Work Text:
It was a campfire night.
It's been months after the emperor's and Apollo has become quite a frequent face around camp. Even the old campers were here.
Everyone was chatting by the fire, eating s'mores, like that when they froze. A sound was heard, it was musical and familiar to all of the older campers. Everyone looked to the source of the sound and saw Apollo, he was in his half Lester form, sitting beside Meg. He was mindlessly strumming his guitar in a rhythm everyone recognized.
He seemed to notice everyone was staring at him and stopped strumming the guitar. He was putting it away when 'No' someone interrupted 'can you please play it again? ' Percy asked. He gave a nod and started to strum the guitar in the same familiar tune. Everyone seemed to know the song by heart, it was the song we used to sing back before the wars, before the trauma, before the corrosion of time. Someone started humming the lyrics and that seemed to trigger a reaction, before anyone knew it., everyone was singing the song.
'Lady, runnin' down to the riptide'
Everyone sang in unison. The song lifted everyone's mood. Percy was smiling with a look in his eyes, remembering life before wars, death, and having that childish naive innocence. Back when our biggest problem was something as trivial as chores. Clarisse was sitting with Chris and they were being all cute and holding hands. Nico was sitting beside Will, his head rested in his shoulder as he roasted marshmallows and hummed the tune. Piper and Leo sat together, both singing along. There was an occupied space beside them on the chairs. No doubt for Jason. Ever since he died, they always made sure to leave a seat unoccupied for him. Apollo was strumming on his guitar while grinning, Meg, on the other hand, was clapping the beat. Dionysus was with Chiron as usual and just looking at the camp that had been built and shielded demigods for generation afte generation.
Back on Olympus, The gods were watching them. Aphrodite was gushing over the couples while Ares was acting like he didn't care about his kids. Artemis was admiring their harmony and ability to be in the same space for so long. If only Olympus was like that. She also observed how well her brother fit in with the demigods and how much they adored him.
Hermes watched with a stupid grin and Athena was sitting with her arms crossed, though with one of her fingers subconsciously tapping against her arm in the rhythm of the song. Zeus was just looking bored while Hera was focused of the empty space beside Piper and Leo. Piper and Leo had been Jason's best of friends. Poseidon was smiling at the sight of the sea spawn so relaxed. Demeter was eating cereal while Hephaestus was tinkering with a machine.
Hestia was watching this with a soft smile and gentle eyes. Perhaps her family would see the importance in unity. Though for the time being, why not just enjoy the moment.