Part 1 Here! / Part 2 Here! /Part 3 Here! / Part 4 Here! / Part 5 Here! / Part 6 Here! / Part 7 Here! / Part 8 Here! / Part 9 Here! / Part 10 Here! / Part 11 Here! / Part 12 Here! /Part 13 Here! / Part 14 Here! / Part 15 Here! <This is Part 16!>
A/N: I Hope this feel very full circle in a way.
* “How has he been?” Dionysus is leaning on the porch railing, his violet eyes trained on the rolling hills. Strawberries glint on the horizon like rubies.
* “He’s been adjusting fairly well.”
* Even from the distance you spot Percy with ease. He’s grinning at one of the Hermes kids during sword practice.
* Other than just the appearance of favorable sociability, you’ve heard the same sentiment echoed from Luke.
* “He’s a good kid (Y/N/N),” Luke grins. “He’s charismatic and funny, everyone in the cabin loves him. I wouldn’t say it’s an exaggeration that everyone in the cabin hopes he’s our half-brother.”
* “There was an…incident, wasn’t there?”
* Right, the thing with Clarisse.
* “I can’t tell you why she did it,” though if you had to guess it’s probably because she was annoyed about all the fuss everyone was kicking about this scrawny kid and she wanted to test how much of it was true. “Just that it didn’t end well.”
* Chiron had waved Annabeth over and you took it as your sign to leave, both to give them some privacy and because you were embarrassed Percy heard you call him pretty.
* You were pressed against tree, reviewing your potion recipes when you saw Clarisse grab Percy by the back of his collar and drag him towards the bathroom.
* “You shouldn’t do that Clarisse!” You shouted, she gave you a brief glance, but proceeded anyway.
* ‘I think I can figure out how this is going to end up.’
* Sure enough, after no more than five minutes a victorious Percy came outside—completely dry—followed by a drenched Clarisse.
* “I told you.” You said as she trudged by on her way to her cabin.
* “Shut up.” She grumbled back.
* Other than that small hiccup, and the occasional act of aggression, Percy’s been doing well.
* “Is Chiron still putting holes in his brain like it’s Swiss cheese?”
* “If you know you shouldn’t ask.”
* You sigh.
* If Percy had a weakness, it would be that he turned his entire heart over to anyone who showed him the slightest bit of kindness.
* ‘That’s especially true when it comes to men, especially older men.’
* Not having a good father-figure has really done a number on him.
* ‘I wonder if that means I have mommy issues.’
* You watch him practically beam with joy when Luke compliments him: “You’re a natural!”
* ‘Maybe that’s to be expected though.’
* What demigod doesn’t have a few parent-related hang-ups?
* You find the next few weeks fall by in monotony.
* While the entire camp fawns over Percy’s radiant smile, you shrug.
* ‘He’s Poseidon’s kid, the ocean is beautiful and terrifying.’
* When Percy is able to defeat not only Luke, but most of the older members at camp, you nod.
* ‘He’s the hero of Olympus, it’s to be expected.’
* When the entire camp clamors for members for the bi-monthly capture-the-flag game —with Annabeth holding onto one arm and Clarisse holding onto the other, both claimed you for their team until you told them you would just watch— you watch Percy warm-up next to Annabeth.
* ‘Makes sense, they’re friends…sort of.’
* You raise an eyebrow when you hear a hellhound has broken past the outer bounds of camp.
* ‘I wonder what Zeus did to warrant a warning like that.’
* And when a shimmering green trident hangs over the air, you think: ‘of course he’s your son you degenerate, now pay some child support.’
* You figure he’ll be even more popular now, but instead everyone, including one Percy Jackson, looks shell shocked.
* You watch Percy numbly collect the few belongings he has and walk to the Poseidon cabin, staring under the awning for three long seconds, before pushing the door open.
* ‘I figured he’d be happy.’
* He doesn’t come out of his cabin, not until it’s dinner time,
* You expect him to be called with glee to sit with his friends, but the second he steps foot into the mess hall the area goes silent.
* Percy puts on a brave face though, keeping his eyes trained forward and his mouth in a straight line. He takes a seat at his table, the only person there.
* The tips of his ears are bright red.
* You watch from the Athena table, waiting for someone to get up and join him.
* Your eyes flutter to the Hermes table, where they’re all joking and laughing, like they weren’t all hoping Percy was their brother a few hours ago, and now they’re pretending like he doesn’t exist.
* Sure, the campers had been just as cruel to you—but you’re the child of Hades, the villain of every ancient story they’ve ever heard.
* To add, you’re not exactly social or well behaved either.
* For all intents and purposes, though they’ve warmed up to you, to these people you’re chaos incarnate, someone who crawled out of the underworld to wreak havoc.
* But Percy Jackson is a hero, he’s the son of a favorable king, he’s talented, he’s good, and just, and brave, and kind.
* He’s shown them that he’s their friend.
* And as you look at this boy, this child, sitting all by himself, you’re reminded of yourself. Staring at the plate in front of you, willing yourself not to cry.
* ‘He’s in the exact same trash story I was.’
* Your body moves on its own.
* “And then he said—(Y/N) where are you going?” Annabeth asks from beside you.
* You barely hear her, blood rushing in your ears as you stride across the lawn, taking a seat across from a certain ocean-eyed boy with a straight face.
* “You know, you could have told me you were old seaweeds kid.” You wave your hand. “Did you know these glasses won’t give you soda? Like once I leave here I have to risk my life to battle monsters, but no twenty grams of sugar is what’s going to kill me.”
* Thinking back on it, it kind of makes sense. If this camp is like the gods reserve army, then they aren’t taking any chances, not even with diet. It has nothing to do with concern for the well-being of a child, and everything to do with concern for the health of a soldier.
* ‘They won’t even let a kid have a coke.’
* The side of Percy’s mouth quirks up in a lopsided grin.
* “If you’re going to go out, you might as well go out having a Faygo.”
* “Faygo? Never mind, they were right, you’ve got awful taste Percy Jackson.”
* You watch as a smile arch’s onto his mouth, a laugh tumbling past his lips.
* In a few years this will just be a memory to him, he’ll be hailed as the hero of Olympus and you’ll be seen as a miscellaneous side-character.
* ‘But for now I’m glad I let him know he isn’t alone.’
* “Honestly Jackson, if you want Faygo, all you have to do is mix soda water, grape juice, fruit punch, and a whole can of frosting.
* Percy laughs harder when you try to make it happen.
* ‘Yeah, this was a good decision.’
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