My writing had been so bad lately, sorry guys!
Pray that Cadmus (Greek god if writing) gives me strength in the upcoming chapters!
Percy's POV,
In all honesty I'd been avoiding Annabeth since she yelled at me for pranking everyone. She was scary when she wanted to be and right now she was scary at sh!t
I grabbed Luke's hand and we back up in to a corner. "Annabeth, calm down."
She approached us and I was so glad I wasn't the one who she found out. Gods, if she remembered me and found out... I think we'd have to make a second trip to Tartarus. That was before she started dating Scott, before anyone forgot about me...
I was brought out of my thoughts by a steering pain right where Luke had hit me. Annabeth had slapped me and then Luke.
"Why'd I get hit!" I whined.
"Because while I was crying over Scott and how both him and Luke left you didn't even bother to tell me he was right here!"
Yup, she was pissed. She turned he attention to Luke who looked like he didn't even register the pain. He was just staring off into space with a petrified expression.
"And you... you," She stopped mid sentence and pulled him in a hug. It took Luke a moment to react before hugging her back.
"Wow, two hugs from two of your former crushes in one day? Your one a role Lukey," I snickered only to earn a kick in the shin from Annabeth. They pulled out of their hug and Luke stuck his tongue out at me.
"Your just jealous." My whole face went pink. Screw him. Annabeth crossed her arms.
"I don't get it, how are you alive?"
I raised an eyebrow. "How are any of the warriors alive? We are the dead heroes after all."
Annabeth looked at me quizzically and I smirked. Her eyes were the type of grey you'd find in a settling storm. Calm but intimidating. Wise and fearless. She looked at me in a way the showed suspicion. I knew she was wondering who I was if Alpha was Luke. I felt trapped in her gaze before Luke spoke reminding me she was about to kill us.
"So... are you mad?"
"Not really. I'm mostly just happy you're alive." She wrapped her arms around Luke's neck. My face heated up as I stared at her joyous expression when she was was tucked in his arms. She used to have a crush on him, what's stopping her from now? Stop it. Was I... Jealous? No... maybe? Stop.
Annabeth pulled away but her crazy grin remained. Her stupid, adorable grin. Stop it, Percy. You don't like her. You said you were over this. Ha, keep kidding yourself! Shut up! I mentally screamed at myself.
Luke was looking at me weirdly.
Correction, knowingly. He wiggled his eyebrows and pointed in Annabeths direction. I glared at him allowing him to see through my hood for a moment.
"Can I tell anyone?" Annabeth interrupted our silent debate clearly oblivious.
"No."
"Okay." She started to leave but stopped at the door. "Oh and Luke, if your worried they'll hate you just remember we forgave you the day you sacrificed yourself. You're not a traitor, your hood only keeps us away."
She left and I noticed Luke's pale face. I was very tempted to shout I told you so but he was already having a rough day as it is. I innerly groaned remembering we still had to do battle planning even though Annabeth wouldn't be here.
"We should get working. Hey, while we're at it we can plan my funeral!" I said jokingly. Luke just glared. I tried not to laugh how he was more rattled by my predicted death than I was... well at least that's what I kept telling myself. "Too soon?"
"Make another joke and I might kill you before Kronos does."
"Okay... stealer of godly toys."
"Percy!" He screamed and lashed out at me but I ran away. "Get back here now! Or else I will tell Chaos to band you from blue food!"
-:-
I stared out across the lake taking a deep breath. Too many memories at once. They swirled around my thoughts, a new scene catching my attention with every second. I closed my eyes to clear my head. Is this how you heal? Put up with the pain until you learn to live with it? Good and and bad memories, is there any difference? They both hurt. Will I ever get an escape?
What am I even saying? I didn't choose to be a demigod. I didn't want this life of constantly running. Why me? Why any of us? We were just kids. We never got the chance to grow up normal and this is where it gets us? I'm freaking twenty-two and I don't have a house, a job. I never finished high school. I ran away when I was eighteen. I was eighteen and I'd almost died dozens of times. Eighteen and already broken, is that fair? Is that what we get for protecting everyone?
I shake my head. My thoughts wandered to this morning at breakfast, what Ethan said. You can save the world a dozen times but it doesn't change who you are. They left you didn't they? That's why you left, isn't it? It's because you'll always be that boy who gets expelled from every school you go to. You'll always be that boy who wasn't good enough for his father to stick around. You'll always be that kid who got bullied. You'll always be the guy who just sits in the background. You had your glory for a little while but you'll always go back to being that guy. We are all broken, your just weak enough to show it. You're a disgrace. You sulk around and can't even go a day without crying. Stop trying to get them to love you, Jackson. You're broken, learn to live with it.
A tear slid down my face. Annabeth told me not to believe them but she doesn't know me, not anymore at least. Ethan was right, I'm broken. I'm a coward, I'm alone, I'm just... Percy. My moms tears cane to my mind. The way she cried every time we had to pick a new school because I was kicked out of the last. Her tired eyes that were always filled with stress and worry. I was a failure, I've known it for years.
I let my tear drop off my chin in the water. I don't know why I started crying. I came here, I sat down and I just let the emotions flood in. I saw a faint glow shine through my closed eyes. When I opened them I was greeted by a tall man dressed in a Hawaiian t-shirt and brown cargo shorts. His beard was black and cut short to match his tamed black hair. His eyes were a wild blue, like the scales of a fish.
"Percy," Poseidon knelt down next to me. "What's wrong."
"Just life Dad." I grumbled. Of course he came, my tear fell into his ocean. He went to hug me but I shrugged him off.
"Stop, please."
"Percy..."
"Dad, I don't need your support." He wouldn't stop he just kept trying to comfort me. I know I was being harsh but I really wasn't in the mood. He put a hand on my shoulder but I swatted it away tears in my eyes.
"Stop! Why won't you just leave me alone! You've did a pretty darn good job doing that before!" His eyes widened at what I said. He deserved to hear that. After all these years... he needed to hear it. "You left Mom and I! Even after you claimed me you still were never there. The past five years you've done nothing to look for me! When I asked for your help before you were never there! How do I know you even care!"
"Perseus, Of course I care. I care so much." He stared at me and I had to look away. "Do you not think I scream at myself everyday for treating you so poorly? I know it's hard being a demigod but Percy, it's hard to be a god too."
I frowned and held back the tears that threatened to fall with every ragged breath. I had so many emotions swirling around inside of me, I didn't know which were real and which were impulse.
"I want you to know how you can do better when you have your next son. So he can feel special when I'm gone." I said feeling guilty for yelling at him. It wasn't entirely his fault.
"What are you talking about? When I have my next son? I'd never replace you. And what do you mean when you're gone?"
I wouldn't meet his gaze. I knew as soon as I saw those worried ocean blue eyes I'd make up some lie instead of the truth. I didn't want to see the pain reach them or hear the grief in his voice but Luke was right, I need to tell him.
"Hazel had a vision..." I fidgeted with the sand. Tears swelled in my eyes. "I'm going to die, I'm really scared, Dad."
Poseidon froze. It was silent for a solid minute. He wrapped his arms around me and this time I didn't reject him. I could feel his hands shaking and the quiver in his voice.
"I just got you back."
"I know, Dad. I know." He pulled away and rested a hand on my shoulder.
"It's scary isn't it?" I nodded my head and he sighed. "Well, we all are destined to die, even the gods. We spend our whole lives knowing it's coming but when death knocks on your door it's a whole other thing. It's easier when we can control it or it comes out of nowhere and it's done with the blink of an eye. Knowing it's just around the corner is so much worse. But Percy, death isn't what your afraid of. You're afraid of losing life. You've been to the underworld, it's not that bad. Actually some people enjoy it if they make it to Elysium. The scary part is knowing that we'll no longer have those people we love, we'll no longer get to watch those around us grow. You have to remember one day they'll join you. If you can find the patience in yourself to wait for them you'll find death as something you can accept."
I looked up at him. I was crying all right. I saw he was too. My heart felt like it was being squeezed to the point of breaking. Each breath was a struggle as I tasted the salt of my tears.
"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." I struggled to get out.
"My son, it will never stop hurting. No one can truly heal. People never stop loving, they never stop hurting. We only find something that we love more. We find something that is stronger than the pain. That's how healing works. "
I closed my eyes and nodded. I wondered if I divided into ocean right now and swam away I could forget about this war completely. I wiped my eyes. No, I had people counting on me and I couldn't let them down.
I got up helping the sea god to his feet. I hugged him once more, resting my chin on his shoulder. "Thank you."
He chuckled and pull away from the embrace. His eyes searched me and his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Your hood makes it impossible to see what you're thinking."
I laughed thinking about what Annabeth said yesterday before I talked with Chiron. "So I've been told."
Poseidon smiled at me before backing into the ocean. "Remember, you're my favourite son! I'll see you soon!"
With that he disappeared into the depths of Long Island. I smiled. That conversation changed very quickly. Since when did my Dad get so wise? I spun around about to walk back to the pavilion for lunch when I spotted a rustle in the woods. I hesitantly walked over. What the-
"Ack!" I shouted as a head of frizzy brown hair jumped out from behind a tree.
"Sorry," Hazel swayed shyly with her hands fidgeting with each other. I stared at her in shock. Was she spying on me?
"How much of that did you hear?" I asked fear swelling in my chest. What if she told the other campers, what if she found out who I was.
"All of it." I slid my through my hair. Why gods, why? I get it Zeus, you hate me and are mad that I'm still alive but why? I groaned. Now I have to explain and beg and... ugh.
"Don't tell anyone." I said. I realized something then, not only does she know Poseidon is my dad or that I'm scared but also my name. She knows my name! I swear, if I'm not dead by the end of today I might kill myself. I'm just kidding I wouldn't kill myself, we're past that but I'll... what's an equally cruel form of punishment?
"So you really are a son of Poseidon. You caused the wave, not Orion." I nodded and her eyes lit up. "Wow... and your name is Perseus."
I put my hand out and dragged her into the water. She screamed as I pulled her under. I quickly used my powers to create an air bubble. Hazel was soaking wet and glaring intensely at me. I pulled off my hood seeing she'd already seen me without it in her vision. I offered her my hand to shake.
"Call me Percy. Sorry about that, can't have people hearing." I snapped my fingers drying the poor girl off.
"So dragging me underwater is the natural choice." She frowned. I rolled me eyes and crossed my arms.
"If you tell anyone who I am, I will kill you."
"Why is it such a big deal?" I raised an eyebrow at the daughter of Pluto. Did she seriously just ask why it was such a big deal.
"Listen, you know how you said I look familiar?" She nodded her head. "Well, I knew you. Correction I was one of your best friends. I used to go to this camp. I saved the world a couple times, blah, blah, blah. Anyways, I ran away five years ago."
Hazel looked really confused still and I sighed in frustration. If she hadn't been watching my private conversation with Poseidon I wouldn't have to be explaining this to her.
"Everyone forgot who I was and what I did. They forgot events I was majorly involved in like Gaea's war." Hazel nodded again. I waited for a reaction. She seemed to be thinking very hard when her eyes lit up.
"Wait, you're Percy Jackson!" My heart skipped a beat. Hope swelled within me. Did she remember? "The guy everyone thought was Nico's imaginary friend?"
Of course, I'm the imaginary person. "Yes."
"So Nico isn't crazy! He remembered you but none of us did so we just thought he was making it all up. That's why you two are such good friends." She laughed. "This is such a relief!"
I tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for her to be done. "Yeah, I accidentally mention something about blue food around him and he figured out it was me."
Hazel looked at me funny. Why can't people just accept I like blue food? It's better than those people who put ketchup on literally everything (no offence if you do that, I have a friend who puts ketchup on everything, including plain toast).
"So... why is it so bad if people find out your identity?" Right, that. I didn't want to just tell Hazel it was because I didn't want to get hurt again. My identity was something I could keep to myself, I could always just pack up and leave again when people don't kno w it.
"Like I said before, I saved the world a couple of times so I have a lot of enemies. The gods remember me so who knows, those enemies might remember me."
"You saved the world? Did you fight in the second titian war?" When she asked that I smirked remembering the good old days.
"Fight in it? No, I led that freaking war." Hazels jaw dropped. I just shrugged my shoulders. I never killed Kronos or Gaea myself but I certainly played a role in both battles. Still, it was funny how people underestimate my ability's... well not as much since I became Omega.
"Oh my Hades! I remember what Nico said about you! You're... You're like this big hero and your fatal flaw was loyalty. He said you were really funny and acted like a little kid all the time. You had the coolest friends and you had a pet Pegasus, blacknight, I think his name was? Actually I think Nico had a crush on you but you dated... Annabeth." Her hesitation with the last part made me sad and I looked to the ground. "Percy, I'm so sorry."
I just shrugged. "Yeah, I lost all of that. The Pegasus's name is Blackjack, by the way." I smiled but it felt so forced and sad I knew it was only bringing down the mood. "It's weird telling you this because well, you were one of the people who forgot about me. I just faded from existence."
I was to busy looking at the ground when Hazel came over and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her. She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Ironic though, the boy who's fatal flaw is loyalty, betrayed by those he loves," She said. I stared off into the water and watched fish swim carelessly past our little bubble.
"Yeah... It would make a great story."
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Last update: 19/03/2020