Chapter Text
authors note!!!
here's the very first part! I only included two povs for this one bc I thought it formatted better. later uploads will be longer :) We're starting with the man himself (Percy) and Jason! freshmen in highschool! I bet they'll love it.
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PERCY
I really needed to stop ending up in the counselor's office. Especially the guidance counselor. I can guide myself, thank you. But here I was, getting berated for not putting down a 'real class' on my 'schedule.'
"Perseus, are you listening?"
"Percy." I grumbled. Mrs. Boring (I couldn't read her real name) ignored me and kept on talking.
"Mr. Jackson, fine arts are the cornerstone of a good education! It was utterly disrespectful to both your educators and yourself to put down 'Farting Band' as your fine art."
I tried not to giggle at my comedic genius and nodded like I understood more than a fourth of what she was saying. "Yes, ma'am."
She sighed. "As it is much too late to let you pick where you go, you are now signed up for Art One. I believe they're on their watercolor unit."
Art? I guess it could've been worse. I could've been stuck with the theater kids. I shuddered at the thought. Mrs. Boring handed me a sticky note with the room number of my new and improved art class.
"Please try to apply yourself, Perseus."
"Percy," I corrected. Then I walked out the door.
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JASON
I was not very happy with New York. I had been perfectly fine staying in San Francisco, but of course I had to be 'too wild' for the fosters. So, naturally, I had been shipped across the country for the next house.
I was determined not to be 'too wild' for Manhattan. I would stay with these people in this place, if it cost my sanity. There were rumors about me, of course. There always were - even without the foster system swallowing me and spitting me back out every few weeks. I knew I was freaky to look at. Albino and black. That's a very contradictory appearance. Plus I towered over everyone.
But I tried my best to be approachable. I /had/ to stay here. I was finally able to stay with my older sister, Thalia, after years of being apart. I wasn't going to lose that opportunity. I hoped with the new close-cropped haircut (didn't love it, but I had to admit it was very military) would make me look less like the crazy kid I was perceived as last year. I was trying to take about the new school, new me mentality seriously.
I joined marching band as the snare drummer. The band kids were scared of me. I couldn't blame them, honestly.
I joined pole vaulting. That was better, and I was a natural. It felt like I was flying everytime I went over the height line.
And I excelled in school, like I always did.
And still...
Band was practicing. I raised my hand slightly. "Mr. North, can I make a suggestion to the trumpets?"
He gestured a yes.
I glanced over to the trumpets, who all looked scared out of their mind. I pointed at one with curly hair. Was it just me, or did he look less terrified than the others? "I think you're rushing a bit, which gets the trumpets out of whack, which gets percussion out of whack." I lowered my hand.
He saluted. "Got it. No more whack from me, officer." The clarinet girl in front of him reached up and whacked him. Probably warning him that the snare drummer might kill him if he kept talking.
Yep. I was excelling at this 'approachable' business.