Percy Jackson

I didn't want to deal with this in front of my children, but they didn't seem to be interested in leaving, so I didn't have a choice.

At least he didn't bring Tyson with.

Of course, Eva and her husband love my father. Because he spoils them.

He's not even related to them, and I tried to cut him off when I came here. I went back, it was back, so I came back, and he was here.

I want him out of my life.

I've wanted him out of my life since I was 17. All he does is make me feel like shit. That's it.

"Percy, my boy!" Poseidon exclaimed as he came over to the kitchen, and I didn't like that shit at all. My facial expression gave that one away. I knew that Zeus was outside, too, which can't be good. They barely get along, there's no reason to be here together unless something is happening. "it's good to see you."

I set down my spoon as Nico looked out the window and noticed Zeus.

"Skip the bullshit," I told him. "I don't have time for it."

He rolled his eyes.

"What bullshit, Percy?" My dad asked, but he knew. "There isn't anything—"

"Then why is Zeus waiting outside?"

My father sighed.

"So, yes, there's a bit of a problem going on in New York right now..." He suggested. "We thought it'd be wonderful if you could go and just, help out for a while. Both of you could go and—"

"Are you fucking nuts?" I asked him, because it sounded like he was. "No! I just moved back here because I couldn't handle living in New York anymore. Even if we went, what would the kids do?"

"Well they're sort of legacies, I'm sure Chiron would allow them in."

"So they get killed?" I countered, which seemed to surprise my kids. Carlos less so. But again, I tried to keep this away from me and thus, my kids. They know enough. They know who my dad is and that's about it, really. That I went to camp. That shit happened at camp.

Poseidon didn't have a response.

"I'm not risking it anymore," I told him, over the gods and their general bullshit. "the agreement was that when I graduated, I was done. I graduated 20 years ago. I'm not going back, I'm not risking my life or my kid's lives."

"Perseus—"

"I said no," I insisted, not in the mood for this bullshit. "I'm not doing it."

"But—"

"No buts," I cut him off there. "there's nothing that will ever put me back in that place again, okay? Nothing. I did my part, I tried to fix it. I was told that once I went off to college, I was done. With the camp, with the bullshit. I moved to another continent, but no, I'm still dealing with it all the fucking time. Because they don't tell you when you show up that you'll never get away from it."

He looked disappointed, and I didn't care.

I was over it.

"You can't just walk out on them like that, Percy," he tried to guilt trip me, like he used to. "they're waiting for the hero to come and help them. Their saviour. Are you going to let them down like that?"

"If we did it alone, so can they," I insisted, not budging. "nobody came to our help when Luke rebelled. We were basically in fighting and we still did it."

"Percy, you can't just—"

"Yes, Dad, I can," I snapped at him. "Do you want to know why I can! Because I have a family, and a job, and I'm going to therapy because I still nightmares from when I was 15, 16, 17 years old. Because I can still feel myself hanging off of that ledge with Annabeth clinging to my ankle. Because I still wake up in cold sweat almost every night over something that happened 20 years ago. Because I can still see Luke's limp body on the floor."

I paused for a second.

"Do you guys really think we walk out of there fine and dandy?" I questioned. "that we were happy there? There's a reason that Annabeth tried to kill herself in college, and that was a big part of it. I have tried time after time after time to tell you that I don't want a part of it anymore. I left so I could cut myself off from that life because it was destroying me. Yeah? I don't want this. Tell Chiron that I'm not coming. He can be disappointed all he wants. It changes nothing."

He wanted to test the waters, though.

"But, my boy—"

"Don't call me that," I stopped him. "I'm not your boy. I was never your boy. You were never around enough for me to be your boy.  I gave you chances for years on end, and you fucking wasted them and now you came here to ask me to risk my life for you guys again and I'm not doing it. Get out of my house, I don't want to see your face ever again. I can't be clearer than that. I want you out of my life. Tyson can come visit all he wants, I want you out."

Poseidon had the fucking audacity to laugh.

As if I wasn't already pissed off and trying to stay calm in front of my kids and Nico and my cousins.

"You don't mean that, Percy."

"I've wanted you out of my life ever since I got my memory back," I informed him. "Now get out."

"Percy—"

"Poseidon," Nico cut in. "it's best if you just leave. Alright? We're not going to New York, you'll have to ask somebody else."

Scoffing, Poseidon rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll go."

And with that, he walked away.

It only took fucking forever.

Nobody said anything, though. They didn't ask, which I was fine with.

I hated everything about it. The life, being his son, being the hero.

It's exhausting sometimes.

•••
Finn Jackson

That was... Wild, to say the least.

It answered a few questions I had. Not quite all of them. But it was a start. Vague, but a reason. A reason as to why they don't get along.

Well, as to why Vati hates him.

That night, Dad and Nico went to their room to lay down and I went upstairs maybe a half hour later to go to my own room. Their door was barely cracked open, their lamp or something like that on. A smaller light, not the over head.

I didn't really eavesdrop or anything because it felt wrong, but I could hear Vati crying. It wasn't super hard, but just enough so I could hear it outside the door.

It made me feel really bad for all of those years of Luana and I pestering him about Grandpa Poseidon. Knowing he was Poseidon, but not much else.

Now we've seen him and... It's not that great.

Gods aren't the best. Hades is cool. Hades and Persephone are pretty cool, from what I've seen.

Poseidon sucks.

He made Vati cry, and I personally hate it when he's sad or just feeling bad.

I went to lay down, though, and just texted Fredric until I fell asleep. I can't tell him about Poseidon being an actual god and shit. That's like, illegal. Duh. But I explained what I knew I could because it's frustrating and I don't want Vati or Nico to like, relapse because he was here and it's bad.

It worried me. They should hurry up and get married so they'll be super happy.

At least Vati has Nico now. They have each other.

But Vati really needs him now.