Happy New Year, folks. As a celebration, part 2 is here! The conclusion to this tale is at hand. Thank you for the responses to the first one, and I hope I don't disappoint with the second installment.
Also, just reminding you all, the Aphrodite in this fic is radically different from the one I portray in 'Road to Tranquility'. Don't expect any of these characteristics to transfer over.
He stood on the Argo II, watching as the armadas of Greece and Rome clashed while monsters milled about, clearly waiting for the troops to whittle each other down to numbers they could manage without much difficulty.
He could see the earth trembling, multiple clumps slowly coalescing together. Those on the surface couldn't see exactly what was happening due to the massive scale, but he had no problem. Gaea was finally rising.
He risked a glance towards the others. All of them were heavily battered, with varying levels of injuries. However, the two most significant ones were Leo and Hazel. The young daughter of Pluto was slumped against the railing, her right arm hanging limply by her side. He didn't need to be a medic in order to tell that something was broken. Leo, on the other hand, had a deep gash running along his cheek. Both of those still had a little blood flowing from them, but the damage was already done. Enough blood had been spilled to awaken the Earth Mother once again.
However, they still had time. Since she was so powerful, it took time for her to gather her essence in one place after awakening from millennia of slumber. They had been lucky for once. The injuries were sustained near the end of the battle, allowing the gods enough time to regroup. Sadly, they had expended quite a bit of energy against the giants, and definitely needed time to recuperate. In a last-ditch effort, Zeus had flung the Argo II towards the camp, with the seven hanging on for dear life.
He allowed his eyes to wander across the battlefield, trying to spot any possible opening for them to exploit. At the moment, it seemed as if the entire hill was overrun by demigods and monsters. There was no separation between either camp, depriving them of an opportunity to break it up.
A quick flash of motion made itself known a fair distance from all of the chaos. His gaze instantly shifted over, along with the other six. From the shadows, he saw two figures emerge, along with...
His jaw almost dropped. Nico did it. He actually managed to do it. The Athena Parthenos gleamed in the sunlight, standing tall and proud in the face of the surrounding mayhem. Its sudden appearance was enough to attract the attention of all the forces arrayed on Half-Blood Hill, causing the previous commotion to die down a bit.
He watched as Reyna stepped forward. "Romans! I have brought this statue as a symbol of the peace that can be formed between us and our Greek brethren. Abandon this petty squabble! Gaea is rising. We need to work together if we stand a hope of defeating this threat."
Octavian matched her motion, moving over to some clear ground. Percy felt a small thrill of fear go up his spine. While he may hate the bastard, he knew that the legacy of Apollo had a way with words. The situation could easily spiral out of control if he was allowed to speak.
The augur spread his arms, gesturing to those around him. "Do not listen to the outcast. We must cleanse the earth of these Greek scum. Only then will we be able to return the gods to their true glory. I command thee, leave at..."
His speech was interrupted by a wet gurgle as one of the monsters, who he firmly believed had allied with him, slipped a dagger between his ribs. Octavian's eyes went wide, before he slowly toppled, his slim figure hitting the ground with a soft thump.
The Romans stood frozen for a moment, before a roar began to resonate from amongst the ranks. The legion instantly moved, integrating themselves with the Greek force. Percy could see that the enmity was still present, but both of them were faced with a common foe that was simply too large to tackle on their own.
"Leo, lower the ship! Angle it towards Reyna and Nico." The skinny mechanic gave Percy a quick look before forcing the ship into a semi-controlled descent. They slowly touched down on the grass, allowing him to vault over the edge, racing off to check on his cousin and the woman with whom he had served the whole of one day as co-praetor.
"What took you both so long? I thought you would have arrived long before we did." He grabbed hold of Nico's shoulder, steading the son of Hades as he stumbled. He could tell that the young demigod had expended a ridiculous amount of energy, almost to the point of him losing his own life. There was no need to risk it anymore.
Reyna replied instead. "We were accosted on the way. Orion was there."
Percy froze at the name. He may be less knowledgeable about the myths than Annabeth, but he would always recognize the name of that bastard who dared call himself a son of the Sea. "Were the hunters with you."
Reyna nodded. "Yes. I don't think we would have made it out if it weren't for them."
"Are they alright?" He had to know. There was no way he could enter the battlefield while still in the dark.
Reyna's eyes darkened, sending a flash of dread through his very soul. "Orion hit them hard. Most of them were slain in battle." She shook her head in regret.
"Thalia? Is she alive?" The words barely made their way out of his mouth. He felt as if Gaea was already causing the Earth to sway beneath him.
A small look of confusion made itself known on the daughter of Bellona's face, but she replied quickly. "I don't know, Percy. I'm sorry. The chances didn't look promising by the time I left."
Time itself seemed to freeze, and at a scale even Kronos himself couldn't hope to attain. The sound of battle faded away, leaving him in his own little world. He turned around, his eyes landing on the still forming body of the being that had torn her away from him. He could faintly hear the others try to call out to him, but they were little more than an annoying buzz in his ears.
He felt someone place their hand on his arm in a calming manner, but he simply shrugged it off. He knew the touch, but it wasn't her. Her would never feel it again, all due to the actions of the only other being he could see.
His body shook uncontrollably, yet he paid it no mind. His grip on his sword was almost crushing. He hadn't even realized that he'd drawn it, but it didn't matter. Nothing did.
A wild, almost demonic cry tore from his lips, causing those around him to take a step back in shock. Even the battle slowed down in response to the animalistic sound, the combatants shrinking away due to the raw pain and rage present in the voice. Their eyes instantly moved to locate the source, only to freeze in terror at what they beheld.
The winds whipped around him, slowly forming into a miniature hurricane. Those who had been present in the Battle of Manhattan recalled the time he had done something similar against Hyperion, but even that paled in comparison to the magnitude of the storm he whipped up. A pale green glow surrounded him, reminiscent of what Clarisse had in the very same battle against the drakon. But none of them had heard of anything similar happening to any son of Poseidon before. However, what truly drew their attention were his eyes.
The two orbs were glowing with power, having switched from their normal sea-green into a dangerous, almost acidic shade. The poisonous colour was trained on the slowly rising mound of earth with a burning intensity before he began to walk forward.
Demigods and monsters alike parted before him, none of them wishing to stand in his way. A few monsters tried their luck by charging headlong towards him, only to be dispatched by an icy spear thrust through their body. That was more than enough reason for the others to give him a wide berth.
He was around twenty yards away from the reforming primordial when he broke into a sprint, charging towards the rising spire of dirt and rock. Those closer to him could see the almost crazed gleam in his eyes, while he ran at a pace even children off Hermes would be hard-pressed to match. It was almost as if, in that moment, he had never fallen into Tartarus. In fact, they were certain he was stronger than they'd ever seen him.
Percy leapt towards the top of the mound, using the water in the air to boost his already impressive jump. He landed on a small outcrop nearly ten feet off the ground, before quickly scaling the rest of the way. However, before he could reach the top, he felt the surface warp below him. If he was still in control of his mental faculties, he would definitely have been worried, but the sole thought he harboured was of revenge.
Tendrils of earth circled around him, but he always broke through them with heavily pressurised bursts of water. There were moments when he was almost completely encased, but one firm stomp was enough to cause fractures to form throughout the body, allowing him to break free.
The deadly dance continued for a long while, and the demigods could notice that Percy was slowly becoming more and more sluggish. He took longer to respond, and each subsequent attack was weaker than the last.
The other six members of the prophecy rushed forward to help their friend, but were instantly engaged by a battalion of monsters. Reyna had her own problems to deal with as well, having to defend both herself and Nico from a constant barrage of attacks. The son of Hades was utterly exhausted from the continuous shadow-travelling, having slumped to the ground at the earliest opportunity. None of them would be able to provide any assistance.
However, Gaea also seemed to have slowed down a bit, although not to the extent Percy had. Some demigods were hoping that Percy could last long enough to wear her out, but the more experienced ones knew it wouldn't be the case. He was fighting on raw fury at the moment, and that could only take him so far, no matter how fiercely it burned.
Finally, the moment all of them dreaded came to pass. Percy's sword arm was caught in an immobilizing hold, the earth surrounding it hardening to an unbelievable degree. He struggled against it, but it was of no use. He was finally trapped, and there was nothing he could do.
A rumble filled the air as the dirt shifted. A small mound grow above the topmost layer of rocks, slowly shaping into a rough equivalent of a face. The eyes were closed, but no one could mistake the identity of the figure. Gaea had finally risen.
Percy watched helplessly as her body slowly solidified, losing the gritty texture that she earned from her earthy composition. Instead, she was slowly taking the appearance of a woman, her skin smoothing out while she lost a few rough edges, signifying her continuous journey into consciousness.
He could do nothing as she leaned towards him, her eyes still closed. "You fought well, Perseus Jackson. Alas, you fought for the wrong side. Now then, how may I punish your insolence? Should I go after that daughter of Athena you're so fond of? Or should I target the daughter of Zeus? If Orion didn't spare her, I can pull it out of the underworld as I please. The choice is yours."
White-hot fury blazed into being within his core. With a sudden burst of strength that took the Earth Mother by surprise, he wrenched his arm free of the cage it was placed in. That movement distracted Gaea, giving him the precious few seconds he needed to enact a desperate ploy.
He allowed a thick layer of water to pool itself below the body of the primordial. He may not have been the most attentive during his younger days or during the strategy meetings upon the Argo II, but he remembered enough to know that a primordial could only be beaten outside their domain. It was one of the main reasons why Kronos had ambushed Ouranos, and he hoped that it would work against Gaea.
He forced two blasts of water towards her feet, dislodging her hold on the ground. Both of them fell towards the ground, but Gaea seemed completely at ease.
"You can't hurt me, demigod. I am the Earth. You can never harm me while I'm here." Her lips drew in a sadistic grin, but instantly lost it when she felt her back come into contact with water.
"I know," said Percy. His voice was frighteningly calm, in complete contrast to his furious aura. It only served to unsettle those around him even more. "That's why I've done something extra."
The water began swirling around her, lifting her off the ground. He knew he couldn't maintain it for long. Gaea was ridiculously heavy due to her composition of rock and dirt. If he didn't end it within the next five minutes, there was no hope.
They were far enough from the ground for Gaea to be unable to use it to heal her. At long last, her eyes had opened, a dark forest-green in colour, but for once, they held faint traces of panic.
She tried to move around and squash him under her immense weight, but she was in his element now. He effortlessly avoided her attacks, and retaliated with twice the ferocity. He was slowly wearing her down, but he was tiring as well.
In a last ditch effort, he lifted Riptide above his head, thrusting it down to plunge into the space between her eyes. She screeched in pain, but he was heedless to her cries. Looking within himself, he searched for the source of his power. He needed every single drop available if he was to pull this off.
A light tremor built up around the entry point of the sword, slowly riding in intensity. Gaea could feel her physical form being torn apart by the violent quakes running through her. She tried to raise her hand in order to attack him, but he tied it down with even more water. She still wasn't at full power, and he was taking advantage of that fact to the fullest.
He saw fissures begin to erupt across her skin, and he knew what he had to do. The tug in his gut had reached a nearly excruciating level, but he still pushed forward.
A massive blast of water burst forth, originating from the sword in his hands. The liquid ripped through Gaea's battered body, effortlessly tearing apart the construct she had made for herself. She screamed in agony, feeling her mind slowly slip away from consciousness. A dull glow emanated from her chest, signifying that he was close to achieving his goal.
He finally had to give up, far too spent to continue. Black spots were dancing across the edge of his vision, slowly taking it over. Yet it didn't feel similar to how it did before he would pass out. He realized what was happening. He had extended himself far too much.
But he had done enough. Gaea's broken body had been pushed past its limits. She couldn't recover, especially since he was still somehow holding her up in the air. The previously dull glow was becoming harsher and harsher, while her voice was slowly fading away. Her eyes closed once more, signifying her return to another slumber.
He wanted to grin, but he felt a sudden surge of power come from her core. It pushed him backwards, but he still managed to keep her up, even though he could feel his grasp on consciousness slipping at an alarming rate.
The surges came, faster and more powerful with each repetition. Far too late, he realized what was about to happen. She may not have reached her fullest potential, but she still had more than enough power within for it to be released in a very explosive manner, and he was well within the blast radius.
The explosion tore through Gaea's already useless physical construct, reducing any remaining rock to fine dust. He only had enough time to see a nearly blinding flash of gold before the force threw him backwards, his control over the watery cocoon instantly shattering. He passed through the layer far too quickly for the liquid to revitalize him, and he knew that he wasn't going to survive. The two lines from the prophecy came to mind.
"To storm or fire the world must fall
An oath to keep with a final breath."
He was the son of Poseidon, the Storm-Bringer, and he had defeated the Earth-Mother. Since she was the earth, one could call her the world, and that would mean she had fallen to him, the storm.
And he remembered the promise he had made, to look after the other six. Over the course of the quest, they had become something like a family, and his vow had only strengthened over time. And here he was, sacrificing his life for them. In the end, it was a more than fair trade. In the end, Nike was correct. He had been among those present when she said one of them would die, but he was fine with it.
Still, he had one regret in his life. He had never told Thalia how he felt. One would have thought that after so long, he would have moved on, but he hadn't. If anything, his feelings had only grown as the years passed.
His head slowly turned to the side, noticing the horrified faces of the other demigods. The other six looked close to tears, while Nico looked just as broken as when Percy had told him about the death of his sister. Reyna looked saddened as well, but she hadn't known him for as long as the others.
His eyes moved over the field. A bit further on, he thought he could see a few silver clad figures race up the hillside. So the hunters are finally here, huh? He thought, almost feeling as if his fall was occurring in slow motion. He had far too much time to gather his thoughts, and he almost hated it.
He noticed just how paltry their numbers were. Through his slightly blurred vision, he would have guessed that there were ten at the most, but his attention was drawn towards their leader.
The tiara still rested upon her head, partly hidden by her spiky black hair. Her face was just as he remembered, regal yet having a hard edge. However, he somehow managed to notice her eyes, despite the distance and his blurring vision. The electric blue pierced his very soul, and he knew he would be satisfied if it were the last thing he ever saw.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. It didn't matter; he at least had to say it once. I love...
He crashed into the ground, driving the breath out of his lungs. The words died on his lips as he felt pain shoot through his body, lacing every single cell as it spiked. Blood dribbled out of his open mouth, and he knew he would never be able to complete his sentence.
His eyes closed of their own accord as his soul left his mortal shell. He knew that his time had come. As he breathed his last, he could faintly hear her scream reverberate in the background.
He didn't even need to wait in the lobby of DOA Recording Studios. The second he felt himself leave his body, he was standing before the River Styx. Surprisingly, it looked far less cluttered than the last time he'd seen in. In fact, it was almost perfectly clear, looking more like one of the rivers on the surface.
Something near the edge of his vision caught him. He turned, seeing something come floating down the river. As it drew closer, he noticed that it was a framed photograph. But it wasn't one he had ever seen. In the picture, Thalia was leaning against his shoulder, both of them having their arms wrapped around one another. The pure joy on their faces was something he hadn't achieved in a long while. In fact, he probably hadn't felt like that since she joined the hunters.
He looked around, searching for Charon's boat. He didn't have any drachmas on him, but he hoped that the ferryman would allow him to cross through considering his deeds for Olympus. However, neither he nor his boat were anywhere to be seen.
He opened his mouth, ready to call for him, when he felt a sharp tug in his gut. He turned around, frowning. Who could that be? I thought only Thanatos or Hades could touch the dead. He felt the insistent tug once more, but he tried to ignore it. It went silent for a moment, before an almighty heave pulled him backwards.
What in Hades? Who is... his thoughts were cut off as his surroundings blurred together. Somehow, he thought that he could see it lightening, but he figured it must have been a trick of his eyes. He felt himself reach a peak in his ascent, before suddenly barrelling towards the ground, his vision blackening once more.
His eyes shot open, feeling the soreness spread across his entire body. His vision was incredibly blurry, forcing him to shake his head in a vain attempt to clear it.
All around him, he could hear relieved cries as he was tackled by no less than seven demigods. His disorientated state prevented him from truly registering what happened for a moment, but after he felt the wetness spread across his shirt, he finally realized what had just happened. He had died. He had died, and been brought back to life by the physician's cure.
It took a moment for him to slowly get up, watching as the other six and Nico extricated themselves from him. The wetness in their eyes simply confirmed his guess that they had actually been crying. It melted his heart to realize just how much his 'death' had impacted them.
He tried to get up, but his legs felt like jelly beneath him. Instantly, he felt Jason hold him up from the side, Frank rushing to join him on the other. He allowed the two of them to take the brunt of his weight, still not having any control over his lower half. Not only was his body still reacting to the physician's cure, he also hadn't recovered any energy after his battle with Gaea.
His eyes trailed over the assembled demigods, noting their expressions. Most of them were looking at him with awe, although a few did harbour a slight hint of fear. After all, he was the one who had fought Kronos and now bested the Earth Mother herself.
However, only one person mattered. His eyes moved over to meet the electric blue of the lieutenant of Artemis. Thalia looked at him, a slightly relieved expression on her face. For one irrational moment, he was hurt that she wasn't close to him, especially since he had actually been dead for a moment. He shook the thought off. After all, he couldn't fault her. She probably didn't return his feelings at all, yet his traitorous heart would always remain in her hands.
He nodded towards her, receiving a courteous nod in response. He would be lying if he said that the curt reply didn't hurt him, but he managed to pass it off as simple exhaustion. No need to expand the topic. Ignoring the issue, he allowed the others to guide him towards the infirmary.
He was once again kneeling before the gods, having already seen his friends go before him. All of them had accepted godhood for their services, and were now sitting off to the side, holding their partners close while they awaited for the ceremony to take place to change their blood to ichor. It hurt his heart to see the love they held for each other, knowing that he had missed his chance to have something similar.
"Perseus Jackson," Zeus boomed, making him return his attention to the king of the gods. "Twice have you faced off against the enemies of Olympus, and twice have you managed to defeat the odds. Once again, the council is prepared to grant you the gift of godhood. Do you accept?"
He froze, hearing the buzz surrounding him slowly rise in volume. His mind was in overdrive, trying to think of an answer. He could easily choose immortality and then somehow bend the Ancient Laws to see Thalia more often. Apollo and Hermes did it often enough. But then again, there were some things more important than his own desires. Jason had already promised to work on giving the minor gods more representation from his new position, but he had to do something more important.
"I'm sorry, Lord Zeus. I appreciate that you offered it to me once again, but I must decline."
He saw the sky god turn red for a moment, clearly furious that he had the gall to refuse him for the second time. To his side, Poseidon looked saddened that his son was turning down immortality once more, but understood that he had a reason behind it. He would respect his son's wishes, and woe on anyone who dared say otherwise.
"And what would you request from us this time," enquired Zeus, still glowering at the sheer audacity of the demigod before him.
"My Lord, I request that both Hades and Hestia are given a throne on the council. After all, they are both children of Kronos, and two of the strongest gods. They would also provide much needed balance to the council."
Zeus considered the idea for the moment, but luckily noticed the look he was receiving from his brother and sisters on the council. He knew that if he refused, there would be Tartarus to pay.
"I agree to the demand," he finally ground out. "But it cannot be done before mortal eyes, so forgive me if I refuse to do it in front of you."
Percy ignored the slight venom in the last few words. Instead, he continued. "I also request that the camps be merged into one. The main reason Gaea was able to gain such a tight grip was due to the rule of separating Greeks and Romans. Placing them together would easily help avoid such conflicts in the future. Also, the Greeks deserve a city similar to New Rome."
Zeus narrowed his eyes, but couldn't do anything but agree with the demigod's demand. What he had done for Olympus was far too great for even him to ignore, despite how much he wished he could.
"Finally," continued Percy, "I request that you free the imprisoned peaceful Titans once more. I heard that Calypso was still imprisoned."
He remembered what Leo had told him about crashing onto Ogygia, and the time he spent there while trying to somehow make his way back. He had promised to free the daughter of Atlas, but had told her that his heart belonged to Annabeth. Percy hoped that once she was allowed to leave the island, she could finally settle down. He still felt the hurt that resonated within him due to her curse, but he had promised to free her as well. He wasn't going to break it, even if it pained him.
"You are pushing your luck, demigod," Zeus growled. "I will agree to it, but that will be the last thing granted to you. Now be gone! Hermes, ensure that the peaceful Titans know that they are free to leave."
Percy bowed his head once more, walking away from the council. He knew that the gods were about to organize a massive party in honour of their victory, but for the moment, he simply wanted some peace and quiet.
He was sitting on one of the multiple benches scattered throughout Olympus' massive gardens. In the distance, he could hear the thrum of music as the party continued through the night, everyone revelling in the sensation of having won against Gaea herself. Personally, he didn't want to stand around celebrating. They may have won, but it came at the cost of multiple demigods losing their lives for no reason while the Greeks and Romans were engaged in battle.
He knew his life was going to change. Hera may have called him the 'glue' that held the Greeks and Romans together, but now something much stronger would cement their ties. The familial bonds that were slowly being built up among the two factions would be far more powerful than anything he could do. He may have been the catalyst, but now he didn't have much more than a back-seat role.
Even with the other six, the relationship they had would most certainly change. They had made the choice to become gods, and he knew that they would be limited on how much they could interact. After all, they would soon receive domains that would take up the majority of their time. He knew that unlike some, his friends would take their roles seriously. In the end, their natures were both a blessing and a curse. He knew that Olympus now had six gods who would always respect their roles, but it also meant that he would become estranged from his family.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to hear the soft footfalls that approached him. He only realized that someone was next to him when he felt a warm hand envelope his own. He glanced up, not feeling too concerned. If it were an enemy, they most definitely wouldn't have been so delicate.
Sea-green met electric blue as he looked into the eyes of the person before him. His breath hitched in his throat as he saw her, emotions running amok within his chest.
"Hey, Kelp Head," she whispered. Unlike how it usually was between them, she sounded more concerned than teasing. "Are you alright?"
He was about to say he was, when he paused to really think about the question. He may not feel as terrible as he did a few days ago, but he still bore the scars of Tartarus, both physical and emotional. Added to that were his worries for what the future held, and at the forefront of them all, the feelings he had always suppressed about the demigoddess before him.
He sighed deeply, allowing his hand to slip out of her grasp. "I don't know, Thals," he admitted. "All I can say is that I'm healing, although it may take a long time before I'm back to normal."
She looked surprised, before her look of worry returned, even stronger than before. She had always heard him joke about a situation, and his sudden switch in attitude had completely blindsided her.
"What's happened to you, Percy?" he couldn't meet her eyes when she asked the question.
"I don't know," he replied honestly.
She shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "You know, all this time I thought you were going to get together with Annabeth, but when I return to camp, I find out that she's dating a scrawny son of Hephaestus while you've become far more closed off than before I joined the hunters. Why, Percy? Why do you never open up anymore?"
He opened his mouth, before closing it once more. He truly didn't know how he could answer that question. For a moment, he thought of simply letting it pass by him, but then he remembered the photo floating down the Styx. His one broken dream: being with her.
"I... I guess it had to do with you joining the hunters," he said, his voice dipping lower than before.
She rocked backwards, clearly shocked by his words. "What?"
He felt a burning urge to simply run away from the conversation, but he mustered as much courage as he possibly could, forging ahead.
"Thalia, I... I know I never said anything, and you always thought I was in love with Annabeth, but... she's always been like a sister to me. The fact of the matter is, I've always been in love with someone else."
"Who, Percy? And how could that possibly be related to me joining the..." her voice trailed off as realization struck her. Her lips moved soundlessly for a few moments, before she finally regained her voice.
"You... You were in love with me?"
"Not were, Thalia. I am in love with you, even to this day." He still couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. He was terrified of what they would say.
"I... I don't know what to say." He almost curled in on himself. He knew dropping it on her so suddenly would be a lot to absorb, but he was hoping to not get that particular response.
"I know it came out of nowhere, Thalia, but I had to say it. I couldn't go on knowing that I never got it off my chest." He finally lifted his eyes to meet hers, only to run in to a swirling storm of emotions. Try as he might, he couldn't even begin to decipher all of them.
Thalia abruptly stood up, still looking incredibly conflicted. "I... I'm sorry. I have to go."
She turned on her heel, quickly heading back towards the party, leaving him alone to his thoughts once more. He watched her receding figure, sitting stock still until she disappeared from sight.
The instant she was no longer visible, he dropped his head into his hands, desperately pulling his hair. He felt a scream begin to bubble within him, forcing him to shove a fist into his mouth in an attempt to block it out. Even so, a small part of it leaked past his guard, frightening even him with the amount of pain and hurt that laced it.
His scream lasted for as long as his lungs could sustain it, his throat feeling as if it had been torn to shreds. No matter what he did, his heart still felt as if it was being dipped in the Styx, except this time there was no mortal anchor to hold him.
He was trapped in his own little ball of misery when he heard someone approach. This time, he turned, his eyes showing the slight hints of madness brought about by Tartarus and his most recent heartbreak. Tears would come later, only after his mind had fully processed what had occurred.
Aphrodite slowly sat down next to him, her face a mask of sympathy. For once, he felt that she was being genuine in her feelings, the only other time being when she had talked to him right after Thalia had joined the hunt.
"Why does it hurt so much?" he whipped, his throat unable to voice anything louder after the torment he had put it through. He could finally feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes, his mind finally exiting the stage of denial before instantly moving on to grief.
"Love always hurts, Percy." Aphrodite sounded far more serious that he had ever heard her. "It doesn't matter what happens. Even if she accepted, there would always be a time where it hurts. It's a part of everyone's life. Even us gods are not exempt from it."
"I just want it to stop. Please, just make it stop." He was reduced to a begging mess, rocking back and forth as he tried to assert some semblance of control over himself. Try as he might, his heart was far too broken for him to care.
Aphrodite sighed, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "I wish I could Percy, but that would only make it worse. You need to move on by yourself. It's the only way you can recover."
"I'm sorry, Aphrodite, but I can't move on. I just can't. You know it better than anyone," he was babbling now, having lost what little filter he usually had.
Aphrodite sighed once more. "Yes, yes I do, Percy. And while I wish I could help, this is a battle you need to fight by yourself. I cannot be of assistance, though it pains me to say so. I wish you luck, Perseus Jackson."
She walked away, leaving him alone on the bench once more. He stayed there, grappling with himself for a long time, before finally moving towards the elevator when the sun finally began to dawn.
He was lounging on the couch, sipping a small bottle of blue Coke. His mother had shifted to a far nicer house following the success of her first book, but he had elected to still keep the old apartment. After all, it was where he had grown up, and one couldn't easily relinquish such memories.
He had just finished his first year of college. The workload had been intense for the past few months, especially since he had to cover up all the lost ground due to Hera's abduction, but in the end, he had managed to scrape by, joining New York University as a major in marine biology. He had originally planned on attending the college at New Rome until the new camp's construction was finished, since he hadn't expected that he would ever gain admission into NYU, but to his shock, he had somehow managed to get in.
A part of him thought it was due to his swim team record, but he had a sneaking suspicion that his father had a hand in it. After all, Poseidon was still furious at Hera for kidnapping his son and then locking away his memories with no prior warning. Still, he wasn't going to complain.
He looked around the apartment, feeling slightly hollow when he noticed just how desolate it looked. It seemed as if the life had been sucked out of the place once his mom had left, and he could do nothing that would even remotely restore the joy and liveliness she brought. The atmosphere only served to further sour his already dark mood, sending him spiralling down a path he was hoping to avoid.
A sudden knock at the jarred him out of his thoughts, making him slowly rise from his position on one of the chairs. He traversed the messy floor, noting that he had better do something about the scattered Coke bottles and dirty clothes lying about. He hoped the person on the other side didn't mind.
The knocking was more insistent when he finally reached the door. He slowly lifted the latch, wincing as the creak rang out. However, he heard a sigh from the other end, as if the person was thankful that he was finally there.
He slowly opened the door, only to freeze as he saw who stood on the other end. She looked no different from their previous encounter, while he definitely looked worse for wear. He may have regained most of the weight he lost while in Tartarus, but he still looked a little sickly, especially since his skin still hadn't returned to its original Mediterranean colouration. Instead, it looked almost pasty, an effect compounded by how little he stepped into the sunlight in recent times. Factor in the fact that he hadn't even bothered to shave his beard for a while, and he looked very similar to some of the homeless people he had seen on the street.
She, on the other hand, still had the almost ethereal glow of her skin still present. The tiara rested atop her raven-black hair as her eyes closed in a yawn. She still hadn't seen him at the door, probably figuring it was his mother.
"Sorry for coming by unannounced, Sally, but I was in the neighbourhood and thought that I'd just drop..." her sentence died out when she opened her eyes and saw who was standing on the other end of the door.
For a moment, both of them were silent. He was unable to say anything, his heart screaming in pain at the brutal reminder of their last encounter, while she looked slightly embarrassed to be trapped in such an awkward position.
"Oh... hello, Percy. Mind if I come in?" He could hear the discomfort in her voice, and almost winced when he realized that he had probably ruined even the friendship that had been built up between the two of them.
A part of him simply wanted to shut the door in her face, maybe let her experience a fraction of the pain he had been through, but the majority of him refused to stoop to such a level. Instead, he slowly moved to the side, allowing her to enter the apartment.
She gingerly stepped inside, one eye always on him as she walked. She slowly forged through the mess of bottles and clothes, with a few other miscellaneous items thrown into the mix.
"Really could use a clean up, don't you think," she said, a weak smile tugging at her lips. It was obvious that she was trying to diffuse the tension present in the room, but her attempts weren't working very well. Percy didn't respond, instead opting to simply sit down in his previous chair as Thalia chose a nearby recliner after brushing off a few stray chips, a small frown on her face.
She sat down before really looking at him, taking in his haggard appearance. "Percy, you look awful." It was a mark of just how bad the situation was that she didn't use any of his designated nicknames.
He simply grunted in response, not trusting himself to answer her. He turned his head, trying to signal that he didn't want to talk about it.
She didn't get the message, or if she did, she chose to thoroughly ignore it. "Seriously, Kelp Head, what are you doing to yourself? The place is a mess, and you look like you haven't been outside in months. Where's Sally? She would have never let you..."
"Mom's moved out," he said, cutting her off. "She could afford her own place now that her book is doing so well. I just stayed here since it's cheap and close to my university."
"That doesn't answer my question," replied Thalia, a little heated. "You haven't been taking care of yourself for gods know how long. Why, Percy? What happened?"
He was struggling to hold on, but at that moment, he simply snapped. "You, Thalia," he whispered, almost inaudible.
She spun around, her eyes suddenly boring into him with an intensity that had previously been absent. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I said you happened, Thalia." His voice was definitely louder now, but he could hear the tremble in it. He was rapidly approaching tears, and he had to get it out. "Do you know how much it hurt when I poured out my heart to you and all you did was run away? I didn't hold anything back! And you didn't even bother to give me a response."
He knew he was being irrational. Hades, he was pretty sure 'irrational' didn't even cover it. But there was no stopping him. Once the words began to flow, they weren't going to ebb anytime soon.
"I was in love with you since before the quest to save Artemis. I meant to tell you after we finished it, but then you had to go and join the gods damned hunters, didn't you? I didn't even get a chance before you went off with them, leaving me alone in the dust to pick up the pieces of my heart."
She reared black as if he had physically struck her. "I didn't know... I thought... you and Annabeth... but I was trying to escape the prophecy, Percy. You can at least understand that!" Her last few words held far more conviction than the rest of her sentence. She was latching onto the one point she could contest.
"And that meant I was the one it applied to," he almost roared, barely holding his voice down to acceptable levels. "Unlike you, I didn't have any place to go in order to escape. I had to face it head on!"
"You could have stayed with Calypso. Why didn't you? If you wanted to escape so badly, you should have taken the chance when you had it," she retorted.
This time, he was the one who staggered away. He could feel tears pricking his eyes, just as they had consistently done for over three months after their previous meeting on Olympus.
"I couldn't stay," he whispered. "I couldn't stay because I couldn't bear to live in a world where I knew I had doomed you to almost certain death simply due to my inaction. I loved you too much to stay on the side-lines, and look where that got me," he ended bitterly, hastily blinking his eyes.
She was looking even more troubled than before, but returned to her seat. In all the drama, he hadn't even noticed that she'd lost it in the first place. "How do I know that this isn't simply a bad joke? You could be pulling my leg, even if it's in horrible taste."
He almost felt like falling down in utter defeat. She thinks that I may be joking. Joking about being in love with her. What hope do I have?
Once again, the torrent of emotions came pouring out. This time around, he didn't even try to stop them. "You want proof? Guess who was my mortal anchor when I dived in the Styx? You. Who was the one person I could remember when Hera stripped me of my memories before dumping me in the Wolf House? You. The person I saw as I lay dying in Tartarus, all the curses from the arai affecting me? You. Don't believe me? I swear on the Styx that everything I said is true, with nothing twisted to sound different."
Thunder boomed in the background, but he remained standing. Thalia gaped for a moment, before suddenly shooting to her feet.
He could tell that she didn't have a clue as to what she should make of the sudden development. After all, she definitely hadn't expected anything of the sort when she entered his apartment.
"I... I have to..." she started, heading towards the door.
It was reminiscent of the time she had left the conversation on Olympus, but this time he wasn't going to let her get away so easily. Acting in pure desperation, he grabbed her arm, spinning her around.
"Percy, let go of me? What are you..." her words were cut short as he smashed his lips against hers, trying to convey the depth of his feelings for her. He didn't move for a long moment, desperately pushing all of his love into the kiss, yet she remained stock still.
Finally, he pulled back, hurt prominent in his eyes. He looked down at her, only to see the frightened look she had. It was almost exactly the same as what she looked like back when they had fought after the Capture the Flag game against the hunters. Once again, it was directed towards him.
He stumbled backwards, feeling the pain well up in his chest when he realized that he had forced her into a painful choice. She had to choose between him and the hunters. He knew the hunters had been her family for almost four years at that point, but then there he was, suddenly dumping all of that unnecessary baggage on her.
Thalia didn't know what to think. She knew that if she chose him, she would lose her partial immortality, and be forced to leave the group she had come to view as her own sisters. On the other hand, she knew enough about him to know that if she chose the hunt, he would blame himself for her choice, spiralling deeper into . It was an impossible decision.
She dashed towards the door, trying her best to run away from her problems for the moment. She was out so quickly that she missed his whispered apology.
"I'm so sorry."
He was simply lying on his bed, not having the energy to move. It had been a week since his previous meeting with Thalia, and he still couldn't pull himself out of the pit he'd dug himself into through his conduct during their talk. He knew that he had to start getting ready for his first semester which was starting in a couple days, but he simply didn't have the energy or drive to do so.
Through the crack of his bedroom door, he could see a bright flash of light emanating from the living room. He grimaced, knowing that some god had come looking for him, probably to ask for a favour. He winced, knowing that he hadn't done anything to clean up the room. He didn't care enough at the moment to do so.
He was slowly gearing himself up to leave the bed when the door crashed open, allowing a furious Artemis room to enter. He only had a moment to register his shock before she had him pinned up against the wall, a knife up against his throat.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slit your windpipe for what you did to my lieutenant," she hissed, her glowing silver orbs boring into him.
For the first time in a long while, he felt a trace of anger rear up within him. "What I did to her?" he croaked out. His voice was ragged from disuse for such a prolonged length of time. "It's more like what she did to me."
Artemis pushed the dagger closer to his Adam's apple, the edge grazing his skin. "Don't play coy with me, boy. I wouldn't need much of an invitation to end you right now. I don't care how Poseidon feels about it, no one hurts my hunters and gets away with it."
He knew he should have struggled more, somehow trying to get away with his life. But he didn't have any willpower to do so. He was still recovering from his experience in Tartarus and his battle with Gaea, so his water control was still far too weak for him to utilize. And after his conversation with Thalia, all of his drive had deserted him without a second thought.
All he did was dip his head in defeat. " Go ahead. It wouldn't matter anyways."
For the first time in his entire life, he saw Artemis look shocked. He was certain that he was the first to see the expression on her face in a very long time. If he was his usual self, he would have found it hilarious, but now, he simply noted it as if the were another boring occurrence.
The goddess slowly stumbled back, allowing him to slide down. He could sense the disbelief radiating off her being, but he was far too apathetic to care. A small part of him felt disappointed that she hadn't gone through with her threat. It would have made life a whole lot easier.
"Who are you? Perseus wouldn't accept defeat so quickly." Even in his state, he was mildly pleased to know that even the man-hating goddess knew of his determination, or at least, what he used to have.
"I assure you, Lady Artemis, it is me. You simply... caught me at a bad time." He hoped that she would simply let it be, but when had his prayers ever been answered?
She drew a chair, sitting down right next to his bed. He didn't even know where the chair had come from, but then again, she could have simply summoned it. She sat down, somehow managing to make him feel small despite being over almost a foot shorter than him. "Explain. Tell me what you did to my lieutenant, and don't you dare hold anything back."
He desperately wished that he could avoid the discussion, but he knew there was no feasible way he could. Sighing, he decided to explain everything that had happened, along with a bit of background information so that she would somehow understand his actions. Considering her past, his chances weren't looking good.
As he continued to talk, he kept his eyes away from her. He seemed to have developed a habit of not meeting people in the eye while discussing his feelings.
Soon, he found himself winding his story up.
"...and I just had to show her how much she meant to me. I knew it was an idiotic decision, but I couldn't help myself. I just had to kiss her, even if it was only the one time I could."
Artemis didn't move for a long while after he wrapped up. He felt a burning urge to ask her to respond, but he bit down, knowing that doing so would have a high likelihood of him becoming a small woodland animal.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.
"I do not appreciate how you informed her of your feelings, but I can sense that you're being sincere. For once, I will spare your life. The choice, however, rests in her hands alone. I will take your leave."
She flashed out once he closed his eyes, leaving him alone with his troubled thoughts.
The clock glowed a neon green, the eleven standing out against the darkness that surrounded him. He didn't even bother to stand up and turn on the lights. The absence of light accurately represented his mood.
Christmas had come and gone without much joy on his part. His mother and stepfather had wanted him to come over to their place, but he had declined, knowing that he would simply bring the mood down. Sally was hurt that he wasn't going to spend Christmas with family, but she understood that he needed his space at the moment. It was simply bad luck that it was right next to the holiday season.
The rest of his friends were still integrating themselves into the godly world, and he understood them being unable to come visit him for the moment. He didn't blame them, knowing that even a year wasn't enough to get used to such power.
He glanced over to the clock, seeing that he had been lost in his recollections for over forty minutes. There were barely fifteen minutes left until the clock struck midnight and the new year dawned.
He didn't even know why he was still awake. There was no reason for him to stay awake, especially since he had no plan of celebrating the event. He should have been catching up on all the sleep he had lost, yet for some reason, it still eluded him.
He heard a knock against his door, jolting him out of his thoughts. Another five minutes had passed while he was stuck within the confines of his mind. It seemed to be a recurring issue with him.
The knocking grew more insistent, making him get out of the chair with a disgruntled mutter. He flicked on the slight, squinting at the sudden brightness that surrounded him. He glanced around, pleased to notice that the room looked far cleaner than the last time he had visitors.
He moved towards the door, unlatching it only to hear the creak once more. He winced, reminding himself to oil the hinge in the near future.
He slowly peered outside the door, wondering who could be outside at such an ungodly hour. He didn't see anyone in the small sliver that was visible to him, so he pushed it open a bit further.
His breath caught as he saw her standing before him. Her hair was still just as spiky as he remembered it, but there was no tiara atop her head. Her clothes were once again her old punk-goth mix, with her classic 'Death to Barbie' shirt present.
However, she looked older than he remembered. She had joined the hunt the day before her sixteenth birthday, and it had been disconcerting to grow older while she remained the same. However, at that moment, she looked to be the exact same age he was.
"Thalia, what..." he began, utterly blindsided by her sudden appearance and age difference, before she cut him off.
"Percy, I need you to answer one question for me. If I leave the hunt for you, will you stay by me, or will you suddenly move on? Will you abandon me once I'm not a forbidden object anymore?"
He stood frozen, mouth wide open in shock. Why would she ever think I would do something like that? He almost began trembling, when he realized just where it had come from.
He knew she had been close to Luke in the past. A surge of jealously shot through him, but he pushed it down, knowing that it was over. She was afraid that he would turn out like the son of Hermes, breaking her trust and leaving her in the dirt.
Thalia watched his unmoving body and swirling eyes, waiting for a response. After a minute, she gave a small sigh, ready to leave. She could feel tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She had taken the plunge, but it seemed that she had been mistaken. Hades, she'd even agreed ta Artemis' offer of aging her up slightly, but look where that got her.
She had barely taken a single step before his calloused hand grabbed her, pulling her back. Only this time, he wrapped her in a crushing embrace, his face resting against the top of her head. Startled, she realized that her hair was slowly becoming wet. Wet with his tears.
"The gods themselves couldn't keep me away from you," he whispered. "No matter what, I'll always be with you. That is, if you'll have me."
He pulled back, meeting her eyes. Sea green and electric blue stared into one another, trying to gauge the other's reaction. Percy didn't know what to expect anymore. He was just praying that she would accept him.
Thalia, on the other hand, could see the insecurity present in his eyes, as if he were afraid that she would reject him. She recalled their previous two meetings, and it was possible that her responses could have easily been viewed that way. Not this time, however.
"Yes, Percy." Her voice was just as soft as his, but he could hear her perfectly. "I'm sorry it took this long, but I promise, I'm here to stay."
He sighed in relief, a look of pure joy entering his eyes, the first in a long time. He leaned forward, bringing his lips closer to hers. She copied his motion, feeling almost as if she wasn't in control of herself. For once, she didn't mind.
"I love you," he whispered when he was mere inches away, before moving forward.
Their lips met in a passionate embrace once more, just as the clock struck twelve. As a new year dawned, so did a new relationship between the two demigods.
She laid against him, sighing as she heard the soft beats of his heart. A small smile tugged at her lips. Even after all these years, the feeling never got old.
He finally began to stir as the sunlight hit his eyes, a low groan escaping him as he slowly sat up, rubbing his already messy hair.
"I think it's messed up enough as it is," she quipped while pulling herself up beside him, laying her head on his shoulder.
He grinned, pecking her cheek as he got up. "What can I say, it doesn't matter what I do, it always stays the same."
She laughed, her tinkling voice ringing throughout the room, making his heart suddenly speed up. Gods, he loved this woman.
A soft sound came from the doorway, making him turn to see their uninvited guest.
"Mom, dad, can I go play with Sammy?"
His daughter slowly made her way towards him, prompting him to pick her up, despite her being nearly eight years old. They grow up so fast, he thought.
"Are you done brushing your teeth, sweetie?" Thalia asked, coming to stand beside him, her eyes filled with just as much love for their daughter as his were.
"Yes, mom. I can do it myself. I'm a big girl now." He chucked at her antics, making her pout at him, which only served to make him laugh more.
"Of course you are, Zoë. Just wait a moment, mommy and daddy will be right down. We'll make you some breakfast and them we can go over to Aunt Annabeth's place, alright? If you're lucky, Uncle Leo will be home, but only if you finish your breakfast quickly," he said, once he'd calmed down from his round of laughter.
She instantly perked up, wriggling in his arms in an attempt to get down. He set her down, only for her to shoot off in the direction of the stairs.
"You know she's going to simply shovel down the food now. Are you trying to make our daughter choke herself, Kelp Head?" his wife teased, he head once again resting on his shoulder, electric blue eyes shining with mirth.
He grasped his chest in mock hurt. "You wound me, Thals. Why would I ever do such a thing?"
She laughed once more, heading towards the shower. "Take the other room," she called over her shoulder. "Zoë won't like it if we take more time than absolutely necessary."
He grinned slightly. "What about sharing the same shower? Won't that be quicker?"
She turned back, swatting him lightly on the arm. "Au contraire, Aqua boy. That would most likely make it even longer. Now scram, your daughter won't wait much longer."
He chuckled at her antics before heading to the shower. He turned on the tap, allowing the water to spill over him. Sure, it may not be absolutely necessary, but he did still enjoy it.
The past couple decades had been crazy. Ever since Thalia had appeared in his apartment on that fateful New Year's Eve, his life had taken a definite upturn. The two had a slightly rocky start, but their insecurities barely lasted a week into their relationship. That was followed by two years of them being a couple before he finally popped the question. The words weren't even fully out of his mouth before Thalia had attacked said mouth with her own, mumbling 'yes' over and over.
They had gotten married in the summer, a small ceremony open only to family and close friends. To their surprise, their fathers had turned up as well, putting aside their differences to see their children finally get married. They had approached them after the marriage with a gift of their own, and for once, they hadn't needed to think before they made their decision.
He shook himself out of his thoughts, drying himself with his powers before quickly pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He usually kept his attire simple, even after all the years that bad gone by.
He made it to their cozy little dining room, only to see Thalia watching their daughter fondly as she raced to eat her breakfast as quickly as possible. His eyes traced her features, a perfect blend of his and Thalia's, before settling on her eyes, two swirling pools pf sea green and electric blue.
"Slow down, Zo. I promise Uncle Leo will still be there even if you don't stuff your face," he said, grinning down at his daughter's affronted look. She simply ignored him as she continued to shovel her food down as quickly as possible.
Thalia leaned against him, her eyes still in Zoë. "Annie has planned to have brunch over at her place while the kids are busy doing whatever they want. It's been too long since the four of us sat down together."
He looked at her face, his eyes filled with love. She had grown her hair out a bit, and her clothing had switched from her old style to something more casual. He didn't mind in the slightest. To him, she looked stunning no matter how she dressed.
"Don't forget we have that barbecue with the rest of the seven and Nico this weekend. Reyna would skin us alive if we missed it," he whispered, watching as his daughter finished her food and instantly rushed to the kitchen to dump her plate in the sink.
She rolled her eyes. "Kelp Head, I was the one who reminded you yesterday. I don't think I would forget about it so soon."
He simply shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. He was about to respond, when he felt an insistent tug on his hand, along with a continuous chant of, "Dad, dad, dad."
He laughed, moving towards the front door. He unlocked the door, allowing her to run forward, but still keeping her within his line of sight. Thalia came out right after him, looking around her.
"You know, even after all these years, I'm still not used to it," she said, taking in the sights around her.
He had to agree. After all Olympus was the City of the Gods for a reason.
He had been shocked when Zeus and his father had offered both Thalia and himself another chance at godhood right after their wedding. He had thought about declining for a moment, before his mother walked u pro him and smacked him round the head, telling him to 'stop being so damn thick-headed'.
He had to say, it was one of the best decisions of his life second only to asking Thalia to marry him. He now had an eternity to spend with the woman on his side, and unlike some gods he could mention, he wasn't stupid enough to ever try cheating on her. Why would he, when she made him the happiest he'd ever been?
They both walked down the street, while their daughter raced ahead of them. A few other gods nodded towards them as they passed, a gesture they returned in kind.
He pulled her towards him, wrapping an arm around her waist. She looked a tad bit surprised, since he usually wasn't one for public displays of affection, but she didn't mind. She leaned into him once more, sighing as she felt his contentment wash over her.
A small smile broke across his face. He knew it had started out rough, but it had all worked out in the end. No fairy tale he knew of could capture just how much joy he held once she got his happily ever after, and he wasn't going to ever try translating his feelings into words. How could he, when words would always fail to do them justice?
He glanced towards the house rising before them, noticing Leo and Annabeth waiting for them, little Sammy ready to meet his friend. Both sets of parents were ecstatic that their children had hit it off so well, and that the bond remained so strong.
As the four of them sat down on the chairs pulled up around a small table while the children ran about the lawn, screaming in delight, he couldn't help but remember the journey the two of them had. There had been ups, and there definitely had been downs, but in the end, the lows couldn't hope to compare against the highs.
He glanced at his wife, unable to take his eyes off her. She noticed his look, before giving him a soft smile, just as he gave her one himself. She may have once been the cause of his pain, but in the end, she was and would always remain his love, and nothing could change that.
Done! Finally. I went through so many emotions while writing this, and I'm super happy that it turned out so well. Hopefully y'all like it! Let me know what you think in the reviews.
Check out my other fics, and join the discord (link in bio). Peace!