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It had been a normal day. The lucent sun setting, as Apollo returned to his palace after a long day. The sky putting on a blanket of navy tapestry, stars like diamonds and constellations like tales woven intricately into the universe, rolling and pushing back the afterglow hues as crepuscular shadows takes its place.
In the small apartment, Percy sat at the table, his mouth covered in crumbs from Sally’s infamous blue pancakes. A smile tugged at Sally’s lips, watching her son being a child. She knew of the dangers of raising a demigod, let alone one of Poseidon’s blood, but it was worth it, watching fondly as her son wolfed down pancake after pancake, his rapturous smile visible on his young visage.
The doorbell rang, as the sound of a key rattling was heard, followed by footsteps.
‘I’m home’, announced a warm and mellifluous voice. As Paul’s frame stepped into the room, it was met with a torpedo of Sally, his jumper now marked with the smell of cooking.
After the greetings and asking about his day, Paul settled down on the wooden chair next to Percy, hoping the close proximity wouldn’t startle the young boy. Percy had returned to his stack of blue pancakes, as he stabbed at each one with the force and skill of a proficient warrior, despite using only a fork.
Paul had always known something was different about his stepson, something special, something peculiar. He had refrained from asking yet, as Percy was still quite unsure about him sometimes. It was nothing against Paul himself, but rather the memories of his previous stepdad that stained and latched onto his mind like a parasite. Incardinate scars still visible on his war-torn body, some from what Percy called his ‘clumsy accidents’, others from ‘fights’, but some unsaid, yet Paul knew they were from that vile monster that had once habited under the same roof as Percy and Sally.
All Paul knew was to approach Percy like he was delicate glass – strong, but easily broken, and sharp when he does break. With the instincts of a seasoned teacher, dealing with kids ranging from launching chairs and sharpened pencils across the classroom, to kids that flinch when he walked by, he has seen it all, and knew how to approach and help.
Sally returned from the kitchen with a bowl of fruits and a glass of juice in hand.
‘Here you go,’ Sally announced as she set the ceramics down on the clear table with a clang. She was just getting back up when her elbow knocked over the glass of juice, as the orange liquid spilled with a splatter, spreading like an invading force across the wooden floors.
Sally donned an apologetic smile, and Paul placed a hand on her shoulder, whispering ‘I’ll get a mop’ as he heads to the bathroom. Percy glanced up from his indulgence in pancakes and registered the situation as Paul reached for the mop.
He emerged, the mop with hair like serpents or curly fries dragged lifelessly behind him. Paul returned to the room once more, expecting to wipe up the mess.
He stood still.
His body still near the door frame as he stared.
The puddle had gone.
Perplexed, Paul raised his eyebrow at the two sat inconspicuously and obliviously at the table.
‘Where’s the puddle of juice gone?’ Paul questioned as he stepped forward into the scent of the pancakes and into the warmth of the light above the table. He was sure the spilled puddle had been by Percy’s feet a moment ago – it couldn’t have grown legs and ran away, could it?
Percy’s sea-green eyes blinked innocently, then suddenly flashed with a look of shock or surprise. He quickly sneaked a glance at Sally, perhaps looking for an explanation, but his face betrayed his thoughts, and it appeared as though he was looking for reassurance or an escape more.
It took Sally a moment to realise what had occurred, as she whirred to turn to her husband. She visibly repressed a sigh as she glanced at her son, who nodded almost invisibly.
‘Okay, you might wanna sit down for this,’ Sally spoke and simultaneously tugged at his sleeve gently to urge him into the chair.
As he settled, a bewildered and suspicious look settled upon Paul’s face, his mind spinning past different explanations so quick it was blank.
They sat in silence for a moment, still except for glances between Percy and Sally, wordlessly debating who would reveal the mysterious explanation as Paul sat confused. With a slight point of her head, Sally seemed to have won the discussion, and Percy’s eyebrows furrowed in response before he turned to face Paul.
After another moment of deafening silence, Percy stirred and said, ‘So, you know my father, the one you met a few months ago,’ he paused a took a breath, ‘he is Poseidon, as in the god of the sea Poseidon.’
Paul stared blankly for a moment.
‘The Greek myths are real’, supplied Sally in response to Paul’s seemingly lack of comprehension.
‘Wait, what?’ Paul exclaimed as the words finally caught up with his brain, and he registered what he was hearing.
Sally exchanged a knowing glance with Percy, and commented, ‘Yea, they are real. Percy’s father is Poseidon, and he is a demigod. He can control water amongst other things, and he must have subconsciously made the juice vanish’. She displayed a look of pride at her son. Paul darted his vision over to Percy, who was trying his best to keep a sympathetic frown away.
‘But … isn’t that just ancient history?’
‘Nope’ Percy replied, bouncing the p, ‘they are pretty much real, unfortunately’, he continued with a theatrical sigh.
Paul was shocked. He had seen many things that has made him shocked before, but none to this extent.
As if to prove his point, Percy summoned some water from a cup and sent it dancing about in the air, reflecting a blinding shot of light from the bulb that hang above.
Sally looked between them, amused and relieved. Paul stared at the incredulous blob of water as it took the form of a clownfish and started swimming about instead, as if it got tired of dancing.
‘Wow’, he gasped.
Percy grinned as Sally let out a chuckle, glad to see her husband and her son bonding over flying fish crafted from water.
When Percy got tired and finally released the equally tired fish back into the cup, Paul did not waste a moment before jumping into a lot of questions, to which Percy just chuckled and tried to answer his curiosity.
With a knowing glance, Sally returned to the kitchen to begin preparing for dinner, telling Paul to help her once he was done bombarding Percy with questions.