PJatO || Apercy || PJatO || Apercy || The Trials of Apollo || Apercy || PJatO || Apercy || PJatO
Title: The Trials of Apollo – How to Train Your Mortal God
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus / The Trials of Apollo
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, hetero
Main Pairing: Apollo/Percy
Side Pairings: Paul/Sally, Jake/Will, Nico/Jason (mentioned)
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Will Solace, Jake Mason, Sally Blofis, Paul Blofis
Godly Character: Apollo
Summary: All Percy wanted was a little peace and quiet after two wars. Not to teach a god how to be mortal, but here he stood – Apollo, mortal, in front of his door. And after dumping the now mortal god at Camp Half-Blood he thought he was done with the matter. Well, he – of course – thought wrong. How could anything in the gods' world go wrong without Percy having to be there to fix it, after all? At least this time he may get something out of it though...
So, I've read the first excerpt of The Trials of Apollo and I instantly needed to write this. If you don't want to be spoilered at all, don't read this, or go and read Riordan's excerpt first. If you don't mind minor spoilers, read it! But consider THIS your spoiler-warning, so no complains!
The Trials of Apollo
How to Train Your Mortal God
"You're such a traitor, Will Solace. You and all of camp!"
Percy was glaring viciously at the blonde son of Apollo. But Will didn't even have the decency to look up from whatever it was he was doing at his desk. Percy growled, a dangerous sound.
"Don't try to intimidate me, Percy Jackson", warned Will evenly. "I've managed to befriend Nico in the past months. You think if I broke down his walls, I'll be intimidated by you? You know how he is when he doesn't want something or someone in his life."
Percy's glare turned just a tiny bit into a pout. "You could at least be sorry!"
That earned him Will's full attention. The blonde turned around to stare gravely at Percy, not even blinking. Then he stood, abruptly, and grabbed Percy's arm to pull him along. Not knowing where they were going, Percy allowed himself to be dragged off by the agitated blonde. Not that Percy let that get to him. If anyone, anyone really, had the right to be agitated, it was Percy.
"Look at this, Percy. Look at this and tell me I have to be sorry", demanded Will.
Frowning, Percy turned to the scene in front of him. Apollo – bandaged up and dressed in fresh, washed clothes – was cornering Jake Mason. The poor son of Hephaestus looked flustered and uncomfortable as he was being interrogated, by the looks of it.
"You know, if you treat my baby boy badly, I will turn you into a plant", stated Apollo off-handedly. "I've done it before. Plenty of times. So I really hope you're not... pushing him to do things he doesn't want. Don't look at me so innocently! I know what you tinkerers are up to in bed. I've done enough of your siblings to know, you see. So don't get kinky with my poor, little Will if he doesn't like it. Though, well, he is my son, so I suppose..."
Will growled and tightened his grip on Percy's wrist. "Ever since you brought him and this girl here, he has been on it! He's been fussy and asked personal questions about our lives! Kayla and Austin are officially hiding in the Aphrodite Cabin to avoid him. I'm not sure if he's trying to be a father now that he's stuck here, but he's driving us completely insane. Because he doesn't just ask, he also overshares! I do not want to hear details about my father's sex-life throughout the centuries! And if he's not either asking about our sex-life or talking about his, he starts writing haikus! He claims that it's so much harder to concentrate now that he's human and if I ever hear a haiku again, I may strangle someone! And this morning, he started cornering Jake, asking him if he's treating me right and all this embarrassing stuff! And he's not just telling him that, he also has to overshare again. He keeps giving Jake tips what I may like, since I'm his son. It's gross and disgusting and I don't even want to try anything in bed after my dad suggested it! Eww! And when he's not busy with that, he's hitting on campers! He already flirted with half the Aphrodite cabin and with Nico! Nico nearly re-broke dad's nose for it before he took off to the underworld, muttering about jerky godly douchbags. It took me so long to coax that stubborn bastard out of the underworld to begin with. It's like all my hard work and effort just went to waste because my father is hitting on everyone! Not to mention that Jason IMed me in the aftermath, threatening that if my dad comes close his boyfriend again, then Apollo will not just be a former god but also a former mortal. I have a dozen different headaches caused by my dad and I am going to strangle him myself if he stays one day longer. He needs to leave. He just needs to. He's staying in my cabin, he's always in my infirmary and now he's all over my friends and my boyfriend. I can't... I physically and mentally can't, Percy." Will paused to take a breath and turn nearly pleading eyes on Percy. "Please. I wanted to send him to New Rome, but that won't work now that he made Jason mad. I doubt he'd live a single day, even though I thought that being forced to be with the strict Romans and their regime would be a good punishment for driving us insane. Please, Percy. He came to you. He didn't venture to camp on his own or call in a favor with some god. He walked the streets of New York to find you. That has to mean something, right? Yes, it does. It means mortal Apollo is your responsibility."
Percy groaned annoyed. He had somehow known that something like this would happen when he had opened the door not even a week ago to find a mortal Apollo standing in front of it, asking for Percy's help because he got into trouble with his dad. Still, when Percy turned toward the stuttering and blushing Jake, he did feel kind of bad. For a moment, he tried to imagine being in Will's situation. Having his dad literally sleep in a bunk-bed with him and hang out everywhere Percy would be. Okay, with Poseidon that part would probably be cool. But having his dad hit on his friends and interrogate his lover? Well, if Percy had a lover. Annabeth had left for college a couple months ago and they had broken it off for good, which was for the better.
"Okay, fine", sighed Percy in defeat. "Apollo can stay at my place. What about the girl?"
"Meg? She's still in the infirmary. She can stay here", huffed Will, glaring at Apollo. "He can't."
Well, at least Percy wouldn't have to take in a complete stranger then. Only a mortal god. Sighing again, Percy went to approach Apollo and Jake, who were talking about sex-toys. Or, well, Apollo was recommending them while Jake looked as though he wished the Earth would swallow him whole. Percy threw another side-ways glance at the annoyed son of Apollo next to him.
"You owe me for this", whispered Percy softly. "You owe me big times."
"Whatever you want, Jackson, it is yours!", hissed Will. "You can have my firstborn, for all I care, I just need to get my dad out of this camp! Right now would be preferable!"
Sighing yet again, Percy straightened and put on a slightly forced smile as they came to stand in front of Jake and Apollo. "Hey. So... We came to the agreement that maybe camp isn't the best place to be for you, Apollo. You're going to stay with me for a while."
There was a way too naughty grin on Apollo's lips as he turned toward the son of Poseidon. "Ah, Percy. I knew you adored me. I was so wounded when you just up and dumped me here. It's so sweet that you took the time to set everything for me then!"
Will stared a little dumbfounded at his father as Apollo just threw an arm around Percy's neck and grinned. Something was off. Apollo had spend more than half his time at camp flirting with people, but something in his eyes looked more honest. Like honest relief, as though Apollo was genuinely happy that Percy had returned for him. Oh gods. His dad had a crush on Percy Jackson.
"You alright, Will?", asked Jake softly as he hid behind his boyfriend. "You're kind of green..."
Will shook it off, because he only had two options here. Either let his dad live with Percy, who Apollo apparently wanted to screw, or keep Apollo here and endure him himself.
"I wrote you a haiku, you know", chimed Apollo with a grin, still looking at Percy.
"You can read it to Percy on the way back to Percy's place!", exclaimed Will hastily.
Sometimes, they had to make sacrifices for the greater good. In this case, Percy was going to be the sacrifice to keep all of Apollo Cabin safe and sane. Percy was a hero, he would understand.
/break\
Apollo sat at the kitchen table in the Jackson-Blofis-household. He didn't really know why though. Paul and Sally had pulled Percy aside into the living room to talk about the matter in private. The apartment was not that big and their voices were not that silent or calm.
"After everything the gods put you through?", asked Paul, voice an angry rumble. "After everything the gods put your mother through? No. No, you said you were done with this."
"He's technically not a god anymore", argued Percy weakly.
"Don't get cheeky, Percy. You know what he means", sighed Sally, sounding tired.
"Look...", started Percy and paused to gather his words. "Right now, he's not that different from me. And I don't mean the whole mortality-thing. Zeus just screwed his life over, much like Hera did. He's defenseless, all on his own, got ripped away from his home and the people he cares about on Olympus. He has no one. Much like I did when Hera took me, mom. I just..."
"You just want to help", sighed Sally in defeat. "I know you do. Your heart is too big."
Apollo had to grin at that. That sounded like a victory to him. Moments later and the family entered the kitchen again. Paul still looked grumpy and glared at him, while Sally offered an apologetic smile and Percy looked somewhat torn between pleased and uncomfortable.
"Well, you can stay", declared Percy after a moment.
Apollo smiled his most charming smile and kissed Sally's hand. "Thank you for your hospitality. I hope I won't overstay my welcome then and that we find a solution to this soon."
Sally smiled, feeling a little charmed by Apollo. Of course she would. Out of all the gods, Apollo was the most charming one. He had always been. He heavily suspected that the main reason why his father enjoyed punishing him so much was because the old man was jealous that Apollo scored more often than him. Thunder rolled in the distant and Apollo jumped instinctively.
"Right", grunted Percy, one unimpressed eyebrow raised as he watched Apollo's reaction to the weather. "How about we get you settled? You're gonna crash in my room. No complains."
"I wasn't complaining!", exclaimed Apollo, hands raised in surrender and eyes drifting down to Percy's ass when the boy led the way out. "Not complaining at all!"
Percy rolled his eyes and muttered something about Will owing him big times for this.
/break\
Two days later and Apollo was pretty much settled into the whole mortality-thing. Honestly, Camp Half-Blood had been a bit droll and boring. Sure, teasing his kids had been fun and there were some hot children of Aphrodite around. None as beautiful or handsome as Percy Jackson though. And now Apollo had the unique opportunity to ogle Percy all day long. After a shower, in the mornings. Weirdly enough, his favorite was Percy asleep. He looked so adorable and vulnerable – not the cheeky brat and glamorous hero he was during the day. In the evening, when Apollo had a hard time to fall asleep, because gods don't necessarily needed sleep and they could just shut out all the sounds from the streets and such but now he was mortal and while there was a distinctive need for sleep, there were also all those thoughts clogging his mind and the sounds disturbing him. So he spend the first few hours laying on the mattress on the floor and watching Percy as he was being illuminated by the moonlight. It was a beautiful sight.
Then there was the variant of Percy after a shower. That was one of his favorites too, because even though he could dry-will himself, he preferred to enjoy the water, so it was still clinging to his hair and running down his face and torso – if Apollo was lucky enough that Percy forgot to take his clothes to the bathroom. The boy truly was very handsome and very gorgeous.
"As much as I enjoy just lazing about and eating your mom's blueberry pancakes, is there something like a... plan? You know, to actually get my godhood back", grunted Apollo.
Percy, sitting at his desk, turned around to face the eating god. Apparently, food tasted different to a mortal than to a god and Apollo spend most of his time eating. It was a little disturbing and somehow reminded him of Brad Pitt in the Ocean's Trilogy. Only that Apollo was more handsome than Brad Pitt. Okay, so Percy wasn't blind and maybe Percy wasn't straight. Not completely. Never really had been. He had been crushing on Luke when he had first come to camp and during the journey on the Argo II he may have been crushing on Jason a little tiny bit. He had a thing for gorgeous blondes, the gender didn't really matter to him. And of course the sun god was hot.
"The plan is to not let your godly business get in the way of our mortal lives", started Percy calmly. "We've been thrown into disarray because you gods can't keep your shit together. Rachel is in her final year at high school, so short of her final exams. She's not gonna throw it all out of the window just because you're human. It may take a while and you may have to wait, but then we two are going on a road trip together. With Rachel, Ella and Will. Will and I were the lucky ones chosen for this quest, if you're wondering. And we thought Rachel and Ella would be useful too."
"Yay, road trip! Where to?", asked Apollo eagerly.
"Well, the last two times you got turned mortal, you had to serve kings, according to Annabeth", replied Percy slowly. "That's right, isn't it?"
"Admetus and Laomedon, both great guys, yeah", nodded Apollo with a small smile.
"Yeah, so... it kinda strikes us as odd that Troy and Pherae, the cities you served in, are literally opposite each other. Crossing the ocean, you get from one city to the other and there's an island right between them. It's our best guess for now, that your father had some reason that he send you to those two places last time. So we're gonna check Limnos out, because on that straight line through the ocean between Pherae and Troy that island is literally the only thing. All this hassle started when we went to Greece for the Giant War, maybe Greece is where we find the solution", replied Percy casually. "But, like I said, we have no real lead. We figured may if we visit Pherae and Laomedon, then Rachel will have a vision or idea of what we have to do to turn you back. After all, you were always given a task. To help a great king and serve him. This time, your father just dumped you here. Without a task that can be fulfilled to get your godhood back."
"Clever. So that's why you've been skyping with your ex-girlfriend, right?", asked Apollo.
Percy frowned at the way Apollo said 'ex-girlfriend'. "You know, if I wouldn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous. Though that would explain why you've been glaring at me the whole time I spoke to Annabeth. And why you didn't get a word the two of us have been talking about. Oh my gods, you were so engrossed in being jealous and pouting that you weren't listening, right?"
Apollo made an undignified sound in the back of his throat and threw a pillow at Percy. Damn that mortal body, it just blushed in answer. There were so many things he missed about being a god. His chariot was all the way up there on that list, followed by not having urges like peeing and sleeping.
"Oh gods. I'm... I'm actually right, am I?", asked Percy stunned and gaped at the blonde. "I—I was just teasing! Oh gosh. You have a crush on me? On me? How did that happen?"
Apollo rolled his eyes a bit tired and put his plate away as Percy ranted and rambled. He had already witnessed how awkward Percy could get when it came to realizing someone had feelings for him – with Rachel and Nico, Apollo had watched from above, laughing at their demise because they couldn't have him. Granted, the Athena-brat had snatched Percy away before Apollo had a chance, but apparently the ex in ex-girlfriend was still up-to-date. And Apollo was the one sleeping in Percy's room, not Annabeth, so that had to mean a lot too, right? Getting up, Apollo walked over to the still rambling Percy and grasped the boy's neck. Percy instantly froze like a deer in the headlights and Apollo just smirked. He pulled the other boy into a kiss that started out sweet enough and ended on a very hot note, with Apollo straddling Percy's lap, running his hands down Percy's spine to cup the boy's butt as much as he could in their current position.
Getting hit by a shoe hurt a lot when one was mortal. The two bolted apart and Apollo stared wide-eyed at the furious stepfather. Paul looked ready to punish Apollo worse than Zeus had.
"Get off my stepson. You're sleeping in the living room from now on and I am going to check if you're there at least twice an hour and if I find you all over the boy again, I'm going to take my other shoe and put it up your not-so-godly arse. Square", warned Paul darkly.
"Yessir!", yelped Apollo wide-eyed, putting a couple feet between himself and Percy.
"Good", grunted Paul pleased. "And the door stays open when the two of you are in here."
Percy rolled his eyes fondly as he watched Paul leave. Honestly, for a boy who spend his earliest years all without a father and then later with an abusive stepfather, it was always a little exciting to finally have an overbearing father-figure. He had most noticed that when he had been reunited with his mom and Paul after the Giant War. Paul and Sally made sure to shelter him since then, obviously afraid that he would be snatched away again or forced into another war.
"So... You want the whole human experience? Including the overbearing dad of your boyfriend?", asked Percy teasingly and laid down on his bed, facing Apollo, who still sat frozen on the ground.
Shaking the stupor off, Apollo turned to face the cheekily grinning son of Poseidon. "Sure."
The cheeky grin slipped off Percy's face as his cheeks heated up. "Uhm, so... you mean that? I mean, you actually want a boyfriend? Because Will said you spend a lot of time flirting."
"Please, flirting is like breathing to me", huffed Apollo dismissively. "But I don't go around kissing people, do I? You're cute, Percy Jackson. I came to you because I know I can trust you. There aren't many I can say that about. I don't know how long I will be mortal, but I want to spend that time with you. Doing mortal stuff like dating and such."
"But no making out in my home!", barked Paul from somewhere outside the room.
Both Apollo and Percy blushed before laughing. Apollo knelt in front of the bed so he could steal another kiss. Percy eagerly leaned in for the tender treat and Apollo smirked into the kiss.
"I'm looking forward to that roadtrip though. No nagging chaperon", whispered Apollo.
"You underestimate your oldest son", returned Percy amused. "I can already hear him complain about how gross it is to watch me and his dad making out."
"Oh please, he needs to stop being so whiny", huffed Apollo dismissively. "He was complaining so much while I was at camp! 'Don't talk about this', 'don't ask my boyfriend about our sex-life!', 'Don't flirt with Malcolm, he's my best friend'. So boring, really."
"Ah, but... don't flirt with Malcolm. You have a boyfriend now", offered Percy as alternative.
"No flirting, huh?", asked Apollo with a troubled frown.
"Not if you don't want to get into trouble with both Will and me", chimed Percy.
Heaving a defeated sigh, Apollo nodded slowly. "How about we take Meg instead of Will?"
"You only just recently met this girl. She is untrained and new to all of this", grunted Percy with a deadpan. "I'm very much against throwing newbies into big quests. No, Apollo."
Apollo chuckled at the cute expression on Percy's face and kissed him again. "Everything you say."
"Now, that sounds like a deal", hummed Percy intrigued. "Then kiss me again.
Apollo eagerly obeyed and kissed Percy deeply. Being mortal wasn't that bad after all.
~*~ The End ~*~