Trust, Such a Fragile Little Thing

Chapter 1

A/N: I'll try to keep this short because if it gets too long, I might lack the motivation to finish it...

Loki's punishment for his betrayal to the Nine Realms was spending a hundred years in each realm, Asgard, Midgard, and Jotunheim, repairing the damage done by the war. While he could have argued, debated, even pleaded for a better judgment, he agreed to this absurd request.

Because he could never forget the boy who was so angry, so tired, so... utterly heartbroken as Percy Jackson had been, and there was no way that he could leave the boy like that.

He was given a choice, which realm did he want to go to first?

There was no hesitation on the God of Mischief's behalf.

"Midgard."

The Council at Olympus was oddly solemn; none of them knew how to handle the news they were given. 

Like Triton and Nico, the demigods and minor gods didn't know exactly what happened between Percy and Loki, but judging from the desolate expression the demigod came back with, the large gash on his neck that an only assassin could have caused. Or maybe, someone who was close with Percy. Someone that might be Loki.

The Olympians, on the other hand, knew exactly what had happened. 

Hades had felt the precious life force of his beloved nephew slowly slipping away, and the Oracle did indeed mention something along these lines. 

For Loki to come to Earth again, none of them could foresee the consequences. But there wasn't anything they could do about it either, for as much as they hate to admit, they were bound by the Ancient Laws, ones that decreed no interference of the mortal world unless provoked by other equally powerful beings. 

Loki was provoking them by entering their realm; in fact, they welcomed Loki with open arms; even if some might be angry with the way he chose to do things, they couldn't help but admit that his decisions led to victory. 

So it all left the question, who would break the news to the one and only Percy Jackson? 

The person who ripped up the letter that Loki sent, left before the final trial, is bitter, feels betrayed, and oh boy, is he angry with his boyfriend. Ex-boy-friend? None of them knew how Percy still felt for Loki. 

The betrayal of nearly everyone in the Greek world before had cost him years to get over, and now another betrayal, one that must have stung much worse than the one before. 

At least the Greek Gods and demigods didn't try to kill Percy. 

Not directly. 

Loki did, and he was nearly successful. But according to Aphrodite, he still loved the God, a confusing thing in itself. 

"I think we need a plan." Hades scoffed at Zeus' words, rolling his eyes but choosing not to argue; more important things were at hand. 

"Yes... A plan." Athena nodded, trying to think, but she couldn't focus; something didn't feel right here, "A plan for deciding who will tell Percy that Loki is coming to Midgard?"

Everyone stared at Athena; their gaze made it obvious their plan. 

"I see." Athena pursed her lips and grimaced, "There will be no need to vote then; I see the decision is already unanimous."

The previous tension in the room seemed to relax. 

"But I wouldn't be the one to tell Percy that Loki still loves him. "

You could hear the sound of a pin dropping if you listened closely and the sounds of hurried, hasty footsteps retreating from the large doors. 

"You might have just done." Hermes smiled brilliantly, making eye contact with Apollo, and they shared a slight smirk; none of them had the same joy as before, where they would have burst out in laughter. 

"Why did I not sense him? " Athena didn't look too worried, merely confused; she knew that things would have needed to be told sooner or later; perhaps it was better to get it over with. 

Poseidon raised a guilty hand and smiled. 

"He needed to know."

No. No. No. This was not happening. 

How could he come back to Earth again? How dare he come again, the Gods had trusted him, I had trusted him, but what did he do with this trust? 

He destroyed it, completely and utterly. 

But why do I still feel this gaping hole in my heart, yearning to feel his comfort again, I knew that if I ever saw his face again, I would punch him without hesitation. Yet that would do nothing to heal the broken heart that shattered the second he betrayed me. 

Yet I still love him. No matter how deep I buried this innate desire, I knew it would come biting me in the ass again in the future. 

Why couldn't Fate leave me alone? Give me a happily ever after and then forget about me? 

Of course that wasn't possible, because I was Percy Jackson, a demigod by heritage, if not by blood. 

And when did the Children of the Gods ever get a happy ending?