Chapter Text
Percy
Our term at Goode High School had just started about a week ago and although it'd been more or less uneventful (by my standard) so far, one thing was definite now. Me, Isha and mom had collectively decided to spill the beans to Paul Blofis. Considering that he was going to ask to marry her, me and Isha had collectively decided to do it as soon as possible after the incident.
The incident had happened when we'd gone out to get school materials. Isha had been telling me all about her reading list for literature and I'd made a joke that Apollo would probably be happy to swing by and analyze poetry about himself to get her an A because he already wanted me going chariot riding.
Paul had been behind us and heard all of it. Isha had later offered to dig me a grave.
We'd passed it off as a funny little inside joke then but it didn't take long after that for us to decide to tell him the truth. It was hard to keep our covers when we joked about being demigods everyday. Paul had also heard me telling Isha "you've fought so many monsters but you're scared of an aswang?" because I'd told her the stories mom used to tell me at Montauk and now she was crawling into my bed every night because she was scared. Besides, with how volatile our emotions were these days, it was better he knew what was going on.
So we'd decided that today was the day. Mom had asked Paul over for dinner. Isha had nearly blown up the rice cooker but somehow it all turned out fine in the end and dinner happened.
Sitting on the couch while facing Paul was possibly the most painfully awkward moment of my life. Mom was still cooking in the kitchen and though Paul had offered to help, she'd told him to come to the living room and listen to what we had to say.
"So um Paul..." Isha started and I watched her cringe at the first name. Paul had insisted we call him by his first name and not Mr. Blofis because in no way was 'uncle' an option here. Still, it was so weird to call an adult by their first name for both me and Isha. I hadn't had enough actual friends to even know that white people just did this.
"Yes Isha?" He asked about as normally and warmly as he always did. Atleast he liked us, for now.
"You used to teach ancient history right? And you teach a lot of Greek stuff in literature? My uh reading material has a lot"
"Oh yes, the English department at Goode–including myself–do love their classics." Paul nodded enthusiastically. "Is that related to what you two wanted to tell me?"
"Uhh yes. Yes it is" I decided to step in.
"How so?" He asked curiously. "Is this somehow related to your father?"
"Well uhh, can I ask how much do you know?" Isha asked awkwardly.
"There's a lot to know about the classics. Of course I know all the most famous stories like the Illiad and the Odyssey. I did many other famous poems and plays for my major in college. One of my favorites was actually the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. It's hard not to love a man journeying through the Underworld to get back the one he loves most right?"
"Oh yeah sure" I nodded but even I could tell my voice was pitchy. If only Paul knew I'd been to the Underworld. Well, he was about to.
"Okay, just hear us out on this Paul. It's going to sound completely nuts and you'll think we're crazy enough to be locked up. But just suspend your disbelief for a second please" Isha started nervously.
"What're you guys trying to tell me exactly?" He raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Well uh...how do you say this...?" Isha muttered to herself. Paul looked at us both suspiciously like he was expecting something really bad. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. So I decided to blurt it out impulsively.
"The Greek myths are all real. The Greek gods are real and so are the heroes ans monsters" I said all at once. Isha scowled at me saying 'that was not the plan'
Paul was just stating at us both, looking at me then looking at Isha in contemplation.
"Paul?" I asked nervously. Finally, he laughed a sort of high squeaky laugh like he was in disbelief.
"You guys are pranking me right? It's a good joke but I thought we were here to actually talk"
"No, it's not a prank. Promise" Isha shook her head and looked at me for help.
"She's right. It's not a joke or a prank. What we're saying is the 100% honest truth. It's hard to believe but it's fully true." I nodded along. Paul just looked perplexed.
"Okay, even if I did choose to believe you two, why haven't I or anyone ever seen anything?"
"Mortals can't see through the Mist" I started and I was about to explain when Paul really started getting shocked.
"Mortals?"
I clapped my forehead in frustration at my slip.
"Sorry. Should've just said humans"
Me and Isha took turns explaining what the Mist was to Paul who seemed to grow paler and more nervous by the second like he couldn't believe but couldn't deny it either. I felt bad for the guy. Here he thought he was just coming to dinner to get an explanation about his girlfriends troubled kids and now his entire world-view was being dramatically changed.
"In short, the mist kind of veils everything that's unnatural to you guys. Like if there was a monster on the street you'd probably see a big dog or something. You know those old fairy stories with the fog that makes illusions? Basically the same thing. Actually, I'm not even sure you're seeing us for what we actually look like" Isha said. I hadn't even considered that yet.
"I'm not?"
"Well uh...I have horns. Not like dramatic horns though. They're actually broken which is a long story. Me and Percy both have these weird scaly things on our shoulders, legs and neck. Our teeth are way too sharp for a human's so basically we can never go to a regular dentist. Good riddance, they cost too much anyway. Um I have pointy ears but I don't like discussing it" Isha instinctively covered her ears with her hair. She hated when people looked at them.
"You guys have scales? And broken horns?"
"I promise we don't look as freaky and monster-ish as we sound. It's just...I don't know how to make it better without you actually seeing" Isha groaned.
"Can't you just do your weird Mist magic to make him see?"
"You can do what?" Paul's jaw fell as he gaped at Isha. She was unbothered, turning to me instead.
"I don't know Perce. Manipulating the mist a certain way is one thing. Removing it? I'm not sure"
"Well you are still just manipulating it right? It's worth a shot"
"I'll try" she shrugged. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating hard. Paul looked at me nervously and I decided to just gesture with my hand that all was fine because I didn't want to break her concentration.
"Look at us closely Paul" Isha muttered after a little bit of silence. I didn't see Paul's reaction because when Isha opened her eyes, she almost tripped over the coffee table.
"Woah, you good?" I asked.
"Just slightly woozy. That was a lot. Paul, did you uh see anything?"
He looked mortified currently and I couldn't exactly blame him. We did look weird. It was easy to forget because everyone at Camp was some variation of weird and normal humans obviously didn't see us but right now Paul's entire world-view was shattering.
"Maybe we should step back. Give him a little time" I suggested.
"Makes sense. This is probably freaky" Isha nodded.
"You–" Paul pointed at us. It made me feel weird. I'd had kids do that to me at school when I was younger. I hadn't understood then but they'd probably just been mortals with the sight.
"You have..." He trailed off again and out his head in his hands.
"Yep" Isha nodded and sat down on the couch.
After a few minutes of painfully awkward silence, I decided to talk.
"We don't look that weird do we?" I asked jokingly.
"I don't think seeing teenagers with scales and snakey eyes is easy to get over Perce" she responded. "Paul...? Do you still see us with uh...yknow?"
"No, no. It was a few flickers. I just didn't expect–any of this. I mean I always thought your hair sticking out was oddly like jagged rocks on a coast but wow..."
"Yep. I get that" I nodded. It reminded me of when I'd first learned about all this and then seen a bunch of people who looked just as weird as me at Camp. There were kids with animal patterns, plants growing out of kids, Karpoi hovering at their sides, just a whole lot of weird. I hoped he hadn't seen our shark teeth. Still, I'd atleast experienced weird things my whole childhood. Paul was thrust into this with no prior experience.
"I'm so hungry" Isha whined out of nowhere.
"Not helping" I frowned at her.
"No no, actually it is. I'm sorry I was just overwhelmed by this weird sense of terror. It's easier being reminded you guys are kids"
"Wish Kronos' army might see that sentiment" I remarked.
"What?" Paul nearly shrieked.
"Shouldn't have said that Perce."
"I'm used to making jokes sheesh" I said defensively. "Sorry Paul just uh forget that for now"
"So if you're demigods...did I actually see you lift the couch that day Isha?"
"Uh you saw that?" Isha asked nervously.
"Great job Isha" I muttered sarcastically and she glared at me.
"You're the one who lost my watercolour markers" she turned up her nose at me. I was about to argue back when Paul started talking again.
"And your dad at the party. Was that actually–"
"Poseidon? Yes" we all turned around to see mom setting down a big pot on the dining table.
"Finally, food!" Isha hopped over my leg and went to go help Ma. She was as dramatic as ever. Atleast this meant she wouldn't get grumpy without food.
"Sally! You're–this is all true?" Paul looked up at her as if he wanted her to say we were playing a practical joke.
"Yes it is. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier Paul. I had to discuss it with the kids first and well we didn't want to scare you off"
Isha had already sat down and began eating by now. Absolute glutton that girl was. I sat down and began shovelling chicken and rice into my mouth.
"So let me get this straight. You–did you...?" Paul started nervously. I was too busy eating to understand the context until later. When I did get it, my eyes widened and I decided the floral patterns on my plate were more interesting. It flew over Isha's head entirely because she was too busy eating.
"Paul! The kids" Mom shrieked a little. Paul put his hands up in defense.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry. This is just so much to take in"
Mom laughed a little. "That's not gonna go away. Believe me, years of seeing it myself and raising Percy and now Isha and I still struggle to comprehend it"
"Wait so Isha is not...?" Paul asked. Mom shook her head.
"Not biologically mine"
"I thought you knew that Paul. I spawned out of nowhere last year, atleast from your perspective. Plus dad showed up with my birth certificate which had a different last name." Isha said.
"I could've sworn...well you and Percy just look so much alike. I thought you guys were twins the first time I met you. And you two look so much like your uh...father and I can see the likeness to Sally. I just thought she had a messy divorce and was on better terms now. I've seen it happen. It made sense in my head"
"I swear we don't look that alike" Isha muttered.
"No, you do" Mom shook her head. "Almost eeryone at work asks what it was like raising twins. Only Jeanette doesn't and that's because she is a twin herself"
"See, this only happens because Isha is growing too tall for her own good" I said between a mouthful of food.
"Okay dwarf" Isha muttered and Mom chuckled.
"Hey! I'm still taller than you" I protested. She was way too good at annoying me over nothing.
"Well I'll outgrow you sooonn. I've always wanted a little brother"
"Stop it." I pointed at her.
"Guys. Manners" Mom called out.
"Hmph, sorry" Isha muttered
"Yeah sorry" I repeated. We both shut up after that.
"So. Does this mean that you were doing demigod stuff all summer?" Paul asked.
"Yeah, basically. We might have to do a lot more actually. Stuff's heating up"
"Okay I have to ask, can you guys just do things like casually lift whole sofas?" Paul asked.
"What? When did that happen?" Mom asked looking at us. She wasn't shocked obviously because she'd seen us do more insane things but more concerned.
"Maybe a week back? Percy lost my markers" Isha explained. I resisted the urge to grunt.
"And she found them under the couch so end of story" I added quickly.
"Yes fine whatever" Isha agreed with an eye-roll.
"You didn't hurt yourself lifting the uh, the couch did you?"
"No Ma. It's actually lighter than I expected. Probably filled with like...goose feathers?" Isha shrugged.
"I don't think that makes a difference" I responded.
"Whatever. Point is it was light enough"
"So you can lift entire couches just like that? Super-strength?" Paul gaped at us.
"You're making us sound like superheroes" I laughed but it came out sounding nervous.
"I mean you kind of are. You are heroes" Paul nodded.
"I wouldn't go that far" Isha shook her head.
"No I mean back then 'heroes' referred to anyone who was the son of a god or a king. It didn't carry the connotation it has now in the modern day" Paul explained. That made a lot of sense now that I thought about it.
"Huh. That's why all of them were jerks even though they were called heroes" I said.
"You two should join the swim team. I mean we'd be guaranteed to win with literal kids of Poseidon swimming right? Can you breathe under pool water too or too much chlorine?"
"We can, but it just gets a lot when you're in there too long" I responded, putting my fork down on the plate after finishing.
"It's like being in a lab with a lot of concentrated chemical smells. It gets a bit overwhelming to be in there for long. Though I did used to hide in the pool at my old school when I wanted to avoid human interaction" Isha commented. I snorted. Sounded like her alright. There were days where she just refused to talk and instead communicated through a series of glares and scowls (directed mainly at me) with only a mild difference between each.
"Well you'd probably have to tone down your speed" Mom said thoughtfully. "You two go way too fast for it not to raise suspicion"
"How fast?" Paul asked.
"Faster than I can make out usually" Mom responded. Paul looked stunned. It seemed the initial nerves and fear had slowly melted off and he was more excited now. Me and Isha gave each other the same amused look. It was better than any other reaction I could've hoped for. Anything was better than him walking out because he thought we were 1) crazy or 2) going to hurt him.
"Can you show me your swords after dinner?" Paul asked seeming eager. I looked at mom to ask if it was okay.
"I mean Percy can show you mine. I have to annotate my poetry" Isha shrugged.
"Didn't you finish that Isha? You showed it to me last week" Paul asked.
"Yeah. But I'm doing sonnet 31 now"
"But we're not even close to starting that" Paul looked at her with a confused expression.
"I know. But I wanted to get ahead. I'll do it all again in class if that's what you're worried about"
"Don't worry Paul she's just weird like that" I explained. No one would think me and Isha were related if we were judged on study habits alone. Firstly, she'd been put in honors classes. She'd gotten freaked out by that fact and now she was finishing material atleast a week before they got to it in her actual class. Then she'd just do it again. She'd sit there and make handwritten notes for everything like thrice. I didn't understand it at all but hey, she was smart and it helped me too so who was I to complain? She was such a little overachiever it would've made more sense putting her in Cabin 6.
She studied like it was a habit and in theory that was a good thing but it concerned my mom sometimes too. Isha barely tolerated anything less than an A. She never left the library even when she had free periods and sometimes rven through lunch. She'd just sit there and read her book of the day. I tried to drag her out sometimes but she'd get annoyed and refuse, especially if Rachel was there. We'd been hanging out more often since school started and Isha absolutely despised it for some reason. I didn't get it.
My mom was worried because Isha hadn't made any friends and kind of just did her own thing. She even rejected offers to beat me at basketball or something else these days. In no world was Isha grumpy enough to pass up humiliating me but it was happening now. Sometimes, she just straight up ignored me all day and only talked to mom. I seriously didn't get it. I'd rather have her tackle me and hit me and us run around chasing each other with weapons than have her ignore me. She looked like she was about to retaliate on me but mom stepped in.
"You two haven't sparred in a very long time right? You guys should go ahead and Paul can go along as he wants to see"
"Percy doesn't want to" Isha grumbled.
"What? I do want to. Why would I give up a chance to beat you up?"
"Percy" Mom said with the warning tone.
"Really? But you never want to anymore. You always hang out wit–whatever let's go I'm gonna land you flat on your as–butt"
Mom looked like she wanted to say something about us beating each other up but she just sighed and smiled.
"Try not to scare Paul too much guys"
"Aw come on, it won't be that scary right?" Paul asked to which Mom just smirked with a chuckle. Me and Isha were already up and running.
"You guys go. I'll join you after helping your mom out with cleaning" Paul said with a smile.
"Last one up is a prune" Isha yelled at me, getting her outside shoes on hastily. I ran after the little shit.