Chapter 34: Reading Hit and Run

Chapter Text

Percy was seriously pissed. Kronos was ignoring him.

"Everyone knows Percy likes being the center of attention!" Jason snarked, only to be hit on the head by Annabeth who scowled at him. "I am just saying that everything seems to revolve around him," the son of Jupiter muttered,

Percy would walk down the corridor and see Kronos walking down it towards him, but then Kronos would turn and retreat back down the corridor and take another way to wherever the hell he was going.

Luke seemed happy with whatever was going on, and so did Beckendorf and Silena. And Iapetus. The rest of the Titans were also getting curious about it, because before Percy had been following Kronos around everywhere.

"Sounds like a lost puppy, it is so cute," Nyx said, her voice was high pitched, and it sounded very fangirl like that Aphrodite perked up.

Percy was very tempted to scream and hit something – preferably Kronos – and demand to know what was going on.

"You sound like Annabeth and Athena with wanting to know what is going on all the time," Ares muttered, he had healed all his wounds that had come for almost hurting Percy. Athena was still out of commission; her body had arched as invisible blows hit her. Percy had watched for a moment before flashing the Wisdom goddess to her palace and if you listened carefully you could hear her screams.

The worst thing? Percy missed the prick. He kept waking up screaming and he found himself instinctively looking over to the side of the bed which Kronos should be on but found nothing but air.

"I am guessing this is a form of Stockholm syndrome. "Annabeth asked quietly, she wasn't sure if anyone heard her, but guessing they did because her eyes met golden ones.

Percy stabbed his lunch with his fork, completely ignoring Luke at his side. Beckendorf, Chris, Ethan and Silena sat around them. The noise in the mess hall was almost unbearable. Percy glanced up, his eyes landing on where Kronos was whacking Iapetus over the head. A small smile formed across his lips, and as if he had suddenly sensed him Kronos met his eyes across the mess hall. The King jerked his eyes away back to Iapetus when the older Titan said something, and whatever it was it made Kronos shove his brother off the chair.

"Percy," Beckendorf said, waving his hand in front of Percy's face.

"Huh?" Percy asked.

"Very eloquent of you, "huh?" didn't your mother teach you to speak properly?" Luke snarked poking Percy in the ribs making the Titan glower.

"I would smite you for your rudeness," Percy threatened, face darkening into marble before it was cleared, and a smirk sat on his face. "But I am not Kronos."

"Pish" Kronos muttered in retaliation."

"Don't deny it!" Percy exclaimed.

Beck sighed. "That's the third time you've done that today alone."

Percy shook his head. "Sorry. I'm thinking."

Luke glanced at Silena who nodded slightly, and Luke scowled. "Perce, come on. Finish your lunch."

Percy scowled, but did as Luke said, his mind wandering back to the night before. He had woken up in the middle of the night like the last week after the Second Sack of Rome – as the demigods and monsters had taken to calling it – and Kronos' side of the bed had been warm. Percy was not an idiot, contrary to popular belief, so he knew what that meant. Kronos had snuck in in the middle of the night and left before Percy had woken up.

"Percy!" Luke exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Sorry," Percy apologized, letting his fork fall to hit his plate. Percy stood up. "I'm not really hungry," he confessed. "I'll meet you guys in the arena."

Luke watched him leave before turning to Silena. "Does he… you know."

"Love him?" Silena asked. "It's hard to tell. He likes him yet hates him at the same time. It's dangerous – extremely dangerous."

"You know opposites attract," Silena spoke up, her blue eyes switched colours to a pink before green came fourth.

Luke swore under his breath. "So, he does?"

"Have you heard of Stockholm Syndrome?" Silena asked.

Luke frowned. "Isn't that about… oh. You think that's what's happening."

Silena nodded. "I think that's part of it. A hostage – that's Percy – developing feelings for the one who kidnapped them. It's pretty complicated, but I'm fairly sure that's what's going on."

Athena glanced at Kronos, who wasn't looking at Nyx… whom had to turn down her aura quite some, so that none of the teenaged boys or gods, who had all drooled and stared at her breasts. The goddess of Night had liked the attention, but it was quite bothersome when male species turned to a drooling mess…can never have a decent conversation Nyx had said annoyed. Besides that, the Titan was looking at Percy, watching him, and they held hands when they thought no one was looking…. She could see the appeal on what Aphrodite and her children said when they "Ship them". Becoming a Titan had heightened the sea spawns looks, his black hair downy looking, his lips more pink, and his form still young and healthy, if you looked a certain way in the light of Olympus you could see tiny scars… healed but hidden.

Ethan almost choked on his water. "So, he does love Kronos?"

"Everyone loves Kronos," Iapetus interrupted as he sat down next to Ethan.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Uh, what are you doing here?"

"I heard my name," an amused voice said, and Kronos sat down in the seat Percy had vacated.

Luke swore under his breath, jumping slightly in his seat.

Kronos smirked. "Did I surprise you?"

Luke glared at him. "Yeah. Don't do that."

Kronos just leaned back into his chair with a smug smile. "So, who loves me?"

"Everyone loves you" Iapetus said. "And if they don't, they admire and wish to be like you, even if they deny it with their mouths, after all you're powerful, good looking, a king, and those eyes enhance everything,"

"When did you become a romantic?" Scoffed Kronos.

Luke stared at him. "That's why you came over here?" he exclaimed, even as he realised what Kronos hoped, which was completely ridiculous.

Iapetus just sighed. "He just wants to know. If the kid likes him… it'll be harder to keep them away from each other."

Silena shook her head. "I think Percy's confused. He likes you but hates you at the same time."

Kronos hummed, a thoughtful look on his face. "Continue."

Silena raised an eyebrow but obliged. "He hates you for taking him from his father and friends but likes you because you saved his life with the Hyperion incident."

Iapetus narrowed his eyes at the look on Kronos' face. "Just because he might-"

"I'm still going to stay away from him, yes," Kronos interrupted. "I don't need another distraction." He paused, drumming his fingers on the table.

Scowling Percy took his hand back and without any others, besides Kronos notice flashed out and land in the sea. His thoughts in turmoil, he knew Kronos like him, found him amusing, and even though this has already happened, he hadn't ever heard this conversation… he didn't like being called a "Distraction" it was like being an errand boy for the Olympians, a pawn to put wherever they needed him then discarded like yesterdays trash.

"Distraction?" Silena asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kronos grimaced when Percy yanked his hand back, the former demigod eyed him coldly before flashing out. Sighing he closed his eyes looked for Percy, found him standing in the ocean somewhere in the mortal realm before he flashed that way too; after he paused time except for the two of them.

"You're not just a distraction," Kronos murmured, stepping behind Percy.

The Titan knelt and watched as the fish scattered around him. "Sorry no fishy food," Percy muttered after he knelt in the water. "Though…" Percy muttered flashing some store fish powder to him and sprinkling the water with it.

"Percy?" Kronos asked after being ignored for five minutes.

"I know, it just hard to hear stuff like that sometimes, I love you, you love me… but we are different when we aren't together," Percy swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced at Kronos. "This is before we were together, I thought you hated me… but you taught me, you cared, but then you went away when I needed you," Percy whispered ducking his head in shame. He hated being this emotional in front of Kronos.

"Hey," Kronos said, turning Percy around tilting his chin up and they stared into each others' eyes. Golden on sea green. "This is behind us, I will be here for as long as you will have me, like you said."

Kronos kissed Percy, his hands cupping tan cheeks, rubbing the glistening tears, and when Percy reacted by wrapping his arms around Kronos' neck and legs wrapped around waist did Kronos walk to shore. Kissing and being kissed, he allowed Percy to gather strength in their love. Kissing away doubts the best he could.

"Kronos," Percy gasped as he felt his nether regions begin to awaken.

"Together we are ourselves," Kronos murmured running his hand through messy windswept hair. "Together we will be victorious."

*Back on Olympus*

Kronos sat down after Percy had dried their clothes, problem taken care of though it was a bit to fast for Percy's liking did they get back to the gods foresaken book.

Kronos grimaced. "Exactly. This new development's an annoyance and nothing more."

"You don't have to be such an ass," Luke said.

Kronos' mouth curled up into a smirk. "But then I'd have to be pleasant, and we simply can't have that."

Iapetus groaned. "Brother," he complained.

Kronos smiled thinly and stood up. "I'll return later."

Iapetus frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Paris," Kronos said shortly. "To find a Primordial I need to have a word with."

Iapetus swore under his breath. "When you come back, you're welcome to apologize to me."

Kronos smirked. "Not likely," he said, his form fading away.

Eros had been hard to track down, but it was rather obvious where he had been hiding – the City of Love. Kronos scoffed as he narrowed in on the Primordial's aura. Underground in the Paris Catacombs. Why wasn't he surprised?

"That's where he has been hiding all these years?!" Aphrodite cried out; her face slightly shocked yet hauntingly beautiful.

Kronos slipped into one of the many entrances of the Underground, lighting his hand on fire to provide some light. Immediately there was a sound of something shooting by him, and Kronos tensed.

"Love is accepting people for who they are no matter what," Eros said, his voice completely amused.

"Love is a meeting of two souls, fully accepting the dark and the light within each other, bound by the courage to grow through struggle into bliss," Eros said.

Kronos clenched his hand into a fist. "We need to talk," he said out loud into the now silent Catacombs.

Eros cackled. "Real love is knowing someone's weaknesses and not taking advantage of them. Knowing their flaws and accepting who they are. Do you know Perseus' flaws, Kronos? Do you take advantage of him?"

"I haven't touched him," Kronos snapped. "Eros," he said to irritate the Primordial, "what have you done?"

"Did you ever think that maybe it was Ananke?" Hyperion muttered. "After all she is above the Fates."

"Happiness can exist only in acceptance," Eros hummed, briefly appearing in front of Kronos, but fading away when Kronos slashed apart the air with Backbiter. "You're not happy, Kronos. You want him. You need him."

"I need no one," Kronos retorted.

Percy looked at Kronos, he knew the Titan thought he never needed anyone, not to love, or companionship, but if you thought about it…. Kronos' brothers were his companions, the ones he loved unconditionally. He was with them for centuries, and all his siblings followed him, not out of fear… well partially but out of love and devotion to the cause. One of the many reasons he loved Kronos was that he could be undeniably cruel, and kind and caring the next.

Eros was floating several dozen feet in front of Kronos and staring straight at him when he next spoke. "We accept the love we think we deserve."

Kronos shut his eyes tightly. "You know nothing."

"You're hiding yourself away, Kronos," Eros was, sounding disappointed in the Titan. "Creating a shield to protect yourself from rejection. But let me tell you this - happiness can exist only in acceptance."

"If I wanted to know greeting card messages, I'd have told you," Kronos growled.

Eros laughed. "So naïve."

Nyx laughed; this was so like her wayward friend it was amusing to see it from a different perspective.

Kronos scowled at the faint outline of the Primordial, lifting Backbiter and stalking towards him. "I won't be toyed with, Eros!"

Eros darted away from the black sword, wary about touching the blade. "I've done nothing, but sense it as you developed feelings for the demigod. I did not have to interfere. It was set in stone when you first talked to him in his dreams, cousin." The Primordial smirked. "To attempt to change you and prepare you for what's coming."

Kronos paused. "What's coming?" he repeated.

Eros laughed. "Death. Destruction. Ruin. The darkness will fall over Gaea and all will be destroyed."

Apollo paused in reading as images from an alternate future reached him and he stayed frozen, Artemis coming to his throne taking the book from his hands, flashed her brother to his room so he could draw what he saw. She was used to this, and then went to read in his stead.

"Cysgodol," Kronos breathed.

Eros cackled. "Kill me, Kronos. Eradicate Love everywhere. You can save yourself from falling prey to the disease of loving, or you can leave me. It's your choice."

Kronos clenched his fist at his side, the fire flaring up in response to his raging thoughts. "I don't need love."

Aphrodite gasped her eyes wide, "everyone needs love, its what keeps the world go 'round," her blue sapphire gaze went around the room, her voice "serious."

"But you want it," Eros mused. "You want it desperately. You remember what it was like with Rhea. How it felt to have someone that you could trust with everything. How it felt to have someone who would stand by you unconditionally and follow you wherever you wanted. What you have not realised is that your feelings aren't unrequited, and Perseus returns them. All he needs is a shove in the right direction to find out."

"Ugh, anyone find it gross to learn about your own sons love life?" Poseidon muttered.

"It isn't gross! "Aphrodite protested. "Its magical"

Kronos faltered. "He…"

"You will need him, Kronos, if you wish to survive. He'll be like the anchor of a drifting ship for you, keeping you grounded as everything is swamped by the shadows and swept away."

Kronos leaned against the walls of the Catacombs, trying to make sense of everything the personification of love had told him. "Something bad is coming."

Eros appeared in front of Kronos, his form completely solid and glowing white wings spread out behind him. "Yes," he agreed. "Something unbelievably bad is coming. Something which will tear apart Gaea."

"What's Cysgodol going to do?" Kronos demanded. "When?"

A game, Kronos thought, everything was just a game and the Primidial's had the final piece… only if he could send them to the Void permanently then they wouldn't have to deal with this.

Eros just laughed. "I don't know that. I am not Ananke. You will just have to find out yourself. In the meantime, I intend to ally myself with Olympus."

Kronos tensed, his eyes narrowing. "You"-

"Don't worry. I swear on Chaos to not reveal anything about your feelings for Percy Jackson," Eros smirked. "Though I must say, cousin. You've chosen excellently." Eros studied him for several more moments, his form starting to flicker and fade away. "Just remember, Kronos, that the easiest way to solve a problem is to deny it exists. Try not to go down the easy route with the Hero. You might find he's taken before you start to move."

Percy looked at Kronos his eyes wide and his mouth curved into a smile, "So you got my nickname from Eros?" Percy asked.

Kronos was left standing alone in the Paris Catacombs, Backbiter still raised and the flames still flickering. He swore and spun, burying Backbiter into the bones of the dead. Why was everything suddenly so complicated? It was like Ananke was seeing how much he could withstand before he crumpled under the pressure. So many things had changed in the span of a week, and it was pissing him off beyond belief.

"You will need him, Kronos, if you wish to survive." Eros had said.

What did that mean? Other than Percy would somehow save his life at some point.

Kronos hated Primordial's. Even his Mother was now an enemy. He could not trust her around Perseus.

"Just get a bunch of gaurds to guard Percy at all times," Leo huffed and glanced at the older teen who was staring at Kronos. He wasn't clueless about love. Like Calypso he was going to save her, he didn't care she was a Titaness cursed to stay at that island… he understood where Percy came from with his lover as one of the gods mortal enemies.

The Titan was so close to chasing after Eros and killing him – to ridding himself of all his problems, namely the demigod. It would be so easy. So easy to stab the demigod in the heart – but then he would be stabbing himself in the heart too. Despite what Kronos wanted.

"How it felt to have someone that you could trust with everything. How it felt to have someone who would stand by you unconditionally and follow you wherever you wanted."

Kronos slid down the wall, dislodging several bones in the process, and let Backbiter clatter to the ground beside him.

"You want it," Eros' voice said, echoing around the tunnels. "Your feelings aren't unrequited."

"I think I realized I liked Kronos when I was in the birdcage…." Percy muttered to himself and looked at his nails, taking the grit out from under them and glanced at Leo, the impish boy was staring at him wide eyed.

Kronos sucked in a sharp breath, letting his head fall back against a skull behind him. He did want it. Kronos had sworn to himself that he would never love again after what Rhea had done, and yet he'd fallen into that trap like a moth drawn to a flame.

Percy Jackson, he thought. Despite his wishes and his attempts at keeping himself on a strictly hate-hate relationship with the kid, he had managed to worm his way to Kronos' side and stick there like glue. It was irritating, and yet oddly satisfying.

"Your feelings aren't unrequited."

Kronos dared not hope that Eros was telling the truth, yet he had sensed that there was no lie in those words. If the Primordial was telling the truth… then maybe it might… no. Kronos could not get close to him – he was Olympus' Hero.

The Titan remembered the way Percy had been helpless in from of him, the look in his eyes… despite popular belief Kronos did have a heart. It was just buried under his experiences and life. But Kronos remembered the way he'd felt protective of the demigod even in Tartarus – he'd thought it was because the demigod had been his, and no one else's… but he was starting to realise that maybe he'd cared for the demigod even then. He had had to remind himself many times that Percy had stopped him from tearing Olympus down, and only that had kept him torturing him.

Then he'd started to get to know him, and everything Kronos knew was challenged. He'd felt proud when the demigod had managed to get Riptide back, because that was him teaching the demigod to fight.

Kronos glanced around the room, taking everyone in, a lot of the demigods were toying with toys, anxious and bored from all this sitting, the romans were doing fairing better but were still fidgeting. The gods were staring at Artemis who was reading quietly and clearly. And his brothers were relaxed looking, but alert in case the gods decided to start a fight. Only Annabeth seemed upset at the loss of Perseus being his, but he could always kill the foolish girl if she thought to take his Percy away.

"No," Percy whispered, "no killing Annabeth."

Kronos smiled slightly at how well Percy knew him before focusing back on the book.

Kronos turned his head to the side and studied Backbiter, the blade looking crimson in the light of the flames still flickering in Kronos' palm, and the Titan thought the sword seemed to be bathed in the blood of his enemies.

Kronos took a breath and stood up, Backbiter shooting into his hand. He extinguished the flames.

"Your feelings aren't unrequited."

"That was when my mind was made up!" Kronos said to Percy, his eyes soft, and it was only for him, not Rhea, and not his children… Just for Percy.

Kronos sheathed Backbiter in the darkness and flashed away.

He reappeared on the top of his tower. The moon shone high above Othrys, and it was a cloudless sky. But Kronos didn't care about the sky – he cared about the demigod he could sense waking in the room beneath him, and he realised just how tuned and aware the demigod had become of his presence. How hadn't he noticed it before? There were so many small hints which he'd missed.

"So, this is what you do every night?" Percy asked.

Kronos' hands clenched on the parapet of his tower. "Sometimes."

Percy took a couple of small steps towards him. "Why've you been ignoring me?" He sounded genuinely disappointed; Kronos mused.

"It's not what you've done. It's what I've changed," Kronos said, turning to face Percy.

Percy blinked. "What?"

"I'm trying not to feel it," Kronos breathed. "But it's been so long."

"Feel what?" Percy exclaimed. "Damn it, Kronos, give me a straight answer for once!"

Kronos shrunk down and took several steps towards him, his hand moving to Backbiter's hilt as he stopped a foot away from the demigod. Percy didn't move back, watching the Titan warily. "I should kill you," Kronos stated. "It would make everything so much easier for me."

"You won't," Percy said confidently. "You've already said you won't."

"You'll be the death of me, Percy Jackson," Kronos murmured, looking down slightly to Percy.

"I did swear on the Styx to kill you," Percy reminded him.

"I know," Kronos smirked, closing the gap between the two and pressing his lips to Percy's.

*Cue the squeals of excitement/cuteness of the scene, from Aphrodite's cabin and herself*

*Cue the gross looks from homophobes*

*Cue the sighs of disappointment that Percy was taken by a male, and not themselves*

*Cue Poseidon looking threateningly at Kronos, who ignored the god*

*Cue Iapetus sighing as he realized Ananke had given Kronos someone who was his equal*

*Cue Percy who smiled as he remembered the first time feeling those lips kiss his*

Percy froze in shock and Kronos let go of Backbiter, a slight thud echoing into the night as the guard hit the edge of the sheath.

Then Percy started responding and his hand fisted around part of Kronos' shirt. The Titan jerked away, feeling his heart beating rapidly, and flashed himself down to the lower levels.

Kronos sucked in a sharp breath as he leaned against the wall. So maybe that had been stupid, and he'd been acting without thinking, but he couldn't help it.

"Actions without thinking are actions that you want to do, but most of the times don't have the courage to do," Apollo spoke up and they looked to see the god of prophecies and truth, music and healing looking shaken but firm.

"Sit, and drink Nectar for the future is looking better with each page," Athena said softly.

Kronos shut his eyes, feeling a genuine grin cross his mouth as he heard Percy yell, "Kronos, get back here!" even from the bottom of the Black Fortress.

Kronos smirked, slipping into the closest door, and deciding to avoid the demigod for the rest of the night.

Shocked silence was in the room as Nyx finished reading. The Titan's didn't really react since they knew this part, but the gods and the demigods on the Titan's side were shocked.

Annabeth looked a little green, and her face was sad, she had to get over her first love, and those… those were hard memories to get rid of.

Poseidon was looking at his trident, a sword sharpener sharping the middle prong of his weapon. "Your ever hurt my son… in anyway again… I'll hurt you so bad it'll take longer to return from Tartarus," Poseidon promised, his sea green eyes a storm and his form switching to Neptune briefly.

Zeus was thunderstruck, he knew at some point they would get to this… and he wasn't sure what to think about….he saw the appeal in the boy, but to have that much power wasn't good….

Some of the younger demigods were frowning at the fact a boy kissed another boy, after all even though they were half gods, they had been raised by their mortal parents, and quite a few adults considered gay couples to be unnatural. Plus, if they dug deeper… Percy was Kronos' grandson…. But if you dug to deep into Greek heritage… everyone was related to everyone….

"I want to read the next chapter," Apollo said, standing up from his throne he took the book from Nyx who giggled and handed it over.

A/N: Soooo, if anyone ever even reads the authors note I will explain: 1. I have been watching Death Note and it has become my favourite Anime.

2. Court days has been cancelled and extended do to the COVID 19

3. I have been sick for a few weeks and wanted to do absolutely nothing, I wasn't sick with COVID I did get tested to make sure, it was just the flu.

4. I have two jobs and they are very taxing even though the pay is good.

So, I am sorry that I haven't updated in forever; on this story, some readers told me that I was forging DRAGONSWOE story, but I am not, I have permission to write this.

JIO

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