Perfect Little Blue Boy (Percy Jackson)

Chapter Seventy

Hades

"Betrayal?" I questioned as Percy excused himself for the bathroom. "It's been twenty minutes."

"Oh, not between us." Nico assured me that a fight didn't go down. "Percy and his parents?

"What?" Zeus questioned.

"Oh, we're not deaf." Thalia told her dad, rolling her eyes. "The whole thing about his parents getting back together? Poseidon spending the weekend with Sally? Percy called his Mom and Poseidon and they both lied to him about it. Said they haven't seen or talked to each other in weeks."

Hades contemplated that to himself for a moment. And concluded that Poseidon will never trust him after this.

Poseidon

We just had a simple lunch and a relaxing afternoon. Snuggled on the couch for most of it. Dinner was a little nicer, and she told me to get my swim suit back on afterwards.

"Sally, the water is going to be freezing." I told her, thinking that this was just a basic cabin.

"Not in the hot tub it won't be." She corrected that statement. "There's a hot tub on the back porch. You'll love it."

The hot tub sounded amazing. So, of course, I got on my trunks and got in with Sally. Sitting down next to her, she rested her head on my shoulder as I put my arm around her shoulder, rubbing her far shoulder.

I missed this. I missed it a lot.

"What you told Percy earlier." Sally commented, pulling me back into the real world.

"Hm?" I asked, not sure if I heard the entire thing or not.

"What you told Percy earlier today, on the phone." She explained to me, recalling my talk with Percy. How I told them that I had missed Sally. That, as much as I might want it myself, I believed for years that we'd never get back together. She'd find another guy. She almost did like 3 times. "I... I missed you, too."

And suddenly I just felt kind of bad for everything I had put Sally through.

"So I hoped." I responded and sighed. "I'm sorry that I had to leave. I know it was tough on you and the kids. I wanted to watch them grow up, I really did. But I couldn't. And I'm sorry. I tell Percy that all the time. I don't think I've ever told you, though."

I could tell she rolled her eyes. She's too nice sometimes. Percy gets it from her.

"It wasn't your choice," Sally told me, looking at me. "And I survived, didn't I? One way or another, all three of them are alive at the same time and we're here. You showed up when you could. There's nothing to be sorry about."

At this point I knew that, sure. I just needed to get it off my chest. Make sure that she knew that I did feel bad for being a deadbeat all those years.

We relaxed out there for quite a while before decided it was time to get ready for bed. And as Sally was changing and I was about to lay down, I noticed I had a text from Percy. A long one, at that.

Figuring it must be important to be that long, I opened it.

Percy: Hey, Dad. I figured that I'd text you before I went to bed because it's sort of been on my mind. And you don't need to respond. This doesn't need to be a full blown conversation. And don't blame Hades for this. Please. It's not his fault.

Despite what you guys seem to think, I could care less if you and Mom got back together. If anything, it makes my life easier.

I'm not an idiot. Mom has missed you since you left. Gabe knew that. Paul knew that. I know it. Mom knows it. You've missed her, too. You've always been honest about that. I mean, gods, you'd both be happier together. That's a giveaway.