Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So, what’s the big gift?”

“Just some pearls. Told me to smash them when I am in great need. Mentioned something about ‘whatever’s born from the sea, returns to it’.”

“Oh...guess they'll help us eventually.”

“I don’t like the implications of that.”

Luke opens his mouth, closes it, then speaks, “Yea.”

I sigh. 

“Crusty’s Mattress Store.”

“What?” I face him confused.

“That’s the name of that store.”

“Huh, sounds suspicious. Let’s go in.” I turned to go into the store and for the first time, I’m looking for trouble rather than letting it find me first.

“Why the he-”.

Luke’s cut off by an alarmingly tall man. “Welcome! I’m Crusty! You sleep, we creep- I mean we’re cheap!”

I blink. Is this man serious?  

“Crusty” laughs but it’s overly courteous and fake-sounding, “Are you looking for a bed? Who am I kidding, you wouldn’t come in here if you weren’t.” The smile on his face seems to have a cruel tint to it as a malicious gleam glazes over his eyes.

“Of course! I'm just that...Uh...My friend here," I grab Grover by the shoulder and bring him close, "needs a bed for him and his girlfriend," I wave a hand towards Sailor Jupiter. 

He gives Grover and Sailor Jupiter a look down, completely disregarding the weirdness that is a goat person holding something that clearly isn't exactly human. "A girlfriend! How quaint!" Grover's face turns into horribly hidden terror. He steps up to Grover and settles a hand on his shoulder to show him around. 

Luke elbows me in the side and whispers, "I can't believ e you sent Grover to the wolves!"

I ignore him, watching Crusty show Grover bed after bed. The tall creep pesters Grover on bed types and repeats the same line of "would you like to try it out?" Each time Grover refuses Crusty gets more insistent. After a few minutes, Grover finally relents and proceeds to hop on a bed. He sinks into it, his entire body melting and relaxing into the comfy softness that is Crusty's bed.

Crusty turns to us, "and you two?"

"I'm only here for him. I live in New Yo-"

Crusty takes a large step towards me to interrupt me. He looks down at me with a forced smile, "we can ship it."

I laugh uncomfortably, "I don't have money with me."

He moves onto Luke after my humongous lie. "And you sir? Or do you also have no money?"

"Yes! Yes, he does! Percy!" Luke scolds, "I know you love your current mattress but it's time to let it go!" I whip my head behind me to send a horrified glare to him. He sends me a mischievous smile and a wink. He mouths a ' trust me . Yeah sure. Worked perfectly last time.

"Oh! A persistent one! Well, I've got the perfect mattress for you!" He leads me to a bed that looks like the most comfortable thing that I've ever seen. 

Keeping to keep the act I, well, act, "oh I could never! A mattress is just so expensive and I was saving for something nice for my mother and-".

Crusty ducks down and slide an arm around my shoulders, "Perce, can I call you that?" No. "Sometimes you gotta think of yourself and with this mattress. It's all but a step and free shipping away. Go on...try it."

I look back at Luke, hesitation, and fear in my eyes. He nods determinedly,,. I hop into the bed and settle into it. Holy hell…this...this is heaven.

"Ergo!" 

Next thing I know I'm strapped to the bed full BDSM style. 

Chapter Text

~🌊🌊🌊~

After meeting with Chiron and explaining the quest in full detail, he gave me the pass to visit my mother. I reach the door hoping and praying to every god who as least somewhat likes me that Gabe, on the off chance isn’t home and that my mother is. An unlikely situation .

But thankfully, like Hestia herself insured the best situation to happen, my mother is home and Gabe is not.

“Mom!” I jog towards her snatching her up in my arms, dropping the large box I had in my arms to the floor.

She laughs and hugs me back. She smiles as she cradles my face, “Hi sweetie. What’s the box for? I thought you were staying at camp for the summer?”

“Oh, I am. It’s just...uh...early birthday gift?”

She raises an eyebrow.

I stumble my way towards the box to grab it. I usher her to the kitchen table.

“So...you know how I had a quest right?”

“Partly. Though I’m expecting you’re not here for that. Though I expect a full and in-depth explanation soon.”

“So I may or may not have met and fought Medusa.”

Her voice lowers, “ Percy...did you bring me Medusa’s head? ”

“Maybe?” I say with a high voice.

“Perseus Achilles Jackson!”

“What! I thought maybe ya know…” I proceed to show her in wild hand movements and signals that she should use the head on Gabe.

“ Perseus .”

“Hey! I’m not saying you should do it....just...heavily implying it.”

She gives me the typical suspicious mother glare then concedes, “I’ll think about it, sweetie. You… just worry about camp okay? I’ll have something figured out by then and if this is it then so be it.” She cups my face in one of her hands. “Now! Go sit on the couch and give me your quest rundown! We’ve got lots to cover and not much time before the goblin-man comes back.”

~🌊🌊🌊~

I hop out of the taxi that has just arrived at my apartment building. I sling the duffle bag of stuff from camp, pay the taxi his money, then head up to our apartment. I open the door to see the apartment in spot-less glory. This is the cleanest this place has been since the so-called “honeymoon”. My mother is seated on the couch filling out documents. I slip off my shoes and go to slid next to her.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, you know...Legal documents...a police report.”

I give her w wide-eyed look.

She smirks, “Gabe’s been missing for a month and a half. The bastard didn’t have life insurance or a will so I’m filling out these documents regarding that for the last hour.”

“Huh…”

“Yeah. I have yet to do anything about his tech and appliance store. I have no time to run it and the lease on the thing is gone by the end of September so I’ve got till then to figure something out.”

I lean onto the couch, pondering my mother’s words. A tech and appliance store...how interesting...Then it clicks.

“Hey, mom...you think I could get on the news for this?”

~🌊🌊🌊~

“Hi I’m Sara Oswald and this is New News, New York. For today’s citizen segment I have Mr. Jackson with us today. How are you Mr. Jackson?”

“Oh! Percy’s just fine! It’s...what he called me. And I’m doing...fine in the light of things.” I give Sara a watery smile. Really pulling out the waterworks here .

“Then Percy it is. Care to explain to the audience what’s happening?”

I sniffle, “I was at summer camp. It has a no phones policy. Really puts effort into letting the campers engage in others and nature. I come back afterward and I found out,” pause clasping a hand to my mouth. “My step-father, Gabe, has gone missing. It was heartbreaking. My mother has been inconsolable. It’s been months and we’re still trying to find him but it’s been so long and- excuse me for a moment.” I pull a tissue out of my pocket to blow my nose. “We can’t find him. We don’t have the resources or the money too. He was the main breadwinner and we don’t have the funds to live or find him. So me and my mother have decided that the best course of action is to have an audition and charity in his honor. It’s what he always wanted.”

“That is so sweet.” Sara smiles comfortingly. She looks away for a second then looks back at me. “It looks like our network has decided to host your audition and charity live on TV for all our viewers! Anything you have to say!”

“Oh thank you!” I choke out, tear tracks down my face. “This is just wonderful! He would have loved this!”

“Anything you’d like to put in the spotlight for tonight’s auction A special item?”

“Indeed we do Sara. My step-father loved statues and sculptures and just finished one before he disappeared. He called it “The Poker Player”. It’s a truly abstract and detailed piece. We’d love to see it go to a good home.” I smile brightly, though the energy behind it is more malicious than joy like Sara thinks. I feel bad for wherever Gabe goes. Good luck getting rid of his stench…

~🌊🌊🌊~

My mother is leaned over the couch signing documents when I come home from the news auction. So much useless junk sold, tech given away, and appliances donated to charities. 

“Hey, mom.” 

She smiles at me and pats the seat beside her. I do what she demands of me. 

“Looks like we’re moving out and I’m finally going to college.”

“To be an author?!” I grin wrapping my arms around her right arm like a clingy child.

She smiles warmly then squishes one of my cheeks with her thumb and pointer finger, “Yep...to be an author.”