Poseidon should've known better. But for a mistake, it was beautiful.
The minute he made the oath he knew it would soon be broken. Maybe it was because the gods never kept their promises or maybe just a gut feeling. But he knew that the promise wouldn't last long and he was right.
It was all too. Zeus fell off the wagon, bringing back a woman to his home and siring a daughter named Thalia. Hades vowed with all his heart to destroy this daughter. Poseidon went along, but he couldn't help but think with a sinking feeling that he had one messed up family.
Thalia looked just like her father, with bright electric blue eyes and midnight black hair. She was all too close to him in matter too. Poseidon couldn't help but think that she would be the child of the prophecy.
He almost wanted to spare her, but knew that if Zeus were in his footsteps he would not hesitate. But still the Sea God was almost relieved when he watched the girl turn into a pine tree. At least she was alive.
He never thought the day would come when he to broke the oath, but then he met Sally.
With her chestnut hair and eyes the color of the deep-sea, she won him over in just a matter of minutes. The worst thing was, she didn't even know it. Those eyes scrutinized him every time he came to visit and finally he walked into her house one day to her saying—"You have a Trident."
To his horror it wasn't a question.
His first Instinct was to deny and to deny and to deny. But the look in her eyes told him she knew everything. "Poseidon right?" She asked, in that beautiful voice of hers. "It's not just a name."
The god nodded. "No," he admitted.
And a whole new world was revealed to Sally Jackson. Poseidon couldn't help but feel like he was dooming her family.
When their son was born, Poseidon took time from his duties to do nothing but stare. Perseus was gorgeous even at such a young age, with eyes identical to his own and black hair the color of Raven feathers.
But he was a hero and heroes never lived long.
He resolved to keep his son safe for as long as he could, or as long as the ancient laws allowed him to. But Sally refused. "He needs to live his own life,"She said pushing him gently toward the door "And so do I."
It was the saddest goodbye he'd ever felt.
He offered everything—to build her a palace under the sea though Amphitrite would kill him. He offered to build Sally the house of her dreams just to keep his newborn son safe. But one of the traits he'd admired in his lover was stubbornness.
When Amphitrite asked him what was wrong he didn't answer. It was something she would never know. It was something he didn't wish upon his worst enemy.
When Perseus was twelve Poseidon didn't know what to think. It was a miracle he had survived for so long, but demigods never survived too long. Poseidon knew it was only a matter of time before the monsters caught up to him. It didn't help that he was now with that satyr, the one that had let Thalia die.
He finally understood why Zeus had thrown a fit at his daughter's 'death'. Then he could only cry out in horror as he watched Sally, crushed mercilessly in the Minotaur's hand.
A flash of pride surged through him as he watched Percy defeat the monster barehanded.
Then he met the daughter of Athena and Poseidon yelled in his head, 'no!' But unlike his rival he had never interfered much with his kids' lives. He let it slide, vowing to destroy Annabeth if she dared to hurt his son.
Poseidon claimed him after Capture the flag.
He felt guilty for doing it, though kids had waited months and months for their parents to do the same. The misery on his son's face was heartbreaking, as he had just gotten used to the Hermes cabin. Now he was all alone.
Athena strolled out one day on Olympus and he knew something was wrong when she didn't even insult him. "Tell your son just stay away from my daughter," she snarled, venom streaking through her voice. "Maybe then I won't destroy him."
"You wouldn't dare," Poseidon hissed. "Don't you dare touch him." He had never been so protective of his other children, but there was a first time for everything.
Athena took note of his protectiveness with amusement. "Don't worry," she said. "I won't hurt him if you just make sure he stays away from my daughter."
He nodded.
It was so much easier said than done.
He could already see his son falling in love with her, which just made his job harder. Reluctant, he gave his son a couple warning words and flashed off. He wasn't even sure if Percy got the message.
He certainly did when Athena herself told him personally. That didn't stop him from trying and Poseidon regretted telling him the sea did not like being restrained.
Slowly but surely he could see Annabeth falling for him too.
"Didn't I tell you to tell your son to stay away from my daughter?" Athena followed him one day.
"I didn't tell your daughter to fall in love with my son," He replied, and she stormed off.
Poseidon knew something was wrong when he didn't even gloat at her defeat.
The war was long and hard, just as he expected. He was so proud of Percy for gaining even the approval of Zeus. But there was no saying that he didn't see it coming when he declined the offer of immortality.
It was written in the way he looked at Annabeth and the way the daughter of Athena looked back in return. Poseidon had seen it in his own eyes once upon a time. There was nothing he could do once love had set in its grasp.
He was horrified when immediately after, Gaea rose. Hera's decision to switch Percy and Jason gave him a headache just thinking about it, but he worried for his son. If Percy didn't make it back... Poseidon didn't know what to do.
Finally, he gave his approval with the terms that his son would return. He begged that they keep the memory of Annabeth as maybe an offering for him to last a little longer. Athena wasn't too happy with the plan, but she went along with it.
It was the first but not the last time that Athena followed. Poseidon wasn't sure what to think of it, but it wasn't good. Before he joked that when Athena followed it would be the end of the world. Now it really was the end of the world. He was right for once.
Percy was gone the next week.
He hated to admit it, but he had grown attached to Annabeth. Dare he say it—she was a true daughter of Athena. To watch her break down and cry was terrible. To make things worse, Zeus had shut down Olympus. Poseidon knew the no contact rule was killing Annabeth inside.
Athena fell apart, too. His rival would walk to the meetings with red rimmed eyes, not looking at any of them. For once she was quiet—too quiet.
There was nothing he could do. She shied away from him whenever she could, curled up in her palace to stare at camp half blood. She was more worried for her daughter than she let on, and he was the only one who knew.
She was only happy for a little while before they fell. Poseidon watched her cry, the only one who could ever say he sympathized. He cried with her, shedding salty tears as he watched their children tumble down, down, down. There was no end to the pitch black darkness before the pit closed its magic over them.
Percy and Annabeth disappeared.
Then he was the same, not doing a thing but mope in his palace. Athena was the only other who understood, truly understood, but even she knew not to say anything. He liked it that way. It was calming, peaceful even, but left him to his own thoughts and misery.
Athena's favorite place was the library. He would find her burying her eyes in a book. Those beautiful gray irises were bloodshot and stained with tears, so much like Annabeth that Poseidon could not breathe. She looked up at him, casting him the silent glance that portrayed anything and everything.
They came back damaged and bruised and surely not the same. Percy's eyes were a horrible shade of poisonous green as if he'd see everything he never wanted to. Annabeth's were the same, icy and glazed with shock. Their skin was pale from having not seen the light, but their faces were paler.
Tartarus had not been friendly to them. Poseidon could see the way Annabeth held Percy protectively, as if he would run away any second. He held her the same way, shooting glares that anyone who dared to take her even an inch away.
They basked in each other's presence, unaware of anything and everything around them.
Poseidon came up to give Percy a hug and reluctantly he let go of Annabeth's hand. His son's grip was unnaturally tight and weeks in Tartarus had made him stronger. "Don't worry about me," He said. A forced smile played on his lips. "I'll be fine. I promise."
Poseidon knew firsthand how easily promises could be broken.
But he didn't say anything. Instead he smiled, and Percy looked at him quizzically as if reading his thoughts. Poseidon shook his head, but now Annabeth was looking at him too.
"Nothing," he mumbled, shaking his head hard. "Don't worry about it." The daughter of Athena frowned like she knew what was wrong, and tightened her grip on his son protectively.
Athena rushed forward and enveloped her daughter in a hug, and even Poseidon was taken aback when she only eyed Percy warily. For the first time the goddess wasn't spitting threats, and the Sea God wasn't complaining.
"Thank you," she whispered so quietly they barely heard her. "For saving my daughter."
And Percy looked so shocked Poseidon just had to laugh.
Percy and Annabeth were married by the beach, just as Poseidon thought they would be. Annabeth was gorgeous in her white chiton, golden blonde locks glimmering in the sun. Her smile lit up Percy's face, and for once Poseidon realized how much they truly loved each other.
Vows were exchanged so quickly they were forgotten in a matter of moments. Athena smiled and embraced her daughter, giving only a brief glare and then a little smirk to Percy. His son didn't think he saw, but that little glint in his eye promised he will protect her daughter to the very end.
It reassured Athena but he didn't reassure him.
When Percy and Annabeth had their first child, he looked just like Percy and in turn, just like Poseidon. In a flash of memory Percy's life flashed before Poseidon's eyes. He smiled down at the infant, who gurgled and waved wildly at the sea god's face.
"He's gorgeous," Percy whispered, clutching Annabeth's hand like a lifeline. Poseidon smiled at them too, his mind wistful with memory. "He looks just like you." And in those four words Poseidon could not tell them how grateful he was just to have a family.
Because he was the only one of the gods who has ever learned to love. And to him that was the greatest accomplishment anyone could ever have.
"I'm so proud of you," He told Percy, and watched his eyes light up. His son sent him a genuine smile, one he hadn't seen under months of worry. He hadn't said that to his son—not after he fell into Tartarus, not after he emerged from it alive.
Annabeth gave him a weary smile. The look in her pained Grey eyes sent him the message—finally...he's been waiting for that for months. And all of a sudden Poseidon felt guilty.
"You're my son, Percy," He told him, smiling when he looked up in confusion. "Don't you ever forget that. Maybe once, you were a mistake, but you were the best mistake that ever happened to me. I'm proud of you."
He was. Because Percy had done the only thing that Poseidon could never ever do— raise a family that loved each other for what they were.
For the first time in his immortal life, Poseidon wished he could join them.
Perseus Jackson was born From a Broken Oath. But Poseidon couldn't ask for anything better.
A/N: I do not own PJO. Thanks for reading!