For we once so loved the world by HowlingDarkness95

Chapter 19

Silence reigned in the dark night as Percy finished his story. He looked away, not wanting to see the god give him a pitiful look. He scowled inwardly, he hadn't meant to tell the other so much, but one thing had led to another and he found himself telling the whole thing to a person who was practically a total stranger - never mind the fact that he felt a strange connection to him. He swallowed, he hadn't told anyone about what happened to make him run like hell after that battle, not even Nico or Thalia, and they were his closest friends after her-after Annabeth. In fact, he hadn't even contacted anyone since he left three years ago, just up and left after telling the gods and Chiron via a written note that he was leaving and that he wasn't planning on coming back. The sorrowful look in the centaur's eyes told him that his mentor knew exactly why he was leaving - and it wasn't because of his parents either. Try as he might, Percy couldn't summon the energy to be angry at his mentor, the man who had taught him so much and had accepted him when everyone had turned him out. He couldn't even retain his anger at Annabeth either, just completely drained of energy. He had broken it off with her despite her numerous apologies. What she had done was on a different level from his parents, it created a rift between them, and Percy didn't know if it was repairable or not. Guiltily, he thought of Nico and Thalia, his cousins who had supported him through so much, and how he never bothered to contact them. Granted, Nico knew what he was up to, having been privy to the information that Percy was going to leave; just that he didn't know the reason why, but he probably thought that it was something to do with his parents.

Percy winced when he thought of Thalia, if he ever met her again... He would be in for a world of pain. Nah, he thought amusedly, I'd be getting a one-way ticket to Hades.

Loki on the other hand was stunned into silence. This boy had done what numerous others had tried and failed- he had shocked the Wordsmith into silence. He did not know what to think, he had not felt guilty for leading the invasion straight into the heart of New York, because given the circumstances, it was the best option he had and it had been his ultimate plan. Yet, he looked at the boy beside him, a child in his eyes, one forced to grow up in a world that he did not belong to, he felt a foreign emotion settling in his chest. Loki looked down, his own memories of finding out about his adoption flashing through his head. He remembered how betrayed he had felt when Odin told him that he took him because he wanted to use him to unite both their realms, how he had screamed and shouted at the man who called himself father of Loki and his ensuing madness. Loki felt almost ashamed when he thought of the way he had acted in comparison to the boy sitting beside him. Most of all, he was completely and utterly shocked.

Never in a million years did he think that the two time savior of this realm shared his pain.

Loki pressed his lips together, "What happened after?"

Percy turned back to him, shocked at the vague empathy on his face. "I went straight to Olympus." He smirked, "Demanded a council meeting and told them that I wanted out."

Loki raised an eyebrow at his audacious behavior, to which Percy only continued smirking, he silently thanked the god for changing the subject, he didn't want to dwell on that event any longer than necessary. "Yeah, told them that I had enough of being their tool, and that I needed a break. They granted it surprisingly, I'm still not sure why they allowed me to leave."

He shifted, lying back down with his hands behind his head, "They suppressed my powers, can't erase it apparently, and sent me off on my merry way. I went back to camp and got my stuff and well, I moved around."

"What about the woman you courted?"

Percy blinked, "The woman I-" he laughed, "Dude, just say girlfriend! No one says courted nowadays!"