V

Percy

"ClANG, PING, SWISH!" went our swords whenever they met during our fight. Jace has been wanting to spar with me forever, but there wasn't a good place to practice. We couldn't do it out in the park. Jace may be invisible to mortals, but I'm not and the mist might make me look like I'm trying swat away pigeons or something ridiculous. There's no way I'd take him to Camp its bad enough he shows up uninvited to my apartment.

Jace offered to take me to the institute, and I agreed as long as none of his "people" knew I was there. The idea of going to a church felt really weird for me. I've never been to one in my life. My mother never took me to one, and ever since I found out I was a half-blood it felt like taboo to go to a church. Catholics especially freaked me out because of their history of persecuting, converting, and killing those of polytheistic faith. I half expected God to turn me into a pillar of salt (or whatever it is he does) if I walked into his domain.

I figured as long as I was with Jace I'd probably be okay. The institute was huge and in the Gothic architectural style (Annabeth has started to rub off on me). I felt a sense of foreboding as I stood before the doors. The gargoyles, and angel statues seemed to stare at me in warning. I originally told Jace that I was reluctant to go to the institute because I didn't want the Nephilim to know about me which is true, but it wasn't the main reason.

"Percy come on, why are you just standing there all scared looking?" Jace asked from the doors. I realized that I was just standing still looking at the various statues with a skeptical look on my face. I just shook off my unease and swallowed my apprehension, as I finally walked into the Institute.

"I was just admiring the detail of the various facades." I said quickly. Jace just gave me an odd look, as he led me to the training room which brings us back to the present.

Jace's fighting style was similar to mine. He was just as fast as I was, and he moved around a lot like I tend to do. We'd been fighting for about five minutes, and I could tell Jace was getting frustrated.

"What are you thinking about?" Jace asked in an attempt to distract me.

"How to beat you, obviously." I answered unfazed.

"You know that no one has beaten me in years. You can't possibly think you'll win when I'm taller, stronger, and better-looking." Jace said obnoxiously.

"How does you being better-looking make you a better swordsman?" I asked sarcastically with a stab at his shoulder.

"My opponent gets mesmerized/distracted by how unbelievably gorgeous I am, and it makes for an easy win. Isn't that how your Aphrodite works?" Jace asked with a cocky smirk. I made a disgusted face, and attacked with new vigor and purpose.

"Unfortunately for you I don't find gold eyes attractive." I retorted as I swiped at his feet making him trip. Jace just laughed at my answer and lunged at me. I wasn't fast enough and his sword grazed my arm. Seeing my blood distracted Jace for a moment, and that was all I needed to push him back and use my signature disarming move.

"Looks like beauty didn't help you this time, as for being stronger than me. I'd like to see you try and hold up the sky." I said triumphantly with a cocky grin on my face, it felt good to give Jace a taste of his own arrogant medicine. I expected Jace to be shocked even angry at the thought of me beating him, but he just grinned and threw his head back in laughter. Confused, I let my sword drop, that was my mistake. Immediately Jace's laughter stopped, and he rushed at me tackling me to the ground like a football player. I felt my head crack against the concrete floor, and my vision blurred.

"Gods Jace are you trying to kill me?" I asked sarcastically with a slurred voice. His sword was at my throat. He had a cruel smile on his face.

"There's only room for one arrogant smart ass around here Jackson. Don't they teach you to never let your guard down?" He asked with a cocky grin.

"Couldn't you just say that without cracking my head open?" I asked annoyed, as he offered me a hand to pull me up. He rose an eyebrow at me before realizing I was serious.

"Are you okay? I didn't think I hit you that hard." He asked looking me up and down. I scratched the back of my head trying to wave off the dizziness.

"Yeah I'm fine. This isn't the first time my heads been whacked against something hard." I replied with a smirk.

"Gosh I didn't think you were that breakable." Jace said rolling his eyes mockingly. I just scowled, and went to pick up Riptide.

"Dude we were sword fighting someone is bound to get hurt. Enjoy all the new scars." I said with a grin indicating the countless scratches on his body courtesy of me. Jace just scowled back at at me, and brought his sword up to spar again.

"Jace you didn't tell me you were bringing friends over." A woman's voice came from the doorway.

"Oh hey mom this is Sam he's from New Jersey." Jace said quickly.

"It's nice to meet you ma'am." I said politely. Jace's mother looked at me skeptically.

"I made some lunch perhaps Sam can join us?" she asked but it sounded more like an order.

"Oh no Sam was just leaving right Sam?" Jace put his arm around my shoulders, and squeezed warningly.

"Yes ma'am I have to go and see my parents soon, but thank you for the offer." I said with a smile.

"I'll show you out." Jace said. He pushed me along out the door rather quickly.

"Can you find your way back home from here?" he asked.

"Dude I lived in Manhattan all my life. I know this city like the back of my hand." I said with a snort.

"Well bye and I expect a rematch soon." Jace said his arrogance coming back. I just sighed and started walking away.

I was finishing up my WW1 essay on my computer when Jace climbed into my room uninvited as usual. I find it odd that Gods have to ask permission before entering someone's home, but Jace doesn't.

"What's up Jace?" I asked without looking up from my work. He went and plopped down on my bed, like he owned the place.

"I wanted to ask you something I was curious about." He said.

"Shoot" I answered while typing.

"Why were you scared to enter the Institute today?" he asked. I paused in my typing.

"Was I really that obvious today?" I thought. I shook my head and decided to come clean.

"Isn't it obvious? It's a church." I said in a "duh" voice without looking up from the computer.

"I don't get it." He said.

"I'm a demigod of a different religion and work for different Gods. That doesn't make me exactly welcome does it?" I asked sarcastically.

"God isn't spiteful like your Zeus is. God isn't going to kill you just for walking into his house." Jace said with a chuckle. "That's what you were scared of? You believe in him even though you're a demigod?" he asked.

"Dude, please don't insult Zeus when I'm around!" I shouted turning away from the screen. I took a deep breath before answering his questions.

"Honestly Jace at this point in my life, I'm willing to believe anything. Besides you're a Nephilim doesn't that mean that there is a God?" I asked skeptically.

Jace was quiet for a while before answering. "We Nephilim are positive in the existence of Angels not necessarily God. I'm agnostic although I'd say most Nephilim aren't."

I nodded in acknowledgement. "I've never been to a church before today, and I guess I just felt more awkward than anything else." I said. Then a thought occurred to me.

"So you believe in my Gods and not your own?" I asked incredulous. Jace smiled at my assumption he took the photo of Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, Nico and I taken after the Battle of Manhattan from my nightstand and studied it. Grover gave it to me as a late birthday present that year.

"Man you're friends with some fine ladies. Although, I can't say the same about the guy's, and I wouldn't have thought you would hang out with Goth kids. Is the blonde one your girlfriend?" Jace rambled disregarding the question.

I groaned. "Just answer the question Jace. " I spat.

"Well there's more proof to prove that your deities are alive than mine." He admitted. I nodded satisfied with that answer.

"Who's the toddler with the body of a wrestler, and I thought you didn't like gold eyes?" Jace asked surprised. I laughed and shook my head, poor Frank he was lucky to have Hazel look past his odd looks. He was looking at my other picture of me with my Roman friends.

"That's Frank son of Mars, and Hazel daughter of Pluto. When I became friends with my Hazel I couldn't remember my fetish with gold eyes." I said.

"I always imagined Mars kids to look like the gladiators in the movies. You look like you could beat this kid up." He said in disbelief.

"looks can be deceiving, Frank is actually the most dangerous son of Mars you'll ever meet." I said absentmindedly still working on my report.

"You're lucky to have so many friends, and your group isn't awkward around each other like mine is." He said bitterly. I turned to look at him with a smirk on my face.

"It took a long time for us to become the good friends we are now. Thalia and I have gotten in countless fights. I think Frank and Hazel were scared of me for a while. Nico hated me for a long time, and I've wanted to kill him several times. We've had just as many problems as you do. The difference is we never gave up on each other, and learned to overcome our differences and first impressions. Just don't give up." I said reassuringly.

"As for you and Clary, I can tell that you both are madly in love with each other. Keep trying don't stay away from her because all that's going to so is cause pain for you both." I said positively. Jace stood up suddenly.

"Thanks for the advice Percy. I'll see you around." He said solemnly before walking towards the window.

"Hey Percy, can I take some of those flowers with me?" Jace asked looking at the moonlace that was overflowing from our planter box. I looked at them and a knowing smile appeared on my lips.

"Yeah, she'll love them." I answered.

*Disclaimer* those of you who love Nico I'm not saying he's unattractive. Jace's just being the arrogant ass he can be sometimes ;)