Guess who
Was starting a fire in my sink probably a bad idea? Maybe. Did I care? Not really. I paused in front of the sink, torn up papers scattered inside and a match in my hand. What would I even say? I stopped just as I was gonna light the match. Maybe some food would be better.
I— wait, what time was it? I rushed upstairs to check my bedside clock. 11:38 am.
I let out a relieved sigh. It was only a fifteen minute walk, and I didn’t really have any other clothes so…
I just washed my face and made sure I didn’t smell before making my way out. There was a light breeze outside and the sun’s warmth came down pleasantly instead of overbearing as it usually did. I found myself enjoying the short walk.
The flower shop came into view, pale green walls and flowers of all types visible through the windows. I pushed open the door, the soft twinkle of the door bell chiming softly through the door.
“Welcome to— oh! Mr. Jackson, it’s a pleasure to see you’re here!” Miss Smith glanced at the clock on the far wall, “Well you’re early aren’t you! Such a responsibie young man.”
I laughed awkwardly. “Ah, just Percy is fine, and I wouldn’t want to run late on my first day.” She gave me a warm smile, wiping her muddy hands on her apron. She went behind the counter, grabbing a large lunch bag and pulling a sandwich out. My stomach grumbled immediately. She laughed kindly, handing me the wrapped delicacy.
“Early morning?” She asked warmly. I nodded sheepishly, gratefully accepting the sandwich. It was the same as yesterday, a simple ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. But when you haven’t eaten much and you’re a demigod, it’s the best thing in the world.
“You don’t really need to do much of the gardening aspect today, though since it’s Friday we will be getting more customers than normal,” she said, bustling around the shop. “Usually they start coming in at around three, though you’re shift will be over at 6.” She turned to me. “Does that work for you?”
I nodded, and she started giving me basic gardening instructions, what each flower means and represents, how much sunlight and water each flower needs. Honestly, I didn’t remember most of it. As she had predicted, the place was flooded with customers. Good thing I already had experience with previous jobs back in New York, along with a close proximity to the Demeter cabin for years. The people here were kind, and helping them choose a nice gift for those they loved was enjoyable, albeit bittersweet. I fiddled idly with a rose as the last customer left. 5:56.
A warm, soft hand ruffled my hair.
“Thank you so much Percy, today would’ve been a disaster were you not here.” She laughed lightly, kind and gentle. I felt my eyes warm.
“No problem Miss Smith, I’m glad to be of help.” I didn’t cry. Not this time at least. Not now. Gods how I missed my mom. “I’d love to stay but…” she nodded, grabbing a handful of cash from the cash register. I counted it, £18. I wasn’t too sure how pounds translate to dollars, or how much inflation affected it, but I smiled gratefully regardless. Assuming it was enough…
I sighed as I walked out the store, pulling out the map for the area from my pocket. There was a clothes shop just down the street. I groaned. Another shopping trip? I really just needed an extra set of clothes and some food.
Luckily, it didn’t take long and I still had plenty of money left over to buy food. I made quick work of doing so, making sure to leave his favorite portion for prayers. He made his way to the apartment, picking up small twigs along the way.
I laid the twigs in the shape of a small campfire in his sink. Adding ripped up bits of paper, I turned on the lighter, watching as the twigs caught on fire. I waited a few seconds before slipping the food into it.
“Goddess of wisdom, Athena. Please hear my prayers.” I hesitated, before continuing. “I plead you bless me, allow me to interact with your sacred animals.” I paused. What now? “Uhm— please and thanks” I patted out the flame and started cleaning it up. Honestly, I don’t think she’ll answer. Gods rarely listened to their own kids, much less the kids of other gods. I thought of Zeus. Well, unless you were Zeus and hated anything that didn’t go your way. Anyway, that was fairly anticlimactic
The day’s events caught up to me at that moment, exhaustion making itself at home within my bones. It was an unforgettably forgettable day. Being up early is not my strong. I collapsed on my bed, not even bothering to take off my shoes. Sleep came to me like an old friend, warm and comforting…
It felt as if I were floating, drifting. Not in water, no I couldn’t feel the comforting sway of the water. My eyes fluttered open, and I dropped. The fall was short, apparently I had only been floating a few inches off the ground. I looked around, it seemed I was in Hoover dam? A swirl of painful memories arose, though I tried to push them down. It was clear now that I was dreaming, and seeing as my dreams were never normal I had to focus.
“This was the only place I could get from your mind, that you associated heavily with me,” a smooth and cool and distressingly familiar voice said from behind me. I whirled around, leaping to my feet. There stood Athena, looking exactly as she had that day on Hoover Dam when we were running from the skeletons. I knew better this time around, and I gingerly knelt below her.
“Athena.”
I resisted the urge to wince my cold voice. Her face remained unreadable. It made me uneasy. I certainly hadn’t expected this when I’d decided to pray to her.
“Perceval Jackson, you are quite a strange person,” I flinched at the name. What the fuck!? That’s horrible! Was that the name Hecate made for me? She continued, absolutely noticing the flinch and absolutely archiving in for future reference “You’re prayer caught my attention immediately, I must admit. Despite common belief, the gods do notice most prayers that come in—“
“Oh so you just choose to ignore them,” I hissed, before shutting my mouth with a click. Fuck. This was not going well for me. Her eyes darkened, storms brewing within her painfully familiar grey eyes. Oh how he missed Annabeth… “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.” He tried apologizing. She continued staring, not saying a word, not moving a muscle. She sighed.
“You’re lucky I’m in a marvelous mood right now, child of Hecate—“ Excuse me!? “—and so I will continue on as if you didn’t disrespect me so blatantly. Normally, I can access most memories demigods and mortals have associated to me,” my face paled. “And yet, for some strange reason yours are hidden from me, all except this one.”
Our surroundings swirled slightly, and it was as if I were reliving that moment again. Running into her on an elevator, the advice she had given me. We snapped back to the empty lobby.
“And even then,” she pressed a fingertip against my forehead, and I felt and my vision blurred, someone shorter than me appearing before me, yet I couldn’t make out their face. Only their ratty camp half blood shirt and crumpled pants, the hand me down jacket— oh. That was me. “Some powerful magic, I assume courtesy of your mother, prevents me from attaining any knowledge of you. It’s as if you hadn’t existed before praying to me, even by mortal means. I can’t so much as make out your facial features,” I snapped back into my own body, breathing heavily. She looked at me me thinly concealed curiosity.
“You want my blessing, so that my sacred animals don’t attack you and you’re able to carry out you’re quest at that London magic school.” She stated. Rhetorical.
“I— yes, uh… ma’am…?”
Her lip quirked slightly, or maybe I had imagined it seeing as it was gone right after.
“I don’t just give out my blessing to whoever, demigod. You have to prove yourself. Prove that you’re worthy of my owls’ trust.” Worthy of her trust, the words went unsaid. I nodded. I didn’t like it, but it made sense. She nodded back, and I slowly faded back into unconsciousness.
Unlike most days, this time I woke slowly. I checked the time. It was seven in the morning, meaning I had slept… fuck I hate math. I slept eleven hours? My mind drifted back to what she’d told me. Prove myself? What the hell did that mean? How was I supposed to do that? No quest from her, no favor, no idea what— wait a second. Annabeth had mentioned something once… fuck an impressive monument? I wasn’t smart enough to do all that. I sighed, before hauling myself out of bed. I should… do something. Work wasn’t until twelve. I looked at the trunk of items Sev—Mr. Snape had bought the previous morning. Nose wrinkled in distaste, I began pulling out the books, and got to work.