Work Text:
Percy Jackson wasn’t an idiot. Sure, he could be classified as a troubled kid with all the chaos he’d somehow gotten up to as a child that forced him to switch schools constantly. But Percy was a clever, witty kid. At least, he liked to think so.
He knew he wasn’t normal. Even before he confronted his mom about it, he knew. He saw things he wasn’t meant to see. Heard things he wasn’t supposed to hear. Spoke to things that he was never meant to speak to.
It was easy to keep quiet about all the things he saw and heard and spoke to.
The world around him might have changed, but there were some things that simply hadn’t, and that was enough for Percy to adjust accordingly. Or, well, as accordingly as his young body would allow him to.
Not that he wanted to adjust to this new time, at first.
Waking as a baby had been rather mortifying, and Percy was just glad he hardly remembered most of it as he grew older. But there were moments Percy held onto. Moments where he was safe and warm and loved with his mom.
His mom. His sole reason for living.
Even after he puzzled out who his father was.
Pipes that rattled with his anger. Feeling well-rested and rejuvenated with just a shower, bruises that went away when he splashed water on his face, an incident with a talking shark in a behind the scenes tour of Marine World in fourth grade. Talking clams who were more than happy to give him pearls he could sell to give money to Smelly Gabe.
A dad who had gotten lost at sea.
Yeah. Right. Dad was the sea. There was no getting lost about it.
He still remembered the day he had finally stopped being in denial about it. They’d been at Montauk, at the very cabin they were currently driving away from. Percy had always had a sinking dread when he got near the ocean, memories that kept him from getting too close, much to the pain in his mom’s expression as she danced among the waves.
There were a few too many coincidences when Percy had snuck out of the cabin in the dead of night and stood on the beach, staring over the waves mere inches away from where the water met the shoreline. Though in a matter of seconds, that gap had almost closed, the waves eager to greet him.
Percy hadn’t let the waves make that force for him and he dashed into the waves, letting it cover him completely.
The ocean practically sang with relief at having its son back in its hold.
Percy had cried out in terror at the sensation, memory after memory flashing through his mind. The ocean panicked with him, shoving Percy back onto the shore and watching as Percy threw up and heaved over the sand. The whole experience had been agonizing as Percy raced back up to the house and proceeded to finish dry heaving over the toilet, his mom desperately rubbing his back as she fretted.
He’d gotten back in the water the next day, determined to conquer his fear.
His mom’s beaming joy had been all the incentive he needed.
It had been all the proof Percy needed.
Still, despite Percy having figured everything out himself, the world still loved to throw things at him to prove just who screwed Percy was.
Like, Mrs. Dodds, the literal Kindly One who had come for his head.
And the Fates cutting strings at the fruit stand.
Or the fact that his best friend was a satyr.
“So…” Percy tested slowly, looking between his mom and his best friend. “You two know each other?”
Grover’s eyes flitted to the rearview mirror. There weren’t any cars behind them, but Percy still found himself on edge, trying to find any sort of threat. Which was a real pain when the stupid magic mist thing clearly had it out for him!
“Not exactly,” Grover said nervously. “I mean, we’ve never met in person. But she knew I was watching you.”
Yeah. Percy had suspected as much when they first met.
“Watching me?” he chose to ask, feigning ignorance.
“Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn’t faking being your friend!” he added quickly. “I am your friend.”
Something in Percy settled at the sincerity in Grover’s voice. Grover was real terrible liar, and Percy trusted him.
He had trusted others, once.
The car lapsed into silence at that ugly, bitter thought. But it was just as quickly interrupted by a nervous “Blaa-ha-ha!” from Grover.
“Sorry! Sorry!’ Grover said quickly. “It’s just… don’t you have questions?”
Not any you would answer.
“You’re a satyr,” Percy said instead. “I mean, I kinda figured it was obvious given the legs. It’s okay, my best friend is allowed to be half donkey from the waist down-”
“Blaa-ha-ha!”
And yeah, Percy had heard that sound before. Several times. He was kinda kicking himself for not recognizing it sooner.
He was going to blame the magic mist thing for that failed realization.
“Goat!” Grover cried.
Percy just met his gaze in the rearview mirror, sending his best, cheeky, mischievous smile at his best friend. Which really only caused Grover to “Blaa-ha-ha!” again. Honestly, it was kinda funny how nervous and thrown off Grover was.
There was the best friend he knew and loved.
“Percy, this is serious! I need you to know this isn’t just one of Chi-Mr. Brunner’s myths. Those ladies at the fruit stand weren’t a myth. Mrs. Dodds wasn’t a myth.”
“So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!” Percy challenged quickly. “You had me going crazy for months about that!”
“I had to! The less you knew the fewer monsters you’d attract,” Grover said like it should be perfectly obvious. “We put Mist over the humans’ eyes. We’d hoped you’d think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are.”
Percy bit back a retort. He knew well and good who he was already, thank you very little. He’d also known about the monsters for years! It wasn’t easy getting around them, but he liked to think he’d done well enough. Even if he had to get creative to kill some of them.
Wait. Hang on. The magical mist stuff was literally just called “The Mist”?
Seriously?
There was a strange bellowing noise that was accompanying the thunder outside. The lightning was what bothered Percy. A monster he could handle. The wrath of the King of the gods.
Definitely not.
He just wished he knew how he had earned that ire this time around.
“Percy,” his mom said, “there’s too much to explain and not enough time-”
“You mean that my dad is a god and greek myths are real, and we’re in a lot of trouble for some reason?”
Grover and his mom effectively shut up.
“Ho-” his mom had to clear her throat. “How long have you…?”
It was Percy’s turn to go quiet.
“I don’t think you want me to answer that,” he said softly. Then louder, “Now could someone please tell me who is after me.”
“Oh, nobody much,” Grover said, both miffed and utterly bewildered by this entire exchange. “Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions.”
Okay. Now hang on. That didn’t make sense. Sure, the Kindly One was definitely something from the Lord of the Underworld. But the lightning was all King of the gods. Why was everyone blaming the Lord of the Dead?
“Grover!”
“Sorry Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?”
Sally quickly floored it, driving by a sign that read PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES on a white picket fence. Percy was fairly certain that was a front for something given that now was the moment Grover wanted them to pick up speed, but he wasn’t going to call anyone out on it.
Yet.
“Where are we going?” Percy asked.
“The summer camp I told you about?”
Ah. Yes. The King of the gods, and supposedly the Lord of the Dead wanted him dead, and obviously the best place for him was a place full of more demigods probably related to the two.
Real good idea, mom.
“The place you didn’t want me to go,” Percy voiced instead, though his tone was flat.
“Please dear,” his mother begged. “This is hard enough. Try to understand. You’re in danger.”
“Because some old ladies cut yarn,” Percy sassed back.
“Those weren’t old ladies,” Grover said. “Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means - the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you’re about to… when someone’s about to die.”
Which was true. The Fates were fickle about that. Not just anyone could call them.
“You said you,” Percy huffed.
“No. I didn’t. I said someone.”
“You meant ‘you’. As in me.”
“BOYS!” Sally said.
Percy glimpsed up for a moment to apologize, this was a stressful time for everyone, when he caught someone in the road. No. Not someone. Some thing.
His mother was quick, though. Swerving around the thing before Percy processed what it was. Percy made to turn around to get a look at it, but his attention was quickly directed elsewhere as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
Percy didn’t think. Just reacted.
His hands grasped the steering wheel and he yanked the car to the side, barely missing the lightning strike as they drove off into a ditch. The airbags went off quickly, but Percy was already scrambling out of the car.
“Percy!” he heard his mother shout.
“Get out and run!” Percy yelled back. “Grover! Come on!”
Grover was also already out of the car, prancing nervously but thankfully following Percy’s lead. Around them, the rain and thunder stormed around them. Percy let the rain water course through him, begging it to give him strength, even if it was only semi-part of his dad’s domain in this form.
There was a monster behind them and a vengeful god above them, and Percy would really like to know why it always had to be him.
Percy made the mistake of glancing backward, noting the giant, fuzzy silhouette of a figure behind them. The same figure he’d barely seen earlier.
No.
It couldn’t be.
The Minotaur?
The Minotaur had been before his time. A thing of legend, even to him. For it to be here was…
“Percy! We have to keep running!” his mother called. “See that tree?”
Tree?
Another flash of lightning revealed the tree she meant. A giant - White House Christmas tree worthy - sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.
“That’s the property line!” she said as she got to his side. “Get over that hill and you’ll see a big farmhouse down the valley. Run and don’t look back. Yell for help. Don’t stop until you reach the door.”
“Mom, you’re coming too,” Percy insisted.
Except she wasn’t. Percy could see it written over her pale face. For some reason, she didn’t think she’d be welcomed.
No… she didn’t think she could pass the property line.
“If you don’t cross that property line, neither will I,” Percy said firmly.
“Percy,” Grover hissed at his side, tugging at his arm. “We have to go man.”
“That is the Min-” no, wait, names had power, even back then. They probably still had power now. “That is Pasiphae’s son. I know the myths. His eye sight and hearing are terrible, but he can see us. He will kill you, mom.”
She shook her head. “It’s not me they want.”
“I KNOW that!” Percy raged. “But that thing won’t care! It killed men for less, and I will not let you anywhere near it. Now come on!”
He tugged Grover and his mother forward, racing them both up the hill and towards the tree. The mist was definitely stronger here. He could feel it in his very soul, even if it wasn’t letting him see the barrier preventing his mother from access. He stopped them at the bottom of the hill.
“Grover,” Percy said firmly, turning to face his friend. “This is your camp, right?”
“Um, well, I work… here?”
“Then you had better find a way to get my mom into that camp, or I swear to you, I will let that thing kill me.”
“Percy!” his mom shrieked.
“Percy, you can’t-” Grover tried.
“Watch me,” Percy let his voice drop low.
And then Percy bolted back the way he came, right back to Gabe’s car. He recalled the jerk telling him not a scratch .
Oops.
Hopefully Gabe would be okay with a few dents.
He stopped just in front of the car, standing right in front of the thing as the Minotaur searched around blindly. The thing could definitely see better than Polyphemus. Percy simply needed to time things just right.
There.
The Minotaur had caught his scent.
It let out a cry that barely drowned out the horrified cries of Percy’s mother and best friend. Percy couldn’t help but hold his breath at the sudden thrill that went up his spine, the memories of times long past flashing through his mind.
And at the last second, he dodged to the left, away from Grover and his mom.
The Minotaur, as Percy correctly recalled, couldn’t change course in a dead charge, and it ultimately rammed its horns into Gabe’s dumb camaro. Good riddance, in Percy’s opinion, spending all mom’s money like that.
The Minotaur roared and screamed in frustration as it tried to unstick itself from Gabe’s car. Percy quickly moved around the creature, rushing back towards his mom and Grover. They were both standing next to the tree, a few paces in front of it. His mom looked pale and terrified, reaching out for him. Grover looked scared and nervous.
Great. Which meant whatever was keeping his mom out was something Grover probably didn’t have authority over. Just great.
“Grover!” Percy called to his best friend. “Get my mom over that way!”
He waved off to the left, just as he heard Gabe’s camaro thud against the ground, fiberglass and glass shattering under the impact. They were real lucky the creature hadn’t decided to throw the thing.
Grover, thankfully, nodded and dragged Sally away, keeping her along the metaphorical barrier, if Percy had to guess, in the hopes that someone would come to their aid. That was fine by Percy as he turned his back to the great pine tree, and turned his attention to the Minotaur.
“HEY! BEEF CAKE!”
Not his greatest insult, but it did the job.
The Minotaur turned towards his voice and began to charge. But the Minotaur was half human. Had hunted men in a labyrinth for years. He wasn’t a fool that could be tricked the same way twice. Which was why Percy wasn’t surprised to see the Minotaur with his arms outstretched, ready to catch him whatever way he tried to dodge.
Which was why Percy didn’t duck to the right or left.
He jumped upwards.
The thing was, Percy was a smart kid. He knew how the water cycle worked. Which meant, even though the water falling from the sky was actually the domain of the King of the gods, it was also the domain of the Sea, himself. Tugging on the water around him, Percy let the power flow through him, allowing him to jump up, kicking off the Minotaur’s head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair, and landing on the creature's neck.
Man it felt good to be that young and spry again.
Seconds later, the Minotaur slammed into the tree, giving a cry of pain and frustration. Percy quickly looped his arms around the Minotaur’s horns a second before the thing started flailing.
The only problem was, Percy wasn’t alone. And as the thing bucked harder, both Grover and Sally gave cries of horror. Immediately the Minotaur snapped its attention towards the pair, who were now out in the open, staring at the scene in horror. With a roar, it made to charge towards them.
Percy couldn’t allow that.
He was The Monster.
The rage of the past surged through Percy, causing the water around him to pulse and change. Not that Percy paid any attention to the water around him. His rage had moved to that of one of the Minotaur’s sharp horns. It didn’t take nearly as much energy as it should have.
Snap.
The rest was physics and momentum.
Percy wrapped his legs around the Minotaur’s neck as it staggered in shock at having lost a horn. With its balance off, it was easy to send the creature crashing to the ground, Percy, quickly swinging himself around so he was at the creature’s front.
And then he jabbed the horn into the Minotaur’s neck.
The Minotaur cried out as Percy shoved the thing deeper and deeper into the Minotaur’s neck before swiftly yanked it out again.
“Father. Dad,” Percy called under his breath. “Poseidon.”
There was a shift in the air as he felt that presence upon him. The very presence that had haunted his nightmares for so long. In both lifetimes.
“I hope you’re ready for this, because this… this is about to get real awkward…”
Raising the horn above his head again, Percy took a breath as he felt his father’s presence settle over him in confusion, still barely there, not fully focused on his son. But there just enough to mean something.
Percy swung the horn down into the Minotaur’s neck.
“How does it feel to be helpless!?”
He brought the horn back up.
“How does it feel to know pain!?”
He brought it back down.
“I watched my friends die in horror!”
Up.
“Crying as they were all slain!”
Down.
“I heard their final moments!”
Up.
“Calling their Captain in vain!”
Down.
“Look what you turned me into!”
The Minotaur screamed with every action.
“Look what we’ve become!”
Though now its cries were becoming gurgled.
“All of the pain that I’ve been through!”
“Percy! Percy that’s enough!”
“Haven’t I suffered enough!?”
He ignored his mom, focusing only on the roaring in his ears.
“You didn’t stop when I begged you!”
“You need to stay back, Mrs. Jackson.”
“Told me to close my heart!”
Grover. Grover would keep his mom safe.
“You said the world was dark!”
Up.
“Didn’t you say that ruthlessness was mercy upon our-!”
Down.
The Minotaur burst into gold dust beneath him, causing Percy to fall to the ground on his knees. Around him, even the storm seemed confused, the rain seeming to taper off as Percy breathed through the ordeal.
He’d never let himself relive his memories before. Knew the cost of doing so would just bring more pain. And it had. The rain could do nothing to hide his tears. Anger. Frustration. Longing for those lost.
He turned his head upwards towards the sky, reaching out for the presence of his father.
“You once asked, after everything I had done, how I would sleep at night.”
Percy kept his voice low, let the pain lace through it.
“I guess… you won. In the end. I won’t be able to sleep next to my wife ever again.”
The horn fell from his grip and Percy felt himself tip sideways. His best friend’s arms were around him, though. And his mom was in front of him, holding his face. That was nice.
It was nice to not be alone. His mom was no Penelope, but he liked to think Sally Jackson was just as amazing as the Late Queen Anticlea.
He’d saved his mom this time.
The thought made himself smile even as his vision went fuzzy and the voices got harder to hear.
“Odysseus?”
The realm of Hypnos was quick to claim him.
—-------------------------
He returned the stupid lightning bolt. Appealed to the gods. Did all the stupid quest nonsense.
And yet Lord Zeus would not listen.
“You have done me a service, boy,” the very voice that had forced him to choose and smitted his crew spoke blandly. “Few heroes could have accomplished as such.”
“I had help, sir,” Percy said. “Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase-”
Zeus cut him off, voice booming with impatience and anger.
“To show my thanks, I shall spare your life. I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson. I do not like what your arrival means for the future of Olympus. But for the sake of peace in the family, I shall let you live.”
What?
“Um… thank you, sir.”
“Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be your last sensation.”
Thunder shook the palace. With a blinding flash of light, Zeus was gone. Percy was alone with his father.
No. Not quite.
“Your Uncle has always had a flair for dramatic exits,” Poseidon said. “I think he would have done well as the god of theatre.”
Percy shifted his gaze over to his father. “I seem to recall a certain sea god having a certain ‘flair’ for dramatic entrances. Hurricane, raging seas, and whirlpools all around.”
Any doubt that might have been in Poseidon’s mind was gone in that instance.
“I suppose Perseus wasn’t the right name for you, after all,” his father seemed to attempt to tease, though there was something strained in that tone. “Percy-”
Poseidon cut himself off, unable to continue. Percy breathed out through his nose. Annoyed. He wasn’t sure what to think of this man. This man who had helped him where he could on his quest so readily, despite the laws in place.
“Sir,” Percy called curtly. “What was that in the pit?”
Poseidon regarded him, a bit of doubt creeping into his gaze. “Have you not guessed?”
“I had. I just wish to be wrong. Your father, my apparent grandfather, is not a being I wished to face. Kronos is dangerous.”
A mistake to say his name, Percy noted. Even thousands of miles away in Tartarus, the name still darkened the room, made the hearth fire not quite so warm on Percy’s back.
Poseidon’s grip on his trident tightened. Fear . A coping mechanism.
“I’m sure you know the stories well. In both lifetimes.”
Percy nodded, pursuing his lips.
“He’s healing. He’s coming back,” Percy said.
Poseidon shook his head, getting a growl from Percy. “From time to time, over the eons, Kronos has stirred. He enters men’s nightmares and breathes evil thoughts. He wakens resentful monsters from the depths. But to suggest he would rise from the pits is another thing.”
“You think I, of all people, am wrong? Even when the Titan Lord said as such to my face?”
Poseidon was silent for a moment, contemplating.
“Lord Zeus has closed discussion on this matter. He will not allow talk of Kronos. You have completed your quest, Percy. That is all you need to do.”
“But-!” Percy scowled, biting back his retort.
Though trapped in a child’s body, Percy was not truly a child. He would not bicker and argue, especially not with gods. Well, not with this god. Not again.
Then again, it appeared that Poseidon was warning him, not reprimanding him. Not an order, a warning. Zeus would not take well to such claims. The fool. Not that Percy would ever say that to the man’s face. Still, the warning was appreciated, especially with the greater puzzle he had been trying to piece together.
Far too many pieces missing.
“There are secrets no one is telling me,” Percy said. “And I take it you can’t tell me either.”
Poseidon didn’t bother to give a verbal answer. Not at first.
“Obedience does not come naturally to you, does it?”
“No, sir,” Percy quipped, letting his anger melt as he allowed himself to be cocky, for once.
“You were never that obedient in the first life. Though I suppose I am to blame for both the last life and this one. The sea does not like to be restrained.”
It was then that Poseidon took up his trident, allowing his form to shimmer as he became the size of a regular man and carefully approached Percy as an equal.
“Perhaps my cruelty towards you in the past is why you were reborn as my son. And for that, I am sorry. I am so sorry. Your mother has been returned to your home. I had a few nereids guide her back home. Though I do rather think she thrived at camp.”
“My mother?” Percy snorted. “Yeah. Sounds like her.”
“You must go to her, Percy,” there was a strange sadness in Poseidon’s eyes. “When you return home, you must make an important choice. You will find a package waiting in your room.”
“A package?”
Why had the topic changed so suddenly.
“You will understand when you see it,” and there was an amused, almost sinister glint to Poseidon’s eyes that caused Percy’s breath to catch for merely a second. Almost familiar in a cruel way. “No one can choose your path, Percy. You must decide.”
“I always have.”
Poseidon did laugh this time. Kind. Amused. So different from the cruel version he recalled.
“Your mother is a queen among women,” Poseidon continued on, something wistful in his tone. “I had not met such a mortal woman in a thousand years. Still… I am sorry you were born, Percy. I have brought you a hero’s fate-”
“Pretty sure I was already a hero without having suddenly been gifted your blood,” Percy cut Poseidon off. “The myths have painted me in such a ‘pretty’ light.”
Poseidon scoffed. “I suppose you’re right.”
And then his gaze shifted to something past Percy’s shoulder. It was quick, fleeting thing, but definitely meant to direct Percy’s attention. Honestly, this next interaction scared him more than his talk with his father.
“Show yourself,” Percy called out firmly in as similar a way as he could remember. “I know you’re watching me. Show yourself.”
He turned around to the spot where his father had glanced, allowing a cocky little smile to light up his face.
“I can see you.”
And then she was there, a scowl on her face, piercing grey eyes, exactly as he remembered her.
“How can you see through my spell?”
“Haha! I was lying! And you fell for my bluff! Haha haha!”
Athena titled her head, not yet giving anything away.
“Well done. Enlighten me, what’s your name?”
“You first and maybe I’ll do the-”
“Odysseus?”
Percy dropped the cocky little attitude, allowing a small, warm smile to creep up his face as he gazed upon his goddess, once upon a time.
“Hello, my friend,” Percy called to her. “It’s been a long time. Your daughter is amazing, by the way. Better than I-”
And then his goddess was hugging him. His dearest friend was hugging him in a move so uncharacteristic of her.
“I missed you, my lady,” Percy confessed. “I thought… I thought about reaching out, but I wasn’t sure-”
“I don’t think I would have believed you had your father not demanded I stay behind as he put on such a ridiculous show.”
“A ridiculous show that proved my point,” Poseidon stated blandly.
“Please don’t fight,” Percy said bitterly. “I’ve had enough fighting for 20 years and 3 months.”
Athena let him go at those words. Which Percy understood. He was honestly surprised he managed to get a hug out of it. Still, he found himself chasing the familiar warmth of his once goddess. It was a testament to their bond that her hand came out to clasp his shoulder at the action.
“You beat Ares,” Athena said, voice impressed.
“Yeah, well, not the first time, now is it?”
Percy quickly clamped his mouth shut, shooting a nervous glance to Poseidon. But to his surprise, his father didn’t seem offended by the response. If anything, he looked amused.
“And in the water, both times,” Poseidon hummed. “Perhaps you were always meant to be mine.”
“Poseidon,” Athena warned.
“Okay, you are way more chill about this than last time.”
“We have changed, Odysseus,” it was Athena who spoke. “As we moved West, we grew with the world around us, with the perceived aspects of what we embody as gods. As the thoughts of wisdom, war, and craft changed, so have I. As the sea became more known, your… father changed as well. Though we are still wholly us.”
It was kinda funny how she rolled the word father off her tongue like it disgusted her.
“I wish we could get to know each other more in this new life, my son,” Poseidon was now at Percy’s side, hand on his shoulder, definitely staking his claim. Why were gods so weird? “The laws in place prohibit us from interacting. But know this. We may have been enemies, once, but I will do what I can to be there should you call.”
Something stuck in Percy’s chest, preventing him from having any sort of response to those words. The childish part of him, the part that was truly twelve, wanted nothing more than to reach out and beg his dad to stay. Stay with him and his mom.
The adult in him knew better.
“Okay.”
“Now, go, son,” Percy nudged. “Before my brother comes back.”
And then Percy was gone.
—-------------------------------
It was funny to think, but the stars had been his longest companion. Especially when things got weird. Though suddenly having a cyclops brother, and one of his war-torn brother’s dead great grandfather thrown into the mix was not something Percy ever thought he would add to his bingo card of adventures.
He was sure Menelaus would have been mortified to see Tantalus be in charge of children, demigod or not. Agamemnon would have found it funny.
Shaking those thoughts from his head, Percy turned his attention back to the stars as he took a sip of soda. He and Annabeth had gone over the constellations - Sagittarius, Hercules, Corona Borealis - but he still found his attention locked on the North Star.
“Beautiful, aren’t they?”
Percy nearly spewed soda.
Whipping around to the voice, Percy found a man-like figure standing next to him. He was wearing nylon running shorts and a New York City Marathon T-shirt. He was slim and fit, with salt-and-pepper hair, and a sly smile.
Percy felt his heart stutter for a second.
“May I join you,” the god asked. “I haven’t sat down in ages.”
The words lodged in Percy’s throat, unable to give his permission verbally, so Percy found himself just nodding. But that wouldn’t be enough. The god was asking for xenia.
“Of course,” Percy forced out.
His old friend smiled. “Your hospitality does you credit. Oh, and Coca-Cola! May I?”
Percy offered a gesture of permission. Hermes quickly flopped down on the blanket, popping a soda and taking a cool, nice drink.
“Ah… that hits the spot. Peace and quiet at-”
A cell phone went off in his pocket.
Hermes sighed, pulling the phone out. It had been a while since Percy saw a cell phone. They’d clearly improved, but there was definitely something godly about it, what with the bluish tint. But it wasn’t a phone, Percy realized. Not with the way the snakes were curling around it.
“I’ve got to take this,” Hermes sighed.
Percy nodded and turned his attention back to the stars as Hermes argued with whoever was on the other end. Though Percy had a few guesses.
“Sorry. The overnight express business is just booming. Now, as I was saying-”
“Hermes,” Percy called to him. “Relax.”
Hermes paused, blinking in surprise before a cheeky smile came across his face. “Oh? What gave me away?”
Percy rolled his eyes. “George and Martha.”
“Oh, he’s good,” the familiar male voice said from one of the snakes.
“Hush, George,” the equally familiar female voice hissed. “Don’t be sarcastic.”
“Why not? I do all the real work.”
“Oh, let’s not do that again!” Hermes protested, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “Now, where were we… ah, yes. Peace and quiet.”
He crossed his ankles, looking more like the figure Percy remembered.
“Been a long time since I’ve gotten to relax. Ever since the telegraph - rush, rush, rush. Do you have a favorite constellation, Percy?”
“It’s not a constellation, but I’ve always liked the North Star,” Percy said softly. “Though if I had to pick a constellation, then Hercules.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“Well… because he had rotten luck. Even worse than me. It makes me feel better.”
“Not because he was a hero?”
“No.”
“You’re an interesting young man. And so, what now?”
Leave it to Hermes to subtly-unsubtly get to the point. But before Percy could open his mouth and respond, Martha spoke up.
“I have Demeter on line two.”
“Not now. Tell her to leave a message.”
“She’s not going to like that. The last time you put her off, all the flowers in the floral delivery division wilted.”
“Just tell her I’m in a meeting!” Hermes hissed. “Sorry again, Percy. You were saying-”
“You look like your son,” Percy cut off, remembering Luke and his sting of betrayal.
Hermes paused, his form shimmering as he took on the more familiar form of his godly form, even George and Martha returned to their natural form.
“Luke’s father. Normally that’s not the first way people introduce me. God of thieves, yes. God of messengers and travelers if they wish to be kind.”
“God of thieves works,” George said.
“Oh, don’t mind George. He’s just bitter because Hermes likes me best.”
“He does not!”
“Does too!”
“Behave you two,” Hermes warned, “or I’ll turn you back into a cell phone and set you on vibrate! Now, Percy, you still haven’t answered my question. What do you intend to do about the quest?”
“I’m not supposed to go,” Percy pointed out, letting a bit of cheek slip into his voice.
Hermes caught on, an amused smile spreading across his face. “I’m hearing a but~”
Percy didn’t answer the prompt, instead turning his attention towards the sky and the stars once more.
“Why do you want me to go on the quest?”
Hermes’ amused expression quickly dropped. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were calling me out.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Percy shrugged. “You always did have a tendency to skirt around the more dangerous parts of what I needed to do until I confronted you on it, old friend.”
Now Hermes just looked confused.
“I mean, come on Hermes, if you’re plan’s so great then why’d you wait to say?”
Some sort of spark lit up in Hermes’ expression. The god was clearly trying to parse him out.
“Well it’s a little bit dangerous, my friend,” Hermes said. “You’ll need a mindset change for this. You cannot get away with playing safe for this.”
“Don’t you know danger is my friend? My whole life I’ve trained for this. I cannot tell you how much I’ve paid for this. I have to save my home. Put it all on the line.” Percy said back. “Though, I guess I should say I’ve trained my whole lives , right?”
George and Martha suddenly sprang up to stare at Percy.
“AH! Boss! Boss! Isn’t that-?”
“It can’t be! It…It can’t be…”
“Odysseus?” Hermes breathed.
Percy grinned, titling his head towards his great grandfather.
“Hello, old friend.”
If Athena’s hug had been warm and protective, Hermes was one of joy and bone-crushing desperation. Percy laughed, hugging Hermes back with a warmth he hadn’t felt outside of his mother’s arms.
“Look at you!” Hermes pulled back. “A child again! And a Demigod! Wait… oh, by the gods, Odysseus! You’re Poseidon’s brat!”
“Hey,” Percy grumbled half-heartedly. “But seriously Hermes, what are you doing here?”
Hermes suddenly pulled a face as he had Martha and George pull a couple packages with his name on them. Percy was… less than impressed by the contents.
“You’re giving me another wind bag and a bottle of gummy moly? Again?”
“Well, at least this time you can open the windbag,” Hermes gave a nervous smile.
Percy kinda wanted to open the bag in Hermes face.
“And, Percy, there’s one more thing,” Hermes said as Percy packed up his blanket and the sodas. “If you could…”
Percy knew what he wanted. Had suspected why Hermes was really here.
“You want me to save Luke.”
“If you could try-”
“I will. I owe you twice, after all, don’t I?”
There was a relieved smile on Hermes face as Percy turned to look at him, and the tension seemed to bleed away. Percy turned away, packing up the rest of his stuff as he tried to get his breathing under control.
“You had better get going,” Odysseus jerked his head towards the sky. “Don’t want to anger Lady Demeter, right?”
Hermes winced but gave Percy one last hug that Percy couldn’t return before taking off into the night.
So… the gods were willing to interact with mortals. At least… mortals they favored.
Now if Percy could just figure out how to kick them off their high-horses and get them to actually care and interact with their children.
Well, both Percy and Odysseus were always up for a challenge of wit.