Chapter 26 - Reunion
It was with a good bit of luck that Annabeth or Piper weren't killed. Luck, and a meat-shield in the form of Luke.
Luke brandished Backbiter at the unarmed Romans to keep them back as the three demigods raced across the city to reach the flying ship.
Annabeth and Piper climbed up first so Luke to protect their backs, and then he leapt for the ladder and raced after them.
On the deck, they found a familiar black-haired, green eyed boy standing over Leo.
"- you fire on the city?" Percy demanded angrily. Jason was trying to calm Percy down, but wasn't very successful.
"Hey, Jackson," Luke called. "Why are you wearing a bed sheet?"
Percy tensed, whipping around to face the three questers. "Luke, Annabeth!" Annabeth flushed slightly as he hugged her, causing Luke to roll his eyes.
"Hi, I'm Percy Jackson," Percy said to Piper, sticking his hand out to her.
Piper nodded slightly. "Piper Mclean."
"Nice to meet you," Percy said.
"Pleasantries later, Jackson," Jason called over his shoulder. "We've got eagles incoming."
Percy shook his head. "Right. Yeah. Hey, imp, can you get us out of here?"
"My name's Leo," Leo grumbled. He seemed completely bewildered, eyes flicking between Jason and Percy. "But yeah. Sure."
"Sooner the better, Leo," Jason said, raising his hand and causing lightning to spark in the sky. He direct streaks towards the incoming eagles, trying to divert and not kill.
Luke looked around at the demigods on the deck, noticing the two Roman demigods not yet introduced. Eight of them. Luke wasn't stupid, he knew he wasn't one of the Seven. He didn't want to be anyway, not while Kronos was still off running around doing his own things – Luke should be with his liege lord.
"Uh, yeah," Percy said. "Greeks, meet Hazel and Frank," Percy said, grinning at the two Roman demigods. "They're awesome."
Luke rolled his eyes.
"Luke," Percy fixed his gaze onto the son of Hermes. Luke's skin crawled under the intensity of that gaze, and he hadn't missed that Percy hadn't given him the greeting he'd given Annabeth. Percy paused briefly, seemingly trying to find the words to say, before he huffed. "Kronos?"
Luke snorted. "Sulking for the better part of seven or so months now."
Percy seemed faintly relieved to hear that. "He going to be dropping in?"
"I may be able to convince him," Luke mused. Percy's gaze darkened slightly at that, and Luke grinned in response. No doubt the other alpha despised knowing that Kronos could answer Luke's call potentially even before his alpha's.
Percy slumped. "Try. Please." He frowned slightly at Luke. "It's been too long."
New Rome was falling away beneath them, the ship shuddering as it took off. "We've taken heavy damage," Leo called to them all.
And then there was the satyr chaperone. Luke scowled in his direction. "Hey, Valdez," Luke called. "There any showers here? We need a wash." He gestured to Annabeth and Piper.
Leo nodded. "Yeah." He gave Luke a detailed description of how to get to the showers on the Argo II.
Once Luke had showered and hunted down some clothes that weren't splattered with sea monster gunk, he took out the sea serpent fangs. Luke started a little fire using a match and burnt each fang in offering to Kronos, muttering thanks as he did so. At the end, he added, "And Percy is kind of desperate to see you, by the way. I think he's taken the separation harder than you have." There was no sign that Kronos was listening – wherever he was – but Luke knew he'd heard.
By the time Luke re-joined the prophesised Seven, they were already splitting up. He raised an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"
"We're going into town to get some tar," Percy said, not looking particularly pleased.
Luke shrugged. "I've got a better idea," Luke said. "I'll go instead of you, Percy." He winked at the son of Poseidon, causing him to perk up slightly.
"Are you sure?" Jason questioned dubiously. He was still wearing his purple Praetor cape. "You're not one of the Seven, you don't have to-"
"I want to," Luke said. "Besides," he said, looking rather dryly towards Percy. "Kronos should be dropping by soon. I think Percy should at least be here to greet him, right?"
"No," the satyr said sharply. "Absolutely not. There will be no unauthorised meetings between couples. I'm making that a rule now."
"Then authorise it," Percy said.
"Chiron has put me in charge of you lot," Coach Hedge said firmly. "And I'm putting my foot down over this."
"Coach," Piper said, "maybe you should join us?"
"No," Coach Hedge said.
"Alright," Luke mused. He leant towards Percy, speaking loud enough for everyone else to hear him. "You might want to find a place you can dump a satyr's reincarnation. Maybe he'll turn into some angry pansies and you can stick them on the windowsill or something." He gestured to the railings. "Or poison ivy, and you can wrap it around the railing."
Percy's lips twitched. "I'll consider it," he said gravely.
"So does everyone know what they need to find?" Jason questioned.
"No," Luke said. "What am I getting again?"
"Tar," Jason sighed. "With Annabeth and Frank."
Luke nodded.
They left Percy pacing on the deck. Nearly seven months he had been missing. Percy worried about what Kronos had been doing in that time.
"The two of you are staying up here where I can keep an eye on you," Hedge announced as he trotted over to Percy.
Percy scowled, keeping his eyes on the horizon for any sign of Kronos' imminent arrival. "I'm afraid that it's not me you'll have to convince," he said a few minutes later when he saw a winged shape approaching from the West, out of the setting sun.
Kronos overshot the ship in his excitement.
The alpha was bouncing on his heels by the time the Titan Lord landed – making an obvious effort to not make another hole in Leo's ship. Percy looked him over, up and down, just to make sure that he was safe and healthy and no one had tried to hurt his omega while he'd been missing – not that he thought anyone would be stupid enough to, but it didn't hurt to check – before he stuffed his hands into the folds of the bed sheets he'd been forced to wear for the Senate Meeting.
"Hey," Percy greeted. Now that the Titan was actually there... for the past few months – since Percy had woken up at the Wolf House only remembering Kronos' name – he'd planned out this very reunion. One plan involved a sappy candle-lit dinner, but Percy had soon scrapped that when he'd recovered his memories. Percy had practised in front of mirrors, planned an entire speech and everything. Yet, now that the omega was really there, he was at a loss for words.
Kronos' lips twitched faintly. "Hey," he echoed.
And, suddenly, just like that, Percy felt his stomach untwist. He closed the distance between them, dragged Kronos closer, and then they were kissing and Percy could smell his omega again and feel that ever-present warmth circuiting under his skin, a hairsbreadth from ripping Kronos' mortal form apart and incinerating Percy on the spot. Eventually – unfortunately – Percy had to breathe. He pulled back – cursed mortal lungs – and then pressed his lips against Kronos' neck. The Titan omega trembled as Percy did so, and Percy was relieved in the knowledge that he had been missed to.
"Togas suit you," Kronos muttered, only to groan as Percy locked onto the same spot he'd marked Kronos as his ten months ago.
"Hey - Canary."
Percy shut his eyes. He pulled back from Kronos' neck. "Kronos. Meet Coach Hedge. Coach Hedge – Kronos."
The look on Kronos' face. Percy smothered his laugh.
"I'm the chaperone of these kids," Hedge said. "And there's a no-having-sex rule in full force, and a keep-your-hands-to-yourself rule. If you cannot keep at least three feet between the both of you at all times, then you'll have to leave."
Kronos looked completely bewildered. "Is he trying to talk down to me?" He asked Percy.
Percy couldn't stop his laugh that time. Hedge squared all of his five feet up against the Titan's bulk. While Kronos was standing at a mortal height, he still had over a foot on the satyr. And Percy didn't doubt that Kronos could crush the satyr with his bare hands.
"Excuse me," Hedge sharply said. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
Kronos' eyes narrowed down at the satyr. "Will I?" He questioned, his smile all teeth. He took a step forwards, and then several more when Hedge stumbled back. "I'm afraid that if you try to keep me from my alpha, you'll end up a pulverised pile of pansies." With the wings still arcing from his back, Kronos was certainly a terrifying sight for the satyr.
Percy watched with a small smile.
Hedge seemed to realise that he couldn't bully the omega into keeping away from Percy. He huffed. "When Chiron hears about this-"
"He'll be relieved, no doubt," Kronos said with a sly smile. "After all, if I am here then he knows where I am – and what I'm doing."
"Kronos," Percy said when Kronos seemed to consider tossing the satyr over the railing at his back. "Come on."
Kronos skulked back to Percy, one of his wings clipping Hedge's head as he turned. Immediately, Percy all but sprinted to his room, practically dragging Kronos behind him. "So," Percy said as he locked his door. "Everyone else has gone to get the stuff we need to fix the ship. I don't know how long we have, but-"
The Titan grumbled. "Less talking," he said, grabbing hold of Percy's toga and dragging him over to the bed. "More doing."
"I can do that."
"I know," Kronos said.
Percy tried to take his toga off, but only got himself hopelessly tangled. "Shit," he swore. Kronos snorted and reached out, expertly unpinning and unfolding the toga from a millennia of experience.
"What do you look like in a toga?" Percy curiously asked, reaching out and trying to take Kronos' shift off, which proved highly problematic due to the Titan's wings.
Kronos grinned and they vanished, and Percy could suddenly pull his shirt free. "Maybe you'll find out one day," he said, deciding to forgo any more undressing and simply flashing their clothes off.
Impatience at its finest.
Percy immediately dove on top of him. "Gods, I've missed you so much," he whispered.
Kronos growled. "What have I said about mentioning gods during sex?"
Percy didn't dignify the Titan with an answer, instead he feathered kisses along his jaw and returned to his neck from where Hedge had interrupted them. Kronos' hand grasped his cock, the Titan expertly setting himself to the task of preparing his alpha.
The alpha grunted. "I haven't got any-"
Kronos moaned as Percy found that spot, baring his throat even further to his alpha. Yet he was still prepared, waving a half-used bottle of lube in front of Percy.
Percy paused in his sucking for long enough to see what he was doing in order to slick his fingers, and then he was back on Kronos' throat, fingers creeping underneath the Titan at the same time. Kronos stiffened slightly as Percy slipped the first of his fingers into him.
Kronos shut his eyes, relaxing back against Percy's probing fingers. It took what seemed like an eon to Percy before Kronos was spreading his legs and Percy was able to finally start sliding into the Titan.
By the time the other demigods returned, there'd be no doubt regarding what had occurred while they were gone. Already Percy was proud to see some bruises starting to bloom on the side of Kronos' neck.
Percy leant forward to press their lips together, the movement drawing a ragged moan from the Titan Lord.
Percy let out a sharp breath when he finally found himself buried in the omega. "I've missed this," Percy gasped as he felt the base of his cock start to swell and lock them together. "Missed you."
Kronos shuddered as his alpha's cock thickened inside him. "Me too," he whispered, his tone ragged.
Percy let out a hoarse cry as his seed sputtered up the Titan's ass. He dropped forward, letting his head rest on Kronos' shoulder. Kronos whined and buried his nose in the crook of Percy's neck as they waited for Percy to be able to pull out.
The demigod determinedly reached for the Titan's cock, intending to help him finish too. Kronos groaned and squirmed as Percy steadily brought him over the edge, though in contrast to Percy, Kronos came with a sharp gasp.
Percy grinned as he rolled off the Titan, sprawling beside him on the bed. Kronos shifted, pressing closer to Percy. The alpha hummed in satisfaction, hugging the warmth of the Titan closer.
He pressed his lips to Kronos'. "Really missed you," he whispered. "Since I woke up a few months ago... I couldn't remember anything but you and even then I could only remember your name." Percy trembled, remembering the crippling need to reunite with his omega, wanting to have him beneath him and around him. "And then I remembered, and it just made it worse because I remembered everything. I don't want to go through that again," Percy murmured to Kronos.
The Titan shut his eyes. "I found out that Hera took you," Kronos replied. "I knew it was her. But I couldn't find you anywhere. And the gods have been smart enough to block me from entering Olympus, so I couldn't go and take you." And that was a terrifying thought. Percy had worried how his omega had taken his disappearance, but hearing that he was that close to storming Olympus just to find him...
"Never again," Percy fiercely said. "I won't let that happen ever again, Kronos."
The Titan seemed satisfied with his promise. Kronos smiled faintly, pressing against the side of his alpha. "Good," he murmured, voice slightly muffled.
Percy was content to simply lie there with his omega for the next month, Prophecy of the Seven be damned. Gaea could wait while he reconnected with his omega.
Unfortunately, the rest of the Seven didn't seem to share the sentiment.
"Percy?" Annabeth called.
Kronos stirred in his arms, blinking as he lifted his head. Percy sighed. "Yeah?" Then, as an afterthought, "Don't come in."
"We've got everything we need," Annabeth said. "Come into the lounge and we'll share our news."
"Yeah, fine." Percy huffed as he glanced back at Kronos.
The Titan seemed just as displeased as Percy to be disturbed, golden eyes glowering at the wooden door as if to incinerate it and the daughter of Athena beyond.
"I could stay here," Percy quietly offered to Kronos.
"As marvellous as that sounds, you do need to see what they want," Kronos disagreed. He didn't seemed pleased with it.
"Yeah," Percy sighed.
Kronos snapped them clean and they set to hunting down their clothes, sharing a few sloppy kisses and caresses in the process, just because they could, before the pair rejoined the other demigods in the lounge.
Kronos sprawled next to Percy in one of the chairs, gaze flicking over each of the gathered demigods.
"Hey," Leo said, "that table's mahogany."
Kronos quirked an eyebrow. "Fascinating," he said duly.
"Any tips on where we should be going?" Jason questioned.
"Topeka 32," Piper said promptly. "There's Bacchus there, he could give us a few pointers."
Kronos shrugged. "That's as good an idea as any. There are many places you should be going, but I don't doubt that you'll all end up there eventually. Besides," he said finally. "I'm trying to stay under the radar. Olympians and all that, don't want me interfering with you Seven."
"There's eight of us," Annabeth said pointedly.
Kronos shook his head. "No. I'll be taking Luke back to Camp when I leave. He's needed far more over there."
"What do you mean?" Percy demanded, his gaze lingering on the screens showing a sunset at Camp Half-Blood. "What's going on at Camp?"
Kronos smiled. "As it turns out, firing down onto New Rome has been taken as an act of war. The Roman Legion is readying themselves to march towards their Greek counterparts as we speak. And Jason, since he's flown off with the Greek attackers, may yet have his Praetorship revoked." He finally took his feet off the table, much to Leo's relief, as he leaned forward. "But, perhaps if you don't find what you're looking for at Topeka, you could head to Atlanta. I've heard rumours of some suspicious activity in the city."
Jason nodded. "Thank you," he said.
Kronos hummed. "Don't thank me yet. You've all got a long journey ahead of you." He tapped his pointer finger against the mahogany table. "Take a word of advice from an old Titan? Keep an eye out. Gaea's raising monsters older than the gods. Some of them even I would have trouble to take down."
Piper eyed him with no small amount of suspicion, but Kronos merely smiled at her. "Luke," he said. "Are you coming?"
"Wait - you're leaving now?" Percy demanded. "You only just got here."
Kronos presses his lips to Percy's. "I will come back. I'm a busy Titan, Jackson. I can't spend all my time here in bed with you, despite how much I wish I could."
Percy sighed. "Okay," he quietly said, slumping slightly. "Okay. But you'd better come back," he warned.
"Promise," Kronos said with a small smile, before he rose and stride from the room without another glance back.
"Percy, you alright?" Annabeth quietly asked.
"Yeah," Percy murmured. "Yeah, everything's fine." He just hated watching his omega walk away from him, every single time they had to part.
Finally, Percy and Kronos reunite!
Ghostfall: Thanks! Yeah, no. But we have Percy here!
ShadowsClaw: Oh good lol.
Guest: Let's hope you stay wondering... that's always good though. Leaving lots of questions xD.