, Frank, and Leo embark on a mission after Nico di Angelo, and the rest of the demigods go back to the ship.

Hazel - who is almost sentient to Perseus moods at this point - takes one look at Annabeth's rushed departure and Percy's wistful face, and, when their group takes off, takes the demigod aside, leaving Leo and Frank to walk side by side.

"I'm telling you, Hazel, because you won't tell anyone else - and I don't have anyone else as close as you on board. I would've said yes, perhaps, had she asked this question before... before everything. Had she told me this when I was fourteen or fifteen, I would be overjoyed. But it has been two and a half harrowing years since... since Luke. And I cannot love her - there's too much history."

He tells Hazel what she cannot remember from what Perseus told her in the Fields of Asphodel, and she nods and calms him - she became a kind of his little sister in the short four months that they have known each other alive - and the year and a half they knew each other dead. Closer than most, aside, perhaps, from Rachel (who he still managed to talk to once after this mission started), his mom, Calypso (who he still hasn't be able to contact) and Persephone.

Leo and Frank are behind them - far behind them, so to not accidentally eavesdrop in their conversation. They talk - a little stilted - but it quickly picks rhythm, as Leo is such a charming person - and Frank is a weak, weak man.

You see, while Leo pines from afar for both Hazel and Frank, Frank himself is dealing with the fact that, since leaving Nova Roma, those improper feelings towards inappropriate people resurfaced - now, together with something even worse.

Frank doesn't want just men anymore, like the clear aberration that he is. He wants a boy and a girl - and at the same time, at that! Not only improper - for he is two years older than Hazel and Leo is a boy - but they are clearly infatuated with each other.

And Frank doesn't really think he could be happy with one of them - he wants both, together. Selfish, something in the back of his mind says, so selfish. Let them be happy, they don't need you.

So he hoards this little conversation with Leo in his chest, like a precious treasure he won't ever get the chance to hold again.

Perseus and Hazel eventually go to the underground - while Frank and Leo still talk - about life, about their mothers, even about Frank's stick. Leo wants to hold the boy and never let go.

The Eidolons appear, forcing Leo and Frank down the hole, where they meet back up with Hazel and Perseus. They find a workshop - full of stuff that makes Leo salivate.

While exploring the workshop, the Eidolons take control of the automatons, quickly knocking out Hazel and Frank. Perseus is able to banish them - but by now, the automatons are out of control - it's the Bianca situation all over again.

He and Leo escape into a control room and lock it. Leo finds a control sphere for everything in the shop but they're unable to find the right password. Leo uses the fortune cookie Nemesis gave him to ask for the password, allowing him to take control of the machines and deactivate them forever. Perseus seethes inside - the little manipulative bitch.

When Perseus questions why his efforts with Hazel lead them to this workshop, they find Nico's Celestial Bronze and realize it was a trap.

Gaea appears in a mirror and taunts them, but Leo burns the mirror - "I thought Mother Nature was supposed to be cool but this is what we got? Sheesh, this is almost Aztec-levels of crazy man" - and they leave to go search for Nico.

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kingburu · 4 years

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⭐!

Hades!Jason was/is probably the biggest struggle in dearly departed because compared to Nico he is not as well developed in canon; so his core here is his sense of duty, need to protect people, and his selflessness. The fun part of this though is when @ariihen and I were spitballing about Jason, we joked he’d be a lot like Steven Universe! A sweet kid with a lot of expectations thrown upon him but not really understanding what that means until it starts to scare him. He’s especially similar to Steven Universe from Future all the way to the “I’m a monster” because people view him in such a certain way and you can see it eating at him.

I actually have a hard time wrapping my head around godswap aus to begin with because I feel like there are changes to characters based on the circumstances they’ve grown up in and who their godly parent is, and the entire concept launched from me admitting I didn’t enjoy them too much because i view them as being too OOC (fun fact: siamo nei guai has three chapters of a sequel written but I stopped writing it back then because Pluto!nico’s core and his new environment were hard for me to marry in my head; maybe some day I’ll get back to it).

But! I really wanted Jason (and Nico) to still feel very much like themselves instead of “Jason would do this because Nico did this in canon,” which is why we went to Russia instead of Portugal right away. I think I found a sweet spot in Jason’s character in the following ways:

Canon Jason never wanted to be a hero. He talks about how he’s used to eyes on him as a “prince in waiting” and specifically how he tried to avoid it by taking all of the mundane quests and joined the Fifth Cohort/made friends with the “least popular” people (such a Troy Bolton reaction but ok rick lol; not to mention he apparently made this assessment at the age of 3) and was raised by wolves at the age of two. He also tried to weigh both sides of an argument to be an effective leader as well

Thus, Hades!Jason didn’t want to be the leader. Since he’s the only Greek big three kid, everyone already treats him like the chosen one for the prophecy and he latched onto Bianca because if she’s the hero he doesn’t have to be. And of course, monsters are probably one of his core changes; they were kind to him at the age of 2 and brought him to CHB, and he’s always in an exasperated battle of good monsters and bad monsters (this is supposed to reflect his need to see both sides)

My favorite change from canon Jason and hades!Jason is where his leadership got him. I think in a way both are willing to do what’s needed for a quest and are very pragmatic (to the point canon Jason voted against Nico in MOA and then realized how shitty that sounded and apologized), but he also has a lot of faith in his comrades (in HOH, hazel is very surprised at how sure he is that she’ll master the mist, Jason is already trying to befriend Nico before they find Favonius, and when Frank is antsy in the house of hades, Jason makes a point to stop everything and ask if frank is okay.) I think Hades!Jason also has that instinct, which is why he vibe checks Leo, Nico, Percy, and Hazel. I really didn’t want him to feel like a carbon copy of Nico’s situation while also trying to maintain the integrity of being a child of hades, ergo he’s willing to push himself into the River Styx and get the curse to help win a war but since the curse enhances demigod abilities, it ended up with him going a bit too far; so he’s making himself very accountable for this and still feels like this “selfish” of himself choosing not to fight.

And then the biggest change is the fact Jason doesn’t have someone in canon like Luke, and this was just a side effect of trying to create a set up for the Cupid scene—and boy howdy, am I happy with the results! I think it actually works to show how willing Jason is to put his feelings aside though, since he does a similar thing in TBM about piper breaking up with him for the sake of the quest!

This hasn’t been pressed upon too much yet, but hades!Jason also feels more compelled to uphold the rules of life and death more than nico (aka why he never tried to bring Bianca back to life and other than a gentle nudging about Luke, didn’t ask for him to come back to life either), so he goes into a high moral struggle over there.

The funny part is, Hades never held a grudge because of Zeus killing his lover, so dd!hades is a lot more chill and just wants to love on a boy

#dearly departed #catch me writing meta about my own story #I love my pasty son #I hope you all do too!!

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spiltscribbles · 4 years

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211 please! Any ship!

Notes: Thank you bubby! This actually helped me get out a slump lol, i really really hope you enjoy this fluffy mess and I would love to hear your thoughts!

A Reblog saves a life! | Send Me A Prompt

Annabeth is a fully fledged adult now, honest.

She subscribes to the New Yorker, listens to podcasts in the morning while getting ready for her crummy, right out of college internship in one of the most prestigious architecture firms in the city. She votes even in the primaries and remembers to reload her metro card before it’s out and has even got a God forsaken schedule that she relies on like a lifeline.

All this to say, Annabeth had really once thunk that becoming an adult meant your life turns stale and your days become monotonous. But that was before she began boarding with three literal definitions of spitfires in a Bushwick apartment way too small for four girls, and way to run down for the countless prank wars waged between them and the boys across the way.

Annabeth tries telling Piper this one Thursday afternoon while she’s loading her Nerf gun with the water balloons that Rachel’s preparing with such precision that it kinda terrifies Annabeth shitless, if she’s being frank.

“’s too late to surrender now Chase!” Piper bellows, cocking and then setting down the toy gun in a neat row for the next to be prepared. “It’s about honor now.”

“Honor?” Annabeth repeats in a voice that’s flat enough to cut.

“They’ve won the last two rounds Annabeth,” Rachel tells her, point blank as she ties the next water balloon to be passed off, alabaster skin freckled with paint like always when she comes back from one of her classes. “They’re getting too big headed over this.”

“Yesterday Leo offered to buy me a latte! The little fuck.”

Annabeth’s fair brows knit together, totally confused to Piper’s sudden flash of anger, but reckons that it would be impossible to understand the perceived slight even if she asked Piper to explain.

“You guys are off your rockers,” Annabeth informs them instead, flickers her gaze over to Hazel for some support from someone who is actually sane. She in turn only shrugs, endeared looking as she returns to her sketches.

“Et tu Brute?”

“it’s fun,” Hazel says in her southern drawl, which Annabeth once thought was sweet because it reminded her of venturing outdoors in the Virginia foothills when she was a tot. Though now Annabeth has decided that the accent is actually a ploy to make her sound welcoming for her pray before she killed them off. Knows it for a fact that she’s done it with that friend who visits enough that he’s practically living with the guys too, which obviously means he was roped into all this ridiculousness.

“You’re either with us or against us baby doll,” Piper winks Annabeth’s way, starts a new round of ammunition with Rachel. “This one’s for Mama Fisher in the stars!”

“Insane! Fucking insane! Annabeth repeats emphatically before storming out there apartment to grab the mail, suddenly feels accosted with unwelcome nerves when she steps into the elevator only to be met face to face with one of the aforementioned boys across the hall, the objectively good looking, but impossibly kind one. All ebony locks and crooked grins and eyes the color of sea glass.

Oh fuck.

“Annabeth,” he crows, positively gleeful sounding, which only makes it so her cheeks begin to redden, and her chest contracts.

“Percy, hey how’s it been.”

“Fine,” he says with a one armed shrug, begins scratching the back of his head sheepishly. And God fucking damn it, he doesn’t also get to be cute! That’s not fair! “You headed to work?”

“oh, ah yeah, I mean just for some overtime. We got commissioned for this new thing in Germany of all places, and they kinda need all hands on deck.”

He whistles, low and impressed.

“Why do I get the sense that they’d crumble without you?” He asks with a quirked brow.

“Because flattery is a great way to make friends,” Annabeth smirks, strolls out towards the back row of mail slots to get the inevitable pack of bills and adverts that’s waiting for them.

“Oy, I take offense to that Annabeth,” he sniffs, leans against the wall besides her, one leg crossed over the other, effortless in the whole CW pretty boy with a mysterious past shtick he’s got working for him. An even more hilarious thought on account to Annabeth knowing how his ma sends him a basket of homemade, blue cookies every Sunday afternoon, and that he spends most of his free time protesting for action against climate change with his best friend from literal childhood, a scruffy, adorable dork named Grover.

“Is that right?” She snorts as she shuffles through the letters, tosses away the offer for a free garden gnome from some Lady named Aunty Em, crams a coupon for a free panty from Victoria’s Secret into her bra, and texts the group chat for Rachel to pick up a letter from her dad and Hazel one from her older brother.

“Course,” Percy sulks, big eyes glittering a thousand shades of green that it kinda takes Annabeth’s breath away. “I thought we’ve been friends, at least for a while now.”

“You know what they say about assuming Perseus,” Annabeth snorts, hip checking him as she makes the track down to the nearest subway stop, at least a five minute walk. She totally is not utterly elated over the fact that he’s still walking besides her, dimpling down like there were no where else he’d rather be.

“You know I didn’t even think you could allude to curse words,” Percy guffaws, impossibly bright and impossibly real. “I thought you were too prim and proper for that sorta behavior.”

“Shut up seaweed brains,” Annabeth laughs, can’t help the smile that breaks her face in half whenever he’s around.

“No deadass Chase!” he defends, emphatic. “I even bet Jason that you were related to like Grace Kelly or some shit, that it’s like illegal in your familial bylines to present yourself as anything other than perfect in public.”

“You are such a pain in the ass.”

“Oh my God! You did it again! It’s like it’s Christmas!”

Faux aggrieved, Annabeth rolls back her head in exasperation, eyes alone definitely not enough to emote the proper level of feeling.

“Hey don’t blame me,” Percy raises his hands in concession. “You’re the one who refuses to have fun, like you were a forty year old lawyer.”

Annabeth hikes up her brows, affronted.

“i have fun!”

“Right,” Percy snorts. “I’m sorry babe but Friday night board games don’t count.”

“Those are fun Percy!” Annabeth argues.

“You wouldn’t know fun if it hit you in the face!” Percy insists, stopping outside the stairwell.

“And what? Pelleting one another with water balloons like we were Freshman’s in college again, that’s fun to you I suppose?” Annabeth charges, glare firmly set and weight slung to her left hip.

“Why yes Grandma, it is,” Percy tells her, words hugged in a playful cadence that really could entice anyone to commit a felony with him. The bastard.

“You are a prick,” Annabeth informs him waspishly.

“And you don’t always gotta be so stressed. I mean I respect the hustle Chase, but you’re allowed to just chill once in a while, let down your hair and all.”

“You couldn’t handle that,” she sniffs, pulls out her card to swipe. “If I actually tried me and the girls would ruin you fools.”

“Is that right?”

“Wipe the floor with you,” Annabeth assures.

“Well then, looking forwards to the challenge Chase,” Percy beams, softly tugs on her high pony before walking back to the apartments. It feels like a legion of butterflies are swarming down deep in Annabeth’s stomach over the small contact alone.

“Damn you Percy Jackson.”

“Remind me again why you’re helping? Hazel asks for the third time that Saturday morning as the four sum are crowded around the makeshift map Annabeth had sketched out for them to follow, fully determined now.

“Shh,” Piper swats at her arm, as if physically trying to shoo the question away. “Annabeth we don’t care as long as you explain the plan just one more time.”

“Slower,” Rachel tacks on, gnawing on her thumb nail nervously.

“Right, well just listen closer ladies, this is a one and done deal, okay?” She’s met by a chorus of nods before she repeats her game strategy, one where each girl takes one of the four main hotspots around the building, skulking in the shadows until the predicted guy ends up there, surprised and defenseless when met by the water balloons of doom.

“I’ve already casually told both Jason and Leo that my parents were throwing us a brunch up state, so they don’t even know that we’re here.”

“God Annabeth if I didn’t think it would ruin our friendship I’d kiss you right now,” Piper sighs dreamily.

“Focus that pretty little head McLean,” Annabeth instructs, elbowing her side caustically. “You’re position is by the gym, Jason always goes there Saturday afternoons cause he thinks it makes it alright for him to get plastered that night.”

“You’re fucking a nerd,” Rachel tells Piper and both Annabeth and Hazel can’t help but nod along.

“No judgment zone!” Piper demands petulantly.

“Whatever,” Annabeth waves her off. “Hazel you’ll be in the front, waiting for Frank to come visit, and Rachel you’ll be waiting in the garden area where Leo comes to build one of his freaky gadgets.”

“Totally, you can count on me babe.”

“And what about you Annabeth?” Hazel asks.

“I’ve got Jackson,” Annabeth tells her, tone mock grave as she cocks her own toy weapon determinedly.

“So sexy,” Piper marvels.

Their building rents out a corner on the bottom level to a small bistro with friendly smiles and tasty enough brew that it keeps them coming back. It’s where Annabeth and Percy had first met when he had moved in with the others nearly six months ago. It’s also the first place Annabeth heard his laughter, and where Percy listened when she went on a tirade about her crazy parents and their crazy expectations and how sometimes she just needed space away from all of it. It’s where Percy told her that his mother is the most important person in his world and how he thought he never cared what his father thought of him until he had to make a decision on what he’d major in, and of course he followed in Poseidon’s footsteps. It’s where they stayed up late trading stories about their complicated childhoods and dreams for their futures and the place that Annabeth knew for sure that if she let herself, she really could fall for Percy. For the candor in his brilliant eyes. For the pretty smile he sports for the sake of his loved ones over himself, and for the conviction in his beliefs.

Annabeth tries not thinking of any of that when she crouches down deeper in the dark nook behind one of the decorative plants as Percy gets up from his table, tossing out his latte and shouldering his work bag.

It’s now or never.

The moment Percy steps through the threshold Annabeth pounces up and aims. What she doesn’t expect is for him to keel over to block her, and instead of hitting his insanely chiseled pecks, the water balloon hits straight in his face. Close enough and hard enough that the water suddenly darkens to red, mixing with the blood pouring out his nose.

“Holy shit!” Percy cries, pinching his nostrils shut.

“Oh my God!” Annabeth yells, frantically grabs for a pile of napkins from the counter besides her— toppling over a mess of straws and sugar packets in her wake— and then dashes over to press them into his grasp. “I’m so so sorry! I didn’t in my wildest dreams imagine that would happen! I swear!”

Annabeth expects at least for Percy to bemoan the injury, but instead she’s answered by a frankly terrifying boom of cackles.

“Percy? Have you cracked? Did I knock your brains out permanently?”

“When you said you’d ruin us, I didn’t think you’d literally cause physical harm Chase,” Percy retorts, still fighting down bubbles of laughter.

“You’re manic,” she pouts, long suffering.

“And you’re terrifying.”

“Bet it works for you though,” she preens, can’t help but be boastful over the way a blush touches the tops of his cheeks.

“Talk about adding harm to humiliation,” Percy grouces.

“Poor baby,” Annabeth mock croons, thinks that today actually might turn out pretty amazing.

She brings him upstairs to properly clean off the blood from his face and to come up with the conditions with at least a temporary truce, definitely not so she can finally trade a totally thrilling snog with him in privacy.

“You drive a hard bargain Chase,” Percy tells her, settling into the sofa as Annabeth unfolds her game of monopoly for them, having proclaimed that it’s a perfect time for her to prove how much fun board games can be.

“Oh hush,” she cuffs him on the back of the head playfully. “You’re just mad I won.”

“More like you committed battery,” Percy contends, pouting moodily, is only consoled when Annabeth leans forwards to kiss him again.

“You looked pretty bleeding— Oh God! Did I just say that out loud?”

Percy dissolves into a peals of laughter once more, and Annabeth tries her damndest to melt into a puddle right on spot.

“I can’t believe I’m so into such a maniac,” Percy tells her, eyes and smile glittering.

“SO rude,” Annabeth sniffs, arms crossed against her chest.

“But accurate Chase.”

Annabeth doesn’t bother to argue anymore because Percy’s already slanted their lips against one another again, and he’s doing this insane thing with his tongue that it makes her toes curl.

Yeah, today turned out amazing indeed.

#Percy jackson #pjo #annabeth chase #percabeth #bellonnabelle #thanks so much my love #ily #i wrote this too quick and it's probs crap #i just got so excited i finally had an idea for something for the first time in a bit #SPILT INK

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bookworlders · 4 years

Text

the wedding date - chapter 8

percabeth fake dating!au based on The Wedding Date movie

part 1 | FFnet | ao3

note: this story contains adult content :)

Annabeth woke up alone.

And sore. She stretched and her muscles ached in protest. The light streaming in through the windows of Cabin 3 brought attention to the pounding in her head in addition to her sore muscles. Annabeth suddenly remembered why — actually more like two, three, and an earth-shattering fourth reason why her body ached so much this morning.

---

It was the briefest of post-hook up naps. Annabeth bristled as Percy roused her awake with light kisses up her jaw.

“Wake up, sleepy head. I don’t think you want to sleep on a stable floor, especially with those dance lessons in the morning.”

Annabeth tugged one of the tangled flannel blankets tighter around them, enjoying Percy’s warm weight on top of her, “Hm, someone’s been paying studying Leo’s itinerary.”

“I never thought I’d meet someone who can turn me on by saying the word ‘itinerary.’”

Annabeth grinned, rolling them over so she was on top of Percy. The blanket slipped down her back and she shivered when the chilled air in the stables hit her bare skin. She kissed him deeply, hands threading into his hair. She couldn’t tell if she was still buzzed from the bachelorette party or drunk off Percy. She only pulled away when her lungs were screaming for air. She stared at him.

“What?” Percy asked, “Why did you stop?”

Annabeth settled her hands on his chest, “Is this too much like prostitution? It feels like prostitution to me. I feel like I’m sexually harassing you, with the whole I’m paying you situation.”

“Trust me,” Percy replied between kisses on her neck, “I’m only doing what I want to do. Also, you’re the drunk one.”

“I’m not that drunk. Anymore.” Annabeth added.

“Good, because since you are paying me, let’s just say this is, uh, an intimacy charge. And it’s on the house,” Percy suggested, resuming kissing her. Annabeth obliged.

They gathered their clothes that they could find (Annabeth’s bra was lost to the stables forever) and stumbled half-clothed back to Cabin 3. Annabeth swore she saw Will sneaking into Cabin 13.

---

Her sore body alongside the pillows and blankets strewn all over the Cabin made sense if Annabeth’s recollection was correct. She and Percy had barely slept last night.

But Percy’s side of the bed was empty. She sat up, searching for her clothes in the bedding. She found her camp shirt hanging off the bedpost, but it was, shall we say, quite rumpled after their late-night escapades. She settled on a casual sundress that was at the top of her suitcase. Annabeth heard the rumble of Percy’s low voice outside, noticing the screen door of the cabin was propped open. She slipped on some flip flops and peeked her head out the door.

“Yeah, the wedding’s on Sunday. I’ll be back in the city by Monday morning.”

Percy was on the phone. “It’s going pretty great actually. We had a lot of fun last night, if you know what I mean.” He chuckled, switching ears. “Yeah, her friends are pretty cool. No, I don’t think they realize.”

Last Annabeth checked, none of Percy’s friends new about their arrangement, even their mutual ones like Rachel. Annabeth’s face flamed.

“I’m her plus one. Good work experience. Haha. I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.”

Annabeth raised her eyebrow, crossing her arms as she waited for Percy to notice her standing out on the porch with him. Percy ended the call as he turned around and noticed her.

“Oh, hey, morning,” he said, an adorable grin sliding onto his face when he saw her. She was not amused.

“What the hell was that?”

“What?”

“Who were you talking to?”

“Oh, that was just—”

“Who are you blabbing to about our arrangement?” Annabeth lowered her voice, looking around the circle of cabins. It was still early enough that no one was milling about yet, but she pulled Percy back into Cabin 3, regardless, and slammed the door.

“Annabeth–“

“We sleep together once and you’re going on to the world about how I’m paying you to be my wedding date? I can’t believe you told someone! I am paying you to be discreet and this is not discreet.” She marched over to their bedside table, wrenching the drawer open a tossing a thick envelope at Percy, “There’s your fucking intimacy charge.”

Percy frowned, glancing at the cash inside the envelope, “What the hell is this? Well, now you are treating me like some kind of prostitute, if that was what you’re worried about.” He tossed the envelope onto their bed, “For your information, that was my roommate who thinks I’m at a wedding with a girl I’m dating. For real.”

Annabeth scoffed, “’Good work experience,’ ‘my friends don’t realize’?”

“My roommate and I were cast in As You Like It at Shakespeare in the Park! And I told him I don’t think your friends have realized that I’ve never been to a wedding before. It’s like you want this whole thing to fail. I have no stake in this wedding except to be here for you!”

Annabeth was about to retort when their door flung open and Piper barged in, “Oh, thank gods you two are awake! It’s time for the dance lesson, let’s go!”

Annabeth, arms still crossed and exasperated, muttered, “Piper, we’re in the middle of something.”

“You can finish up your something at dance class.”

“Come on, Pipes, I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.”

Piper shrugged, “Well, you should have gotten up earlier, Chase. She grabbed Annabeth’s arm. “Oh, Percy, you’re coming too. Nico’s super hungover and hasn’t stopped throwing up and Annabeth is gonna need a dance partner.”

---

Annabeth was fuming, arms crossed and refusing to look Percy in the eye. Percy was also fuming, however she could feel him glaring at her head.

The rest of the wedding party were gathered in a makeshift dance studio in Cabin 7. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were going to join Piper and Jason after their first dance and open up the dance floor to everyone. Jason insisted on the wedding party taking a dance lesson from his sister, Kayla.

The bunks in Cabin 11 had been pushed aside to make a clear dance floor in the middle and the cabin’s décor had mirrors and bars along the walls already. Kayla had partnered them off and positioned them around the room — Piper and Jason, Reyna and Leo, Frank and Hazel, Thalia and Luke, and Annabeth with Percy as Nico’s stand-in, and Drew with Will who was standing in for Dakota, Jason’s friend from California who wasn’t flying in until tonight for the rehearsal dinner.

Kayla clasped her hands together, “Alright, everyone! We’re going to learn some ballroom basics so you guys can waltz to Piper and Jason’s wedding song. What is it again, guys?”

Jason beamed. Annabeth had heard them arguing about their first dance song for months, and it was clear that Jason had won. Piper rolled her eyes, “Tell her, Grace.”

“Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers,” Jason announced to the room.

“Only the whitest song in the world,” grumbled Piper.

“It’s the song that inspired Lover by Taylor Swift and since you wouldn’t let me choose that-”

“Let’s get started!” Kayla cut them off, thankfully. Annabeth could sense a fight starting if they continued. Taylor Swift was a soft spot for Jason. “First, we need to learn how to do a proper basic hold. That will be our base. Gentlemen, lightly take your partner’s right hand.”

The only thing that gave away that Annabeth had heard Kayla was the sharp exhalation through her nostrils. When Annabeth didn’t uncross her arms, Percy rolled his eyes, prying her right hand and taking it in his own.

“Now ladies, left hand slightly below your partner’s shoulder, and guys, right hand on her back. The holds should be very light,” Kayla continued.

“You’re gonna have to look at me for this to work, Annabeth,” Percy muttered, settling his hand on her back. “I don’t even understand why your still mad. I haven’t told anyone anything.”

“Shut up,” Annabeth hissed under breath, bringing her hand up to his shoulder, “I don’t want anyone to hear anything.”

Kayla was circulating the room, correcting each pairs hold. “Ooh, Annabeth, loosen up. You’re so tense. You don’t want to restrain Percy.”

Percy smirked, “You did last night.” He whispered in her ear.

Annabeth’s mouth gaped open. She stomped on his foot.

“That hurt, you’re being so childish,” Percy whined.

“What’s childish was your little kiss and tell stunt this morning.”

Kayla continued on teaching them the basic steps and counting, Percy and Annabeth bickering with each box step. They were actually pretty good at it. They were the first couple to nail down reverse and natural turns in the waltz, while most of the other pairs were struggling with who was leading.

“For the last time, Annabeth,” Percy said, spinning her, “I haven’t told anyone anything. Just believe me.”

Annabeth met him with silence, even refusing to look at him as he dipped her. Percy met her silent treatment in stride with their waltz.

“I’m surprised you’re actually letting me lead,” Percy said, moving them across the Cabin floor in time with the classical music Kayla had put on through the speaker, “I wouldn’t pin you as someone who lets other people take control after last night.” He guided them away from Thalia and Luke whose shoelaces had somehow ended up twisted together. Kayla was trying to unknot them.

“You don’t even know me, Percy,” Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“I know a lot more than most now.”

“And that’s exactly why I don’t want you spreading things around!”

“I haven’t said anything to anyone! Seriously, you just woke up ready to be pissed at me, didn’t you?”

“Might be because I woke up alone-”

“Hey, you two,” Kayla said, walking over to them after helping Piper and Jason with their counts, “Your turns look great, but I think I need to review the steps with the others a couple more times.”

Annabeth glanced over to where Hazel and Frank were struggling with their waltz. It may be that one of Frank’s strides were double of Hazel’s, “Fine. I could use a break anyway.” She dropped Percy’s grasp and strode to the other room in the cabin where Piper had set up drinks and snacks.

Percy followed her, scooching past Drew and Will who seemed to be tango-ing rather than waltzing and Reyna who was most definitely the one leading Leo around the cabin, “You can’t be mad at me forever, Annabeth. I’m not sure Nico will be able to deal with you stepping on his foot every five seconds.”

“Will you just quit it already?” Annabeth roughly twisting the cap off a water bottle off.

“You weren’t saying that last night.”

Annabeth choked on the water she was gulping down. She coughed, “You’re so goddamn frustrating!” She pulled a hair tie off her wrist and threw her hair up into a tight ponytail.

“Uh, Annabeth—”

“What! What now, Percy?”

“You, um,” he motioned to his own neck, flushing. Annabeth had a huge, purpling hickey above her collarbone.

Annabeth’s eyes narrowed. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, turning on the camera to view the evidence of her drunken tryst. She gasped. Percy swore she was exhaling steam from her nostrils, “Percy!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Look what you’ve done!

“Hey, you weren’t complaining last night!”

“The wedding is tomorrow-”

“Hey, you guys?” Kayla called out, peeking her head around the corner.

Annabeth tugged her hair back out of the ponytail, effectively hiding her hickey, “Hey, sorry, we’ll be back out there in a sec.”

“Actually, I think I’ll be a little while longer with everyone else. You guys can leave, though, you did great! I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner tonight.”

“Oh,” Annabeth said. “Okay.”

Percy followed her back out into the main room of the cabin. Kayla’s dance lessons had since descended into further madness. Reyna and Leo had given up. Drew was in tears. Nico had finally shown up looking more gaunt than usual, and Will was yelling at him. Hazel seemed to nursing a bruised toe. Frank was fumbling with an ice pack and paper towels. Percy winced, he would not want a guy the size of Frank stomping around anywhere near his feet. And Piper and Jason were arguing in the corner with Kayla.

“Tell him, Kayla! We can’t waltz to Lover by Taylor Swift!”

“Actually-”

“It’s more waltzable than an Indie crap you want us to dance to!”

“Indie crap? What the hell did you just say to me, Sparky?”

Percy quickly followed Annabeth out of the cabin, he did not want to witness that argument. She stalked ahead, not bothering to wait up.

“Annabeth!” Percy sped up to meet her stride. She didn’t acknowledge him as she beelined back to Cabin 3. She pushed open the door, letting it swing back on Percy. He rolled his eyes, following her into the Cabin. “Annabeth, come on.”

She finally turned to face him. With the look on her face, he wasn’t sure if she was going to punch him or-

“What are you doing?” Percy pulled away after returning Annabeth’s fierce kiss.

Annabeth pulled her hair into a ponytail, exposing the hickey on her neck, “Getting you back.”

#the wedding date #mywriting #percabeth #fake dating!au #fake dating au #percy jackson #annabeth chase #heroes of olympus #fanfiction

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thisisawesomeness1825 · 5 years

Text

oops, i (fake) love you, ch. 11

xi. Piper

Guilt is such a sad feeling, Piper thinks, as she watches Percy make sad glances towards the cafeteria doors, like he's half-expecting Annabeth will magically appear and smile at him. To be fair, Piper had only meant to keep Percy safe and away from harm (the blonde's name is literally a red warning in itself). But all Piper did was to worsen the situation, and possibly cause the break-up of a probable genuine relationship of one of her closest friends. So of course, Piper feels guilty.

"Do you really think they'd break up?" Piper asks their group, once Percy has left for class.

"Break up only happens when they're together in the first place," Rachel comments. "It's probably just a fraud."

"I don't know, but Percy seemed really sad."

"He's probably just good in acting," Grover comments sheepishly. "Or probably not."

"But what if they're really together?" Piper says. "I'm feeling loads of guilt now. Percy has been uncharacteristically quiet this morning."

"Maybe it's a facade. You said so that they looked awkward during the dinner," Leo says.

Jason shrugs. "They looked pretty genuine to me."

"Speaking of genuine," Grover tries to say while munching on an enchilada. "Juniper saw them together."

"Who?"

"Percy and you-know-who, duh." Grover takes a big sip of his milkshake. "She said she saw them getting out of the janitor's closet. Looking flustered."

Both Rachel's and Jason's eyes widen—totally not expecting such a turnaround of events. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I know! I didn't believed it at first because it was really unlike Perce, but I think Juniper is honest, I swear. You-know-who even told her not to tell anyone about it, but apparently, she trusts me."

"Well, she's not gonna trust you now," Rachel comments as she turns back to her food.

"Oooh!" Leo exclaims and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. "Look who's now getting some."

Piper shakes her head exasperated. "Can we stop referring to Annabeth as 'you-know-who'? She has a name and it will not kill you to say it."

"Uh-uh, it totally can," Grover supplies.

Piper glares at him. "Not helping, Grover."

"Maybe we should just wait it out," Jason says. "I mean, if we do something now, we might make it worse. Let's just wait for Percy to come to us if he wants to say anything about it."

"That's sensible," Rachel comments.

"That's actually a smart idea, Jason," Piper says. The blonde slinks back to his seat; cheeks flushed. "I'm glad at least one of us makes sense."

Annabeth

True to his word, Percy does try his best. If during the first few days of their fake dating, he's been nothing but an awkward and a blushing mess, he's certainly showing up a new side of him. A side that's probably more confident and well, more boyfriend material.

Not that she's swooning or anything (nothing can make her swoon, ever), but Percy looks more put together now. He no longer flinches when they hold hands, and now he's started initiating some changes to their fake relationship. One example is when he started coming over to her house in the mornings so they can carpool together to school ("Saving fuel is saving the environment, Annabeth. So, we're carpooling.") And just recently, he began walking with her to her classes like some dork (which earned amused glances from the students who were used to seeing them bicker like there's no tomorrow).

It first happened on the third day after they have both reconciled and declared a temporary truce. She's just finished putting her books and picking up her homework from her locker when Percy sidled up on the locker next to her.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey yourself," she replied, and turned to look at him. They were certainly doing better now compared to last time when they were still fighting like they were in a screaming match. And while they have adjusted to each other enough to tell knock-knock jokes (like acquaintances, not friends), there are still some lulls of silence when they have both nothing and too much to say.

Her reply drew a chuckle out of him. "Are you finished arranging your books for the day?" he asked.

"Yep. Unlike you, I suppose."

Percy crossed his arms in front of him. "Oh, I actually finished it awhile ago."

The thought was so absurd she actually snorted. The sound made the end of his lips twitch, like he's trying his hard not to laugh. "Really? I'm debating whether to ask you how you did that, but I'm afraid I already have an idea."

He shrugs in his most carefree way. "Y'know, just dump some stuff and see if it fits. Bam!"

Still the good old Percy. "I knew it was a crazy idea."

"Well, it works for me. Saves the time as well."

"For now," Annabeth commented. "That dump and bam thing you do? It will bite you in the ass sooner or later."

"Guess I just have to run fast so it can't chase me," he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes. A few years older and he still hasn't gotten over that.

She scanned over the hallway and noticed that it's still pretty empty, save for a few students loitering around. Understandably so since they are always 20 minutes earlier than the rest of the school.

With eyebrows raised, she looks back at him. "Is that the only reason you came to bother me today?"

"Oh, that? I'm just waiting for you," he said casually.

"Waiting for me? Why?"

"So we can walk to class together."

His reply stopped her short. What is he up to? "O...kay," she said slowly. "Where'd you get this idea?"

"Nothin' really."

"Really."

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, like the next words are going to embarrass him for lifetime. "It's just I've always seen Beck and Silena walk together to their classes. And I think we could be a lot more convincing if we do the same? I mean, just the other day, Silena asked me why she has never seen us together. I have a feeling she's now getting suspicious," he whispered. "It's really scary."

She nodded. "We better not have the school gossip snooping on us."

"Right on that."

They now begin walking towards their first class, which is mythology. And even though they're not holding hands, they were still walking quite close together.

Percy said to her, "Besides, I figured it wouldn't be too bad. Standing this close to me? This is like every girl's dream."

"A nightmare you mean."

"A nightmare is when you don't get to spend time with me," he said with a cheeky grin.

Annabeth stopped and pretended to gag. "Gah, I think I'm choking."

"You're crazy."

"Says who."

He just smiled and kept his hands in his pockets. A moment later, he nodded to her shirt. "That shirt looks nice on you."

"What? This shirt?" she asked, as she looked down on the plain grey shirt she pulled this morning. She hadn't given thought much about it, seeing as she's in a rush earlier.

"Yeah. It brings out the grey in your eyes."

"Oh, thanks."

"But I'd rather you wear mine," he said.

Her world stopped. That's just—

That's just plain bleh. Probably the sorriest line he could ever think of (except for the 'you make me wet' one, nothing beats that yet). But one thing Annabeth is sure of, he better stop with those cringe-worthy lines.

After a beat, Percy turned to her, clearly bubbling with excitement. "So, how's about that for flirting?"

"That's the dumbest thing I've heard."

"But it was nicer than the last time!"

"Yep, because those pick-up lines don't deserve to exist."

He pouted at her in annoyance. "I don't know what kind of swords you eat for breakfast, because damn, those words are sharp."

"I'm not actually a sword person. I prefer knives."

"Yeah? Good thing you didn't ran out of murder weapons."

"Ha-ha-ha," she deadpanned.

"Ha-ha-ha."

Annabeth shoved him. "Shut up. You know what's a good idea? Burn those pick-up lines. They are an abomination."

"Yeah? And here I thought I was making progress," he said. "Until you so mercilessly pointed it out, you heartless woman."

"You're just a big baby." She turned to him with a smile. "But seriously, you're off to a good start. These things you're doing lately are good. And yeah, cool off with the lines."

"Oh, thanks." He grinned at her. "Wow, you're now warming up to me. Just a little more, and I'll make you swoon."

"Ugh. I take back everything that I said. You're horribly confident for you own good."

"No take backs!"

"Whatever."

So yeah, they'd already started carpooling to school, walking to classes together, and holding hands. It's not much, but they're getting close to convincing the normal people. The school gossip Silena had also stopped her questioning and she now just drones on how interesting their love story is (always quoting 'Romeo and Juliet', as if Annabeth wants to be associated with such tragedy). Anyway, despite going through a rough start, Annabeth thinks they're doing pretty good. They just have to keep the act until Percy improves enough to make Rachel notice him. Which will probably take some time (keeping him away from pick-up lines is battle she is yet to win). So yeah, Annabeth Chase is doing the world a favor by fake dating Percy Jackson (and saving them the trouble of hearing those pick-up lines).

#my fic #oops i (fake) love you #percabeth #fake dating #pjo

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knuffled · 5 years

Text

Just Practice - Chapter 2

chapter 2 is out! reblog and like if you enjoyed the chapter! comments/asks are especially welcome!

here in the ao3 link in case anyone prefers that!

The following Monday, when Annabeth walked into first hour English and made her way to her seat by the window, her eyes still burning from lack of sleep, she remained woefully unaware of the fact that news that Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson were finally going out had spread through Westwood High like proverbial wildfire. It didn’t take long, however, for that to be rectified. Piper accosted her the second that she sat down, grinning like the cat that got the canary, which should have been enough to arouse some modicum of suspicion in Annabeth, but she was still far too caffeine deprived to realize what was going on.

It was therefore altogether understandable that she felt completely discombobulated when Piper said the following: “So word around the block is that a certain someone is finally going out with the captain of the swim team.”

Annabeth, who had been in the process of rummaging in her backpack for her english essay, froze and turned to her friend. “What?” she asked.

Piper scooted her chair closer to Annabeth’s desk and threw her arm around Annabeth’s neck. “C’mon, you honestly thought I wouldn’t know?” Piper asked.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes and said, “Obviously, I knew you’d find out. Just not so soon.”

There was a twinkle in Piper’s eyes as she said, “Well, I do have my sources.”

“That sure is a roundabout way of saying Percy told you.”

Piper leaned back in her chair, shrugging. “We are best friends after all.”

Before Annabeth could do more than roll her eyes, Percy walked into the classroom, a cup of coffee in hand. He took his seat in front of Annabeth’s desk, but not before wordlessly passing Annabeth the cup. Annabeth felt the tips of her ears burn, aware of Piper watching her like a hawk, that shit-eating grin still stubbornly on her face. Percy stifled a yawn and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before he turned and gave them an oblivious smile.

“It’s my two favorite girls,” he said.

“Don’t let your mom or Estelle hear you say that,” Annabeth said, giving him a pointed look.

Piper laughed and said, “She’s right you know.”

There was an undeniable fondness in the way he rolled his eyes and said, “She’s always right.”

Annabeth shrugged and took a hasty sip, which made her hiss in pain when she burnt her tongue. “Fuck,” she muttered.

“You okay?” Percy asked, frowning.

“Burnt my tongue,” Annabeth said.

When Percy’s frown deepened, Piper rolled her eyes and said, “She’ll live, Percy.”

Percy shot her a nasty look that only made Piper laugh and tousle his already messy hair. Percy scowled and swatted her hand away, grumbling to himself as Piper leaned forward in her seat. “Anyhow, on to more pressing matters,” Piper said. “Which of you two idiots asked?”

Percy gave Annabeth a sidelong glance, a smirk sliding on his face. “Yeah, who asked, Annabeth?” he asked liltingly.

Annabeth stared at her coffee as her face grew warm. “I did,” she mumbled.

“Hah! Vindication!” Piper cheered, pulling out her phone.

“You watch way too much Brooklyn 99,” Percy said.

“I had a lot of money riding on this, fucko, so excuse me if I celebrate a little,” Piper said, texting furiously. “Man, Jason and Leo are going to be so pissed I was right.”

It was hard to mask the exasperation in her voice when Annabeth said, “You bet on whether we would go out with each other?”

“We bet on whether you’d ask him out before we graduated,” Piper clarified. “I knew my trust in you wasn’t misplaced, Annabae.”

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that,” Annabeth said, a low growl in her voice.

“Well mark me down as scared and horny, babe,” Piper said, not even sparing a glance as she pocketed her phone. “Oh wait, I can’t say shit like that anymore now that you and Percy are finally a thing, huh? What a bummer.”

“You’re actually intolerable.”

That was when the bell rang and their teacher, Mr. Edmonds, walked into the classroom with a stack of papers tucked under his arm. Piper reluctantly scooted her chair back to her desk next to Percy’s desk, and Annabeth was thankful that her interrogation had been brought to an abrupt halt. Percy turned around when the teacher asked everyone to pass up their essays and held his hand out to her. His hair was as messy as ever, black waves crashing into each other haphazardly. The ratty, orange camp t-shirt he was wearing had begun to fray at the edges of the collars, leading her eyes to linger on the shark tooth necklace hanging from his neck, the bone white jarring against the tanned skin beneath.

“Do I have something on my face?” Percy asked, disrupting her observation.

“No?” Annabeth said.

Percy raised an eyebrow and said, “Well, you were staring pretty hard, so I thought.”

When Annabeth didn’t respond, Percy laughed and said, “You wanna turn in your essay? I’m getting tired holding my hand out like this.”

Annabeth felt her face burn as she handed him her paper. “My bad,” she muttered.

Percy rolled his eyes and said, “Make sure you finish your coffee. You look like you need it.”

Annabeth told him to shut up under her breath but reached for the coffee anyways, which was now thankfully not as hot, and took a sip. Thankfully, the rest of class passed by without any further shenanigans, and it didn’t take long for the bell to ring again. Percy was gone by the time Annabeth finished packing her belongings in her backpack, but before she could leave her desk, Piper stopped her, an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face.

“So what brought this on?” Piper asked.

“What do you mean?” Annabeth said, putting her folder in her backpack.

“Like why’d you ask him out now? What changed?”

For a second, Annabeth considered telling Piper the truth about the whole “practice dating” thing but something gave her pause. There was the fact that even though she’d known her for a long time, Piper had always been closer to Percy than to her, but there was also something in the way that she was looking at her that unsettled her.

“I’m not sure,” Annabeth said, shrugging.

Piper stared at her for a few seconds before a smile blossomed across her face. “Well, that doesn’t matter now anyways. I’m rooting for you two lovebirds,” she said.

Piper slung her backpack across her shoulder and make her way to the classroom entrance, but before she stepped outside, she paused and turned to look at Annabeth. “He sounded really happy, you know?” Piper said.

Annabeth wasn’t really sure how to respond to that, so she just plastered an uneasy smile onto her face. Piper stared at her again for another second or two with that same intense emotion in her eyes before she finally stepped outside. Once she was gone, Annabeth let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

Percy was waiting for her outside the classroom, falling into step with her as she walked to her next class. “Why’d you wait? I thought your class was on the other side of school,” Annabeth said, frowning.

“Isn’t it normal to walk my girlfriend to class?” Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

For the umpteenth time that day, Annabeth felt herself flush with embarrassment. “I guess,” she said, squeezing her backpack strap tighter.

“So what did Piper wanna talk to you about?” he asked.

For some reason, she couldn’t tell him the truth — there was something about her interaction with Piper that just felt weird. “Nothing much. Just girl talk,” Annabeth lied.

When Percy hummed in response, Annabeth added, “She did say that you seemed, and I quote, ‘really happy’ that we were dating.”

A dumbfounded look crossed his face as he said, “Well, would you rather I had sounded miserable?”

“That’s not what meant, and you know it,” Annabeth said, stepping in front of him to stop him.

Percy sighed and said, “It would be really weird if I didn’t sound happy about it.”

“But we’re not really—”

“I know we’re not,” Percy interrupted. There was a harshness in his voice that made Annabeth frown, but before she could press him on it, it melted back into that same effortless kindness that she had always associated with him.

“I know we’re not actually a couple, but think about it: we have to act like we are, otherwise there’s no point to this. If we’re not going to go at this seriously, like it’s real, then it’s not really practice, is it? If this was real, wouldn’t I immediately gush to Piper about it? Wouldn’t I sound really happy?”

She couldn’t deny the truth in his words so she nodded. “Well, as long as you know.”

“I know,” Percy promised. “I’m not getting carried away. This is ‘just practice’, right?”

There was something about the way that he said that that rubbed Annabeth the wrong way, but she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was. “Right,” Annabeth said slowly.

Percy’s answering smile dispelled any tension that might have formed in the air. They spent the rest of the way walking to Annabeth’s class in silence, and once they got there, they both stood outside the classroom for a while.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you later?” Percy said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Annabeth nodded and made her way into the classroom. She walked to her desk and sat down before it occurred to her that she should probably thank Percy for walking her to class. That seemed like the sort of thing a girlfriend would do, right? She put her backpack in her chair and walked back outside the classroom, hoping Percy wasn’t gone. Thankfully, he hadn’t went too far when she stepped outside.

When she called out to him, he turned around, a curious look on his face. “Thanks for walking me!” Annabeth said before adding, “To class I mean!”

A grin broke across Percy’s face just as the bell rang, prompting him to give her one final wave before he turned and ran to make it in time for his next class. As she watched him go, Annabeth balled her hands into fists by her side and felt a rush confidence wash over her. Maybe she could do this whole girlfriend thing after all.

~oOo~

The heat was particularly sweltering during track practice later that day. Annabeth found herself incessantly wiping sweat off her brow with the back of her hand over the course of the run. The coaches had settled on a six mile run following the trail that circled the lake behind the high school. After the day’s events, going for a run was exactly the thing that Annabeth needed to settle her thoughts. The familiar burning in her lungs and the sound of her own ragged breathing calmed her down like nothing else. It was only when she ran that the chaos in her ADHD brain ever calmed down.

She forced herself to run a more strenuous pace that she was used to, making her way out of the woods only a half-hour into the run. The lake sat placidly to her right, and the reflected light of the slowly setting sun cast an orange-bronze hue to the water. Annabeth stirred when she heard the sound of someone running behind her. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw Jason only a foot or two behind her, his face screwed in concentration.

“Your pace is way too fast, Annabeth,” he protested breathlessly.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow and said, “No one’s asking you to keep up with me.”

“I’m not talking about myself — I’m talking about the rest of the team,” Jason said. “I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job, but now that you’re captain, you can’t just jet ahead of everyone else like always.”

“Being captain is a real pain sometimes,” Annabeth muttered. “Maybe they should’ve made you captain instead.”

“You and I both know they chose the right person for the job,” Jason said.

“Well, thanks for letting me know,” Annabeth said, sighing as she slowed her pace significantly to something more akin to a brisk walk than to actual running.

Jason sped ahead of her but not before shooting her an apologetic smile. It only took a few seconds for the other seniors on the team to pass her as well. Before long the juniors came and went, nodding when they noticed her, but it took quite a bit longer before the sophomores and the freshman came into view. Annabeth shouted words of encouragement and broke into an easy jog herself as she mingled with them. She kept an eye out for any stragglers or people struggling, stopping now and then to attend to them.

By the time she finished the run, the sun had begun melting into the horizon. Annabeth made her way to the track and finished a final lap for her cool down run before she found Jason, who was in the middle of his stretches.

When she sat down alongside him and settled into her own stretches, he turned to her and said, “Piper tells me you and Percy are going out now?”

Annabeth nodded and said, “Yeah, I asked him out on Friday.”

“After the meet?” Jason asked, bending to touch his toes.

“Yeah, we went to Martha’s after,” Annabeth said. “I couldn’t find you after the meet or I would’ve asked if you wanted to come.”

“Piper wanted to go to Taco Bell,” Jason said, shrugging.

“She’s fucking obsessed with Taco Bell.”

Jason rolled his eyes and said, “Tell me about it. I get PTSD every time I drive past the one near school.”

When Annabeth laughed, Jason smiled and said, “I’m happy for you though. I’m sure things will go well for you and Percy.”

“Thanks,” Annabeth said.

“I do want to say that you lost me fifty bucks, though,” Jason muttered.

“Well, maybe that’ll teach you not to bet on other people’s relationships, ya dork,” Annabeth said.

Jason huffed and laid down on the grass, done with his stretches, and threw an arm over his eyes. Annabeth sighed and said, “What do people even do in relationships?”

“I dunno,” Jason said. “Whatever they want, I guess.”

“What about you and Piper? You guys have been going out since forever,” Annabeth said.

“Well, at first we went on dates and stuff, like everyone else. We went out for dinner and a movie,” Jason said.

“Yeah? Which one?”

“Inside Out.”

Annabeth gave him a look and said, “That’s a pretty bad movie for a first date.”

“Yeah, I cried like seven times. It wasn’t exactly ideal,” Jason said, laughing. “We didn’t have the first clue about dating either back then. Now, it’s a lot easier. We just hang out. Go to Taco Bell. You know, the usual.”

“How romantic,” Annabeth said, smiling. “Doesn’t sound that different from being friends.”

“Well, you don’t usually kiss your friends,” Jason said cheekily.

“Gross, I don’t want to hear about you and Piper kissing,” Annabeth said.

“God, you’re such a prude, Chase,” Jason said. “You want to kiss Percy, right? That’s why you’re going out after all.”

Blood rushed to Annabeth’s face. “I-I do not!” Annabeth squeaked.

Jason raised his arm and looked at her. “You’re so full of shit. Why else are you guys going out? Isn’t it because you finally wanna bone him?”

“Shut up, oh my god!” Annabeth groaned. “You spend way too much time with that horny girlfriend of yours. You used to be a prude back then too.”

Jason sat up and wiped the grass off the back of his shirt. “Well, yeah, but then I got laid,” he said. “You should try it some time.”

“Maybe I will!”

He held his palms up in surrender, but the gesture was undercut by the fact that he was laughing. “It’s weird to see you like this,” he mused.

“Like what?” Annabeth muttered.

“I dunno, flustered, I guess? You’re always so put together and stuff. But even the great Annabeth Chase gets bent out of shape about something like dating, huh?” Jason said.

“I don’t have any clue what I’m supposed to do. I don’t like not knowing what to do.”

Jason shrugged and said, “That’s part of the fun. You just learn things as you go. Besides, Percy’s a great guy. I’m sure you’ll work things out together.”

Annabeth sighed. “I hope so.”

“I know so,” Jason said. “You got this, ABC. And if you ever wanna talk, I’m here for you.”

“I know,” Annabeth said. “Thanks. I appreciate it. Like a lot.”

Jason laughed and said, “Okay, good to know. I’m gonna head back and hit the showers. See you at practice tomorrow.”

Annabeth offered him a smile and said, “Yeah, see you.”

Once he left, Annabeth sighed and laid down on the grass, thinking about what he said. It hadn’t occurred to her before Jason had said it, but if she was going to be practice dating Percy or whatever, that would mean that she would end up kissing him at some point, right? That just felt… weird. Kissing Percy was weird. She’d known him since they were kids. It would be like kissing her brother or something. Obviously, Percy was attractive. Anyone with eyeballs could see that. That wasn’t the problem though. The problem was that she’d never seen Percy in a romantic light, like ever. There was a reason she’d never asked him out before, even though everyone in school seemed to think they were destined for one another. Percy was just her best friend. Someone who had been there for her through everything. And she’d been there for him through everything too. Romance had never really been in the picture before. There had never been space or need for it.

But now, they were dating. Dating meant kissing. And other stuff. Fuck, maybe she hadn’t thought this through. She knew that Percy would never do anything that she wasn’t comfortable with, so she wasn’t worried about that. What if she didn’t want to kiss Percy? Wasn’t that a problem? Didn’t that make the whole practice dating thing pointless? Practice dating sort of necessitated that sort of thing, right? Wow, she really hadn’t thought this through at all.

Annabeth sat up with a sigh, resolved to table the problem for another day, and made her way back to the school. Once she showered and changed, she made her way over to the school pool. There was only one person still in the water, but Annabeth knew without looking who it was. She made her way over the water’s edge and waited for Percy to finish his lap. His head popped out of the water once he noticed her standing there.

“Annabeth, hey!” he said. “Ready to go?”

When she nodded, he hauled himself out of the pool and said, “Just let me shower and get changed, yeah?”

“I’ll be waiting by your car,” Annabeth said.

Percy nodded and said, “Yeah, sounds good.”

It took about fifteen minutes for Percy to meet her outside — his hair was still wet from the shower and the scent of his body wash clung to his skin. Once he unlocked the doors to his car, they both sat down. As they drove out of the parking lot, Percy turned the radio on and began humming along to the song that was playing. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, off-time like always. There was something so familiar about the situation that it made Annabeth smile despite herself.

Percy must have noticed because he raised an eyebrow and said, “What?”

“Nothing,” Annabeth said. “Just glad practice is over.”

“Ugh, you and me both,” Percy said. “Coach has been making me do extra laps after practice to help our chances at winning state.”

Annabeth winced and said, “That’s brutal.”

After Percy nodded, a comfortable silence settled between them, but it wasn’t long before Percy spoke again. “So, since we’re doing this whole practice dating thing and all, shouldn’t we be going on dates and stuff?”

“What did you have in mind?” Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Is that a yes?”

She rolled her eyes and said, “Yeah, Seaweed Brain, that was a yes.”

Percy grinned and said, “It’s going to be a surprise.”

“Better be the good kind,” Annabeth warned.

“When have my surprises ever been anything but good?” Percy asked indignantly.

Annabeth hummed and said, “Hmm, I can think of a few. Remember the chocolate chip cookie debacle of ’09?”

When Percy winced, she pressed further and said, “Or the Last Day of Camp prank on Mr. Brunner when we were in 8th grade? Or Piper’s surprise birthday party last year?”

“Okay, okay, you made your point. It’s a good surprise, I promise,” Percy said, laughing.

“I should hope so. I’ve heard it’s very important to make a good impression on the first date.”

“Did you now?” Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Mhmm, so I expect to be wowed.”

“You’re awfully demanding for someone who’s never been on a date,” Percy said, shaking his head.

“Mhm, I’m free this Saturday, by the way,” Annabeth said casually.

Percy parked outside Annabeth’s house and laughed. “That was smooth,” he said.

Annabeth opened the door and grabbed her backpack from the back seat and slung it over her shoulder. “So Saturday?” she asked.

“Saturday,” Percy confirmed, nodding.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

There was an uncharacteristic tremor in his voice when he said, “I-I hope I don’t let you down.”

Annabeth scoffed and said, “You’ve never let me down, like ever. I’m sure we’ll have a blast, Seaweed Brain. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” Percy said.

With that, Annabeth walked to her house, giving Percy a final wave before she went inside. She slipped her backpack off and rested the back of her head against the front door and shut her eyes. She’d never seen Percy’s nervousness directed towards her like that before. They’d always been so comfortable around each other. She didn’t know how she felt about that. Maybe it was a sign that he was taking this seriously, in which case it wasn’t that big a deal. She just didn’t want things to be weird between them because of the whole practice dating thing. Still, she felt a rush of nervous anticipation herself too — for the first time in her seventeen years of existence, she would be going on a date.

#knuffled fic #percabeth fic #percabeth fanfic #percabeth fake dating au #fake dating au #percabeth #percy and annabeth #percy/annabeth #percy jackson #annabeth chase #percyxannabeth

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partlycharlie-archive · 6 years

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EP: things leo does; by jason grace

chapter 1. realization link to chapter 2

summary: 1. no, mom, i'm not in love with leo. yes, i know, his hair is very curly and very cute and his smile is adorable and his suspenders basically make my day and the way his eyes crinkle at the corners makes me want to Die but - fuck. word count: 2,246 warnings: i don’t think there’s anything but let me know a/n: a birthday fic for @caiprisa i love you!!! i'm sorry i couldn't get this out yesterday >:( but here it is i hope yall like it ahh!!! read on ao3

1. chews on the end of pencils when he's concentrating

“Hey.”

“Hey, Leo.”

“Hey, Jason.”

“Hey, Leo. Guess what.”

“Hey, Jason. What.”

“Hey, Leo? Stop chewing on your fucking pencil.”

Leo finally looks up from the blueprints he's working on, bright red mechanical pencil still shoved in between his teeth.

“Okay…” he says, eyes tracking the movement of the lead as it bobs up and down in time with his words. “Am I distracting you?”

Jason’s eyes track the movements too, until he realizes that he’s literally watching Leo’s mouth and hurriedly glances away. “Okay - first, I’m literally doing nothing? I’m just sitting here, I dunno what you could be distracting me from. Second, no , but you tend to complain way too fuckin’ much when you go to erase some mistake or whatever and realize that you’ve bitten all the erasers off of your ridiculously expensive pencils.”

The brunet grins reluctantly in response, slowly letting the rubber end of his pencil tip until it falls out of his mouth, and they both watch as it lands on the wooden floor with a decisive crack . “Well, then.” He turns back to his sketch - an outline for Jason’s newest cabin, since Hera knows he’d never be able to do it himself (and boy, does she love to complain about how he can’t do any of his fucking work) - and silence overtakes the bunker.

Jason glances over at the flashing dialog clock stationed on the wall, squinting when the neon red numbers swim in front of his eyes before settling into straight lines.

3:06 AM.

Holy shit - when the hell did it get this late? He looks at Leo again and finds bloodshot eyes, ruffled hair that’s had a hand pushed through it one too many times, bags under his eyes and an almost manic smile on his face that stays present even as he grumbles at himself for a mistake in his measurements. Jason’s eyebrows scrunch up and he leans back into the swivel chair he uses whenever he and Leo are in the bunker together. He decides not to focus on the fact that he’s there so often that he has a designated place to chill - that, and the sudden realization that Leo made it that way.

Anyway.

“Leo.”

The boy in question throws his hands up and spins around wildly in his chair, going in circles for a while before finally settling to meet Jason's eyes. “¿Que quieres de mi?” [t - What do you want from me?]

Jason smiles a tiny bit- just a lift of the corners of his mouth, really. “You realize it's 3am, right?”

Leo's mouth drops open and he scrambles out of his chair, almost falling onto the floor in his search for his watch. Jason doesn’t tell him about the giant neon clock that he built, perfectly content to watch him look around like a maniac. “Shit, Jake's gonna kill me…” he finally mumbles, burying his face in his hands.

Jason smiled, “It'll be fine. C'mon, let's start heading back.”

2. forms one hand into a peace sign when he takes photos

Jason's eyes widen as a blur of Piper-shaped color speeds past he and Leo, holding something vaguely similar to a Polaroid camera.

"You do realize that's not an actual Polaroid camera, right? The Polaroid company stopped making the original cameras like a decade ago or somethin’." Leo looks up at him with a mildly amused expression, as if he thinks the statement is common knowledge. Leo thinks this, of course, because he is a weirdo with obscure immediate processing camera knowledge.

Is he thinking out loud?

“Nah, not really,” Leo says, shrugging his shoulders and adjusting the straps of his suspenders almost immediately after. Apparently Jason had immediately continued thinking out loud while wondering whether he was thinking out loud, because that’s just his life. “You just mumbled something about Polaroids and I figured it was in reference to the running Piper blob.”

“Huh. That’s interesting. Everyone just calls them Polaroids, so I guess I never really thought about it. What are they called, then?”

Leo pauses for a second. “Well. I don’t think the film or pictures or whatever has an actual name - which is why everyone just calls the pictures Polaroids - but I’m vaguely sure the brand of camera is Fujifilm or something. I haven’t used one of those since I got my DSLR one, but I’m pretty sure they sell for, like, 60 bucks in the city.” Jason nods, a thoughtful look settling on his face in the form of a tilted eyebrow.

“THERE YOU ARE!” Leo and he jump about a foot in the air (Jason having to fight his instinct yelling at him to fly the fuck away, and Leo almost slamming himself into Jason’s back) when Piper runs back to stand in front of them. She’s got a hopeful look on her face and a wild look in her eyes, and neither of the conflicting emotions make Jason feel any better about the camera in her hands.

“I’ve been looking for you guys everywhere! Where the hell have you been?” she asks, breath still shaky from all the running she’s probably been doing. Leo and Jason share a amused glance.

Leo speaks up. “We’ve been here for like an hour, Pipes. I dunno how you haven’t seen us yes - we’ve been sitting here for like half an hour and you ran right past us only a minute ago."

Piper narrows her eyes at Leo, seemingly reluctant to accept his explanation, but shrugs and settles on the soles of her feet with a goofy grin. “Well, it doesn't really matter now that I've found you, right? Anyway, I need your help with something. It's not serious, don't worry about that, but I'd really really really appreciate it.”

Leo smiles widely at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “Sure, as long as it doesn’t lead to the possibility of my graceful, yet horrific and destructive death. What's up?”

She rolls her eyes and ignores him, turning just the slightest bit to face Jason instead. “Do you think you could help me get pictures of everyone? I’m, uh, planning on heading to New Rome in a bit- with Nico? If he’ll take me, y'know." She shrugs. "It’s summer, though, and since everyone’s here I’d, uh," she coughs suddenly, "like to get as many pictures as I can.” Jason can hear the tone of wistfulness in Piper’s voice, and he winces internally in sympathy.

The war hadn't ended all that long ago - neither had their relationship - and the wounds were still fresh, in both cases. He, at least, could understand the desire to make memories that would last.

Heads turns towards Leo as he starts bouncing on the tips of his toes, his face lit up in excitement. “Yeah, sure! Sounds awesome to me! How many people do you want to take photos of? Do you have enough film? Do you want to be in the photos? Do you want us to be in the photos? Are they going to be candids? Where are you going to put them? When do you-”

“Leo, chill, okay? I’m taking things one step at a time.” Leo grins sheepishly and stops bouncing ignoring the confused stares from bystanders (fucking New York - Jason can never get a break from staring people, he swears ). “Can I take a photo of you two first?” she asks.

Jason and Leo both nod at Piper simultaneously, then look at each other with happy grins on their faces. "Yeah, let's do it!"

Piper steps forward, pulling her camera out of the case hanging from her neck. Jason and Leo both scramble to get into some kind of position for the picture. The shorter of the two slings an arm around the taller boy’s shoulder- Jason, in turn, wraps his arm around Leo's waist, his thumb brushing against Leo's slender hipbone.

Piper beams, aiming it towards the two.

"Alright, ready? One, two, th - Connor I swear to god if you don’t get out of the shot I’m going to literally murder you - okay, ready? - alright, here we go -" Jason feels a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye but ignores it until the flash of the camera goes off. He turns to face Leo, who, at the last moment, had thrown up a peace sign in front of his face. With wide eyes, Jason slowly looks back at Piper, who has lowered the camera and is waiting for the picture to come out. She doesn’t seem very surprised- all she does is raise an eyebrow in response. What?

Jason’s face twists. Does he always do that?

She shrugs, and Leo shifts under Jason’s weight. Jason draws back a bit, surprised by Leo’s casual acceptance of his arm in such an intimate position, and Leo looks up at him with furrowed eyebrows.

You okay?

Jason smiles widely, running a thumb over the smooth skin on Leo’s hip and pretending to ignore the small shudder that goes through the smaller boy. Yeah, I’m fine.

3. covers his mouth with his hand while laughing

"Hey, Leo." Jason's voice is colored with hidden amusement.

The brunette in question lifts his head briefly from where he's hunched over, playing with some sort of toy helicopter.

"Yeah?" he asks, already starting to smile.

"What did the Vikings name their plant?"

Leo snorts. "Fuck if I know."

Jason starts laughing before he even starts the sentence. "L-LEAF Erikson!"

Leo, despite himself, feels his mouth start to stretch wide into a grin. Before he knows it, Jason and he are both sitting on the ground, heads buried in their hands and shoulders shaking with giggles.

"H-hey, hey, Leo," Jason manages.

Leo doesn't bother trying to respond, instead just flopping a hand in Jason general's vicinity.

"Wh-why did the s-skeleton wan-want a friend?"

Leo sighs in mock exasperation, his raucous laughter finally dying down in favor of a response. "Why?"

Jason's eyes crinkle. "Because he was BONELY!" Leo immediately bursts out in laughter, slapping a hand across his mouth in what appears to be a reflex.

How has he never noticed that before?

God, he loves Leo’s laugh. It’s more like a giggle than anything - all high-pitched and bubbly; his mouth stretches into the widest smile Jason’s ever seen, and his tongue sticks out between his teeth just a little bit, and holy fuck Jason’s in love with Leo.

Shit.

4. talks in spanish when he gets frustrated

“ … ¿y por qué? Porque Nyssa es una puta, y no puede hacer una tarea tan simple como esta - y ahora tengo que hacer esta mierda yo solo, porque todos los demás son demasiado jodidamente estúpido para hacerlo. Dios mio… ” [t - …and why? Because Nyssa’s a whore, and can’t complete a task as simple as this - and now I need to do this shit by myself, because everyone else is too fucking stupid to do it. My god…]

Jason’s eyes widen minutely - he isn’t fluent by any means, but he knows enough to get by, and to tell that Leo is seriously pissed.

He raps on the door of the Hephaestus cabin softly, poking his head in and watching as sunlight starts to filter in through the doorway. Leo sets his hammer down with a bang , and Jason twitches.

“ Jesuchristo… yes, Chris, I know I haven’t eaten in fourteen hours, yes, Chris, I’m aware that I haven’t eaten in longer, but if none of you are willing to help me finish this I don’t really have any other option.” Leo trails off into a series of angry mumbles as he lets out a soft sigh, and Jason frowns worriedly.

“Not Chris, but I can’t say I blame him for being worried about you.” Leo’s face transforms as he turns around in his chair; his eyebrows smooth out and he gets a tiny smile on his face and his eyes crinkle at the corners and he’s fucking gorgeous .

Ahem.

Jason clears his throat (and his mind, though less successfully) and shifts the tray balanced in his hands, holding it up for Leo’s inspection.

Leo finally looks down at the food on the tray and almost immediately stands up, grin getting wider despite his stumbling over the tool left on the floor next to his chair. Jason bites his lower lip in an attempt to hide the fond smile he knows he gets whenever Leo does something dumb.

“Damn,” Leo mutters, walking over to grab the tray from him. “I knew there was a reason I loved you.”

Jason swallows harshly. “Y’know, ‘loved’ kind of implies you don’t love me now - I’ve gotta admit, that’s a little disheartening.” Leo rolls his eyes exaggeratedly from where he’s setting down the overflowing tray of food (okay, yes, maybe Jason went a little overboard when wishing up food for Leo to eat, but what do you expect?) on his bed. He straightens up and lifts an outstretched hand in Jason’s direction, twisting his face into something vaguely representing heartbreak.

“Alas,” Leo says with conviction, “mine boiling love for thee hath faded into somethink simmering, not nearly as warming underneath thy soul!”

Jason starts to form a properly Shakespearean response in his head, then stops. “What the hell is that even supposed to mean?”

Leo shrugs. “I think I stopped being in love with you. Not that that would ever happen in real life, obviously.” He winks.

“Right. Obviously.”

#partlycharlie #my fic #pjo #valgrace #jason grace #leo valdez #caiprisa #@caitlyn #<3 hey guess what i love you #this was cool to do #it only has another chapter #so i'll probs post on the 24th #:)

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twoidiotwriters1 · 4 months

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The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Currently on the road back home having a good time (hopefully bc i sure need it) -Danny Words: 1,952 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

III: I Use The Power of Friendship (Goes Wrong)

Ara's glad to be left alone with the girls. Reyna is an old friend and Annabeth... well, she's like a sister.

As they leave the dining area, Ara remembers what a fun little girl Reyna used to be. Maybe they can find a way to build something, an alliance that will satisfy both sides. She must be careful, though, the last time Ara tried to be the voice of reason, it didn't end well, which brings her back to Nico.

Gods, she really hopes Lily doesn't know about his disappearance, she's got too much on her plate already.

"Come," Reyna gestures at the girls. "Walk with me."

Ara spent many years telling Nico that Camp Half-Blood was the best place for them, and technically, this place is for Romans, not Greeks, but still... Now she understands why Nico started to disobey her months into her leadership, he'd found New Rome, and he knew Ara was clueless.

How many times had she thought of Lily that way? Lily was too wary, and Ara was all about going big or going home. She'd forced her to participate in flashy plans just because they were easier. Now, standing in the middle of New Rome, witnessing what could be achieved with patience and careful planning, Ara couldn't blame Lily for being exasperated by Ara's approach.

"The harpy Ella..." Reyna says, bringing Ara back from her brooding. "It was a prophecy she spoke. We all know that, don't we?"

"It sounded like a prophecy," Annabeth agrees. "But I've never met Ella before today, and I've never heard those lines exactly."

"I have," Reyna sighs. "At least some of them—"

Argentum, Reyna's automaton dog, starts barking when some kids gather around to play with it. Leo hasn't seen Reyna's dogs yet, but Ara wants to take them onto the ship so he can take a look.

"You have a beautiful life," Ara says. "And you built it with hard work, I respect that."

"When we met, you were just an Aphrodite," Reyna smiles a little. "You don't sound like one now, but it shows."

"You should see her when she's with Leo," Annabeth quips.

Reyna turns to her with a raised eyebrow. "The scrawny boy with the curly hair?"

Ara knows what Reyna thinks because it's what most people think. It's what Lily said when she found out: Really? Him? Ara clears her throat. "Anyway..."

"We should move on," Reyna walks forward, and Ara appreciates it.

"We've also met before," Annabeth points out. "You were younger, right?"

"Very good. Percy didn't remember me. Of course you spoke mostly with my older sister Hylla, who is now queen of the Amazons. She left just this morning, before you arrived. At any rate, when we last met, I was a mere handmaiden in the house of Circe."

"We played tag," Ara tilts her head, trying to remember. "You said my teddy bag was cute and I gave you the bag of gummy bears I kept in it. You thought it was funny that I kept gummy bears inside my bear bag."

Reyna smiles openly and Ara feels comforted by it. This teenager had been like her once, a little girl with not much to offer, and her rank had sharpened her edges. Now, Ara is on her way to becoming Reyna, and she doesn't hate what she's seeing.

"Wait," Ara blinks, finally processing what the older girl said. "Your sister is the queen of what?"

Reyna chuckles. "You're a lot like Percy."

This catches Ara off guard. No one ever says that about her—not in a positive way, at least.

"This is my favorite spot," Reyna announces. "The Garden of Bacchus."

When Ara sees Baccus's statue she lets out a laugh. "You guys got a great involuntary sense of humor..."

Reyna hums. After a moment, she continues. "I wanted to hear it from you."

"Hear what?" Annabeth asks.

"The truth. Convince me that I'm not making a mistake by trusting you. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about Camp Half-Blood. Your friend Piper has sorcery in her words. I spent enough time with Circe to know charmspeak when I hear it. I can't trust what she says. And Jason... well, he has changed. He seems distant, no longer quite Roman."

Reyna raises a hand to stop Ara before she can argue.

"My dogs determined you're a reliable person, charmspeak and all. You have an honest heart, like your brother, but I brought you here and not him, because you probably know Camp Half-Blood way better than Percy nowadays."

If Ara weren't dating Leo, she'd be crushing on Reyna by now. If the girl keeps complimenting her, Ara's going to apply for Roman citizenship.

"Well," the girl shares a look with Annabeth. "Where do we start?"

"Guess what!" Nico bounces on his feet. "Something cool happened this morning!"

"You got to ride a pegasus?"

"No!"

"You convinced Percy to play Mythomagic?"

"Better!"

I look around, and that's when I realize my brother isn't by the fountain. He waits there for Annabeth and I before breakfast, even if we don't sit together. Now that our friend is missing, I'm expecting to see him staring at his reflection in the water, sulking or something, but he's not there.

I notice his cabin's door is wide open and my stomach drops. "Where is Percy?"

The young boy smirks. "I helped him sneak out so he could follow Bianca!"

I'm not very strong, but I pull Nico by the neck of his shirt until we're face to face. The sudden action causes him to yelp.

"Why didn't you wake me?" I whisper in panic.

"H-He told me not to! 'You look after my sister, I look after yours'—I thought it was fair!"

Percy calling me his sister even when I'm not around makes me giddy, but I'm also upset that he's decided to leave me behind without saying a word. It's the first time that he goes on a quest without me, and it stings.

Nico removes himself from my grip, looking guilty. "I wanted to go too, but Percy said I had to stay with you."

I realize I'm not Nico's mentor. I'm just an older version of Nico. We've been left behind by our siblings because they didn't think we were strong enough to keep up with them.

"Does Chiron know?"

"I won't tell on Percy," Nico stands proudly. "I promised I wouldn't."

His devotion to my brother confirms we're the same, so I wrap an arm around his shoulders and guide him to the Athena cabin.

"Alright," I sigh. "It's you and me... That isn't so bad! We'll be a great team. Come on, let's get Lily."

"If you go to the ancient lands, especially Rome itself, there is something you should know about your mother," Reyna mentions.

Annabeth steps back. "My—my mother?"

"When I lived on Circe's island, we had many visitors. Once, perhaps a year before you and Percy arrived, a young man washed ashore. He was half mad from thirst and heat. He'd been drifting at sea for days. His words didn't make much sense, but he said he was a son of Athena."

"What happened to this demigod?"

"Circe turned him into a guinea pig, of course. He made quite a crazy little rodent. But before that, he kept raving about his failed quest. He claimed that he'd gone to Rome, following the Mark of Athena."

Ara stares at her friend. Annabeth used to confide in her, and now they're both keeping their hands behind their backs, waiting for the other to give the first step. It feels wrong.

"Yes," Reyna continues. "He kept muttering about wisdom's child, the Mark of Athena, and the giants' bane standing pale and gold. The same lines Ella was just reciting. But you say that you've never heard them before today?"

"Not—not the way Ella said them." Annabeth's voice quivers. "Did this demigod—did he explain his quest?"

"At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about. Much later, when I became praetor of Camp Jupiter, I began to suspect."

"Suspect... what?"

Something explodes behind them, interrupting their conversation.

"Giants?" Annabeth looks around frantically. "I thought their army was defeated!"

"It isn't the giants," Reyna says tensely. "You've betrayed our trust."

"What? No!"

"Annabeth," Ara turns her around. "The ship!"

The girls run fast to reach the commotion. Ara searches in her pocket and seizes Almighty but she doesn't turn it into a sword yet, she has to try and de-escalate the situation first.

Jason and Piper are fighting side by side. Percy, Frank, and Hazel are all together. Only one person is missing.

"Leo!" Ara hurries to the Argo II. A group of demigods approaches her menacingly, and she uses charmspeak. "Drop your weapons!"

They obey her at once. Percy shouts her name, so Ara elbows the soldiers out of her way. She arrives at the same time as Annabeth.

"Girls!" Her brother scowls. "What—?"

"I don't know!" Annabeth exclaims mortified.

"I'll tell you what!" Octavian climbs down the rope ladder. "The Greeks have fired on us! Your boy Leo has trained his weapons on Rome!"

Ara rushes past the crowd again, dodging attacks from pretty much all around her.

"I was just there!" Octavian continues. "I saw it with my own eyes!"

The girl reaches the ladder and jumps, kicking Octavian out of her way. She climbs fast, yelling Leo's name hoping he'll answer. She finds him near the ballista, and he is shooting.

"Leo, stop!"

The girl doesn't use charmspeak at first, she never uses it on her loved ones, not since Nico. Besides, Leo usually stops when Ara tells him to, but not this time.

"Enough!" Ara grabs him and the boy stumbles back. She cups his face. "Leónidas!"

In his eyes, she sees a flash of something that reminds her of Luke. She moves away from him as soon as it happens. Ara decides to take the ammunition out from the ballista, and that's when the boy reacts. He yanks her back by the cloak, tossing her against the railing.

"Get out of the way," he says numbly.

Ara's on the ground when Percy and Annabeth reach the deck. Percy doesn't hesitate before attacking Leo, tackling him to the ground. Annabeth helps her up.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know!" Ara gulps, her left side is pulsing. "He's acting weird!"

A dragon lands on deck and drops an unconscious Jason and a stressed-out Piper, then turns into Frank Zhang. Percy drags Leo away. "Girls, get us out of here!"

"Can you stand?" Annabeth asks worryingly.

"'Course I can..." Ara groans, struggling to reach the control board and typing away, then pulling the throttle steadily to glide higher.

The crew stumbles back thanks to the change in speed. Ara tells Annabeth to get her dino bag and then orders Percy to tie Leo to the main mast. She has to know what's going on with him before she can let him walk around freely.

"Thanks," she tells her brother once he's done. "Check on Jason, see if you can help Piper with him."

Percy frowns. "I'm not leaving you alone with—"

"That's an order, Percy!" Ara urges him, still pushing buttons and flipping switches.

She doesn't want to be rude, but if Leo wakes up and sees Percy's glare on him again, he's gonna freak out and it's going to make things harder for her. Annabeth returns with the T-Rex and Percy leaves, though he asks Frank and Annabeth to keep an eye on Leo.

Once she stabilizes the ship, Ara grabs her bag and pulls out her bottle of nectar. She crouches in front of Leo and tilts up his face to pour the liquid down his throat. Leo bends forward coughing and she pushes him back against the mast.

"Easy," she speaks gently. "Easy, Leo... what happened?"

"I... I was having a..." His eyes glide across the deck and realization hits him like a ton of bricks. It wasn't a nightmare.

"Leo," Annabeth crouches next to Ara, but she sounds way less chummy. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Next Chapter ->

Taglist.

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#twoidiots writing #leo valdez x oc #leo valdez fanfic #percy jackon and the olympians #doo #pjo fanfic #heroes of olympus

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