SO SORRY ABOUT THE LATE UPDATE. I WAS VISITING FAMILY AND THEN GOING TO THE DENTIST AND GOING TO COSTCO ALL AT THE SAME DAY! It was crazy and I didn't even get home until an hour ago.

Story Name: The Iris Network

Author:turquoiserainlilies

Disclaimer: Do not own Percy Jackson or anything related, just the plot (really, not even that original). THANKS RICK!

Summary: He's a gamer. She's the Queen Bee. Percy struggles with unwanted fame from his father. Annabeth can't forgive her best friend for falling in love. Living miles away doesn't stop two people's fate from meeting, after all, the best thing to fall in love with are someone's words. AU!AH.

Chapter:14 of 22

greek3fire vii

new york 01/18/14 11:19 utc-5

percy jackson

"So basically you want to draw buildings for a living."

"Maybe." Annabeth said stubbornly, crossing her arms, "Is that such a crime?"

Percy shook his head. Saturday morning had just gotten better than watching cartoons and eating cereals now that Wise Girl was part of it. They both agreed to keep texting each other all the time, but that Skype-ing would be best saved for the weekend for less scheduling problems.

"No, it's pretty cool. I didn't think it was a plausible career." He replied. Her face blanched for a second. "Did I say something?"

"No." She protested far too likely. Percy frowned, but decided that he'd rather not talk to her about something that she was clearly uncomfortable with. "Ahh…umm…what about you, what's in the future of Mr. Jackson?" She smiled nervously.

You. "Undecided." Percy said aloud, blushing slightly. "I mean, all I'm really good at is video games…" He trailed off.

Annabeth listened attentively, but Percy had the hunch that if they were not…whatever they were, she wouldn't care half as much what a stupid gamer thought.

"But just playing video games. I can't program, or…or develop a platform or something." Percy grumbled.

Annabeth leaned forward to the screen, so that her grey eyes got a little bigger on his laptop. "What's Greek Fire about?"

He choked on his own saliva. Thank god he wasn't drinking water.

"How did we befriend for over a month and you don't even know what the GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME IS!"

"Obviously you love it." Annabeth laughed.

"Okay." He slowed down his heart rate. Partially she seriously didn't know what it was about? And partially holy shit her laugh is adorable. "Okay, it's partially a role-playing game. So I'd be playing the part of Peter Johnson—" Annabeth sniffled a laugh. He gave her a look before continuing, "The main character. He's a demigod—you know, half-god half-mortal."

"Greek mythology nut, remember?" Annabeth's eyes glinted.

"Umm…yeah." He lost track of his thoughts for a second. As much as he loved her face (and hair and voice and basically entire existence), Percy was sure that he appeared much more suave over text, where he could act flirty without real consequences. "In the beginning of the film you can chose the godly parent. Like if you want Peter to be the son of Apollo or son of Aphrodite or something. I always went for Poseidon."

"Like your dad." Annabeth noted.

Percy snorted, "Nah, he just has the best power ups."

"Sure."

"Seriously!" Percy said in horror. Did she actually think that this was someway linking him and his biological predecessor together? "Back to the game. Peter can also be a satyr—Grover always choose that—and if you're a girl than her name is Penny."

"Original." Annabeth deadpanned.

"Do you want to hear about it or not?"

"Go on."

"You basically start with nothing, but have to build up this team of demigods—you unlock characters through quests and stuff. And you have to manage all your items and magic cards, those allow you to do special moves in fights. You also get a camp ground where your team can rest, and you can buy buildings. Like a shrine to Zeus to attract his kids to your team. You only have set amount of money so you have to use it as efficiently as possible. Basically you're trying to complete this huge quest each game. The Thunder Bandit was about trying to find this thief who—"

"I got it." Annabeth laughed. "It sounds like a lot of work though."

"Sure, sometimes too much." Percy reflected. He hadn't thought of it. Managing and taking care of his camp is like a second nature. "But it's rewarding when you get to the end."

Annabeth paused, pondering something while Percy's insides were exploding. Did he go into too much detail? He was a little too enthusiastic about the game. Why would Annabeth care? Everything he knew about her suggested that she was bookish and intelligent, what did she care about some dorky 17 year old and his fictional video game.

"You should work with your dad when you grow up."

That was unexpected.

"I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about something a bit more happy." He couldn't help it, he snapped.

"Percy." Annabeth said firmly, "You said that you don't have the making of a businessman, but you love managing things in your game. Think about it. Financial skills, leadership skills, setting a goal and working towards it. That's what being in a business means."

He brushed it off. "It's nothing alike."

"I'm sorry." She said sardonically, "Are you the one who had to sat through Introduction to Business in tenth grade?"

He blinked. "I took swimming."

"Yeah, of course you did." Annabeth's cheek flamed up slightly.

"Chase, are you—"

"For the last time, I'm not imagining you in your swim shorts!" Annabeth protested. She brushed out her hair, one strand fell on her shoulder. Percy's finger twitched towards his screen, before he realized that this wasn't Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, he couldn't just reach through the display.

"Percy." Annabeth convinced, "You're good at what you do, playing video games, but also being a leader. And don't want to sound like a parent when I said that you have potential because I want you to be successful. I want you to be happy."

"I am." Percy said stubbornly.

"Not if you're angry at your dad." She said, "Not if you're pushing him away because he left you. It's tough dealing with parents." Annabeth sighed, "I know."

He felt a stab of guilt. Annabeth's mom was still in Greece, of course she would want any chance to reconnect with her. And here was Percy, pushing away Poseidon at any cost without a single chance. Was it really the best way to form their relationship?

"Annabeth!" A voice came from behind her. Percy's eyes perked up.

"I got to go." Annabeth said hurriedly.

"Wait, was that your mom?" Percy asked quickly as Annabeth's hand moved towards the mouse, "Isn't she in G—"

She disconnected, and suddenly he was talking to a blank screen.

"I'm not going to babysit Tyson."

"Percy." Sally said sternly, "You've been sitting in your bedroom the entire morning."

"I usually do that on Saturday." Percy mumbled. He didn't want to be rude to his mother, but when she insists on something like this…?

"Not anymore." She decided, "You've been far too immersed in technology. And I'm not saying you should give up on your games, they're far too important to you, but you should learn to embrace a life outside of it too."

Percy shuffled his feet for a moment.

"Poseidon is out, if that makes you feel better." Sally said, with a tone of sadness in her voice, "Tyson's regular babysitter has a flu, please, he needs you."

He wasn't sure if Sally was talking about Tyson or his dad.

"You're still here." Percy blurt that as soon as he saw Poseidon's face. He crossed his arm and brushed past him.

I want you to be happy

I am

Not if you're angry at your dad.

"Hey." Percy said. For Annabeth's, he'd do anything. Poseidon looks a little happier at the greeting. Maybe he wasn't a total douchebag?

"I actually needed to talk to you, asking you to babysit Tyson was the easiest way to get you to come."

His jaw dropped, "So Julia isn't actually sick?"

A giggle of a middle-aged woman and Tyson's laughter in the other room confirmed it.

Poseidon's jaw tightened. Percy hate how that was like his own. "Please, sit."

He gestured to the family room. Percy wasn't sure if that was appropriately named.

"What's so important that you had to lie for me to get here." Percy flopped down, disregarding Poseidon's disapproving face. Thank god Amy wasn't here, Percy would've gone to put his feet on the table. He wasn't that rude, usually.

"I need to talk to you…" Poseidon paused, "About college."

"Not interested."

"Percy." Poseidon said, frustration clear in his tone. "One does not simply become a business man without some sort of training."

His mind zoned to when Lucas trained Peter in the art of sword fighting before he realized what Poseidon had really said. "Wait, what?"

"I want you to take over the family business."

So he knew this was coming up. Trident Inc. was family based, despite the criticism made by many magazines and journals. Amy was the head of the marketing, and Poseidon's brothers all contributed to his company as well. It made sense that he would ask Percy to take over his title. In fact, Percy was anticipating and dreading this moment.

"No."

"Percy." Poseidon pleaded, "Please think rationally. You are by far my top choice. I could only entrust this job on a handful of people."

"So give it to someone else, give it to Tyson!" Percy snapped.

Poseidon glared, "You know very well about Tyson."

He shut up immediately. His half-brother's Down Syndrome wasn't something to be joked about. "Fine, not Tyson. Don't you have any other bastard sons that can take over the job?"

Maybe he went too far. Judging by Poseidon's reddening cheeks he would sense this. So what? He didn't want to be a businessman!

Not if you're pushing him away because he left you.

"I'm sorry." He said through clenched teeth.

"There's two woman I loved. Your mother Sally was very dear to me, but we were in a tough spot at the time of our relationship." Poseidon said carefully, "Amy was introduced by my family, and I love her dearly because she has given so much."

Riiiiight, Amy.

"I don't sleep around with women, despite what you might think, or heard rumors of." Poseidon's voice was edgy, "Though I judge that there might be a girl in your life."

"No."

I'm not imagining you in your swim shorts!

He didn't smirk like Percy thought he might've. It was plausible, since Percy was probably blushing like a fucking tomato.

"Back on the topic, I do believe you have the potential to do this job, if that's what you're worried about."

You're good at what you do, playing video games, but also being a leader. And don't want to sound like a parent when I said that you have potential because I want you to be successful. I want you to be happy.

"No." He said softer. Annabeth thought he was a good leader too, and he trusted her more than anyone trusted anyone, ever.

Then he looked at Poseidon, maybe there was someone who trusted him like he did Annabeth…that was an odd feeling.

Poseidon seemed lost in thoughts as well too, but finally spoke. "I would like to formally apologized for leaving you fatherless for over a decade." He said, "I realized in the last years we've known each other, I've never said this."

Damn right.

"You don't—"

"I must." Poseidon said, "I didn't want to bring sentiment in fear of distance you further. Boys are never too good with emotions."

"Yeah…" He laughed sheepishly.

"So I apologize. I won't give you excuses. Though I must say that I did not know of your existence until I saw your mother again after so long. I was under the assumption that it was a closed chapter of my life, but I am quite happy it was reopened."

"Sentiments." Percy coughed.

Poseidon blinked. Then smiled slightly, "Right. I won't bore you with more details of my life, but I do care about yours, and your future. If you do have another pursue in life, I won't bother you, but I think you'll do greatly as a future leader."

Percy had spent a better half of his life listening to his mother talking about how much he looked like his father. Her wistful voice as they sat together at the beach at Montauk as she relived her days with him. Black hair and sea-green eyes, she'd say, just like him. Some days he felt proud, even happy, of this connection. Other days were more bitter. There had been a lot more of the latter.

Then he resurfaced, and Poseidon was right, boys don't do well with sentiments. He all but buried himself in his games when it became too tough. New people in his life. Cousins he's never met (though Bianca became a close friend of his), and uncles and aunts and basically like half his life. Too much information make his brain go haywire (no wonder Annabeth called him Seaweed Brain).

He looked at the man whom he shared DNA with, that's all he has been for half his life. The question remained, was that all he'll ever be?

It's tough dealing with parents.

Definitely.

But that wasn't an excuse not to deal with them.

"I'll consider the option." Percy said finally, "I'm not a business man material, but I'm definitely open to working with the company."

The smile upon his dad's face was the brightest Percy had seen on anyone.

A/N: While Bianca and Nico are Percy's cousins, Thalia is NOT. Okay? Got that? Good. And Percy didn't know anyone from his dad's side until he was 12-ish, when Poseidon and Sally told him about his parentage. That's why he doesn't know Nico (who had moved to San Francisco with his dad by then), but then he met Bianca soon after.

Also, I need new book recommendations if you've got any. You can check my profile for a list of books I already read. I'm thinking of reading the legend series by Maria Lu? Is that any good?

The next chapter will be up by the 20th, that's close right?

Replies from last week - I'd love the honor to be killed by Percy, but I think I'll do something different and say Nico. He's the son of the underworld god, that'd be pretty cool.