Chapter 8
Steve POV
Holy Shit. What happened to Percy? I knew something traumatic had happened to Percy but I never thought it would be this much. No wonder he has trust issues. But somehow I can feel that this isn't the worst he has experienced.
I don't know if it was a gut feeling, or the look in Percy's eyes correction Percy's haunted eyes. That's when I made a vow to myself I'm going to do whatever makes him happy for God's sake I hadn't even seen him smile once. He smirked but never smiled a real smile or laughed, even if he did it wouldn't reach his eyes like there was no happiness in him anymore. I felt really sad for him to be so young and go through so much was…terrible to say the least.
I wandered off in search of him and it seemed like the rest had the same idea as me and we set off together to search for him. He wasn't anywhere in the tower. So we asked Jarvis to scan the city for him. But I had a suspicion as to where he might be.
My thoughts were proved correct when Jarvis told as that he was at Montauk though how he'd gotten there so fast I had no idea.
We exited and reached the beach pretty quickly. Only when we got there we saw that Percy wasn't alone. There was a man who looked exactly like him walking along with Percy. They both honestly looked like brothers except the man looked much more mature and older than Percy. Both of them had the same black hair, sea green eyes and the brooding look was the same too.
I concluded that the man was his father. But wasn't his father lost at the sea before he was born? At least that's what it said on the file. They sat down and we crept closer to hear their conversation.
The man had an arm around Percy and was rubbing his back soothingly saying, "Percy you have to trust them. They'll be your new friends and they might be able to help you heal Percy. When was the last time you ate?"
Percy looked down before replying, "I, uh, don't remember, like 2 days ago or something."
I was worried, last he had eaten was 2 days ago but hadn't he eaten today and yesterday? Natasha answered my question whispering, "I've noticed he just sort of nibbles on his food eating just a tiny bite and throws the rest away."
The man sighed worriedly, "See, son? You don't eat, you don't sleep, and when you do you wake up screaming. Don't deny it Percy I know."
Ah, so he was his father.
Percy just shakes his head laying it on his father's shoulder then softly says, "I don't feel hungry and I eventually end up throwing whatever I ate anyways. But dad should I really tell them. I mean whoever gets close to me always gets hurt or dies. I don't want any harm to come to them. If I lose one more person close to me dad I'll snap. Why? Why me dad? Why does this keep happening to me? What did I do to deserve such a fate? It would've been better for everybody if I'd just died or never been born at all."
His father gasps and holds Percy's head forcing him to meet his eyes. He determinedly says, "Percy Jackson listen to me, you are a hero in every meaning of the word. Everyone looks up to you and those deaths were not your fault Percy you couldn't have done anything." Percy opens his mouth to argue but his dad interrupts him saying,
"No. You listen to me Percy. You are my favourite son and you are the bravest, truest and most courageous person I've seen. Do not put yourself down. You are as much as important as any other person. You were the one who led us to victory two times. I don't know why the Fates chose you my boy but I knew you were destined to be a great hero and that is what you have become. You can become like the rest of the Greek heroes Percy bitter about the cards they've been dealt and constantly complaining. Or you can enjoy the simple pleasures you have in your life before you are reunited with the rest."
I'm stunned at that speech. Wow, that was super motivating but I'm more worried about Percy he seems depressed and almost…suicidal. I'll have to talk to him about that later. Percy gets up and hugs the man whispering something before parting ways. Suddenly his father chuckles and says something at which Percy pales and curses hurriedly muttering a goodbye to his father.
I watched confused as his father walks down the sea and suddenly disappears. Just to make sure I'm still sane I ask out loud, "Is it just me or did his father just disappear into the sea."
Tony still staring at the spot confused replies, "Nope definitely not just you." Bruce, Nat and Clint voice their agreement but Percy seems completely unfazed by it and wades a little farther into the sea.
It might be my imagination but Percy seems to just glide through the water as if it was parting for him but the thought was so ridiculous I put it out of my mind.
Percy's just standing there staring off into a distance, he looks deep in thought so we turn around and head home letting him have some time alone. The ride home is silent but I'm sure everybody has a lot of questions on what just happened.
-Page Break-
I was in the training room punching some bags when I felt everyone enter. I turned around to find Thor and Percy headed towards the sparring mat and Bruce, Tony, Nat and Clint stand near enough to watch.
I went over to them and asked what this was about. It was Clint who replied, "Percy came back and we asked him where he went. He just replied beach and then asked Thor if he wanted to spar. I swear Thor's eyes lit up like Christmas trees and he went on about how he'd always wanted to spar with Percy but he seemed scared too. I'm confused as hell Thor literally fangirls over Percy remember earlier he almost kneeled in front of Percy and he has a lot of respect for him too. I hate not knowing. You got any ideas Cap?"
I shake my head replying, "Nope no ideas. I just hope he tells us soon."
But we're interrupted as the match is about to begin. Thor is as usual holding his hammer but Percy is only holding a….pen?
Tony actually snorts and says, "What are you going to do, write him to death?"
Percy POV
"What are you going to do, write him to death?" I hear Stark snort. I simply give an evil grin before uncapping my trust blade, Riptide.
The Avengers all look shocked even Tony has fallen silent. All except Thor who looks at the blade in awe and says, "I had only heard the tales of your weapon but it is even more magnificent than described."
I give him one of my trademark lopsided smiles and quirk an eyebrow, challenging him, "Are you ready Thor?"
He grins back, although I can detect a trace of nervousness and fear beneath it, and yells, "Yes Percy. Remember hero no killing or maiming. You lose when you surrender."
I nod my approval before Clint yells, "Begin."
Thor and I circle each other, analysing for any weaknesses. I spot one immediately Thor keeps his guard too up leaving his groin area, the most important one, defenceless. That is a fatal mistake but it could also be a trap so I wait for him to attack first.
And that he does. Breaking out of the circle he leaps at me his hands curling into a fist aimed at my chest. I duck down and as his momentum pushes him forward sweep out his legs underneath him.
He lands on the ground with a thud and I jump up on his back trying to pin him down. Key word: trying.
He pushes me off easily and throws his hammer at me I catch it just before it hits me and I hear gasps echo around the room. I turn it in my hands leaving an almost defenceless Thor to back away. He pulls out a sword. It is an imperial gold one, impressive and it has a bigger reach than Riptide.
Nevertheless I advance facing him and drop the hammer on the ground. Swordfight it is.
Our blades meet with a clang that echoes around the room. He is powerful but I manage to hold my ground. He is also much heavier than me which gives me the advantage of speed.
I ease into the familiar rhythm of dodging, slashing, parrying and thrusting. My body works on auto pilot allowing the rest of my senses to reach out. I can almost predict his moves before he does them and accurately judge where he is going to land them.
I play on defence for a while simply blocking his sword and then the moment I have been waiting for comes. Thor starts to get tired his swings lose some of their power. I take this advantage and switch to offence. Coming at him in a flurry of slashes and swings I force him to back away and sloppily defend himself.
I see him raise his sword higher than ever and take it as my chance to use the disarming move that Luke had taught me so long ago. Slamming the hilt of my sword into his hand as his hand lowers, he loses his grip and the sword clutters to the ground. In an instant I have mine at his neck.
Smirking I ask, "Yield?"
He smirks right back and at that moment I hear something whooshing in the air behind me only my reflexes allow me to duck before it hits me landing in Thor's hands.
I roll away before he can hit me again. Thor uses this and pins me to the ground my sword clattering out of my hands. Thor then goes to punch my head but I twist out of his grip flipping onto him. This surprises him and he loses his balance ending up on the ground. I land on top of him and we once again start wrestling.
After rolling several times I'm starting to feel exhausted but not as much as Thor. I can feel beads of sweat roll down my back but I refuse to lose and use my last strength of energy to flip Thor over my shoulder and twist his arm around his back then use my complete body weight to pin him down so he can't move an inch.
I once again take Riptide out of my pocket where it reappeared and place it on the back of his neck. Once again I ask, "Yield?"
This time defeated he says, "All right I yield."
I grin and let him go wiping the sweat off my face.
"Thanks man I definitely needed that. We'll have a rematch later?" I give him a grateful smile.
I definitely needed to blow off some steam after talking with dad. I need to tell them soon and over time I have come to sort of like them. They're all different people but make a great family together.
But I want to keep them away from my world for as long as possible. That reminds me…Shit! I was supposed to call Nico, Thalia and Reyna.
Oh Gods. They're gonna be after my blood. I utter a hurried excuse to the still stunned Avengers before exiting the room. Time to call my very pissed off cousins. Oh joy I think sarcastically.