20. Migraine

It was hard to pinpoint what exactly was the cause: the lack of sleep, the irregularity of food intake, stress from months of playing catch up at school because a crazy goddess kidnapped him, pressure from keeping camp safe, or Jason's annoying yammering (Percy liked to think it was Jason's fault). Regardless, the migraine came on fast and hard. Annabeth basically carried Percy to his cabin and warded everyone off under pain of death if they bothered him. Percy was sure it was suitably terrifying but he felt like his very skull was splitting in two so he couldn't dedicate much thought to the contemplation.

Percy curled himself into the smallest mass possible, tucking his head between his knees. He squeezed his hands against his ears hoping the pressure would both keep his brains inside his stupid head and block out the sounds that were trying to split it. He felt like daggers were being forced into his brain, every rattling breath dragged up from his lungs driving them in even deeper. He tried to quiet his breath while still taking in enough oxygen but it wasn't working out very well. He groaned a little than instantly regretted it as the sound pounded against his abused brain. He half-expected his brain to come leaking out of his ears.

He wished Annabeth had just thrown him in the lake instead of his cabin but wishing required thought and he didn't have the capacity for that right now.

A scraping sound grated against his ears and Percy tried to make himself even smaller, desperate to block out the sound. The part of him that capable of fragmented thought imagined it might be Annabeth and hoped the bed would dip and soft hands would pull him into a warm embrace. He barely registered the dip that eventually came, the movement so slight and deliberate that it didn't break through his agony.

A hand did reach out, hesitate, then hover just above his raven head. Percy clamped his hands tighter around his ears, oblivious to his visitor. The hand lowered at that, as though wanting to give comfort yet afraid to touch. Finally, calloused fingers brushed against the demigod's head, pushing sweaty strands back from the boy's pale brow. Percy didn't so much as stir.

Fingers carded through the unruly hair, a soundless sigh escaping the man who sat by his son's side.

Poseidon pressed his lips together at the sight of his pained child. He kept gently stroking the boy's hair, careful to never actually touch his skin. Percy didn't give any indication he was even aware of the god's presence. Poseidon knew the daughter of Athena would appear soon, too attached to his child to be parted long from his side on a good day and even less patient to be so on a bad. So he wouldn't have long to appreciate this moment. Poseidon stared down at his son, eyes slowly panning over his pained form, taking in every detail, every color, every crease, and every curve. His son radiated displeasure and pain, and although the emotions were sharp and bitter, the sea god greedily basked in them. Every minute twitch of pain was cherished, every shaking, hiccuped breath exalted.

Poseidon hummed softly, letting the sound of the ocean fill the cabin. Percy's face was almost completely obscured by his hands and knees but the wrinkled patch of skin that was visible smoothed out, his fingers vice-like grip relaxing if but only by a breath. Poseidon smiled, and waited at his son's side until the moment broke by the daughter of wisdom's arrival.

A/n Happy New Year! I hope it brings everybody nothing but good luck and happy moments. Fingers crossed. Until then, here some angsty fluff.

Up next: Burn

ps. to the anon with the great question: come off anon and we can talk about it! I don't have the space to do it justice here.