Chapter Text
There’s a special kind of joy that comes from knowing that your child will be loved and cared for. It brought Sally peace of mind to see the marks that slowly appeared on her son’s skin. The first to appear was written in grey, in neat hand writing. The image of a quill seemed to hang off of the last letter of the name. Around it seemed to be simplistic drawings of Greek architecture. On his right wrist is the name Annabeth. Percy would stare at it in wonder and amazement, clumsily tracing over the letters with his right index finger.
“Is she gonna be my girlfriend?” Percy asked in wonder from his spot in her lap. His small fingers held onto her wrist, tracing over the name that sat on her left wrist. ‘Poseidon.’ She used to find the name so amusing- someone named after a Greek god.
The surrounding imagery didn’t help her little jokes. Crashing, raging waves with one even taking the form of a horse. Storm clouds hovered above the name, something that used to make Sally nervous as a child. But, the oddest thing about the mark was how it seemed to move and shift, but only for her, as if something was hiding this from others.
It all made sense when she met Poseidon, on the beach, and he confirmed that yes. Greek gods are real, and the monsters she has always been able to see are just as real. Their romance was slightly unexpected. With the placement of the mark, Sally expected their relationship to be completely platonic, from beginning to end. It’s how she found out that soulmarks are more complex than she thought them to be.
“I don’t know,” Sally answered, watching as her son deflated and pouted at her. She chuckled. “Your father…” She trailed off, staring at the mark on her wrist. Her eyes softened seeing it shift for her, water seeming to spray, the horse seeming to move forward, the storm clouds growing slightly darker. “We dated, for a bit.”
“He’s your soulmate- why didn’t you marry him?” He huffed at her.
“Not all soulmates are romantic, Percy. They can be friends, too.” She poked his nose. Most romantic soulmate marks appear over the heart, anyways.
That’s where Sally’s second one sits. Paul, an incredibly frustratingly common name. Papers upon papers surround it, along with books. Some Sally recognized the references of- others she didn’t. Then, instead of an ‘L’, a sword took its place much to her own amusement.
“So she could be my girlfriend?” Percy asked, moving his fingers away from her wrist.
“Yes.” She leant down to kiss his forehead, drawing a giggle out from her son.
His second mark appeared on his right wrist. Flowers, leaves and even some wild animals made up most of the mark. The name Grover was written over that, with goat-like horns coming off of the G. It differentiated heavily from his first mark. Whereas the first one was neat and orderly, everything in its place, this one is wild and untamed. It’s even larger than the one on his left.
He had been so excited to show it to her, though. He held up his wrist oh so proudly, exclaiming that she should look. She did, smiling softly and congratulating him for his second mark.
Such a happy moment was spoiled by the man she married though, in an attempt to protect Percy. Gabe had scoffed, told the kid it wasn’t anything special. Soulmarks never truly mattered anyways. Meaningless names that didn’t always play a big part in your life.
It was Gabe telling Percy that no one would actually care for him that truly caused their first major argument.
After storming out with her son, she took him out to celebrate. Some cheap candy that the boy was overjoyed to eat plus a small shopping trip.
Many people cover their soulmate marks, for a variety of reasons. People with common names didn’t want to get their hopes up when it came to other common names, not wanting to mistake their mark for another. Some people believed the mark to be special, something only for their eyes and for the eyes of their soulmate. Others didn’t have marks and wanted to hide that fact out of fear of being an outcast.
For a good reason, it is incredibly common for children to hide their marks. Children are naive, and don’t always fully understand how they work. Some go home, claiming that their classmate is their soulmate- that their classmate’s name is on their wrist so it must be true. In darker scenarios, some adults have used the names to manipulate a child, to hurt them. For their safety, it is easier to hide the marks.
Sally took Percy to pick a new set of bracelets to cover them up, something that would match. He chose gold, his green eyes shining. “I just like the colour.” He told her as they fastened them outside the store. Of course, this led to a separate argument with Gabe.
She could ignore that annoyance though. She was happy that her son would have people who would look out for him, and, selfishly, she hoped that they would also be a part of the dangerous world that her son would have to face.
Her optimism faded a month after he turned eleven. They had delay their trip to Montauk because of Gabe. He didn’t want them to go even after they had put it off, especially because it meant that Percy would be missing school. She knew that he didn’t truly care, he just wanted to make her son’s life miserable.
She put her foot down, packed their things, rented a car despite the cost, and took her son to Montauk. They had gotten there late in the evening, and chose to spend that night roasting blue marshmallows and sitting by the fire.
“You could go swimming,” Sally had offered. Normally, swimming at night would be dangerous, but her son is a child of the sea. Even if he can’t directly interfere, she knows Poseidon would ensure Percy wouldn’t be harmed while in his domain.
“It’s late for that, mom. Besides, I’m tired and it’s dark out.” He explained, though she knew that he was hiding something. Truthfully, she had a guess, but she chose to leave it. She would let him come to her on his own time.
Predictably, he did. Her son had come to her room, to the bed she was sleeping in. He hesitated in the doorway. “Mom?” He called out softly, nervously.
“I’m awake, baby.” She shifted from the center of the bed, making room for her son. He took the opening, crawling onto the other side. Sally had sat up, pulling him closer to her. He leaned his head against her, sitting in silence.
She didn’t press, letting him come to her.
“I got another soulmark.” Percy fiddled with the sleeve of his pyjama top, staring at his wrist. “It’s just, weird.”
“Weird how?” Sally pressed him softly.
He didn’t answer right away, brow furrowing as he contemplated how he should explain it.
A part of Sally wishes he never told her about the mark. Perhaps it would have been easier to live in ignorance, to not worry about yet another thing when it comes to her son. It’s a selfish thought that she shuts down rather fast. She should be grateful that her son can come to her without fear. She’s happy to help him with this.
Her eyes were soft as she watched her son unbutton his pyjama top. He shrugged the left sleeve off of his shoulder, allowing the right side of his pyjama shirt to fall off of him. Then, he started to remove medical tape and bandages from his skin. Sally had gone to shift, to turn the bedside lamp on so she could clearly see the mark.
She didn’t have to. Her son’s soulmark, the one held closest to his heart, had a soft, golden glow peeking out from underneath the medical bandages. The glow seemed to become brighter as he removed the gauze, but it wasn’t overpowering. Soft, comforting light. It reminded her of the sun, in a way.
As her eyes adjusted, she found she couldn’t have been more right.
Over her son’s heart spells the name Apollo, in gold cursive. The font shimmered, almost glittering as her son shifted on the bed. Every stroke of every letter seems purposeful, carefully branding her son. Out from behind the name is the image of a sun. A lyre is also depicted, and if Sally pays close enough attention, the strings seem to move slightly, as though someone is playing it.
She tries to brush it off, to let herself hope that this isn’t the same as her own. Those hopes are dashed as she examines the lyre. It has a tortoise shell on it, much like Apollo’s own. Her breath catches in her throat, and she presses her lips together as she stares at it.
Along with the sun and the lyre is a canvas on an easel, though it sits completely empty.
“I can’t read it,” her son’s voice had broken her from her thoughts. He sounded shy and bashful. “The font doesn’t cooperate with my brain.”
Her eyes softened slightly. Her son is dyslexic, she doubted he could fully read the name. She’s not proud of it, but Sally chooses to lie to her son. “Adam.” She watched as her son glanced down at it, without a hope of reading the cursive, especially not upside down. He mouths the word to himself, and chooses to believe her, she hopes.
“Adam…” He murmurs softly, resting his left hand over it to brush his thumb over the mark. “Why does it glow? My other marks don’t glow- and yours don’t either, mom.”
“Some marks are just like that… they’re special.” It’s not a lie. Sally kissed his forehead. “Let’s keep this between us, okay?” She smiled.
He met her eyes and nodded a little.
“Why did you put the bandages over it?” Sally asked him curiously.
Percy sighed, pulling the fabric over the mark once more. The golden light peered right though, though it wasn’t incredibly detailed, it was definitely visible. “I was just trying to hide that.”
She pursed her lips together and nodded in understanding. “... I’ll make sure you have more.” She said, confirming her son’s thoughts that it’s better to hide his mark.
He nodded, buttoning his pyjama top up. He went to leave the bed, though he hesitated and looked at her. “Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?” He asked, his voice soft,
“Oh- baby of course.” She couldn’t help the soft chuckle that left her when he practically dove under the covers, snuggling up against her.
It didn’t take her son long to fall asleep.
Sally, though, doesn’t sleep. Her eyes stare at the faint glow, distracted by the mark on her son’s skin- one she truly wishes he didn’t have.
She found herself leaving her bed, slowly and quietly so as to not wake her son. Still in her pyjamas, she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a few things. A lighter, kindling for a fire, some wood, and one of the blue cupcakes that she had made and brought with her.
She sat outside, in front of the firepit. Sally hesitated. ‘If you ever need anything, Sally, you can always just ask.’ There’s no harm in asking. She can practically feel where he had held her wrist, his thumb brushing over the mark.
Moments later, she starts the fire. The cupcake, wrapper and all, finds itself in the fire soon after. “Poseidon,” she spoke softly to the night air. The sound of the waves crashing against the sand seemed to get louder. “It’s about our son… please. I could use some advice.”
She waited with baited breath.
Poseidon didn’t make her wait long, practically appearing next to her in the sand, in front of the fire. He reaches out tentatively, gently taking her left hand in his larger one. “I can’t stay long.” He murmured softly, as if he’d be caught if he spoke too loudly.
“You never can.” She squeezed his hand slightly, letting him know she wasn’t judging. She knows that he’s a god. He’s busy, and he truly shouldn’t be interfering.
“You said it’s about Percy?” He adjusted his grip so that he was holding onto her wrist, rubbing his thumb across his name on her skin. “Is he alright?”
“He’s sleeping…” She trailed off, frowning. “He got another soulmark.”
“Sally… not that it isn’t important but…” He trailed off. He had to maintain his distance, she knows this. She understood it the day he told her.
“He has the name of the sun god on his skin.” Sally was careful with her words,not wanting to invite him to the conversation. The water seemed to still, and Poseidon’s thumb stopped moving.
He stared at her, giving her his full attention. “Are you sure it’s him?” He asked, keeping his voice steady. She nodded wordlessly, staring at the fire.
“It’s written in cursive, in English. He can’t fully read it. I told him that it says Adam… But it has his lyre, the sun…” She trails off. “It glows on his skin.” She blinked back the tears.
“My nephew won’t get the corresponding mark until he reaches the age of majority.” Poseidon said gently, trying to reassure her. “Even if he does find out, he wouldn’t go after him until he’s eighteen.”
“Poseidon- that’s what I’m worried about! His life will be dangerous enough as it is- for so many reasons. I don’t want him having to worry about a god going after him the moment he turns eighteen!” She clenched her fist, tearing up.
His hand shifted, moving to rub soft circles on her back. “You’re right.” He conceded. “Have him cover his mark, even when he’s swimming. I will see if there is anything from my world that can hide it further.”
Sally doesn’t think much about it, shifting to wrap her arms around her soulmate. “... Thank you, Poseidon.” She whispered softly. “Thank you.”
They sat there for a while longer, longer than Poseidon truly should have. He stroked her back gently, whispering soft words of reassurance. “If he’s half as strong as you, he will be fine.” She let out a slightly choked laugh before slowly letting go.
“Thank you, for coming.”
He nodded, rising from the sand. “If I can find something to better conceal him, I’ll give it to you.” He disappeared a moment later, extinguishing the fire for her before going.
Slowly, Sally made her way back to the cabin. She brushed the sand off herself as best she could upon entering, and collapsed back into bed with her son. She protectively wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer as though she could forever hide the glow of his mark.
That soft, golden glow haunted her, even as she slipped into Hypnos’ realm for the night.