The Path Of Glory (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

16. Welcome To The Underworld

"It is?" Y/N asked.

"Straightforward and honest. No screaming. No 'There must be a mistake, Mr. Charon.'" He looked them over. "How did you die, then?"

Y/N nudged Grover.

"Oh," he said. "Um...drowned...in the bathtub."

"All five of you?" Charon asked.

They nodded.

"Big bathtub." Charon looked mildly impressed. "I don't suppose you have coins for passage. Normally, with adults, you see, I could charge your American Express, or add the ferry price to your last cable bill. But with children...alas, you never die prepared. Suppose you'll have to take a seat for a few centuries."

"Oh, but we have coins." Percy set three golden drachmas on the counter, part of the stash they had found in Crusty's office desk.

"Well, now...." Charon moistened his lips. "Real drachmas. Real golden drachmas. I haven't seen these in...."

His fingers hovered greedily over the coins.

They were so close.

Then Charon looked at them. That cold stare behind the glasses seemed to bore a hole through Y/N's chest. "Here now," he said. "Your friend couldn't read my name correctly. Are you all dyslexic?"

"No," Y/N said. "We're dead."

Charon leaned forward and took a sniff. "You're not dead. I should've known. You're godlings."

"We have to get to the Underworld," Y/N insisted.

Charon made a growling sound deep in his throat.

Immediately, all the people in the waiting room got up and started pacing, agitated, lighting cigarettes, running hands through their hair, or checking their wristwatches.

"Leave while you can," Charon told them. "I'll just take these and forget I saw you."

He started to go for the coins, but Y/N snatched them back.

"No service, no tip." He tried to sound braver than he felt.

Charon growled again—a deep, blood-chilling sound. The spirits of the dead started pounding on the elevator doors.

"It's a shame, too," Y/N sighed. "We had more to offer."

He showed the entire bag from Crusty's stash. He took out a fistful of drachmas and let the coins spill through his fingers.

Charon's growl changed to something more like a lion's purr. "Do you think I can be bought, godling? Eh...just out of curiosity, how much have you got there?"

"A lot," Y/N said. "I bet Hades doesn't pay you well enough for such hard work."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it. How would you like to babysit these spirits all day? Always 'Please don't let me be dead' or 'Please let me across for free.' I haven't had a pay raise in three thousand years. Do you imagine suits like this come cheap?"

"You deserve better," Y/N agreed. "A little appreciation. Respect. Good pay."

With each word, he stacked another gold coin on the counter.

Charon glanced down at his silk Italian jacket, as if imagining himself in something even better. "I must say, lad, you're making some sense now. Just a little."

Y/N stacked another few coins. "We could mention a pay raise while we're talking to Hades."

Charon sighed. "The boat's almost full, anyway. I might as well add you five and be off."