Chapter 6
Steve
Steve was a little worried, he couldn't seem to remember things correctly. No, he could remember everything but the events of the last few days. They were fuzzy for some unknown reason; he only knew that they had kidnapped this kid who didn't like being called kid and that, even if he was categorized as a terrorist, he seemed completely normal. Very normal, maybe even too much.
In that moment they were having dinner, all the team eyeing the new member suspiciously, though none of them knew exactly why. The boy just ate calmly, oblivious to the glances directed to him. He was either too egocentric to acknowledge glances his way as something strange or too selfless to believe that he was the center of them. Which of the options was true, only God knows (and you readers but they don't know that) (brEAK THE FOURTH WALL)
Percy
"So, kid-" Stark started, only to be interrupted by Percy muttering that he was not a kid. Tony ignored him. "What abilities do you have that made Fury want you in our team? It's not easy to get in it. It's everyone's dream."
"Yeah, and at first you declined," said Clint, emphasizing the last word and showing his disbelief.
"I don't really know. Ask your boss."
"But he won't tell us! There must be a reason but he isn't fond of sharing information with us, even if it regards us," Tony answered, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"Not really my problem," Percy replied, taking a bite of the taco he held in his hands. The team glanced at him suspiciously again and this time the boy did notice. "What, is there something in my face?"
"No," Natasha said calmly.
"Then why are you all looking at me that way?"
"We don't trust you," answered again Natasha, secretly hoping to annoy him enough for him to unconsciously reveal something. To her surprise, Percy just shrugged.
"Fair enough."
"Aren't you going to ask why? Or at least feel offended?" Bruce asked stunned.
"No, I don't need to. I mean, I may be stupid but I do realize how odd the situation is for you. A stranger, presumed to be a terrorist, shows up at your tower and hands himself, only to be asked to become part of this elite team you have that for some reason everyone appears to love. It takes convincing, which none of you expected, but he joins. Then, he refuses to give any information about himself. If you weren't suspicious then I'd be worried, if you're the ones that are supposedly taking care of this city." He rested his elbows in the table, looking at everyone sitting around him cautiously and waiting for their reaction. He knew that if they hadn't thought of the situation this way then he was only giving them more reasons to distrust him. However, he needed to know these people, know the way their minds worked so he could figure out the best manner of approaching them.
His plan actually worked, which surprised him a bit. He could see Steve shifting uncomfortably in his seat, probably feeling guilty. He could see Tony's astonishment, probably wondering why was this kid even there with them. He could see Bruce frowning and deep in thought, probably asking himself how could he stay so calm when he was basically throwing fireworks above his head that said "hey, I'm highly dangerous. Come trap me". He could see Thor, who was smiling a little as he knew his secrets, probably thinking that all these mortals were funnily ignorant to everything he had done. He could see Clint glancing at him and inspecting him, probably trying to figure out his plan. And finally, he could see Natasha narrowing her eyes towards him but keeping an expressionless face. She was unreadable, obviously a spy, but it was Percy who was trying to read her. He could be a 'seaweed brain', but it was only for everyone's entertainment, he was actually pretty intelligent, how else would have he survived all those years? He was not only intelligent but also wise. Natasha could seem indecipherable for everyone but Percy could read her like an open book. He had to; he'd be dead otherwise.
He now had a base for everyone.
Steve was probably the 'nice' one of the group, though he could be tough if needed; he was part of the Avengers after all. He looked like the person who held the others back from doing stupid stuff too.
Stark seemed pretty egocentric but it was obvious for Percy that he wasn't actually that way. He detected some problems in him, he'd have to check that up later. He looked a little depressed and he wouldn't be surprised if he had panic attacks... He could see these things because of the campers; he had promised himself to look after them since the first war so he had to learn to detect those kinds of little details.
Bruce was interesting. Percy knew from his girlfriend that this apparently peaceful doctor was the big green guy known as the Hulk, to which he would turn when he was angry. That was sometimes a problem. For example, in that precise moment he was completely lost in thought, obviously wondering about his calmness and how to mimic it. That'd be disastrous during a fight. He'd be too concentrated to get angry, turn and help in any way, and he'd be vulnerable to attacks. Percy determined that he'd help him learn how to keep the thinking for later and how to recognize thoughts in inappropriate situations (since you don't usually notice in the moment).
Percy already knew Thor so there was no need to analyze him, though he could see his efforts to be more cautious, which he appreciated.
Clint was a trained agent, a spy. It was written all over his face, ironically. Unlike Natasha, he tried to analyze him without hiding it. Huge mistake there. He really had to learn some things if he wanted his work to be as successful as it could be in the future. However, he was already good at it and Percy knew it.
Natasha was a whole other story. She seemed trained to hide every emotion she had, not a thing getting past her defenses. Too much of nothing, that was her mistake. Too empty, too fake, too obvious. People usually looked at her and saw nothing so they instantly categorized her as a mystery and stopped trying. However, once you actually thought about it, you noticed the logic of it and saw her feelings crystal clear. Percy did that and saw past the emotionless facade, seeing a brave and strong person, but with many problems and a heavy past, he could relate so much to that that he almost stood up and hugged her. Almost, she'd kill him if he did. She'd be a great hunter of Artemis.
It relaxed Percy a bit knowing that he had the information he needed to 'befriend' his new team. Even if he didn't necessarily want to, he knew he had to, since the prophecy stated that they would fight together. You can't fight with someone you don't trust, I'd be disastrous.
Remembering the prophecy, Percy looked at the clueless people that were with him. His heart ached at the thought of them having to get involved in the god's business, worst since it was a war. Of course, no trace of that emotion was shown in his face, but he wasn't emotionless either. Instead, everyone thought he was amused with the situation. Throughout the years he had found that that helped in almost any situation. This one was one of them.
"You know, we are the Avengers. Most people would be more careful than admitting they're terrorists around us and then believing it's funny. You should be afraid, kid," Stark said. Percy rolled his eyes. He was annoyed about the 'kid' part, not the accusation.
"First, I'm not a kid. If I have to repeat that once more... Let's just say that you'll miss your genitals." He might have used an amused tone, but his eyes flashed dangerously with his wolf stare. Tony almost peed himself. "Second, I'm no terrorist. All the things you accuse me about were just my bad luck, I did nothing on purpose. You don't even have proof that it was actually me what caused them, you just assume it because I was there in lots of them."
"You should understand our suspicions, what would you think if you were in our place?" Steve asked coming back from his guilt and going into business mode.
"I don't know, veteran. I'm just saying that I did nothing bad and you are still treating me like I did." Steve was about to reply again but Natasha beat him to it.
"You didn't know us before you came here. How did you know he was a veteran?" She expected him to tense as if a lie had been revealed, obviously. To her surprise, Percy just looked confused. He thought for some seconds before he finally realized what gave it away.
"Oh, it was his posture and his voice when he suppressed feelings to go into soldier mode, I guess."
"Did you- Did you size him up unconsciously?" Tony asked. Percy shrugged.
"When you rely almost completely in your instincts like I do, you start not questioning them. My instincts told me he had been in a war, a big one, and I accepted the information. Let me guess, world war II?"
"Yes, but you shouldn't be able to guess that,” Steve said in confusion. “I should be dead or old by now."
"Believe it or not, people out of time aren’t as rare as you all think. Plus, your manners. Plus, your stance. Plus, your expression. Basically everything." Percy kept eating calmly while the others sat there in stunned silence. "Excuse me," he said while standing up and leaving.
He went to his room slowly; he wouldn't sleep any way so he had plenty of time. However, as he approached the room, he grew sleepier. Something was wrong, he was able to go almost a week without sleep so something, or someone, was making him sleep. He hurried in and closed the door, locking it.
"JARVIS?"
"Yes, Perseus?" Percy knew he had to hurry, he could barely stay conscious.
"Turn off all audio and video recordings of this room," and with that, he fell in his bed.
He was chained to a wall, his wrists locked above his head.
"Hello, demigod," a voice Percy had hoped never to hear again said with a glint of cruelty. He didn't answer. "I have a question for you. I want revenge. That son of Hephaestus killed my wife, the Athena spawn and the Hades spawn escaped me. I. Want. Revenge. Things like this have consequences. I am planning to torture every single one of them. That is unless you take their torture apart from your own."
"I will, but don't hurt them. Please," Percy said without hesitation. He didn't care what was done to him as long as his friends were safe. He didn’t mind begging if necessary.
"You have to understand, little demigod, that everything I will do to you will be three times worse than what I would do to them. A stab would become a stab with poison. Whipping with a simple whip would turn to a whip with iron spikes. Drowning would change into electrified, poisoned water. Do you still accept?"
"I do as long as you swear on the river Styx that you won't hurt them, emotionally, physically nor mentally."
"I swear it on the river Styx," Tartarus said. "Now, let the fun start..."
And with that, Tartarus picked a dagger from a collection beside him and shoot it abruptly at the demigod's stomach.