Drunk (The Prequel)

"Triiiii, you back?" Percy asked, eyes closed because the room kept spinning.

The youngest son of Poseidon felt the presence move closer but didn't bother opening his eyes. Nobody was going to hurt him, not here. Besides, the sea deities emitted an aura, a distinctive aura that settled across Percy's skin like waves rolling in the sea, curling around him in a powerful, comforting embrace. His brother gave off such an aura as he came closer.

"Triii, what was in that drink?" Percy complained as his brother drew closer, reaching his arms out. "Did you tell Dad we're leaving? My head hurts, why is it so hot, the room is still spinning Tri—"

"Triton gave you the wine, didn't he?"

"Wine, what wine?" Percy pried his eyes open as the voice, deeper than he expected, washed over him. He squinted in the bright greenish-blue light of the palace as the tall, imposing figure of the sea god came into focus.

The Lord of the Sea was dressed otherworldly, his dual fins flashing with every movement, his shirt a kaleidoscope of images, shimmering in and out of focus: silver scales in the moonlight, inky depths of an abyss, crystal blue waves on snow-white beaches, brewing storms on the open ocean. Poseidon exhaled through his nose at Percy's words, it almost might have been a laugh, but the ocean roared too loud in Percy's ears so he couldn't tell. The roaring was louder than normal. It was hard to think. Poseidon's weird color-changing shirt wasn't helping.

"He left you in the foyer," Poseidon noted with a frown as he drew closer.

"What?"

"Triton left you in the foyer," Poseidon repeated with disapproval. "In this condition."

"Triton went to tell you we're leaving!" Percy defended, letting his head fall back against the palace wall. He wasn't sure why he was defending Triton, the traitor left him in the spinning hallway, but—"Oh! Hey, Dad, we've leaving. Sorry. I feel weird."

Poseidon huffed again, and Percy was pretty sure it was amusement this time. He couldn't help but grin at the sound, but his face didn't really want to cooperate. Half of it twisted up, the other half kind of squiggled uselessly.

"Yes, it's Triton's fault. Come, sit on the couch least you fall over."

"I'm good!" Percy objected. "Triton said to wait here. Normally I'd ign-ign-ugh stupid tongue. Not listen. Normally, I'd not listen to him, but the room is spinning weirdly when I walk too much. I don't feel good."

"I know, my son." Poseidon smiled, and he looked pretty good when he smiled. Like younger, could a god look younger?, and dad-er, more dad, like Paul when Percy got anything above a C in school—

"Percy—"

Percy didn't realize he was sliding down the wall until Poseidon stepped forward. His father reached out for him, hesitating just short of actually touching Percy.

"Whoops, I'm good. Good, good, good." Percy flapped his hand as if to brush Poseidon's concern away but his dad kept getting taller, no wait, Percy was getting shorter, no wait, Percy might be falling—

Poseidon grabbed Percy around the waist, careful not to touch Percy's possibly feverish skin (was he sick?), and gently propped the demigod back on his feet. Orrrr tried to at least. Percy's feet didn't want to work. Maybe his knees didn't want to work. Could be the entire leg. Legs. Singular leg? Both legs. Plural. Plural legs.

"Percy, can you walk?"

"Hmm, maybe. Can you make the room stop spinning?"

"I will do my best."

"Thanks."

Poseidon tried to tug the demigod forward, doing this whole walking thing, but Percy's legs were being rude so it wasn't working out the best.

"Hm, can't I just sleep here on the floor?"

"I would prefer if we could get you to bed—"

"Father? I was searching for you. Perseus, oh you found him."

"Triiii, you were gone for so long," Percy accused as Poseidon half turned to survey his eldest. "I found Dad. Why were you gone for so long?"

Triton, emerging from a door somewhere behind Poseidon, ignored Percy. There was a pause (Triton was probably bowing or whatever), then, "Father, you shouldn't be—"

Percy tried to peek at his brother over Poseidon's shoulder and maybe it was his imagination but he could have sworn Poseidon held him a little bit tighter as Triton swam into the room.

"Here, let me assist—"

"Noo," Percy whined and fell into Poseidon, feeling vindictive as Triton tried to reach out towards the demigod. Percy buried his face in Poseidon's neck, taking comfort in the all-encompassing aura of the ocean and safety and home that the sea lord exuded. "Dad, don't let him take me. He gave me weird-smelling punch and left me in the weird spinning hallway."

Instinctively, Poseidon caught Percy as his son fell into him, the arm that steadied the demigod drawing him closer, his other hand coming up to cup Percy's head.

"Daaad." Percy's voice was muffled. "Daaad, don't let him take me, he's been mean to me allll night, I want to stay here."

"Father . . . Zeus—he will . . . if he's—"

"I know. I know."

"Hm?" Percy's brow furrowed as he let his eyes close again. Zeus was obnoxious sure, but Poseidon wouldn't let him bother Percy when he was sick, so Percy didn't really care. He still felt super weird, but he was warm and comfortable here. Zeus was a problem for tomorrow.

"Percy, let Triton help you to the couch. Stay there until you feel a little better and he'll help you back to your room."

"Hmfph, do I have to?"

"I am asking you to."

A callused hand ran through Percy's hair, careful only to ruffle the strands, not any deeper.

"But Tri's being mean to me."

"Do you really believe that?"

Percy's face screwed up. "No . . . but he gave me the weird punch."

"Yes, he was under the mistaken and misguided impression that it would help. He was trying to help you."

". . . I know."

"Will you go to the couch?"

". . . fine . . ."

"Triton—"

Percy grumbled, eyes still closed, as the deities shuffled him around. He wanted to complain as Triton pulled him away from the safety of the ocean, from Poseidon's dad-er smile, and the callused hand fell away from his hair.

"Thank you." Poseidon didn't sound very thankful and when Percy pried his eyes open to squint back at his father, he had the fleeting thought that the Lord of the Sea appeared almost . . . wistful.

A/N Percy is a clingy, overly affectionate drunk and you can't convince me otherwise. I wanted to work in a joke about Triton getting the youngest prince drunk and Percy not understanding that meant him, but it didn't work out. A hangover chapter will eventually appear, I promise.

Stay safe everyone. If you have any ideas for future ficlets, please let me know.