Perseus Jackson was the best receptionist in the known galaxies, and if anybody said otherwise, he would either flip them off or slap them upside the head with the flat of his blade. Honestly, flip a drachma. He didn't care either way.

And no, Heimdall did not count. He was more of a… bouncer. Yeah. Asgard's bouncer. All tall, rugged and intimidating with his all-seeing vision and giant Bifrost sword. Was Percy jealous that he didn't have a sword like Hofund? No. Not at all. It was massive, and much too impractical for a guy like Percy. Anaklusmos was much better.

Plus, his sword turned into a pen! Who didn't want a sword that could turn into a pen?

Anyways, Percy was legitimately, in every sense of the word, a receptionist. Every single day without fail, from dusk till dawn, Percy sat at the same desk with the same job.

Guard the entrance to Olympus. Protect it with his life, if need be.

If he even caught a whiff of the immortal realm seeping off of their body, they needed approval before taking a single step on the elevator that ran up all 600 floors to Olympus. If Joe Schmoe was the cousin of a mother whose daughter's dog was owned by the great-great-great…

Well, you get the idea. If they were connected in any way, shape or form to the immortal realm. If there was even a sliver of a chance that they knew of the divine world hidden right underneath the mortals' eyes, they would have to go through him.

It had been much easier when the entrance to Olympus wasn't also a spotlight of mortal tourism. Back in Greece a handful of millenia ago, when Olympus was actually located at the base of Mount Olympus, he didn't need to worry about something like tourism. All that existed were the divine and those that believed in the divine. It was much simpler sifting through the masses.

Still, he couldn't complain too much.

The creation of DoorDash and other food delivery services made his life much easier in terms of eating on the job without having to get yelled at for leaving his post for a few minutes. The evolution of mortal language and slang was extremely interesting and always fun to participate in. And after the gods realized just how bright of a spotlight was on the entrance to their precious Olympus, they hired a second receptionist. So while Percy took the night shift, a certain son of Zeus took the day shift.

It was funny, honestly, how disgruntled Hercules got at his supposed "wasted talents" and the amount of time he could've spent doing other… things. Whereas Percy was similar to the Huntresses of Artemis, being naturally immortal but not a god, Hercules was actually a god. The only caveat was that a few centuries ago he got caught attempting to do some rather unsavory things to an unwilling mortal woman and so he was demoted to be one half of Olympus' receptionists.

Well, you probably want to know how Percy came to be the best receptionist in the universe in the first place, don't you?

It honestly wasn't that long of a story. Centuries ago, Perseus Jackson was born the demigod son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. Following a few small quests and heroic deeds, he helped the gods in their victory during the original Gigantomachy. For his actions (which included a direct hand in slaying a handful of Gigantes), he was offered immortality and the title of a minor god of the seas.

Frankly, he was tired at the time. His lover had recently passed, the war was fatiguing, yada yada yada. The point is that he refused, and so Zeus saw fit to practically strong-arm him into the position of Olympus' gatekeeper. He wasn't a receptionist at the time because… well there was no desk. But the point remains.

In hindsight, Percy has zero clue why he accepted the position in the first place, but here he is, thousands of years later doing the exact same job as he was in Ancient Greece. Protecting Olympus.

It pained him, really, to protect a place that he could no longer visit.

He wasn't allowed to take a single step onto the grounds of Olympus, and yet he was tasked with protecting the entrance with his life.

Well, he couldn't complain. He'd had zero direction in his life after the First Giant War. Now he had purpose. And a job with the upside of having a front row seat to some of the coolest events in the known realms.

Actually, scratch that. He had a front row seat to the lobby of the place where some of the coolest events in the known realms took place. Same difference, really. He'd laid witness to Hercules (what a dick) going up to Olympus after completing all of his labors. He'd been in the presence of Odin and his guard during one of their few diplomatic meetings between the pantheons. He'd even watched as some of the more peaceful titans were escorted to their judgements before the almighty Olympian council.

Only a few years ago, Percy had witnessed and then participated in one of the worst events of the century: the Second Titan War and the resurrection of Kronos. Percy hadn't been alive for the initial Titanomachy, but if he was being entirely honest, they were heights above compared to the Gigantes. He'd fought Hyperion in the heat of the battle, and only with the help of some satyrs and other woodland creatures was he able to defeat the Lord of the East.

A few years after that, he'd even seen fucking aliens fall out of the sky and attack the mortals of New York. So badly had he wanted to join the fight, but of course Zeus had ordered him to maintain his post because Loki heading the invasion created a number of problems for their diplomatic relations with Asgard. Percy may or may not have cursed the god under his breath at that.

And… now.

Now…

"Son," the god of the seas stared at him from the other side of his desk. An expression unknown to the immortal demigod graced his father's face. Granted, he had only seen his father a handful of times since his induction into the role of Olympus' gatekeeper.

"Father." Percy inclined his chin back at the god. It wasn't that he disliked his father. In fact, he held Poseidon in high regard relative to the other deities he knew and respected him greatly. But, like most other demigods, his relationship with his godly parent was rather distant. Sometimes he went decades without ever seeing his father.

"Percy." Poseidon exhaled and smiled softly. The god was in his usual attire of Hawaiian shorts and a tropical shirt, but his face was much more weary and - quite frankly - elderly than past times he'd seen him. Percy wasn't much better. In fact he was most probably much worse with dirt across his face and cuts across his limbs and his hair in a tangled mess.

It was to be expected. They had just defeated Gaea and finished another war with the Giants, after all. Percy hadn't missed a beat, racing back to his position as soon as the Mother of Earth was ripped from her awakening.

"Zeus has decided that for your deeds, you shall be relieved of your duties as Olympus' gatekeeper." Poseidon said slowly, the edges of his lips twitching up in a smile. "If you'd like it, of course."

The demigod stared blankly back up at the man, the words taking a moment longer than usual to register.

"I'm… fired?" Percy asked, his eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. Poseidon chuckled softly and shook his head.

"No," he says firmly. He reached over the desk and gripped his shoulder. Percy can't remember the last time his father touched him. The last time anyone touched him. "I recognize that you've grown restless, bored of your position, which is natural for you are the sea and cannot be contained.

"I-"

"I should've never allowed you to do this in the first place, all those years ago." Poseidon smiles now, and Percy can recognize the sadness on his face. "You didn't deserve it, and had I fought against the decision more, perhaps your life would've been more fulfilling."

"Dad…" Percy can't really speak. He's lost for words. He knew his father was proud of him and loved him, the god had told him such before, but this was unlike him. "I don't regret anything."

And he didn't. He took pride in his role, even if he was twiddling his fingers most of the time and grew a little wistful every now and then. It wasn't the most glorious, it isolated him in a sense because frankly he met too many people to count, and doing the same thing over and over across the course of thousands of years grew tiresome. But, someone had to do it. What made him so much better than anyone else to make him overqualified for the role?

"I know you don't. It's not in your nature," his father said gently. "But, I think it's been long enough. The mortal world is not what it was when you left it. Explore, meet people, create connections. You deserve it, and don't deny that you don't want to. I've known you've wanted to since those first few years of your post."

"I…" Percy looked at his father, his mouth slightly open in his hesitation. "I accept."

The words were out of his mouth before he even really processed what he was saying. Strangely, though, he found himself agreeing with the more impulsive side of himself.

His father was right. He'd grown… restless in his immortal time. He'd been cooped up for far too long, and for more years than he could count, he'd wanted to go out and just do something. Anything, really. He wasn't built for this rather mindless repetition, this cage that had been built around him to trap him in a singular act.

And the war, the war that had just ended in so much death among both camps. It had been a reminder of what he'd gone through oh so long ago. War was never without bloodshed, and his heart threatened to burst just thinking of all the demigods and legacies and nature spirits that died in the quest and eventual victory in denying Gaea's rise.

"Before you go through with this, you must know that your immortality will decay." Poseidon said, his hand on Percy's shoulder squeezes just slightly. "You shall become just another demigod, although I don't think any ordinary monster will dare to challenge you."

"All the more reason to do it." Percy flashed a grim smile. His father's smile only widened.

"Then it shall be done," Poseidon unexpectedly pulled Percy into a brief, tight embrace. By the time he had realized what was happening, his father had already withdrawn.

"Thanks, dad," Percy responded sincerely.

"It's the least I can do after all this time," he said with a casual wave of his hand. It may have been Percy's imagination, but the slightest of winds tailed the motion, leaving behind a faint scent of ocean breeze. "Your apartment, of course, will continue to be paid for. The Olympian credit card will forever remain valid. And anything else you need, you need only ask."

"Thank you," he repeated and inclined his head.

"Last thing before you go," his father looked at him purposefully. "I suppose my brother is feeling generous after our victory, but because of your leave as gatekeeper you are allowed to go up to Olympus. For whatever reason, at whatever time, its doors are open to you, as are Atlantis'."

Percy hadn't expected that. Not at all.

He was allowed on Olympus? He hadn't seen it since… forever. He couldn't even remember what it looked like, couldn't remember why he missed it so bad. Subconsciously, his gaze trailed to the golden elevator that he'd protected for so long. It'd been torture to be teased by the entrance for so long, the door to Olympus being forever 10 feet away from him. He could've taken the elevator up anytime he wanted, Hades he'd almost done it a number of times before.

"I'll…" Percy's throat threatened to close up, his mouth suddenly dry. "I'll think about it."

Poseidon nodded in understanding and patted him on the back. "I'll leave you to your own devices." Percy affirmed his acknowledgment numbly, only vaguely registering his father disappearing in a mist of blue.

Once all traces of his father were gone, and Percy was left alone in the rather large lobby of the Empire State Building, he found himself rather lost on what to do next. As his gaze lingered on the contents of his desk, he began to wonder just what it is he wanted to do. He hadn't been so lost, yet so free in a very long time.

His enchanted pen was placed on the desk, placed there haphazardly right after Percy had sat down for his shift. A few drachma were strewn about, handy for quickly relaying messages to Olympus when mortals weren't in viewing distance. Random papers and all sorts of random office items were scattered across this giant receptionist desk that Percy'd sat at every single day.

To escape the flood of memories that threatened to overflow his mental shields, in an act of brash impulsiveness, he strode towards the elevator and slapped the button to go up. In an instant, that telltale ding rang and echoed throughout the room, and the golden doors slid open.

He stepped inside.

The inside of elevator is shining with gold and etched patterns. The buttons are inconspicuous, of course, and nothing seems out of place to the mortal eye. Of course, no mortal had access to the keycard that Percy inserted into a security slot, revealing a previously hidden button that would take him up to Olympus within minutes.

He hesitated. His index finger twitched in anticipation, his hand already half-raised above the glowing red button. For a few silent moments where the doors were closed but the elevator remained still, Percy stood there. Frozen. It was irrational to be so anxious over a simple button, but that fact didn't change his thrumming heart and sweaty palms.

His hand sped down, his fingers slamming the button labeled with a bold 86.

The red button shimmered into nothingness, as if it wasn't even there in the first place. His heart rate calmed, and he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in. He wiped his hands on his jeans and shook his head.

He wanted to go back to Olympus. He did.

But… he had to put that behind him now, didn't he? He didn't know exactly what he wanted to do now that he was free to do as he pleased, but his father's ideas had sounded appealing. Travel the world, create connections with people, enjoy himself.

He'd start by doing something he'd done so many times before. Whenever he'd felt especially wistful or depressed or overwhelmed with longing, he'd come here.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to the 86th floor, revealing the open observatory of the Empire State Building. Without hesitation, Percy stepped out in the cool, gentle breeze of the clear New York skies.

Darkness shrouded his eyes until he stepped towards the border of the roof and the lights of New York City set his vision ablaze. A handful of others were huddled together against the railing, looking down on the city, but he paid them and their hushed conversation no mind. To be entirely honest, he hadn't expected anybody at all to be up here at three in the morning.

Instead of eavesdropping on an innocent conversation amongst a few mortals, he folded his arms on the railing and hooked his chin on his forearm. His eyes trained on the skyline and the city with it, he took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air of the night. His breath turned into a barely visible fog before disappearing, intermingling and blending into the city below.

It wasn't quite 600 stories in the sky, but he'd always thought this was as close as he was ever going to get to being back on Olympus. He imagined it would be more like looking down on the city than being adjacent considering the 500 floor difference in views, but he'd never truly know. Or, at least, that's what he'd thought.

He couldn't truly make out anything below. Only vague shapes of roving cars and strolling mortals. Instead of attempting to make out any individual, he took his time taking in the whole.

He hadn't been born in New York City. Far from it, actually, as he had been born and raised in a small town tucked away in a corner of Greece civilization. Still, he considered Manhattan and New York City his adopted home. He liked the mortals that lived here. He appreciated the culture and the sights, even if pure, uninterrupted nature was difficult to come across. He even got used to the smells and quirks of living in the vast city.

This had been his home while his ability to visit Olympus had been cut off. He'd always hoped that he would be able to go back eventually, but he'd never truly thought that would actually happen. It may have been cynical, but he thought he'd either die in combat or continue to do the same thing for all of eternity.

Now that he actually was able to go up and return…

It didn't feel right, to be entirely honest. It didn't feel right to just up and replace New York. Replace the mortals that he'd admittedly grown attached to.

As he looked down towards the city, he felt a calming sensation wash over him. It wasn't wholly unlike the feeling of stepping into the shallow waves of the slowly rocking ocean, allowing the element he felt so familiar with to surround and complete him. It made him feel warmer inside. It made him feel safer, more comfortable.

From the view of this observatory, the city was teeming with life. And yet, at the same time, the reality was that it was a very small cog in the large machine of the universe. Lifting his vision just slightly revealed a canvas of stars and sky. Beyond that, hundreds of millions of species and galaxies and dwarf stars and gas planets and shining moons.

But that's what made it so special, right? Size and scale didn't matter. A living, breathing entity was exactly that. It didn't matter if they were mortal or a half-blood or a long-forgotten deity. The fact that the seed of consciousness and life grew and blossomed within them was special.

Life was taken for granted all too much. Even being up here, above all these people laughing and crying and fighting on the streets below, it attracted a terrible feeling of superiority. Of unimportance. Like the lives below were somehow less special.

But, the reality was that those two little specks he had to squint to look at, the ones dancing across a crosswalk, were just as important, just as great as he was, as Zeus and Poseidon and Athena were. Every person was their own little experience, their own little microcosm, and diminishing their perspective and their life was disrespectful. Disgusting. Insensitive.

He couldn't abandon this. Even for Olympus. It wouldn't feel right, looking down on the city like he was somehow better than its inhabitants. He wasn't better. He wasn't a god.

He would live and die just like everybody else.

"It never gets old, does it?" A man asked from beside him. Percy glanced to his side, noting that the man was a part of the group he had spotted earlier. He hadn't been surprised by his presence, of course, as he'd registered his approach about 10 feet before he'd spoken. Still, the mortal's footsteps were distinctly quieter compared to most others.

"No, I guess it doesn't." Percy muttered, taking a glance back at the horizon. It was oddly clear tonight. Probably because Zeus was in a joyous mood after the titillating victory over the Gigantes.

"You a local?" The man asked. Percy raised an eyebrow at that.

"How could you tell?" Percy answered his question with a question. Although he wasn't truly from New York City, he might as well be.

"Your eyes gave it away." The man shrugged, his gaze trained on the city landscape. "Like you want to permanently brand this city into your mind."

Percy nodded. He wasn't too far off, to be honest.

"I'm guessing you're the same?" Percy asked.

"Brooklyn, born and raised." Percy clicked his tongue in acknowledgment. Although his eyes never wavered from the lights and buildings before him, he could feel the man's gaze on his face, curious and questioning. "Where did you serve?"

Percy blinked.

"Excuse me?" Percy asked, finally looking towards the man. He was in a thin sweater and had a rather square face, with a sharp jawline and medium length dirty-blonde hair. There was a juxtaposition among his face, with a hard stare but soft, almost gentle features.

"Apologies if I overstepped," he said, looking genuinely sorry. "It's just not often that I meet a fellow soldier."

Percy frowned. He was no Apollo, but he liked to think that he had a good read on people. Thousands of years judging various persons had that effect. This man felt like someone who was at the very least kind and just. What did his dad say? Meet people? Make connections? Percy decided he'd indulge him.

"Funny enough, I just got back." Percy admitted, his attention now fully on the man, who nodded in understanding at his words. "You?"

The blonde let out a breath and a dry chuckle, "Sometimes it feels like I never stopped serving."

"I understand the feeling." Percy said, because he truly did. "You just feel trapped, right? Like you're in a never-ending cycle of being out there and nothing you do lets you escape."

"Never allowing yourself to let your guard down. Be normal. " The man shook his head, a grim smile forming on his face. He offered an arm out, "Steve."

"Percy," he obliged, shaking his outstretched hand. His hand was cold, which was to be expected in the cool twilight of the east coast. His grip was firm yet at the same time gentle, like he was scared if he squeezed too hard Percy's hand would break. ""Weird question, but why'd you enlist?"

Steve frowned in thought, his head cocked in the silence as he searched for an answer to the complicated question.

"Because everyone else was." He answered after a moment. "Why should I be allowed to stay back while all of my friends go out and fight on the frontlines? That's not right, that's not fair to them. I had the ability to go out and do my duty protecting this country, so I did."

Percy nodded meaningfully at that. Even if he hadn't personally fought because of those exact reasons, he supposed that had been a part of it. He respected it, was even impressed by his reasoning.

"Do you regret it?" Percy asked, his voice cracking unexpectedly. The atmosphere seemed to get thinner and the sky dimmed even further. Despite his best attempt at fending off the memories, flashes of blood and dust and tears bombarded his mind's eye. Images of fallen comrades and crying family members forced their way into his head.

Steve let out a breath, "Sometimes," he said after a moment. He glanced over at the city for a second before turning back to Percy. "But, no, I don't. I can't regret it. If I did… "

A beat of quiet, an unsaid answer forming in the space between them.

"I get it." Percy swallowed dryly. He moistened his lips with a flick of his tongue and looked again towards the horizon. His hands went to his pockets in a newfound search for warmth in the colder air that had come in the past few minutes. "I didn't fight because I felt a sense of duty or responsibility. I believed what I was fighting for was right, and I would take a spear straight through my ribs if it meant one of my brothers didn't have to, but… I went out there because I was the only one who could. It wasn't altruistic. It feels… cheap." He shrugged, not entirely sure if he voiced his thoughts properly. Still, from the corner of his eye, he could see Steve staring at him with a look of understanding. Devoid of pity, yet full with empathy.

"In the end, motive doesn't really matter." Steve said, a surprising amount of unwavering confidence in his voice. As if Percy thinking otherwise was absolutely unacceptable. "What matters is that you went there, and what's even more, you came back. Not everyone can say that."

Percy bit the inside of his cheek, tasting the tint of iron from the blood he drew. "I think everyone forgets that we didn't fight for a medal of honour or a pat on the back or a fucking reward," he chuckled humorlessly, his words laced with an unexpected venom. "Everyone's focused on the fact that we won, when we really didn't. We just lost less than the other side. The only ones who aren't glazed with glory are the people who had to cradle their loved ones' corpses in their fucking arms."

Percy squeezed his eyes shut as viciously as he could, attempting to squash the images and memories of the war thousands of years ago and then the one only a few hours ago. His hands clenched for a moment, almost assuredly drawing blood from his palms.

One breath.

Two.

He rolled his shoulders to force the tension out of his body and cracked his neck with a heavy sigh. There was no point in getting so angry at the king of the gods and others. It wouldn't do him any good to get struck down and smited.

"Alright, I'm good." Percy exhaled rather loudly and looked at Steve. "Sorry about that."

The man shook his head good-naturedly, "It's fine. Honestly, I've wanted to say the same things for a while now," he admitted. "Although, I'm curious now. Where exactly did you say you served?"

"You wouldn't know of it." Percy chuckled and sent the man a grin. "It's classified, anyways."

Steve laughed at that with a nod, knowing well enough not to prod any further. The pair of them settled into a comfortable period of short silence, both of them content to look out at the city and simply drink in the peace of their environment.

"Having fun over here?" another voice called from behind them. A woman sauntered over to them, her rather saturated red hair braided behind one shoulder and her breath ghosting into the air. Percy found himself envying the rather warm looking coat she was wrapped up in, even if it was probably women's clothing.

"That's one word for it, I guess." Steve said with a smile. "Just… enjoying the view."

The woman nodded knowingly before inclining her chin to Percy. "Who's your friend?"

"The friend can speak." Percy cut in, smiling just to show he wasn't trying to be mean. "Percy Jackson, at your service."

"Natasha," the woman replied. She raised an eyebrow and gestured over to Steve. "My friend's not giving you any trouble, is he?"

"Oh, on the contrary. I got some much needed catharsis," he admitted. At Natasha's interested expression, he chuckled. "I just yelled a little bit. That's all."

"We're fine over here, Nat." Steve said, giving her a meaningful look that Percy didn't care enough about to decipher. "Why'd you leave the others? Tony getting to be too much?"

"Just slightly," she replied, albeit with a subtle smirk. Her expression sobered. "He means well, but I swear he tries so hard to pretend that he doesn't care he just ends up being a complete ass."

Copper skin and flowing brown hair invaded his mindscape. A stony, regal face and a shining, silver tiara hid a kind smile and even kinder eyes. Something she'd said that he hadn't heard in quite some time reverberated inside his head, subconsciously passing through his lips into the twilight chill.

"The cursed edge of thy broken heart maims thee and thy loved." His words were quiet and should've been almost unintelligible, but both Steve and Natasha looked at him with attention. He smiled half-heartedly. "She was old fashioned. And a pessimist. But, she was right. Sometimes the worst actions have the best intentions." He would know, of course, as she'd said that directly to him after slapping him in the face all in the attempt to get him to wake up and stop trying to shield everyone from the world's many evils.

"Did she get you to stop?" Natasha asked curiously, intelligently gleaming the hidden statements behind his explanation. He grinned.

"Hades, no." Percy said, not even bothering to cover his slip-up. Being overly protective and loyal to the bone was written in his blood, practically branded beneath his skin. It was a part of him, and he'd long since accepted that fact. "But, it always helped to be reminded. She was gracious enough to allow me to take a step back. Get a different perspective, I suppose."

He allowed the two to digest the information in silence.

"How did… getting a different perspective - how did that help you?" Natasha asked. The hesitation and fragility in her voice made him pause. He cocked his head and looked at her. Really looked at her. What he saw wasn't unfamiliar, per se, but it was unexpected.

Beneath the stone-faced veil and seemingly coquettish personality, regret and anguish swirled within her emerald irises. Melancholy and lifeless. A balance of controlled anger and calm. A constant conflict twisting about and threatening to lash out. He'd seen this same thing in many of the demigods he'd fought with all those years ago. He'd seen it in himself.

It was the look of someone who'd been pushed to the edge, so far that they weren't sure if they'd tipped over or just avoided it. He was staring into the eyes of someone who'd done things borderline unutterable and was constantly living with the aftereffects.

The type of guilt she held wasn't temporary. It wasn't flashing or periodic, rather it was unmistakably constant. Ever-present and toxic, like a parasite that ate at her soul and threatened to take over.

In this moment, he knew that while she was asking for the answer to a rather trivial question in the grand scheme of everything, her singular purpose was to rid herself of this guilt and everything that came with it. Percy would do his best to aid her, because he knew the pain that she was going through. How burdening it felt to look back on his actions and hate himself for it.

"Not much, to be honest," he admitted honestly. He gnawed at his bottom lip for a moment, deciding what to say. "I did… a lot of things. Many acts I committed to in the name of my friends and the greater good which I would later despise myself for. She couldn't help me, nor could anybody else."

Natasha's eyes widened slightly, for barely a half-second, before she was able to largely recompose herself.

"What helped?" Steve asked, now fully attentive and invested.

"Time. Myself," he said softly. "Forgiveness is difficult to hand out, even more so when the one we have to forgive is ourselves. I found that accepting my past was the best thing I could do in order to salvage my present, my future. I didn't move on, didn't forget. I ceased my attempts in purging what I thought was a bloodsucker from my person, and instead accepted it as a part of me. A teacher to learn and improve from. "

While Percy looked toward the cityscape, the trio was entrenched in silence. Only the muffled sound of a distant car honk interrupting their peace.

"Well, I don't see my friends all that often now, so it hasn't really done anything for me, has it?" Percy dryly laughed. "And, I guess your friend might be going through something that's nothing like what I described. Sorry about that."

"Actually, I think you hit it in one." Natasha said distantly, her eyes also towards the city. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused, as if her mind was now a million miles away.

"I'm sorry about your friend." Steve said after a moment, his voice on the edge of wavering as if he was afraid of what reply he might receive. Percy merely laughed and shook his head disbelievingly.

"Don't worry, she's still alive. I just haven't seen her in a millenia," he smiled to himself and looked toward the gleaming moon. Millenia was no hyperbole. He hadn't seen Zoe in maybe a thousand years. Perhaps he'd attempt to see her sometime soon now that he was free to do as he pleased. Hopefully Lady Artemis still tolerated his presence enough to allow him to visit.

"So, is that what brought you up here? Girl trouble?" Natasha inquired. The joke was innocuous and unassuming, but he knew that she was curious and even slightly suspicious of him.

He barked out a laugh, "She'd hunt you down to the ends of the earth if she heard what you just implied," he shook his head amusedly. "I haven't had girl trouble in a long, long time."

"That's a shame," she replied.

Percy shrugged, not knowing how to reply to that. "To answer why I'm up here, I just got relieved of my job and I needed a place to think."

"Sorry about that," Steve said.

"Nothing to be sorry about," he waved off. "Honestly, this'll probably be good for me in the long run."

"Hell of a getaway place, though." Natasha noted following a beat of stillness. "You manage to sneak past security up here as well?"

"You guys snuck past security?" Percy laughed, trying to remember if he'd seen people go through the lobby while he'd been talking to his father.

"Not as much sneak past as catch him on a break." Steve admitted. "The man that's usually at the front desk wasn't there, so we just came up."

"How long have you been up here?" Percy frowned.

"15 minutes, maybe," Steve shrugged. That would be before Percy had gotten back for his shift. A certain someone was supposed to be covering for him, guarding the entrance to Olympus while practically everyone else fought the Gigantes and their army of monsters. A resigned sigh left his lips, and his fists tightened for just a second before relaxing once more.

"That dickhead can never do his job properly, can he?" Percy mumbled to himself. If the downfall of the gods had come on the heels of Hercules texting some mortal while hiding from his duties in a toilet stall, Percy would've finished the job of the Nemean Lion and severed every limb from head to toe. Slowly, and painfully.

"Hmm?" Steve perked up.

"Nothing, nothing." Percy shook his head. "Doesn't matter, anyways."

The man chose to accept that as an answer, and so the three of them chose to stay frozen in this bubble within the universe. Leaning against this railing, looking down on this seemingly large city then looking up and realizing there were stars a million miles away that held more impact on the universe.

It didn't matter, though. Because to them, this was as significant as it got. Life was life.

"There you are, Steven," a rather deep, intrinsically commanding voice called from behind them. Percy tore his gaze away from the city below and noticed three others walking in their direction. "You were right, the view is quite magnificent. Although the stars are more dull than I would've liked."

"Yeah, it was better before…" Steve said in reminiscence. Percy could've snorted. They should've seen it only 500 years ago before man's pollution had clouded and dimmed the galaxy's natural night lights.

"You should visit Asgard in the winter months," the large man said. Percy's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets at that. His grip nearly slipped from the railing behind him and he had to squint closer at the slowly approaching man. "The Bifrost provides a breathtaking view of Asgard when snowfall has just begun."

"Uh." Natasha coughed awkwardly. "Big guy." She subtly but not-so-subtly gestured her head towards Percy, who was still squinting at the figure, attempting to somehow identify him. As far as he knew, there were no rogue Asgardians roaming the Earth. At least, none that the Olympian council was aware of.

As the man came closer and the picture became clearer, it dawned on him just whose presence he was in. It was unmistakable, even with the thick clothing and the red beanie hiding his trademark blonde hair. If his broad shoulders and imposing stature weren't enough to give it away, the confident, borderline arrogant way he carried himself did.

"Oh. My apologies." Thor paused in his steps and if Percy was correct in his observations, seemed to be slightly embarrassed at his misstep. "I didn't realize there was another among us."

"You're fine, Thunder Pants," one of the men beside the Norse god casually slapped him on the arm in reassurance. "New York's atmosphere tends to give you a contact high once you reach about a thousand feet up."

"Thor, huh?" Percy frowned, but not in displeasure. More curiosity. He'd seen the god on a handful of occasions when Asgard had sent ambassadors to Olympus for diplomatic relations and negotiations. "How's Odin these days?"

"In his Odinsleep." Thor admitted. He paused for a moment to study Percy, who stood unflinchingly under his gaze. "Do I know you?"

"Thor?" Steve questioned, his face scrunching up in worry.

"Probably not." Percy shrugged. This just made the god stare even harder, if that was possible. Suddenly, Percy's mind flickered and realization struck him. He blinked. "Wait, if you guys know Thor, then…"

"Yup." Natasha exhaled a relenting sigh.

"Earth's Mightiest Heroes, at your service," the man beside Thor mock-bowed. Steve just rolled his eyes, but Percy gleamed he was genuinely put out that Thor had revealed their identities. He couldn't blame them. They all probably got recognized a lot and got quickly tired of the overwhelming attention. "Would an autograph from all of us suffice?"

"No thanks." Percy kindly rejected the offer, surprising the others. The man who Percy now recognized as Tony Stark raised a curious eyebrow at him. "I'll just say I've met famous people before and leave it at that"

"I know you." Thor said, unprompted. It wasn't a question this time.

"Do you?" Percy raised an eyebrow, challenging him. He highly doubted that Thor Odinson knew of him. From what he recalled, they'd never even exchanged a single sentence with each other.

"Yes." Thor said confidently. "The spawn of the Grecian Sea God are notorious for their vibrant eyes."

"They are?" Percy genuinely hadn't known this. Then again, he hadn't really asked anyone.

"What's your name?" Thor asked, eyebrows knit together in curiosity.

"Percy."

"Perseus?" Recognition went alight in his eyes. "The one from old?"

"Uh…"

"I should've recognized you sooner!" Thor boomed, a wide smile now gracing his face. "You're quite popular amongst Asgardian children, you know."

"I am?" Now Percy was really confused. How in Hades' neon pink underpants did Asgardian children even know he existed?

"Of course!" The god exclaimed, looking at him with a sort of awe he was unfamiliar with receiving. "Why, my own mother read to me stories of your courage and selflessness in your quests and on the battlefield."

Percy wanted to call bullshit.

"Huh." He settled on instead. "I don't know if any of my… exploits were story-worthy."

"Modesty, as well." Thor smiled. His smile disappeared before returning to a slightly more sober version. "The stories are told to inspire in young ones the type of kindness and selflessness that you carry. It pains me to say that I haven't always been able to follow in your footsteps."

"Neither have I." Percy shook his head. "You have to remember, legends and stories are simply that. Nobody's perfect. I'm certainly not."

"Well." Stark rubbed his hands together after a pause during which Thor had soaked in Percy's words with understanding. "That's all nice and good, but I have a question."

"As do I." Natasha affirmed. Steve just nodded in agreement.

"How the fuck do you guys know each other?" Tony asked.

"I don't know if I should answer that."

"Why the hell not?" Percy looked towards Thor in question and the god could only give him a shrug. He glanced at Steve and Natasha and knew that they deserved to know. They'd been vulnerable to him, unknowingly so.

"All you need to know is that I'm a demigod, and I've been alive for longer than you can even conceive." Percy said. "Thor and his people somehow heard about my actions a few years back, and that's why he knows of me."

"Wait, back it up-"

"You're a demigod?" Steve asked, a little disbelieving and a lot confused.

"Half god, half human." He nodded.

"One of the greatest to ever walk the lands of Midgard." Thor added helpfully. Percy could do nothing but roll his eyes.

"So…" Steve frowned. He looked a little hurt, and Percy honestly couldn't blame him. "You were lying? The whole time?"

"Not about me being a soldier." Percy denied. "Not about anything else."

"Ah, my condolences, Perseus. I'd nearly forgotten." Thor said gravely. "War is never easy. I'll make sure to pray for your dead at sunrise."

"Thank you, Thor. I'm sure they'll appreciate that." Percy said sincerely. He ran a tired hand through his hair. "And don't worry about any of the politics. I won't say a word to anyone."

The god nodded in thanks.
"I see you've left your post." Thor commented.

"I resigned, and apparently the king's allowed it." Percy said.

"Truly?" Thor's eyes brightened a little. "What will you do now?"

"I haven't really thought about it," he shrugged. "Maybe travel a bit. I hear France isn't as terrible as it used to be."

"You could always join us." Thor gestured to him and his teammates. "I for one would be honored to fight beside you on any battlefield."

"Hmm." Percy cocked his head in thought.

"Woah, woah. Hold on." Tony held his hands up. "You can't invite just anyone onto the Avengers without our approval. That breaks a bunch of protocols ol' Saint Nick's implemented."

"And what do you care about that?" Natasha inquired.

"I don't." Tony replied candidly. "But-"

"Look, Stark." Thor interrupted, settling a reassuring hand on his friend's tricep. "This man that stands before you is one of the greatest heroes to live on any world. He's saved Earth from a terrible fate more than you or I, and he has my respect. That should be enough."

A moment of silence where the two men stared each other in the eyes. Tony eventually sighed, relenting. "Fine, I trust you."

"Thank you." Thor looked to his other teammates. "And you? Do you trust me?"

"I do." Steve said after a second. The man looked to Percy. "I don't know what it is… but… I trust you."

Percy turned to Natasha. She could only shrug and smile. "One wrong move and you won't see the next sunrise." Percy couldn't help but chuckle.

"Perfect." Thor said. "Banner?"

"Uh." The man who hadn't said a word yet cleared his throat and smiled rather awkwardly. "I guess if I trust you enough to beat the other guy out of me, I trust you with this."

"So I'm an Avenger now?" Percy asked with a smirk.

"Trainee." Tony grumbled. "What are you good at again?"

"I've used a sword or two in my lifetime." That got a smile out of Thor.

"Great. Fuckin perfect." Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head like he couldn't believe any of this was happening. To be honest, neither was Percy. "Well, when do you wanna start?"

Percy smiled and looked back to New York City. He'd just survived a war, and any person in their right mind would be scared shitless at the prospect of having to fight ever again. But, for some reason, this felt different.

"I think I'm gonna travel for a little bit." Percy said after a bit. "Go to Italy. Maybe even Japan."

Thor nodded in acceptance, "We'll be waiting."

"So will I," he responded. He dug into his coat pocket and fished out his object of desire, flipping it over to Thor without a second thought. "If you need me, don't hesitate."

Thor needed to only inspect the golden coin in his hand for only a moment before he nodded in understanding.

"I think I should go now." Percy said. He looked out toward the direction of Long Island. "The funerals will be soon, and I shouldn't miss it before their bodies are burned."

"Pay them my respects." Thor said.

"Of course," he stuffed his hands in his pockets and readied himself to leave. He couldn't resist taking one last look at New York's landscape. He doubted he'd ever get tired of the view. "Steve. Natasha."

He nodded to the two. They nodded back. He'd formed a sort of kinship with the duo, even if it was unintentional. He hoped they felt the same.

"It's been an honor, Perseus." Thor said. Percy simply smiled and turned to head back to the elevator.

"I'll see you later, God of Thunder."

He walked past the Avengers and entered the elevator. The doors closed, and Percy couldn't help but smile. He was free for the first time in five thousand years, and he was joining a team of strangers in the quest to protect mortals from threats they couldn't protect themselves from. So, basically what he'd done his entire life.

He couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

Life was good. And it was only just beginning.


The ending's a little abrupt and to be honest there's no real purpose for this being here. Just a little spark in my noggin and random musings of my head. It was random and honestly I'm not super proud of the end result cause I had no idea where I was going to go with it in the first place, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless.