Regarding the Percy is darker than we think as well as Octavian and Percy would probably be bros. I'm so excited... Next chapter coming. I'm on summer break!
As fun as it was to eat Sally Jackson's blue cookies and enjoy life forever.
Percy's brain didn't allow that.
If it wasn't some monster or 1 or 2 thousand gods bugging him, his own brain played his own worst enemy.
Like when it said stuff at 2 A.M. such as, "Mrs. Annabeth Jackson" and he couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.
Or when it reminded him that the SAT was something that was real and he wasn't good at it.
Or when it slyly pointed out, "Hey, Percy, You're actually kind of terrifying to your friends. You could be evil."
That one took the cake.
Well actually it tied with the SAT thing, but it was currently the one most plaguing him.
"Look dude! There's a plate of blue cookies right there. You could eat it or you could obsess over scaring Annabeth that one time." He told himself. Obviously his brain chose the obsessive least fun option.
It wasn't just that one time with Annabeth, his brain reminded him. He scared people constantly. He'd taken down gods, lashed out at titans, mercilessly aggravated giants. He wanted to be a laid back, positive, happy friend. He wanted to erase the past from is mind and just...
If Alternate Universes actually existed there was somewhere a Percy Jackson who could laugh and crack jokes and smile at people and actually mean it. And actually have that peace of mind.
This Universe didn't have that Percy.
Maybe he could just blame Leo.
Stupid Leo.
Monopoly cheater.
"I'll be the banker." He'd said.
Percy wasn't Naive.
He'd just been tired. He hadn't noticed Leo funding his own little projects with a little extra money from the bank.
"It's a promotion! I was self-promoted."
"EIGHTEEN TIMES?!" Percy had roared without meaning to. He'd just been tired. That was all. But Leo looked kind of scared.
"Sorry dude, I'll forfeit you win." Leo'd grabbed a cookie and left right after.
"You won. Why do you feel like a loser?" His brain teased. His hand went for the emergency phone. The one that was for emergencies. Like calling his mom, texting Annabeth, and crushing his mortal friends at flappy bird.
He sighed and scrolled through his contacts. RED.
"Hey Rach what's Octavian's address?" Sending... Sent... Delivered.
"Percy No." All of fifteen seconds later.
"What?" He texted back defensively.
"I will not let you prank my boyfriend."
"I'm not going to prank your boyfriend. This sounds ridiculous but I need his advice. Don't tell anyone."
"Are you 4 real?"
"Yes!"
"Okay." She texted the address of a small apartment a few blocks away. Percy figured he could probably jog there. He glanced at the cookies in front of him.
"Mom, can I go out?" He called.
"Where?"
"To visit a..." He hesitated.
"Sort of friend."
"Do I know this sort of friend?"
"No."
"You mean no not yet. You'll invite them over so I can meet them?"
"Yeah."
"Demigod?"
"Uh, Roman Legacy actually."
"At camp?" She was only frowning a little.
"No mom I'm going to his apartment."
"Be careful, take Riptide."
"Always with me. I'll be okay."
"You always say that. You rarely are."
"Mom, I promise."
"Promises..."
"Mom, the gods couldn't keep me from coming back to you. You mean too much to me. Can I take him some cookies?"
"Yes Percy." She gave him a hug and he grabbed the platter, jogging the few blocks. Knocking on the door, hoping this wasn't a waste of time. Hoping Octavian was even home. He'd never hoped to see Octavian. Of course, he'd never thought of himself as a real monster.
So first time for everything.
The apartment was even more rundown than theirs. He had heard Octavian was living off of an assistant's salary, so of course it wasn't the nicest place. He knocked, holding the cookies. The door opened, revealing a tired looking Octavian.
"Uh... Hey! I know this is weird and sorry to interrupt your afternoon- I brought cookies."
"You want to come in and watch Wreck it Ralph with me?" The older blond asked.
"Sure."
"Why're they blue?"
"Long story. I'll tell you after the movie."
"Fantastic."