Chapter 5
Percy knew a dreamscape when he saw one. Living nearly all your life as a demigod will do that for you. What put Percy on guard was that he was sitting on a beach shore for what appeared to be quite a while yet nothing happened.No scary monsters, no prophetic visions, no friends dying and not even a terrible memory with more questions than answers. That is why despite being on the beach with waves gently lapping at his feet, Percy was anything but calm. He was at least expecting a godly relative to come and tell him something he doesn’t like but whoever this god was they were very patient.
“This is beautiful” A voice said behind him said
Percy turned around to see a very beautiful woman walking towards him. It was obvious who she was despite the fact that the last time he saw her she had blonde princess curls and grey eyes.
Now her dark auburn hair was swaying in the light wind and her hazel eyes were looking at the setting sun.He waited till she sat down beside him to address her
“Lady Aphrodite”
The goddess of love did not look at him but nodded her head in acknowledgement.They both sat there in silence watching the changing colours of the sky. Percy was getting restless.
“My lady, why am I here?”
She slowly turned towards him, a kind smile on her lips that was rare on the features she wore.
“I haven’t brought you here Perseus, if anything, you have brought me here”
Percy was confused. What reason would he have for calling her?
“I sense a new attachment, recent yet surprisingly strong. This may develop into something you deserve,child”
Percy was suddenly angry
“Deserve? Didn’t Annabeth and I deserve happiness and peace? Didn’t she deserve to live and grow old, fulfil the dreams she cherished? After all we were put through, didn't she deserve it all?”
Percy spat eyes shining with unshed tears
“You call yourself the goddess of love. You told me ours was a relationship you favoured yet she was taken away from me. Why didn’t I die in that war? Why did she? Why did so many people lose their loved ones?”
Suddenly exhausted Percy turned to the goddess beside him
“Why..wasn’t I allowed to keep my promise? ‘Together’ she had said and ‘always’ I replied but in the end she left and I couldn’t go so tell me lady of the doves, how can I let myself love again?”
Aphrodite did not look phased. He knew he had crossed a line but he was far beyond the point of caring, had been for some time.
“I was born of the sea, Older than any of the olympians. I had received my domains then, goddess of love and beauty. Through the eons I lived I have yet to completely understand the true nature of love. Think about it child, love is what a parent has for their offspring,what a spouse has for their partner yet blood does not need to be shared between two beings for there to be love.Love is selfish in its selflessness and complicated in its simplicity. Love is primal, the very fibre that binds all living things together and in that it is powerful.”
The goddess cupped his cheek, wiping a few stray tears
“Love is also eternal child. Despite not being with her, do you regret the moments you spent with the daughter of Athena, the feelings you both shared?”
Percy shook his head remembering her voice teasingly calling him seaweed brain…
“You deserved to experience the kind of love you had with your Annabeth and while her loss caused you pain, the pain was a result of how deeply you cared for her so cherish it. You also deserve the kind of selfless love Anthony shares with you, the kind that makes him brave in his declarations, the kind that lets you be vulnerable in his company. You are indeed blessed, child to have the fortune to give and receive such love not once but twice in your lifetime
Yes Percy, you must let yourself love again in respect to the love you had and also for the love you will have.You deserve happiness child, remember this pain shall also pass.”
Percy felt warm and despite his memories of Annabeth bringing him pain it was also comforting like a festering wound finally being lanced.
He did not know he was yearning for someone to tell him it was okay to accept and love Tony without disrespecting Annabeth. He knew Annabeth would smack him on his head herself if he refused to move on and live because she wasn’t by his side but some part of him was holding on to what they shared, afraid that if he let go he wouldn’t remember her.
“I...Thank you for saying that, my lady. I did not know I needed that”
Aphrodite nodded and smiled
“Just remember hero, trust and have courage”
Percy felt himself waking up
The demigod slowly blinked his eyes looking at his room in Stark ,now avengers, tower. Beside him Tony was sound asleep tired after having had to console him so many times in the past few days. They had just fallen into the same bed since that day, neither of them mentioning the new development. He took a moment to actually look at Tony
You are indeed blessed ,child Aphrodite’s voice echoed in his head
He was starting to understand that
“So,” Tony asked looking up from the code he was looking into “when are we going to this ‘Dr.D’?”
Percy cringed internally. He had hoped Tony would have forgotten about his impending appointment.
“I thought we could head out at 11 and after the appointment have a late lunch outside?”
Sessions with Dionysus always left him drained and after trying a few places nearby, Percy settled on a cosy restaurant that sold the best chicken pot pie and now it was just a thing he did.
“Sounds good” Tony smiled and got back to typing
Percy wished he could share the sentiment.
“You know I am starting to think you don’t want us to ever reach your appointment” Tony said, a little out of breath
When Percy asked him to park his car 10 minutes ago he had assumed their destination must be nearby. Clearly Percy had a different idea of what nearby means because they have been walking for about 10, well 15 minutes now and Percy is showing no signs of stopping. Maybe he should bring this up with Dr.D
“Oh, shut up you big baby. It was only a small stroll-”
Small Stroll ! Tony gave him an incredulous look, sure enough the man was barely out of breath
“-and look at the streets, it is always so peaceful here-”
Well he had to admit to that
“-it helps calm me down sometimes and I wanted to share that with you”
Tony scowled. Now how could he be mad at him? Not that he could anyways, those big seal eyes should come with its own warning.
“Just saying, we could have been here faster if you had let me drive all the way” Tony said trying to still sound irritated.
Percy smiled knowingly and said “We are here so you can drive next time if you want”
Tony looked at the building in front of him. It was a small 2 storey structure, beige and copper walls making it look unremarkable. It didn’t even have a board indicating what this place is.
As if reading his thoughts, Percy said “It is a pretty private establishment. People come here only through referrals so the patient pool is very small. They try not to attract public notice”
They walked in and were taken to a waiting room. It was surprisingly well furnished and stocked with magazines with the television running on mute.
“You don’t have to wait here you know? I can text you when I am done and you can pick me up later or I can get a cab - as you can see you will be very bored unless you are interested in reading ‘People’’
“Hey! I’ll have you know that I like reading about the sexiest man on the planet” Tony said pointing to a magazine lying on one of the tables
Percy just shook his head
“Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you”
“Jackson, you are actually are on time for once” A bored voice said from the door
Tony looked to see a pudgy man walking towards them. His purple shirt and black slacks giving him an air of professionalism.
Percy stood up and smiled “Dr.D meet Tony Stark, Tony this is my doctor”
The doctor looked up and down at Tony clearly gauging him and Tony immediately disliked him.
“Oh, one of those new ‘heroes’?”
The way Dr.D said heroes made it sound like an insult.
“Dr.D, we talked about this.” Percy said sternly
D just huffed and said “Nice to meet you Todd Spencer, Now come Jackson we have wasted enough time”
What the hell was that Doctor’s problem?
Nearly 2 hours later Tony saw an exhausted Percy all but collapse on the chair next to him. Tony had spent those 2 hours fruitlessly looking up the doctor and other than a few reviews ,which were positive, the guy had no internet presence. Literally. No accounts on any social media platforms nor did his name show up when he ran a search on various college databases. Percy’s state now was further proof of this doctor’s incompetence.
“Don’t worry, it was just a rough session. Can we leave?” Percy asked
Tony couldn’t agree fast enough
Percy had amazing taste when it came to food, Tony decided. Not only could he cook, most of the restaurants he suggested also served great food. While initially sceptical, Tony allowed Percy to order for him as well and he was not disappointed. It was the best pot pie Tony ever had and he knew what he was talking about. It made Tony feel all tingly and warm once he was done and he was happy to see that Percy was looking better too.
“Don’t take Dr.D too seriously, it’s just a thing he does -mispronouncing names. He called me Perry Johnson the first time we met. It took years before he settled on Jackson”
“Years? You have been seeing him for that long?”
Percy looked shocked before relaxing
“He is actually a distant cousin on Dad’s side so when I met him, I wasn’t a patient”
“Where did he get his degree?”
Percy laughed
“Sorry, it’s just that I suddenly got an image of him going to college. About his degree though, we don’t really talk much about him so I don’t really know but he has helped a couple of people I know and he is the only doctor that worked for me so I am just grateful he is willing to help”
Tony didn’t know how to properly voice his concerns
“Are you sure he is helping?I mean I feel like you have had this problem for quite a while and..” Tony trailed off not knowing how to continue
Percy gave him a small smile and reached across the table to hold his hand
“It’s really sweet that you are worried, Tony. But you don’t have to be. Before Dr.D I was very bad off but now I can live a relatively normal life. Moreover amnesia is something unpredictable so he can’t control how much I remember” Percy laughed again but Tony felt like he didn’t quite get the joke.
It seemed like Percy trusted him. So Tony couldn’t do much but accept that.
“Why D though? Like did he not like his name or something?” Tony asked after they got back to the tower
“Even I would like to know the answer to that” Percy replied laughing again.
Tony just raised his eyebrow and walked back to his lab. He couldn’t deny that he loved the sound of Percy’s laughter behind him though.