Percy ran his hand over his face what felt like the hundredth time today. His grandfather wants to kill him!
He paced his room once more. Mrs. O'Leary lazily lifted her head from the bed. She been comforting him for the past two hours, but she grew weary. He huffed out a breath, and glanced out the window. Hades is the first to show.
Percy turned the door knob and swung his bedroom door open. Mrs. O'Leary jumped from the bed and darted from his room. He followed her lead.
Percy trotted down the stairs as the front door open. Hades and his wife Persephone entered with Nico trailing behind. Hades face is etched with a grimace, while Nico looks like a deer in the headlights. Given the circumstances, Percy couldn't blame him.
Mrs. O'Leary greets Nico with jumping on him, knocking him down on the ground.
"Mrs. O'Leary!" Percy called, shocked. It's very uncharacteristic of her to jump on people. She did go through some training for her to be a emotional support, and jumping on a person isn't allowed.
Percy saw Nico squirm under Mrs. O'Leary, his hands trying to push her away from the assaulting tongue that was licking his face.
Percy helped pull her off. He glance at her expecting to see an expression of guilt on her face, but she look proud of herself. Percy needed to ask what practice his dad got her from?
Percy held out a hand to help Nico up. Nico took it and Percy pulled him off the ground. Nico looks a bit disoriented, but he shook it off.
Percy cleared his throat uncomfortably having zero idea what to say to him. He just found out the reason behind Nico's sister death, and now the poor kid has to relive it all over again.
Nico just put his hands back in his pockets and followed his father into the kitchen, a very happy Newfoundland trailing behind him.
Percy was about to follow when the door open again. Hestia and to his surprise Demeter walked through. Percy hasn't seen Aunt Demeter since his father's wedding to Amphitrite nine years ago.
Percy knew this was serious, but he didn't think it was that serious for her to show.
"Oh Percy!" Hestia said before enveloping him into a hug. "Are you alright? He didn't touch you did he?"
Percy wrapped his arms around her and shook his head no.
She let out a sigh of relief. "Good, oh you had me so worry once I heard the news. We will get this sorted and taken care of Percy, I promise" Hestia said squeezing harder at the last sentence to emphasize it.
Percy just nodded not believing her, but didn't have to heart to voice it. They both drop their arms and smiled at each other trying to relieve the tension.
He glanced back at Demeter. She was just staring at his stump with a disapproving look in her eye. " Percy, now tell me how much wheat and grain to you consume every morning? You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'm sure if you had enough cereal in the mornings you will have both of your legs"-
"DEMETER!" Hestia hissed.
Percy just blinked as he remembered why Demeter wasn't invited to family gatherings anymore.
"The others are in kitchen". Percy pipped up.
Hestia grabbed Demeter's arm before she could make another comment and lead her into the kitchen. Percy followed, still dumbstruck by Demeter's question.
Percy didn't think the mood could sour even more, but he was sure wrong once Demeter entered the kitchen. Hades glared at her his mouth forming into a growl. Poseidon let out a sigh bracing himself for a fight. Demeter sneered at Hades, her arms crossing. There's another reason why Demeter isn't invited to gatherings; Persephone.
The way it was explained to Percy is that Demeter used to babysit Persephone when they were younger. Demeter grew super protective of her and they formed a mother/daughter relationship. Demeter does NOT approve of Hades and Persephone marriage. She tried to object during their wedding ceremony. She had to be dragged out kicking and screaming.
Hestia cleared her throat as a reminder for everyone to behave. Demeter let out a snarl, completely ignoring Hestia's warning. Before Hestia could reprimand her, the final guests arrived.
Percy eyebrows shot up even higher. Behind Zeus and Hera, we're all of his children. His eldest Hephaestus, the twins Apollo and Artemis, the spoiled brat Ares, Thalia, and Jason are all in attendance. The last time Percy ever seen the whole family together was at his father and Amphitrite's wedding almost a decade ago.
Hephaestus barely changed. His birthmark, which looks more like a burn, still covered his face by his left eye and extends down to his jaw. His beard is misshapen due to the birthmark. He grew out his dark brown hair to try and cover the birthmark, only leaving his brown right eye visible.
Percy recently saw Apollo, only this time his chipper attitude is replaced by a solemn one.
His twin Artemis matured into a young women. She never like Percy, but he didn't think she liked any male for that matter. Her signature auburn double french braid never changed. He didn't think he's ever seen her hair loose before. She held herself high but looked rather bored to be here.
Percy couldn't help but glare as his eyes landed on Ares. They never gotten along especially after Ares and Triton started to physical beat Percy up years prior. Percy thought he was enrolled in the military in Afghanistan? He didn't know he was let loose or was back in town, not that he would care anyways. Percy wouldn't start any fights due to Ares build. Ares could pummel him in less than a second.
Percy eyes scanned all of his cousins in shock. Is the situation this serious to entice everyone to come? Maybe he just hasn't been the one who isn't taking it seriously.
Once everybody was seated, it took an awkward minute before Hades spoke, "Are we sure that this is the first encounter with him?"
"To my knowledge, yes it is. He've left threats back when I lived in San Francisco, but that stopped when I moved back. There wasn't any indication of him until Bianca-," Nico flinched at her name. Poseidon cleared his throat until continuing. "There hasn't been a sign of him until yesterday, and then he left this note this morning."
Hades glanced at Percy out of his corner of his eye. Percy squirmed under it. "Percy, do you remember anything about the car accident in San Francisco? Did you happen to see the driver from the other vehicle?"
Percy sat up straight "You're not insinuating that he was the cause of it?"
Poseidon shook his head. "Father would've gloat about it in the letter if that was him."
Zeus let out a nervous laugh, "That he would. Though it is strange for him to come out of the blue like this. Why now? I would've thought after you separated from Percy's mother that it would've stopped."
Poseidon shrugged looking just as lost as everyone else did.
Hestia picked up the letter that was laying on top of the table. She silently read it, her expression unreadable. "There needs to be another reason for his arrival other than Percy being here. He would've done something during the summers when Percy was here. This threat isn't targeted alone at Percy but also at Triton."
Poseidon buried his head in his hands. "I'm very confused as to why. Father never voiced his displeasures with Amphitrite. I'm not sure why Triton is included in the threat. My only guess is to get back at me, for what I'm not sure?"
Everyone's eyes shifted to look at Triton who sat quietly, not caring for anything. He just shrugged not giving any indication if he knew anything.
Hades shifted foreword, "Well whatever his reason, he means business. I think we all need to be on high alert. His threat could spread to each one of us and we shouldn't be caught off guard."
The whole table hummed in unison.
___________________
It was passing period between third and fourth period. Percy's head throbbed from the stress of the family crisis and the stupid math project. He relished the coolness of his locker as he leaned his head upon it.
"Jackson. How nice is it to see you here. I see you are no longer on crutches and you've got metal for your leg."
Percy closed his eyes. Luke. He straighten his back out and turned around seeing Luke and his side companion Ethan.
"Luke. What do I owe the pleasure?"
His lips curled up, "What's going on with your family? Thalia and Jason seem on edge for the last couple of days. Your half brother Triton isn't even himself."
Percy froze. They knew of his relation with Triton? It isn't hard to guess since they look alike, but Percy was still holding on to hope that no one would make that connection.
"You think we're idiots, Jackson? C'mon, you really didn't think I wouldn't have figured it out. You two are almost identical, even Nakamura could see it." He gestured towards Ethan's eyepatch.
The bell interrupted Luke from continuing.
"See you later Jackson. Wouldn't want to be off guard now would ya?" He smirked at me before turning his back and stalking off into the hallway.
Percy brow furrowed, weirded out from the interaction. He let out a huff before closing his locker door. Percy was already late for study hall. Before Percy could even take a step, he was yanked backwards by his hair and dragged towards an empty corner.
"What are you doing with Luke?" Triton asked letting go of his grasp.
"Nothing! Why did you drag me here? Why do you care anyways? He already knows that we are related".
"I'm very well aware of that. That isn't the point. What did he say to you?"
"What did he say?" Why does it matter what he said to me? Again why do care?"
"Damn it Perseus! It matters! WHAT DID HE SAY?" Triton grabbed Percy's shoulders and shook him with every word.
Percy stared at him dumbstruck. The fact alone he called him by full name is shocking. Triton behavior is really out of the norm.
"He didn't say much. He noticed the tension going through all of us and wanted to know why. I never gave him a response."
Triton dropped his hands from Percy's shoulders. "You need to stay away from him. I mean it Percy. Stay away."
"Triton you're not making any sense. What is going on? And you still haven't answered my question about why you even care in the first place."
Triton just shook his head before heading off, leaving Percy dumbfounded about what just happened.
__________________
Here are the ages again:
Hestia-42
Demeter-40
Hades-38
Poseidon-36
Zeus-35
Hephaestus-23 (yes Zeus was 12 when he had Hephaestus)
Apollo-22
Artemis-22
Ares-19
Triton-18
Thalia-16
Percy-16
Jason-14
Nico-13