Chapter Text
War was coming.
That truth hung heavy over Camp Half-Blood like a storm cloud refusing to break. The demigods sparred harder, drilled longer, laughed less. Even the campfires, usually filled with songs and wild banter, burned quieter now, flames licking the dark sky with an uneasy rhythm.
Percy Jackson stood at the edge of the training arena, a sword slung casually across his back, Hawaiian shirt rumpled from sparring, and his smile—the smile everyone depended on—plastered firmly in place. But even he couldn’t shake the edge in the air. Three months. That was all the time they had until the forces of Kronos returned to wage another war.
That was why Hades had done the unthinkable. He had asked for help.
Nico di Angelo didn’t look pleased about being the messenger. His dark hair fell in messy strands over his pale face, shadows clinging to him in ways that weren’t entirely natural. “Father says there’s someone in the mortal world who might… tip the scales.” His voice was quiet, guarded, like he was still testing how much he should say.
“Someone?” Percy arched a brow, crossing his arms. “That’s not exactly reassuring. Who is he?”
Nico’s scowl deepened. “I wasn’t given a name. Just a place. A town in Illinois. Amity Park.”
Annabeth Chase, standing nearby with her blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail, frowned. “That’s not a lot to go on. If Hades thinks this person matters, he should at least—”
“He doesn’t share things,” Nico interrupted, his tone biting. “You know that. I’ll find them.”
Percy shook his head immediately. “Not happening. You’re not going alone.”
That sparked an old familiar tension between them. Nico hated being protected, and Percy hated watching him vanish into shadows on dangerous errands. But this time, Percy wasn’t giving in. War was at their doorstep—he wasn’t letting his friend wander into whatever mess Hades had found in some random cornfield town.
So the quest began.
⸻
Amity Park didn’t look like the kind of place that would hold a weapon, much less a savior. Quaint brick shops lined the small-town streets, a diner buzzed on the corner, and kids coasted by on skateboards. It looked normal, which was almost suspicious in itself.
Percy stretched his arms as they walked down Main Street. “So, we’re just supposed to… what? Ask around for a mysterious super-powered stranger? ‘Excuse me, do you happen to have a secret identity and the ability to change the tide of war?’”
“Shut up,” Nico muttered, but his lips twitched faintly.
Annabeth ignored both of them, scanning the buildings like a general surveying the field. “We start subtle. Blend in. This is a small town—strangers asking questions will get noticed quickly. Keep your eyes open.”
That was when Percy spotted him.
A boy leaning against the rail outside a corner store, skateboard tucked under one arm. He was all loose posture and half-lidded eyes, wearing a red graphic t-shirt layered over black sleeves, dark jeans, and scuffed red Converse. Long lashes shadowed his sharp cheekbones, giving him the kind of tired, half-bored expression that screamed: I don’t care about anything, and I dare you to try me.
Something about him was… magnetic.
The boy raised his brows when he noticed their group staring. “You guys lost, or are you just really bad at people-watching?” His voice was low, smooth, with a lazy monotone laced in sarcasm.
Percy bristled automatically. “Just passing through.”
“Uh-huh.” The boy flicked his gaze over Percy’s Hawaiian shirt, Annabeth’s camp gear stuffed into a messenger bag, Nico’s all-black ensemble. A slow smirk curved his lips. “Yeah, you definitely don’t look like tourists.”
Annabeth stepped forward, diplomatic as ever. “We’re looking for someone. We heard Amity Park might be home to… unusual people.”
The boy’s smirk faltered, just slightly, before he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Unusual? You might wanna check the mayor’s office. They’re full of clowns.”
Percy narrowed his eyes. Something about the way this kid deflected, so casually, so effortlessly, set alarms ringing in his gut. This wasn’t just some laidback skaterboy. He was hiding something.
Nico tilted his head, shadows curling faintly at his fingertips. “What’s your name?”
The boy hesitated for only a heartbeat before replying. “Danny. Danny Fenton.”
And though Percy didn’t know why, the name landed heavy, like a pebble dropped into deep water.
Because Danny Fenton was normal. Too normal. But Percy’s instincts screamed otherwise.
And he had a feeling this kid would drive him absolutely insane before all of this was over.