Hey! So, some of you guys wanted a sequel so I thought "Meh. It's almost Thanksgiving. Why not?" So, congratulations! You get a story! Partyyyy! (That was lame) How about this? Percyyyyy! That's much better in my opinion.
Kk, so after this, I'll probably make a Christmas one, and a New Years, and Valentines' Day, and Easter (Do demigods celebrate Easter?) and finally… Percy's Birthday! I got it all planned out and-
Demigods: GET ON WITH THE STORY!
Me: Geez, no need to snap. *huffs*
Leo: I want turkey!
Piper: Oh my gods, Valdez…
Jason: I gotta agree with Leo over there.
Percy: Me too.
Annabeth: Of course, Percy. Get your food.
Percy: Yippee!
Annabeth: *Facepalm* What am I going to do with you?
Percy: *Says with mouthful of turkey* Nice things?
Annabeth: *sigh* You're lucky you're cute.
Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Percy Jackson, no matter how many times I read it. But I'm working on buying the holiday Thanksgiving to name it Percygiving. (Just kidding, obviously. You knew that, Right?)
I'm Thankful for Percy this Year
For a Thanksgiving Day, everyone was pretty depressed.
Okay, yeah they had just fought a war. Yeah, lots of demigods died. Yeah, they had nightmares every night. But that doesn't mean they should be depressed all the time.
Never mind. They have a fair reason.
"Cheer up guys! It's a day to be thankful!" Percy exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and waving them back in forth in a silly manner, trying to cheer his fellow demigods up. All it got was a few sighs.
"There's nothing to be thankful for," Nico mumbled glumly. He propped his head up on one elbow, his black hair flopping into his face. Not that it was abnormal to be emo, but it didn't mean he wasn't emo… er.
"Yeah," Leo sighed. "It's just a day to remind us how unlucky we are to be demigods that are abandoned and left behind or orphaned and forced to fight for our lives at a young age, while other kids are out partying and hanging with their families," he finished, his voice in complete monotone. Percy raised an eyebrow.
"Geez, you guys are moody. I mean, even Leo?" implied Percy, his voice going up an octave higher than normal in surprise. "And like… you guys were fine one Halloween." He continued.
"That was because we woke up almost drowning!" Annabeth snapped moodily, a sharp glare forming as she narrowed her stormy grey eyes. Percy huffed.
"Not my fault you guys had no idea what Halloween was," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. He, however, being the bipolar guy he is, did not remain frustrated for longer than a second before regaining his composure.
"Come on guys! You guys are ruining my mood," he pouted. Normally, Annabeth would have no choice but to kiss him with that cute puppy dog look on his face. Today it had no effect on her, though.
"Just give in to the darkness Percy," Travis muttered ominously. "Give into the darkness," he repeated in monotone, almost hypnotically. Percy leaned away from him, a strange expression with a mix of shock and fear on his face. He looked pretty funny.
"That was totally not you, Travis. Are you, like, possessed? 'Cause if you are, I can get Piper to charmspeak-"
"Not in the mood," Piper grumbled, interrupting Percy's worried rant when it had barely begun, knowing Percy could probably go all day long. Percy shook his head.
"Come on guys. You can't seriously be this down in the dumps," Percy sighed. The others merely shrugged.
Percy leaned back in his chair around the ping pong table, a look of disbelief on his face as he ran a hand threw his unruly raven black hair. Were they seriously this depressed just because they didn't get an average Thanksgiving? Yeah, he was still sad, too, but there was plenty to be thankful for. They were alive, weren't they?
Light bulb. Crazy idea time. Ding, ding, ding! Whatever-you-think-when-you-have-an-idea. You get the picture.
He stood up swiftly, his chair falling to the floor behind him with a loud banging noise that resounded throughout the room. Everyone let out soft shouts of surprise, their heads swiveling in his direction at the noise. At least he got their attention.
"Idea!" he shouted a little too loudly. The others covered their ears with their hands to try and block out the echo of his overly excited and extra cheerful voice.
"Eep!" Hazel squeaked, accidently having hit her head hard on the back of her chair in surprise. "Gosh, Percy, what is it? Can't you see we're brooding?" she asked, irritated. She rubbed the back of her head. Percy shrugged light-heartedly.
"I had an idea. How else do I get you moodikinz attentions?" he questioned, an eyebrow raised in skepticism.
"Moodikinz?" asked Leo, eyes crossed in confusion. He was ignored.
"I dunno, ask?" Thalia suggested sarcasm dripping from her words, obviously annoyed. Percy rolled his eyes, not catching the twist in her words.
"What fun is that?" he questioned, completely serious. Thalia rolled her eyes as she straightened her huntress tiara, but said nothing in reply. She was too moody.
"Just get your butts outside! I have an idea!" he continued, giving a nod as he dashed out the doors of the Big House, the door closing with a thudding noise behind him, the dust getting kicked up at his speed.
Annabeth sighed. "Seaweed Brain..." she muttered, shaking her head. Thalia rolled her eyes.
"One of these days, that Kelp Head is going to get himself killed from his crazy ideas." She muttered, but they went outside to listen to him.
"This better be good, Prissy," Clarisse muttered, glaring at the boy before her. Normally, the glare would scare someone to Hades, but Percy merely smiled.
"Oh, it is," he replied simply, flashing her a breathtaking smile that could warm anyone's day. She shook her head, trying to ignore him.
"Fish Face," she mumbled, not thinking Percy would hear. Percy scowled.
"Boar Butt," he shot back.
"Splashy,"
"Pig head,"
"Nemo,"
"Piggy,"
"Kelp-for-Brains,"
"Bacon Breath," Percy snapped. The crowd surrounding them 'oh'ed, snickering at her suspense. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, but conceding grudgingly.
"Not bad. Not bad at all " she admitted reluctantly. Percy grinned triumphantly, but got back to the task at hand.
"Okay, guys!" he called out into the whispering crowd. Their attention turned to him. "As you all know, it's Thanksgiving," the others nodded. They all knew what that was.
"What about it?" Will Solace asked. Percy's grin grew at their curiosity.
"Well, you guys are all down in the dumps-" Percy started.
"Obviously," Nico interrupted quietly.
"So, I have a challenge." Percy continued, ignoring him. That got everyone's attention. Everyone leaned forward curiously as a gesture for him to continue speaking.
"Everyone has to say one thing they're thankful for," Percy told them. Mouths immediately opened to protest. "No buts. If you don't you spend a day in a very uncomfortable position at the bottom of the Long Island Sound," Percy threatened. Everyone swallowed, knowing he would follow threw with the threat. "Understood?"
The demigods nodded swiftly. Percy grinned.
"Good!" he chirped. "You'll tell them at the campfire! Meanwhile, I'm gonna cheer up your days!" Ears perked as he said this.
"Like Halloween?" a young Apollo camper asked hopefully. Percy nodded, causing cheers to erupt from the crowd of campers.
"Now, get to thinking. And Leo, get over here," he called, clapping his hands together. Leo gulped nervously, but came over.
This was going to be good.
Leo swallowed nervously. "You're kidding right?" he asked Percy, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. Percy shook his head seriously.
"I'm one hundred percent serious," he told him. Leo swallowed, staring at the box in his arms, glancing inside it and lifting it a little higher.
"Why me? Can't it be, like, Jason or Nico or-"
"No, Leo. You're the silly one. You have to do it," Percy interrupted.
"You are too!" Leo exclaimed in protest, throwing his arms in the air in frustration. Percy shrugged.
"Yeah, but there is no way I'm dressing as a turkey," Percy responded as if it were obvious. Leo looked at him in disbelief.
"You aren't afraid to lock lips with your girlfriend anywhere you go," Percy blushed a rosy color as Leo said that. "But you won't dress as a turkey for Thanksgiving? That's messed up," Leo finished, crossing his arms over his chest with an amused smirk on his face, one eyebrow raised in hilarity. Percy huffed.
"Just get in the turkey costume, " Percy demanded harshly, prodding the box farther into Leo's chest before turning away to do his own little task. Leo snickered.
"A Hero of Olympus afraid of getting in a turkey costume?" he asked himself, amused once he thought Percy was out of earshot.
"Get in the costume, Valdez!" Percy called over his shoulder, sending a glare over his way before continuing towards the forest. Leo shivered. Percy sure could glare.
Leo let out a soft huff, but walked towards the bathrooms. "He so owes me…" he muttered to himself, the grass crunching beneath his feet.
Annabeth lay spread-eagled on her bunk, eyes directed at the ceiling. She had no idea how Percy could be so cheerful. He had –after all- taken the worst of the war. Why must he be so adorably optimistic all the time?
She rolled over onto her stomach, burying her face into her pillow. What was there for her to be thankful for? There were so many people dead… so many friends lost… What could she be thankful for?
You're alive… a soft voice in her head whispered.
That was true. She hadn't died in the all of the battles and quests she had fought. She had survived it all. She had a family. She had her perfect boyfriend. She had Percy…
And she knew what she was thankful for.
Thalia let out a huff, shooting another arrow into a tree in the woods with perfect aim. Grover would kill her if he found out what she was doing.
Why did that Kelp Head expect her to be thankful for something? She was Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus. Hero of Olympus. People should thank her, not the other way around. What was that Kelp Headed idiot onto?
She reloaded her arrows, raising her arms high and aiming again. Her mom was dead. She was a demigod. She fought in a war. She was in love with a Death Breath of a guy who would never love her. Her life was a living Hades. Gods, her life was more messed up then she thought.
She let the arrow fly, causing it to fly straight threw her previous arrow. At least she had perfect aim with a bow and arrow.
And she had Jason back. She also had Percy, who was more like a brother to her than anyone she had ever met. She had a family, friends, she was excepted. She had everything she ever wanted.
A soft smile crept onto her lips as she stalked forward to retrieve her arrows. Maybe things weren't as bad as she thought they were.
Nico let out a soft snarl, slashing off another dummies head with his long, black sword. Percy Jackson, the jerk, expected him to be thankful? What did he have? He lost his mother, his sister, his dad hated him, he had been forced into Tartarus –even if it was only one day.
He growled, throwing his sword into the wall, watching as it clattered to the ground, making the sounds as if it were a drum beat. He had nothing. He was an outcast –the loner. He was feared by everyone –excluding the Seven, that was.
That's right, the Seven didn't hate him. He had Percy, who replaced the hole that had been left when Bianca died. He had Hazel. He had Jason. He had the Seven, who he actually felt normal around.
But then there was Thalia…
His pensive mood returned at the thought. He had no idea why the thought of her made him so moody. Maybe it was that she was a huntress. Maybe it was that she was so beautiful. Maybe it was because…
She would never love him back.
"Hey,"
Nico swiveled in the direction of the voice, coming face to face with a tall, rebellious looking black haired girl with shocking blue eyes. Thalia Grace.
She had her arms crossed over her chest, eyes on the sword lying against the floor. Her hair covered her face slightly, her head tilted down.
"Hey," Nico mumbled back, embarrassed.
Thalia was quiet, before pointing towards the sword lying on the ground. "Seems like someone got frustrated," she replied briskly, finally looking up to meet his eyes. He nodded quietly.
She walked closer to him, not taking her eyes away from his face. "This thankful thing Percy has going on driving you crazy?" she asked him. He nodded again, a sigh escaping his lips.
"I don't know what to be thankful for…" Nico mumbled. Thalia nodded in understanding, eyes directing themselves towards the ground.
"Yeah," she whispered.
They stood silently for a few moments, tension in the air. It was pretty awkward between the two of them, both with unknowing crushes on one another. It was like the next Percy and Annabeth dilemma.
"I know what I'm thankful for," Nico suddenly blurted. Thalia's head jerked towards him at the sudden voice.
"Really?" she asked softly. He nodded.
"Yeah…" Nico trailed of awkwardly. Thalia stared at him for a few moments, trying to get him to continue. He didn't seem to get the message.
"What is it?" she asked harshly, frustrated at his obliviousness. He blinked a couple times.
"Oh. Oh, right," he took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself to say it. But he was one hundred percent sure it was what he was thankful for. He had never been more sure of anything in his life.
"You." said Nico firmly. Thalia's eyes went wide, a heavy blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"What?" she asked, as if she hadn't heard him correctly.
"I said-" he was interrupted as Thalia's lips slammed against his, even if only for a brief moment, as a little peck, before she sprinted out of the arena, leaving a dazed Nico behind.
What just happened?
The moment the conch horn blew for dinner, everyone rushed into the dining pavilion, proud smiles on their faces. They had actually come up with something!
They mingled as they sat, waiting for the food to come out. Every single one of them was actually excited for once –not that they didn't like food or anything. They just knew there was going to be something different about this meal, and demigods knew they should always trust their instincts; they were, always right.
They didn't expect Leo to come dancing in a turkey costume.
The laughter was instantaneous. It rung throughout the room so loudly they could almost not stand it. It echoed in their ears –laughter of pure joy. Gods, they had definitely not expected Leo to be dressed as… as… that!
Which is when they noticed Percy wasn't at dinner.
Percy's laugh usually stuck out in a crowd. His laugh reminded them kind of angels singing –it was obvious he got a lot from his godly side. It was bright and melodious and brought smiles to their faces, so it was pretty easy to identify it. But today, they didn't hear it.
"Where's Percy?" a Roman camper asked curiously. Eyebrows furrowed and eyes crossed in confusion. Where was their leader.
"Over here!" A voice called.
There was Percy in all of his glory, a vibrant smile on his face. His clothes were rumpled and worn, rips in them showing his amazing six pack. He was panting heavily, his raven black hair ruffled, his eyes gleaming as he held something up that was connected to a string…
"Is that… a turkey float?" Annabeth asked her boyfriend who nodded goofily.
"Yup!" he chirped, yanking on the string connected to the humongous turkey balloon. "Straight from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," he piped up cheerfully. Annabeth facepalmed.
"Please tell me you didn't steal that…" she sighed. Percy rolled his eyes.
"I would, but then I'd be lying," Percy replied sarcastically. The Hermes and Mercury kids cheered.
Annabeth walked up to him slowly, fury on her face that Percy was oblivious to. She stalked closer right before whacking him in the back of the head.
Percy –that little goofball- merely laughed.
"You idiot! They're going to hunt you down now!" she hissed. "Do you want another national manhunt?" she questioned. Percy shrugged, finally calming down from his laughing fit.
"Come on. I'm already a delinquent. Besides, it's not like they're gonna find out it was me," he implied, a huge lopsided smirk on his face. Gods, he was hot.
She sighed, conceding a giving him a kiss on the cheek. Nico and Thalia subconsciously exchanged glances.
"Come on guys! Stop staring! I got Stymphalian Birds for the turkey!" Percy called into the crowd, who blushed that they had been caught.
Guess it was time to eat a giant pigeon/monster/thing.
Everyone gathered around the Campfire which was, instead of the blue color that it would have been that morning, a bright golden color brighter than the sun. They all sang happily, not a frown on a single face.
Well, except Thalia and Nico.
Thalia was kind of ignoring Nico. She was a huntress, for the god's sake. She couldn't kiss a boy! Talk about madness.
"Okay, guys," Percy called, clapping his hands together. "Time to say what you're thankful for," Leo, who had changed out of that lousy turkey suit, pressed a button which caused robotic drums to start doing a drum roll automatically. Percy shot him a glare –a scary one, at that- and Leo cowered before shutting it off.
They started going around in circles, from newest campers to oldest, and eventually they would go to the heroes. It was decided that the greatest heroes would go last because it would be the most… dramatic to put them last. Safe to say, it had been Thalia's suggestion.
Many people had said things from their family being alive to camp to the war being over, etc. The newer campers usually said things about their family or the heroes, which had caused a lot of blushing on the hero's part.
Finally, it was the heroes turns.
Clarisse went first, clearing her throat gruffly before standing. She rubbed her hands on her pants. "Well, punks. I guess I'm thankful for Chris, obviously. He's… well he's everything to me. I'm not the sappiest. Scratch that, I ain't sappy at all. But Chris is like… my redemption. He had been insane and he showed me… no one can do everything, and anyone can redeem themselves." Chris smiled at her, before she continued.
"I'm also thankful for Silena," People bowed their heads in respect. "She's… everything I wanted to be. She was my hero. Yeah, she was tricked by Luke, the little jerk. But she did the right thing in the end. And I'm proud to say I kept my promise to her." She turned to Percy and Annabeth. "I helped get you two clueless idiots together." Everyone chuckled while Percy and Annabeth blushed. "She was always ranting about you two…"
She trailed off, unable to continue.
"And lastly, I'm thankful for Percy," she continued. Percy looked shocked. "You… forgave me. Every single time, no matter what I did to you. And… everyone thought they couldn't trust me, ever. I didn't have real friends. I only scared people. But you… you trusted me with the Fleece, and you helped me overcome my fear, and you helped me beat my brothers when I have done nothing but bully you," she shook her head. "And you were my first real friend." She finished. Percy smiled at her, and she smiled weakly back.
Leo went next. "Well, I'm thankful for Reyna," he stated as if it were obvious. "She's my girlfriend, so duh I'm thankful," people laughed as he said that. "But honestly, she was the only one who took my words seriously. She… understands my humor." Reyna gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm also thankful for Jason. Man, even if the first memories of you were fake, you'll always be my best friend. You'll always be Superman and I'm the Human Torch," he laughed. "And you'll always be amazing, no matter what. Remember that, dude." Jason exchanged a grin with him.
"And then there's Piper. You were my first non-mist-induced friend. No matter times you told me you hated me, or that I was annoying, or an idiot, you took me in and accepted me for the misfit I am," she wrapped an arm over his shoulder, giving him a one armed hug.
Piper stood next. "Well, I'm thankful for Jason. You always comforted me, even if it meant risking your life. Yeah, your fatal flaw wasn't loyalty like Percy's, but you did anyways, and not for honor. I love you, Jason," Jason smiled.
Things went on like that, until all that remained was Annabeth and Percy themselves. Percy nodded to Annabeth, who gave him a small smile before standing.
"Okay, so I think it's obvious I'm thankful for Percy," everyone laughed at her blatancy. "But seriously, ever since I saw you on that porch it was just like… a click, you know? It was stronger than anything I had ever felt. And I just knew that I had to do anything to stay by your side, no matter what. And you showed me love in return. And you protected me all the time on all of our quests and I just felt great being the one being protected and… For once I was okay with showing weakness, as long as it was your shoulder I was crying on. And just looking at you and looking into your eyes, I knew everything would be okay. Even in Tartarus… even the smallest flicker of your eyes…" she closed her eyes, a soft smile on her face," I was fine. No matter how dark, how terrifying. No matter what Gaea threw at us, I would be fine." She finished, opening her eyes. Percy smiled widely at her.
She sat down and Percy stood up, brushing off his jeans. "Okay, so I guess it's my turn. I'm thankful for a lot of things. I'm thankful for Clarisse, who helped me get stronger, Chris who showed me what not to do, Leo who helped me be the second biggest idiot," –"Hey!" – "and Piper who un-possessed me and saved me from my own element, not to mention is a great friend. Then there's Jason, who helped me understand I'm not the only one out there with all that stuff on their shoulders, and Hazel, who became like a sister to me in less than a day, and Frank, who is one of the only people who actually values family anymore. I'm thankful for Nico, who became my little emo-bro, and Thalia who became like my twin sister through the fights and the arguments…" he trailed off, his eyes meeting Annabeth's.
"And then there's Annabeth. You were my first friend –besides Grover, that is, I have ever had. I mean, I had always been the oddball in a group, and got expelled before I could even try making friends. I would get pushed around for being different or because I couldn't sit still or read well or because I didn't exactly get fed much –thanks a lot for that, Gabe-" Percy huffed as he said the last part, "But you cared for me and... were just there, always. You gave me a reason to stay strong. I probably would have died on my very first quest if you hadn't kept pushing me to keep going. I had always felt that you were better than me and… you know, wanted to impress you. And when you kissed me in Mt. Saint Helens, I felt like exploding. No pun intended." People laughed when he said that. "And then we got together and I just couldn't believe it. I was so happy. Totally worth giving up godhood for," Annabeth's grin grew wider.
"And then… you were the thing that kept me going when I lost my memory. All I knew is that I had to get to you, no matter how tired I was. And then in Tartarus…" he swallowed hard. "And I was terrified. But not for me, but for you. I didn't want to lose you after all this. I was not going to let Lord Dirt Face take you. And being left behind when we closed those Doors was all worth it. No matter how much they tortured me, I was just glad you were safe," Annabeth pulled him down before he could react, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him passionately. Whoops and cheers erupted from the campers, huge smiles lighting up everyone's faces.
They pulled back, cheeks flushed and panting, yet bright smiles creeping onto their faces as they stared into each other's eyes.
They left out one thing they were thankful for. Love.
Percy walked towards his bunk, all ready to sleep. His eyes began to droop before he had even made it to his bed, but the soft smile still remained on his face, widening when he looked on his bed.
There was a note.
Dear Percy,
Hey, it's all the campers. You challenged us to tell you what we're thankful for, but a few of us didn't tell you the one thing we're most thankful for. You.
Who introduced us to the world of demigods? You. Who saved all of our butts? You. Who saved the world? You. Who comforts us when we cry? You. We think you get the picture.
But anyways, thanks for all you do. You truly have earned the title of Greatest Hero of All Time.
Love,
All of the Campers
P.S. Athena cabin wants to point out they did all of the spelling.
P.P.S. The Hermes cabin would like to point out that no one cares.
P.P.P.S. Annabeth Chase wants you all to just go to sleep.
P.P.P.P.S. Chiron agrees.
Percy chuckled as he read the note, a smile on his face. Leave it to the Campers to argue on a note.
Percy was really touched that they would do something like that for him. He had no idea how thankful they were. That was why he loved them all so much. Camp Half-Blood really was his home.
As he lay down in bed, snuggled up into the cozy blankets, he couldn't help but smile to himself. This was the Greatest Thanksgiving of all time.
And… SCENE!
Go Percy! That was totally epically sweet!
Anyways, Happy Thanksgiving. Be Thankful!
Peace!