New York
In a flash of light, the figures of Poseidon and Percy could be seen. Both of them had left the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood and headed directly into the interior of a building in Manhattan. Percy barely had time to adjust to the change before finding himself in a wide hallway decorated with so much detail that he could practically smell the money in the air. He could have sworn the floor was so smooth and polished that he would be able to see his reflection if he really tried. At the end of the hallway, several windows offered an almost complete view of the city, making it clear that this was the kind of place only a few people in the United States could afford.
Percy looked around with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Wow, does my mom really live here?" The black-haired boy had already heard from Damon some time ago that his mother was living her best life, but he certainly hadn't expected this.
Poseidon couldn't help watching Percy's reaction with a small smile. If this already seemed luxurious to him, he couldn't help wondering what kind of expression the boy would make the day he finally set foot on Olympus. He would probably be left completely speechless, the Sea God thought with some amusement before answering his son's question. "Hades made sure she had everything she needed to start over. The apartment is in her name, her expenses are covered, and she won't have to work out of obligation again unless she wants to."
Percy simply nodded. He had already heard some of that before, but even so, he still couldn't help being surprised. After all, it still felt strange to hear that Hades had done all of that for his mother without asking for absolutely anything in return. Throughout his entire life, the God of the Underworld had been portrayed in movies and practically every story as a terrifying figure, the usual villain everyone was supposed to fear. However, ever since Percy discovered that Greek mythology truly existed, the image he had of Hades had changed completely.
Putting aside the fact that Hades had taken his mother when they were trying to reach the camp... the god had simply returned her to the mortal world and given her a chance to start over without demanding anything in exchange. Of course... Damon had probably played a large role in all of that. After all, why would a god care about the life of a human woman? Even so, Percy wasn't naïve. From everything he had heard so far, the Greek gods were incredibly difficult to deal with. All he had to do was look at Mr. D to realize that.
"And Gabe?" Percy asked after a few seconds, although he wasn't actually sure he wanted to hear the answer. Poseidon raised an eyebrow slightly. "Hades took care of him."
Percy waited for some additional explanation, but the Sea God said nothing else. It was obvious that Poseidon had no interest in talking about that man, and Percy decided it was probably better not to press the subject too much. As long as Gabe stayed completely away from him and his mother, smelly butt included, that was more than enough for Percy.
Poseidon began walking until he stopped in front of a dark door decorated with golden details. Percy felt his body tense. Now that he was only a few steps away from seeing his mother again, he didn't know exactly what he was supposed to say to her. It wasn't as though he had gone too long without seeing her; the real problem was that so many things had happened in only a few days that it was difficult to know where to begin.
Poseidon observed his son from the corner of his eye, easily sensing the uneasiness coming from him. "If you want, you can take a moment to organize your thoughts."
Percy quickly shook his head. "N-No, I'm fine. I just want to see my mother," the demigod said as he raised his hand to knock on the door. However, it opened before his knuckles could even touch it, startling him slightly.
Under the gaze of the two black-haired males, Sally Jackson appeared on the other side wearing simple clothes, although they were completely different from what Percy remembered seeing her wear while she rushed between work shifts and returned exhausted to the apartment they shared with Gabe. Her face no longer showed that constant exhaustion, and her brown hair fell freely over her shoulders. For a moment, Sally remained frozen as she stared at the two figures standing at her door, but her eyes immediately locked onto the smaller one: her son.
"P-Percy..."
Percy didn't even try to greet her. He simply rushed forward and wrapped both arms around his mother, hugging her so tightly that Sally had to take a small step backward to keep her balance. She reacted immediately, returning the embrace as one of her hands moved through her son's messy black hair.
"I thought I lost you," Percy murmured, burying his face against her shoulder. Sally closed her eyes tightly as she pulled him even closer. "I know... but I'm here. I'm here now."
Mother and son remained locked in each other's arms for a long while, paying no attention to Poseidon, who watched the scene with a small smile. Family love truly was a beautiful thing to witness. He would have to thank Hestia for helping make this moment possible.
As for Percy, he had tried to keep himself occupied ever since arriving at camp, training, meeting other demigods, and trying to understand both the Greek world and the supernatural world. However, none of that mattered at that moment. The only thing he could feel was the weight on his shoulders slowly disappearing now that he could finally see his mother again.
Sally took a few seconds before separating from her son, although she kept both hands on Percy's shoulders while examining him from head to toe. "Let me look at you. Are you hurt? Have you been eating well? You've been showering every day, right?"
Percy let out a quiet laugh, relieved to hear questions that would have annoyed him at any other time, but now felt like something he had missed far too much. He was genuinely happy to hear them coming from his mother again. "I'm fine, Mom. Seriously. And yes, I shower every day," the boy answered, growing slightly nervous as he said the last part.
Sally narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You're not lying to me, are you, Percy?"
Percy became even more nervous. "No, no. I already told you, seriously, Mom. I'm eating too. The camp has plenty of food."
Sally gave him one of those smiles that made it obvious a mother always knew more than you did. "Just because you're eating doesn't mean you're eating well. Remember, those are two different things."
Percy blinked, although in the end he couldn't help smiling at his mother's scolding. "I missed you so much, Mom."
Sally's serious expression softened immediately. She hugged him again before kissing his forehead affectionately. "I missed you too."
Only then did Sally seem to fully notice Poseidon's presence. The Sea God remained a few steps behind Percy, making no attempt to approach or interrupt the reunion. Sally felt a mixture of emotions that were difficult to identify building in her chest and briefly showing on her face, but she maintained her composure for the sake of her son. "Poseidon," she finally said.
"Hello, Sally. It's been a long time," the god replied with some nervousness as he scratched the back of his neck.
The silence that followed was deathly, although there was no real ill intent behind it. Sally was an adult, and Poseidon, despite all the mistakes he had made, was one as well... even if he had existed for thousands of years. Too many things had happened between them, but they also shared memories that even Percy knew nothing about. The short time they had spent together had been magical for both of them, and although their lives had followed completely different paths, neither of them had ever truly forgotten it.
Sally kept one hand on Percy's arm. "Thank you for bringing him." Poseidon inclined his head slightly before answering, "You don't have to thank me for doing something I should have done from the beginning."
Percy looked at his father from the corner of his eye. Only a few hours ago, Poseidon probably would have accepted that thanks without giving it a second thought. Now, at least, he seemed to understand that allowing his son to see his mother again wasn't really some special favor that deserved gratitude.
Sally also seemed to notice the change in the god. After all, she knew him quite well. "It seems Percy has been doing really well at camp. I never told him too much about the Greeks because I thought that one day you would have the chance to explain everything to him yourself."
Poseidon lowered his gaze for a moment. "Things at camp have changed quite a bit. My older brother, Damon, took control. He's the one who has really helped Percy for the most part, and you as well, although in a less direct way. I would like to take credit for all of that, but it wouldn't be the truth."
Sally nodded, appreciating the god's honesty. "I suppose that's a good thing. I'll have to pray properly to Lord Damon and prepare an offering for him," she replied, the gratitude evident in her tone, also receiving Percy's silent approval.
A brief silence fell over the entrance once again. Poseidon shifted somewhat uncomfortably, and Sally, knowing perfectly well what was going through the god's mind, eventually let out a sigh. "Look, I know you probably feel guilty about everything, and I'm not going to pretend it didn't hurt having to face so many things alone. Percy always wanted to know who his father was, even when he tried to convince me he didn't care."
"Mom!" Percy protested, feeling his face grow slightly warm.
Sally ignored him completely, keeping her gaze on Poseidon. "If you truly want to be part of his life, then you'll have to be willing to remain present. Not only when the world is in danger or when you need him to do something for you."
Poseidon accepted her words without showing any annoyance. "I understand. I don't expect either of you to forgive me immediately. I only want to try to become someone Percy can recognize as his father, not merely the god who claimed him."
Percy remained silent. He still didn't know exactly how he felt about all of it, but hearing Poseidon speak that way was completely different from any of the explanations or excuses he had imagined throughout his childhood.
Sally observed the god for a few more seconds before nodding. "Then I'm glad to know that we're all on the same page and that we can try to move toward a better future." Poseidon lifted his gaze slightly, surprised by the simplicity of her answer.
"I know it won't be easy," Sally continued while gently squeezing Percy's shoulder. "But Percy deserves the chance to decide what kind of relationship he wants with you."
The Sea God took a slow breath before looking at his son. "I suppose it depends on you now."
Percy shrugged slightly. "Damon said you should stop being an idiot. We could start there."
At those words, amusement clearly appeared in Sally's eyes, while Poseidon shook his head with a resigned smile. "I'm glad to know you remember that detail..."
"Definitely," Percy replied. "You also mentioned that he nearly beat you to death."
"Nah, that was an exaggeration on my part. My brother would never do something like that," Poseidon said, trying to sound convincing in front of Sally and his son. Percy simply shrugged. "If you say so," the demigod replied with obvious doubt.
The tension among the three of them quickly faded enough for Sally to finally step away from the entrance. "Please, come in. We can continue talking inside and have something to drink if you'd like."
Poseidon looked inside for a moment, but eventually shook his head gently. "I think I should leave the two of you alone for now. You have a lot to talk about."
Sally nodded without pressuring him to stay. Poseidon moved close enough to place a hand on Percy's shoulder. "I'll come back for you later. I don't think Artemis would be too pleased if you skipped your training," he commented with a small laugh.
Percy felt a chill run down his back as he imagined the goddess angry with him and nodded quickly. "Uh... yeah, sure. Thank you very much." Poseidon nodded, removed his hand, and looked at Sally one final time. "I'm glad to see you again."
Sally offered him a small smile, marked by a sadness that didn't disappear entirely. "I'm glad you came too."
The Sea God became surrounded by a flash of light and disappeared without adding anything else. Percy remained staring at the empty place where his father had been only seconds earlier. He couldn't deny that, little by little, his feelings toward him were beginning to change in a positive way.
Without giving it too much thought, Sally placed a hand on his back and guided him inside. The apartment was spacious and elegant, although what surprised Percy the most was the kitchen, which seemed to have more room than the entire old apartment where he and his mother had lived. He could also see several boxes still unopened beside one of the walls, making it clear that Sally was still adjusting to her new life.
"Did Hades really give you all of this?" Percy asked.
Sally nodded as she closed the door. "He said this was his way of apologizing for kidnapping me and for all the misunderstandings. I suppose he's a much better god than the stories make him out to be."
Sally let out a soft laugh before leading him toward the living room. There was enough food on the table for several people, including a tray filled with blue cookies that Percy recognized immediately. A smile appeared on his face before he could stop it.
"Hades let me know that you would come at some point, although he didn't tell me exactly when. So I thought it would be best to always be prepared," Sally explained.
Percy took one of the cookies without asking permission. "I'm starting to think Hades is actually the best god of them all. Maybe I should tell him someday."
Sally covered her mouth with one hand as she let out a few quiet laughs. "I don't think that would be a very good idea. From the way he spoke to me, he seems like the kind of god who prefers to keep his reputation exactly the way it is," she replied wisely.
Percy dropped onto the couch while Sally took a seat beside him. Over the next several minutes, the demigod began telling her everything that had happened since they were separated: his arrival at Camp Half-Blood, Chiron, Annabeth, Poseidon's cabin, and, of course, Damon's appearance. Sally listened without interrupting too much, asking a question every now and then while the two of them finally enjoyed each other's company.
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W Hades, W everyone, W life.😂 Thank you for reading)
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P@treon: Brotato
2581 words