Archive of Our Own

Percy sat on his sister's island. He had his feet kicking in the turbulent waves. The storm was harsh, but the waters could no longer harm him. He hadn't really been the same since the end of the Giants War. He wasn't sure whether he was ever going to get back the person he was before all that the quest brought him. He found peace in the water, and his father kept him in Atlantis for long periods.

Technically, he was supposed to still be in Atlantis. Kym had just stolen him because she was hoping that some time away from the problems of his mortal life, and time away from the protective presence of their father would somehow heal him a bit more. His sorrow was even higher now.

Kym had been the one who informed him that Jason was dead. Kym had been the one to find out about all of that when the oath he made her went dark. The two of them bonded over his loss. Percy felt a sense of responsibility for the fact that this went down. He could have lived in that fight. Had it been him and not Jason, he would have lived. There was a weird understanding to this fact.

Meanwhile Kym knew exactly what this meant for the pantheon. A forbidden child dead once again, the champion of Hera among the souls taken at the reaping. The damn curse still followed them everywhere.

"It's not worth tears," she said finally. "You took a break. You deserved one after fighting the beings that you've fought. It's not your fault that he died. You couldn't have known."

"I always know. Every time it isn't me, someone dies."

Kym sighed. "I don't understand you, Percy."

"What's not to understand?"

"You hate mortality. You hate the fact the forbidden child title follows you around like a noose around your neck. You hate when you can't save other little mortals from their fates. And you hang out with the immortal family of your father arguably more often than you go to see the mortal woman that is your mother."

Percy nodded slowly. "All of that is true, why's that difficult to understand?"

"Because if you're that connected to the immortal world, and you're that fucking angry at the world for being a demigod, how on earth did you turn down immortality when it was offered?"

Percy fell silent. This was not a topic of conversation that he often discussed. He hadn't really ever talked about it with anyone. Not with his mortal mother, whom he held onto the fact he wouldn't have to see die. Not to Annabeth, the girl that he only grew to be able to love because he remained a mortal man. Not to his father, who he had caused great pain by turning godhood down. And never to anyone else that he could have possibly tried to communicate to. This was one of the hardest things that he'd ever done in his life, and he still wasn't sure how to handle the burden of what he'd done in the light of the day.

Kym didn't press him for an answer, she seemed to understand that she had stumbled into a mess of a situation somehow. She probably didn't entirely understand how she had opened this can of worms, but she was good enough to allow him the time to process. The two of them were more alike than he wanted to admit on most days.

Finally, he managed to swallow around the stone that had settled in his throat. "Luke was wrong, some of the time."

"Some of the time?"

"Kronos was never going to be better than Zeus." He blinked slowly. "He was less wrong about everything else. The gods had taken and taken from the demigods. They were broken, bitter, and hurt. There were so many that didn't fall into the Olympian faction who never got a home, who weren't claimed for the stupidest of reasons, and they were going to continue suffering. The next time they rose up, it wouldn't have been pretty."

"I don't understand," she admitted softly.

"There was only one way that I could think of that demigods weren't going to end up in another war in a decade or five with them trying their best to overthrow Olympus. The gods were going to have to change."

Percy groaned. He leaned back. "I didn't have a lot to bargain with at the end of the war. Sure, I was the hero of Olympus. I had saved the fucking day, but what right did that give me to lecture them."

"Dad always said you did. You spit on Zeus' face and lectured him about the war."

"Dad said what?"

Kym stared at him. "The king of gods offered you immortality. You asked him whether the gods would really accept whatever wish you had, and then rather than taking him up on immortality, you told him he needed to be a better king."

Percy burst out laughing. This was ludicrous. This was insane. "Kym, that's all I had to bargain with. I'm a forbidden child, to me immortality would have meant a freedom away from all of the pain that they forced upon me because of my birth. I sacrificed immortality so that the gods would be willing to save the rest of the demigods. I didn't want Olympus to fall after I spent so much blood and tears to save it. I gave what I had to give."

Kym shook her head. "No, you didn't."

"I did."

"You didn't want immortality."

"The fuck I didn't, Kym."

Her head shaking got even more frantic if that was possible. "Percy, no one knows that's what you did. Even the person who has the most reason to find the good in your actions believes that you were just that upset to have been offered godhood and chose to spit in the face of the council."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're an impertinent brat of a demigod who like consistently does not support the gods, and has never given any indication that you wanted immortality," Kym screamed.

"Forgive me for not wanting to constantly dwell on the sacrifice that ensured that I got memory wiped, that ensured I had to take place in a second war before turning a legal adult, and that I fell into Tartarus." His eyes burned with tears.

"You wanted immortality," she whispered.

"Of course I did. Even now dad has to remind me that there is a price to be paid for my birth all of the time. Do you know how tiring that is? I can't just get into college like the rest of the seven, I have to struggle. I don't get to live comfortably on tales of my accolades. No, I have to continue struggling from this moment until my last moment. It hurts."

Kym froze. Her hand, cold as the glacier, touched his face. She wiped away tears. "Okay. You have options."

"Options?"

"No one knows what you just told me. I mean no one, Perseus Jackson."

He frowned. None of the sea family used his full name except in times of great need. The fact she was using it now was a touch terrifying, as he didn't know what it meant. He didn't know what this might bring about, but he knew that this was going to end up being important. He could feel it in his bones.

"Option one, we go home to Atlantis. We present this to dad. He might be able to sway the rest of the council to hear you out."

She gauged his reaction to this cautiously. "Or option two, I don't speak of this. You don't speak to this, and you start praying. Pray every day if you have to. Find offerings and fucking sacrifices to get Uncle Zeus' attention, and you beg for a private meeting. You do this until you get that meeting. You don't let up. You don't take any quests. You don't talk to that pretty mortal girlfriend of yours. You do nothing until you speak to him."

"What would that do?"

"Guarantee that you can argue your case and confess to the king of gods, and that you can make the compelling case that the second you learned that your actions had been taken out of context that you went straight to him," she explained. "It will buy some good will and make it look less like dad is trying to barter your way out of trouble that you caused yourself."

Percy swallowed. "What do you think the good will be to that?"

"I don't know," Kym admitted. "I don't know whether Uncle Zeus will pay any attention to your suffering, but at a minimum, it will make the gods a little nicer about the oath they feel you tricked them into."

Percy stared at her. "No one knows."

She met his gaze head on. "No. Not even our father knows. He thinks that what you did was ballsy and guaranteed that he'd have to bury you, his favorite son."

"Fuck." Percy collapsed in the sand. "Alright. I guess I'll start praying. I don't really want to put all of this on dad."

Kym nodded. "Just, be careful, Percy. If you aren't sure about this, it would probably be better to let this one lie."

"I'm sure. I know what I want."

Percy said that he knew what to do, but truth was he didn't. He was a silent presence in Atlantis. Only his sister knew why he had taken to being silent, and all she would say when someone brought it up around her was that he was on an important mission and that she would speak no more on the matter.

Percy found several worthy sacrifices. He started with a lobster because growing up those had always been a lofty prize. He sent it with the simple request of a meeting. He did not say Kym's name. He did not mention a reason. He borrowed a bottle of ichor based wine that his father used at fancy family dinners. He poured a glass to Zeus and told him a bit about the family dinner before asking his request to meet. He did not provide context to his request. He stumbled upon a bleeding naiad. He slew the monster and dedicated the battle to Zeus, along with another request to meet. Once more he did so without saying a word. He also healed the naiad, to which he dedicated her life to Zeus on top of the other. Another request to meet was made, and this time he added, it's important to the end. He wasn't sure whether that would help or not, but he remained hopeful.

His father sent him back to camp. Likely in the hopes that someone else might be able to get him to speak. He does not speak. Not when Annabeth practically begs him to confide in her. Not when Nico stops by to ask after how he's doing in the wake of everything. Not even when Lester or maybe Apollo now, he doesn't have the ability to check in with the progress made on that front, comes by.

Dionysus took note after the fourth time, he dumps his whole dinner plate into the fire and goes to sit down. He wrapped his hand around Percy's arm and dragged him into the great house. He glared at Chiron until the centaur left and they were alone in the big room. "What are you doing, Perseus?"

Percy blinked. He said nothing. Kym had been very explicit in her messaging to him. Say nothing to anybody until he got his meeting.

"Seriously, whoever put you under silence made it clear not to speak to me too. I'm literally the pantheon forgotten guy right now. Shit, Perseus." Dionysus blew out of his mouth. "I don't like you. I don't like the fact that I am now concerned. And I particularly don't like that I'm now going to have to offer help."

Percy raised an eyebrow. In all the time that he had known Dionysus, truly helpful was not a word that he would have used for the god. While the god was often more present in their lives and did give some information when it benefited him to do so, he was often dismissive to demigods outside of quests that he personally found important.

Dionysus sighed deeply. He marched Percy to stand in the center of a circular room. "I trust that you remember the olympic council layout for who's throne is where in our little circle. I am also assuming that whoever you're trying to get is an Olympian. I would like you to go stand in the edges of this circle to the god that you're trying to contact. If I'm completely wrong about it being an Olympian, lay down on the ground."

Percy hesitated for a second. This definitely violated the spirit of the arrangement that he had with Kym. However, her advice had been born of making sure he didn't tell another what the king of gods had to hear from his lips first. Just telling her had been a risk, but since he hadn't known about the misunderstanding, he hadn't realized just how bad of a position he was putting his sister in by reaching out to her about this. He inhaled harshly.

Zeus was not answering him. Whatever he was doing, it wasn't enough. Consistency would be key to his attention, but his son might have some insider knowledge. Not to mention, of everyone, Percy knew that Dionysus would understand. Dionysus had also gone from demigod to god.

He crossed the room to stand where Zeus's throne sat. Dead center of the semicircle, where everyone else was next to and across from him. He knew that Dionysus would freak out, but this was all that could be said. He needed his uncle.

Dionysus gaped for a second. "Shit, fuck. Okay. Okay." He held up a hand. "Oh, boy, Perseus, you do love to shake things up. Even when none of us want you to."

He paced around the room. "Someone believed this to be important enough to swear you to silence. Someone you trust, based on the fact you aren't breaking that, not for anyone. Given that you crossed to dear old dad's throne and not your father's, either your father is aware, or your father is not enough. Neither one fill me with the confidence of wanting to continue, but I don't see an alternative."

Percy blanched. He shook his head. He didn't want the god to feel like this was a doomed effort. This was probably going to end fine for everyone, and the only one who might suffer from the decision was him.

Dionysus sighed. "I assume you've given grand offerings already?"

Percy nodded.

"And you've given up food for three nights, I've watched. You've given up speaking." Dionysus closed his eyes. "If you were any other demigod you probably would have gotten your request at least partially fulfilled by now. I'm hoping you're asking for a meeting because that will be most likely to get a positive response."

Percy nodded again. Dionysus was correct on all accounts. This might be the first time he's seen the god be this serious.

"Sacrifices were never all that common in ancient Greece, and my father never particularly felt they were useful. So we're disregarding that as a possibility."

Percy was glad to hear that. Other than that monster, he wasn't sure he could have managed to kill another creature just to get Zeus' attention.

Dionysus stomped up to Percy. He gripped Percy's chin in a hard grasp. He stared into the demigod's eyes. "Listen to me, if I'm going to help you, you have to break silence for just a moment. You have to make me an oath. Make it on the river Styx. You will never share what I am about to teach you. And I do mean never. Mortals should not know about this technique in this day and age. We are sparing with those we do teach, and only a god is allowed to do it. I want your oath that you will not use what I'm going to teach you later to help another demigod by sharing with them."

Percy swallowed. His silence had lasted for a while, but this would be a smart call. However, his hesitation mattered. His silence was also a call for Zeus to see how serious he was about all of this. If he ignored either one, he felt rather screwed.

A shimmer in the air. Styx's humanoid form materialized in front of them. Her head tilted to the side. "He wishes to make a silent oath. Will you take my word that he did what you ask if I tell you what he swears on me, Dionysus?"

"Lady Styx, you rarely leave your domain."

"Rarely, but Perseus Jackson is one of mine. Juno's erasure of my blessing does not change the fact that he has been submerged in my waters. I come for his call and for his oath. I am curious for what oath he considers worthy of someone who holds my respect for not having broken one willingly."

Percy smiled at her. He closed his eyes to think of the exact wording he wants to use. He definitely wanted to make sure that he had wiggle room for his potential success at his mission. He wasn't counting on another opportunity to earn godhood, but crazier things had happened to him.

I swear, Lady Styx, upon your river, that the secret of gods entrusted upon me by Lord Dionysus will not be shared amongst demigods by my tongue.

Styx raised a brow at him. Her eyes told him that she caught the change he made about it being amongst demigods. If he was not considered a demigod, the oath would no longer hold him back. It was a careful rearrangement of words, one that in his opinion helped his chances. "He swore."

Dionysus glanced between them. "He left a loophole."

"Not one of your concern," Styx answered. "Just one that brings me more questions than I had before. Something unexpected, from one such as him."

Dionysus licked his lips. "Very well." He waited until the goddess left them alone in the great house once more. "You will be taught the way to sacrifice your blood, your essence to the gods. We do not suggest this lightly. However, this will almost certainly garner a reaction from my father."

Percy nodded his head.

"To better our chances, we aren't going to do this in camp where others can overhear us and possibly upset him by not taking proper precautions. And we're going to an old location in Greece, where one of his old temples stood. That too will increase our chances."

Percy tilted his head to the side. He hadn't considered that Dionysus would consider this their mission suddenly. The inclusion the other god gave to him was different. Something told Percy that he was changing the way things worked. His offerings mattered enough that Dionysus was interfering, breaking the laws of Olympus and risking his father's further wrath. He had gotten that by doing this.

Dionysus switched his grip to one on Percy's arm. He held it tightly. "Follow my lead."

The god dragged him from the room. The two of them were out in front of camp, and everyone was standing by watching. He snapped to get Chiron's attention. "You're in charge of camp until my return. Perseus and I must venture out on a quest."

"No quest has been assigned by the oracle," Annabeth said loudly.

Rachel stepped out of the crowd. "That is true, my lord."

Dionysus blinked. "Obviously it is my quest, and my permission that has been granted. Now, the two of us have a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to waste explaining."

Percy did not fight his grip throughout this. In fact, when Dionysus started marching towards the exit, Percy was quick behind him. He did not want to continue fighting back his urge to defend himself and speak against the others belief in what gods and monsters were like.

Once they were out of camp's borders, Dionysus sighed. "I can get us to Greece fast the divine way, but it'll disorient you."

Percy shrugged. He didn't care about his discomfort right about now. His body was tired, and his soul was aching. If Zeus didn't believe him then he had nothing left to hope for. He was just living on a whim since Kym had brought all of this up.

Dionysus groaned. "You're killing me, kid."

Percy whistled under his breath.

Blackjack flew out of the camp and landed in front of them. Hey boss, Annabeth and Nico have been asking about you. They've even prayed to your father a few times. They seem real worried. Are they right to be worried?

Percy didn't answer the pegasus. He swung up and onto the creature, he held a hand down for Dionysus to get on. He trusted the god to give Blackjack directions, and this travel would be faster than regular human matters, probably not piss off Zeus too much, and on top of that, maybe it would keep some of mortal friends from panicking over what was happening.

Dionysus ignored the outstretched hand and jumped up on hte pegasus himself. "Alright, head for Greece, I'll direct us once we're there."

Boss?

Percy inclined his head. What Dionysus said was how it was going to be.

Once they were in the air and flying, Percy felt a bit more relaxed. Blackjack was no longer trying to talk to him all the time, and the air provided a buffer to some of his thoughts. He only had Dionysus to worry about, which was a heck of a lot better than at camp, where he was practically avoiding someone at every turn.

Dionysus guided them once they were in Greece, until eventually they dismounted Blackjack in a rather stony location where people weren't. Dionysus crouched on the ground, running his hand over it. "This was once a mighty temple."

Percy nodded in understanding. Time had not been kind to the gods. Kinder still than what it was to mortals, but not kind. The temples of old were ground to dust or put up in museums. The humans that once worshiped them for the powers they had beyond measure now treated them as nothing more than a fantasy story. Or well, most humans. He knew a few who prayed still. His mother being one of them.

"Alright. This is where we're going to do this." Dionysus dug a blade out of his pocket. "This is celestial bronze, you know why that's important."

Percy nodded.

"Right. You're going to slice yourself open. It doesn't matter where. The intention is what matters for this purpose."

He furrowed his brow.

"You're going to bleed on the ground, and then you're going to repeat after me: Το αίμα μου προσφέρθηκε εδώ σε ιερό έδαφος. Θα αιμορραγήσω μέχρι ο βασιλιάς των θεών να απαντήσει στο αίτημά μου. Μια συζήτηση για τη ζωή μου. Άκουσέ με, απάντησέ μου, ω Κύριε Δία, θεέ της βροντής, βασιλιά του Ολύμπου."

Dionysus stopped him before he could grab the blade. His hand rough against Percy's bare skin. "You do this and there is no backing out or down. Your father's waves will begin rushing us. My father will be forced to respond, but nothing else."

Percy swallowed. He didn't like the idea of forcing the god.

"He'll have a choice. He can send you to death's door. I don't think he will. But this is the number one way to get a god to pay attention. Your life's essence, your blood, spilling until you are empty and dead, or until the god replies. Only to be done in desperate times. You seem quite desperate to me."

Percy held out his hand. The blade rested in his palm. He realized what Dionysus meant now. His father would be pissed that Percy was willing to sacrifice his life to get a conversation. And Zeus would be pissed that this would either be a massive effort for nothing or that he'd have to cave to avoid a war.

He tried one more time to go about this in a different way. He asked for Zeus to send a sign that his prayers earlier had been enough. He waited. Two minutes passed without him or Dionysus moving.

Dionysus wasn't pushing him. He was staring in consideration, but he wasn't grumbling about Percy wasting his time. Or the fact that this was a life or death mission. He was just quietly waiting for the decision to be made, one way or another.

Percy pressed the blade into his arm. He allowed the blood to fall to the ground. He followed his blood. He knelt on the hard earth. Then, for the first time since being on Kym's island and away from everything and everyone's attention, he spoke. He spoke in Greek in the words offered to him by Dionysus. "Το αίμα μου προσφέρθηκε εδώ σε ιερό έδαφος. Θα αιμορραγήσω μέχρι ο βασιλιάς των θεών να απαντήσει στο αίτημά μου. Μια συζήτηση για τη ζωή μου. Άκουσέ με, απάντησέ μου, ω Κύριε Δία, θεέ της βροντής, βασιλιά του Ολύμπου."

Dionysus nodded. "It is done. I will take my leave. No offense, I don't want to know whether this works or whether you die."

Percy didn't argue with the god, he just remained kneeling. He could hear the crash of waves from where they were. He breathed in deeply and settled. Either he would live or this would be his final resting spot.

Hermes arrived three minutes later. He stared at Percy for a long moment. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Percy blinked up at the god.

"I am to stop your bleeding," he said with a snap. Percy's blood stopped dripping. "And I am to take you directly to the king as he sits on his throne. No deviations. No detours. You got your meeting."

Percy stood up on shaking legs. He held out a hand for Hermes to transport him. He swallowed against the nausea rising in his throat. He saw Zeus on his throne, and he took a bow. "Lord Zeus, thank you for the meeting."

"Leave us," Zeus commanded Hermes. He stayed silent as Hermes left. "Let us not pretend that you were not doing everything in your power to get my attention. I did not expect you to go that far."

Percy swallowed. "I did not orginally intend to. My sister impressed upon me that I should do nothing else but strive for this meeting after a conversation with her. She made it seem dire should I not either manage to speak to you or use my father as a shield."

"Why not use your father as a shield?"

Percy inclined his head. A fair question for Zeus to ask, and one that Percy wished he didn't have such a clear answer for. "My father would protect me from death, that much I know. He loves me dearly, this to I know."

"You're speaking formally."

Percy nodded. "I am trying to show that I am being contentious of your consideration and time."

Zeus raised a brow. "That's new. So if you know your father would protect you from the worst of my wrath and that he loves you, why not use him?"

Percy stared at the king of gods. "There are many things that you can do to me that my father either would not or could not interfere with. And I mean no offense when I say this, I am too tired to possibly handle some of the worst of what you have given me."

Zeus paused to consider this for a moment. "What have I done to you that was so horrendous that you could not bear it twice?"

"Either of the titan wars, I know one was technically mostly against giants but the earth mother was there too. And then the pit." Percy shivered despite himself. "I don't think I can ever handle that again."

Zeus reached out a hand. It landed on Percy's shoulder. It was heavy and full of promise. "I cannot swear that there will never be another war, nor that you will not be tasked with being a soldier again. But I can promise you that I will do my best to equip you with foreknowledge of such a war."

Percy winced.

"And never in all my years, would I have sentenced you or the girl to live in Tartarus. Fall and die that way, unfortunately does happen to demigods. It's why Hermes was so free to assist you in all your time down there. All interference that could be done was allowed. I would not wish that upon mortal enemies."

"But it happened," Percy whispered. "And now I am done. I am so done that I could not bring myself to help Lester on his quest."

"Ah." Zeus hummed. "You have come to see whether I seek revenge upon you for the death of my son. Knowing full well that had you taken up Apollo's quest, my son would be alive and well. For you would have succeeded in the things that he did not."

Percy blanched. He hadn't even considered whether he might be held responsible for such things. He had just done nothing. Surely, even the gods, weren't so cruel as to punish him for his inaction when he was so tired of everything that had been going on.

"I suppose I can understand your concern, and even why after Tartarus you might be willing to go to these lengths to show me that you cared about my forgiveness and blessing upon your actions." Zeus heaved a sigh. "I mourn my son, Perseus Jackson. But I do not lay the blame on your shoulders. I blame a bit of it on Apollo, who should have done something in his quest to redeem himself that didn't lead my children into the dangers he did. I mostly blame myself. In another life, I would have been able to honor him as one of my children. I would have been able to save him if I chose. I would have more children. You are safe from my wrath."

Percy bowed low. "Thank you, my king. However, I am afraid you misunderstood my purpose."

"Oh? What else would your sister have said?"

"I mentioned my bone deep tiredness to her. She made reference to the fact she thinks it strange that someone who chose mortality would be as fed up with mortality as I am."

Zeus shrugged his shoulders. "You have faced a lot in that time which would cause a person to falter in the face of more trials and tribulations. Why demand to speak to me?"

Percy swallowed harshly. "I did not choose mortality. I sacrificed immortality. My sister was unaware and made it quite clear no one else did either. My king, when you offered me immortality, I wished for nothing more than to say yes."

"Pardon? I can assure you did not say yes. You were quite stubborn about it."

Percy shook his head, blinking back tears. "I promise one war was more than enough to bring the chill to my bones and the heaviness against my head. I would give anything to have the ichor run through my veins instead of blood. To be amongst you and no longer punished for an oath that was not mine. I would give anything."

He squeezed his eyes closed. "But the demigods were so fractured. Kronos had found the cracks left after your interference law. No one could ask you to revise such a law, especially not when it is important to the balance of what mortals now face. However, I also knew that if it continued, eventually Kronos would reform or Gaia would succeed at getting a demigod army next to her giant one. There was no way forward where if I did nothing, the pantheon would live."

His breathes were coming out heavy. He was probably seconds or so away from just sobbing. But he hadn't fully explained yet. Zeus did not know. No one knew. Apparently no one knew. "Uncle, King, please, I knew what needed to change. That the demigods needed to know who their parents were and be given at least permission to be able to talk to those parents. And I knew that doing so would change an aspect of a law. I gave all that I had to give. I thought the immortality on offer would be a worthy sacrifice, a decent offering for a boon so large as that. But my sister, she said you thought I was being impertinent. She said it was thought I was spitting on the face of the offer of immortality and when I told her that could not be further from the truth, she pleaded with me to come to you. To find a way to make you listen. Please, please, hear me."

Zeus' face twisted. He stared at Percy for a moment. "Sit before you collapse."

Percy fell to the ground. His arms wrapped around himself. He did not know whether this was reasonable as a response or not. He just clung to himself and held to his hopes that his sister was right when she said he absolutely had to tell someone about his thoughts.

"You would be immortal by choice."

"Do you know any who would turn it down? Especially in my circumstances. Tartarus might not have been by design, but it was potentially inevitable. Ares' curse hit me then, so the fates knew that it would come to be."

Zeus pulled himself up from his throne. He dropped down and sat next to Percy. He slowly uncurled Percy's body and turned his body into his own. "We did not offer you a boon after your victory against Gaia. Nor did we ever offer you one for your time in Tartarus and the fact that you closed the doors by force on your way out."

"I know."

"Would you like me to offer you a boon, Perseus?"

Percy blinked. "What? I don't understand."

"Neither do I. I do not understand how I misread that situation in the throne room back then. Looking back, you were listing silver linings when you said a mortal life with your mother and with the possibility of love. At the time I thought you were saying those things were worth more than my offer to you."

Percy swallowed. "It was an easier explanation. A brat of a child making demands of you is easier than admitting that I was an intelligent son of the sea who was trying to save the world again."

Zeus nodded. "I would make you a god, Perseus. No one would deny that you have done the deeds needed. None would deny you the right if I did not stand in the way. I cannot promise you will like what you become. I know Dionysus did not enjoy all of his domains when they were given, and you know more than most."

"How does it work?" He asked his voice small.

"Sometimes, when the mortal has yet to shatter portions of their mortality, I just hand you a domain after making you immortal. You are not that. At least no longer. You were the first I offered."

Percy nodded. "And now?"

"Khaos will come. She will judge you and assign your domains as the fates and her have declared."

Percy closed his eyes. "And I'll be free. The anger you hold towards me for my being a forbidden child is erased. The river will target me no more?"

"Yes. And I can offer this too, for the first 100 years, I will make every effort to ensure you are not called upon before this council. You will not be asked to interfere with demigods and quests. You will be able to rest and heal before we start to ask you to be a god of the same magnitude as one of the others of our domains."

Percy nodded. "Please."

Zeus placed his hand over Percy's eyes. And he was on fire, it felt like the blood in his body was burning away. It was a sensation that he had felt before. Dipping into the river Styx had felt almost identical to this moment. At least there was no pressing war, and he was unlikely to have to deal with one anytime soon.

When he opened his eyes, a goddess stood before him, her head cocked to the side. Her eyes contained stars millions of light years away, and her smile was nothing if not full of promise. "So you are the Perseus that I keep hearing under the breath of my beautiful fates."

"Lady Khaos."

"So polite when it suits you." Her hand reached out and dragged his chin into her grasp. She tugged him close. "You want immortality, and all that it entails. You want to be freed from the grasp of the river of oaths. I respect this, but are you sure you're ready? I can send you back with red blood in your veins. I can make you mortal."

"I don't want that."

"No, so you said to Zeus, but I am not him, and I needed to hear it separately." She tapped her fingers against his jaw line.

"We shall start with the simplest of your domains. Your father's child you are. You shall be the god of waves and rivers. Something that has long belonged to Neptune more than Poseidon once more has a Greek spokesperson. And of course, the waves because you never could leave the sea entirely."

Percy smiled at her. "I would be happy with just those my lady."

"So would most who pass by me. Alas, you do not get just the ones that would bring simplicity. You have more. You shall be the god of tiredness, misery, and trauma. Those are the things that drove you to accept godhood, and thus, it will be the ones that follow you for all of the rest of time."

Percy swallowed down his immediate refusal. He knew why he had them. He knew that this would linger. Even with time to heal, his story would always include these things because that had been his driving force. "Alright, my lady."

"You're not done. I wish you were. The king of gods made you a promise he cannot keep. He could have kept most gods away from demigods and quests, but not you. For you are their god. The god of demigods, Perseus Jackson, who walked among them and led them through victory and ruin."

Her eyes narrowed. "And before you ever get a stupid notion in your head, you are a greek god, yes, but you are just as Roman as the rest of them. Neptune's claim on you was forced but no less real."

Percy blinked. Then, he chuckled dryly. "My work will never be done, will it?"

"Never again will you be mortal and in Tartarus. Never again will the River Styx target you for your father's oaths. Those things you have successfully dodged. As for the rest, well, your work was never going to be finished because you never broke."

"I refused Apollo."

"No, you refused Lester. If a god had come, you would have stood back up. You always did."

Percy found no response to that. He just quietly sat down in front of this goddess. He bit his lip. "Demigods, misery, trauma, tiredness, rivers, and waves. I'm glad immortality will never get boring."

Khaos grinned at him. Teeth bared and a shining light in her. "Go, Perseus, be a god. Take at least a year break to figure it out, but then have fun."

Zeus caught him when he came to. He held Percy closer in his arms.

Percy cast a concerned glance up towards his uncle. "Uncle? Are you okay?"

"I wish I could have spared you some of those epithets, child. If I had realized the true purpose of your refusal, I would have told you that was ridiculous."

"Was it? Was it that bad an offering?"

"No, the fact you were willing alone would have gotten me to save. You're right, no one sane wants the life that you put yourself in the line of. I would have ascended you and granted you that second boon. Perhaps if I was particularly upset, I would have called it a boon for the girl who stood beside you. Or the Satyr bonded to you. But that sacrifice, it was too much for too little."

Percy dropped his head. "I'm tired, Uncle. I'm going to sleep. You should tell my father what happened, and maybe Dionysus. He did help."

Zeus boomed out a laugh. "Child, your ascension sent waves through most of our pantheon. They'll be waiting as soon as I step out of this room. I just plan on making sure you collapse in a bed first."

"That's good. Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. I'm happy to help you, Perseus."

His name rocked between them. Now something more than it once was. He could tell that people would pray to that name, and he would answer. "Will you ask Dionysus to make an announcement to camp? Tell them that a god of demigods has arose, and that his name is Perseus. Maybe Apollo too for Camp Jupiter."

"I'll send out Hermes and Mercury to herald the news. Rest now. Be a loyal god when you wake."

"Yes, uncle." That was the last thing that Perseus remembered uttering. He was sure that he might have made noises afterwards, but none of that had been real in the slightest. He was a god now. His struggles had changed, he was never more grateful.

Zeus tucked Percy into his side as he raised the child and called a session. It was easy to ensure the new god did not fully touch his throne, even as he loomed over the council as they appeared. He gestured softly for Poseidon to approach as the others took their seats.

Poseidon's eyes were glued on his son. "He looks more at peace than I have known him for quite some time."

"Yes, I would imagine that is true. According to the boy, he has been suffering in silence for longer than any of us realized. I wish to ask you a favor."

"You may have it. For him alone, I would offer you most things," Poseidon replied freely.

"Grant Kymopoleia a favor from me."

"What?"

"Something that is not yours to give that she wishes for. Ask her what she wants. I will grant it to her. She did a good deed when she pushed your son to actually acknowledge us. I feel that she should be rewarded for those efforts."

Poseidon inclined his head slowly. "I can do that. But if I may ask, what did change your mind?"

"My son gave Percy a way to either die or talk to me. I did not particularly want to find out how wrathful you'd be if he died because I refused him a meeting."

Poseidon side-eyed Zeus, a natural glare. "We both know that isn't what I meant."

"He said that turning down godhood was a sacrifice to honor me. I never saw it as that, but once it was pointed out, I couldn't help but feel overwhelming guilt. We did not treat him like a demigod who made such a powerful sacrifice. We treated him as a burden, a brat, and a impertinent child. He deserved someone finally making it right."

"And so you did."

"And so I did."

Zeus waved Poseidon off, even as he shifted the new god to better settle in his lap. "As you are all probably aware, we have a new god in the pantheon. Perseus has joined our ranks."

Apollo's eyes glowed for a second. Then, he looked away.

Dionysus clapped. "Well, that's grand. Love when I do nice things and somehow we end up with a new pantheon member. I suppose you'll want me to tell the campers that their go to guy is now a god, and they better be treating him with respect."

Zeus stared at his son. "No, Hermes will herald his arrival. As is expected for a member closely connected with the Olympian council. Unless, Poseidon, you would prefer Triton to do the honors."

"Hermes would be better. I'm not sure all of the sea gods have actually felt the full impact of Percy's ascension enough to realize that it was him."

Zeus inclined his head. "Hermes, you will give announcements after we conclude this session."

"As you will," Hermes said blandly. "You know the girl will be upset."

Dionysus coughed. "Less upset than she would have been a month ago. His oath of silence trying to get Zeus' attention drove wedges in between a lot of his friendships. Most of them thought that he was being ridiculous to not speak to a one of them about what was bothering him."

Zeus glanced at Dionysus. "Why did you help him?"

"Oh, a myriad of reasons, really."

"Which were?" Zeus prompted.

"There are a lot of things that could have been said about Perseus Jackson. I don't think anyone who knew him would ever say that he wasn't usually stoic for a reason. His silence made me think something was wrong, deeply wrong. And given all that he's done for this council, for demigods as a whole, and specifically for my own son, I decided that I owed it to him to intervene." Dionysus averted his eyes.

Zeus understood why. He had made a rule about interference for a reason. Yet, the longer that he has watched this law in action, the more he was convinced he had not phrased it quite right. The old ways were gone, and nothing would get them back. But this new way was not the path forward for long.

He licked his lips. "While you are completing out the last of your punishment years, I would appreciate your continued interference in moments such as these."

Dionysus hesitated for a brief second, then he inclined his head. "I can do that."

Zeus licked his lips. "Outside of camp, I would prefer everyone still follow the rules of non-interference, but while they're in camp borders, Dionysus, you are free to do what is needed."

"Alright."

"Perseus will join you soon enough."

"What?"

"The law will never apply to him," Zeus looked down and brushed a lock of hair out of Percy's face. "He is the god of demigods. They are his domain, he will hear their prayers always. I could not outlaw him from going and expect him to be a follower of my requests ever again."

"Really?"

Zeus nodded.

Dionysus stared at the demigod he saved. "How are you going to handle that long-term?"

"I'll talk to him, see what he thinks, see what compromises can be reached."

"You'll do that for my son but not for me," Poseidon commented dryly.

"Fuck off," Zeus groaned. "You just want to baby your fucking kids."

"And?"

"And let them learn to be."

Poseidon pointed at Percy. "Tell me truthfully that all of his domains are good for his mental health and that my non-interference didn't fuck him over."

Zeus remained silent.

"That's what I thought. I would have spared him those pains. I should have been able to do so. I'm his father. None of my immortal children and very few mortal children have ever suffered the way he has. I have always gone to war for my children. He should not be such an exception."

Zeus covered his eyes. "Let Percy be. Don't have another kid until the two of us talk through this law and how we can actually fix this. And by the time we work it out, none of your kids will be as alone as this one was."

"And if I don't feel like forgiving you for this one?"

"Shut up," Percy groaned. "I fucking want to sleep. I forgave Uncle Zeus."

"What?"

"Forgave him. He's the king. He's doing the hard shit of trying to figure things out for the whole pantheon."

"Sleep," Zeus commanded, holding his hand over Percy's eyes before his eyes could flutter open.

The demigod passed back out.

Zeus rolled his eyes. "There is a reason why I'm talking about him."

Hera crossed her arms. "There are 12 Olympians. Who exactly do you plan to kick off to elevate him? It's clear that you are treating him as a member of the council."

Zeus shrugged. "Hestia?"

Hestia's form shimmered into being. "You can't exactly kick me out of the council you've already removed me from."

"Take it back up."

Hestia eyed him carefully. "Pardon?"

"We need even numbers. You've sat this council before. You've even held some of my domains for a time and ruled in my stead. Take your seat back up, and we'll raise Perseus as well."

Hestia's lips thinned. "You will not dismiss me a second time, brother. Do it again, and you will find me less than amicable about the situation."

"Understood."

Dionysus raised his hand. "If this was the solution, why wasn't this done when you raised me to the council?"

"I didn't have a good option for who to raise by your side."

"Our other brother does exist," Hestia drawled.

Zeus narrowed his eyes. "If me and Hades sit on this council together, we are inevitably going to kill one another."

Hestia raised her hands in surrender. "I hardly fought you on it then. I'm just saying, you need someone to raise, he's an option."

"As would be your daughter, the one he married," Poseidon added.

Zeus glared at his brother. "Shut up."

Hera cleared her throat. "You're sure about this. Raising the boy to such a high position and bringing Hestia back into the fold?"

"I am. It is necessary."

Hera nodded. "As you will it."

Poseidon glanced down at his son. "Do you want me to take him back to the sea?"

"No. Best he's here with me. The thing that will draw his attention first will be the demigods that pray."

He paused. "Athena, a small request."

"Yes?"

"Hermes might be updating campers as a whole, but would you speak to your daughter separately? Make sure she understands that this was his choice, and not something we forced upon him."

Athena glanced towards Dionysus. "Will she listen to reason?"

"I'll help you," he said finally. "She will with enough time."

"Very well. I will do as you wish, father."

Zeus clapped. "Then I conclude this council meeting. Those of you who have jobs to do, please accomplish them sooner rather than later."