Of Small Talks and Awkward Dances

After Paul was engaged to Sally, Percy had the job of telling Paul the truth about the pair. The whole truth, that included the mythology side of life…

Percy's Pov~

This is when being ADHD really sucks. I can't sit still because Paul will be home in three minutes.

"Mom are you-"

"Percy, I already told you. Paul deserves to know what he is dealing with." I didn't want to say it but I thought of a good question. What if he can't handle it and leaves? I couldn't bear being the reason why Mom couldn't have a good life.

"Okay but-"

"That's all. But you should tell him sitting down," she murmurs and gets up. While taking my hand she leads me to the couch a few steps away and sits down next to me. As I look at my mom I feel special, like I could really do anything. A mother's proud stare tends to ignite the best of thoughts when nervous.

Paul walks through the door and ruins all my courage as he kisses Mom's cheek. The affection doesn't bother me at all, people who like each other show they care around others, Mom always taught me. But as she tells him something he turns to me and asks more than how my day was, he asks what's up.

I go for the humorous approach.

"Olympus," I say loudly. I know if I told Annabeth that I would get a punch to the shoulder and a grin for being so cheesy.

"Why do you say the home of Greek gods?" He sits down next to me as he fiddles his tie off. I notice the tag says HOT TIES, an expensive brand with a threat hanging at the middle. Stupid ADHD… But I am still grateful Paul is a teacher, he knows his crap.

"Um, you know those myths right, about the gods and such?"

"Yes, what about them?"

"Well… they are kind of true. The gods from the myths are still alive and well, they move with Western Civilization as it grows."

"That's silly Percy, why would you say that?"

"Because it's important for you to know. It's half of my entire life."

It feels weird being the most knowledgeable one in the room for once, explaining life to my only real father figure. Paul has stuck around enough for me to say he is my guardian or father, he acts like I am his everyday. And I actually like it. Who knew having a dad could be fun? But if Paul and Mom stayed together maybe he would turn mean, like Helen is to Annabeth. But she hated her from day 1, surely sweet Paul wouldn't turn emotions like that…

"Half of your life? Percy, I'm confused." Ugh, I would do anything for Mom to explain, but no, she said Paul needed to know straight from the source.

"Well these gods, all of them, are still alive, Paul. They are everywhere and still live in Olympus, which is technically on the 500th floor of the Empire State building, but that's besides the point. They still have these kids called demigods and I, I'm kind of…one of them. Like Hercules and Perseus you know? But I'm not nearly as heroic and such, just examples."

"That's crazy though, I would have noticed a floating Olympus."

"It's hidden to the mortals eye's. There is a force called the Mist that shields our secrets from yours."

"Ours?"

"Yeah, I'm a demigod too."

"Your telling me your father is a god?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying."

"Of who then?" He says in a snarky manor.

"Poseidon." He laughs a little at this, but it causes me to smirk.

"Your telling me your father is a brother of the Big Three who created horses and controls the oceans?"

"Yes! This is easier than I thought."

"I'm not buying it."

"Of course you don't," I grumbled. "I inherited powers from him though! That will make you believe me."

"Oh really?" He probably thought this was a scam for his attention.

"Um I can summon water at my will, breathe underwater for infinite amount of time, create air bubbles so others can stay underwater with me, heal myself with water. Oh, and if you give me a genuine seashell I can turn it into water."

"No way," he said skeptically, though on the verge of believing.

"Yeah, check this out!" I grabbed him and quickly led him to the sink, the easiest source of water.

I turned the faucet and touched the water gently, then an idea sparked. I grabbed a mug and filled it with water. Once it was full I dumped it on my head, so it would drip over my clothes; Paul was shocked at my outburst. But I had two reasons for doing it. One so I could point out I can't get wet unless I want to and two because afterwards I could summon the water back into the mug Paul was holding. His mouth dropped open wide.

"That wasn't magic?"

"No, I truly do have powers Paul, but I can will myself to get wet if I truly cared, I'm just… waterproof all the time."

"Wow, tell me more."

"Um… I always have a weapon on me, though it can't hurt you. It's made of Celestial Bronze, which only hurts monsters and demigods. Well gods themselves of course but that's another matter. There is this camp I go to for training, demigods only of course, and they teach uh, me, to survive."

"How long have you been there?"

"Since I was 12."

"Didn't you meet Annabeth when you were 12?"

"Yeah, at camp. Grover and Chiron, the camp director who is a centaur, worked at Nancy to see if I was a demigod though."

"How could they not see he was half horse?"

"The mist distorts it- a human shield. You know my half brother Tyson?"

"Yeah."

"He is a Cyclopes."

"No he isn-"

"The Mist Paul."

"Well Sally can't see it either?"

"No there are some mortals that can see through it, like Rachel. But she and Mom are just gifted with sight."

"Well if you met Annabeth and Grover does that mean they are demigods too?"

"Grover is a satyr, half goat, half human. But Annabeth is a daughter of Athena. Hence the gray eyes."

"Athena has Gray eyes?"

"Their very intimidating."

"Wow. The Athena. Does she look just like your little girlfriend." I sighed, Paul and Mom always teased me about Annabeth.

"Again, not my girlfriend Paul. And two, no. Athena has black hair, gray eyes, always in a royal looking toga or dress. It's always neutral colors, the complete opposite of Aphrodite."

"You have met Aphrodite?" Oh no, why did I put my foot in my mouth.

"Yes, I have met all the Olympian gods and goddesses," I said trying to veer him of track.

"Hmm what does she look like?" Oh flying Furies no. I blushed a little and Paul smiled wickedly.

"She doesn't really appear as one person exactly, she flickers her appearance to who you are attracted to the most or like the most. She changed a lot."

"So she's pretty?"

"Paul, this is Aphrodite. She's naturally the most beautiful woman in Olympus or whatever."

"So what did she look like to you?" I blushed as the blonde haired Aphrodite appeared in my mind.

"Did she-"

A picture of Annabeth appeared from the sink as I blushed crimson. Thank the gods for whatever Annabeth needs right now.

"Hey Percy do you remember what plan the- Oh my gods. I'm sorry Paul, I didn't." she looked honestly horrified because she knew Paul had an innocent mind as far as Olympians went. She turned to me for help.

"It's okay, I'm telling him the truth right now." She sagged in relief.

"Holy Hera that scared me. I thought he doesn't get off until four thirty?"

"Sally told me Percy needed me for something," he responded.

"Well it's good to know that you know." They started a conversation on what I hadn't told him and Annabeth told him about the monsters, what gods looked like and the ones she has met.

I looked around the background and saw the light coming in through the window, though it wasn't hers. Her window is to directly in front of her bunk, not to her left. Then I realized that the only place in camp able to hold an Iris message is on the beach, in the bathrooms, kitchen, and my cabin. It made sense why the light was coming from her left.

"Why are you in my cabin?" I blurted out because of ADHD.

She looked confused for a second and realized what I was saying.

"Oh, your cabin has a huge fountain and a bunk so I just came in here because I knew I needed to IM you; I didn't want sand to get on my laptop."

"Oh. Oka- Wait are you sitting on my bunk?"

"Yes, it has soft sheets," she laughed.

"Ugh, get off!"

"You share with Annabeth," Mom yelled from her room. How does she hear this? Even Paul cracked a smile as he learned of mythologies reverence to life.

"Listen to your Mom Percy. You need to share," Annabeth taunted.

"Like Hades sharing!"

"Language!" Mom yelled. I sighed and realized why she chose my bunk, I saw the wrapper next to her mouse pad.

"Annabeth!"

"What?! Are you seriousl-"

"You're eating my candy aren't you?" It took me forever to smuggle that through the borders.

"What? I would never do such a thing. Paul tell Percy to stop acting crazy." Paul just laughed with Mom as she entered the room.

"Ugh, you know how long it took to get in there, though."

"Trust me Percy, it didn't take the same amount of time to eat."

"Your horrible."

"And you're in a great sharing mood."

"Ugh. Why did you even IM me again? Rudely interrupting and taking over my conversation with Paul may I add."

"Well the blush you wore when I called tells me you weren't so in control of that conversation."

"I was not blushing!"

"Sure you-"

"That reason?"

"Oh, I need to know if you remembered which file the web sword was under the one where-"

"It folds into a spider medallion? File 0415, far right under secondary weapons." I rattled it off easily and she turned, searched for a moment, and smiled.

"You're a life savor, Jacob took my notes and moved them all," she glared.

"Well I hate to see his bruises."

"Ah yes, he almost needed stitches."

"Annabeth," my Mom admonished.

"I'm joking Ms. Jackson. He isn't still hurt that bad, he is fine. All I really needed was to know where that file was. How did you remember?"

"Having a best friend that spouts facts isn't easy."

"Oh yeah? Name some." Then she looked at Mom and Paul. "He doesn't remember three."

"The Hoover Dam is 700 feet tall and was built in the '30s. It can hold 5 million cubic acres of water and was the largest construction project in the U.S." I frowned as I remembered the state I was in as I spouted those facts at the Dam itself with Grover and Thalia.

Annabeth knew the story behind her rescue and realized the importance of the facts. She readjusted her messy blonde bun as silence fell among us. Mom and Paul seemed to realize this and she took him into the bedroom for something. Annabeth looked at me again with big gray eyes framed with long lashes. She looked upset, and I didn't ever mean to make her feel like that, my stomach plunged and my throat closed a little.

"Listen Annabeth, I-"

"No Seaweed Brain, I'm fine. Thank you for the file name."

"Okay. Are you sure you are fine?"

Third Pov~

Paul and Sally inched towards the door more to hear. They knew eavesdropping was bad, but their, practically, son hit a raw nerve to his crush, the daughter of Athena. It was plain to see, even if they were blind and covered flirting for banter as normal.

"Yes, I'm fine Seaweed Brain. Bye, Goodnight." She said because she would be at Olympus by the time Percy went to bed.

"Okay, fine. Goodnight Wisegirl."

Percy swiped through the message and sighed. He went to his room to find the notes on the weapon on his desk, just where she had left them when she visited two days ago.