Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For the record, this wasn’t Percy’s idea. 

It was Rachel’s actually. Or that is to say, it was Paul who sympathetically raised the issue of extra credit. It was Rachel who gleefully suggested the school’s yearly theater production. 

See, with the truly astonishing amount of school that Percy missed (thanks, Hera), he’s already lost a year. Since he disappeared in October, not even Paul could argue in good conscience that the work he did counted for anything. 

He’s repeating eleventh grade. And because he was kinda busy the year before that (thanks, Luke), Pre-Calculus fell to the wayside. Percy’s never been the best student - his expulsion record can attest to that - but with his recent… preoccupations, his grades had slipped even further. 

It was Paul, who knew of Percy’s goal of attending New Rome University with Annabeth, who sat him down and explained that Percy had to do something to raise his grades. 

“Normally, I’d assign an essay or research project,” Paul explained. “But I know that isn’t the best option for you.” 

Yeah, no. Reading English was bad enough; writing English was even worse. Every sentence that Percy constructed failed to make it onto paper. He just had this block between his head and his pen - well, except for one pen. Annabeth had tentatively raised the possibility of a writing disability, but Percy shrugged it off. He wasn’t willing to look into it. He didn’t need another thing making him different from everyone else. 

“Instead,” Paul continued, “I thought you’d appreciate a hands-on option. I’ve got a list of different clubs and extracurriculars that could count for credit. Think on it.”

Since Percy thought best through running his mouth, he brought it up with Rachel. 

“So which of these would be the least painful?”

Rachel took the list he offered, scanning it. “Extra credit?” She guessed.

“Yeah. So?”

“Let me study all the options. Maybe I’ll even spit out a spooky rap about it.”

Rachel Elizabeth Dare was definitely his best friend at Goode High School. Percy had always been a bit of a lone wolf at school- or more like a bullied puppy, but whatever- but after disappearing and returning, he was held at an even greater distance from his peers. There must be some pretty wild rumors flying about his disappearance, because eyes and whispers follow him in the halls. He’s taken to wearing his wolf stare around Goode to prevent some of the more bold students from approaching him. 

Technically, Rachel didn’t go to Goode anymore. She was a common enough face around campus, though, because after she graduated last year, she spearheaded an artistic environmental advocacy program for New York City’s high schools: Student Expressions for Earth Restoration, or SEER. 

Percy would like to say she also came around so often because he was her best friend. In reality, it was likely because she and Paul got on like a house on fire. 

This was also why she conveniently waited to tell Percy her suggestion of least painful extra credit activity until Paul was driving the two of them back to the Blofis-Jackson apartment. 

“I think for extra credit you could participate in this year’s theater production,” Rachel said with the kind of grin that Percy didn’t like. It usually involved him doing something embarrassing. 

Paul’s eyes met Percy’s in the review mirror. “That's a good idea… a great idea actually.” He grinned at Rachel in the front seat. She had beaten him to shotgun - not that Paul was any help in the matter. 

His mom wasn’t any help either. When Percy told her, she immediately lit up. “Oh, Percy, you have to! I couldn’t think of anyone better for the role.”

The role she was talking about turned out to be the main one. Because, of course, the play was about the Odyssey. It was just Percy’s luck to be auditioning for a play that had some truly unfortunate parallels to his own life. 

And auditioning he was. Because his last hope of stopping this madness, Annabeth, simply smirked at him when he brought it up. 

“You know what I think?” She said as she sat beside him on the couch, working on her architecture portfolio while he whined about everyone ganging up on him. “I think it’s the perfect activity for extra credit.” 

Percy really didn’t think so. He didn’t want the spotlight, he wasn’t a singer, and he didn’t even know if he could act. 

Annabeth must have seen this on his face, because her teasing air dropped.  “Just audition. They can always make you a boulder or something”. With her arm around him, she pulled his head onto her shoulder. Percy relaxed into her, feeling some of the apprehension about everything melt away as her fingers threaded into his hair. 

“But for the record,” she murmured into his hair, “I think you’d do a great job at being Odysseus.” 

High praise coming from Annabeth: she was a diehard Odysseus fan.

With everyone around him so confident (and him convinced by Annabeth), he decided to at least put a little effort in. Rachel had insisted on his audition song, The Infant and the Horse, out of that and two other songs - Just a Man or Monster. 

“Trust me, I think it will be easiest for you. You already have the experience!” 

Rachel then showed him the song to see his reaction. And she was right, if you counted leading one battle in Manhattan over two years ago as experience. But the song was catchy, he had to give her that. Once he learned the lyrics, he found himself singing them in the shower, tapping out the rhythm on his desk in class. 

It was Piper who insisted on giving him tips on his performance before he auditioned. Since Percy didn’t know any other children of famous actors, it was hard to turn down a quick lesson in Cabin 3. 

“Wow.” Piper had said after a moment of stunned silence following Percy’s performance. “I didn’t know you could sing like that, Percy.”

Percy had honestly replied that he wasn’t really a singer; the song was just good to sing to. Piper wasn’t convinced. “I think you’re just that good. But let’s go over some of your movement- you should act like you’re holding a sword.” 

Piper helped him essentially choreograph the song, which wasn’t that hard. Percy had done enough sword-waving and shouting at fighters that mimicking the scene was easy. 

Piper had tried to convince him to sing it in the amphitheater, “My dad says the performance doesn’t count until it’s in front of an audience.” Percy had embarrassed himself plenty at camp (they don’t talk about the archery contest), but he wasn’t eager to add to the list. 

As per usual, he was the only one who thought that way, because there was quite a crowd in the stands before the campfire was to start. “What’s the occasion?”

“You, apparently,” Leo said around his tongue, stuck between his teeth as he tinkered with a phonograph, “Piper said you sing now.”

“I’ve always sung for sing-alongs.”

“Well yeah, but she says you have a solo act now. Musical theater? I pictured you more as a rock music man myself.”

“I am- I mean, yeah, I like rock. The musical is for school.” Percy course-corrected before he got sidetracked by Leo’s… Leo-ness. “What does this have to do with the campfire?”

“Oh! You’re singing for everyone.”

“First I’ve heard of it.” Percy had a bad feeling about this. He also knew that if it was Piper scheming against him, the crowd wasn’t likely to be dissuaded. 

“You don’t have to, if you really don’t want to,” Piper said from behind him. She looked a little guilty, shuffling slightly as she sat down next to Leo. “I didn’t mean to set you up like this. I swear I just told Jason.”

“Yeah, and he told me.” Leo piped up. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to fix this.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t need to tell everyone I’m auditioning for a musical to fix that.”

“Oh, you’re auditioning? Piper made it seem like you were already cast.” 

At Percy’s look, Piper had just smiled. “Aphrodite instinct. They’re gonna love you.” 

He suddenly had very sweaty palms. He couldn’t recall ever being this nervous fighting monsters. Maybe in front of Annabeth, but sweaty palms and sword fighting really didn’t go together. 

“Hey,” Piper said, probably out of concern for his sudden change in colour as the blood drained from his face. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I’m sure Leo didn’t mean for it to become this big of a deal.”

“But I didn’t- OW! No, I mean no! I didn’t!” Leo scooted away from Piper on the bench. 

Piper was still smiling understandingly at Percy. “But I think you can do it. And I was serious about it being good practice.”

Piper - damn her - was really convincing, even without charmspeak. 

Leo - who Percy was going to get back for this - pushed him onto the raised platform. He tried to remember Piper’s affirmations as he steadied his pulse. She thought he was good. And it was only the campers, many of whom had seen Percy embarrass himself in worse ways.

With excessive fanfare, Leo moved the arm of the phonograph onto the table. The now-familiar song began to play. 

And so Percy sang. And the campers listened, most with wide eyes. 

It was the Stoll Brothers who broke the amazed silence after the performance with a synchronized low whistle. Then there was clapping, then uproarious cheering as his friends rushed the stage. 

All of that is to say: this is how Percy finds himself in the basement of the theater department, waiting for his turn to audition. Percy was less nervous than he would have expected. Maybe because he wasn’t as invested in the outcome; being a boulder would still get him that extra credit. 

Clearly, not everyone felt that way, though. He lines up in a hallway with about three dozen other high schoolers, most of whom are sweating or rehearsing lyrics under their breath. There were a few who seemed to also be using the production for extra credit. Or as an excuse to get out of classes occasionally. Percy would be lying if that perk hadn’t crossed his mind.

Beside him is one of the less-sweaty-but-still-nervous students. She looks a little pale, but it might have been her dark, straight hair giving the impression. Or the fluorescent lighting. Actually, Percy is pretty sure he recognizes her. “Kiera, right?”

She seems a little surprised he was talking to her. “Yeah. You’re Percy - I think you sit beside me in History”. 

He did, but he didn’t expect her to recognize him. He mostly tried very hard to keep his head down and stay off the teacher’s radar. “Yeah, I do. So, what made you audition?”

She seems a little embarrassed by the question. “I was pretty invested in following the creator as he made it- so when they announced it as the production this year, I figured I owed it to my past obsession to aim for a part.” Keira side-eyes him. “No offence, but this doesn’t really seem like your thing.”

“It’s not,” Percy admits. “It’s for extra credit.”

“From being held back?” Kiera asks, and then immediately looks mortified that she did.

Well, that was confirmation of at least a rumor about him going around. “No, I missed so much school that last year might as well not have happened.” And because he didn’t think Kiera was aiming for gossip, he added, “I’m trying to raise my GPA for university. And another essay would probably do me in at this point.”

Kiera laughs. “I feel that! So, is there any role you’re hoping to get?”

“No, but Mr. Blofis is making me audition for Odysseus”. 

If Kiera knew about Percy repeating a year, she would know that Paul was Percy’s stepfather: it was an open secret at Goode. Percy didn’t consider it Paul’s fault (although it absolutely was). He just couldn’t stop talking about his incredibly talented, recently published wife, Sally Jackson. It only took a couple of students with ears (and eyes, to watch Paul and Percy driving home together) to put it together. 

“Oh wow. No pressure then.” 

“No, not really, actually. I don’t think anyone is expecting me to get the part. They just think my auditioning for it is funny.”

Kiera seems confused, if a little angry on his behalf. “Why would that be funny?”

Where to start? Oh, because I also fought Polyphemus - my half-brother, actually! Or even, probably because Poseidon is like, the one god who hasn’t tried to kill me.

Thankfully, Percy is spared from answering as Kiera was called into the audition room. “Good luck.”

Kiera just shook her head with a nervous smile. “No, it’s ‘break a leg’”

“Right. Break a leg.”

Percy is assuming she didn’t, because besides what sounded like a very impressive audition through the doors, he is called in after her with little fuss. As Kiera passes him, she gives him a slightly manic smile and a “break a leg!”

In the center of the room at a fold-out table, three older women sat. On the left, darkly lined eyes in a lined face stared at him sternly. Wrapped in dark, muted fabrics, her bindi was the brightest thing about her. On the right, an impish grin with a pixie cut greeted him. Her upturned nose made Percy think of the campers in Cabin 11. 

The middle one, incredibly tall even in her seat with wild red-orange curls, introduces herself as Director Vivian, or “Director ViVi, please”, and asks Percy to do the same. 

He did, and also stuttered slightly when introducing his audition song as prompted. 

“Ah, yes. We haven’t cast Zeus yet, so you’ll have to sing to a backing track. If that’s alright?”

Percy wasn’t sure he knew what a backing track was. “Uh, sure.”

“Then just give us a nod when you’re ready.”

Turns out a backing track was the music, but without his part singing. From his nod to the final violin fade, Percy is hyperfocused. He registers the slight buzz from the stereo (how underfunded is the theater department?) playing the track, the flickers of the fluorescent lights, the linoleum smell, the blank-not-blank expressions of the women - like they were trying very hard not to give him any clues as to how he’s doing.

But he also doesn’t have time to think about it - he is busy singing and trying not to trip as he orders troops and gestures with a pretend Riptide. He might have felt silly if he wasn’t so focused on making it believable. It felt much more low-stakes than the actual battles he’d been in: it was pretty fun, actually.  

Percy was having fun. It gave him hope that whatever role he ended up cast as, it would be the best way he had ever earned extra credit. 

His last note rings out slightly in the high ceilings of the room, and after Zeus finished his bit about blood (what a D-bag), Percy awkwardly stands from where he was pretending to cradle a baby. He certainly had time to feel silly now. 

The women stare at him a bit longer before the impish woman says, “Well, we may as well give him the script now.”

The stern woman looks over, a little aghast. “Tina!”

The impish woman - Tina - shrugs. “Say, you didn’t happen to practice Just a Man, did you?” She asked Percy.

“Uh-”

“Tina.” Director Vivian interrupts. “You’re not supposed to tell the students casting decisions before they’re announced.” She looks slightly exasperated, but not like she disagrees with Tina. 

“Whatever happened to neutral feedback auditions? And discussion before decision?” Stern woman says lowly. 

“Chinmaya, you can’t say you disagree.” Director Vivian says.

Stern woman, or Chinmaya, didn’t disagree. She hadn’t even looked too annoyed at being called out about it; she just eyed Percy with an assessing stare. 

“Should I go now?” Percy isn’t entirely sure what this is about, but he doesn’t want to be here while the panel quarrelled. They weren’t quite as threatening as the Olympians, but any council deciding his fate gave him the heebee-jeebees. 

“Sorry, dear. Yes, you can go. Thank you for the audition.” Director Vivian waves him out the door with a satisfied grin. 

Percy hurries into the hallway, only to pause outside of the doorway as the next student to go in blocks his path. 

“Dude, what the heck?” A kid with curly brown hair invades Percy’s personal space

“Uh…”

“That was awesome!” This close, the kid is practically vibrating with excitement. “Just what we heard from the hallway was wicked. How did they react?”

Percy wasn’t actually sure what their reaction was. Good, he hoped. “One of them mentioned giving me the script.”

“No way”. Another student scoffed. He was leaning against the wall, maybe 3rd in line. “They wouldn’t make casting decisions without seeing all the auditions. And there is no way they’d tell you at your audition.”

Percy wasn’t sure how theater stuff worked, but he hated being told he wasn’t telling the truth. Also, this kid looked slimy. An Octavian, if he were strawberry-blond and a couple of inches shorter. “That’s just what I heard.”

“Sure.” Not-Octavian rolled his eyes.

“If they were serious, then you deserve it!” Curly-haired kid interrupts, repeating, “That was awesome.”

“Thanks.” Percy almost wished he were back in the audition room. All of the students are staring at him now. 

“Great job, Percy.” Kiera cheered from about halfway down the hall. “Eli, you’d better go in. Don’t keep Director Vivian waiting.”

Eli, with the curly brown hair, let out an “Oh, right!” As he slipped into the audition room, Kiera waved Percy over to her.

He hurried past the still-staring students. He was glad she waited for him. “I can’t wait to see the casting.” She told him giddily once he caught up.

Him too. But probably for a different reason: once the casting came out, Percy was sure this attention would all blow over.

Chapter Text

If any evidence was needed that Percy was the son of Poseidon, and not a wind god, it was this: the attention from the audition did not blow over. In fact, the whispers only got worse, like windstorms spawning in front of lockers and in stairwells.

Did you hear?

Thought he was a delinquent...

Immediately cast...

Even the theater kids are surprised! 

Percy ducked his head, practically shoving it into his locker as he heard the girls behind him whispering. 

"Tyler thinks it's a bid for clout."

"I think Tyler overestimates how much clout there is to be had for theater kids."

Muffled laughter rises between them. 

"But you can't deny it is kinda impressive, if it's true."

"I don't know if the direct casting is true, but I think he really is that good." A different voice this time, masculine and smooth.

There was a muffled bang and a curse. "Jesus, Micah, don't scare us like that." 

A laugh. Percy chanced a glance, recognizing the name. The boy had dark skin over a sharp jaw, framed by neat locs. Percy knew Micah. He was well-liked among the girls, probably because he was respectful and gorgeous: a rarity in high-school boys. 

"Sorry, sorry. But check this out." 

From the corner of his eye, Percy watched Micah pull out his phone before angling what must have been a video for the girls to watch. 

The sound that came from the tiny speakers made Percy's stomach drop. It was him, singing the Horse and the Infant. 

"Where did you get that?" Percy was asking before he consciously decided to reveal himself. The girls startled again, and Micah almost dropped his phone. 

"Fu- Jackson. Hi." Micah smiled nervously. 

The girls still looked spooked. Percy realised he was probably coming off a little intense, and let out a hopefully-unserious smile. "Hi. Whatchya got there?" 

Micah looked caught red-handed. Clearly, this was supposed to be another rumor about Percy that never made it back to him. "Uhhh... a video. Of the musical and your audition for it." 

No one was filming when Percy auditioned, he was sure. Micah continued, “But not your actual audition, it’s as a summer camp, I think?”  

“No way.” Percy couldn’t believe it. He was surrounded by traitors. “How did you get that?”

Micah winced. “There’s a group chat for a couple of members of the theater department. I’ll add you, man,” He hurried to promise. 

“It’s fine, I’m not a part of the theater department. Who first sent the video?”

Micah shrugged, “I’ll add you anyways, it’s either now or later.” He scrolls up in the chat to find the original attachment. “Rachel Elizabeth Dare sent it.”

Percy should have known, that smoke-spitting snake. “I’m gonna wring her neck.” He muttered. 

One of the girls squeaked. Percy turned away with a, “Thanks, man,” thrown in Micah’s direction. He had a snake to find. 

<><><>

Kiera’s phone was practically buzzing out of her bag as class ended. The only cause she could think of for this was casting results. This is impossible, as auditions were only a couple of days ago.

Her phone charms swung as she unlocked her phone. She immediately pulled up the source of the barrage of notifications. It was the groupchat for the theater department, aptly named: theater nerdz. 

ELI: if he doesn’t get odysseus ill admit wicked is better than the heathers

TroyBolting: But that’s objectively untrue. 

ELI: EXACTLY

Kiera had a feeling for who they were talking about, but scrolled up to see what sparked it. To her surprise, it was a video. 

The RED Overlord: *video attachment*

jamie! *meme* PERCY JACKSON?!?

yesliketherock: holy shit Jackson can SING

TaylorNotSmall: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but forget about the singing. This guy can act.

TaylorNotSmall: He could convince me to go to battle, he’s that commanding. And that sword-play sequence? It’s like he’s actually striking another sword.

TroyBolting: Frankly, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to forget about the singing.

TroyBolting: Like did you hear his final line? Has he always been able to do that?

chronicallyonline: ngl seeing him beg did something to me

ELI: wOAH THERE CALM DOWN

The RED Overlord: Don’t forget this is a school group chat :) And I have admin privileges :) 

chronicallyonline: why are those smiley faces so threatening

JustASurferBoi: is no one going to mention the whole-ass campfire? He was so close at times I was stressin

jamie!: speaking of, campfire??? Where the hell was this taken? 

TaylorNotSmall: Summer camp for theater prodigies, apparently. 

Kiera opened the video. Sure enough, there was a campfire in the middle of a large amphitheater. The video was obviously taken from somewhere in the stands, a few rows back from the front. The chatter from the crowd died when a short Latino kid pushed someone Kiera recognized as Percy onto the stage. Percy glared at him for it, but still nodded when he asked, “Ready?”

The music started (was that a record player? Kiera didn’t think EPIC was on vinyl) and Percy sang. 

Much like during auditions, Kiera was arrested. When she first heard Percy sing, she had been leaving after her own audition. Hearing his first verse stopped her halfway down the hall. The door must have been left cracked open, because his voice was clear, rich, and smooth like glass. Like the ocean, perfectly still, reflecting the sky. 

Kiera again found her attention captured. She heard a soft “Holy shit,” Likely from whoever was filming. Kiera agreed, but this time, she was watching his movements. As he sang the opening, he walked as though he was addressing soldiers, helping them up, handing them weapons. 

As if addressing the soldiers he had just walked amongst, he turned to order, “Do what I’ll say and you’ll see them again.” At the ensemble response, he drew a sword from his other hand (when on earth did he grab that?) and used it for battle directions. 

Taylor was right. Percy could convince Kiera to enter battle with his commanding, assured tone. His unhesitating orders demanded total loyalty because his own camaraderie with his troops left no doubt in his loyalty to them. 

It was so different from how Percy was at Goode, but Kiera thought it felt too genuine to just be acting. Was he always this loyal, this immovable force of nature? He seemed so teasing and laid-back with the one friend Kiera knew he had - Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Even at swimming comps, which had grown in popularity since Percy joined, he was friendly with a little good-natured trash talk. Maybe it's because there wasn’t anything for him to go to war for over at Goode (although Kiera could personally find a few things - the girls’ volleyball team, musical castings, and katsu curry days in the caf, to name a few). Maybe he was just that good at acting. 

During the instrumental, Percy does an unbelievable sword sequence. Kiera has to stop in the hallway to rewind and watch it again. He slashes, then reverses his momentum to two-handed parry an invisible attack. Another slash, and then, as if seeing an opponent from the corner of his eye, a quick roll that ends in a swipe at the back of the attacker's knees. Fluid and graceful, Percy looks like he’s been wielding a sword his whole life. 

If the rumors are to be believed, no wonder Director Vivian cast him immediately. 

When the vision came in the musical score, Percy stumbled as if struck. He raised his hand to his chest, as if checking for a wound. “What… was that?”

Kiera was now firmly of the belief that Percy just was that good of an actor. After all, what mediocre high school actor could convincingly portray a fatal wound and a prophetic vision? 

Percy’s soft, “it’s just an infant, it’s just a boy,” almost made Kiera tear up, with how helpless it sounded. 

And as Kiera expected, Percy falling to his knees and begging, “Please, don’t make me do this,” was even harder to hear. It was so compelling, Kiera felt that even Zeus would have a hard time forcing Percy to kill the infant. She was covered in goosebumps as the backing track finished the song. 

The video cut as the audience erupted, the feed jostled by the noise and movement. Kiera almost started the video from the top, but was stopped when she almost walked straight past her locker- and the person in front of it: Taylor Smalls. 

Taylor was one of Kiera’s best friends, which is to say, they were first enemies. Both first entered Goode High School, they auditioned for that year’s musical- only to each get the part the other wanted. 

They had evolved from dirty looks and catty remarks (“legendary levels of tenth-grade bitchiness,” Taylor would say) into full-blown yelling matches at practice. They had been sent into the halls more than once, fuming over what the other had said. 

That was before tech week. Or, more fondly known as: hell week. Maybe it had the forced proximity. Or the lack of sleep, replaced by caffeine. But they had managed to agree more often than not that week, mostly on one thing: they both wanted this performance to be perfect. 

Except when opening night came, Kiera found herself throwing up violently in the dressing room. She had been hit with unshakable nausea. It was stage fright, which Kiera never got - but then again, Kiera had never had to perform a sold-out show with her ex (fresh as of 3 weeks ago) in the audience with his new girlfriend. Kiera was sick with humiliation- and afraid she would only add to it with a bad performance. 

“I can’t do this.” Kiera had moaned between gags. 

“You have to, ‘cuz if you don’t, you’ll never forgive yourself.” Taylor had said, and then, somehow with more seriousness, said, “And I’ll never forgive you, of course.”

It had surprised Kiera then, how much she cared that Taylor might not forgive her. Taylor was known for holding a grudge. But Kiera didn’t want one against her, especially for something like stage fright from a boy. 

And because it was a pep-talk from Taylor, after a moment of thoughtful silence, she added, “Bitch.”

Kiera had laughed, and Taylor had laughed, and they both got up on that stage and gave a hell of a performance. Since then, the rest was history. 

“Kiera! Have you seen the video?” Taylor asked as Kiera hurried over. 

“I just finished it.”

“And?”

“Wow.” 

Taylor crowed, “I know!”

“I didn’t think I could be any more impressed after hearing him at auditions. But seeing him swordfight?”

“I know!”

“Talking about our future Odysseus?” A cheeky voice cut in.

“What else is there worth talking about right now, Jamie?” Taylor threw an arm around their lithe frame. “There is fresh blood in the theater department. The sharks are circling.”

Jamie threw their head back in a wild chuckle. Their curly hair bounced, barely pulled down by their shoulder-length weight. Shards of polished glass hung on delicate silver chains from their earlobes. Kiera adored (and was slightly envious) of their sense of style. 

“That kid is the shark! I’m not sure how sharp that prop was he had, but he certainly swung it like he could cut a bitch.” Jamie’s eyes sparkled, “Not to mention his swimming. Sexiest shark I’ve ever seen”. 

Jamie was one of the many people who made up the crowds at Goode’s swim meets once Percy joined the team. Kiera had gone with them a few times, and she could definitely see the appeal. 

Kiera was about to bring up her own awe at Percy’s swordplay sequence when a notification came in from the theater nerdz group chat. All three of them pulled out their phones to read:

yesliketherock: the casting results are released 

yesliketherock: and let me just say, Tyler’s gonna be pissed 

ELI: YOU KNOW THE RULES, NO SPOILING IN THE GROUPCHAT

Kiera didn’t bother to wait for Taylor and Jamie, knowing they’d be right behind her. They all had the same destination: the billboard outside of Director Vivian’s office. 

<><><>

The good news was that Rachel wasn’t in the crowd of people by the drama department, as that was far too many witnesses for when Percy got to burst the pipes over her head. 

The bad news is that the crowd was interfering with his ability to hunt Rachel down. He tried to shoulder through; however, his name stopped him. 

“Well, of course it would be Percy Jackson.”

Percy almost groaned. No more rumors. Seriously, he was getting tired from all the attention he was getting from the musical - he was this close to finding another emposua cheerleader to at least keep the rumor mill occupied with something else. 

A familiar voice had Percy turning to the conversation. “I knew he’d get it!”

A couple of people away from him in the crowd crush was Kiera, from the auditions. Beside her, a tall blonde girl with thickly lined eyes drawled. “I think everyone did.”

“Except Tyler!” A curly-haired kid interjected.

“Wishful thinking.” Snorted the first girl with thick eyeliner. 

As the curly-haired kid laughed maniacally, Kiera caught Percy’s eye. 

“Percy!” She called, dragging her friends over with her to meet him. “Congrats on the role! Oh, these are Taylor and Jamie.” 

The pair followed up with a quick “She/her” and “They/them” respectively, clearly used to being introduced to people by Kiera. 

“Percy, he/him. Uh… what role?” Percy was beginning to feel a weird mix of dread and pride. 

“Only the main one.” Taylor shrugged. “You make me wish I had put money on you. Not that theater kids place bets.”

Jamie snorted. “We should. You’d make a killing, and I’d just bet on whatever you bet on. Who did you say was going to be Penelope again?” 

“Taylor was biased! She had to say me, as her friend!” Kiera interjects.

“But she was right, wasn’t she?”

Kiera blushed. 

“Congrats, Kiera,” Percy told her automatically, still trying to process his own role. 

“Thanks! Come see what everyone else got!” 

Grabbing Percy’s wrist with a familiarity that usually would have bothered him, Kiera parted the crowd like a shark in schooling fish. Taylor and Jamie followed them to where two sheets of printed paper were stapled into one long list. 

There, at the top, was his name. Right next to the role of Odysseus. 

“No way,” Percy whispered. The attention was going to be a pain, but Percy surprisingly didn’t feel that at the moment. He felt light, a smile stretching across his lips.

“Right? It doesn’t feel real.” Kiera giggled, bouncing a little on her feet. “And Taylor got Athena!” 

Looking at Taylor’s intensely grey-blue eyes and incredibly tall stature, Percy said, “I can see why.” Taylor dropped her snarky persona as genuine giddiness shone through at the compliment. 

“And there’s my name.” Jamie leaned over to point at their name, next to the role of Hermes. 

“Nice,” said Percy. “Sorry, I don’t recognize anyone else on here.”

It was probably true, but also the tiny black text, only separated by endless lines in a column, was straining Percy’s eyes. All the Greek names written in English didn’t make it any better. 

“Eli - you met him at the auditions too - he got the role of Telemachus.”

“Your kid,” Taylor added. “You’ll probably feel like it too after all the rehearsals. He’s just like that.”

“And you know Micah.” Jamie pointed at another name Percy hadn’t noticed. “He’s Antinous.” 

Percy didn’t know who that was beyond faint familiarity - maybe he met him once? Not that that narrows it down- so he just said, “Cool.”

“I know, it’s hard to picture! But he’s a good actor.” Kiera smiled. “And you meet everyone else at the read-through.” 

“Read-through?”

Jamie looked at him incredulously. “He doesn’t know what a read-through is.”

Taylor elbowed Jamie. “Of course he doesn’t. He's just pure talent right now.” She patted Percy on the shoulder with a sharp grin. “Don’t worry, we’ll make a theater kid out of you yet.”

And with that, she pushed Percy out of the crowd, leaving him on the edges of it while she continued down the hall. Jamie was quick to follow, shooting Percy a wink as they passed him.

“The read-through is at 4 pm tomorrow, by the way,” Kiera informed him from his other side.

“Don’t be late!” Taylor called.

“Oh, I’ve never been late to anything,” Percy said sarcastically. 

“Of course not! Just missing for months,” Kiera ribbed. 

“Exactly.” 

“But seriously, you won’t want to be late this time.” Kiera tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace. “Theater kids don’t have hazing. We have something worse for the naive late kids.”

With that, she jogged a little to catch up with her friends. Once she was out of hearing range, Percy muttered, “Can’t be worse than monsters, right?”