Climb (Percy Jackson x Reader)

twenty

Demeter flinches and Aphrodite gulps, both goddesses shifting in their seats and watching him warily. Athena tilts her head, her sharp grey eyes following the boy as he comes to a stop before the horseshoe-shaped curve of their magnificent chairs, free of fear as the gods redirect their attention to him. Poseidon stiffens.

Zeus, his fingers sparking with electricity, leans forward. "What is the meaning of this?" the god asks, his booming voice nearly rattling Percy's bones.

The boy grins, taking a quick look around the room.

At the head of the curve, Hera sits next to her husband, her indifferent expression set in stone; Poseidon nods at his son with a tight smile, trident in hand; Demeter looks the boy up and down, her jaw set and otherwise-kind eyes unsure; Athena sits next to the harvest goddess, her face unreadable and stern; and Artemis's place marks the end of the curve, a silver bow resting against her chair as she gazes at Percy with intrigue. Across from her and on Percy's other side is Apollo, mimicking his twin with a golden bow at ease; decorated with a carving of wings, Hermes's chair remains empty; Hestia, her fiery irises almost emanating a warmth of their own, smiles kindly; next, and armor-clad with dark, vengeful eyes, Ares glares at Percy, reminding the boy of how he'd humiliated the god's son.

The half-blood smiles, nodding pointedly to the god of war.

He nearly does a double-take upon seeing the goddess sitting beside him: Aphrodite's lips turn upward in a knowing smile, her (Y/E/C) eyes glittering on a backdrop of gold while she innocently twirls her (Y/H/C) hair.

Percy shoves away his amazement.

He spares final glances to Hephaestus and Hades, the latter god watching the boy with scrutiny.

"I'm here," Percy says, intentionally holding Zeus's gaze, "to amend the terms of our agreement."

"Excellent," Zeus grumbles. "And just why should we listen to you?"

"Watch it," Poseidon growls.

"I don't need you to defend me," Percy snaps, prompting his father to flinch.

Poseidon nods, leaning back. He masks his hurt well.

"Anyway," the half-blood continues, returning his attention to Zeus, "maybe you should listen to me because I stopped you all from descending into war since none of you can effectively communicate."

A few gods shrug in reluctant agreement.

"And also because if you don't even bother to hear me out, you're going to have to deal with someone who is now incredibly furious with you. You remember (Y/N), right? How you gave her your power and responsibility because you didn't want to get your hands dirty? Well, let me tell you this"—Percy chuckles, his eyes darkening—"if you don't give me a valid reason for anything, she's going to burst through here and make you sorely regret it. So it's probably in your best interests to listen and listen well."

It was cheap, arguing something he wasn't even sure would happen. If she knew he'd played her card, especially in their current situation, Percy was certain that (Y/N) would make him, rather than the gods, sorely regret it. But it works.

Poseidon smirks and Hades chuckles at the color that rushes into their brother's neck. Hestia rolls her eyes at her siblings' reactions, leaning forward.

"What is it that you propose?" she asks, her voice so gentle that Zeus begins to relax.

Percy mentally praises the goddess for her consideration, nodding at her in gratitude. "We want all gods to ensure their children have a cabin," he explains, rolling his eyes at the tension that rolls off of some of the gods in the chamber. "And before you go on to say that your kids already have them, I'm talking about the minor gods. You can talk to them; let them know that either they're allowed to, now, or that they're obligated to. It shouldn't be too much of a problem."