27. Kiss it Better

Two weeks passed since what Percy liked to refer to as the Incident (yes with capital letters). He wasn't sure if there was a rule somewhere that said once you lied to your all-powerful godly parent to protect your annoying half-brother you would be unceremoniously welcomed into the family, but that sure was what it felt like. Triton had taken a liking to him at least.

Triton had evidently decided that Percy was okay or something so for the last fourteen days he kept inviting Percy out to do things like spare or show him a cool part of Atlantis or follow him around making obnoxious remarks until Percy snapped and they ended up sparing in the middle of the forge (Amphitrite hadn't been too happy about that one but Poseidon looked near bursting with pride for some weird reason). Percy wasn't sure if this was normal sibling behavior. He didn't exactly have much to go on. Tyson was more of a loving hero worshiping kind of little brother. Percy was the little brother in this situation and he sure as hades wasn't about to do any hero worshipping—mostly because Triton was just an ass. (And maybe Percy kind of liked him but he'd go to the grave before admitting it).

Which was probably how he found himself sitting outside the palace watching with his mouth half open and brow furrowed as Triton spun around doing some fancy and unnecessary moves with a trident.

"That doesn't even look practical, you're just showing off," Percy hedged as Triton twirled the trident in his hand, thrusting into the air. The comment caused his brother to stumble, face alight with indignation as he scowled over his shoulder at Percy.

"It's part of using a trident," the god explained with an upturned nose. "You have to leverage it differently than a sword."

"If you say so," Percy wasn't convinced but he knew better than to push the point. He leaned back in the soft sand, arms stretched behind him as he reclined.

"Pay attention," Triton chastised, and ugh he sounded like Percy's geometry teacher.

"I don't see—" Percy started to argue, fingers digging into the soft sand as part of his mind contemplated he merit of throwing it in Triton's face the next time he made a fancy twirl. It would be comical but might get him stabbed.

He never got the chance to make a decision (he was leaning towards being okay with getting stabbed) or finish his complaint because at that moment he caught sight of a figure swimming their way. Amphitrite, queen of the sea, drew level with the two sons of Poseidon, her beautiful face serene and expressionless.

Percy winced and lurched forward, scrambling to get to his feet and greet the queen. Amphitrite had been taking the whole having-the-illegitimate-son-of-my-cheating-husband-sleeping-under-my-roof thing really well. She didn't treat Percy coldly a la Cinderella style. She also didn't smile his way or generally look pleased when he walked into a room, but Percy knew he was incredibly lucky regardless if Nico's horror stories about Persephone were anything to go by. All in all, she was pretty chill, and Percy just really wanted to stay on her good side.

"Triton, I have been searching for you—"

"Sorry, Mother, I was trying to teach this ungrateful crustacean how to use the weapon of our—"

That was as far as he got. In his (playfully?) agitated state, Triton had dramatically gestured in Percy's direction with the trident. Unfortunately, Percy had scrambled to his feet at the same moment, so the trident did not slice harmlessly through the water but instead through the soft flesh of Percy's forehead. For a second, the very ocean seemed to freeze. His stepmother and half-brother stared at him in twined horror and, a second later, a steady blossom of blood poured out from the cut, staining the water murky brown.

"I'm okay it's fine!" Percy cried as they both snapped from their stupor and all but lunged at him.

"Shit, mortals are so fragile," Triton cursed, and Percy had to take three steps back to avoid having his face awkwardly cradled again.

"No, seriously, it's fine, look, it's already healing, it looks way worse than it is, head wounds always bleed a lot—" Percy blathered, his face burning as he avoided Triton's grabbing arms.

"Stay still," the queen of the sea demanded. Both Percy and Triton obediently froze.

Amphitrite swam past her son, reaching out to take Percy's face in her hands. Her touch was gentle, her fingers persistent but careful as they probed at the wound. Percy hardly dared to breathe, eyes so wide they nearly hurt as he watched the queen's lightly frowning face. There was something . . . familiar about the gentle way she checked his injury. It unnervingly reminded him of his own mother, pushing back his hair and kissing his forehead every time he hurt himself as a child in that sweet and loving way that he knew meant he was safe, that he was loved.

"It's fine," the queen decided and oh gods she was pushing his hair out of his eyes, tucking a strand behind his ear (he needed a haircut, it was getting too long but when did he have time for such a stupid mortal thing?).

"The water is already healing it. There's no need to alert your father," Amphitrite told them, leaning in and—kissing the now sealed wound on Percy's forehead.

Amphitrite stared down at Percy, and Percy didn't know who looked more freaked out him or her. Or Triton, mouth agape over his mother's shoulder.

"I—" the queen dropped her hands from Percy's head as though he were cursed. "I—"

She glanced over her shoulder at Triton, then back at Percy. "I didn't . . . Come Triton, court awaits our arrival."

Amphitrite spun around and began swimming away, clearly intending to get as far away from this twilight zone as possible. Triton stared at Percy, looking torn between disbelief and incredibility, before the sea prince squeezed Percy's shoulder and took off after his mother.

"You . . ." Amphitrite slowed down enough to let Triton catch up with her, hesitating as she reached out to touch Triton lightly on the arm. She glanced back at Percy, head-turning only a fraction, so he could just barely see the side of her face. "You can come too if you'd like."

"Ah, yes ma'am," Percy stammered, head still reeling and hastened to catch up.

A/n Same universe as the last two and the next will be as well. Hope ya'll having a good week and not freezing in this cold front. You're all the best, thank you!

Up next: Touch Deprived

ps. Thank you so much Smileyfaceofevil!