A day in the life of Percy Jackson
Percy's had a rough day, and he's upset a certain someone's been ignoring him.
(Post The Heroes of Olympus)
~Percy's POV~
Percy was not feeling the love. It was the Friday after the first week back at school. He'd made the swim team, he should have been happy. Ha yeah, maybe his dad, god of the sea, would have been proud that his demigod son had made a high school swim team. Still, he probably would have been very pleased, but he just couldn't stop thinking about Annabeth the entire day, and how much he missed hanging out with her. Also, Percy had failed a biology test earlier that morning, and he really wasn't looking forward to his mom finding out. He had work to catch up on when he had gone missing, and Annabeth wasn't free to help him. Percy was really trying hard to do well in school this year but he'd missed so much last year, he was beginning to suspect life might have been easier when he was trying to save the world. Yup, that's what you get for being a hero, he mused, failing tests and bad grades.
Paul had stayed behind for a teachers' meeting so Percy didn't even have a ride home and he wasn't left with much choice but to take the bus. What a great decision that turned out to be! Because to make matters worse, Percy had fallen victim of yet another frustrating and inconvenient perk that came with being a demigod: monsters.
That bus journey couldn't have gone any better with a two hundred pound dog from hell terrorizing mortals. Of course Percy had sent it back to Tartarus, but not without a lot of howling and barking. (Mostly from the mortals).
Stupid hellhound he cursed, sulking, as he turned the corner onto the street of the Jackson-Blofis apartment. Just to add insult to injury -the hellhound had added some fresh scars to his ever growing collection- he'd ripped his favourite shirt, the one Annabeth had given to him as a present, fighting that overgrown mutt.
Annabeth.
Percy missed his girlfriend so much. He wished they could go to camp this weekend but Annabeth wasn't allowed out of her boarding house, because of some 'misbehaviour' the girls in her house had been responsible for recently. But if he was being honest, he was kind of annoyed with her too. They hadn't seen each other since last week, when Annabeth had stopped by to pick up some clothes from the apartment. Percy was pretty sure he was being ghosted by his girlfriend.
For the past week it seemed she was avoiding him, saying she was swamped with tests and homework, and when Percy had pointed out that they hadn't been spending a lot of time together lately, she promised they would go to camp over the weekend. Except, that wasn't happening anymore, thanks to the uptight nuns who run her school. He knew it wasn't really her fault, but he was just frustrated you know?
Percy had hoped that after the war with Gaia, they would have some time away from having to save the world. Because honestly, Percy was getting a bit tired- that even when they don't have to run around on quests, he couldn't be with her.
Percy checked his messages as he neared the steps up to his apartment building. He'd only started carrying a phone around so that he could communicate with Annabeth more easily. Except they hadn't communicated much recently.
She hadn't replied to his previous messages from earlier today. He sighed, and thought about trying to ring her but decided against it. Annabeth really hated it when anyone interrupted her while she was doing homework. Although she never got angry at Percy for doing it, he could tell she was trying her best to hide it.
What you doing tonight? Wanna IM?
He texted, before shoving his phone down his trousers. However, that immediately sparked a reply because his phone vibrated.
Got homework. :(
I'm sorry seaweed brain.
I miss you too! Maybe next week?
Percy rolled his eyes. Of course she did, that really was a major downside of dating a daughter of Athena, they always had homework. Well at least this time she bothered to acknowledge his presence, and replied to his messages. Somehow that didn't make Percy feel any better, because what he really wanted to do was get home, have a hot shower, order a pizza and Iris-Message his girlfriend. Well, at least he could still do the other things right?
Wrong.
The front door was unlocked when he got there. Percy pushed the door open.
"Mom, I'm home!"
The smell of freshly baked cookies hitting him straight away. Percy sniffed out the source: a whole plate of them awaited him on top the kitchen counter- obviously, they were blue. But Percy didn't even have time to grab one before Sally walked out of her bedroom.
"Hey sweetie, how was your day?" She asked as she ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek, before pulling out a chair so she could sit down beside him.
"It was okay." Percy tried for a smile, he was never great at acting.
Plus, Sally always knew when something was bothering her son and she saw right through him. Unfortunately for Percy, he was needed elsewhere, they could talk about his day later.
"Um, Camp called earlier sweetheart. Chiron said they need you there. Urgently. I know you're tired, but-"
"What happened?" Percy perked up.
He was nervous, Chiron never called for him to come back unless it was absolutely vital. Despite his bad day, Percy cared a lot about his home at camp half-blood. He would do anything to make sure it was safe, no stupid hellhound attack could put him off helping his family.
Sally must have sensed how anxious he was feeling, so she stood up, pointing towards his room. "I don't know honey, but it sounds important. I've packed your overnight bag already, it's on your bed whenever your ready."
"I need to get going then," Percy stood up and whistled for Mrs O'Leary. He kissed his mom on the cheek and ran to his room to get changed.
—
Mrs O'Leary arrived out of the shadows by the dining pavilion at camp, a worried Percy on her back. Percy slipped off, "Good girl, you'll get your treat later okay?"
Percy got a slobbery kiss in response. He didn't stick around to play, running to the Big House to see Chiron.
The campfire had already ended and everyone was heading in for the night, from what Percy could see, there weren't any signs of trouble. Still, he ran to the Big House and stopped by the front porch, Chiron was already waiting. He smiled, "Ah, Percy my boy, there's a surprise waiting for you by the beach."
Percy opened his mouth to respond, but there was mischievous gleam in the old centaur's eyes which told him that was all he was going to get. So instead, Percy nodded and turned right around, heading for the sea.
He dropped off his bag in the Poseidon cabin on his way there. He looked longingly at his bed. Percy was not excited to find out what the surprise was. From the way Chiron had greeted him, he would've guessed it was something good, but with the way his day was going, it was bound to be bad.
Maybe the surprise is another sea monster attack he thought, maybe Chiron was just trying to put a positive spin on Percy's bad day. It wouldn't have been the first time he spent an evening after school fighting a giant serpent. Sighing, Percy left his cabin, feeling certain he wouldn't be returning till late.
Once he arrived, Percy looked around for the monster. He stared out at the ocean, but he couldn't see much. It was already well past ten o'clock, not a serpent in sight. Great, so now he had to fight an invisible sea monster. Did they even have those in greek myths?
Well, it was either that or Chiron was pranking him. That definitely would have been payback for the 'wheelchair swap' Percy and the Stolls had pulled on him a few weeks ago. Still, he wouldn't have thought Chiron would stoop down to their level just to get even. He was much more likely to dish out a punishment- like clean the stables! or fight this giant sea monster after your sucky day, haha!
Well now he was sure he'd been sent to fight an annoyingly well hidden sea monster as punishment.
But...as they say, you can't fight what you can't see so...
Percy shrugged. Well that was easy right?
Wrong.
Percy had broken the first rule of being a demigod: never think anything is easy.
As he turned to head back to his cabin, his whole world turned upside down. Well, that was because Percy Jackson suddenly found himself being flipped over his own head.
Now he was lying on his back, looking up at his assailant who had one knee on his chest. At first all he did was panic- squirming underneath his attacker, he quickly realised it wasn't a monster.
Percy stared at his assailant, it looked like a girl judging by the outline of her long hair which stuck out of the hood pulled over her head, which also made it hard to see her face. Percy would have assumed she was one of Artemis's hunters, but then he caught the faint whiff of lemon shampoo, the same shampoo that-
"Oops! Sorry I didn't see you down there Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said smugly.
She stood up and offered him a hand. She helped him up and Percy watched as she pulled her hood off in front of him, smiling. She was wearing one of his hoodies and her own black leggings, but not any shoes. No matter what she wore she always looked beautiful to Percy. Especially in the moonlight, which made her blonde hair glowed faintly and her gray eyes sparkled with amusement-probably at his expense, and basically, Percy shouldn't have been able to resist not kissing her straight away.
But Percy was mad. At Annabeth.
He was hurt that she'd been ignoring him, and now he was hurt that she had lied to him. Didn't she say she was at school? Why was she here? To judo-flip him, and then laugh at him? Percy would normally have found it funny, but after today, the last thing he wanted was a load of sand down the back of his shirt and in his hair. He was so confused. Why was he even so mad?
Annabeth picked up on his bad mood almost immediately though, because her smile melted away and it was replaced with a look of concern. She took his hands in hers and still looking up at him, she asked gently, "Hey, is everything alright?"
Percy didn't reply. He just stared.
Her brows furrowed, and her eyes searched his face for an answer. Over the past week, all Percy had wanted was to be able to spend time and talk with Annabeth, and here she was, standing right in front of him asking him what was wrong and Percy wouldn't talk.
She looked so concentrated, he could practically see the gears turning in her head while she worked out what was going on with him.
It didn't take very long. Apparently, Percy wasn't very difficult to read. He wished she wasn't such a smart-ass all time, but that was probably one of the things he loved most about her, and it was also what made her such an awesome girlfriend.
"I'm sorry,"Annabeth said sincerely, looking down at their hands, "I know we haven't been spending enough time together recently, so I wanted to surprise you tonight."
"That's why I decided to let Sally and Chiron in on my plan, and they'd be able to help me get you over here," She looked back up at him, her expression soft and full of love, "I believe I owe you a date?"
Annabeth gestured further down the beach towards the sea, Percy saw that there was a blanket laid out, underneath what looked suspiciously a lot like pizza boxes.
At the sight of food, Percy's stomach started to rumble loudly, making Annabeth giggle, and just like that, all of his frustrations dissolved.
He turned to face his girlfriend. A playful smile broke out on his face, he shook his head, sighing, "You know I can't stay mad at you. No matter how hard I try."
Annabeth laughed again and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him fully. She pulled away shortly, knowing it would drive Percy crazy.
Percy leaned in to kiss her again, but she wouldn't let him. She bit her lip playfully, her voice rich with mock seduction, "Well, well, it looks like the great Percy Jackson just can't resist my charm."
Her joke sent them both into fits of laughter. Then Percy, still laughing, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, running towards the water. Annabeth playfully hitting his back, shrieking for him to put her down in between her giggles.
Percy dived straight in. Still holding onto her, he formed an air bubble to keep them dry. Well, to keep his hoodie, which he would steal back later, dry. Percy allowed Annabeth to finally readjust herself so she could face him, but he purposely made the air bubble small so she had to squeeze herself against him, she didn't seem to mind though.
They didn't waste any time and as soon as Annabeth was comfortable, she brought her lips to Percy's.
He smiled against her lips. Happy to finally be spending time with his Wise Girl.
They took their time coming up. By the time they did resurface, the pizzas were cold. But Percy didn't care about the pizza, or about failing his test, or about the hellhound attack. Because he couldn't help but lie there, content, holding hands with his Annabeth while she rested her head on his chest, as they looked up at the stars. He smiled stupidly, reveling in the certainty she would never leave his side.
After all, it could've been worse.
I mean- sea monsters, am I right?