Chapter Text
It was a quiet day in The Tally Tavern. With all the happenings around town, they had finally fallen into a lull in the gossip mill. The usual suspects were hanging around.
Omi was looking over the financials of the tavern and taking notes at a table in the corner, Granny sat next to her chattering on about the old days as Omi occasionally made noises of acknowledgment, spurring Granny on, but Omi looked genuinely at ease with her situation.
Ju - Omi’s only blood child - was out back in the kitchens with Flo, one of the many orphan children Omi had taken in to reside in the rooms above the tavern, the two washing up the dishes in preparation for the dinner shift. Shiru was sweeping and wiping down tables, stopping to check in on Omi and Granny every few minutes, and doing the same for each of the taverns guests. Kornelia was behind the bar, occasionally running food and drinks and providing refills when requested.
Goose, Char and Luna were the triplet orphans, and they had been kicked out of the tavern an hour previous after their antics broke a plate and had Omi chasing them out with a dirty rag.
The rest of the children were out, most likely diving for pearls. Ever since they’d learnt how to swim from Perseus, they had been out on the beaches at the crack of dawn to scope out the sea for pearls, or they were keeping their ears to the ground for information.
After all, The Tally Tavern was the hub for Ithaca’s gossip and both Omi and Granny held all the information you could dream of and more. Which nobles were on the outs, the up and coming heirs and what they were like, who was courting and who people fancied. Together, they knew it all. If you wanted information, come to the Tally Tavern and for the right price, they’d likely have what you needed by nightfall.
There was some small talk from the usuals. Lady Lyna, Luzio and Shepherd were on the neighbouring table by Granny and Omi, close enough to include them in conversation but far enough that they could speak amongst themselves. Bee, Diana, Lex, Liz and Tabitha had their own table, the five drinking as they shared the goings on of the day.
There were a few others scattered around. Viva was sketching in the corner closest to the entrance, occasionally looking up and around, Shiru refilling her goblet every now and again. Frey and Rus were bickering at their table, everyone tuning them out as always. Crone was looking exhausted after working the day in the palace gardens. Kindred, Morns, Maki and Kahluah were laughing over something or other.
Kitten, Storm and Scatter then walked in, hair still damp from swimming all day but their clothes were dry and they weren’t dripping everywhere, so that was a win. Cat usually was with them but they appeared to be missing this time. At least until a few minutes later after the kids had settled at their mothers table to listen to Granny. The tavern door was loudly kicked open and April was stood in the doorway with Cat, the tavern falling silent to look to them.
"Mama! Mama! You’ll never guess what we saw!" April exclaimed.
"I couldn’t possibly guess, do tell," Omi said, setting her quill down and resting her elbows on the table, clasping her hands under her chin and resting her head.
"Perseus kissed Prince Telemachus!" Cat burst out.
"No, he didn’t! He rested his forehead against his," April said, smacking Cat on the shoulder.
"Ow! Ma, April hit me!"
"It wasn’t that hard, Cat, I saw it with my own eyes. A forehead touch you say? Those boys, at this rate, they won’t kiss for a good year or two," Omi said with a deep sigh. "Regardless, Granny and Diana have already lost the betting pool."
"We bet in good faith and were betrayed," Diana said with an annoyed huff, crossing her arms. "I bet a whole golden drachma on two moons."
"I only lost 5 silvers," Granny said. "It did not happen by the end of winter, but a whole golden drachma? Where are you finding this money?"
"Let’s just say retiring isn’t an option anymore," Diana said sheepishly.
Omi smirked and shook her head as Granny tutted disapprovingly at Diana.
"Kitten is still in the running on a technicality. He bet that it would take minimum Perseus and the prince three moon turns before they even hold hands romantically. Technically, he’s not wrong, it’s past the threshold of three months," Omi said, pulling a piece of parchment from her stack and reading off it. She then frowned at the parchment and looked up at Kitten with narrowed eyes. "Kitten, do I want to know where you got 5 golden drachma?"
"The suitors were bullying Shiru and Kornelia, so I pickpocketed them. What they don’t know won’t hurt them," Kitten said.
Omi rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated huff, setting the parchment down and rubbed her temples as April snorted in amusement. "Nice, Kitten," April complimented with a chaotic grin.
Kitten waved a hand dismissively. "All in a days work," he said lightly.
"You kids are going to kill me with stress before I reach old age," Omi muttered.
Granny cackled and tapped her cane against the back of Omi’s chair. "I told you so. When you took them in, I told you they would be a handful and what did you do?"
"Oh, shut up Granny. It’s too late now," Omi said before looking back to Cat and April. "A forehead touch, you say?"
"Yes," the two replied in unison.
"Well, no one has bet on that, but I’m noting it down," Omi said, picking up her quill and scribbling a note in the corner of the paper. "If those boys take any longer, Granny won’t live to see them together."
"Oi!" Granny scolded, lightly whacking her cane against Omi’s leg, the tavern owner yelping and then laughing loudly. "I’m not that old."
"Sure, Granny. Who was King when you were born again?" Ju asked.
Omi covered her mouth to hide her smile, but all her adopted kids and many patrons started laughing at Ju’s quip.
"Get back to work, brat," Granny snipped, leaning back in her chair and looking at Omi. "That one has a tongue on her."
"Don’t look at me, you are the one who babysat her. You’re just as much an influence as I am," Omi protested.
"She’s got you there, Granny," Lady Lyna commented, smiling innocently over the rim of her goblet as Granny shot her a glare.
"No respect for the elderly these days. Not a bit. Shameful."
"April, go clean up for dinner shift. Cat, go check on the triplets, make sure they aren’t trying to start another fire with Char in it. We don’t need a charred Char," Omi instructed. "And you three—"
Kitten, Storm and Scatter all looked up. "Yes, mama?" Scatter asked.
"Go run yourselves over with a wet rag, get the saltiness of the sea off yourselves."
The three ran off out back and upstairs, laughing as they went.
"It’s been over a year now. What’s taking Perseus so long?" Liz asked.
"Likely in some delusion of not wanting to ruin his friendship with the prince," Tabitha replied.
"There’s also the fact that he is interested in the prince of Ithaca. That’s bound to have issues given the differences in their stations," Shepherd pointed out. "I’m rarely in town and even I can see it."
"Listen, we can whine about them having their heads stuck in the clouds all we like, but when they do get together, we all know this is where the celebration will be," Kornelia said, throwing her arms out as she turned in the spot.
"Best and worst kept secret in town is how much we support those two. Poor Perseus, that boy has absolutely no idea that Telemachus keeps tabs on him and that we purposely manipulate things so they get time together. He’s incredibly observant but also incredibly blind, it’s a wonder he gets any work done at all," Omi said, sounding mildly disbelieving of how the boy could be the walking paradox he is.
"If only he knew. They are quite obvious, I have so many artworks of them from when I’ve seen them about," Viva said, holding up a few marvellous works of art of the two going about their business around town. "Perhaps a gift for them in future?"
"If we don’t all die first," Frey joked.
Kornelia flicked their ear, a strangled whimper escaping Frey’s throat.
"Don’t curse us," Kornelia warned.
"Well, since I’ve got it out, anyone have any bets to place on our boys?" Omi asked.
Suddenly, her table was swarmed with the regulars placing their first bets or updating their current bets, Diana and Granny wisely staying out of it after their first loss.
Because despite the troubles that Perseus and Telemachus were to endure, they had the support of many of Ithaca’s people. They were loved individually, Perseus especially, but for those in the know, they had quite the following watching their love story unfold, even if it came in glimpses. The people had even given them an affectionate nickname to call them without others being any wiser.
WolfPearl.
Lyna could help but watch in awe as the townsfolk of Ithaca came together. The people had such a firm belief in them, it was hard not to be inspired by the community that had come together in their wake. It gave Lyna a warm feeling that spread throughout her body, a feeling of satisfaction and joy that she hadn’t felt in so long, one that made her want to kick her legs and giggle in excitement as such a story came to life. Because, after all, this was all her design.
Perseus Jackson would never have made it back to Ancient Greece if Khaos didn’t want him to.
So as she quietly left the tavern in the form of Lady Lyna, Khaos cast one look back at the people of the tavern. Her eyes met Granny’s, and the woman gave her a knowing smirk and a wink before returning her focus to the betting, pointing out something that made Frey and Rus scream in outrage, and Bee and Maki celebrate.
Yes, Khaos thought, I chose my champion well, no one else could have brought such a tale to life quite like Percy Jackson.
And with that, Khaos left the people behind for the day, already looking forward to her next visit to The Tally Tavern. She knew the next time she graced the Tavern with her presence, it would be for a drastically different gossip session. Khaos existed outside of time, she already knew how this story ended, and the twists and turns it would take in the meantime. The least she could do is reap the rewards through the eyes of humanity.
Because some love stories didn’t need to make it into history books. The best stories unfolded with history being none the wiser, and it made these smaller moments that much more precious.