Until I Bleed Out
Percy ate his steak in peace, knowing what was coming. He'd locked eyes with the boy, Alexander, his name, outside of the restaurant, before Annabeth basically dragged him in.
They ate in silence, and Percy assumed Annabeth knew what he saw outside.
"You will NOT go fight some irrelevant beings right now, Perseus." Annabeth whispered, awfully aggressively. Percy raised an eyebrow.
"Who said I was going to fight right now? I wouldn't let something like that interrupt date night." He winked at her, and she blushed.
"When will you then?" She said, much more reserved.
"Later. Midnight, maybe, depending on how desperate you are to keep me in bed." He said, and Annabeth's blush deepened. Yesterday was rather… embarrassing, for her. Percy chuckled, and rolled his eyes.
"Not like I complained." He whispered. She could not meet his eyes.
"I hate you." She said, smiling.
"I know you do." He said, standing, and offering his hand. She took it, and away they went. He shot one glance to where he knew Alexander was, and sent a message, before teleporting them to a Scandinavian-designed penthouse in Stockholm, Sweden.
"How much real estate do you have?" She whispered, her breath hot against his face. Her legs wrapped around his waist.
"Enough for us to never get bored, even for an eternity."
X
Perseus was an hour late, as Omega stood side-by-side with his eight siblings, Erebus and Nyx behind them. He was informed that Tartarus chose not to come, deciding it was best he not face Perseus again.
"Who are we waiting on?" Seta complained.
"Him."
And from the skies, with no conventional way of flying, descended Perseus, before dropping, landing on a kneel, about fifty yards in front of them.
"What do you want, Erebus?" He called to them, walking forward.
Fourty-five yards.
"I wish to speak to you, Son of Order."
Forty.
"We both know we're doing more than speaking here, Erebus."
Thirty.
"We wish not to fight you, Perseus." Nyx.
Twenty, and he stopped, cold in his tracks.
"You've made it so blatantly clear your only wish is for me to die, Nyx. Stop lying to yourself." Nyx growled, and Erebus put his hand in hers. Seta gasped.
"You're the one who killed Alpha!" She screamed. Percy laughed.
"I did indeed slaughter that man. The ego on that boy. Erebus, you really must teach your students a place in this world." Percy smirked. Erebus remained still, monotone in the face.
"I'll destroy you for killing my brother." said Kappa.
"Hush, son of Krios. Your father is the least intimidating of the Titans, and that trait has passed down, as you're the least intimidating of the…" He didn't know their name. Sigma rolled her eyes.
"Ten Commandments, well, Nine, if you take off Alpha." she said. Percy nodded.
"Seeing as you're at a disadvantage, I'll let you make a first move, Perseus." Erebus said with arrogance. Percy scoffed.
"As foolish as ever, Erebus." Chains uprooted from the ground, around the ankles and wrists of Nyx and Erebus, keeping them in place. The chains tightened to an uncomfortable point. Erebus and Nyx tried their hardest to get themselves out, to no avail.
"Stop trying, Erebus. It's no point, they're unbreakable by someone other than me or my father." Omega's mouth dropped.
"The original chains of Order, you used them to kill Tartarus the first time, right?" Omega said. Percy smirked.
"Smart boy. Yes, those are what you think they are, but without the curse. No pain to be inflicted, as I have mercy for those two." Erebus spat nastily.
"Kill him!" He screamed at the Nine in front of him. Omega hesitated. He knew they were outmatched.
"Yes, listen to your master, the same one who proclaimed me dead just a week ago." Percy said, lowering his hand.
From the ground emerged a battle axe, the most beautiful one Omega had ever seen. The greek alphabet engraved into the blade of the axe, and a phrase he couldn't make out from the distance. Percy stood back up, the axe in hand, and looked at the nine.
"Are we going to have fun, or not?" Percy smirked. Sigma frowned.
"My magic doesn't work on him." She whispered to Omega. From Omega's right, Omikron rushed forward, a son of Hermes. Percy's stance shifted to the attacker, and he prepared.
Omikron's sword fighting was no match for Percy. The god dominated Omikron as if it was nothing. Fakes, jabs, and slashes were all countered with ease.
"Why do you fight?" Percy said calmly, parrying a downwards strike, before stepping back.
"My father never loved me." Omikron spat, "Erebus and Nyx gave me a chance to be loved, to have a family. I took it." Percy shrugged.
"Understandable." Dodge, "But if you lay down arms, I'll promise you revenge on your father." Another downward strike met with the non-blade side of the axe, and Omikron's sword was sent flying to the second deck. Omikron looked up at the god, who towered above the demigod, and fainted. Percy looked back at the other eight, who stared at him.
"Nobody else?" Percy mocked. Kappa let out a cry, and ran at the god, followed by Seta. Kree, a demigod son of Nyx, went with them. Gamma and Theta, two other demigods who hadn't truly opened up to Omega, ran as well, and Lambda, a daughter of Athena, shrugged, and went as well. Omega and Sigma didn't go, but watched from behind as Percy was attacked by seven of the nine, and dealt with it extremely well. There were times where he got caught off guard, but the seven, even using their teamwork and collaborative powers, didn't even match up close to where Percy was.
The son of Nyx shot shadows out of his hands, and Percy deflected them with ease, grabbing him by the throat, and slamming him into the turf. He was unconscious on impact. The green-eyed boy, Kappa, he'd heard, screamed, and tried cutting at his leg, before Percy jumped over it, and threw a right hook into the boy's jaw, and Kappa stumbled back. Percy sensed danger from behind him, and he whirled around, to find Seta, the girl, sneaking with a knife. He grabbed her wrist, and squeezed it, and the knife dropped. He kicked her legs out, and kicked her five yards back.
Suddenly, his leg buckled, and he dropped to a knee. A daughter of Athena grabbed his right arm, and another demigod grabbed his left. He could not overpower them. He tried to stand, but his left leg had gone numb. He didn't sense blood, which was good. He looked up, and Kappa was throwing a punch, with brass knuckles on.
His head whipped right, and Percy was a little stunned. He turned his head back, and looked around him.
"All that, for a drop of blood?" Percy smirked, opening his palm, and the daughter of Athena flew back, slamming into a concrete wall, dead on impact. Percy punched the boy on his left arm in the face, and he was free. He stood, his leg somewhat regaining feeling. He looked forward, and Kappa had a red glow around him. What blessing was-
Percy was torn from his thoughts when Kappa rushed him, and threw punch after punch into Percy's gut, before uppercutting him, and Percy got flown up into the air, before landing twenty yards back. He tried to stand, but fell to a knee. Damned blessing of Ares, gave the kid strength.
"You're so weak." Kappa said, walking forwards. Percy remained on a knee, eyes closed.
"Can't even kill some demigods, how do you expect to even touch my masters?" Kappa scoffed.
"Weakling. Praise as the strongest demigod ever, yet you're so far out of your own league here, Percy Jackson." Kappa spat. The other four stood with him, Omega and Sigma still watching, and the daughter of Athena dead, forty yards to their right.
"Don't you agree, brothers and sisters?" Kappa announced. There were hums of agreement among the five. Kappa smiled, walking forward, and placing his hand on Percy's chin.
"Look at me, weakling." Percy's eyes remained closed.
"LOOK AT ME!" Kappa screamed, and Percy didn't comply.
"Fine. Don't. And the longer you don't listen to what I say, the longer I'll spend raping that little fucking whore of yours." Percy's mind opened. He still didn't understand the power he had gained in the ascension, but some of it peaked in his mind.
"Those blonde curls, grey eyes… sometimes I wonder how she fell in love with you, ugly little shit, and not someone as great as me." Kappa smirked, eyeing the son of Order. "I can't wait till I tie her up and fuck the-" Kappa stopped talking, and none of the four could see why.
Until, Percy's hand emerged through the chest of the boy, Kappa's heart in hand. Percy tore his hand back, and the corpse of the dead son of Ares dropped like a sack of potatoes. Percy held the heart in his hand, before burning it, offering praises to his father and Chaos, which received nods in thunder.
Seta almost threw up at the sight of heart, and Omega's heart dropped. Kappa was a good friend.
"Insult me, I'm okay with it. Insult my wife? You're asking for death." Percy said, standing, and looking at the four.
"Shall we continue? I believe I've killed three of the Ten. Seven to go." Seta shook her head, in shock.
"You're a monster." She whispered.
"According to you, yes. According to others? No. It's all opinions. Are you going to fight me, or shall I teleport you away, as I have three little people to deal with?" Percy said.
"I do not wish to fight you, Perseus." A demigod said.
"Who are you?"
"Gamma, and this is my sister, Theta. We wish to leave." Seta nodded, "I'll join them." They looked at Kree, who stared at Percy, before nodding. "I'll go too."
They were teleported away, along with the bodies of Lambda and Kappa. Percy walked his way to Omega and Sigma.
"Alexander Theise, adopted son of Nyx and Erebus, genetic son of Pontus. I've heard much about you." Percy said, looking down to the two inch shorter Omega. Omega swallowed.
"As have I about you, Percy." Omega said, standing his ground.
"Release me this INSTANT, Perseus!" Nyx screamed. Percy held his open palm out towards Nyx, before closing it into a fist and turning his hand right-side up, and Nyx's face contorted in pain, before her eyes rolled back into her head, and she didn't talk.
"I don't wish to kill you or your… companion, Alexander." Percy slightly noted Sigma.
"I am Chloe Evans, dau-"
"I don't care." Percy interrupted her, before slowly pacing before Omega.
"I have a proposition, Omega." Percy said. Omega nodded.
"Elaborate."
"I strip you of your blessings, you endure the pain once again, and then I give you mine and my father's blessings, you endure the pain once again, and you join my army, and we win this war." Percy said, no longer pacing, raising an eyebrow at the son of Pontus.
"Why should I join you, over Erebus and Nyx?" Omega asked. "They're just as powerful, if not more powerful than you." Percy scoffed.
"Please, child. I could fade Erebus where he stands with my current form. Imagine how strong I'll be, how strong we'll be once I have completed the process. I am only halfway done, I need about three months, then the universe shall be mine." Percy said, smiling. Omega frowned.
"Erebus even plans to replace you, with a son of Hermes." Percy smiled pointedly at Erebus, whose eyes were wide with shock. "Tell him, Erebus. Tell him how you plan to kill him, and infuse their power." Erebus sighed.
"It is true." Omega stepped back, shocked.
"You lied to me?" Erebus merely nodded. "Why do you tell the truth now?"
"Fear, Alexander. He has fear." Percy whispered. "Just look at him. Shaking in his shoes, contained by chains he cannot break, even if he tried. Oh how the mighty fall." Percy said, placing his hand on Omega's shoulder. Omega stared at who he thought he could trust like a father.
"Family is hard, Omega, as you shall learn very soon. Now, come with me, I'll even let you bring…" Percy looked towards Chloe.
"Chloe Ev-"
"I still don't care." Percy smiled at her. Omega's face remained shocked.
"Don't leave us, Alexander. We'll give you more power than that puny demigod can only hope to give you." Nyx said, smiling. Omega saw the irony, the being chained up, unable to unlock themselves, saying they're strong than who has them chained. Omega shook his head.
"No. I'm sorry." He said, turning to Percy, nodding. Omega held his hand out to Sigma, who took it, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed, and Percy smirked, and they teleported away, the chains melting away from the arms and legs of Erebus and Nyx.
X
Aether knew his ally had returned to Earth, but he'd heard no word. He'd hoped that they would've contacted by now, but with Perseus, you can never tell.
That was, until the god strolled into the Primordial council, staring up at Aether, Pontus, and Chaos.
"Pontus. Chaos." He nodded respects, who nodded back.
"I must thank you for your generosity towards my son, Perseus. I owe you one." Pontus said. Percy waved him off.
"No worries. He was just blinded by power, false power, that is." Percy smiled, and Pontus nodded, saddened.
"We must talk, Aether." Perseus said, and Aether nodded, shrinking from god form down to a normal human, before walking towards Perseus.
"Chaos, if you see Tartarus, tell him I need to have a chat as well, please?" Percy turned to walk out, as Chaos nodded.
"I shall do so. And Percy?" Percy stopped, turning. "Annabeth misses you. It's been a day, and you didn't go back to wake up next to her. And you know how much she hates that." Percy nodded.
"I'm trying my hardest. After all of this drama is over, if everything goes to plan, I'll have all of eternity to spend with her." Percy smiled.
"This thing you've done with your father, Percy, is remarkable… but dangerous." Percy nodded.
"My middle name." Chaos almost chuckled.
"I hope it works out in your favor, and I understand your want to not be the ruler of the universe." Chaos said, sympathetically.
Percy bowed, "I'll try my hardest, Lady Chaos." and he turned to leave with Aether.
"And take it easy on my daughter. The twelve hours thing was way too much." Chaos called after him. He laughed.
"Blame her, not me." Percy called back.
"What was she talking about?" Aether asked.
"Six months without seeing your loved ones leads to rather… large, amounts of hormones. Especially since Annabeth is in theory, nineteen right now." Aether frowned.
"How does that even work?" Percy shrugged.
"I don't know. Some loophole in the way reincarnation works, I guess. My fathers magic remains the best ever, in the universe. She's died millions of times." He choked on 'died,' "And I've died… twice." Percy smiled.
"What was the second time again?" Aether asked.
"Tartarus, Gaea and Uranus tore me, limb from limb, because of some rather- rude comments, I'd made about the giant and Titan race." Percy said, cringing at the memory. Aether let out an 'ahh.'
X
Omega had been left with the army, and they'd set up camp in a rather large… clearly manmade cave somewhere in… France? He assumed. Percy had told him he'd be back later to remove the curses and blessings, and bestow the 'Great Two' upon him, but Order had no idea what those were.
The people who were in the camp with him were awkwardly nice. Percy had announced that Omega was now apart of the army, and a soon-to-be high ranking official, and they all immediately respected him. It was if Percy was their god, and they worshiped him to the doors of death. He aspired to someday be like that.
Right now he was grabbing food from what was called a food court, but looked more like a makeshift, roofless cafeteria. The food was amazing though, and the cooks, again, were some of the nicest people he'd ever met. Genuinely nice, as well.
He walked back to his tent, where upon entry, was met with the brown eyes of Chloe, or Sigma, looking up at him.
"About time." She grumbled. He set the food down, and they ate in silence.
"It never felt like a family." She said. Alex looked up from his chicken, at her, frowning.
"What?"
"The Commandments. Never felt like a family. Always lying, always deception. Never felt permanent." Chloe said, mid-bite.
"And family is permanent?" Alex questioned.
"Not at all, but I'd prefer it to be somewhat permanent." Chloe mumbled. Alex set down his food.
"And what in life is permanent?"
"Love." She didn't miss a beat, answering immediately.
"You think so?" He asked.
"Yeah. If you love somebody, you'll do anything for them. Nothing I've ever wanted more than someone who I'm willing to walk to Tartarus for." She said, looking into his eyes.
"What makes you think this?"
"Just look at Percy. He pulled Kappa's heart from his body for talking about his wife in a rude manner. Stuff like that. I've never truly met him or his wife, but they must really love each other. He's willing to slaughter armies, demigods, gods, if it means to protect her. Stuff like that, I wish a guy would do that for me."
He was so damn tempted to say that he'd do it for her, but he held it back. He had no idea where his loyalties lied, so what royalty does he have to throw his loyalty to her?
He noticed she was leaning into him, and their eyes had been locked for near five minutes straight, only breaking to blink. He was caught off guard, caught in another planet.
"Me too." And she jolted back from, sitting straight up, looking at Alex.
"I guess it sounds nice." He said, putting his face into his hand, looking down at his food. "Someone who I know I'll always be there for, and will always be there for me." He looked at Chloe, who was still staring at him.
"Are you done eating?" he asked, and she shook her head, as if taking herself from her thoughts.
"Yeah, sorry." She said. He took her plate, and walked out the tent, to the area where dishes were placed. He walked back to the tent, and she was still there, sitting cross-legged on his bed.
"Are you sleeping here?" He asked, still standing.
"No… sorry, I didn't mean to keep bothering you." She said, starting to rise, before he caught her, and he sat next to her.
"You're not bothering anyone, Chloe." He whispered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"I feel like time isn't moving." She said.
"I wouldn't mind if time stopped, just for this moment." He said, meeting her eyes.
"I've liked you since we first met in Chicago, Alexander." She whispered. He hushed her.
"We'll talk about it later." And their lips met. Two confused souls, bonding over similarities, for one night.
Within minutes of them making out, his shirt was removed.
"By Perseus's name you're hot." She whispered against his neck. He shivered.
"Mutually." He growled, tugging at the hem of her shirt. He pulled her on top of him, to where she was straddling him, with his back on his pillow.
He prayed to Percy that he'd extend this moment, just for a few more hours.
X
Percy walked into the door of the penthouse in Stockholm, and was met with his wife on the couch, dressed in a rather… revealing, nightgown, reading a book.
"Hey." He said, rushing to sit next to her. She didn't even look at him.
"Annabeth, Hey." He tried again, to no avail. He sighed.
"I know. I'm sorry. It had to happen, but I'm so sorry, my love." He said, taking her hands, and she yanked them away.
"Go shower before you try to apologize to me, you have blood on your suit." She snapped at him, and he knew better than to test her.
So he showered, and changed into a classic look, shorts and a long sleeve white t-shirt, before sitting next to her.
"Explain yourself." She demanded, closing her book shut with a loud clap, and setting it down on the coffee table.
"It was just a chore that had to be done. You know how these war-"
"Stop with that excuse. These wars, Those wars, that war." She rolled her eyes. "It's as if once you go into war mode, I don't exist anymore." She said, turning away from him.
"I'm trying my damned hardest to make time for you, for us, Annabeth. I promise." He begged. "I gave you twelve hours of my time, even took you out tonight, what more do you want?" He said calmly. "You wanted to spend that twelve hours having sex for gods sake!" His voice raised slightly. She whirled on him, her eyes orbs of anger that radiated more rage than he'd ever seen.
He messed up, kinda.
"Six months, Perseus. Six." She whispered. "I have one promised lifetime with you, and you are spending it fighting a war that isn't yours. You're choosing to align yourself in it due to your connections with those on both sides." her voice raised. "I haven't had quality time with you in months. We're to be married soon, and to me, it seems as if our honeymoon will be in France, but not in some nice place, living the lives we should, but on a battlefield, with you facing enemies that are but mere bugs under your big-" She punched him. "Fucking!" again. "BOOT!" She screamed, and punched his jaw one last time, and he felt his teeth, a molar was missing, but deserved.
"I just can't FUCKING believe that you're so distracted with this level of power you have. You could go fade both of those fucking idiots right now, but you're choosing to drag this along to what? For what? Your own fun?" She was screaming by now.
"I swear to god if you go missing like that again I'm going to chop your god damned ba-" She was cut off by him kissing her, and she melted into it. Awfully funny to him how she melted into a kiss like that, all of that anger being eradicated as they moved in unison.
"Stop fucking smiling, right now, Perseus Jackson." she growled, her breath hot on his lips. He kept smiling, and she slapped him, before he kissed her again. He grabbed her hip, and dragged her on top of him, and she tore his shirt off.
"I'm going to fucking kill you once we're done." she grumbled, continuing their kiss.
"deserved." he mumbled. He tried to get her to stop, and he did, looking her in the eyes.
"From here on, now, if you need me, I'll come, no matter what. I swear it." She rolled her eyes.
"Doesn't matter now." She said angrily. His face saddened, before she pulled him back up to keep kissing her. He wanted to talk to her, but he felt it could wait.
"Stop." he barely mumbled against her lips.
"I want… to… talk….." he said slowly, Annabeth controlling him.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll talk all you want. I demand makeup, anger sex right now." She growled in his ear.
Who was he to deny that request?
this SAT got me nervous i swear-