It's been a while, guys. I am SO sorry for that. But here is a three parter, fresh from the oven just for YOU! I got this idea a few weeks ago watching the Olympic opening ceremony, and I got the thinking about our favorite Olympians. No, not Shaun White or Apolo Ohno – Percy and Annabeth. So here you go! Set past The Last Olympian.
Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be funny if authors really did write fanfiction for their own books? And did really insane things to their own characters? Nope, I don't own anything.
"Percy, Percy, hey, stop! It's starting!" I giggled, disentangling myself from his lap as the NBC Olympics theme began onscreen. "Vancouver 2010", as the logo in the corner of the screen proudly claimed, was the first Olympics that had been on since we'd been together and the first that we'd been able to enjoy without worrying about any prophecies.
As you might imagine, the Olympics are kind of a big thing for demigods. The Olympic Games originated in Greece, for one thing. For another, the Olympics are the pinnacle of athletic achievement, something half-bloods strive for in training at camp. Not to mention the number of familiar faces in the delegations from around the world. It could be argued that being a demigod is an unfair advantage in the Games, but so far the Olympic Committee hasn't instituted a genetic test for competing athletes yet. (Besides, several lesser gods and goddesses and demigods serve on the Committee, and they know better than to question their own representatives.)
While Bob Costas and his distracting hair rambled about the great honor of having the Olympics in Vancouver, Percy snuck in an attack of kisses, sending me careening into the throw pillows on the other side of the couch.
I threw a pillow at him. "Hey, Chiron might hear us."
"Hedwig, he's got better things to worry about than the two of us. Like making sure the Stolls don't burn down the camp." Percy said mischievously.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night" I smirked, tackling him and clapping a hand over his mouth. The Greek team was walking into the arena of BC Place Stadium, signaling the commencement of the opening ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games. Greece gets the honor of going first since, um, without Greece there would BE no Olympic Games.
"Hey, there's Hermes," Percy pointed out. Sure enough, there he was, smack dab in the middle of the Greek delegates. He was carrying a palm-sized camcorder with Hephaestus' symbol on the side. He stuck out among the athletes. Not because he looked out of place among the young Grecians (he was in a young human form that looked uncomfortably similar to how Luke had looked, causing a pang of sadness in my stomach that made me squeeze Percy's hand tighter), but because he carried himself differently. He was no stranger to attending the Games (either as an athlete or spectator, or, in one particularly memorable year, as a commentator) and he carried himself a lot more confidently and dignified than the rest of his team. The majority of them had competed in Torino 2006 or even Salt Lake City 2002, but they were still awestruck and grateful for this opportunity for glory. Hermes walked like a professional Olympian, which, y'know, he is.
In a contented near silence, Percy and I watched the rest of the countries parade by, occasionally pointing out a familiar face (either a camper or someone we recognized from previous Games) or laughing at some of the outlandish uniforms (really, Azerbaijan?). We oohed and ahhed at the appropriate places in the rest of the ceremony, but some parts were boring and really repetitive. Those parts we used as opportunities to make out. Hades, it doesn't take much to give us an excuse to make out.
When the performers crossed the arena floor on projections of whales, my eyes lit up.
"That is so cool! I wonder what it would be like to actually do that." I said. Percy got a thoughtful look on his face but didn't say anything.
I yawned, and tried to fight off Morpheus's grasp. I would really have to have a talk with him soon about his inopportune timing…
AN: Percy's nickname for Annabeth is Hedwig, because one of Athena's symbol is the owl and who is the most famous owl? Hedwig. So, there you go.
PS~I have a cupcake for whoever can list all the pop culture references in this story – not counting PJO references, obviously.
THANKS!
~Megan/SunsetJello
