Percy's age is up to your interpretation. I see him as, like, seventeen.

And, uhm, enjoy me playing with Roman aspects? That was not the plan for this chapter, but I love the whole duality of the gods thing and I don't see it enough. Also, playing fast and loose with some domains because I want to. Deal or don't read this.

Warning: I didn't proofread all that much.

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Time in the ocean did not work the same way as on the surface, both short and long-term. With no sun to measure by, the day in Atlantis worked differently, with activity at all hours, save four that were dedicated to quiet pursuits and resting. There was no concept of a work week. If work needed done, it was done. If not, it was not. Of course, it was far more complicated than that, but this was the basis of Atlantian time-keeping.

His baby brother was struggling to adjust to the rush of sealife as opposed to the surface standard. No one held it against him because it was utterly adorable when anyone found the little prince sleeping, tucked away somewhere and contorted into some impossible position.. The first time had nearly given him and their father a heart attack, but they had solved that issue by having one of Percy's little venomous fish, that Poseidon had created expressly for his youngest son, notify one of them or his servants, if his family was unavailable.

He glanced up from the missive on his desk to look at the bright purple fish floating before him. The lord of the Hudson and he were working to set up a time to meet and discuss pollution control options. Perhaps he and Percy could make a day of it and wander about New York and Olympus. His mortal mother lived there, after all.

"Where did he fall asleep this time?"

In your gardens, my lord.

Percy had given all fifty-something fish ridiculous names. He was pretty sure this one was Tinky Winky.

"Is he alright to rest there until I've finished drafting this?"

His gardens were peaceful and private. He went there when he'd had enough of the world and wanted to be alone. His brother had easily weedled permission out of him to spend as much time as he wished there. Triton took a certain level of pride that Percy loved the place he'd crafted by hand so much.

The fish did the equivalent of nervously shifting its weight. He raised an eyebrow to prompt further information.

He's not sleeping well. Flotsam and Jetsam are with him, but we couldn't wake him up.

Triton tensed. He was more than pleased and proud that his little brother had decided the family wing was 'safe', but it did mean he'd been having increasing night terrors the past surface week. Percy always felt like a bother, but Triton adored helping his brother through them.

His serpents would guard Percy stringently, Triton consoled himself, as he hurried to finish his sentence and tuck away his work. Throwing about divine energy tended to upset Percy more while he was trapped in a nightmare, so Triton swam through the halls and out to his personal garden as quick as he could without busting a hole in the wall. Again.

He tended not to react to Percy screaming in pain well.

Triton ran into his brother's servants and a frantic little green fish (Lucky?) at the entrance to his gardens. Both had drawn faces, and Kassandra's eyes kept flitting to the corral grove Percy was partial to napping in.

A cry of anguish arose.

"Can I trust you two to keep everyone out and bring me a flask of nectar?" Hopefully, that would help soothe his stomach and nerves. It usually did.

Alexios dipped his head in a bow and made off for the kitchens as Kassandra settled her bulky frame in front of the garden's only access point, outside of the one in his rooms. She crossed her arms and glared at the small crowd of servants that had gathered.

He didn't have time to deal with them, so he left it to the former (and probably still active, knowing how much his overprotective father enjoyed proactive guardians) assassin and headed for the corral structure.

Flotsam had forced his way under one of Percy's arms and curled around him, whispering soothing nonsense, but obviously making his baby brother feel constricted in the middle of a night terror. Jetsam, the more assertive of the two, was having a show-down with one of Percy's fish. This one, he knew the name of. Kevin was a stubborn little shit that thought he was the size of a marlin, and he would fight just about anyone he thought would bother Percy.

Fighting subjects is the last thing Percy needed.

"You're all dismissed," he snapped. "I don't want to see any of you until you've calmed down and thought rationally about caring for your prince when he is vulnerable. We will be discussing your crisis management."

He didn't wait to see if they followed through on his orders before settling beside Percy and gently stroking his hair. He'd learned early on that Percy didn't respond well in a flashback to aggressive touch, shaking, or raised voices.

"Shhh, my sea star. I am here. Nothing can hurt you while I watch over you, Percy. Come back to me. Come back to my garden, little one. You're safe in our father's waters. Shhh…"

Percy gave a violent convulsion, back arching with a wretched scream, before glazed eyes fluttered open.

"Tri'? Trick?" Percy curled toward him, raising a shaking hand. His eyes were wide and darting about the little cove he'd settled in.

He gathered the little demigod into his hold, tucking Percy's head onto his shoulder and rubbing his back now that Percy had requested physical contact. "This is no trick. You fell asleep in my gardens again and had a nightmare. But you are safe. I am here now, and nothing can harm you in the heart of father and I's domains."

Slim hands and delicate fingers dug into his chiton and the meat of his other shoulder, but it was little more than a sting. Though, he did notice that Percy's nails were sharper than normal, skittering and scratching across a patch of scales in a way dull nails of a surface-dweller could not. "I-I was there and, and I couldn't stop, even with Annabeth shouting at me. I wanted Misery to hurt for hurting me."

He stilled his ministrations. This was the first time Percy had talked to anyone but their father or his little demigods about his horrific flight through Tartarus. "Don't push yourself, sea star. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"But I want to," Percy rasped, tremors lessening even if his grip did not.

So, haltingly, in a grove of orange corral, Percy bared his soul to him, showed him all the raw and aching parts. It was beyond wretched, the trials that Percy had faced.

Triton wrapped himself more fully around his demigod to attempt to stifle his desire to storm Olympus and slaughter Juno. In his anger, he did not notice the change. All this talk about Romans camps and abduction stirred something he'd not been in over a millenia.

Triton's Roman aspect was just as beastly and inhuman as Neptune. Opposite of most Greek gods, the Roman sea deities were less restrained and level-headed, and even more possessive-protective of their things and people.

He must have been a sight for his rattled baby brother. Triton knew he'd grown a few feet larger, his twin tails coalescing into a single one that resembled a sea serpent. Razor sharp spines lined his forearms, back, and hips. Black claw-tipped, webbing-free, fingers carded through Percy's soft hair, the pale, peachy demigod contrasting violently with his deep green skin. Ultramarine and golden scales were flecked about like stars.

But sweet, loving child that his little one was, Percy only blinked before settling down, obviously drained from recounting his time in the Second Gigantomachy. Wholly black eyes darker than the deepest depths crinkled while his chest purred in pleasure. What a wondrous thing, to have a soul trustingly placed in his hands when the world had been nothing but cruel to it. And what a wonderful soul this tiny child in his arms was.

"Tri? You okay?"

Even now, Percy was more concerned about a god than his fragile self.

"Hush now, little one. I am more than fine, so long as you feel safe."

Something that was not one of his own stirred his currents at the entrance to sanctuary. His head snapped up, and Triton bared his rows of needle-like teeth, willing the water to hold the intruder in place.

It was his sea star's personal attendants. The male one who he couldn't bother to remember the name of was holding out a golden goblet in offering to Percy. Their eyes were averted, as they should be. Percy was his and his family's, and little to no one else should see him so vulnerable.

"We have informed your Lord-Father that you and his Highness were discussing sensitive matters that unbalanced you both greatly, your Majesty. He and your Queen-Mother will be along shortly."

Triton nodded, not trusting himself to have vocal cords capable of mortal speech. Not-family so close to Percy had made it even harder to hold onto a human-like form. Father would help protect the little one and soothe his hurts. Perhaps he would even allow Triton to rage across Olympus for his bitch of an aunt's head.

Poseidon was quick to shed his Greek skin like so much water once he saw Triton. Neptune was easily welcomed to Triton's make-shift sanctuary, his great blue and silver tentacles settling about them both.

"What is it that has my precious treasures so distraught?" he rumble-purred, sounding distinctly like a soothing river. Wild green eyes, the color of poison or prophecy, swept over them both.

"I'm killing the God-Queen," Triton snarled. "This time, her scheming went too far!"

Hatchlings like Percy were to be cared for and treasured, not thrust prematurely into a sea of death. Especially when they were so sweet and gentle and easy to love. Percy was theirs, dammit, and he would fight the fates themselves if they sought to harm him.

Neptune laughed in delight. "It's always such a treat to see your fangs come out, my son. But we must be patient; your brother needs us. In time, my child. The sea always gets its due."

His mother tsk'ed them, looking different with pearly skin and pitch hair flowing about like some creature grasping and biting everything with reach. At twelve feet in height, Salacia, the goddess of the depths, stood before them with the goblet they'd neglected in their anger.

"Boys. There's all the time in the world to plot my sister-in-law's humiliation at a later date. Here, sweet one, will you drink this for me? We should get you into fresh clothing as well."

She extracted Percy from his hold with practiced motions and softly held the child on her hip like a fry. Percy blushed a soft pink, but didn't fight the obviously just as distraught goddess.

Fry. Wait. Oh, that was delicious.

"Father, I know exactly who to help us."

His mother shot him a dark look. "No talks of revenge until my sweet one is settled once more." Turning her attention back to the shell-shocked demigod, she straightened the array of shells and braids in his hair. "I do wish you would come find one of us, lovely. We're more than happy to watch over you and guard your dreams as you sleep."

"I don't want to be a burden," Percy mumbled in reply.

Neptune rose with a small chuckle and planted a kiss on his brother's temple. "Never think you are a burden. I would flood the world so that you might smile, child-mine. Every second I can spend with you is a treasure, even if you are not awake."

Salacia kissed Percy's other temple before pulling Triton in so that she might kiss his cheek with equal softness. She was always the more physically affectionate persona. "I love both my sons, even if my blood does not flow in your veins. Do not think for a single second you are not worthy of my time. Either of you."

He made a rumble-thrum-purr that his parents echoed in delight. Softly, he could make out the unsteady, confused reply of Percy's cresting waves.

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Delos was Apollo's most sacred lands. Only he and his sister had stepped foot on it in centuries. So color him surprised when he found Triton, of all gods, standing in the surf at the edge of the beach. But, this was not the Grecian Triton, standoffish messenger of the seas.

No, this was the Roman Triton who would bid his serpents to destroy ships that did not pay the sea homage and would cackle in delight.

And so, the Roman Apollo went to meet him, eyes shining like the sun, heat wilting the world about them.

"What brings you from the depths?"

"I seek help to right a wrong done on an undeserving child. Protection of youth is, afterall, your domain."

A sly smirk slid across his face, eyebrow quirked. "Oh? Lots of children are slighted. That is how they grow stronger."

"This one happens to have the favor of Olympus."

Ah, now that narrowed it down quite a bit. Really, it only left dear brother Jason and young Perseus that held the favor of all of Olympus. (Or favoritism, as the case might be.)

"Don't play coy with me, Apollo. I know you stand accused of being derelict and bringing ruin to Olympus. Help carry out justice for my brother and you will sway enough support among the Council that the God-Queen and your father will not be able to strip you of your divinity."

"I'm listening…"

And so, the serpent of the sea whisper to the serpent of the land, and a plan was hatched.

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Aaaand… just like that, I wrote out the Trials of Apollo because I just straight-up hated those books. This chapter just feels painfully short. Ruthless revenge on the behalf of one's family is just kinda my jam atm, but it's most likely not a major plot point.

Not a lot of lore on Triton, so I gave him the domains of currents (carries stuff like a messenger) and sea serpents (I like the whole, animalistic 'my family, esp my baby brother is my hoard' thing, but I didn't want put dragons in water). And Apollo gets to be the serpent god of the land because he slayed Python. Squint your eyes that makes sense and his son, Asclepius (the actual snake god), inherited it from him.

Sorry for the mega endnotes.

PS- a video game I've legit been waiting for for almost a year just dropped, so I'll update this at some point in the next few weeks, but not sure when.