7Chapter 3: How I Met Your (My) Father
I woke up feeling my entire body burning in pain. I cracked open my eyes and saw a pair of stormy gray eyes and blonde hair, the girl looked to be about my age. She wore an orange T-Shirt and had some sort of bead necklace.
"You drool when you sleep." Huh?
"W-who…"
Before I could even get the words out I blacked out.
…
The next time I woke up I felt revitalized and full of energy. Grover was by my bedside, bleating like a goat, his eyes shining with both concern and happiness.
Erm. Was that racist? I mean technically Grover was a goat, the gods were real, so were the monsters and….and mom's dead.
The sinking feeling in my gut didn't lessen, neither did the feeling of guilt and helplessness. "Percy…"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to not break down and cry, begging for my mom to come hug me.
The realization that she would never be able to do so hurt. She wouldn't be able to comfort me when I'll get kicked out of another school in the future, that we won't ever get to go on another trip to Montauk, that mom would never be able to dye any of her cooking blue again…
"It's going to be okay." Grover tried to give me some comforting words. "A lot of demigods lose their mortal parents— err I mean— that…"
I forced back a groan at Grover, comforting words and the moment ruined. "It's alright Grover. I'm feeling better already."
Physically at least.
"How long…" I couldn't even bring myself to finish.
Grover got the hint. "It's been 3 days."
"Also Mr. D and Chiron want to see you." Grover added nervously, his hands fiddling with a Diet Coke can which clearly looked like someone took a bite out of.
I got out of the bed and put on my jeans and an orange T-Shirt that said 'Camp Half-Blood' the same one that Grover was wearing and that one rude blonde chick who clearly lied about me drooling in my sleep.
Percy Jackson does not and has never drooled in his sleep.
"Lead the way." Grover walked in front of me. His hooves trot on the wooden flooring.
I walked out of the infirmary, that smelled too much like sick people for me to ever be comfortable.
"So this is Camp Half-Blood." I said. The place my sperm donor wanted me to come to while my mom tried to keep me away from.
Maybe if she'd just dumped me here then she'd been alive right now and I wouldn't be a complete orphan, fatherless and motherless.
"Yeah this is the camp." Grover began. "Demigods come here to get trained so they can survive in the mortal world."
I saw 12 cabins in a reverse 'U' with bleachers surrounding what looked like a massive campfire. Behind the cabins was the clearest body of water I've ever seen. Grover led me past a volleyball pit, basketball courts, and a massive mountain that looked like it was spewing lava.
Uhh yeah I'm going to stay away from that death trap. We passed many teenagers and kids who wore the same orange T-Shirt, all of them stopping to gossip about me. There was a massive arena of sorts filled with dummies, and off to the distance I noticed hills of agriculture.
Though most of it was just strawberries.
I'm almost positive you can't grow bananas in New York, must be some sort of godly magic.
Grover led me to a place he called the 'Big House'. On the porch I spotted 2 familiar people, one being my Latin teacher and the other being the rude valley girl.
"Mr. Brunner?" I asked/said. The look of confusion must've been on my face because he just chuckled.
"I go by Chiron here at Camp Mr. Jackson."
"Like the trainer of Hercules? I thought you were a satyr." At least that's what one of my all time favorite Disney movies showed.
Chiron chuckled before seemingly getting taller, his wheelchair disappearing and with it, I came to realize that Chiron was a centaur.
Disney lied to me. My entire life's been a lie. "You shouldn't believe everything you see or hear young Perseus Doris Jackson."
I winced at the use of my full government name. What's next he's going to drop my social security number too? "Please just call me Percy."
Chiron's eyes softened. "Enough of this mushy bullshit. Come over here boy."
Whatever sentimental thing Chiron was about to say was cut off by the balding and slightly overweight dude in leopard print shirt.
His wine colored eyes unnerved me, it felt like I was going insane just by looking into them. "Stop staring into my eyes Perseus Jackson."
I blinked and did just that. "Before your possessive and batshit insane father makes good on his oath."
Thunder boomed in the skies. "Right right, apologies uncle, not going to call you batshit insane for saying that you were going to raze Olympus if anyone harmed your sea spawn."
"Wait, you know my dad?" I asked, trying to ignore the outrageous statement about razing Olympus. I don't even know what razing even meant.
Was he going to shave the heads of everyone on Olympus if someone hurt me? What kind of trash protection is that?
"Uh Percy that's Mr.D, you really should be more respectful." Grover whispered nervously. While the valley girl looked at me like I stole something from her.
Did I 'accidentally' steal her bike in Manhattan? If so then she shouldn't have left her bike unlocked near the McDonalds. That's on her if anything, you just don't leave your possession unattended and unsecured in the City.
Wait I'm getting sidetracked, fuck my ADHD. "Wait Mr. D? Like Dionysus the God of Madness and Wine?"
"That would be me, demigod." Mr. D confirmed. That would explain why I thought I was going insane just by looking into his eyes.
"Right. So my dad?" I asked hopefully. I really wanted to meet him and sock him in the face and then ask for 12 years worth of missed birthday presents and why he couldn't be bothered to save mom's life when she was in danger.
In no particular order. "Yeah Poseidon God of the Seas, Earthquakes blah blah blah."
"Stole your mother from her timely demise, threatened to destroy the world and then fucked off to his underwater palace with her in tow." Mr. D said angrily but underneath the anger I could hear the hurt and betrayal in his voice.
"My mom's alive." I whispered. All of a sudden all the emotional pain, guilt and helplessness that I had been feeling since waking up evaporated.
My mom was alive. She was alive, my dad saved her. Okay so maybe I wasn't going to punch him, but he still owed me 12 years worth of gifts, I could be talked down to 5 years though.
My mom was alive! I couldn't help but start laughing, all of a sudden I felt good, wonderful even. "Ugh you both have the same laugh. Stop."
Mr. D complained and I stopped but I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. "Chiron give the boy some training and then send him off to retrieve the bolt, I'm going inside."
With that the God of Wine and Madness left the table and went inside the Big House.
"What bolt?" I asked. Mrs. Dodds had something similar.
Chiron looked at me sadly. "Lord Zeus' Master Bolt was stolen during the Winter Solstice and he suspects your father."
I was confused. "Couldn't Zeus just make another bolt? Also why would or even how could my dad even steal a lightning bolt."
Chiron sighed. "Lord Zeus can't just 'make another Master Bolt' it's one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, something that would make the two suns the mortals dropped on Japan decades ago look like firecrackers."
Oh. That definitely sounded bad. "As for why your father is suspected…it's due to their feud and rivalry. They're always trying to one up each other. Constantly arguing and bickering about the most mundane issues like 'who mother likes more' or 'why tsunamis, earthquakes and sea storms are more destructive than tornadoes or thunderstorms'."
Earthquakes and tsunamis are definitely more destructive, I agreed with my dad on that but wisely kept my mouth shut. Chiron was saying something important after all. "So why was I getting called a thief by ?"
"Gods can't steal each other's symbols of power, so that's why Lord Poseidon probably sent his son to steal it for him so he could mass produce it in his underwear forges." Chiron added helpfully and looked at me with a pointed stare.
I would have to be an idiot to not understand the implications. "But I didn't steal the damn bolt! I didn't even know that I was a demigod until a few days ago! Is Zeus crazy?!"
Thunder boomed in the sky and I was holding down the urge to flip off Zeus for even being so dumb, blaming me for stealing something that could possibly destroy entire continents if not the whole world. "Let's not use the C word when referring to Lord Zeus, shall we Percy."
Holy shit my uncle is a drama queen, he's definitely insane. But wait didn't Dionysus say something about dad threatening to destroy the world if something happened to me?
Didn't that make him even more insane? But still I couldn't stop feeling happy about that. Was that hypocritical, maybe so, but that still didn't change the feeling of being loved by my dad to the point he would destroy everything just for my safety.
I think I'm going to tear up, now I can be talked down to just 4 years worth of birthday presents, maybe even 3.
Dammit I'm getting sidetracked again. "So I should get the bolt because?"
Really it's not even my problem, I'm sure my dad can handle this, my mom is safe and alive after all. I really didn't see any point of getting involved.
"To stop the upcoming war. Millions will die if the Master Bolt isn't returned by the end of the Summer Solstice. This could mean the fall of Western Civilization as we know it." Chiron said ominously.
I frowned, despite being glad that my dad would destroy the world for my sake. I couldn't and wouldn't want the death of millions on my hands, directly or indirectly.
…
I laid back in the empty cabin that belonged to the children of Poseidon. The inside was built like a beach house with a cool marble water fountain in the middle and a door that led to a pier which led to the lake.
There were a couple of bunk beds, it could easily fit around 10 to 14 people easily. A door led to the showers and baths and another that led to the toilets.
The columns were decorated with pearls, emeralds, seashells and all sorts of gems that you could find at the bottom of the ocean.
There was even a flat screen tv with game consoles, a weapons rack that only had swords, spears and tridents. Near the tv was a bookshelf filled with books, which I'm probably never going to even attempt to look at.
All in all it was perfect, I saw how cramped Hermes' Cabin looked and felt a mixture of pity and relief that I wouldn't have to live there with all the unclaimed and Hermes's kids.
The rude girl, who was named Annabeth Chase, told me since I was so publicly claimed by my dad and the fact that the other Olympians knew who I was there was no point in putting me in the Hermes Cabin.
I got off my comfortable bed and clasped my hands together and prayed to my dad.
"Uh hey dad. Long time no see?" I said unsurely I briefly remember memories of seeing a bright light back when I was just a baby. "Thanks for saving mom's life and threatening to uh— destroy the whole world for my sake. That sounds pretty badass not gonna lie and kinda insane but you do you? I'd like to see my mom and even you if that's not too much trouble, I'm sure you're busy and all, dealing with underwater stuff."
I was going to hold off on asking for my presents until a later date, maybe when I'm closer to him and sure that he wouldn't smite me for asking him.
I waited for something to happen but nothing seemed to happen for a few minutes. "Maybe he's busy?"
I comforted myself with that excuse and stood up from the ground, trying to shake off the disappointment. One moment I was in my cabin and in the next I was standing in front of three people in an underwater paradise.
Massive aquamarine green pillars, inlaid with golden leaves held up the roof, on the roof were beautiful life like mosaics and artworks of sea monsters and marine life.
The marble floor was a beautiful cream color and I could see faint moving pictures within it. My eyes traced back to the three figures. There was a tall man in a 3 piece white suit, black dress shirt and tie with flowing long aquamarine blue hair, dark skin and sea green eyes.
He was single handedly the most attractive dude I have ever seen in my life, pause. Next to him stood an equally beautiful woman, probably a couple inches shorter than the man. She had long black hair with strange little horns on her head that reminded me of crab claws.
She also had a green skin color and mocha-brown eyes, the woman wore a simple white gown and a pearl necklace. She gave me a kind smile that radiated a gentle warmth that made me feel fuzzy.
On the left of the grinning man was…
"Percy!" My mom ran to me and hugged me tightly. I choked back a sob, trying my hardest to not cry in front of my parents and stepmom. I'd have to be an idiot to not realize who they were.
"Mom." I returned the hug, I had been so scared that she was gone, to actually see her in good health was relieving.
Mom kissed my forehead as she pulled away, her eyes were misty and filled with unshed tears. Mom didn't just look healthy, hell she looked even better than before the gray streaks in her hair had practically disappeared and so had the wrinkles that came with old age.
My mom even looked a couple years younger. "I was so scared, I thought you died."
As much as I wished I stopped my tears, I couldn't. "Oh Percy, I'm sorry you had to experience that but your father wouldn't let go of me that easily."
Mom giggled like a high school girl in some sort of romcom that just got asked to prom by her long time crush.
"I can see why you care so deeply for your son, My Lord. I see much of you in him." Amphitrite said kindly, her voice was so soft and gentle that made me blush at the kindness she showed me.
My dad and his wife were standing behind my mom. He had a mirthful smile and looked proud. "Of course, my dearest wife, he's my son after all."
Dad said with an arrogant smirk, his voice was so beautiful that I couldn't help but blush harder.
Holy shit have some shame old man, my mom stepped away from me and stood next to my dad as he knelt in front of me and before I knew it I was enveloped in a bear hug as the older man picked me up like a child.
It was probably the most comforting hug I've ever been given, second to my mom's of course, I felt powerful, warm and giddy.
Protected and secure, like nothing in the world would be able to harm me, I felt invincible. This is what it must feel to be hugged by your father.
I would be lying if I didn't say I was jealous of the kids back at school when they were taken home by both of their parents.
I used to always be so envious of them but right now I felt as if everything was going to be fine, the 12 years of abandonment seemed to fade away with just a hug.
"Err– father," Before I could ask to be let down, my dad interrupted me.
"Don't call me father. I only allow dada, dad, papa and daddy." He said arrogantly making both his wife and my mom laugh while I just felt a mixture of happiness and embarrassment.
Once again, old man, please have some fucking shame.
"My son's a tsundere, how adorable." Dad said teasingly. I felt confused by the strange word as did my mom and stepmom.
"O-okay dad." I am not calling a grown man dada or daddy, I'm not a goddamn 4 year old kid.
My dad seemed to glow happily at my words, I felt like I could even see flowers behind the immortal being.
"You should let the child go, my love, he's clearly feeling embarrassed." Amphitrite chided my dad with a teasing smile.
My dad only tightened his hug on me. "Never! It's been 12 years since I've last embraced Perseus!"
Dad pouted childishly, it was a complete whiplash from what I expected from an all powerful god. He looked at me with a mischievous smirk. "After all, I owe him 4 birthday presents."
He heard my thoughts, I would've felt creeped out if it wasn't for the shame and embarrassment I was currently feeling.
Someone please bury me alive. Sadly my wish only made my immortal father laugh loudly.
Lmfao, Percy you aren't going to escape the clutches of your father now that he has his hands on you. Amphitrite tries to help while Sally just finds the affection you're getting showered with adorable.
There's no saving you from the future embarrassment you'll be feeling in front of your friends when they have to see you getting manhandled by an overbearing and far too loving father. ?
Anyways, this was kinda hard to write, I felt kinda iffy posting it. Percy was hard to write, I don't think I can write angsty shit anymore (I'm not an edgy teenager anymore, thank god). Not sure if I did his character justice, tell me what y'all think and how I can improve Percy's POV in the future.
Also sorry for posting so late, I've been busy with work and irl stuff, I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner, prolly within the next 2 weeks.
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Thanks for reading and see y'all in the next chapter: I Try To Fix My Wrongdoings