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Percy thought that they were still going strong, and were ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives, but Annabeth wanted more. She wanted to succeed, go higher and higher. Annabeth knew that her fatal flaw was hubris and Percy knew that Annabeth strived to make sure that she was “worthy” of such a flaw. She had always said that it would be humiliating if her fatal flaw was hubris and she wasn’t the best at what she did. She believed that she could do better, be better. Annabeth wanted to show the world how great she could be. And Percy loved how strong Annabeth could be, how strongly she believed in herself and strived for success.
But that also meant there were times Annabeth focused more on her career than on their relationship. Percy had tried to talk to her multiple times about settling down and maybe starting a family in the future, but Annabeth always seemed to shut down whenever he brought up the topic. Eventually, Percy grew tired of Annabeth always avoiding the topic and asked to sit down and have a serious conversation about what they wanted in the future. Percy mentioned that he wanted to settle down and start a family in the future. He wanted what New Rome had, and he hoped that they could find their future in New Rome or start something similar at Camp Half-blood. Annabeth wanted the opposite. She wanted a full career and to eventually gain a partnership position. She said that starting a family would be a career killer, that no architecture firm would want a woman with children in a high position. But she had also mentioned the idea of starting a family didn’t appeal to her. She sounded somewhat resentful when discussing the whys. Percy knew that her childhood trauma still affected her, but he hadn’t realized it was to this extent.
The two had looked at each other, both realizing that they wanted different things in life. As they continued to talk, they came to the realization that compromise would not work. It would only hurt them both. They decided that it would be better to end their relationship, before it could lead to more hurt. They had looked at each other in silence for a few more minutes, both mourning the loss of their relationship. It was Annabeth who stood up first, quickly downing her coffee as she did so. She looked him straight in the eye, and said, “Goodbye.” She then turned and walked away without giving him a chance to respond. Percy sighed as he watched Annabeth walk away, not turning back even once.
A few weeks, bordering on a few months later, Percy had tried to reach out to Annabeth. To reconnect as friends. Their romantic relationship may have ended but they had also spent so much time as friends that it didn’t feel natural to have her by his side. But she ignored all his calls and all his attempts to reach out. She had even changed her friend group. Later, he learned that she had even started a new relationship. Percy knew that they were no longer a couple, but he figured he was justified in feeling hurt as a friend. It looked like Annabeth had completely cut him out of her life. He had thought that they could at least remain friends, but in hindsight, that was naive of him. Annabeth always was a very decisive person. Once she made a decision, she stuck to it and it was nearly impossible to convince her to change her mind.
It turned out that Annabeth wanted a clean break.
Percy transferred schools to move back to New York, to be closer with his family and friends. And if Percy were to be honest with himself, he would admit that while he enjoyed New Rome and what it offered, it never truly felt like home. Luckily, he had not chosen his major before transferring and had only completed core graduation courses and had not completely started his major courses. Upon transferring, he chose to major in social work, in part to help children but also to locate and help young demigods who may be in unfortunate home situations. During his college years, Percy had reached out to several of his Roman friends, and had gotten in contact with several demigods and legacies. They had helped him set up a network of sorts, made up of both Greeks and Romans. Percy had also consulted Chiron about setting up a sort of employment counseling system at camp, to ensure that the campers who chose to leave camp would have some real world experience and would not be left floundering in the dark. They were also currently working on getting a schooling system set up. They had managed to set up a system for elementary to middle schoolers and were currently working on getting a system for highschoolers set up next.
By the time he had graduated, there were already several job offers.
It happened on one of his runs.
A few months after starting his new job, Percy received a call, one of many about a child abuse situation. Normally social workers don’t respond to child abuse cases, but Percy decided to also specialize in child abuse cases in his career. He normally worked as a child social worker, but he was also able to respond to child abuse cases as a CPS officer would. His collegue explained the father had refused to give up the child and authorities were seemingly ignoring the situation. When Percy had asked why, the other social worker had mentioned the father had friends in high places. It turned out that the father was friends with the police chief. The social worker who had called him had requested that he take the case, since, according to them, he could scare the shit out of the problematic guardians. Percy laughed at the joke, unaware that the other was being completely serious.
“Alright, send me the address and I’ll take care of it.”
A few seconds later, Percy received a notification that he had received an email. The email contained all the relevant information and looking at the location, Percy realized that it was a little further out than normal. It would probably take the entire day to drive there, confront the parent, and drive back. He would probably get back home in the evening if he factored in the time it took to complete the paperwork for the transfer procedures. Noting that he had nothing planned for the next two days, Percy decided that he would go the next morning.
As promised, Percy found himself driving down the highway at the crack of dawn, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. The sun was barely visible on the horizon, Apollo not yet ready to drive it across the sky.
“Where are you going so early?” A sudden voice had asked, causing Percy to curse and nearly swerve off the road. Apollo blinked, feigning innocence as Percy glared at the sun god.
“What are you doing here?!”
“Hey, I asked my question first!”
Percy rolled his eyes but answered, knowing better than to let Apollo mess with him, “Well, if you must know, I’m going to work.”
Apollo blinked in shock, “What kind of hellish place makes you get up at the ass crack of dawn?!”
Percy sighed, “I’m taking over someone else’s case. The location is kind of far out so I’m trying to make it at a reasonable time, so I don’t get stuck in traffic.” Apollo, once again looked confused.
“Case?” Apollo asked, surprising Percy that the normally nosy gods were so unaware.
“Yeah, I do social work, focusing on children.” Percy explained, still staring at the road. It was probably because of this he missed Apollo staring at him with a peculiar gaze. “Anyway, don’t you have to get to work? I mean don’t you have to raise the sun?”
“I’m already doing that!” Apollo laughed at Percy’s confused expression, “Or at least a part of my consciousness is doing that.” Making himself comfortable, Apollo reached over to fiddle with the radio and change the music, but let out an offended noise when Percy slapped his hand away, “Hey!”
Percy glared at the god from the corner of his eyes, “Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole.” Apollo grumbled but stopped trying to change the music when Percy told him that he could always leave.
A few hours later, Percy (and Apollo) pulled up next to a seemingly normal house. The house was sickeningly normal, like planting flowers over a rotting pile to hide the filth underneath. Percy exited the car in one fluid motion and Apollo couldn’t help but note he looked like a predator.
Percy walked up to the door and gave it three firm knocks. There was no answer, and while normally he may have been worried the parent had taken the child and run, Percy knew that he hadn’t. He had asked some of his contacts to keep an eye on the guy and they had all reported he had been too stupid and too arrogant to even consider leaving. Percy knocked three more times, this time he knocked harder and louder. On the third knock (technically sixth), the door flung open and Percy wrinkled his nose at the heavy smell of alcohol. “Good morni-” Percy began, only to be cut off by the man.
“What are you doing here so goddamn early in the morning?” The man slurred his words, obviously intoxicated.
Percy plastered on a smile on his face, “Excuse me sir, we have gotten numerous reports of child abuse at this household and as per procedure, we must ask you to relinquish your child so proper investigations may be done.” The man moved to slam the door, but Percy slipped a foot in before the door could shut fully. He didn’t even wince in pain, despite the slight crunching noise, “Sir, this is the last time I will ask politely. Please allow me in the house so I may help your child collect her things.”
“Fuck off!” The man roared in response.
The air chilled as Percy’s smile slipped off his face, his entire face darkening as his sea green eyes shifted into a poison green. “Don’t make me wait any longer, sir.”
The man gulped, his face going pale as he shakily stepped out of the way.
Percy entered the house and immediately caught the eye of a young girl, skinny and bruised, as she watched from the stairway. Percy’s expression softened, “Hey there pretty lady, why don’t you and I go pack for a sleepover?”
The girl glanced at her father fearfully who twitched, as if to move, but stopped when Percy stepped in between them, “Go ahead, your… dad already gave his permission, right?” A quick side eyed glare at the man had him rapidly nodding his head in agreement. The girl smiled and quickly limped up the stairs and came back down in a few minutes with a neatly packed bag. It was evident that she had been planning or had tried to run away before.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” Percy said as he lightly held the girl’s hand, giving her plenty of chances to pull away. Noticing the pained expression on her face, Percy asked, “Do you want me to carry you?” The girl looked at him before shyly nodding. He scooped the girl into his arms and continued to make his way back to his car, ignoring his throbbing foot. In a matter of minutes, he had the girl safely in the backseat of his car. She looked at Apollo in child-like wonder, making the sun god grin at her.
“Cat got your tongue?” Apollo asked, only to pout in disappointment when she shook her head.
“You’re shiny…” She whispered.
Both Apollo and Percy blinked in shock, it was dawning on them that this girl could potentially be clearsighted. “What’s your name sweetie,” Apollo asked.
“Clara…”
“That’s a very pretty name for a very pretty girl.”
Percy listened to the conversation, a slight smile forming on his lips as Apollo started to bring the girl out of her shell. Soon, Percy found himself joining the conversation, heart lightening as Clara’s hunched form loosened bit by bit. The poor girl must have been exhausted because she fell asleep as soon as she had some food in her. Percy rummaged for a CD and a few seconds later, soft and gentle notes played quietly in the car. This time, Apollo had no complaints.
They continued their drive in silence for several minutes before Apollo started to speak, voice soft, “You know…I’m hailed as the protector of the youth, but if things like this still happen…I can see why it’s not as well known anymore.” The sun god had a complicated expression on his face.
Percy hummed, neither in agreement or disagreement, “I can’t say I knew that about you, so I won’t speak as to how you are doing. I can say that it’s never too late to change.” Percy turned to look at Apollo, “For what it’s worth, you’re a good person.”
Apollo felt his breath hitch as the sunlight seemed to dance around Percy’s smiling face.
“Thanks,” the sun god whispered, placing a hand on Percy’s shoulder. Apollo frowned when he sensed Percy’s broken foot. “What the hell,” he yelled in a whisper, barely stopping himself from trying to force Percy to face him, “How did you walk on this?! How are you driving on this?!”
Percy shrugged his shoulders, “I barely noticed it.”
“Don’t lie to me.” Apollo admonished, quickly sending a burst of energy into Percy, healing the foot.
“Thanks,” Percy laughed, a soft look in his eyes.
By the time they had arrived at the correct location to drop Clara off, Percy had already contacted the proper channels of his network. These groups of people had training to deal with clearsighted mortals and children. Percy handed off a tearful Clara to a young woman, promising her that she would be safe and she could always contact him if she needed him. As the young girl turned to walk away, Percy slipped a seashell necklace on her. “For good luck,” he joked.
Apollo watched all of this from the passenger seat, a soft look in his eyes.
The pattern continued.
Somehow, Apollo always managed to wiggle his way into the car and accompany Percy on his day trips. “For entertainment,” the sun god had said, but Percy felt that there was something else. But Percy also found himself enjoying the company. He and Apollo gradually grew closer, and Percy couldn’t help but have his heart skip a beat whenever Apollo smiled at him. Apollo’s easy going and carefree attitude seemed to disappear whenever he interacted with the kids. The god was soft and patient with the children, gently coaxing them out of their shells. And if their abusive guardians found themselves living unpleasantly for the rest of their lives, Percy would feign ignorance.
Apollo also felt himself falling deeper and deeper in love. It was only his sheer determination to ensure that Percy wasn’t just another one of his conquests that kept him from trying to convince Percy to sleep with him. But Percy made it so difficult. The son of Poseidon seemed to be oblivious to how enchanting he looked whenever he smiled softly at a child. He seemed to be oblivious to his allure when he fiercely defended the children.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Percy asked, placing an abomination of sugar and caffeine as well as a plate of freshly baked blue chocolate chip cookies in front of Apollo. The sun god quickly shook his head, trying to dispel the pleasing image of this exact scenario, the only difference being the location. Apollo desperately tried to dispel the image of Percy, at his palace, welcoming him home with the scent of freshly baked goods wafting in the air.
“No thanks, they’re worth at least a dollar.” Apollo joked.
Percy laughed as he settled next to Apollo, a cup of hot chocolate in his hand. The two sat in quiet contemplation, each thinking of the other, as they enjoyed the cool Fall afternoon. Percy took a sip of his hot chocolate, the whip cream staining the upper part of his mouth. He glanced at Apollo, a soft look in his eyes as a small smile on his lips. He looked like a man in love.
Apollo glanced at Percy and upon noticing the look on Percy’s face and seeing the love in his eyes, his breath hitched. He closed his eyes and said, “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not responsible for what happens next.” Apollo spoke softly, shakily, as if he were trying to desperately maintain some level of control.
Apollo opened his eyes and found himself gazing into loving sea green eyes. The sun god grabbed Percy by his shirt and tugged the sea prince forward. Their lips crashed together in a clash of teeth and tongue. As they separated, their breaths mixing together in heated pants, Percy leaned forward, bringing their forwards together.
“What’s next?”
“Whatever you want, darling.”