There wasn't much Percy liked about being teleported by the gods. For one thing, it always kinda stung. It left a strange burning feeling in the pit of his stomach, like his body was trying to couch up an ember straight from Hephaestus' forge.
For another thing, it... tasted weird. He really didn't know how else to describe it. Every time he god flashed it was like he just scooped up a mouthful of sand and went to town. He'd learned years ago that being teleported was considered a real gift, so responding to it by doubling over and spitting out imaginary sand wasn't the way to react.
Still though, it had its perks, namely 2: Speed and accuracy. He blinked his eyes once and he was in camp half blood, staring at Artemis as she waved her hand in his fave. He blinked them again and he was standing in his kitchen, in the same spot Artemis had flung him from.
Way to be consistent, Arty, he thought to himself.
He let out a soft sigh as he leaned against his countertop, thinking about his day. Really thinking about it, really just letting the weight of all that had happened, all the interactions, all the conflicts and resolutions, all the conversations he'd been putting off for years at this point. He took a moment to let it sink in.
He turned around and dry heaved into his sink.
The weight of everything that had happened just kind of... hit him. All of it, every last thing that had happened. Seeing camp, seeing Chiron, seeing Leo, seeing Calypso, seeing his dad, seeing Annabeth. It all just kinda became a little too surreal all at once as he stood in his kitchen in his boxers yet again.
Guess Artemis wanted those clothes back He thought to himself.
He sighed, turning towards his living room and noticing a faint noise and a soft glow coming from it. He gritted his teeth slightly. The hunters already broke into his house, fine, whatever. But mess with his DVD collection? He was about ready to start taking pot shots at the moon from his roof. He walked into his living room, ready to start shooing out hunters.
He wasn't ready for this.
Zoe was on his couch, laying on her side fast asleep. She had her arms wrapped around a pillow and was wearing one of his old sweaters, her hair was wrapped up in a messy bun. She breathed deeply as she slept, nuzzling into the pillow, and Percy had half a mind to just let her sleep. He silently tiptoed over to the remote that sat on the coffee table in front of her and picked it up as quietly as he could manage. Apparently not quietly enough.
"You're late." She mumbled from her position on the bed. She popped her eyes open and gave her face a rub, letting out a yawn. He shrugged, letting out a sheepish grin.
"Artemis had plans for me." He admitted, "I, uh... I went back." He said, nervously scratching his arm.
Zoe looked at him, nodding as he spoke. "How did it go?" She asked in a quiet voice.
"Well..." He said, easing into the couch next to her, "It went better than I thought it would."
"Oh?" She asked, sitting up and crossing her legs, "What happened?"
It was hard for Percy not to stare. His sweater was so oversized on her and she just looked so good in it. He cleared his throat.
"Quite a bit. Buried some hatchets, reconnected with some friends, oh, and Thor beat up my dad."
Zoe nodded at everything he said, raising her eyebrows. "That's certainly... an eventful evening." She said.
He turned to her, his eyes pulled into a curious squint. "Well what about you? I'm guessing the time with the hunters was at the very least nostalgic?" He joked.
She let out a soft smile and looked down, "Indeed. I've missed my sisters, and my mistress. It was nice to prowl the forests with them."
Percy nodded, a curious look on his face. "Did they... offer you to join again."
Zoe raised her eyebrows, still looking down. "They were very insistent I did."
Percy nodded, a simple "Oh" Escaping his mouth.
They were both silent for a minute.
"I won't though." She said, breaking the silence and looking him in the eye, "Partially because I still can't leave, but... I think you know the other reason why by now."
He met her gaze and blushed, turning away. "Well, I mean, I guess it may have taken 5 years, but I knew you'd eventually warm up to me." He joked, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.
She shook her head, bringing her hands up to rub her temples, "You're unbelievable, you know that?" She asked him.
He turned to her with a knowing look on his face, "Yeah, I do. I get it all the time." He answered with a sincerity and look that made Zoe's chest tingle. She glanced up at him and found him staring at her. She met his gaze, feeling her heart beat in her chest. She remembered what she'd told the hunters, both old and young, when they'd asked her why she wouldn't join the hunt again. What was the reason.
It's complicated, she'd told them. It really wasn't.
Her reason was sat on the couch right next to her right now, staring at her with those beautiful green eyes and those soft lips and that beautiful jawline and his face, my gods-
Percy awkwardly cleared his throat, hefting the remote with a slightly forced grin. "So, we've still got some time tonight. Wanna watch another movie? I'll bet you haven't seen doctor strangelove."
She raised her hand and pulled the remote from his grasp, not breaking eye contact for a second.
"No, Percy."
He let out a quiet gulp, shifting nervously on the couch. He tried forcing out a casual smile.
"Maybe Mr. Bean? I don't think we've watched that one yet." He offered. She pointed the remote at the tv and shut it off, now only the slight moonlight illuminating them.
"Percy..." She began, throwing the remote over her shoulder and leaning towards him, propping herself up on her knees. "...I think you know what I want."
He looked at her.
She looked at him.
They threw their arms around each other, pulling themselves into a deep kiss.
Ha, he thought to himself, Ready for it this time. What he wasn't ready for her to practically leap into his lap. She landed on him, throwing her legs on either side of his body, and pressing herself against his chest as she did. He grunted as she landed, letting his hands grip the back of her sweater as he deepened the kiss. Her hands went up, nestling their way under his jaw, on his neck. She pulled him in deeper, making soft moans as she did that just about drove Percy crazy. He let his hands float down her (his) sweater before he slid them up the clothing, up her back.
She wasn't wearing anything underneath.
He quickly slid his hands back down, resting them on her waist. She pulled away for a moment, confused as to why he stopped.
"Sorry." He said, "I just... you're new to all this, and I don't want to do to much if you're not... comfortable with that."
She looked at him for a moment, her face unreadable in the moonlight, before she reached down and gripped the sweater, pulling the clothing up and over her head and throwing it to the side. His head just about exploded right then and there.
She leaned back as she did, purposely giving Percy... well, quite a view in the moonlight. The moonlight which Artemis was probably sending their way which gave him the ever so slight feeling of guilt. That feeling didn't last long, though.
She looked down at herself, before looking back up at him. She smiled at his gaping jaw and reached up, loosening her bun so it cascaded down her shoulders, giving her head a shake as she did. She stared into his eyes running her her thumbs over his cheeks and cracking a grin.
"Like what you see?" She asked him.
"Yes." He squeaked out, "Very much so."
She let out a giggle and pushed in for another kiss. It was becoming very apparent to the both of them that Percy was... getting excited, so to speak.
He pulled away suddenly, softly grabbing her cheeks as her did.
"Zoe... I don't want to go any farther than this." He said, running his thumbs through her hair. "It's just... this is your first, I'M your first, and... I don't want to rush this, I don't want to rush you." He managed out.
She let out a soft laugh, running her hands over his chest. "You know what my favourite things is about you, Percy?" She asked. He shrugged.
"My taste in movies?"
She felt a sme spread across her mouth. "Close. It's your heart. All you've ever done is look out for me. So much so that even now, you only care what I think."
She paused for a moment, running her hand up the side of his neck. "Do you want to know what I think?"
He desperately tried to settle his heartbeat, looking her right in her eyes. "What do you think, Zoe?"
She let out a soft smile, softly gliding her finger up and down his chest.
"I think I'm falling in love with you, Percy Jackson."
He froze at her words, his heart felt like it just dropped off a cliff the second what she'd said had left her mouth. She must've noticed, because her gaze softened In the moonlight and she stroked his cheeks.
"Percy?" She asked.
He blinked, pulling himself out of his stupor. He reached up with both hands, running his hands up her bare back and pulling her close.
"I think... I feel the exact same way, Zoe Nightshade."
She let out a grin, pulling him in for another kiss. He put his finger up to her lips and stopped her, making a pout cross her face.
"If we're gonna continue." He said, turning around to face the moonlight, "Then not here. The moonlight, It feels like she's watching us do our... sinful acts." He said.
She laughed, softly grabbing his cheeks and pulling his face back to her. "If not here, then maybe... bed?" She coyly asked, running a thumb over the scar on his eyebrow.
He jokingly ran his hand over his jaw in thought. "Bed. I like that idea..." He turned to her, cocking an eyebrow "... mine is also big enough for two." He said with a grin.
She let out a soft chuckle through her teeth, before leaning into his ear. "Mind carrying me?" She asked him. "My legs are still a little sore from the hunt this morning."
He felt a grin spread across his face.
"Not at all."
She felt hands grab her thighs tight as he stood up, clutching her in his arms. She giggled as he did, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. If only the old Zoe could see me now, she couldn't help but think to herself. She put her hands on his cheeks, guiding his lips to hers as he walked her to his room. Whether it be from the fact that he could barely focus on where he was going, or the fact that his knees were weak from her kisses, it was probably the hardest walk to his bedroom he'd ever made. Still, if Percy were anything, it was determined.
He pushed the door open to his room with his shoulder, stumbling in as Zoe was busy trying to suck his lungs out of his mouth. She let out a little laugh as he dropped her in his bed. He stood over her, just staring at her for a minute. She met his gaze, leaning back on the bed with a slightly upset look on her face.
"Why's yours still on?" She asked him, gesturing at his shirt.
He looked down and blushed, tugging at the garment. "I don't think you wanna see that." He said in a shy tone.
She got up from the bed and walked up to him, sliding her hand up the front of his shirt.
"Try me."
He gave her a quick glance in her eyes and sighed, reaching down to pull the shirt off of him before chucking it on the floor. She took a moment to take him in.
He had scars. Lots of them.
They practically covered every inch of his body. There were dozens of them, if not hundreds. Little things scattered around his arms and legs and bigger things around his chest. She ran her hand up his stomach, feeling a particularly jagged one that ran up his abs. Even in the darkness of his room she could see him look away.
"I'm sorry." He muttered. She looked up at him, lightly running her fingers across his jawline. He felt his sweat turn cold at her touch.
"What could you possibly be sorry for, Percy?" She asked him, a soft smile across her lips.
He took a shaky breath, clenching and unclenching his fist as he did so. "I'm sorry that I look like this." He admitted, "I'm sorry that... that this is what you have to look at." His tone didn't sound bitter, not in the slightest. It sounded like he was genuinely apologetic.
She ran her hand off his jaw and to the back of his head.
"You don't ever have to apologize..." She whispered into his ear, before she let a little grin spread across her face, "... Especially not if tis but a scratch."
He laughed at her joke, a genuine, soft laugh as he let his hands lay on her hips. "Well it's actually a lot of scratches..." he replied. He let his face settle and stared into her eyes, his having now adjusted to the darkness of his bedroom.
"Zoe?" He asked her.
"Yes?" She replied, tracing a fingernail across his neck.
"If I ever... if I start to mess this up." He said, in a shaky voice, "Please tell me. I don't... I don't think I could go through that again. Not with you. Not when I know how I feel about this." He said.
She was quiet for a moment, and he tensed, a dread immediately filling him at the thought that he'd just gone and said the worst possible thing he could have.
He was relieved of this worry when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. Once again, for the millionth time that day and the billionth time that week he melted. He wrapped his hands around her waist as she tightly squeezed his neck. He felt amazing, he felt complete, he felt like he was finally, finally becoming himself again.
She pulled away, her hands still around his neck and leaned into his ear. "The only thing I want you to worry about messing up tonight is your bedsheets."
He grinned ear to ear as she pulled him into his bed, throwing the blankets over the both of them as she did.
Alright Apollo, He silently prayed, sails set, gust chosen. Don't screw me, eh?
Demi god dreams weren't supposed to be so... deep. They were usually limited to one of three forms. Figurative Past, literal present, or possible future. They played more like snippets of a tv show, from a fly on the wall perspective.
They weren't... this.
A horse ran through a field. It bounded, galloping powerful strides through the open fields of grass as an owl and a raven watched from a tall pine tree. The horse ran harder, faster. Like it was running from something, or to something. It crossed over a hill, and on the other side of the hill was a sharp cliff leading to a chasm of bristle brushes, but the beast was going too fast to stop.
It fell into the thorns, thrashing as it did. It whinnied in pain, letting out horrifying screams of agony as it desperately tried to escape the thorns. The owl and the raven watched, knowing they were unable to help, but somehow the message was made clear that they wished to.
The horse struggled, but it's cries got quieter. The beast wasn't giving in, no, it was beginning to understand. It laid on its side, breathing deeply as it focused, shifting itself back to it's feet. It looked back to the cliff it had fallen from, somehow understanding that the only way out must be forward. So it marched, dragging it's legs through the thorns and the pricks, neighing slightly at the pain, but not giving in.
The beast stopped when it felt a gentle feeling land on its back, turning around to find the raven perched on it. The bird eyed the steed, it's onyx eye blinking as it stared at the horse, before it hopped down its back, clamping it's beak around a particularly large thorn and pulling it out.
The horse bucked slightly, cantering about as the bird dropped the thorn and hopped over to another. The horse continued it's journey, pushing on as it's newfound partner did it's best to care for it.
They moved together, the raven choosing to stay with the horse despite it not needing to, and the horse allowing the bird to pull the thorns from its back. Neither noticed the owl, still perched on its branch. Watching.
Waiting.
Zoe's eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly, clutching her blanket to her chest as she huffed deep breaths. Never in her life had she ever had a dream that... confusing? Esoteric? Maybe just weird was a good word. She squinted her eyes as the sun limited her vision. It was morning, and early by the looks of the sun beaming down through Percy's window.
She felt her heart do a little spin as she realized what she'd just thought. Percy's window.
She was in Percy's bedroom, in Percy's bed, wearing Percy's sweatpants and, well, after taking a look under the sheet she was clutching, she took note that she wasn't wearing one of Percy's tops. She let out a groan and ran her hand over her face, trying to remember the events of the previous night.
She remembered... well, honestly having a really nice day with Artemis. They stalked through the forests of Hammer falls together, taking shots at rabbits and other small game. They caught up, told stories, admittedly hugged each other a lot. It wasn't too long until the topic of Percy came up.
They discussed him, pretty in depth too.
Artemis asked many questions about him. How long had he been here? What was he like now? She even narrowed her eyes and looked around before asking if he was keeping her prisoner here. Zoe couldn't help but let out a laugh in her old friends face, thinking back to all the times Percy had been there actively trying to help her with her schemes to get out.
They talked a bit more about him before Artemis went quiet, stopping in the woods as Zoe stopped too, with a confused look on her face. Artemis turned to her, a timid look in her eyes.
"You like him, don't you?" She had asked.
Zoe had swallowed, trying to get her wits about her as the question had admittedly knocked her off her feet. She opened her mouth, trying to form an response, to pour out some vague words that would both answer and not answer Artemis' question. When nothing came out, Artemis let out a soft smile.
"I suspected as much." She had said, before laying a hand on her old friends arm. "For the record, if I were to, gods forbid, ever pick a man to be with one of my hunters, it would be him."
Zoe had felt a little pang go through her heart as the words had left her friends mouth. Those words stayed with her as she said goodbye to her sisters and they disappeared into the woods. They stayed with her as Artemis gave her hand one last squeeze and followed after her hunt, the hunt Zoe had led for millennia. They stayed with her as she decided to pick Percy's useless lock on his front door and head to his living room, rather than go back home. They stayed with her as she'd heard him appear back in his kitchen, pretending to be asleep so she could see how he reacted to her when he thought she wasn't looking. They stayed with her when she'd kissed him.
She ran a hand over her cheek, feeling a sickening feeling she never thought she'd feel even once in her life.
Attraction, and a strong one at that.
She buried her head in her hands and let out a silent memorial in the form of a groan for her former self. R.i.p. old Zoe, she thought to herself, you made it almost 4000 years without giving a man so much as a second glance and now you're spending your Saturday night sucking face with Percy Jackson.
She lifted her head, glancing at the foot of the bed to find a neatly folded sweater with a note on it. She reached over and unfolded the note.
Dear Zoe,
Dear? That's a bit too formal.
Zoe.
No, that's not formal enough.
Whatever, I'm guessing you don't want to walk around without a top on so I washed and dried that hoodie you always borrow (steal :( ) and set it here for you.
Regards, Percy.
She smiled at the note, folding it gently and putting it on the bedside table before grabbing the sweater and slipping it over her head and shoulders. She held it up to her fave as she did and took a deep breath, taking note of the fact that it smelled just like him.
She groaned, realizing she was hopeless.
She swung her legs out from under the sheets and got up, stretching before walking over to his ensuite and flicking on the light switch. Her heart nearly stopped when she caught her reflection in the mirror.
She had a hickey. A big hickey.
She leaned into the mirror, taking the thing in as she did. She ran her hand over it, just kinda... taking it in. She'd never had one before (obviously) and didn't really know how to react. She leaned away from the mirror and threw her hood over her head, partially covering it, before she buried her hands in the hoodies pockets.
He was gonna pay for that.
She wandered out of his bathroom after brushing her teeth with what was probably his toothbrush and walked over to his door, silently pushing it open. She heard a noise and smelled a smell coming from the kitchen and her ears perked up as her nose twitched. It smelled like bacon, and sounded like humming. She walked over to the kitchen and strolled on in, stopping when she saw something that... well, she was a little surprised by what she saw.
It was Percy, in front of the stove, flipping around some strips of bacon in nothing but his boxers and a t-shirt. He hadn't noticed her, and was gently humming to himself as he pushed the bacon around in the pan. Off to his left on the counter were two plates, both already had eggs on them.
She stood there for a moment, watching as he cooked them both breakfast and did a little dance in front of the stove. He hadn't noticed her yet and that was perfect. She snuck up behind him, her bare feet gently moving her towards him before she snuck her arms around his waist and pressed her body against his back, hugging him from behind.
"Morning." She said, as she pressed her head against his back and heard his heartbeat pick up it's pace a little bit.
"Morning." He replied, pushing the bacon around, "Did you sleep well?" He asked her.
"Like a baby." She replied, drumming her fingers on his stomach, "How long have you been up for?"
"Long enough to wash your sweater, and long enough to get started on breakfast." He replied, shaking around the pan, "I was gonna make pancakes, but... well let's just say I'm not Astrid when it comes to making those."
Zoe let out a laugh as she squeezed him a little tighter. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm not dreaming, right?" She asked him.
He turned off his burner, sliding the pan back.
"I was honestly about to ask you the same thing." He said, letting out a sigh, "I was so sure that I'd wake up today and be alone in my bed and realize that everything that had happened yesterday was just a dream."
He turned around, letting her keep her arms around him as he did and laying his own rams around her waist.
"Then you'd probably show up at some point and we'd go try to help you escape and I'd keep trying to ignore the camp and ignore my past and ignore my father and-"
He stopped talking when her hand came up and clamped itself over his mouth.
"Percy?" She asked him.
"Mmmmf." He replied through her hand.
"Let's have breakfast." She said with a soft smile.
"Mmmkmmm." He replied.
Breakfast was delicious. Though that wasn't much of a surprise, considering how good of. a cook Percy was (except for when it came to pancakes).
It was one of the first things he'd taught himself to do when he'd showed up. He tried the whole "Ramen and Kraft dinner" thing for about a week before realizing that years at camp had spoiled his appetite with fresh, magic, godly food. He needed food to be fresh, to be prepared.
It was slow at first, with quite a few burned grilled cheeses and unbelievably dry steaks, but eventually Percy, despite Astrid's assumptions, became a master at cooking, and he really enjoyed it too. He didn't really know why he enjoyed it, why it brought him so much joy to fry some eggs or prepare a stew, until it really hit him one night.
His mom always cooked their meals. She had always hand prepared everything, and damn well too. The way she'd get everything ready, the way she'd prepare her food, he realized that he'd subconsciously been trying to replicate it. He hadn't even realized what he'd been doing until he'd tried to dye one of his loaves of bread blue one evening.
Cooking stopped being fun after that.
It went back to being just another thing he'd do every morning, another thing he'd slog through every night. He stopped getting creative, stopped making new recipes, stopped having fun. It just became something he did again.
Until he started cooking for Zoe.
They (Percy) had made it a bit of a tradition to have dinner together every Friday. Partially as a way for Percy to keep an eye on her and partially as a way for Percy to... well, spend some time with her that wasn't him saving her from near death. He started getting creative again when he cooked for her. He started experimenting again, trying new things, making new meals, getting increasingly creative with the seemingly endless stores of venison she had in her fridge.
When he was with her, he felt like... like he was allowed to enjoy it again. Like he could share this thing he loved doing with her. She never complained either, not that she could as she was usually too busy devouring whatever he'd made while getting out the occasional "This is incredible", or, "This is delicious."
She made him love it again, because instead of it just being for him, it was for her, too.
He thought about this while he sat at his breakfast table watching her devour the spiced eggs and maple bacon he'd made for them that morning.
Truthfully, this was the most nervous he'd ever been making breakfast. He'd woken up a good two hours earlier with Zoe curled up on his chest fast asleep. He'd spent probably a good fifteen minutes slowly slipping out from under her before he snuck out into the kitchen, making sure to first grab her favourite sweater, wash it, snap his fingers to dry it, and fold it at the end of his bed with a note that somehow conveyed nervous stammering in written form. He then sat at his kitchen table and thought. Thought about everything, the quest, the prophecy, the camp.
Ragnarok.
It ate at his mind as he sat there bouncing his knee. He had grabbed his laptop at some point and had spent a good hour looking it up, and damn, it did not look pretty. Monsters awaking, rivers flooding over, gods dying en masse. He hunched over the computer with a cup of coffee next to him as he did his best to relive his high school days and cram for this as hard as he could. He made sure to take note of certain important looking names off Wikipedia. Odin, Loki, Fenrir, Sif. He found the depictions of these gods fascinating, and Thor's to be especially hilarious. They'd somehow made his depiction both less and more ripped (less ripped in his arms, and more ripped in his stomach). All the names he read and events he researched stuck themselves into his mind as he sat back and let out a groan.
This thing, Ragnarok, it looked bad. Very bad. Like immediate end-of-days bad.
He turned over his shoulder and glanced out the window of his kitchen, realizing the sun was coming up. He shut his laptop and had decided on bacon and eggs for breakfast. A classic, and considering how red in the face Zoe had gotten from Monty python, she liked classics.
The research he'd done replayed itself in his mind as he watched her clean off her plate, pushing it back as she leaned back and stretched with a grin, turning to face him. Her grin fell when she realized he hadn't touched his food.
"Percy." She asked gently, "What's wrong?"
He bounced his knee, leaning back and crossing his arms. "You know about the quest, right?" He asked her.
She nodded, "I know it's big, and it's here, and it's coming soon." She let out a sly grin, "And I know they've probably already convinced you to do it."
He closed his eyes and smiled, dropping his head slightly. "Am I really so predictable."
"Nope, just noble, and heroic, and selfless." She answered. He slowly nodded, vacantly staring at his food.
"Zoe..." He began.
"Yes?" She answered.
"I don't want you to come on this quest." He said, his gaze now hardened and staring right into her eyes.
She narrowed her own gaze, leaning back into her seat away from him, "Why not?"
He felt his chest tighten, and his breath hitch. "Because the last time we went on a quest together, I had to watch you die." He said, his voice barely louder than a whisper, "And that was before I... before I felt how I do now."
He ran his hand across the back of his head, taking a deep breath. "I've been doing research, on Ragnarok, on all this Norse stuff..." He looked at her, his face tight with concern,
"...It's dangerous, Zoe. More dangerous than anything either of us have ever faced, and if something happened to you, if you..." He closed his eyes, pulling his lips into a firm line as they quivered slightly, before his face loosened and he looked at her again,
"...I don't think I could go through something like that again. Not with you. Not with everything we have here."
She was silent for a moment, taking in what he said. He went back to staring at his food, his eyes glazed over in thought, trying their best to hide an emotion that she knew he was feeling.
Fear. Fear that he'd lose her.
She reached over and wrapped her hand around his, pulling him out of his head as he turned to look at her. She had a soft glint in her eye as she ran her thumb over his hand, a soft smile across her lips.
"Y'know, the same thing goes for you, dummy." She said, "This is the first time I've ever felt this way about anyone, man or woman. Imagine how I'd feel if you died while I was sitting in my house, watching Mr. Bean alone."
He felt himself laugh at that, beaming a smile at her. His chest stopped hurting and his throat loosened. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Well... you're still at least good with a bow, right?" He asked her, she gave him a steely glare.
"You've seen my fridge, Jackson. I think you know the answer to that question."
He smiled at her, plucking a piece of bacon off his plate and taking a bite out of it.
"Well then." He said, turning back to her, "I spent most of my youth crossing the country surviving off bags of Oreos, how about we prepare properly this time?"
For a town so small and so cut off, Hammer falls had one of the most insane outdoor shops he'd ever seen.
To be fair, it made sense. It was a small town, at the foot of a mountain and the mouth of a lake, and people had quite a bit of free time. You could either spend that free time on the lake or on the mountain, and with how cold it got on the water 90% of the year only freaks (like Erik) chose fishing as their hobby. No, most people hiked, or camped, or both.
Still though, the size of the outdoors shop never ceased to amaze Percy. It was massive, a good three stories of traditional lumber crafted perfection. The inside had been designed to look like a ski chalet, with open framing on the roof and simple pine tree lumber panels on the walls. The inside of the store was lit by chandeliers and light fixtures that hung overhead and it gave off a cozy atmosphere. Percy almost had the idea to start a fire and pitch a tent in the store.
Almost.
It was stuffed with different outdoorsy things for sale. There were tents, sleeping bags, gas stoves, hammocks, pocket knives, archery sets, hell, there were even a couple snowmobiles against the back wall. The place oozed a lifestyle and passion that Percy was a little guilty to say he'd ignored during most of his stay here. Zoe, on the other hand, was right at home.
She marched into the store with all the confidence in the world as she guided him through the racks, having made him grab a shopping cart and was busy tossing all sorts of things in. Backpacks, knives, water bottles, gas stoves, a tent, sleeping bags, everything and anything they could possibly need she threw in the cart. They made their way up to the archery wall and he saw her get a little shine in her eye.
There was a bow on the wall, and even with how bad Percy was at anything that had to do with archery, he knew this one was something serious. She looked up at it, her eyes glistening over as she took it in. It was a beautiful thing, an ornate creation of lumber and metal detailing. It had a slender tips with a widened, thick shaft that narrowed into a smooth, beautifully ergonomic grip. The strings were silver, and just about glowed in the light of the shop. Zoe turned to him, grabbing his hand and pointing at the bow with her other one.
"I need that." She told him, her tone as firm as steel.
He rubbed the back of his head with his hand, "Don't you already have a bow." He asked her.
She frowned, "Yes, I do, but that one..." She said, her eyes glazing over as she gazed at it, "...I need it."
Percy sighed as he glanced at the bow, squinting at the price tag. He nearly choked when he made it out.
The thing was nearly five thousand dollars.
He turned to Zoe with a mix of horror and astonishment on his face but she was still transfixed on the bow. He sighed, and rang the bell on the counter, hearing a female voice with a ridiculously thick Nordic accent say "I'll be with you shortly." From the back. He wasn't really expecting what he saw when the lady came out.
She was gigantic. Not gigantic like, wow, she should be in the WNBA, no, gigantic like she had to duck under the door frame gigantic. This woman looked like something out of a movie. She was talk, taller than Erik even, with massive thighs, gigantic shoulders, and arms that made Percy seriously consider if he needed to start weightlifting. She was also, well... buxom, if Percy could be so polite. What he's sure someone like Their would describe as a monument of fertility or something. She had on a pair of what he assumed were XXXXXL cargo pants and a tight fitting Burton t shirt. She had piercing blue eyes and deep red hair that was braided into two dutch braids that laid in front of her shoulders. She was beautiful too, strikingly so, with a sharp chin, narrow nose, sharply arched red eyebrows, and rosy and ever so slightly puffy cheeks. She looked like some terrifying Nordic amazonian warrior woman.
The woman stepped forward, towering over Percy who pretty audibly gulped as she did. Zoe didn't really have a reaction, she just had her eyes locked on the bow.
"How may I help you." The woman asked with her thick accent, her voice almost sounding sweet and kind if not for the fact that it nearly shook the windows around them.
"Uh, hi..." Percy got out, "We were wondering if that one's still for sale." He said, pointing at the bow that sat on the wall. Percy glanced at her nametag and felt a memory skitter across his mind.
Skadi, why was that so familiar?
The woman turned to the bow and her lips spread into a smile. She reached up, well not really up and more just forward, to the top of the stand and plucked the bow off. She held it in front of them.
"Do you mean this one?" She asked, her thumb lightly plucking the string, "This is a traditional hunting bow, meant for... how do you say? Collectors? It's a bit, eh, how do you say? Out of the date." She said, as she lowered the bow to the counter. Zoe lifted it into her hands, as gently as she could. Percy could feel the smile spread across her face as she did, clutching the bow as she drew back the string, testing it's weight. She ran her hand along the frame of the bow, as if memorizing every little detail, her eyes transfixed on the weapon. Percy almost felt an embarrassing pang of jealousy at how she looked at the bow. He didn't think she even looked at him like that...
"She's a beautiful weapon though, despite her age." Skadi continued, "We have a test range in the back if you'd like to take a few shots, just for practice." She told Zoe.
Zoe's eyes lit up like fireworks. She hefted the bow, and shot Percy a smile, before she jogged around the corner to the back. Percy smiled and moved to follow her before a massive hand came down into his shoulder, quite literally holding him in place.
"Not so fast there, hero." The woman spoke, her voice now much more serious. Percy froze, and felt his mouth tighten, suddenly remembering why her name was so familiar. He turned to the woman, who now had a firm, observant look in her face, almost as if she was sizing him up and breaking him down.
"So..." He said, "You're Skadi. The Skadi, right?" He asked, as a smile spread across the massive woman's face.
"Been doing your research, I see? Aye, I be she." The woman said, nodding a slight bow to Percy.
"You're a goddess, right? Or a Jötuun?" Percy asked as the woman took her baseball mitt of a hand off his shoulder. "I'm not too sure honestly, haven't been keeping up on my Norse homework to be honest."
The woman raised her eyebrows, "I'm a bit of both, let's say. I am a Jötuun, but due to some... complications, I am also a goddess. It's along story though..." She said with a chuckle, before her eyes turned serious, "...But not the story that concerns us now, eh?"
Percy nodded, "Ragnarok." He said.
The woman crossed her arms, her sleeves bulging as Percy suddenly felt a few sizes smaller than he was. "Aye, the great hound stirs, as Thor most likely put it. I've been made aware of our particular situation and am aware of who you are and what you need. Luckily, you've cane to the right place." She said, gesturing out with her hands.
"I'd imagine." Percy replied, "You're the goddess of... well a lot of things if I remember correctly."
Skadi beamed a perfectly white smile at him. "Archery, skiing, winter and mountains. Makes a bit of sense that I'd own this place, eh?" She said, leaning against the roof beams.
"I'd imagine." Percy said, glancing over at the door Zoe had left out. Skadi followed his gaze, smiling as she did.
"A friend of yours, Perseus Jackson? Or something more?" She asked.
"It's just Percy," He replied, "And... well we haven't really decided what we are yet, me and her." He admitted, rubbing his hand across the back of his head.
The goddess leaned her head back and let out a hearty laugh, "Oh, my dear boy, you are in love. It's painted across your face clearer than when Sif first laid eyes on Thor." She said, drawing a blush from Percy. She let out a soft smile at his reaction. "Oh I wouldn't worry either. If she's willing to face Ragnarok with you, then her love is surely strong and her heart surely pure."
"Well, thank you..." Percy said, fishing his wallet out, "So, do you guys take credit? Because I'm not too certain I can pay it off if I die on this quest, so-"
"It's free, all if it." The goddess replied, drawing an open jaw from Percy. She raised her hand, giving him a smile. "For the saviour of Asgard? I'd expect no less from the rest of my brethren to damn me to Hel for making you pay a cent..." She said, before leaning towards him, "...That includes the bow your lover has taken a liking to." She added with a wink.
Percy's jaw somehow dropped further. "That? The bow? But, but it's so... expensive." He said, years of borderline poverty from his youth really adding to the amazement at this woman's generosity.
She shook her head with a smile. "That's because it's mine. Or was, at least, one of the many bows I used. It has fallen many a beast, and, considering how many arrows I've felt her let fly into bullseye's, I'm assuming will fell many more in your hands." She said. Percy raised his eyebrows.
"I don't think I've ever met a goddess so... generous before." He said, "Thank you."
"No need, just promise me one thing." She said, "When the time comes? Have your lover lay an arrow through the great hounds heart." She rolled her shoulders, stretching them with impossibly loud cracks, "I have a great feeling in my bones that that weapon may have a place in this prophecy."
It didn't take long for Percy to explain to Zoe why they walked out of the store with thousands of dollars of supplies for free. A goddess ran the store, she knew what they were doing. That wasn't surprising, to be fair. What was surprising was when Zoe went back in and wrapped her arms around the goddess in a massive hug, before essentially smothering her with questions.
Percy didn't feel it was appropriate to eavesdrop on their conversation, but from Zoe's body language and love of bow hunting he got the feeling that meeting a goddess of archery was a bit of a big deal for her.
What didn't seem to be a big deal to her was getting lunch, despite Percy's insistence that they go to his favourite spot.
Astrid's was a bit more active than it normally was when Percy visited, and Percy found a bit of happiness in finally learning that his favourite restaurant was as popular as he hoped. He and Zoe took seats at the counter, having left most of their supplies in Percy's truck, but with Zoe keeping the bow slung over her shoulder. Percy knew Astrid wouldn't mind, hunters came in here all the time from what she'd said, so a girl with an ancient looking bow? Who cares.
They took their seats at the booth, with Zoe grabbing a menu and Percy having the thing memorized by heart. They quietly discussed their quest, about as well as they could've considering they still didn't know where it was. Their conversation got cut short when Astrid eventually made their way over to them with a bigger smile than Percy had ever seen on her face.
"Percy, lovely to see you here in the afternoon." She said, before turning to Zoe, "And who might this be?" She asked, sliding her hand over to give Zoe's a tight squeeze.
Percy smiled, "Nice to see you too auntie, and this is Zoe, my..." He trailed off and felt his mouth hang open as he came to what he could only describe as a mental checkpoint: his what? Girlfriend? They hadn't really discussed that and he wasn't too sure if Zoe would be comfortable being that public just yet. Friend? No, friends don't spend an entire Saturday night making out half naked in someone's bed. He certainly wasn't gonna call her his lover, ESPECIALLY not in front of auntie. Luckily, Zoe gave Astrid a smile and saved his ass.
"I'm Zoe, Zoe Nightshade, and we're... involved, let's say." She said, laying a hand on Percy's shoulder. He let out a deep breath and made sure Zoe could tell, a silent thank you.
Astrid clapped her hands together, before placing them on her hips and giving Percy a firm stare. "Well it's about damn time, young man. For goodness sakes, I had half a mind to think you didn't even like girls, not that there's anything wrong with that of course." She said, before whipping out a notepad. "So, I'll take it the usual for you, Percy, and for your lovely lady?"
Zoe let out a sly grin, her eyes quickly dart over the menu. "Venison and eggs, please."
Astrid scribbled them down and went off to the kitchen, a smile on her face so wide you'd think Percy had just told her he cured cancer.
Percy let out strained laughter as he turned to Zoe with a cocked eyebrow, "... we're involved?" He asked her.
She lightly punched his arm, "Well what was I supposed to say? You're my boyfriend or something?"
He raised his eyebrows, turning back forward. "I'd have taken boyfriend."
For a moment, he thought he'd went too far, that he'd gone and tried to force something in her that she wasn't ready for, silently cursing himself for it. His worried melted though when he felt her hand slip into his, he turned back to find her staring at him, an intense look of thought in her eyes.
"Do you really mean it?" She asked him.
He gave her hand a squeeze, and shot her a smile. "You're all I've fucking got, remember?"
She smiled back with a slight blush and out her head on his shoulder. "Percy Jackson, my boyfriend. I could get used to that."
He laid his own head on top of hers. "Zoe Nightshade, my girlfriend. I could get used to that, too."
They sat like that for a moment before a familiar voice behind them roused them from their lovestruck stupor. "Not even the goddess Freyja could orchestrate a tale so sweet."
Percy cocked his head over his shoulder with a slight groan, ",Way to ruin a moment there, Mr. T."
The thunder god let out a laugh before taking a seat next to Percy, the stool groaning under his weight. He shot a look at Zoe, who had a calculating eye on him. He stuck his hand out to her. "Greetings, you must be Zoe Nightshade, I've heard none but great things about you! I am Thor, god of thunder."
Zoe tentatively shook the God's hand. "I know, we've met."
Thor cocked an eyebrow, "Aye? I do not recall ever meeting you miss."
"You wouldn't have." Zoe said, "It was thousands of years ago, and you were quite drunk."
The thunder god ran a thoughtful hand over his beard. "Well I must say you've aged much better than I have. Though, I'd imagine if you met me that long ago..." His face spread into a grin, "you were one of Artemis' maidens, aye?"
Zoe nodded, "For a time, yes."
Thor drew his lips back into a straight line. "If I recall part of the deal with her is eternal maidenhood. Considering your company I'd imagine that is not the case?"
Zoe's cheeks reddened a bit at his words. "At this time, no."
Percy took note of her words, at this time, and blushed all his own.
Thor cracked his knuckles as he continued. "So, I've been recounting the events of the last few days and I've found myself to have been rather foolish lazy with some information. Notably, do you two know where your quest is, or even what it is?"
They both shook their heads.
The thunder god smiled, turning behind them, and pointing through the window of the diner, to the massive mountain that the town laid at the foot of.
"There. On the mountain, that is where your quest lies." He said, "As for the content of this quest, I can say only this..." He cleared his throat, holding up his hand as if ready to give a great speech, "The great hound stirs, old foes seek to awaken him, their deaths will prevent Ragnarok."
Percy let his mouth fall open, a gormless expression across his face.
"That's it? That's your guys prophecy?"
Thor shrugged, "More or less. Again, ours don't rhyme, and they're thousands of years old. Things get lost in translation, they always do."
Zoe piped in when Percy couldn't get out a response. "I like it." She said, "Straight to the point and easy to understand. There's a bad guy, kill him."
Thor smiled, and nudged Percy with his elbow. "I like this one, an excellent choice Perseus. Your children will certainly be fearless warriors."
Percy nearly choked on his water and Zoe's fave turned near-crimson. Thor let out a mighty laugh and clasped his hand on Percy's shoulder, giving the young man a warm smile.
Thor opened his mouth to speak again when someone suddenly caught his eye. He turned to the kitchen doors as Astrid stepped through them. She met his gaze, hers steeling for a moment, before settling as she walked to the counter with Percy's pancakes and Zoe's meal, placing them in front of either of them. She turned to Thor, who had for some reason gone pale.
"Percy, Zoe..." She asked, arms crossed, "What is he doing here?"
"Uh, auntie..." Percy began, "This is-"
"I know who this is, Percy. I want to know what he's doing here." Astrid said, still glaring at the god. Percy turned to Thor, who almost looked... nervous?
"Well?" Astrid asked, "I'd like to know what made you show your face in here again." She said to Thor, as if the man wasn't more than another customer.
Thor nervously wrung his hands and shifted in his seat, Percy decided it was time to interject.
"Astrid, do you know him?" He asked, face wrought with concern. Astrid turned to Percy, her expression softening as she did. She let out a huff and frowned at the old god, who still looked uncomfortable.
"Well of course I do." She said, "He's my dad."