A/N: Hello guys! This is a birthday fic for the one and only Percy Jackson! Sorry, I'm a bit late ;P but please enjoy!
Blue Cake
By Silver Wolf (A.k.a AK)
It all started when Percy Jackson nearly stepped on Nico di Angelo while getting out of bed.
The son of Hades was lying face down on the floor.
"What's up bro?" asked Percy, kneeling down next to his cousin.
He hoped to Hades that he hadn't broken one of his cousin's admittedly fragile bones. For Olympus sake, they were as thin as toothpicks!
"The Gods have forsaken me," muttered the younger demigod.
"They've forsaken us all," said Percy, solemn.
Nico mumbled something unintelligible.
"Hm?"
Nico sighed and awkwardly pointed a bony finger to his right.
Percy followed his direction to see a happy meal lying strewn on the ground.
He felt a sudden and extreme urge to face palm.
Such a drama queen!
"Percy, give me your phone," said Nico, craning his neck.
Percy obliged while cringing at the second-hand pain agony he felt just looking at him turn his neck at such an awkward angle.
Nico didn't seem to mind though, finally sitting up like a normal person to fiddle around with the older demigod's phone.
The phone was made by Leo Valdez, the one and only technician extraordinaire.
It was wicked sweet, monster proofed and with a ton of cool add-ons.
Come to think of it Nico had one too, so why didn't he just...?
His train of thought was derailed as cousin cursed in what seemed to be colorful Italian and stood up in a fluid motion.
Percy scrambled to his feet in response.
Just in time too, for Nico grabbed his shoulder and shadows enveloped him.
Next thing he knew, Percy found himself standing in his pajamas in one of the (thankfully unoccupied) changing rooms of JC Penny.
The culprit strode out of the room with full confidence.
"Hello Steve, can you bring me the thing that we agreed on?" Nico asked a surprised shop assistant.
Said Steve got over his surprise pretty quick.
He grinned and brought out a plastic bag with the brand name on it.
Nico promptly shoved it into his hands along with his phone.
"Be out in 10 minutes," said Nico, an unspoken 'or else' hung threateningly in the air.
Percy saluted mockingly.
He sent a quick text to his mom before he surveyed his given attire.
A pair of dark blue slim-fit denims, paired with a blue and white plaid shirt. A canvas messenger bag was also present, giving off a retro vibe.
Neat, smart-casual.
Definitely Piper's work.
He sighed and checked his phone.
He'd used up three of his ten minutes, and he wasn't planning on facing his cousin's wrath for being late.
Let's do this.
When he came out of the changing room, Nico was nowhere to be found.
Feeling a sudden chill go down his spine, Percy felt for his wallet.
As expected- it was still on his bed.
He cursed mentally and put on a shaky grin for the Shop assistant heading his way.
"Um, hey buddy, did you see-" he started.
"Yes, sir, your friend is waiting for you in the café outside."
Percy couldn't conceal his relief.
The assistant looked amused and added, "The bill was paid in full."
Percy sheepishly thanked him and made his way out.
The café rally was just across the street.
Café Evergreen.
It was a chic well lighted place, filled with the aroma of fresh coffee and organic food.
Percy had a bad feeling about this.
It wasn't exactly suited to Nico's taste.
If anything it was more suited to…
"Rachel!" shouted Percy, delighted.
"Hey Percy!"
"What're you doing all the way over here? Didn't you have art camp or something?"
"Ah, I took a day off," said Rachel airily.
"But weren't you really looking forward-"
"Ah, stop it Percy! Let's talk about nice things. Take for example, my recent campaign to save the dolphins! It's a smashing success-"
Before he knew it, he'd lost an hour by getting absorbed into the conversation.
"Hey, wait a sec," said Percy, finally remembering his long since last seen cousin, "Do you know what happened to Ni-"
"Oh dear, look at the time," said Rachel, dismayed.
"I've got to go now, Percy. We'll see each other soon!"
Percy watched open mouthed as Rachel collected her things and made a swift exit, not unlike a tornado.
Okay.
So that happened.
The bell above the café tinkled again, and Percy was once again met with a familiar face.
"Hey Percy," said Grover grinning widely, holding a cup of coffee.
He never did get rid of that addiction, did he?
"Yo! Grover, my man," said the demigod, his grin just as wide.
But this time his self-preservation kicked in and he asked, "Did you see di Angelo by any chance…?"
Grover looked surprised.
"Didn't Rachel tell you- Ah, well, something came up and he had to leave," said the satyr, nibbling on his cup as it always did when he evaded a question.
So Grover was on it too.
Nico, Rachel, Grover… and probably Piper.
Percy was a bit reluctant to see the end product.
"Hey man," said Grover nervously, "Uh, wanna hit the arcade?"
Percy blinked.
"Love to bro, but I don't have my wallet on me."
"Yeah, no worries, I got it covered."
"Nah, that's fine. I'll just-"
"C'mon Percy. Arcade. Now."
Grover dragged him all the way to an arcade called 'Barcode'.
Not to brag, but between the two of them, they made a killing.
He got a new high score in Sword Fighter EXE.
Grover was surprisingly good at shooting games.
Air Hockey was a blast.
And to seal the deal, a spin of the wheel of fortune granted them the lottery- a hundred tickets!
He lingered by the stall to exchange their tickets for prizes.
He had his eye on a neat FBI hat, but that mini dart board looked pretty sweet too…
"Hurry up, Perce. Annabeth wants you at the La Grenouille by lunch."
Percy paled.
"You mean that super romantic, super expensive restaurant? Again, I didn't bring my wall-"
"Don't fret seaweed brain," came a voice from the doorway, "It's my treat."
Percy stared at the figure silhouetted in the doorway.
He ran up to her and kissed her full on the face.
"Ugh, PDA," belched Grover.
But Percy ignored him just this once.
Because this was his one true soul mate in front of him.
He had seen too little her in the past year, with both of them absorbed in their respective fields of education.
He hugged her close to himself and felt her heartbeat against his.
Finally, they broke apart.
"I missed you," he whispered.
"Me too," said Annabeth, her voice choked.
"'Kay then, I'll head out now," said Grover.
Percy sent him a guilty look, but Grover waved it away with an understanding smile.
"See you later guys. And enjoy your date!"
Annabeth smiled at him and Percy finally took a good look at her.
She wore a navy blue lotus sweep dress which came to her knees.
Her hair fell to her shoulders in elegant locks.
She wore a silver necklace that paired with a sensible bracelet and a set of pearl earrings which Percy had gifted her for Valentines.
She looked beautiful.
It made his heart beat faster and he felt his face flush.
Annabeth smiled again and asked, "Won't the kind gentleman escort me?"
Percy grinned, toothily.
"It would be my honor to walk alongside the young miss."
Percy felt a bit underdressed at the restaurant, but Annabeth assured him it was fine.
"I'm actually a bit overdressed myself," said she with an embarrassed smile.
They fell into an easy conversation.
Annabeth talked about architecture over chilled gazpacho.
Percy talked about his course marine biology over artichoke Carpaccio.
They talked about little instances in their day to day life over their vermicelli topped off with arugula.
They reminisced about the good old days over their chilled Foie Gras and chilled Brioche.
Percy hadn't felt this satisfied in months.
He felt a pang when Annabeth handled the bill, but Annabeth didn't let him brood over it.
"Oh my, is it two thirty already?" wondered Annabeth.
Percy checked his phone, and sure enough, they'd spent two hours without their knowledge.
"What's with today? I keep losing track of time!" he lamented.
"Hm, that could be dangerous," said Annabeth with a mysterious tone of voice.
Percy glared at her playfully.
"Okay, I'll bite. What's up with today?"
Annabeth blinked.
"You still haven't figured it out?"
"Huh?" said Percy, feeling wrong-footed all of a sudden.
Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose.
Still, Percy could spy a little smile on her face.
"Oh well, you'll find out soon enough. Let's get going seaweed brain."
Sally took a sip from her tea.
It was a clear, fragrant cup of chamomile tea- a gift that she'd received from a friend.
Paul had taken their little toddler to buy a blue cake for their teenage son.
Said son had left a hastily typed message that he'd been kidnapped by a certain son of Hades, bless the child.
That was in the morning.
Now, the sun was slipping down from its peak- it was early afternoon.
The house was unusually quiet.
It hadn't been this quiet in quite a while.
Not since she had become Mrs. Blofis.
She stretched out her legs.
It wasn't a bad change.
The summer heat was declining into the cooler and it made her bones ache softly.
What could she say?
She wasn't as young as she used to be.
And she had lived.
She had lived…
Sally took a trip down memory lane.
She remembered her days as a child in the arms of her mother.
She remembered her school days spent with her friends.
She remembered her barista days, after her uncle Rich had died.
She remembered Poseidon.
She remembered Percy, as a toddler, getting into trouble in every which way possible.
She remembered the monsters.
She remembered Gabe…
Sally pulled her warp tighter around her to ward off the phantom chill.
It always hurt to think of her ex-abuser.
But it was so that Percy grows up safe, sane and healthy.
Sally had often wondered if she had succeeded.
The wounds of the heart were less obvious than those of the body.
Her greatest worry was if they would have been safer with the monsters…
But what was done was done.
She could turn back the clock no more than she could move a mountain.
All that was left were memories and regrets…
But all was not miserable.
She recalled the little sparks of happiness that made her life worth living- her baby boy coming up to her with toddling steps, Percy showing her his first fallen milk tooth with a wide smile, secreted blued food in the form of jelly beans, cupcakes and ice cream…
And of course, her son had grown more comfortable in his own skin.
He had learnt to be a hero, and then how to live with his scars in the peacetime.
He had been through so much, lost so much and had gained so much more.
He was finally on the right track, with loyal friends and a loving family supporting him every step of the way.
Despite everything, her baby boy had grown up into a fine young man.
Sally wiped a tear from her cheek.
It was almost time.
The kids should be arriving soon.
When she heard about the surprise party, her heart was warmed.
Her son was truly loved.
She took another sip from her glass and looked out the window.
Ah, it was a beautiful day.
Her child deserved nothing less.
It was his eighteenth birthday, after all.
A/N: This was inspired by the lovely a311243549! We had a fic off so please check out their work as well! Did you like it? Please review!