"Out of all the shit we pulled I never expected to get kicked out for embarrassing Principal Grace in front of the Star-Spangled-Man-With-A-Plan," Percy grumbled into his phone. He pouted as he got a few strange looks from other passengers on the bus and lowered his eyes towards the matted carpet floor. What were they looking at anyway? Nosy, nosy, nosy, Percy thought in his head. They'd see weirder when we arrived in New York. The Greyhound was inbound for Manhattan and was almost as dirty as the subways that circled beneath it.
"At least the view was nice before you went out?" Nico joked.
"Haha, very funny." Percy said rolling his eyes.
"What, are you saying Cap isn't gorgeous?" Will asked in an offended manner.
"Of course that's not what I'm saying. I'm not blind. But I don't think he was worth getting expelled for!"
"Ha, I guess, but you gotta admit though. It's a very 'Percy-way' of going out," Nico joked.
"Oh is that one of your inside jokes now? 'Percy-way'? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"'Percy-way'! It's our term for anytime you do something with your typical amounts of sass and stupidity," Will admonished.
"Wow, rude. I didn't ask to be attacked like this. Plus, isn't anything I do automatically the 'Percy-Way' since I am Percy?" If Percy had long hair you could bet this is where he would toss it dramatically.
He continued, "And going back to the earlier topic, I don't care if he was hot. Now my mom is gonna have to go through the trouble of finding me another new school and I'll have to start all over again."
Just the thought of a new environment without his best friends or his dad caused Percy to choke up a little in fear and anxiety.
Two sighs were heard from the other end of the line. "You're gonna be fine, Perce. We're gonna miss you like mad, but maybe you'll thrive at this new school, you don't know. Plus, think of it this way: until you find a new school, you're basically on vacation."
"Oh, and no Zeus!" Added Will.
"And no Zeus," Nico repeated letting his voice rise in what he hoped sounded optimistic but he just sounded like a strangled frog. Leave the optimism to Will, Percy thought ruefully.
There was a beat of silence as the boy on the bus didn't really know what to say.
"I guess... I just—I feel bad for my mom, y'know?" Percy admitted.
"We know, and we do too, but maybe it's for the best. You never really fit in at this school anyway?"
Percy laughed ruefully. Grover had said the same thing. "You sure know how to comfort a guy."
"No, what Nico is trying to say is just— well you know! This could be a good thing for you to branch out and meet more people and stuff!"
"More people and stuff," Percy mumbled mournfully. In a louder voice he said, "I'll call you guys later when we stop off in Manhattan. I wanna get some shut eye."
"Of course, Perce. Talk to you later, hun."
The phone chimed to let him know the call ended.
Silently, Percy stared at the now blank screen. His chest felt tight with the loss of his friends to comfort him, but he knew it was selfish to keep them just so he'd have company. He struggled to take in a deep breath and let out a shuddering huff. Swallowing thickly, he looked out the window feeling his hands fidget nervously with the chair.
The scenery passed quickly and he pressed his face to the glass letting the cool touch soothe him. He continued breathing deeply and before he realized, he was asleep.
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"Wake up!"
He woke as an odd force pressed him into his chair, his cheap headphones ripped from his head. He rubbed his eyes and again that odd weight made it hard for him to move his arms from where they were crumpled against his chest.
"Hey! What the hell? My—"
"Head phones..." he finished weakly. Percy looked out the windshield of the bus but all he saw was blue and white. Sky and clouds was all he could see through the shattered bus window. Looking to his left and right he could see the bridge but not beneath them like it should be.
The bus was hanging over the side of the Queensborough bridge by string-like webs.
"Hey! Kid in the blue hoodie, you're the last one!" A youngish voice called down. Percy searched around for the search and his eyes landed on the one and only Spider-Man clinging to the side.
Percy blinked at the young hero confused.
"'M not a kid."
"Grab my hand!" The strange hero said, ignoring his protest.
Percy groggily reached out a hand toward the boys outstretched hand. The seat beneath lurched hard as the bus fell a little further. Percy was fully awake as he instinctively grabbed the thing closest to him which was his backpack. He involuntarily let out a yelp as the bus shook and rattled with the bridge.
"It's ok! I'll keep you safe, I promise," Spider-Man said reaching out his hand more insistently.
Uh, heard that one before, Percy thought.
The boy took a deep breath to quell the panic rising in his stomach. He shouldered his backpack as he prepared to move. Percy hesitated. What if the bus fell? What if by moving he was dislodging the bus and killing them both?
"You got this," the hero encouraged kindly, as if sensing his apprehension. Percy gulped and nodded.
Shakily he stood up on the back of the chair, using the chair in front of him as a hand hold as he boosted himself enough to reach the hand.
They grabbed hands just in time as the bus gave way around them. There was a rush of air as the bus fell down into the East river far below the pair. Percy grasped the hand of his savior with an iron grip.
"Don't look down, ok? I got you," Spider-Man promised.
"Yeah— yep no looking down for me."
Percy had his eyes clenched in fear. He tried to take a deep breath but it was shaky.
"Ok, hmm. How am I gonna get you up here," the hero muttered to himself. He addressed Percy, "Can you climb?"
"I can try?"
"Great, you got this. Just climb up me like I'm one of those ropes in the school gyms."
Percy paled a little at the comparison. He never did figure out how to climb up those ropes and now the rope was about one hundred and thirty feet above the ground.
"Heh, ok. Sure. I was totally able to climb those."
Without warning the hand holding Percy's started lifting him up so he could grab onto the other teen better. Hesitantly, Percy wrapped his legs around Spider-Man's waist whilst blushing. This was going to be so much harder and so much more awkward than climbing a school rope. Percy thought hard about his next awkward step in the climb but thankfully or not so thankfully, he didn't have to think for long.
Suddenly, the web holding them to the Queensborough bridge wobbled. Percy tightened his arms around the super.
The two looked up to see a mean looking guy sawing at the already thin looking stringy substance.
The two looked on in horror as Spider-Man tried to thwip out another strand to save them but it was jammed or something.
"Do something!"
"I'm trying!" Spider-Man replied agitatedly.
"We're gonna fall! To our untimely and painful deaths! I don't know about you, but I'm too cute to die!"
Percy knew he personally wouldn't die falling into the water, but he couldn't speak for his friend here. Actually, that water did seem really far on second glance, so survival wasn't even guaranteed for him.
"Stop panicking, we're not going to die—eeeaaaaah!"
The string snapped and the two started their free fall from the bridge. The air whooshed past for what seemed like eons as the duo zoomed towards the water.
They were falling, but at least, Percy thought, he had something nice and rock hard to hold on to. If this was how Percy Jackson had to go out, it would definitely be in what Will and Nico called the "Percy-Way". He silently hoped someone hot was under that mask. Percy tightened his grip and braced for the impact.
That never came? What?
Percy peeked open one eye and was met with red and gold, shiny armor.
"Mr. Stark!" Spider-Man exclaimed. "I totally had this handled, you didn't have to come save me... again."
What the hell was going on? Iron Man came to save them?
"Didn't I tell you that if you ever encountered this tech again to call Happy?" The suit asked, not sounding particularly happy.
"Yeah, I mean— well I was just about to call Happy, but then I saw this bus—"
"No, no. You should have called Happy, kid. Am I gonna have to tell May? I don't think you want me to tell May."
"No! I really don't want you to tell May. Please, please, please don't tell Aunt May. You can't!"
"But can't I, Spider-Man? I don't think you'll learn your lesson otherwise. These guys? Dangerous. This tech? Super. Dangerous. I told you, stay away and call Happy. You didn't, and now the Queensborough bridge is at the bottom of the East River."
Iron man set the two boys down on solid land off of the bridge. Percy was still clinging to the younger hero like a leech. As soon as his brain registered it wasn't about to turn into a pancake, he blushed a bright shade of pink and jumped off the other boy.
He looked up at the two heroes having a stare down.
"This—ahem—This seems personal. I'm just gonna— I'm gonna go."
Percy made it about a step before he stumbled and nearly collided with the ground if not for the strong arms that caught him.
"Woah, there. You ok, little fella?" Iron man asked.
"Excuse you, I take offense to being called little. I'm so macho, dude," Percy quipped breathlessly, though not even he could take himself seriously with the way the world was spinning around him. Percy gripped the younger hero's shoulders in an attempt to stop the world spinning, but if anything it made it worse.
"Sure you are," chuckled Spider-Man.
"Seriously! Check out these guns," Percy said, showing off his biceps.
"Yeah, for sure. Ok, spaghetti arms, let's get you somewhere safe," Iron Mam said.
Spider-Man took the hint and hoisted him up bridal style.
"Woah, slow your roll! At least take me to dinner first, mister," Percy responded. He wrapped his arms around the taller boy's neck.
"Heh, this one's funny, Pete. What's your name, kid?"
"A) not a kid, and B) I'm Percy."
The arms holding him adjusted. "Nice to meet you, Percy."
"Back atcha, Pete."
"Ew, don't call me Pete. That's so not super hero-y."
"Well, as of right now you're benched, so take that for not super hero-y. After dropping off our little damsel, you're going home and I'm cleaning up your mess," Iron man said with finality.
The young hero groaned. He adjusted his grip on Percy again. "Noooo."
Percy thought it reminded him of how he spoke to his dad.
"Yee—es, Peter. Period. End of discussion." The older man was clearly getting agitated, so Peter didn't push it. Percy couldn't help but giggle a little when the older man said "periodt".
From the way his chest rumbled a little, Percy knew Peter also thought this was funny but seemed to know better than to laugh at his mentor right now. Smart.
Before he could register what was happening, Percy was jerked out of Spider-Man's arms and was sent sprawling toward the ground. He whipped his head back in time to see both heroes suspended in the air by some contraption. Holding the contraption was the man cutting the web earlier on the bridge.
Another man was standing next to him who had giant metal wings.
"Mr. Stark, what is this?" Spider-Man yelled.
"Gee, it could be that alien tech I specifically told you to stay away from!"
"You should have listened to him, Spider-Man. Now you'll both pay."
Another of the goons seemed to gesture towards where Percy was still on the ground observing. "What should we do with that one?"
"He looks like a kid. Let him go," the man with the wings said. He then addressed Percy, "Leave, now and don't try to interfere."
Percy didn't need to be told twice.
Ugh, except he had powers. And he had to do something. Curse his stupid hero complex.
Percy stood up to leave silently. He cast his eyes towards the heroes in what looked like a silent apology. Suddenly he smirked.
"Call me, cutie."
He turned and feigned leaving for a few more steps before he turned around and lashed out.
Before either hero could blink, there were whips that looked like they were made out of water arcing towards the piece of tech that had them suspended. They were released back into gravity's hold and hit the ground hard.
"Damn it!" The bad guys yelled, pulling their guns out.
Percy used his whips to gracefully disarm the one to the right before he wrapped his two whips around the arms of the two on the left, using his weapons to drag the men into each other. Percy kneeled and yanked on the webs dragging them forward, further off balance.
The boy with the whips was left panting as the two heroes sat in awe.
—-
A/N
Firstly, how are you guys. I know it's been months. Idek what to say for myself. But I did it at least. How's quarantine?
Secondly, this has been heavily edited and basically rewritten.
Changes:
- Better writing imo. Lmk if u think so too
- No shitty battle scene with like 2 parts. Let's cut it down and not make Percy such a damsel, thanks younger me for being so weird. Not.
~ P.S.BROOKLYN