The Following Week, Wednesday

There was something strange about meeting your girlfriend's father for the second time. It was nerve wracking enough the first time, but by this point her father was sure to have formed an opinion already, and Percy didn't know if he could change it very quickly.

Not only that, but it seemed that Percy wasn't the only one visiting for dinner. There was another man sitting at the dining table talking to Zoë's dad, one that he hadn't met before. He was thin, with some muscle poking through the suit. He had a beard that came down to one point. His black hair was curly, contrasting his tan skin. His eyes though, they were golden, and they shined with cruelty. They looked timeless, like they had seen centuries of history unfold. It unnerved Percy.

When the man laid eyes on Percy, he seemed to be disgusted for a second. Though the next second the look was gone, and back to talking with Zoë's dad. Percy attributed it to a trick of the light.

Zoë stood on the stairs, waiting for him. She looked like she was having an internal argument with herself. Then she looked at Percy and she looked genuinely happy. She waved at him to follow her. "Percy and I are going upstairs." She yelled.

"NO FUNNY BUSINESS!" Her dad yelled from the dining room.

He followed her up the stairs and down the hallway to her room. They walked into her room, and Percy looked around. Her bed was pushed into the far corner. It was neatly made, with a silver comforter. A 100 headed dragon plush sat next to the pillow. A desk stood in the opposite corner, a chair touching the foot board of the bed. The desk was clean, with a computer, monitor and a golden apple being the only objects on it.

A door was open next to the desk. The light was on, and Percy was able to see it was a bathroom. A first aid kit hung on the wall.

Zoë sat on her bed. She gestured to the chair by the desk. Percy sat in it.

"Can you open the drawer?" She asked.

Percy opened the drawer of the desk. Inside was a bag of candy. He pulled it out. "Is this what you want?"

"Yeah, toss me a Kit Kat, please?"

Percy dug in the bag and pulled out the chocolate. He tossed one to her and she caught it.

"Aren't we about to eat dinner?"

"Yeah, but I'm hungry." She said, picking up the dragon plush. She turned it to make it stare at Percy.

"Does it have a name?" He asked.

"Ladon."

"Like the dragon in Greek Mythology?"

"The very same."

There was an awkward silence, as both of them didn't know what to say. Percy started to spin in the chair, making himself dizzy. Eventually he had to stop.

"Do you have games on your computer?"

Zoë shook her head. "It's for schoolwork."

"That's boring." He said.

She laughed. "Well, at least I do mine, 'Mr. I got a 35 on my math test'.

Percy blushed. "I was busy!"

"Doing what?"

"Uh... uh." Percy didn't really have a lie ready.

"Don't tell me it's because you were jacking off." Zoë said, an eyebrow raised.

Percy turned redder. "No, it's because, I was, uh." He sighed. "I was helping my mom make cookies." He said, finally thinking of a lie.

"What kind?"

"Chocolate chip. My mom also makes them blue."

"Why?"

"Well, a while back, my mom married this asshole, Gabe. Smelled as good as cat piss. He was a douche, and an all around terrible dude. One day, he said blue food doesn't exist. He was an idiot, considering the fact that blueberries exist. Anyway, my mom went out of her way to make as much blue food as possible. And then it just kinda stuck."

"Is that why you sometimes have blue cookies in your backpack?"

Percy nodded.

"What ever happened to him?"

"Who?"

"Gabe."

"Ah, well, one day he just disappeared. He never signed any divorce papers, so I think my mom is still married to him. Not like we're eager to find out either way. Hope I never see him again."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, before they were called down for dinner, since it was ready.

The unknown man in the suit was still in the dining room. The rest of Zoë's family was already sitting there too. Percy and Zoë sat down. A stew sat in front of each person.

"Ah, Percy, I don't think you've met Detective Kronos. Detective Kronos, this is Percy Jackson."

"Pleasure to meet you." The detective said.

"Uh, you too."

"Detective Kronos is helping us catch Seastorm."

"Uh, no offense, but how is one detective going to help?" Percy asked.

"Well, he is from the FBI. And those guys are good." Zoë's dad said.

"So, what leads do you guys have?"

Kronos cleared his throat. "Well, we know he's an amateur, who's assaulting civilians in the dead of night. He's clumsy, he leaves clues. He's dangerous."

"He... he's assaulting people?" Percy asked. "I'm not sure, I mean, I saw a video, the one with the car thief and I... I think most people would say that... that he's providing a public service."

"Well, most people would be wrong." Mr. Nightshade said. "If I wanted the car thief off the street, he'd already be off the street."

"So, why wasn't he?"

Zoë laughed uncomfortably.

"See, the car thief was leading us to the people who run the entire operation. It was a six month long sting. It's called strategy, I'm sure you've heard about it, probably in school. Okay?"

"Well, obviously he didn't know you had a plan."

"You seem to know enough about this case. Is there something we don't know? I mean, who's side are you on here?"

"I'm telling you, I saw the video on the internet."

"You saw the video on the internet. Well, then the case is closed."

"No, I'm just saying, if you watch the video, I'll send you a link, it looks like-"

Mr. Nightshade interrupted Percy. "I mean yeah, sure, on the internet he's being made out like a hero."

"No, no, I'm not saying he's a hero, he's not a hero at all."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying he's trying to help. Looks like he's trying to do something the police can't."

"Something the police can't?!"

"I don't know."

"What do you think we do all day? Think we just sit around eating donuts, thumbs planted firmly up our asses?!"

"Atlas!" Mrs. Nightshade said.

"I think he stands for what you stand for, sir. Protecting innocent people from bad guys."

"We stand for law and order. That's what I stand for. I wear a badge, that guy wears a mask, like a, like a, like an outlaw. He's hunting down a bunch of criminals, like he has some personal vendetta. But he's not protecting innocent people, Mr. Jackson."

"Dad." Zoë said, getting up.

"Look, I'm sorry if I disrespected you, Mr. Nightshade. I feel like us having different views got out of hand." Percy said, trying to be respectful.

Mr. Nightshade stared at Percy, trying to see if he was genuine. His eyes narrowed at him. "Yeah, sure it did."

Kronos seemed to be enjoying himself. "Well, that was eventful."

"I'm going to take Percy upstairs." Zoë said.

"Okay, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." He said, .

Percy got up, and Zoë escorted him upstairs. Once they were in her room, she closed the door. She turned around and looked at him.

"Okay, what the fuck was that?"

"Uh, politics?"

Zoë seemed to process his answer. "I mean you're not wrong, but still. That, THAT downstairs, that was not good at all. We want him to like you."

Percy sighed. "I know, I know, it's just, different views."

"You seem to have a personal stake in this."

"What do you mean?"

"You were quite defensive."

"I don't think I was."

"Uh, huh."

They were silent, before Percy spoke up. "So, you wanna go see a movie Saturday?"

"I can't, I have a job interview that day."

"Oh, damn."

"Yeah, I want to start saving up money. Get my own place."

"Why?"

She gestured to the floor."

"The carpet?" He asked.

"No, my dad. He's just... hard to live with. And if I lived on my own, well, you could swing by more often."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." She said, stepping closer to him.

"That sounds nice." He said, before leaning down and kissing her.

They kissed for a couple of seconds, before separating. "Hey, what time is it?" He asked.

Zoë pulled out her phone. "8:30. Why?"

"Mom wants me home by 9. I gotta go." Percy said, not lying this time.

He moved to the door. Zoë walked him out and downstairs.

Right before he left their porch, he turned to her. "Thanks for having me. And tell your dad I said sorry again. And, good luck on the interview."

"You're saying it like you'll never see me again."

"Well, a lot could happen between now and tomorrow. Might as well get it out now."

Zoë nodded. "Thanks. Worst part is that I'm gonna have to take the train to the place. Dad needs the car that day."

"Ugh, having to take the train sucks. Try not to get HIV or whatever else festers under the seats."

Zoë laughed. "Will do. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." He said, before walking to the car, getting in, and driving off.

A/N. Alright, so I was supposed to write the next RotDA chapter, but I did this instead. Why? Because fuck you, that's why. In all seriousness, I love the plot of this story a lot, and I really want to get it out.

So, this chapter saw the second dinner, and an argument started. In case you didn't catch it, I took the argument from The Amazing Spider-Man. So yeah, that's why it was better than what I usually write.

Thanks once again to Zaeng_ for betaing this chapter. (I'm gonna keep thanking you and there is nothing you can do about it.)

Thoughts?