Chapter Text
Demigods and their connection to their parents is both a simple and yet complex concept. Gods have no DNA, and yet, they can heavily influence their child’s physical characteristics and personalities.
That is because instead of imparting DNA, they are imparting a bit of their essence at the time of conception for their child. How much of that essence reflects the godly parent is determined by the deity themselves.
How much of them they impart with the mortal of their pairing, what part or parts of themselves are present, and even how often they give essence can all factor into how their demigod child will turn out.
It’s how children of the same god or goddess may be partial to one of their godly parents' epithets or aspects, or more than one. Such as how Apollo can have a child with natural talent for instruments while another will be gifted with powerful healing abilities, or like how one child of Athena will be an expert in weaving while another is drawn to architecture.
An example of a child who embodies multiple, if not, all the aspects of their godly parent is none other than Perseus Achilles Jackson, the son of Poseidon.
Chaos, as the Greek and Roman pantheons know them, holds no interest in what their creations do. Chaos is everything and nothingness.
Creation and destruction.
A void, and yet in everything. A being that is the beginning of everything, though what that means depends on what you believe.
To be actively involved in what their creations do is chaotic in itself, and detrimental to their growth. It is why they ultimately stay out of it, passively observing but never truly stirring, never really using the full potential of their abilities.
At least, they did until they felt the presence of two Greek demigods traveling far too close to their domain within one of their creations, Tartarus. Chaos is in everything, and is everywhere, and at the same time has a domain of their own below Tartarus.
Never since they had created the first gods had they ever felt demigods so close to their domain, so naturally, Chaos let themselves stir, just barely, just enough to know who these demigods are. Immediately, Chaos is drawn to the son of Poseidon, Perseus Achilles Jackson, and what a delightfully chaotic individual this demigod is.
In doing so, Chaos sees every and all possibilities that are laid out for them, and they are content with what they see in each path. A child of the sea appealing to them is more likely than one may think.
The sea does not like to be restrained. The sea is where much life came from, and it's where much life comes to an end.
To create and to destroy, just as Chaos itself, but in a more solidified form. For such a being to exist and be as such in all possibilities intrigued Chaos plenty.
Chaos decided to act for the first time since the universe was created, and picked the perfect time in the past to do what they intended. And what does Chaos itself intend to do?
Impart just enough essence into Perseus while still in the womb. It wouldn’t do to overpower Poseidon’s essence within Perseus, since that is much of what gives the demigod the appeal Chaos finds in him. Instead, Chaos’ essence lies peacefully within the developing demigod just as Poseidon’s does.
Perseus is more than just a demigod, but not quite a divine creature either. Most importantly, he is still half-mortal and will grow as one until otherwise.
Chaos was pleased, checking in occasionally to make sure the child, their child, developed as planned. However, even a being like Chaos may make miscalculations when doing things they have not exactly done before.
The mother of their child, Sally Jackson, had died at childbirth, and that simply would not do. No, not at all.
Perseus Jackson is best raised in the mortal world, with a parent who is willing to do anything and everything to make sure they grow to be the person he tends to be, more or less. Just as they plan to make it so Sally Jackson survives, a passing thought that intrigues them gives them pause, and they make their decision. Chaos decides to do something else unprecedented for them.
Chaos gives themselves a mortal shell, which takes no time at all.
Mortals are not abstract in the way the divine are, and since they know how Perseus will grow to look, they decide to give themselves just enough features to ensure no one can mistake Perseus as anyone but their child. Of course, they differ enough to not look like Poseidon, letting his dominant traits give way as they tend to.
Sometimes, eye shape, a similar nose, and a similar jaw are enough for humans. It wouldn't be fun to completely pass as human, not because mortals are beneath him but simply to cause a stir with the pantheons for the inevitable meetings.
Seeing as Perseus has eyes whose colors constantly shift in hue, no doubt a byproduct of their essence, Chaos does the same with their own mortal eyes.
With making sure that they are a great embodiment of androgyny for the sake of confusing the mortals, Chaos is pleased with their mortal shell. All it takes is some simple Mist manipulation, and Chaos, going by Kosmas Caos, a demigod with a chthonic godly parent, is approached by the doctor in a private waiting room, who has a grim expression on her face.
It’s important that Kosmas is recognized as a child of the underworld considering certain… traits that Perseus inherited from one of Poseidon’s aspects of himself.
Kosmas Caos is a close friend of Sally's, someone who was always listed as her sole emergency contact and the father of their child.
It may raise brows in the divine world, but it is passable for mortals.
“My name is Doctor Wilson. Are you Mr. Caos?”
“I am,” Chaos, Kosmas replies, their voice not too light nor too deep, “How are they?”
“The baby was born perfectly healthy, however, Ms. Jackson was losing more blood than we could infuse back into her, and she passed away not long after the baby was born. I'm sorry for your loss,” Dr. Wilson tells them.
Chaos does not truly know grief, as they have never had to grieve, but they know what it is, and a hospital is a place full of it. Tears form in their eyes as they reflect that grief, but they quickly wipe them away, more unused to the sensation than anything.
“I-I'm sure you all did what you could,” Kosmas replies, taking a deep breath since it feels right to do, “May I see her?”
“Of course,” the doctor agrees.
Not long after, Kosmas is looking down at Sally Jackson, the only human who could birth such a being like Perseus Jackson. A miscalculation brought her end, but Kosmas would do to ensure Perseus is raised as he should be.
It would mean living as a mortal, and doing things as mortals do, but Kosmas is committed. Instead of their previous ways of letting things be, they will be involved from the beginning.
Even if it means being in a limited, confusing mortal shell. They chose to be involved, so involved they shall be.
Even when having a mortal shell means experiencing life in a way that is far more simplified than they are used to. Yet, when Kosmas holds Percy for the first time, the feelings they feel are complex.
Of course, Chaos is aware of how complex life can be to mortals, but to experience it as Kosmas is… different.
Tears come to their eyes without needing to outsource the emotions attached. This infant child will one day grow to be the force that is Perseus Jackson, and Kosmas gets to be there every step of the way.
When they finally get around to finalizing the birth certificate, Perseus Antigonos Caos-Jackson seems like a perfectly fine name for their child.