I've been re-reading The Last Olympian and honestly, the book is amazing, I love it. I've been getting all of these ideas and prompts flowing through my mind while reading it, so here's one I just quickly whipped up.
Also please note, I'm not sure how TOA ends, as I'm (*wink wink*) not Rick Riordan, so this is just as if there's a happy ending for everyone. It's staged in Annabeth and Percy's first year in college.
Disclaimer: See above note ^^
"The Greek gods don't exactly show up to their kids' basketball games."
- The Last Olympian, page 34.
Percy knows that it's wrong to pray to the gods in a moment like this, it's an unfair leg up, but he's desperate. Annabeth has spent the last ten minutes trying to comfort him, telling him jokes, hugging him, and just trying to distract him, but it hasn't worked.
In less than thirty minutes, he'll be competing in one of the rounds for New Rome's Swimmer's League, and to put it lightly, he's stressed.
In a moment like this, he really wishes the gods were present in his life. It's unfair that his mother is all the way across the country and doesn't have the money to come. It's unfair that Poseidon will never show up to a simple swim competition. Most of all, it's unfair that Annabeth isn't making him feel any better about this. She's tried, and Percy applauds her for that, but his nerves just keep coming back.
The most refreshing part of all of this, is that Percy doesn't have to worry about monsters. New Rome is amazing, it really is, and it's good that he can focus on his studies, not having to worry about an attack in the middle of everything. To be honest, Percy shouldn't even be worried. He's the son of Poseidon for the gods sake. He has a major advantage.
But nope, his nerves have got the better of them. Annabeth is lightly stroking his back as he groans, wishing, for the first time since he got here, that he was somewhere else. What's worse, is that sometime in the next five minutes, Percy will have to leave Annabeth- his only branch of solace, to get ready with the other contestants.
"It's going to be okay," Annabeth murmurs to him, moving her hand to the top of his head.
He leans into the crook of her neck, and sighs, wrapping one hand around her and fingering her beaded necklace. "I don't know Wise girl, I keep feeling like I shouldn't be nervous, and then I get mad at myself for thinking that. Am I being stupid?"
"Anything but," Annabeth chuckles, "It's perfectly natural to feel nerves, okay?" She taps him on the head, "You're going to be fine."
He grumbles, and then moves himself to kiss her on the cheek. It makes him feel a little better, but not by much. Annabeths amazing, and in any other circumstance this would be awesome- it always is awesome, but he needs another kind of hug. Not a girlfriend hug. A parent hug.
A loud voice sweeps the gym, "Swimmer's for round one A, get to the locker room. You have ten minutes to get ready."
"I guess I have to go," Percy sighs, "that's me."
Annabeth gives him a quick peck on the lips. "Good luck," she tells him, and he smiles gratefully back at her, walking toward the locker rooms.
He has one little section that's all to himself, enclosed, so no other swimmers can come through. On one side, there is a mirror, and on the other there's a little bench that stands beside a locker. Pulling off his pants, and on his swim trunks, he taps the mirror, looking into it suspiciously.
It shimmers ever so slightly, almost as if it was an Iris message. But it couldn't be, who could be messaging him now?
He shakes his head, and goes back to changing. Unlike most swimmers, he doesn't need earplugs, or even goggles. He also doesn't need a swimming cap, his entire body was made to swim. Well, at least half of it. The perks of being Poseidon's kid, he guesses.
The mirror shimmers again, and this time, Percy is really suspicious. He taps it, and nothing happens. "What the hell?" He mutters to himself, but continues to get ready, pulling on a swim shirt, one he'll take off before he gets into the water.
Soon, he's ready to swim, and he looks in the mirror, which is now more shimmery than ever. He glares at it, why does this have to be happening now, right when he's about to compete?
He shuts his eyes, and squeezes them tight, praying to the gods for some luck. Tyche, he thinks, Poseidon? Just this once, could you help me out a bit? Just a little bit of luck would be nice.
When he opens his eyes, an Iris message has formed, and a tanned guy in a Hawani shirt, with eyes much like his own, is grinning widely. "Percy!" Poseidon says, clasping his hands together. "It's so good to see you. I just wanted to wish you good luck on this. I know it's a big thing for you."
"Wait, what?" Percy questions, quirking one of his eyebrows. The gods don't do stuff like this unless they want something. His father, most of all, doesn't seem like he would do this. "Do you want something?"
Poseidon's eyes soften, as he looks Percy up and down. "No son, I heard your prayers, and I wanted to let you know that I'm on your side. You've done so much for Olympus, it's the least I can do."
Yeah, that really doesn't sound like the gods, especially not Poseidon. Something has to be up.
"I don't know if I can believe that," It was true. It's been a year since everything. Sure, nothing as big as this competition had come up since then, apart from Apollo's shenagian, but that had been a pretty minor inconvenience of Percy's radar.
Poseidon shrugs, "Look, you might not believe me, but I really am proud of you. The gods will be working in your favor."
"No!" Percy waves his hands in the air, "I'm good, I don't need your help, I can do this on my own, don't make me win, I want to rely on my own skills."
His father chuckles, "Don't worry, that's for the fates to decide." The Iris Message began to close, and Poseidon began to say one last thing, "Just know we're all rooting for you Percy."
The Iris Message ends, and Percy is dumbfounded. Has this ever happened before? He'll have to tell Annabeth about this after the competition.
"Swimmer's for round one A, please get to your places. The race will start in five minutes."
Percy shakes himself out of his own melodramatic astoundedness, and scrambles to grab his towel. He flings it over his shoulder, and walks out to the main pool. Scanning the crowd, he sees Annabeth her curls bouncing as she cups her hands, shouting his name. He looks to her, and blows her a kiss, which she catches, and taps to her cheek.
Walking to his starting position, he feels his shoulders shaking, ever so slightly, but remembers Poseidon's words for some reason. The gods were all rooting for him. It makes him feel better, and when he sees Annabeth screaming his name, and rooting for him, it makes things great.
A loud voice over the intercom comes up, and he gets into position. "Take your marks," the announcer calls, whistingling loudly. In that moment, everything fades out. It's just him and the water, about to go for a dive. "Go!" the announcer calls, and Percy dives into the water.
The water is where his power comes from, he can do anything he wants with it. He can make it to push him forward, he can make it to trample the other contestants. But he doesn't, because this isn't about that. It isn't about power, it's about speed and agility. Percy knows he has more of that than any of these other competitors, it's not being cocky, it's being true.
He's fought against monsters, battled traitors, and saved the world multiple times. A little race shouldn't be that hard. And it isn't. The water pulses against him, as he slices it with his arms. Water droplets move all around him, white bubbles appearing around his body, fading away in his wake.
It's exhilarating to him, it always has been. It makes him feel strong. Even though he's not using his powers, the water always manages to calm him down. It heals his wounds, makes him powerful. He doesn't need to manipulate it for it to be useful. Just being around it is therapeutic.
He's gone through phases with his power- from resenting it, to admiring it, and finally to accepting it. There are many times where he wished he was a normal teenager, wished he didn't have to deal with the shit of reality, but now, he sees it as a strength. Acceptance took a while- it meant he had to look beyond the power, and admire the beauty of it all. To look closely at the individual droplets of it. That's what has always been important. Looking beyond the abilities he had, and onto the reality of its nature.
He nears the other side of the pool, and turns, flipping himself to change directions in the water, and pushing off against the rough surface of the pool. He stays underwater the entire time, unlike the other contestants. He's the son of Posiedon, he doesn't need to worry about running out of breath.
The water is calm, just for a couple of moments, until he reaches the surface, chopping through it with his stroke. He smiles, ever so slightly, continuing to go on, repeating the same thought process- the water is powerful, but it's also there to be admired.
It's a life source, not just for Percy, but for all people. Water, like air, is one of those things that are taken for granted. People use it everyday, in many locations, it's just there. That's what the gods represent- the things that you take for granted. The things that you need, but never realize you need. Maybe that's what's kept them hidden for all of these years.
As he reaches the other side, which finishes his round, he pushes himself out of the water, to grab onto the top rail, and hold himself up. He scans the pool, to see nobody there. It either means he was the first or last person there.
He looks up, and thinks he sees a swimmer drying off. In that moment, his entire face falls, has he really lost this? It can't be, he's a child of Poseidon, and although it's not the most valid excuse, it makes no sense that he's lost. That is, if he's lost.
But then, "It looks like Percy Jackson, the savior of Olympus has gotten there first, way ahead of everyone else, and therefore, has won."
He looks up, to see an entire mass of people cheering, clapping their hands. He gets out of the pool, and sees over the other swimmers arriving, looking tired out of their minds. Then, he looks back at the stands, where people are standing up and cheering. He searches for one person- and when he finds her, she's shouting so loud, Percy practically can hear it from where he's standing.
He grabs his towel from the side of the pool, and wraps it around himself, slightly drying his body. A person rushes over, and gives him a small metal, probably made out of Imperial Gold. He takes it gratefully, and thanks them, running his fingers over the delicate metal.
He turns to the other competitors, and shakes their hands, smiling at each one of them. He feels weird doing it, especially because they all look at him like he's an imposter. Graecus scum. Maybe he's aggagerating. But they look like they know who he is (well, everyone does), and that's slightly disheartening.
But still, he smiles grinning anxiously as he congratulates each one of them, being the humble champion he is. And they congratulate him, which is nice. Even if it's behind a bitten lip, a harsh glance, and rolled eyes, it's still there.
They're Romans. Percy doesn't expect any less. They like to win, and when they don't it's disappointing. Percy knows that feeling probably better than anyone.
When he finishes talking to the other swimmers, he goes through the locker rooms to find Annabeth. He puts his swim shirt on, just to show some common decency, and finds her, huddled over the book she brought (just in case, she said). Sprinting over to her, he wraps his arms around her, and she flinches, as his wet body touches her dry body.
"Seaweed brain!" She exclaims, pushing him off. "Dry off, and then you can hug me." She wrinkles her nose, in that cute way she always does when he pisses her off.
He pouts. "I want you now." He says, pulling her close, ignoring her protests. She grunts, and then turns to him, sticking her tongue out. "Let me kiss you, and then I'll go dry off. Unless you want to come with me…" he teases, raising his eyebrows up and down.
"Percy!" She nudges him with her shoulder. "This is not the time," she looks him up and down, "later."
Percy grins at that, and gives her a quick peck on the cheek anyway. "Oh, and I have something I need to tell you after."
Annabeth cocks her head, "Is it bad?"
"I don't know," Percy hums, "I think good."
Annabeth taps him on the nose. "Okay, well, take a shower, dry off, you champion" she runs her hand through his hair, "I'll be right here."
"Love you," Percy says, and goes back to the locker rooms, taking the same pathway he did before.
He takes a quick cold shower, and then leaves the stall, a towel around his body. He goes to change back into his normal clothes, throwing on an orange Camp Half Blood Shirt, just for the sake of it, matching it with some athletic shorts.
His hair is still wet, but he's used to that. Although he can control whether or not he gets wet, he chose to have the water affect him, half to spite Annabeth, and the other half, because he didn't want it to seem like he had another unnecessary advantage over the competition.
Just before he leaves the locker rooms to go back to Annabeth, he looks into the mirror, and just for a split second, has a glimpse of something- a person, his father. He isn't sure if it was real, or if he is hallucinating, but the man in the mirror almost seems to be telling him, "good job, I knew you could do it."
He smiles at the mirror, not knowing if there was anything he should be smiling at in the first place. This, after all, could be another one of the gods campaigns for him to do their bidding. Even so, it's nice to have a congrats from his father. It was basically the equivalent to a hug, and a pat on the back. Percy knows he won't be getting any of those from his father anytime soon, but if an Iris Message is what he can get, he'd take it.
And then, he returns to Annabeth, who is again, reading her book. It seems as if she'd read a big portion of it when he was gone, but that was just Annabeth. "Hey Princess," he says, grinning at her. "How's your book going?"
"Good," Annabeth says, smiling at him (which honestly, is one of the best things in the world), "What did you want to tell me?"
Percy starts, but then stops himself. It would be nice to keep this to himself. Most people didn't freak out about seeing their father. But then again, he sighs, he isn't most people.
On the other hand, it would be nice to have that normalcy. So Percy shakes his head, and smiles down at Annabeth. "Nothing," Percy tells her smiling, "It was nothing important," he continues
Annabeth looks confused, but not enough to start questioning things. She puts her book into her messenger bag, and stands up from the bench where she was sitting. "Okay," She says, taking Percy's hand, and giving him a soft, yet slow kiss on the cheek. "Do you want to get out of here and head back to the apartment?" She nudges him knowingly, and winks. Percy squeezes the side of her body, running his hands down it. She's so beautiful. He can't wait until they get back to the apartment, so he can have her all to himself.
He then shifts his head so his lips fall onto hers. He smiles against them, and then pulls away. He could never get tired of kissing her. "Yeah, I've never heard of a better idea," He says, as they walk through the double doors, out of the competition area.
Outside, the sun is just setting, so bright purples and pinks illuminate the sky. A brightness gatherers in the middle of it- Apollo's chariot ending the day, obviously wanting some type of attention. Percy chuckles as it flashes against the night sky. Even after all that's happened, Apollo still loves flashing his ride.
Today hasn't been the best day ever, but on a relative scale, it was amazing. Going back to their apartment- the home they now shared, winning a competition, and of course, the best, having no classes, it was pretty good. But Percy knew he'd have better days. That's what he's looking forward to. The lazy days in the future where he and Annabeth chill together. The possible future they might have- possibly with a child.
Well, he knows that he wants to spend his life with her. And if she's there with him, he knows that he'll be happy. He's gotten through the hard part of Demigod life. Now, it's time to sit back and relax. Just for a moment, watch the sun set with Annabeth. Maybe spend some intimate time with her in the comfort of his home- no, scratch that, their home.
I hope you enjoyed this! I feel like I haven't written anything in the canon-verse for a while, so I think I'll be writing more stories like this. Even so, I want to explore a variety of different AU's, so let me know what you guys think. Suggestions are definitely welcomed.
For now, this is a one-shot, but once I finish all of my other stories/projects, I might continue it, though I'm not sure. But, continuing it or not, I hope you enjoyed it, and have a wonderful day/night! Leave a review! Tell me what you think!
TheLil'Lion