Recorded Dreams (A Percabeth AU)

54

"Athena!" Poseidon called, racing down the halls to meet up with his best friend.

She was talking to Artemis and her twin brother Apollo, discussing the newest rumor that Aphrodite was cheating on her boyfriend since the fifth grade, Hephaestus, with the new kid, Ares. Apollo was the one who started the topic. Artemis had rolled her eyes and told them that it only proved her point that love wasn't real. Because if Aphrodite and Hephaestus, star-crossed lovers since the age of eleven, couldn't make it...

Who really stood a chance?

Apollo chose that moment to exit the conversation. Hermes was currently putting a bucket of water in place over the door of the choir teacher so as she opened it, it would splash all over her. Apollo had to yell at him that that teacher was his favorite and it would be very rude.

"Let me get this straight," Annabeth says. "You went to school with both Apollo and Hermes?"

Poseidon and Athena both nodded, unhappy with the interruption. Annabeth nodded her head for them to continue.

Athena turned around to see Poseidon racing towards her. She laughed as he slipped on the mess of water that Hermes had left as he carried the bucket through the halls. He quickly bounced back up.

"Did you hear about the contest? I think I'm going to enter!"

"What contest?" Athena loved any competition. The only thing she loved more was winning said competition. And she always did.

"It's for the school garden. It needs a center piece. I was thinking a fountain!"

"Everyone will choose a fountain. It's too boring. And it's not useful to our school in any way at all. Plus, they can be very expensive to create and maintain." Most of the time, he didn't mind her honest answers. But this time, it hurt.

"What do you mean it's not useful?" He asked with a frown.

"How is it contributing besides looking pretty, Poseidon?"

"It's circling water. And the birds can swim in it." He knew she liked birds, especially owls. She still frowned though.

"What you need is something like an olive tree. Beautiful and delicious snacks for students and animals."

"...but... I already drew my design..." he opened his notebook and flipped to the last page. His face looked broken. He valued the opinion of his best friend over anything. And he really liked when she was happy with his ideas.

"Oh." She smiled hesitantly. "That's nice." In all honesty, he was terrible at drawing, and that's why he needed her help. She was artsy and creative. And a mastermind. But there was no way she would help him with a fountain.

Poseidon let out a huff. Then, he tore the paper out, ripped it up and threw it in the trash. He turned back to look at her and stormed off.

He was never the best at handling his anger. Athena knew it. She gave him time to calm down. But when she went to find him again, he was sitting with Medusa who was drawing out a fountain for him.

See, Athena and Medusa did not get along at all. They never had, and they never would. And seeing her best friend looking to Medusa for help with this... it stung.

So she did the only logical thing.

"Zeus, would you like to help me plan a garden around an olive tree?" Athena asked. She usually wouldn't like to work with partners on something like this, especially not Zeus. But he was Poseidon's rival, and Medusa was hers. If he wanted to play that game, then she would play it back.