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Chapter Text

Percy Jackson

The thing about walking home in New York is that you never know if you're going to be late because of traffic, an overly enthusiastic street performer, or a pack of hellhounds trying to rip your face off.

Guess which one I got?

I was maybe five minutes from my apartment-thinking about dinner, or whether I had enough clean clothes for tomorrow-when the first growl echoed from the alley beside me.

"Not today," I muttered, already reaching for Riptide in my pocket. The pen clicked, and in a flash of celestial bronze, I was holding a sword.

The pack of hellhounds-big, black-furred beasts with eyes like burning coals-surged from the shadows. Four, no, five of them. Great.

I backed into a defensive stance. "You guys couldn't wait until I'd eaten something first?"

They didn't answer. Probably because they were, you know, giant murder dogs.

I slashed, ducked, rolled. Managed to take out two, but more kept coming. A manticore joined the fun, because of course it did. One second, I'm trying to keep track of claws and poison spikes. The next, I hear something behind me. Not a growl. Not footsteps. A weird humming noise-like wind chimes being thrown into a blender.

I turned-too late.

There was a swirl of color. Light warped and twisted in on itself like a storm in a snow globe. Then everything went sideways. Literally. The street folded in half. The monsters disappeared. The world yanked me by the stomach like a bungee cord snapping the wrong way-

And then I landed on a rooftop.

Hard.

I groaned, blinking at the unfamiliar skyline. Dark. Gritty. Way too many gargoyles for my liking.

Definitely not New York.

"What the Hades..." I whispered.

Before I could even sit up, a red helmeted figure landed in a crouch just a few feet away-gun drawn, eyes on me.

"Who the hell are you," he said, voice low, dangerous. "And how did you just drop in from the sky?"

Jason Todd

The sky spat out a kid.

I'm not kidding. One second I was chasing down intel on Black Mask's latest weapons deal, and the next, some guy literally fell out of a crack in the sky and crash-landed on the rooftop two buildings over.

Naturally, I went to investigate. Because Gotham's weird, sure, but this? This was new.

I landed quiet, Red Hood helmet locked on him, gun out of habit. The guy was already groaning, brushing off... were those claw marks on his hoodie? His jeans were torn, his sneakers looked half-melted, and-was that a sword?

What kind of punk carries a sword in Gotham?

"Who the hell are you," I said, leveling the gun at his chest, "and how did you just drop in from the sky?"

The kid blinked at me. His eyes were sea green-stormy, tired, definitely not from around here. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Or eaten. Or had a good day in his entire life.

He didn't even flinch at the gun.

"Uh," he said, still flat on his back, "okay. First of all, ow. Second, where am I, and third, please don't shoot me. I've had a day."

The sword vanished. Literally. One second it was there. Next, it shimmered into golden dust and turned into... a pen?

"What the-" I lowered the gun, just slightly. "Did that sword just become a Bic?"

He groaned, sitting up. "It's Riptide. Long story. Magic. Monsters. Gods. You know, normal stuff."

I stared at him for a beat. He wasn't lying. His tone was too casual, like he'd actually seen all that crap. And if that portal he fell through wasn't magic, I'd eat my helmet.

"You're not from Gotham."

"Not even close."

He looked around, scanning the skyline with something between awe and dread. "What is this place? Everything feels... heavier here."

I snorted. "Welcome to Gotham. Heaviest city east of hell."

He muttered something about "Apollo never mentioning this in any prophecy," and I had to bite back a smirk.

This kid was weird. But he wasn't scared. Not of me. Not of falling from the sky. Not even of whatever gave him those claw marks.

I holstered the gun. "Name. Now."

He stood, wobbly but proud. "Percy. Percy Jackson."

I cocked my head. "Well, Percy Jackson, either you've got answers, or you've just become Gotham's weirdest problem of the week."

His lips curled into a tired smirk. "You haven't seen weird yet."

Chapter Text

Jason

I should've left him on that damn rooftop.

But no-he had to say something about "underworld bleed-through" and "if one monster found me, more will," and now here we are, chasing some three-headed snake-dog-thing through the back alleys of Gotham.

"Heads up!" Percy shouted, flipping over a fire escape and landing way too gracefully for someone with zero Bat-training.

The monster screeched and lunged for a civilian. I fired. Percy tackled it mid-air, sword glowing gold and sparking like lightning as it sliced through the thing's chest.

"Stop showing off!" I snapped.

"Sorry," he huffed, breathless, "do you want to take this thing out with your bullets that don't work on monsters, or should I just keep saving your ass?"

I grit my teeth. "My bullets do work. If I had the right ammo-"

"Right, silver, celestial bronze, starlight dust-how many of those you packing tonight, Red Hood?"

He turned, eyes blazing with frustration and something else. Something sharp and challenging.

I stepped closer. "I don't need you telling me how to do my job in my city."

He stepped right into my space. "And I didn't ask to get dropped into this trash fire of a dimension, but guess what? We're both stuck here. So maybe stop pretending you're the only one with experience dealing with crap."

Our faces were inches apart. His hair was wild, damp with sweat and mist. That sword was still glowing faintly at his side. He looked like he was ready to swing at me-or kiss me.

And the worst part? I wasn't sure which I'd let him do.

I broke the stare first, roughly holstering my gun. "Fine. You want to handle this your way? Lead the way, hero."

He scoffed but turned toward the alley's end, muttering, "Gods, you're more exhausting than a Hydra."

"Yeah?" I followed. "Well, you're more dramatic than Dick, and that's saying something."

We tracked the monster-some kind of hellhound hybrid Percy called a Cerberus spawn-into an abandoned parking garage off Crime Alley. Of course it had to be that street. The city really knew how to rub salt in every old scar.

Percy moved ahead of me, steps light, sword lowered but ready. He was good. Too good. The kind of natural fighter who didn't rely on gadgets or plans-just instinct and raw power. And it drove me insane.

"Hey," I said lowly. "Don't go charging in again. We don't know what this thing's capable of."

He glanced back at me with that smug tilt to his mouth. "You mean like last time when I saved the civilian while you emptied an entire clip into its shadow?"

I stepped in close. "I mean like last time when you almost got yourself torn in half. Maybe try not dying in my jurisdiction."

His smile faded into something harder. "You don't get to lecture me on dying, Jason."

That stopped me cold. My stomach twisted, anger slipping into something darker. "You know who I am?"

"I've heard of you. Died. Came back. Left the Bats. Now you run around playing judge, jury, and executioner with a leather jacket and an attitude." He turned, voice quiet but razor-sharp. "You're not the only one who's died."

We stared at each other, silence like a blade between us.

The monster growled somewhere in the shadows, dragging claws across concrete.

"Fine," I muttered. "We do this together. Your way first. But if it turns on us, I'm putting a bullet between its eyes."

Percy nodded once. "Deal."

We moved in sync-him from the left, me from the right. The monster lunged from the dark with a roar, jaws foaming with shadow. Percy met it head-on, blade flashing, and I swear the air rippled with the force behind the strike. It slammed into a pillar, stunned.

I fired into its legs-non-lethal rounds for now-and Percy pinned it with his foot, sword against its throat.

"You good?" I asked, watching him breathe hard.

"Peachy." He didn't look at me. "Still want to shoot it?"

I didn't answer.

Instead, I looked at him. Not the glowing sword, not the supernatural grace. Him. The tension in his shoulders. The way his hand trembled just slightly.

He wasn't invincible. He just acted like it.

"Next time," I said, quieter now, "we fight it my way."

He glanced at me, something unreadable flickering in his sea-green eyes. "We'll see."

I brought him to the safehouse.

Not the main one-just a small reinforced loft in Burnley I kept for nights like this. Nights when I couldn't stand the cave. When I needed quiet.

Percy looked around like he expected traps or a mob hit. "This is... nicer than I thought. I figured you lived in some basement with a punching bag and a grudge."

I tossed my helmet on the table. "You're not wrong. This is just the upgrade."

He flopped onto the couch without asking, like he owned the place. Like he wasn't a literal myth dropped into my life twenty-four hours ago.

"I liked you better when you were brooding and shooting at things," I muttered.

"And I liked you better when you weren't talking," he shot back, propping his feet on my table.

I didn't even bother to argue. I just grabbed the med kit and tossed it at him. "You're bleeding."

He caught it with one hand. "You noticed. Aw, are we bonding?"

"Patch yourself up before I regret not leaving you in that alley."

He pulled up his shirt-just enough to reveal a long gash across his ribs. I froze. Not because of the injury-I've seen worse. But because of the way he winced and didn't complain. Just grit his teeth and started cleaning the wound like it was routine.

"How many times you done this?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He shrugged. "Lost count after the tenth war."

"Ten wars?"

"Exaggeration. Sort of." He glanced at me. "What about you? How many times have you patched yourself up alone in a safehouse because your family didn't understand you?"

That one landed too close.

I sat on the edge of the table, arms crossed. "I lost count, too."

Silence again. Not uncomfortable-but charged. Like we were both thinking the same thing and trying not to say it.

"You don't trust people easily, do you?" Percy asked, voice quieter.

"No," I answered.

He nodded. "Same."

I looked at him, really looked this time. The sarcasm, the confidence, the sword-swinging attitude-it was all armor. Just like mine.

"Why did you save me?" he asked suddenly.

"You were getting overwhelmed. I don't like letting people die. Not anymore."

He held my gaze. "But you didn't know me."

"Didn't matter."

Something shifted between us then. Not big. Just... enough.

Percy looked away first, but his voice was softer when he said, "Thanks."

I grunted. "Don't get sappy on me."

He smirked. "Too late."

Chapter Text

"You can't just go running into danger like that!" I snapped, pacing across the loft.

Percy rolled his eyes from where he leaned against the kitchen counter. "I wasn't running into danger. I was handling it. You're the one who started shooting like we were in a damn video game!"

"I was backing you up! You didn't even have a plan!"

"I never have a plan, and I've survived this long just fine!"

I pointed a gloved finger at him. "Yeah? Maybe if you actually used that head of yours instead of waving a magic sword around-"

"It's celestial bronze, not magic!" he snapped, shoving off the counter.

"You're impossible!"

"Says the guy with rage issues and a gun collection that'd give Homeland Security a heart attack!"

I stepped in, chest-to-chest now. "Don't act like you know me."

"And don't pretend like you're not enjoying this," he shot back, voice lower. That infuriating smirk tugged at his lips again.

Gods, I hated how he always smiled when we fought.

Before I could say something really stupid-

CRASH.

The skylight exploded.

I dove forward, knocking Percy out of the way just as four figures dropped in like silent shadows from hell.

"Tt. You were supposed to secure the perimeter," Damian muttered as he landed.

Tim was next, flipping down beside him with a sigh. "We told you we were coming, Jason."

Nightwing dropped with that perfect acrobat flair. "You never answer your comms."

Then came the last one-Red Robin's helmet glinting in the low light. No. Wait.

Nope. That was Bruce.

Son of a-

"Jason," Batman said with that gravel-filled disapproval.

I groaned. "What part of leave me alone was unclear?"

"Who's the seaweed model?" Damian asked, drawing a blade and narrowing his eyes at Percy.

Percy, still flat on his back under me, blinked. "Did you guys just crash through the roof to interrogate me?"

He looked from me to the ceiling, then back to the very serious crowd of vigilantes.

"Okay," Percy said, raising a hand. "Before this gets weirder, just wanna clarify-I'm not the villain. He just likes yelling."

"He is a demigod," I muttered, getting off him. "And you all just scared the crap out of my guest."

Dick folded his arms. "Guest, huh?"

Tim raised a brow. "Is that what we're calling it?"

"Not helping," I muttered.

Bruce's eyes narrowed at Percy. "Name."

Percy stood slowly, brushing himself off, not intimidated in the slightest. "Percy Jackson. Son of Poseidon. Slayer of monsters. Hero of Olympus. Not from around here."

A beat.

"...Did he say Poseidon?" Damian asked, incredulous.

Percy grinned. "Yup. You're Damian, right? Talia's kid?"

Damian stiffened. "How do you know that?!"

"I read minds," Percy deadpanned.

Jason barely smothered a snort.

Chaos. Absolute chaos. And it was only Tuesday.

"So," Dick said as the tension finally started to ebb, "you're a son of Poseidon."

Percy, now sitting on the armrest of the couch and sipping some water like this wasn't the weirdest Tuesday night in Gotham, raised a brow. "Yup. God of the Sea, Earthshaker, Bringer of Storms, all that dramatic stuff."

Dick gave him a lopsided grin. "Cool. I mean, terrifying, but cool. And you said you're not from around here-like, not from this world?"

"Pretty much. Monster popped out of nowhere, fight went bad, next thing I know I'm crash-landing in Gotham. Which, by the way, has way more crime than I expected. Ten out of ten would not recommend for first impressions."

Tim, still scanning Percy with some high-tech thingy, muttered, "And yet he survived three Hellhounds, two harpies, and a literal Minotaur last night."

"I've fought worse," Percy said casually.

Dick leaned his elbows on his knees, watching Percy with a curious tilt to his head. "You're taking this all pretty well."

"Trust me, compared to my usual week? This is a vacation."

That made Dick laugh. "Okay, I like him."

"Of course you do," I muttered, arms crossed. "You like everyone."

Percy gave me a smug look. "Someone's jealous."

"Not jealous," I snapped. "Just not a fan of your big mouth."

"Really? Because it sure seems like-"

"Focus," Bruce growled.

Percy and I both shut up.

Dick cleared his throat. "So... Percy. You said you've fought in wars? Like, plural?"

"Two major ones. Titan and Giant. Whole gods versus monsters thing. The usual." He shrugged like it was just a summer camp story.

"Any fatalities?" Tim asked, not looking up from his scanner.

Percy's voice dropped. "Too many."

That got everyone's attention.

Dick studied him again. Not with suspicion-but understanding. Like he saw something the rest of them didn't.

He leaned back. "You know, you remind me of Jason."

"Oh gods," I muttered. "Don't do that to him."

Percy grinned. "Nah, I see it. Same amount of unresolved trauma and rage. Plus good hair."

Dick laughed again. "See? I told you I liked him."

"You've known him ten minutes."

"And I already trust him more than most people in this room."

I didn't look at Percy, but I could feel the smug radiating off him. Like he was soaking in the approval just to spite me.

Then again... part of me didn't mind.

Bruce finally stepped forward, towering presence and all, cape billowing like it had its own ego. His eyes never left Percy.

"You're not from this world. You're dangerous."

Percy tilted his head. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Power attracts attention," Bruce said. "Especially in Gotham. You staying here puts us all at risk."

Percy stood, matching Bruce's intensity without blinking. "Trust me, I didn't exactly ask to get yeeted through dimensions, Batman. If I could portal-hop back, I would've by now. But until then, I'm stuck here-and I'd prefer not to sleep in an alley."

There was a silence that stretched too long.

Bruce glanced at me, then at the damage above us-the broken skylight, the scuffed floor, the shattered glass.

Then, finally, back at Percy.

"You can stay," he said slowly. "Temporarily. Under supervision."

Percy blinked. "Supervision? What am I, a sea-powered toddler?"

"You'll report to Jason. He'll be responsible for your movements."

"Oh, great," I muttered. "Babysitting duty."

Percy smirked. "You're just mad I'm prettier."

Dick let out a low whistle. Tim didn't even try to hide his grin. Damian muttered something under his breath about "undisciplined demigods."

Bruce's frown didn't even twitch. "We'll be watching."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy said, waving him off. "Big brother is always watching. Got it."

He turned to me, smile way too bright for someone who'd just survived a Bat-interrogation. "So, where's my room? Please tell me it's not next to yours-I like sleeping without bullets under my pillow."

"You're getting the couch."

"Figures. Heroes never get treated right."

I started walking toward the stairs, muttering, "You're lucky I'm not throwing you back into the portal."

Behind us, I heard Dick laugh again. "He's gonna fit right in."

Chapter Text

Percy

I was having a good dream. For once.

There were no monsters, no gods, no fatal quests. Just me, lounging in a beach chair on Olympus with a blue slushy in one hand and Apollo fanning me with a palm frond. He was shirtless. It was glorious.

Naturally, that meant I was about to be violently yanked out of it.

"Get up."

I blinked against the darkness, groggy and disoriented. The faint light from the hallway spilled into the guest room just enough to outline a very large, very armed figure.

Jason Todd.

And he was strapping a thigh holster onto his leg like he was preparing to fight an entire war.

Again.

"What time is it?" I croaked.

"2:47."

"Oh good. The normal hour for a military-grade meltdown."

Jason didn't even look at me as he grabbed a Kevlar vest and slid it on like it was his favorite hoodie. "There's a gang war breaking out in East End. Penguin's people. I'm heading out."

I sat up, rubbing my face. "Okay, cool. Have fun playing Gotham vigilante. I'll just be here. Sleeping. Like a sane person."

"You're coming."

I stared at him like he'd just told me the Minotaur was his dad. "I'm sorry-what?"

"You need to learn how things work here. Best way to do that is boots on the ground."

"Do I look like I have boots on?"

He tossed something at me. I caught it reflexively-it was a beat-up hoodie that definitely wasn't mine.

"You have sixty seconds."

"And you have a deeply concerning obsession with violence," I grumbled, pulling it over my head. "Also, maybe consider therapy."

Jason grabbed another knife-seriously, how many did this guy have?-and shoved it into his boot. "Monsters don't wait for therapy."

"Yeah, but I need at least eight hours of sleep before I make dumb life choices, thanks."

He turned to me, face set, expression unreadable under the domino mask. "It's not optional, Jackson."

Oof. Full name. He was serious.

I sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if I get shot, I'm haunting you. Like, annoyingly. I'll knock over your weapons rack every night."

Jason didn't even flinch. "You'd have to survive first."

"...I take back everything nice I was almost going to say about you."

"Let's go."

And just like that, I found myself sprinting through Gotham's back alleys at nearly 3 a.m., following a vigilante with more weapons than a small army, in borrowed clothes and bed hair that looked like I'd been electrocuted.

Honestly? Not even in my top ten weirdest nights.

Gotham smelled like smoke, cheap beer, and regret.

We'd been out for about an hour, hopping rooftops, darting through alleys, and generally doing the whole "heroic stalker" thing. Jason didn't talk much-big shock-but he had this intense focus, like he was listening to the city breathe. Every crack of a bottle, every footstep, every whispered threat-he clocked it all.

Me? I was just trying not to trip on a gargoyle.

"This city is literally held together with duct tape and vengeance," I muttered as we crouched behind a rooftop AC unit, watching a gang exchange below.

Jason didn't even blink. "Quiet."

I mimicked him in a whisper. "Quiet," I mouthed, rolling my eyes.

He shot me a glare.

We moved in fast-Jason leapt down first, dropping with the grace of a trained assassin. I followed, a little less graceful, and we were in it: fists flying, metal clanging, someone screamed in Spanish, and I think I may have kicked a guy into a dumpster on accident.

Classic hero work.

Some idiot with a crowbar swung at me. I ducked, twisted, knocked him out cold with the butt of his own weapon, and felt a rush of pride... until something sharp nicked my side.

I barely registered it at the time. A tiny sting. Probably a scratch, I figured.

The fight ended as quickly as it had started. Jason zip-tied the last guy and muttered something into his comm about "perps down, rooftop clear."

I leaned against a brick wall, catching my breath.

"That was... something," I said between gulps of air. "Do we always interrupt gang meetings in the middle of the night, or is this just your idea of a hot date?"

Jason looked over at me. "You talk too much."

"And you brood too hard."

He was about to respond when his eyes narrowed. "You're bleeding."

I frowned. "No, I'm-wait, what?"

I looked down.

Oh. Cool. My hoodie was soaked on one side. A warm trickle ran down my ribs. Now that I wasn't riding the high of near-death adrenaline, the pain started to catch up-sharp and deep, like something had sliced right through me.

"...Huh."

Jason was suddenly at my side, yanking the hoodie up without ceremony. "Knife wound. Clean cut. You didn't notice that?"

"I was a little busy not dying."

He swore under his breath and pulled a bandage from one of his twenty-billion pockets.

"I'm fine," I said automatically.

"You're an idiot," he shot back. "Hold still."

I winced as he pressed the gauze in. "You're surprisingly gentle for someone who regularly punches people in the face."

"And you're surprisingly stupid for someone who fights monsters."

"Mutual respect is blooming. I can feel it."

Jason didn't smile, but something in his shoulders relaxed. "You're lucky it's not deeper."

"Yeah, well. Poseidon's kid. Built tough. Like a sea cucumber."

That earned me a blink.

"Don't ask," I added.

"You didn't have to stab me with a gauze pad," I grumbled as Jason all but manhandled me across another rooftop. "You know I can walk."

"You're limping."

"It's dramatic flair. You wouldn't get it."

Jason didn't reply. He just kept marching like Gotham's streets personally offended him.

"I've had worse," I muttered. "One time a manticore stabbed me with its tail, and I had to pull the barb out myself while Annabeth screamed at me."

"You were still dumb then, too?"

I scowled. "Wow. Keep sweet-talking me like that and I might fall for you."

Jason paused just long enough to glare over his shoulder. "You'd fall off the roof before that happened."

"Bold of you to assume I wouldn't survive the fall."

He sighed like I was the bane of his entire existence, which, fair, but I was still bleeding, so I deserved some slack. By the time we reached the edge of the city and slipped into one of those back-entrance Bat-tunnels (seriously, these people had more secret hideouts than Olympus), I was sweating and dizzy but determined not to let him know.

We entered through a hidden garage beneath some nondescript building. Jason opened a side door with a retinal scan-because of course he did-and led me inside.

The manor's hallway was dim, quiet, and, thank the gods, warm.

"You need stitches," he muttered, guiding me toward a med bay that looked more like a mini-hospital.

"Nah," I said. "Just slap a Band-Aid on it and give me some blue Gatorade."

Jason actually stopped and turned to face me, arms crossed. "You're not invincible."

"Tell that to all the monsters I've vaporized."

He stepped closer. "You're not at Camp Half-Blood anymore, Percy. There's no healing springs. No ambrosia laying around. Here, if you get hurt, you bleed. You die. You don't get to brush it off like it's nothing."

His tone was sharp, but beneath it-concern.

Which I refused to acknowledge.

"You know, for someone who plays tough guy all the time, you care a lot," I said, raising a brow.

Jason's jaw clenched. "Shut up and sit down."

"I'm sensing a pattern here."

He ignored me, grabbing antiseptic and stitching supplies. I peeled off the ruined hoodie and sat on the exam bed. The second the cold disinfectant hit my skin, I hissed.

"Holy Hera's heels, that burns!"

Jason didn't even flinch. "Good. Means it's working."

"You enjoy this," I accused.

"I enjoy not dragging your half-dead body home."

"Aw. So you do care."

Jason stabbed the needle into my skin without warning.

"OW-gods, dude! Couldn't you give me, like, a warning? Or a cookie?"

He didn't smile, but there was the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Next time don't try to bleed out in my city."

I grumbled through the next few stitches. "Your bedside manner sucks."

"And yet, you're still talking."

When he was done, he pressed a bandage into place and finally-finally-took a step back. "Try not to rip it open again."

"Thanks, Doc McBroody."

Jason rolled his eyes and turned to clean up the supplies.

I leaned back against the wall, exhausted, sore, and already regretting everything about tonight. But as much as I hated to admit it...

...I kind of didn't mind having him around.

Even if he was a bossy, sarcastic, emotionally constipated Gotham cryptid.

Chapter Text

Percy

"Stop squirming," Jason snapped, snatching the bandage roll before I could grab it.

"Stop treating me like I'm made of glass," I shot back, slapping his hand away. "I've had worse. A telekhine once tried to lob off my leg with a cursed chainsaw, and I still made it to dinner before it got cold."

Jason gave me a look like I was the world's most infuriating stray cat he somehow couldn't get rid of. "And yet somehow you're still alive. Miracles do happen."

"Maybe the gods are just too entertained watching me suffer to let me die."

Before Jason could fire back, the door to the med bay hissed open.

"I leave for one night," said a voice that could only belong to someone who styled their hair with hope and responsibility. "And suddenly, Red Hood brings home stray demigods."

"Stray?" I repeated, turning toward the doorway as four figures stepped in like a Justice League boyband reunion.

There stood Dick Grayson, radiating big brother energy and charm like a walking golden retriever. Next to him was Tim, looking like he hadn't slept in four days but still ready to hack a satellite. Damian stalked in behind them, scowling hard enough to wrinkle his cape. And Jason? Jason groaned and ran a hand through his hair like this was a weekly issue.

"Fantastic," he muttered. "Here comes the peanut gallery."

Dick gave me a once-over, noting the bandage and general war-torn look. "Let me guess-Gotham's welcome party?"

"If by 'party' you mean a hellhound street rave, then yeah," I replied, tossing the bloody gauze in the bin. "Ten out of ten. Would not recommend."

"Wait," Tim said, squinting. "He's the one you've been dragging around for the past few days?"

"Dragging?" I echoed. "Excuse you-I was pushed through a portal."

Jason sighed. "He landed here mid-monster fight. I didn't exactly have time to file a visitor's form."

Damian stepped forward, eyeing me like I was something sticky on his sword. "He smells like a sewer and arrogance."

"Aw," I said, clapping a hand to my chest. "You do care."

Dick chuckled under his breath. "I like him."

Jason threw his hands in the air. "No. Don't do that. Don't bond with him."

"Why not?" Dick asked, leaning against the wall with a grin. "He's got your exact brand of sarcasm and bad decisions. You two are practically soulmates."

Jason glared. "I will dropkick you."

"Careful," I said, smirking. "I might enjoy that."

Jason looked skyward like he was praying for divine smiting.

"I still don't trust him," Damian muttered.

I raised a brow. "And I don't trust toddlers with blades, but here we are."

Tim snorted. "Yup. He's one of us now."

"I still don't understand why you're here," Damian grumbled, crossing his arms as he glared at me like I'd personally offended him by existing.

"Me neither," I said with a shrug. "But I'm still here. So, y'know, deal with it."

Tim, of course, found this incredibly entertaining. He adjusted his glasses like he was savoring some private joke. "Yeah, we've got a full house now. It's like a family dinner, but with more knives."

"Speaking of knives, do you all have a secret weapon closet?" I asked, trying to change the subject from the obvious tension I'd created. "I think I saw one of your walls full of... stuff."

Jason shot me a look that clearly said, You're not touching anything.

Dick laughed. "You'll find that we've got everything from basic first aid to smoke bombs and grappling hooks. If we're not prepared, we're not doing Gotham right."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You all have smoke bombs? How does that make sense?"

"Trust me," Dick said, winking, "it works when you're trying to escape from a very awkward dinner conversation."

I tilted my head. "Wait... Are you saying-"

"Ask him about the time he almost set Bruce's cave on fire," Tim interrupted, smirking.

"Tim," Dick groaned. "I told you not to bring that up."

I leaned in. "Oh, now I definitely have to hear this."

Jason was trying his best to pretend none of this was happening. He grabbed the first aid kit and started patching up some of my minor cuts and bruises. "It's a really stupid story. Trust me, you don't want to hear it."

"Oh, I think I do," I said, grinning. "If this is a Gotham legend, I'll be the judge of that."

Damian looked unimpressed. "You're wasting time. You're not supposed to be here long, anyway."

I raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

Damian's eyes flicked to Jason, who was now cleaning my cuts like we weren't all standing in a room full of sarcasm and bad choices. "Because," Damian continued, "he's going to get you killed if you stay longer."

Jason shot him a glare, but there was no venom in it. Just the familiar exasperation that came from someone who was tired of arguing with a bratty little brother. "I'm not getting him killed, D. I'm doing my job."

"I'm helping," I chimed in with a shrug, "and I do fine in situations that involve dangerous monsters. Gotham is just... well, a little extra."

"Extra?" Dick repeated, eyes widening. "You've seen Gotham at night. It's a whole other breed of chaos."

"I've fought Titans. I think I can handle a couple of homicidal clowns." I smirked. "Or-" I looked over at Jason, "-the bratty little brother type."

Jason snorted, half-amused, half-annoyed. "One of these days, I'll throw you off the roof."

"Sure, sure. I've survived worse. No worries."

Dick clapped his hands together, clearly enjoying the show. "Alright, alright. Enough with the death threats and banter. You two are getting along like two cats stuck in the same bag."

"I don't like cats," I said, as if it were the most important thing I could add to the conversation.

Tim raised an eyebrow. "You just said you were fine with Jason throwing you off a roof."

"Yeah, but it'd be a catastrophic fall," I said, winking at him. "Plus, Jason's got a lot of pent-up annoyed boyfriend energy. I don't know if I can survive that."

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'm going to start charging for these therapy sessions."

"That's the Batfamily motto, right?" I smirked. "Always charged."

Dick laughed, nudging me with his shoulder. "You're alright, kid. I think you'll fit in just fine."

Damian made a noise like he had something to add, but then just turned away and muttered, "Idiot."

"Welcome to Gotham," Tim said dryly, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, thanks for the warm welcome." I flopped back into the medical bed like I had no care in the world. "Just, uh, make sure to give me a map of the dangerous spots next time. Gotham's... special."

"We'll see if we can mark it with 'Percy's Worst Nightmares' when you leave," Jason muttered, handing me a cup of water as if I were a toddler.

"Much appreciated."

While the Batfamily bantered back and forth, I took a moment to breathe and let the adrenaline of the mission fade away. But my body quickly reminded me that I had, indeed, been through a lot more than I had anticipated tonight. The cut on my side throbbed, and my head was starting to feel like it had been slammed into a brick wall repeatedly.

I leaned back against the sterile, cool metal of the med bay bed, rubbing my eyes with the heel of my hand, trying to fight off the dizziness. Gotham's chaotic energy was starting to wear me thin, and I was beginning to realize just how much I missed the ocean. At least I didn't have to deal with a lot of... mood swings from the creatures back home.

"Alfred will be here in a second," Tim said, glancing over at me. "He's the one you want to talk to when you're not feeling so... stabbed."

"Good," I muttered, eyes scanning the room again. "I feel like a pin cushion."

"You are a pin cushion," Jason added, though there wasn't any real malice in his voice. "Get some rest, man. Alfred's a pro. He'll fix you right up."

I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying to relax when a familiar voice entered the room like a breath of fresh air-something that wasn't Gotham.

"I see we're still treating the young man like a battlefield casualty," Alfred's voice cut through the tension in the room like a knife through butter.

I opened my eyes and saw the tall, distinguished butler standing in the doorway, his expression one of polite concern. His perfectly tailored suit was still pristine, despite the chaos around him. I couldn't help but think that Alfred would probably look just as calm if he were handling a Hydra at the same time.

"Alfred," Jason greeted him, standing up and stepping aside. "Got anything for this?"

The old butler glanced at my side, noting the bloodstains and bandages Jason had placed on me. He didn't flinch. "I do hope this is a temporary injury," Alfred said, his tone a mix of amusement and practical concern. "I do not believe your mother would appreciate your need for medical attention on a regular basis, Master Jason."

Jason rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Whatever, Alfred. You got a solution for this?"

Alfred's sharp gaze moved from Jason to me. "I'm certain we can do more than simply 'bandage' him up, Master Jason." He moved forward, his hands already expertly gathering supplies from the shelves behind him.

As he worked, I watched him with quiet admiration. The man's hands moved like they had done this for centuries-calm, efficient, and precise. It was comforting, almost... fatherly in a way that I hadn't realized I needed until just now.

"How's the leg?" Alfred asked as he inspected my injury. "Did the pain subside after your brief skirmish?"

I tried to wave it off. "It's nothing, just a scratch. I've had worse."

Alfred raised an eyebrow, his face unreadable. "Mr. Jackson, may I remind you that your 'scratches' have an alarming tendency to turn into larger, more problematic injuries. While your resilience is noted, it's also advisable that you allow proper care when the situation demands it."

I didn't really have a response for that. Alfred had a way of making you feel like you were both a child and an adult at the same time, and somehow it felt... good. He wasn't condescending or trying to act like I couldn't handle myself-he was just saying what needed to be said, without making me feel weak.

After a few more moments of quiet care, Alfred finished up the last of the bandaging, stepping back to inspect his work with a practiced eye. "That should suffice, for now," he said softly. "Rest is the best cure for fatigue, but I suggest some proper food as well. You've likely burned through far more energy than you realize."

I blinked, surprised. "Food? As in... real food?"

Dick chimed in from the doorframe, grinning. "Alfred's cooking is a crime against humanity, Percy. Trust me. It's that good."

"Indeed," Alfred replied dryly, giving Dick a mild look of exasperation, though his eyes held a fondness that only came with years of experience. "I did prepare a meal in case any of you wished to eat before retiring. But if you would prefer something... less refined, I can provide something simpler."

"Refined food, huh?" I said with a grin. "I think I'm sold."

Alfred's face softened, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'll prepare a plate for you, then. But you'll need to take care not to overexert yourself. I suspect Gotham's chaos is taxing enough without adding unnecessary injuries to the list."

"Noted," I said, sitting up a little straighter. "I'll try not to get stabbed next time, Alfred. It's a personal goal now."

Alfred gave me a half-smile as he turned to go, already barking at the others to get their gear organized. "Very well. Do let me know if you require anything further, Mr. Jackson. I shall leave you to your... rest."

As the door closed behind him, I couldn't help but let out a breath of relief. Gotham was a lot-probably way too much for me to get used to. But with the Batfamily, it felt like a weird kind of home. Like maybe-just maybe-this crazy world might not be as chaotic as it seemed.

Jason glanced at me from across the room. "I told you Alfred was a good guy."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, pulling myself up. "But you also told me this place wasn't as weird as it looks, and I'm pretty sure I'm about to prove you wrong on that one."

Jason chuckled. "Well, there's always tomorrow for your next nightmare."

Chapter Text

I was still trying to wrap my head around the Batcave. I mean, everything about this place screamed weird-but in a cool, "I'm probably going to get used to this" kind of way. I had my stitches in, a constant reminder of the fight, but I was still moving around like I was invincible. Which, you know, wasn't exactly true. I was pretty sure I wasn't supposed to be walking this much yet, but hey, no one could tell me what to do. Especially not when there were so many things to play with here.

I made my way down the narrow hall, my fingers drumming against the walls as I idly twirled Riptide around in my hand. The sword was practically purring in my hand. I still wasn't used to the way it felt-it had been in my pocket for years, but I never took the time to really play with it. Maybe it was the atmosphere of Gotham or something, but something about being here made me want to twirl it around like I was in some action movie.

I swung it in front of me, not caring that I might be walking straight into a wall or knocking something over. The sword wasn't exactly a small one, and I didn't exactly have the best coordination after everything that happened. But as I stepped into the larger room, I wasn't paying attention to anything else, just the satisfying whoosh as Riptide sliced through the air.

"What are you doing?"

I froze mid-swing and looked up to see Jason standing in the doorway, his arms crossed. His expression was one of pure disbelief, like I had just done something ridiculously stupid-and, okay, maybe I had.

"Uh, just stretching my arm," I said, offering him a lazy grin. "You know, keeping the muscles limber. Not like I've been through a traumatic mission or anything."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "That's the exact opposite of what you should be doing right now."

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "I'm fine." I gave him a wink. "Really. Just a scratch."

His jaw clenched. "Yeah? A scratch? Last time I checked, 'a scratch' didn't make you bleed out enough to need stitches."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please. It's nothing. I'm good to go."

I started to twirl Riptide again, this time aiming for a nearby target. The sword felt so damn light in my hands, like it was made for this moment. Like it was calling to me, the hero it was meant to serve.

But Jason wasn't having any of it. "You're not 'good to go,' Percy. You can barely even walk without wincing. If you're going to keep acting like you're fine, I'm going to have to tie you to the bed."

I scoffed, spinning Riptide once more and slamming the blade into a nearby pillar just for effect. "Like I'd let you do that."

Jason glared at me, his hands twitching at his sides like he might actually try something. "I don't know why you're so hell-bent on pretending like you're invincible. I get that you've got this 'I'm a demigod, nothing can hurt me' thing going on, but seriously, man-"

"I'm not pretending," I shot back, finally lowering Riptide and leaning against the pillar. "I am fine. It's just a few stitches. I've been through worse."

Jason's eyes softened, but only a little. "And that's the problem. You don't take care of yourself. You think because you've had some big fights and survived, that nothing's gonna get to you. But we don't live in the 'everything's gonna be okay' world, Percy."

I blinked, a little taken aback by how... serious he sounded. "It's not like that," I muttered. "I just... I don't like feeling weak, you know? I've had people tell me I'm not good enough my whole life, and I've kind of built this thing where I don't show anyone when I'm struggling. It's like... it's just easier to hide it."

Jason stared at me for a long moment, his arms still crossed, but his posture shifted. "I get it. But that doesn't mean you can't take a minute to let people help you."

I let out a sharp breath. "I didn't ask for help. I never have."

Jason stepped forward. "That's your issue. You don't ask. You just push people away, and then you wonder why they get pissed at you when you're bleeding out."

"Yeah, well, that's on me, isn't it?" I muttered, frustration bubbling up. "But I'm fine now. Just... don't go all 'big brother' on me, okay? I can take care of myself."

Jason exhaled through his nose and looked like he wanted to say something else, but the sound of footsteps interrupted the moment.

"Is everything okay in here?" Dick's voice rang out from the door, his eyebrows raised in mild concern.

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jason. "I'm fine," I said again, probably with a little too much emphasis this time.

Dick crossed his arms, clearly not buying it. "We've got the 'I'm fine' thing covered, Percy. But I'd really like to know why you're standing there, playing with a sword when you've got stitches in your side."

Jason shot me a pointed look, and I could feel my cheeks burn. "It's, uh, Riptide," I said quickly, trying to shift the conversation. "It's, uh, a family heirloom. It's kind of... well, you know, magical."

Dick looked more curious than anything else. "So it's not, like, some kind of weird Gotham weapon?"

"Nope," I said, giving a dramatic wave. "Not a Gotham thing. Just a gift from my dad-literally. You wouldn't believe it if I told you."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you've still got your own 'cool guy' attitude, huh?"

I shrugged. "Some things don't change. But if you're going to judge me, might as well let me have fun while I do it."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'll leave you to your fun... Just, please, keep the 'self-destructive hero' stuff to a minimum, yeah?"

As they walked off, Jason shot me one last look. "We'll see, won't we?"

Chapter Text

Percy

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before, but I don't exactly do well with staying still. Ever.

Sure, I can sit still when the situation calls for it, but let's face it: I'd rather be anywhere but sitting-especially when there's a bunch of shiny stuff lying around.

That's how I found myself, less than an hour later, sliding across the Batcave's floor on my socks, pretending I was some kind of superhero in an action movie. It wasn't even intentional. I just-well, I kind of forgot I wasn't supposed to be doing anything that involved running or sudden movements.

You know, after Jason yelled at me about playing with Riptide earlier. But that didn't stop me. I was just walking along, kicking at the floor, mindlessly twirling Riptide (because hey, might as well practice, right?), when I tripped over something I didn't see and boom-I was sliding across the floor, practically knocking into a wall.

"Percy!"

I felt the air leave my lungs as Jason caught me just before I cracked my head open on the stone floor. It was probably a good thing, considering my tendency to end up in the ER or worse if I wasn't being constantly monitored.

Jason wasn't amused. "What the hell are you doing?"

I scrambled to sit up, rubbing my head with a sheepish smile. "Uh, saving the day? I was... you know, practicing my superhero moves." I pointed dramatically to the wall. "You're welcome."

Jason didn't look impressed. In fact, his face was a perfect storm of concern and irritation, a look I was getting used to. "You can't just go throwing yourself around like you're invincible. You've literally just been patched up. And you're playing with weapons. And you-" He broke off, running a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.

I flashed him a grin, ignoring the way the adrenaline rush was still making my heart race. "Relax, Jay. I'm good. Just a little... enthusiastic. It's called living."

Jason's glare intensified. "You're going to get yourself killed living like that."

I winced, but not because of the comment. No, I wasn't really bothered by the idea of being reckless. I was just really, really bad at not doing things without thinking. It was kind of a family tradition, being impulsive. It wasn't like I could help it.

"Just let me have a little fun, man," I grumbled, pushing myself to my feet.

Jason's eyes softened for a second before narrowing again. He placed a firm hand on my shoulder, steadying me as I wobbled from the momentum of my little stunt. "You don't have to prove anything, Percy. You're not going to gain my respect by trying to act invincible. You're just going to make it harder for people to trust you."

I stared at the floor, avoiding his gaze. The last thing I wanted to hear right now was that I wasn't the invincible hero I wanted to be. But Jason wasn't done yet. "You're going to make me an absolute wreck if you don't start taking this seriously. I'll be the one cleaning up the mess if you're not careful."

I blinked. "Okay, but... I thought you liked cleaning up messes. Don't you have a whole Batcave built for it?"

Jason groaned, letting out a long exhale. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Thanks, I've been told I have a certain... charm."

Jason's eyes practically rolled into the back of his head. He seemed to be fighting the urge to strangle me, but I could see the worry still behind his scowl. He was just trying to keep me from making a bigger idiot out of myself.

I sighed dramatically, letting my shoulders slump. "I can be serious, you know. Just, uh... when the mood strikes."

"Right," Jason muttered. "Just don't let your ADHD take the wheel too often, or I swear you're going to end up falling into a volcano or something."

"Eh, been there, done that. Volcanoes are pretty overrated." I gave him a smirk, ignoring how I was still struggling to keep myself upright. The adrenaline from my mini stunts had worn off, and suddenly, the stitches in my side were reminding me they were there.

Jason raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "You think your charm is going to save you when you're lying in a pool of blood? Your 'fun' is dangerous, Percy."

"Good thing you're here to save me, huh?" I grinned, poking him in the chest. "Besides, you love cleaning up after me, remember?"

Jason scoffed, stepping back. "Yeah, well, I don't love it. But you make it impossible not to."

I grinned wider, already feeling that familiar pulse of energy that only my ADHD could bring. It was like being on the edge of a cliff, and I was just waiting for something to push me over.

"Fine, fine. I'll be careful," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. "For now."

"Yeah, well, for your sake, I hope so." Jason's voice was low, almost like a warning. "But if you don't take a break soon, I might have to tie you to a chair and force you to stay still."

I snorted. "Not happening."

"Watch me," he muttered, but there was a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was a silent understanding between us. As much as Jason might grumble and try to rein me in, he wasn't going to let anything bad happen to me. Even if I was a total mess most of the time.

Jason

I couldn't help but stare at Percy for a moment longer, watching the way he wobbled as he tried to steady himself. The guy was clearly running on pure adrenaline and recklessness. The stitches in his side were still fresh, and yet, here he was, throwing himself around like he hadn't just been patched up an hour ago.

It was honestly starting to get exhausting.

I let out a frustrated breath, brushing a hand through my hair. "Percy, seriously, can you just-" I stopped myself, knowing it would be a waste of breath. He was already halfway through ignoring me, fingers tapping against the handle of Riptide as if he was contemplating a fight with an invisible enemy.

It was like dealing with a toddler hopped up on sugar-except that toddler had godlike abilities and a penchant for getting himself into more danger than anyone had the patience for.

"You're going to kill yourself," I muttered, watching him twirl Riptide in his hand like it was some kind of fidget spinner.

Percy just flashed me a grin. "Not likely. I've died before. Not planning on it again anytime soon, though."

Gods, he was insufferable sometimes.

"That's not the point!" I snapped, stepping closer. "You don't get to play with fire every time you get an itch to do something stupid. You're already pushing your luck."

His eyes lit up, that familiar mischievous glint flashing in his gaze. "Oh, come on, Jay. You're acting like I'm about to do something... dangerous." He gave me an exaggerated pout, like he was suddenly innocent of everything that had happened in the last five minutes. "You should know by now, I'm a professional at surviving stupid stunts."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Surviving wasn't the issue. The issue was whether or not I could keep him from doing the stupid stunt in the first place.

"You might be a professional at surviving, but that doesn't mean you should survive," I muttered under my breath, stepping forward to grab the edge of his jacket. "Come on, we're not playing games. You need to take it easy before you end up pushing it too far."

Percy sighed dramatically, like I was the one who didn't get it. "You're so serious, Jay. It's exhausting." He waved a hand dismissively and then immediately grabbed his ribs like they were starting to hurt again. I noticed how he winced slightly, though he quickly masked it with a forced grin. "I'm fine," he said, but the words came out a little too quickly, like he was trying to convince himself more than me.

I could feel my frustration boiling over. "You are not fine," I snapped. "You've been stitched up and patched together, and you still act like you can do everything. You can't. Just because you're some son of Poseidon doesn't mean you're invincible, Percy."

His eyes softened for a moment, and I could see that tiny, fleeting vulnerability behind the usual bravado. But then it was gone, replaced by that cocky smile he always wore like armor.

"Well, if I'm invincible, it's only because I've got you here to stop me from doing something even stupider," he said, nudging me lightly with his elbow.

I rolled my eyes, stepping back. "Yeah, well, that's going to get real old real fast if you don't stop doing stupid shit."

Percy's grin didn't falter. "Sure, sure. But hey, you're the one who said you'd be my babysitter, remember?" He nudged me again, this time with a little more force, like he was trying to get me to smile. "It's a thankless job, but someone's gotta keep me from getting bored and accidentally ending the world."

I could feel the tension in my chest loosen just a little, but I wasn't ready to let it go completely. "You're lucky I'm here," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Otherwise, you'd probably have already found a way to get yourself blown up."

Percy let out a small laugh, and for the briefest second, I felt something inside me shift-like a knot I didn't know I had was suddenly loosened. It was an annoying feeling, honestly. Something about the way Percy was able to turn my anger into... something else, something I wasn't ready to deal with.

"Hey," he said, his voice quieter now, "I appreciate you, you know? It's not easy, dealing with all my chaos."

I blinked at him, startled by the sincerity in his tone. That wasn't the Percy I was used to-the one who covered up everything with sarcasm and jokes. This Percy was... different.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky I'm a glutton for punishment," I muttered, trying to cover the fact that my heart had skipped a beat. "You get into enough trouble to give anyone a panic attack."

Percy didn't say anything for a moment. Instead, he gave me a small, knowing look, the kind that said he was way too perceptive for his own good.

"Hey, it's not so bad, is it?" He smiled, his tone suddenly teasing. "I mean, I'm way more fun than some other people you could be stuck with, right?"

I had to fight the urge to smile back. "You're a handful," I muttered, not meeting his gaze.

Percy's grin widened. "I know. But you're stuck with me now, Jay. Like it or not."

And, somehow, I couldn't quite bring myself to say that I didn't mind.

Chapter Text

Percy

There are a lot of awkward things in life.

Like accidentally texting your crush something meant for your best friend. Or walking into the wrong bathroom in a monster-infested labyrinth. Or, you know, being cornered in the Batcave by four vigilantes interrogating you about your hair.

Yeah. That last one.

"You have a grey stripe," Tim said, squinting at me with the analytical stare of a guy who probably knows twenty ways to kill you with a paperclip. "Right here." He pointed at my head like he'd discovered a bomb.

"Wow, thanks, Tim," I deadpanned. "I had no idea."

"You're, like, seventeen," Damian said, crossing his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Is this... stress? Or some demigod thing?"

"I'm eighteen," I muttered.

"Still looks fifteen," Jason chimed in as he leaned against the table, arms crossed, an annoyingly smug grin on his face.

I shot him a glare. "Says the guy who hides his trauma under fifty pounds of Kevlar and sarcasm."

Jason snorted. "Takes one to know one, Seaweed Brain."

Dick raised a hand, ever the peacekeeper. "Okay, okay. Let's dial back the sibling bickering. Percy, seriously, what's with the hair?"

I sighed. I hadn't really meant to get into this today. I was still sore from last night's mission, and my stitches itched like Hades. But they weren't going to drop it, and honestly... maybe they deserved to know.

So I flopped into one of the chairs, rested my elbows on my knees, and stared at the floor for a beat.

"You guys ever hear of Atlas?" I asked.

"Titan," Tim answered immediately. "The one who's cursed to hold up the sky. Myth says it was punishment from Zeus."

"Right," I said, then tilted my head toward them. "Well, the myths got that part right. He is holding up the sky-or, at least, he was. But one time... I had to take his place."

There was a beat of stunned silence.

Jason blinked. "You what?"

"It was a whole thing," I said with a wave of my hand. "Long story short: Titan rising, Artemis in danger, we were trying to stop the end of the world-again-and I stepped in to hold up the sky so she could fight."

"You physically held up the sky?" Dick asked slowly, like he wasn't sure if he'd misheard.

"Yeah," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "It was... not my best day. Imagine a million tons of pure cosmic pressure on your back, squeezing the life out of you while time crawls like molasses."

"Why would you do something so stupid?" Damian demanded, frowning.

I gave him a dry look. "Gee, thanks. I'll be sure to add that to my therapy notes. But for the record? I did it because Artemis was dying. And because no one else could."

They didn't speak right away. I could see them processing-especially Tim, who was now giving me that same look he gives crime scenes, like I was some unsolvable mystery.

"That's why your hair is like that?" Dick asked softly.

I nodded. "The grey stripe's like a... side effect. The gods said it was a mark. A reminder. It's not just aesthetic; it's like part of me is... older now. I aged a little in those hours."

Jason was the first to speak after that. "Damn," he muttered. "And I thought I had a messed-up origin story."

I shrugged. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. We don't hand out trophies-we hand out trauma."

That earned a weak laugh from Dick and a snort from Jason.

Damian still looked unconvinced. "That was reckless."

"Yep," I agreed. "And I'd do it again. That's kind of the deal when you're a demigod. You die young or live long enough to get divine PTSD."

Tim leaned forward, voice quieter than usual. "Does it still hurt?"

I looked away for a second, letting the question sit. "Not physically. But sometimes, yeah. It feels heavy. Like it never really left me."

Jason's eyes lingered on me a little longer than I liked-concern hidden behind practiced indifference. I knew the look. I wore it myself sometimes.

"So," I said, forcing a grin to chase away the tension, "any other fun critiques? Wrinkles? Scars? Want to analyze my left toe next?"

Jason rolled his eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in his smile. "You're exhausting."

"And yet, here I am, still standing." I gave a half-bow. "You're welcome, Gotham."

Chapter Text

Jason

It was supposed to be a normal patrol.

I should've known better. The moment Percy Jackson suited up-well, "suited up" being a loose term for ripped jeans, a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, and that dumb pen that turned into a sword-I knew the night would go sideways.

"You're limping," I pointed out, not even looking at him as I checked the grappling lines.

"Wow, thanks, Robin Hood," Percy snarked. "Your observational skills are unmatched."

I shot him a glare. "You shouldn't be out here."

"And yet, here I am," he said with a casual shrug, twirling his pen-Riptide, I think-between his fingers. "Try and stop me. Actually-don't. You'd pull a muscle."

"Children," Dick interrupted from above, perched on the edge of the rooftop like the graceful menace he is. "Play nice."

Tim flicked a glance down at his tablet. "Disturbance two blocks over. Something's tearing through pavement. Looks... big."

"Great," Percy muttered, sheathing the pen into his pocket. "I've got just enough energy left for a dramatic entrance."

"I'm serious," I hissed at him. "Stay close. If you reopen those stitches-"

"I'll be fine," Percy interrupted. "You know, for someone named after a horror movie, you're very motherly."

Damian scoffed. "I still fail to see why we're bringing the limping Greek liability."

"Because," Percy said, eyes flickering a dangerous sea-green, "if I didn't come along, you'd all be dead within ten seconds of meeting whatever's out there."

That shut Damian up.

We reached the alley first-at least, we thought it was an alley. Hard to tell with the massive three-headed dog currently throwing cars around like chew toys.

"Is that... Cerberus?" Tim asked, actually startled for once.

"Nope," Percy replied. "That's not Cerberus. That's one of his... cousins. Possibly inbred. Definitely angry."

It turned toward us and roared. The street cracked beneath its paws.

"Yeah, definitely angry," I muttered.

Percy stepped forward, sword in hand, posture shifting in an instant-gone was the sarcastic teen limping through life. In his place stood something else. Something ancient and dangerous.

"You guys handle the limbs," he said, voice colder. "I've got the heads."

"You're injured," I snapped.

"I said-I've got the heads!"

He leapt before I could stop him, swinging Riptide in a clean arc that met the first of the snapping jaws.

We sprang into action. Tim scrambled up a fire escape, calling out movements; Dick dropped onto the beast's back with his batons sparking; Damian dove in low, slashing at its legs.

I stayed close behind Percy, guarding his flank. He was fast-too fast for someone who'd been stitched together like a patchwork doll two days ago. But I could see it-every twist of his torso sent pain across his face. He was pushing too hard.

A swipe from the monster's paw knocked Percy back. He hit a dumpster with a grunt and slid down.

I shot forward. "Percy!"

"I'm fine!" he yelled, stumbling to his feet, blood now soaking through his shirt.

"You're not-!"

"Later, Jason!" he snapped, blocking another strike with Riptide.

The fight felt endless, and then suddenly it wasn't. The monster let out a final, dying howl before collapsing into golden dust, scattering into the wind like sand through fingers.

We were all silent, panting, bloodied, bruised.

Percy dropped his sword, swaying on his feet.

I caught him before he fell.

"Stupid," I muttered, holding him up as he blinked groggily. "So incredibly stupid."

He gave me a weak grin. "You say that like it's not part of my charm."

I shook my head, looping his arm around my shoulder. "You're gonna be the death of me."

"Guess we'll go down together then, Batman Jr."

And damn it-I didn't hate the sound of that.

By the time we got Percy back to the safehouse roof, he was leaning into me more than standing on his own.

"Don't drop me," he mumbled, voice slurred slightly.

"Maybe if you stopped getting stabbed, that wouldn't be an issue," I bit back, but there wasn't any real heat in it. Just... concern. Frustration.

He let out a breathy laugh. "You sound like Annabeth."

"Cool. Hope she also threatened to tie you to a bed if you didn't stop acting like a human piñata."

"Actually, she used duct tape once."

I blinked. "...Noted."

When we landed back at the manor, Alfred was already waiting by the med bay, completely unfazed by the blood-covered demigod in my arms. Figures.

"Master Jackson," he said calmly, gesturing to the cot. "Please ruin none of the stitching. Again."

"I make no promises," Percy said, even as he winced climbing up.

Alfred tutted, inspecting the red-soaked gauze. "A clean tear. Impressive. If it weren't so infuriatingly reckless."

Percy offered him a crooked smile. "You say that like I had a choice."

"Choice or not," Alfred replied evenly, "you have the healing tendencies of wet tissue paper."

Dick hovered near the doorway, arms crossed. "So... that thing? The giant angry mutt? That's normal for you?"

Percy snorted, biting down on a hiss as Alfred peeled back more gauze. "Define normal."

Damian stepped closer, arms folded. "It turned to dust. Explain."

"It wasn't from your world," Percy said, shrugging with his one good shoulder. "Greek monster. They don't die here, not really. Just poof and respawn eventually."

Tim leaned against the wall, tablet forgotten for once. "So that thing is gonna come back?"

"Maybe in a week. Maybe in a year. Maybe next Thursday. Depends on its vibe."

"That is... deeply unhelpful," Tim muttered.

Percy twirled his pen in his fingers, flicked it open, and let Riptide's blade gleam under the lights. "This is celestial bronze. Forged by the gods. Only works on monsters and immortals. Not great for muggers."

Dick squinted at the sword. "You keep that in your pocket?"

Percy grinned. "Never underestimate magical Greek stationery."

Alfred pressed a little too hard on a wound. "And yet, with all that magic, you still bleed like the rest of them."

Jason leaned back in the chair beside Percy's cot, arms crossed. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt during the fight?"

Percy didn't meet his eyes. "Didn't seem important at the time."

"Bleeding out isn't important?"

Percy raised an eyebrow. "You ever fought a manticore with two broken ribs? Because that makes bleeding feel like a nap."

Jason scowled, leaning forward. "I'm serious."

"I know," Percy said more softly. "But I'm used to this. Been doing it since I was twelve."

Dick blinked. "Wait. Twelve?"

Tim actually cursed under his breath.

Damian, of course, just scoffed. "Tch. He's older now and still clumsy."

"I'm right here, gremlin," Percy muttered.

Jason stared at him for a long second. "We need to know what else is out there, Percy. If this is gonna keep happening..."

Percy closed his eyes and let his head fall back onto the pillow. "Then I'll handle it. Like I always do."

"Not alone this time," Jason said firmly.

And Percy didn't answer-but he didn't argue either.

Chapter Text

Percy

It was barely noon when I was up and moving again, despite Alfred giving me a look that could probably knock Zeus off his throne. I wasn't trying to disobey him-I just didn't feel like sitting still while the entire Bat-family stared at me like I was a particularly explosive kind of puzzle.

I mean, to be fair, I had nearly exploded on their last mission. But still.

Jason was trailing behind me like a grumpy guard dog, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "You're supposed to be resting."

"I am resting," I said cheerfully, balancing a spoon on my nose as we entered the kitchen. "See? Minimal movement. Olympic-level restraint."

"You are walking," he said flatly.

"Limping," I corrected. "Big difference."

Dick looked up from his mug of coffee at the kitchen table and grinned. "Wow. He really is like a chaos gremlin version of you, Jay."

"I don't limp," Jason growled.

"Not the point," Dick sing-songed.

Damian sat at the counter, glaring at me like I'd offended his ancestors. "Why are you even awake?"

"I have ADHD," I said, like that explained everything. (It kinda did.)

Tim looked up from his laptop. "That tracks. I think I counted you bouncing your knee thirty-two times in the last two minutes."

"New record!" I beamed. Then accidentally dropped the spoon, which clanged off the counter and hit Jason's boot.

He didn't blink. "I'm going to glue you to a chair."

"Been there," I said. "Didn't stick."

"Literally?"

"Annabeth tried duct tape once. I chewed through it."

There was a pause. Then Dick started laughing.

"You chewed through duct tape," he repeated, shaking his head. "Gods, you're feral."

"I prefer the term strategically unhinged," I said, plopping down onto the nearest stool. I winced a little at the motion, the stitches pulling, but did my best to ignore it. No need to worry the Bat Squad further.

Unfortunately, Jason noticed anyway. "You're bleeding again."

"Am I?" I looked down. Yep, little red bloom right through the shirt. "Huh. That's awkward."

Jason glared.

"I'll change it in a sec," I muttered. "Don't get all stabby."

"Maybe I wouldn't if you stopped acting like a one-man Greek tragedy," he snapped.

"Oof," Dick muttered. "Ten points to angry Batbro."

"I'm not a tragedy," I said, sticking out my tongue. "I'm a comedy."

"Pretty sure those end in weddings," Tim offered.

"I mean-" I wiggled my eyebrows at Jason.

"Nope," Jason said, turning to leave the room. "We're not doing this. Not today."

"What, no kiss for the wounded hero?" I called after him.

Dick choked on his coffee. Tim was suddenly Very Interested in his screen. Damian muttered something like, "You're all insufferable."

I leaned back, grinning to myself.

Maybe Gotham wasn't all bad.

Chapter Text

Percy

I should've known better than to mess with Iris Messages while still technically on bed rest. But boredom is a powerful motivator-and so is a hyperactive best friend with a death glare and healing magic.

The rainbow shimmered in the air like a soap bubble on steroids. One drachma and a whispered plea later, Will Solace's face blinked into view, glowing golden and already suspicious.

"Percy?" he said, voice echoing slightly. "What the Hades? Where are you? Why haven't you contacted us?!"

"Hi, sunshine," I said weakly. "Nice to see you too."

Will narrowed his eyes like he could diagnose my blood pressure through the message. "You look pale."

"I'm always pale, Will."

"You look extra pale. And is that a bandage on your ribs?"

"Nope." I tugged my hoodie over the gauze. "Just a fashion statement."

Behind Will, a crowd of familiar chaos started piling in. Nico, Thalia, Annabeth, Leo, and Piper all tried to shove into view at the same time.

"Percy!" Thalia shouted. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Oh, you know. New city. Same monsters. More brooding vigilantes."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "What city, Percy?"

I hesitated.

Before I could make something up, Will beat me to the screaming.

"YOU'RE INJURED, AREN'T YOU?!"

"Define 'injured,'" I said casually, even as my side throbbed where the stitches had half-ripped. "It's just a flesh wound."

"You said that last time! And it was a concussion, a broken arm, and a punctured lung!"

"Still just one wound if you think about it creatively."

Jason-my Jason, Gotham Jason-walked by behind me and tossed a granola bar at my head. "Tell him the truth before he explodes."

Will blinked. "Who the Hades was that?!"

"Just... a guy."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "A guy?"

Thalia's eyes narrowed. "You're with someone?"

"Technically, I'm with several someones," I muttered. "Also a butler who terrifies me more than the Minotaur."

Piper leaned in. "Percy. Are you safe?"

"Yes-ish."

"No. Nope." Will's voice dropped several degrees. "Wherever you are, whatever questionably attractive broody person that was, I'm coming there right now with supplies and a taser."

"No!" I yelped. "No, you are not rainbow-vomiting yourself into Gotham-"

"Gotham?!" three voices screamed in unison.

"Oops," I whispered.

"Percy Jackson," Will said darkly, "you better sit your demigod butt down and STAY STILL until I figure out how to teleport into that nightmare city."

"Great," I muttered, turning to see the Batfam watching from the hallway again. "Just what I needed. Magical wrath and emotional damage in 4D."

Jason leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. "So. You told them."

"I told them something," I grumbled, flicking the mist away. "Not my fault if it devolved into chaos."

"Everything you touch devolves into chaos," he said dryly. "It's your superpower."

Chapter Text

Percy

"You fought a manticore and fell off a cliff?" Tim blinked like he was buffering. "Twice?"

"Technically three times," I said, sinking further into the couch. "But who's counting?"

Jason Todd-Red Hood Jason, not blond Roman Jason-sat across from me with a cup of coffee and an expression that screamed done with my nonsense. Dick was next to him, half-curled on the arm of the couch, visibly fascinated. Damian lurked in the corner like a tiny angry gargoyle, clearly deciding whether to stab me or recruit me.

We were having a casual Q&A about "demigod things," and by casual I mean I was being interrogated like I was a war criminal.

"So let me get this straight," Dick said, counting off on his fingers. "You've been possessed by a demon, nearly drowned in a volcano, held up the sky, and dated a daughter of Athena?"

"Sounds like a normal Tuesday," I muttered, flicking Riptide open and closed in my lap like a nervous tic. The blade shimmered in celestial bronze before returning to pen form with a satisfying click.

Jason's eyes narrowed. "That sword. It's not normal."

"You're not wrong," I said with a smug grin. "It's celestial bronze. Kills monsters. Slices through most magic. Doesn't write for crap, though."

Tim was still typing furiously into some Bat-database. "How are none of your enemies in any known files? Are they invisible to surveillance?"

"Monster radar isn't a thing, sorry. And even if it was, you'd need god-approved software."

Damian scoffed. "Typical demigod arrogance."

"Typical gremlin energy," I shot back with a smirk.

Before Damian could lunge at me (again), the lights flickered. A cold wind blew through the manor, and every window vibrated.

Jason was halfway to his feet when I said, "...Please tell me this is one of your Bat-tech fails and not-"

The wall behind us exploded in a rush of black smoke and golden light, sending shards of glass across the room.

"Yup," I said, not moving from the couch. "Gods."

Out of the smoke stepped Nico, shadows coiling at his feet like a pet cat. Beside him stood Thalia, scowling with her electric-blue eyes already scanning the room. Annabeth had her knife out, while Leo, Piper, and Hazel looked ready for a full war.

"Oh, joy," I said dryly. "The cavalry's here. Late as usual."

"Percy!" Will Solace burst through the smoke, golden aura blazing like an angry sun. "YOU'RE BLEEDING AGAIN!"

"Hi, Will. Nice to see you too."

The Batboys were frozen-all of them-including Damian, whose knife arm twitched in uncertainty.

Jason Todd stood slowly, eyes narrowing. "Friends of yours?"

"Define 'friends,'" I muttered. "Half of them want to hug me. The other half want to punch me."

A crash outside drew everyone's attention. Through the window, I saw it: a familiar monster-Empousa, high-tier monster nightmare and eternal pain in my butt-tearing through the street with its flaming hair and snapping claws.

The Batboys sprang into action, weapons drawn. Jason grabbed his helmet, Damian vanished in a puff of movement, and Dick vaulted out the broken window with a grappling hook.

I stayed where I was, twirling Riptide.

Thalia leaned next to me. "Not helping?"

"Eh." I shrugged. "Let them have their fun."

The Batboys swarmed the Empousa, launching smoke bombs, bullets, bat-shaped explosives, and more acrobatics than a circus. The Empousa looked vaguely amused.

"Regular weapons don't work on her," I called, lounging back. "But, y'know, A for effort!"

Dick was slashing with electrified batons. "She's not going down!"

"Monster," I shouted. "Needs celestial bronze or divine energy!"

Jason growled through his helmet. "Would've been nice to know ten minutes ago!"

"Maybe if you let me finish my PowerPoint presentation earlier," I snarked.

Then Nico stepped out and raised his hand. Shadows pooled, and BAM-the Empousa was dragged screaming into the Underworld like a badly behaved houseguest.

Dead silence.

The Batboys turned, half-spattered in ash and blood, staring as Nico casually wiped soot off his jacket.

"See?" I said brightly. "Demigod problems. Demigod solutions."

Thalia smirked. "Nice babysitters, Seaweed Brain."

"They tried," I said. "Gold stars for effort."

Chapter Text

percy

"So," I said, clapping my hands together with mock enthusiasm, "now that we've saved Gotham from monster-induced chaos and property damage... ice cream, anyone?"

"Percy," Annabeth deadpanned, sheathing her dagger, "you were bleeding twenty minutes ago."

"Yeah, and now I'm not. Progress."

Will glared at me like I was a misbehaving patient, which, fair. Meanwhile, the Batboys-bruised and confused-were slowly regrouping. Jason had his helmet off again, hair mussed and jaw tight. Damian was eyeing Nico like he was planning a 3 a.m. assassination attempt. Tim looked like he wanted to catalog everyone's DNA.

Dick, ever the bridge-builder, gave a hesitant wave. "So... you guys are the 'demigods,' huh?"

Thalia crossed her arms. "You say that like it's a conspiracy theory."

"Isn't it?" Leo grinned. "Gods, monsters, teenage trauma... we've got the whole genre locked down."

"Right," Dick said, blinking. "Totally normal."

There was an awkward beat. Piper stepped forward, doing her best peacekeeping face. "Thanks for not letting Percy get eaten, by the way."

Jason snorted. "Wasn't for lack of trying. He argued the whole time."

"Did you expect him not to?" Nico muttered.

"Excuse you," I said, mock-offended. "I am a delight in battle."

"You're a distraction," Will shot back.

I patted him on the shoulder. "Distractions save lives."

The Batboys exchanged glances. Damian finally broke the silence. "What are you people?"

"Children of gods," Hazel said. "You know. The ancient Greek kind."

"And Roman," Jason Grace added pointedly, arms crossed. "Don't forget that."

"Wait, there's two of you?" Dick asked, pointing between him and me.

"Long story," I said quickly, seeing Jason Todd's eyes narrow. "Don't worry, you've got the better one."

Leo laughed. "Says the guy who got stabbed by both versions."

"So," Tim interjected, clearly trying to ground the conversation, "your weapons. That one-" he nodded at Riptide "-looks like it defies physics. And hers-" pointing to Thalia's spear "-electrifies itself?"

"It's all divine," Annabeth explained. "Celestial bronze, blessed steel, imperial gold. Mortal tech can't compete."

Dick's brows rose. "But the monsters? They're invisible unless you're... like you?"

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p'. "So welcome to my life: being blamed for property damage while saving people from things they can't even see."

"Sounds familiar," Jason muttered under his breath.

We shared a look. Just a flicker. Understanding. Recognition.

Nico stared Damian down. "You don't like people easily, do you?"

"I don't like people at all," Damian replied flatly.

Nico gave a slow nod of approval. "Same."

Will looked mildly horrified.

Thalia leaned toward Dick. "So, who's the circus acrobat?"

"Guilty," Dick said with a wink. "And you're the girl with lightning powers?"

"Daughter of Zeus. Long story."

"I think I'm into it."

Jason Todd groaned. "Dick, please."

Annabeth stepped forward. "So are we going to pretend the Greek pantheon doesn't need to know where Percy's been for the past two weeks?"

I raised a hand. "I vote yes to pretending."

Jason side-eyed me. "You ran away from home, didn't you?"

"Technically, I fell into a portal." I shrugged. "Fate's fault."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Why are you still in one piece?"

"Jason patched me up. Then yelled at me. Then threatened to sedate me."

"I offered," Jason corrected. "Didn't threaten."

Everyone stared at us for a beat too long.

Will cleared his throat. "And... what exactly is this arrangement?"

Jason's eyes met mine.

I looked at the ceiling.

Then I smiled.

"Temporary allies," I said. "Very temporary."

Jason scoffed. "We'll see about that."

"Are you actually stupid?" Thalia snapped, stepping into my space like the overprotective older sister she pretends not to be.

"Define 'stupid,'" I said, casually tossing Riptide in the air like a baton. "Because if it's 'running headfirst into a monster with a death wish,' then yeah, probably."

Her eyes narrowed. "You got stabbed, Percy."

"And you've been struck by literal lightning multiple times and didn't even blink."

"That's different!"

"Why? Because your dad throws the lightning?"

Thalia made a strangled noise and lunged. "You are the most aggravating-!"

"Okay," Will cut in smoothly, sliding between us like a golden-haired peace treaty in scrubs. "Before anyone gets zapped, sit down, Seaweed Brain."

I raised a brow. "Not you too."

Will shoved me-gently, but firmly-onto a nearby couch. "Yes. Me too. Because you have stitches and a pulse that's too fast, and your face is doing that pale-and-dying thing again."

"I'm fine," I muttered.

"You are not fine," Thalia huffed, arms crossed. "You're an idiot who's good at faking it."

Will pulled out a familiar metal flask and unsealed it. The scent hit instantly-nectar. Warm, like sunshine and childhood and Mom's blue cookies all at once. "Sip."

"Ugh," I groaned. "It tastes like blue cherry Coke and regret."

"Too bad," Will said sweetly. "Drink it or I call Apollo. Real Apollo."

I grumbled but took the flask, sipping reluctantly. Nectar burned in that golden way, fizzing under my skin, mending things I didn't realize were still torn. I sighed, slumping back a little as the ache in my side melted.

"Better?" Will asked.

"Marginally," I said. "Though I think I lost ten percent of my dignity in front of the Bat Squad."

"You had dignity?" Thalia deadpanned.

I flipped her off, which felt like progress.

Will was already unwrapping some ambrosia and pressing it into my hand. "Finish this. You'll be healed, but you'll still have a scar. Deep wounds like that always leave something behind."

"Like trauma," I said brightly.

"Like a reminder not to be reckless," Thalia snapped.

I waved the bandage-free patch of skin where the gash used to be. The skin was whole now, but a pale, silvery scar curled across my side like Poseidon had personally autographed me. I traced it idly.

"Cool," I said. "Battle souvenir."

Will glared at me. "Percy."

"Relax. It's character development."

Jason Todd, who'd been lingering nearby and pretending not to eavesdrop, muttered, "That explains the collection of scars all over your back."

I raised an eyebrow. "You looked?"

"I patched you up. What do you think?"

"Romantic," I teased.

He rolled his eyes, but I caught the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Thalia groaned. "Great. Now they're flirting while one of them's bleeding."

"Was bleeding," Will corrected. "Now he's just being annoying."

"Normal, then," Nico chimed from the shadows, unhelpful and smug.

"See," I said, popping the last bite of ambrosia in my mouth, "told you I was fine."

Will gave me the patented Apollo Child Death Glare™.

Thalia cracked her knuckles. "Say it again, and I'll make sure you're not."

I held up both hands, smirking. "Noted."

It was weird seeing demigods lounging on billion-dollar furniture like it was the Big House back at camp. Nico had claimed the darkest corner of the room like some bat-ghost hybrid, which felt incredibly on-brand in Gotham. Will was dragging him into actual sunlight-by force if necessary. Hazel and Frank sat neatly side-by-side, politely trying not to stare at the Batcomputer. Leo, however, was halfway under it, mumbling excitedly about outdated circuits and "primitive BatTech."

Bruce had already resigned himself to the chaos and disappeared somewhere. Smart man.

Tim and Dick were asking Annabeth questions about demigods and monsters like this was an exclusive TED Talk. And Annabeth, being Annabeth, was eating it up. She even pulled out a notebook. Of course she brought a notebook to a different dimension.

I flopped onto the couch next to Thalia and nudged her with my foot.

"You're still mad, huh?" I asked.

She narrowed her eyes. "You ran headfirst into an empousa with a stab wound."

"She was asking for it," I said. "Did you see her face?"

"Percy, I swear to the gods, I will punch you again."

"You've never punched me."

"Today might be the day."

"You say that every time we meet."

She lunged, and I ducked, barely missing a zap of static from her fingertips. I retaliated by flicking water from my bottle directly at her face.

"Oh you're dead!"

We wrestled. Or, well, brawled like siblings in a cabin during a thunderstorm lockdown. Thalia tackled me over the coffee table, and I elbowed her in the ribs on the way down. Jason and Damian exchanged a bewildered look as we rolled across the rug, knocking over a lamp. Tim tried to intervene and immediately got kicked (by accident. Mostly).

"Thalia! Percy!" Annabeth's voice cut through the madness like a celestial bronze knife. "If you two don't stop right now, I will personally knock you both out and leave you on Olympus' doorstep as a peace offering."

Thalia froze, halfway through a noogie. I blinked up from where my face was smushed into the floor.

"You wouldn't," I said.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Try me, Seaweed Brain."

Thalia slowly got off me, brushing her hair back like she hadn't just tried to rip out a chunk of mine.

"She started it," I muttered.

"Don't test me."

Jason Todd watched the whole thing with a raised brow. "That normal?"

Dick just laughed. "Honestly, this is weirdly tame for them."

"Are you guys always like this?" Tim asked.

Annabeth sighed. "Yes. Unfortunately."

Thalia crossed her arms. "He's an idiot. And he's not taking this seriously."

"I am taking it seriously!" I groaned, flopping back onto the couch again. "I'm just also injured and tired and surrounded by people who insist on calling themselves bats."

Damian glared. "You're lucky I don't stab you."

"Yeah, yeah," I waved him off, "get in line behind the empousa."

Dick leaned back and grinned at me. "You'll fit right in."

I wasn't sure if he meant that as a compliment, but it felt like one.

And for once, I didn't mind.

Chapter Text

Percy

I wasn't looking for Damian. That's what I kept telling myself as I wandered into the Wayne training room sometime past midnight. The Bats really did live nocturnally. Kind of fitting, actually.

The room was dimly lit except for the stark glow of the overhead fluorescent bulbs reflecting off steel and polished wood. Damian stood in the center like a tiny warrior god, katana flashing as he sliced through his training dummies with surgical precision. For a second, I just watched. The kid was angry. Not "I'm going to throw a tantrum" angry-more like the coiled kind. Controlled, dangerous, lethal.

"You always this dramatic or is it just when you're alone?" I called.

He didn't turn around. "You have a talent for stating the obvious."

"I prefer the term 'brilliant conversationalist.'" I leaned against the wall. "So, this is what you do for fun? Stab dummies and look broody?"

Damian whipped his blade through the air in one final swing and then stood perfectly still. His breathing was calm, but his eyes were sharp as he finally turned to face me.

"If you're here to spar, I'll give you three minutes before you're on the floor."

"Wow, generous," I said. "You're already more charitable than Ares."

Damian arched a brow. "Is that a challenge?"

"Nah. I've fought gods. You're terrifying, don't get me wrong, but your intimidation factor is about 3.5 out of 10."

His lip twitched-was that amusement? Nah. Probably indigestion.

"You're an idiot," he muttered.

I shrugged. "And yet, somehow, I keep surviving."

Damian crossed his arms. "You're reckless. You don't plan. You run into danger like it's a game."

I blinked. "I'm a demigod. That is the game."

He studied me like he was dissecting a frog. "People like you die young."

"People like me live hard," I countered, a bit softer. "And we save lives while we do it."

For a second, he didn't answer. Then, in a quiet voice, he asked, "What's it like? Knowing you're always one fight away from not coming back?"

I met his eyes. "Terrifying. But when you've got people counting on you, you don't get to be afraid. You just fight."

He looked down at the katana in his hands, then sheathed it slowly. "Tch. You're still annoying."

"But?" I prompted.

"But... less pathetic than I expected."

I grinned. "Aw, was that almost a compliment? I'm touched."

"I take it back."

Jason's room looked like a weapons catalog and a motorcycle magazine had a baby during an earthquake. Still, it had... character.

I flopped onto his bed like I lived there-which, to be fair, I kind of did right now.

"Seriously, you should talk to Damian more often," I said, spinning Riptide between my fingers. "Kid's intense, but I think he's secretly crying out for a hug."

Jason looked up from where he was sharpening a dagger. "Pretty sure if you try, he'll stab you."

"Joke's on him. Been stabbed before."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Of course you have."

I watched him work, noticing how methodical he was. The silence stretched between us until I decided to break it in true Percy fashion.

"You sharpen knives for fun. That's... healthy."

Jason raised a brow. "Better than jumping into monster fights with stitches still fresh."

"Touché," I muttered, not looking up.

"Will would kill you if he knew."

"He does know. He gave me the world's most judgmental look over iris message earlier. I thought he was gonna smite me with sunlight."

Jason snorted. "You do attract chaos."

"Better than being boring," I said with a shrug, sitting up on his bed. "So... are you gonna scold me next?"

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Do you want me to?"

"That depends. Are you into that?"

A pause. A long, loaded pause.

Jason blinked slowly. "Are you flirting with me again?"

"Again? I don't remember stopping."

He smirked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You're impossible."

"And yet," I stood, walking toward him with a mock-serious expression, "you're still letting me sleep in your room."

"You'd just sneak in anyway," he muttered.

"Because I like the vibe. And the sarcasm."

Jason's gaze flicked down to me-like he was seeing more than he let on. I was shorter than him by six inches, which he never let me forget. Still, I didn't back down. Not with him. Especially not now.

"I should probably ban you," he murmured.

"You won't."

"And why not?"

I grinned. "Because you like me here."

Jason rolled his eyes, but there was color in his cheeks now. "You're so full of yourself."

"You haven't denied it," I sing-songed.

He stepped closer, close enough that I could see the flecks of blue in his gray eyes.

"I should kiss you just to shut you up."

I blinked. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

He didn't answer. He just stared-and then, at the last second, ruffled my hair like I was an annoying puppy and walked away.

"Hey!" I shouted after him.

Jason chuckled, grabbing his helmet. "Go to sleep, Seaweed Brain."

"Rude!" I yelled.

But I was smiling.

Chapter Text

The air in Jason's bedroom was thick with tension, the only sound the soft thud of his boots as he crossed the room towards the bed where Percy lounged. Percy's eyes flicked up to meet Jason's, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

"You left dishes in the sink again," Jason said, his voice low and gravelly.

Percy snorted, not bothering to look up from Riptide, which he was deftly twirling between his knuckles. "Oh no, not the dishes. Please, punish me."

Jason raised a brow, his steely gaze locking with Percy's stormy one. "You seriously going to sass me over this?"

Percy sat up slowly, the oversized black hoodie slipping off one shoulder. "I seriously might."

That was all it took. Jason closed the distance between them, leaning down until his face was mere inches from Percy's. The heat of his breath ghosted over Percy's lips as he spoke.

"I don't know what it is with you," Jason growled. "Every time I think we've figured out how to coexist, you push another button."

Percy's smirk widened. "Maybe you just have too many buttons. Maybe you like it."

Jason's hand shot out, curling around Percy's jaw and tilting his head back. His thumb brushed deliberately over Percy's bottom lip, making him gasp.

"You really want to test me tonight?" Jason asked, his voice a low rumble.

Percy's heart raced, but he met Jason's gaze head-on. "I think," he said slowly, "you just don't like not being in control."

Jason chuckled, a dark and dangerous sound. "You're right. I don't."

Without warning, Jason closed the distance and kissed Percy hard, his lips demanding and insistent. Percy moaned into the kiss, his fingers tangling in Jason's hair as he clung to him. The hoodie disappeared as Jason pushed Percy back onto the bed, climbing over him and settling between his thighs.

"You drive me insane," Jason muttered against Percy's neck, his teeth scraping over the sensitive skin.

"Mutual," Percy gasped, arching up into Jason's touch.

Clothes were shed slowly, teasingly, as Jason mapped every inch of Percy's body with his lips and hands. Percy gasped and writhed beneath him, his skin flushed and heated, his cock throbbing with need. Jason took his time, tasting and touching until Percy was a whimpering, desperate mess.

"Please," Percy begged, his voice barely a whisper. "I need you."

Jason growled, a sound of pure male satisfaction. He grabbed the lube from the bedside table, slicking his fingers before pressing one into Percy's tight heat. Percy cried out, his back arching off the bed as he was stretched and filled.

"Fuck," Jason groaned, watching Percy's face as he worked a second finger in alongside the first. "You're so tight."

Percy could only moan in response, lost in the sensation of being opened and prepared. When Jason finally replaced his fingers with the head of his cock, Percy let out a shuddering breath, his body clenching around the thick intrusion.

"Breathe," Jason commanded, his voice rough with restraint.

Percy nodded, exhaling slowly as he forced his body to relax. Jason sank in deeper, inch by inch, until he was fully sheathed inside Percy's tight channel. They both groaned at the sensation, their bodies fitting together like they were made for each other.

"God, you feel incredible," Jason said, his hips starting to move in slow, deep strokes.

Percy could only whimper in response, his fingers digging into Jason's shoulders as he was taken apart piece by piece. The pleasure built with each thrust, coiling tighter and tighter in his core until he was teetering on the edge of oblivion.

"Come for me," Jason growled, pounding into him harder, faster. "Let me feel you come undone."

Percy's orgasm hit him like a freight train, his body seizing up as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over him. He cried out Jason's name, his vision whiting out as he came harder than he ever had before.

Jason followed him over the edge moments later, his hips stuttering as he spilled himself deep inside Percy's still-quivering body. They collapsed together, a tangle of limbs and sweat-soaked skin, both panting harshly as they came down from their high.

"So," Percy said after a moment, his voice hoarse and spent. "Are you still mad about the dishes?"

Jason huffed out a laugh, pressing a kiss to Percy's temple. "I'm still going to make you clean them tomorrow."

"Worth it," Percy muttered, biting back a grin.

Jason pulled him closer, their bodies molding together perfectly. "Yeah. You are."

They lay there in comfortable silence, basking in the afterglow of their passion. And for once, Percy didn't feel the urge to run or fight or push Jason away. Instead, he savored the feeling of being held and cherished, safe in the knowledge that he was exactly where he belonged.

Chapter Text

The room was still quiet except for the soft hum of the AC and the distant sounds of Gotham coming to life outside. Percy felt a warmth pressing into his side, and for a moment, he allowed himself to just sink into it. He wasn't ready to face the day. Not yet. Not after... well, last night.

He slowly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Jason, who was still sprawled out with his arm across the pillow. Percy stood, stretching out his sore muscles, feeling the aftermath of everything-his body was sore in a way he hadn't expected, his skin tingling with a strange mix of satisfaction and discomfort.

As he walked into the bathroom, still half in a daze, he caught his reflection in the mirror.

And froze.

There, on his neck, across his chest, even a little on his back-hickeys. Red, tender, and very visible. Jason had marked him up like he was some damn prize. Percy couldn't help but blink at the sight, feeling heat rise to his face. He had to admit, Jason had a certain... intensity when he wanted to.

The hickeys were the most obvious, but there were also handprints-deep, almost bruising impressions on his ribs and shoulders. Like Jason had been holding him too tightly, and yet, Percy couldn't bring himself to mind. There was a strange sense of... belonging that came with it. It was just part of being with Jason, right? The passionate intensity, the fire.

Percy ran a hand through his hair, sighing, before he heard a soft grunt from behind him. Jason stirred on the bed. Percy quickly pulled his shirt down a little further to cover the marks and grabbed a towel, heading to the shower with a muttered curse.

He didn't know what he was expecting, but definitely not this.

After a few moments of standing under the warm water, he let his mind wander. Last night had been... intense. There were moments where Jason's touch had been rough, others where he had been surprisingly tender. It wasn't just about the physical stuff. It was about the connection, the heat, the way everything felt in that fleeting moment of closeness. Percy hadn't been sure what to expect when he got tangled up with Jason Todd, but he wasn't expecting to feel... so seen. So understood, despite everything.

The memory of Jason's hands on his skin, the way he had kissed him like he couldn't get enough, made him shiver, and not just from the cold shower. His chest tightened, his breath coming a little faster. He hadn't realized how much he craved that kind of connection-raw, real, and, frankly, not at all what he was used to.

When he stepped out of the shower, still wrapped in the towel, he looked at his reflection again, this time with a mix of disbelief and amusement. He could already see the marks starting to fade a little, but it didn't stop him from chuckling at himself. He really did look like he'd been in a battle-only this one didn't involve monsters.

"Great," he muttered to his reflection. "Now I get to deal with the aftermath of this."

As he headed back to the room, Jason was sitting up, rubbing his eyes, his hair all messy and a smirk creeping onto his face. When he saw Percy, his eyes immediately darted to the marks on his neck. He grinned wider, leaning back into the bed like he knew something Percy didn't.

"Not bad, huh?" Jason teased, voice thick with satisfaction.

Percy rolled his eyes, not wanting to admit how much of a mess he felt like. "Yeah, just perfect. You've got to be kidding me. I'm gonna get questions. I'm supposed to go outside looking like this?"

Jason's grin only grew. "What, you don't like the way I make you look?"

"Not particularly," Percy shot back. "Pretty sure I've got a bunch of people who will want to know what happened. And you-" He pointed at Jason, "-will be the one to explain, not me."

Jason didn't even flinch. He just leaned back further, crossing his arms behind his head. "Yeah, well, maybe you'll like the attention. At least you've got a good excuse now, huh?"

Percy glared at him, but deep down, there was a flicker of warmth. He could never stay mad at Jason for long-not when the guy made him feel so... seen.

"I'm just saying," Percy started, grabbing a shirt from the pile of clothes Jason had left lying around. "Next time, maybe don't go so-"

Jason raised a brow. "What, you don't like it?"

"I didn't say that," Percy muttered, pulling on the shirt and adjusting it to hide the marks. "I'm just not looking forward to dealing with all the questions from the rest of the family. They'll probably think I got into a fight with one of Gotham's weirdest monsters or something."

"Well, we don't have any monsters like that in Gotham," Jason said, completely unfazed. "But you've got a whole lot of questions waiting for you, so good luck with that, Sea boy."

Percy rolled his eyes. "I hate that nickname."

Jason chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep calling you that. You know you like it."

Percy shot him a look but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Whatever you say, Todd. But next time," he added with a mischievous grin, "maybe I'll leave a few marks on you to match."

Jason's smirk faltered for half a second, and then he narrowed his eyes, clearly up for the challenge. "Bring it on, Jackson."

Percy was already thinking up ways to return the favor as he tossed the towel over his shoulder, walking out of the room with a newfound confidence. Maybe Jason Todd wasn't the worst roommate after all.

Chapter Text

The living room of the Batcave was unusually quiet as Percy sat on the couch, nursing a glass of water and trying to wrap his head around the chaotic situation. His demigod friends had been in Gotham for a little while now, all trying to figure out how the hell they ended up here and more importantly, how they could get back home. The whole thing felt so out of place. He was surrounded by high-tech gadgets, an entire underground lair, and... well, Gotham itself. This wasn't exactly the sunny, familiar world of Camp Half-Blood.

Jason had retreated to his usual perch on a nearby armchair, arms crossed, and looking entirely too comfortable in his dark hoodie and black cargo pants. As usual, the brooding vigilante aura was radiating off him. Percy couldn't help but be a little distracted by the way he looked-like he had stepped out of a comic book or something.

Meanwhile, the others-Nico, Thalia, Annabeth, and Leo-were all sprawled out around the Batcave, looking as lost as Percy felt. It wasn't long before the subject of their predicament came up again.

"So, uh, anyone have any idea how we're getting out of here?" Leo asked, looking over at Percy with a raised brow. "I mean, I get it, you probably don't know either, right?"

Percy sighed, looking at his friends as they all exchanged uncertain glances. They had tried asking the gods, but none of them had a clear answer. They were stuck, plain and simple.

"I've got nothing," Percy said, putting the glass down on the table. "I mean, I'm guessing none of you have anything either, right? We're just... stuck here?"

Thalia crossed her arms, clearly annoyed at the situation. "I don't like this. We don't belong here. The gods are supposed to help us, not just... leave us to figure it out."

Annabeth nodded, her brow furrowed as she stared down at her hands, clearly deep in thought. "It doesn't make sense. We're supposed to be the heroes, the ones who fight the monsters. And now we've become the ones who need saving. How are we supposed to get back home?"

Percy slouched back into the couch, stretching his legs out, and tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Not that he would admit it out loud, but the longer they stayed in Gotham, the more he felt like a stranger. Everything about this place was... different.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Nico raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, his dark eyes narrowing as if he could read Percy like an open book.

"So, Seaweed Brain," Nico started, the nickname coming out as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "What's up with the... bruises?" He gestured vaguely at Percy's neck and arms, where the handprints were still faintly visible, though most of the marks had faded in the past few hours.

Percy froze, his stomach doing a little flip. He wasn't about to get into the details of what had happened between him and Jason. He wasn't ready for that conversation yet-especially not with the whole group around. He tried to play it off, but his face was betraying him already.

"Bruises?" Percy echoed, attempting his usual smirk. "What bruises? Oh, these?" He lifted his arm and pointed to a spot on his neck where the faintest purple mark lingered. "It's no big deal. Just got into a little... accident while, uh, fighting a monster. You know, usual stuff. Don't worry about it."

Thalia wasn't convinced. "Really? Because that looks like... more than just a scratch, Percy."

Annabeth was watching him intently, her eyes scanning him with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "It's not like you to be so secretive, Percy. You've never been shy about things like this before."

Leo nodded. "Yeah, man. You've gotten yourself hurt a million times, and you've always been more than happy to tell us about it."

Jason, who had been mostly silent until now, glanced at Percy from the corner of his eye. His lips curled into the faintest of smirks, clearly enjoying the discomfort Percy was radiating.

Percy shot him a glare, but Jason only shrugged, uncaring.

Nico didn't look convinced at all, though. He had a way of seeing through people, and Percy knew that. The son of Hades raised his hand, gesturing as if he wanted to probe further. "I don't believe you. You think I don't know what a hickey looks like, Percy?"

Annabeth's eyes widened as she looked back and forth between the two boys, putting the pieces together. "Wait... Percy, you're telling us that these aren't from a fight with some monster?" she asked slowly, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Percy let out a loud sigh, realizing it was no use trying to hide it anymore. He dropped his head into his hands. "Fine, fine," he muttered, too tired to pretend anymore. "It's from... someone. Not a monster. And, okay, yeah, maybe it's not just one fight. But it's... not what you think."

Nico's face was unreadable, but Percy could feel his gaze burning through him. He was so not ready to talk about what happened, but Nico wasn't buying any of it.

"Look, I don't need details," Nico said, his tone flat. "But I can tell you're not telling the whole truth. And I don't think it's really the best time to be hiding things."

Annabeth, Thalia, and Leo all exchanged looks, but no one pushed further. Not right now, anyway.

Jason spoke up again, this time with a chuckle. "You know, you could've just told them, Percy. No need to get all dramatic about it." His voice was casual, the familiar teasing tone unmistakable.

Percy shot him a glare. "I don't know, Jay. You've made it pretty damn obvious already, haven't you?"

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay. So, you guys...?"

Percy groaned. "It's not a big deal, Thalia. Don't make it weirder than it already is."

Leo leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Does that mean we're gonna have to worry about Jason and Percy becoming an official thing now?"

Jason smirked. "I wouldn't mind. But don't expect me to play nice about it."

Percy threw a pillow at Jason. "Shut up, man."

But before anyone could say anything else, Percy's eyes flickered toward the door as a soft voice called out, "Is everything okay in here?"

It was Bruce. Of course, he'd been eavesdropping.

Percy immediately turned red, hoping no one would mention the tension that had been building in the room since he got here. The last thing he needed was more awkwardness on top of it.

Chapter Text

Later that night, the sounds of Gotham had quieted down, the usual hum of sirens and distant chatter fading to a dull thrum. The city never truly slept, but it had its moments of stillness, moments that made the shadows feel heavier.

Percy couldn't sleep. He couldn't shake the image of Jason, the way the older boy's hands had gripped him earlier, how their bodies had fit together in a way that both confused and excited him. The night's mission had left his thoughts scattered, his body buzzing with the adrenaline of battle and the undercurrent of something else-something he wasn't ready to admit.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Percy stared at the darkened window, fingers tapping absently on the edge of his jacket sleeve. He could still feel Jason's touch on his skin, the heat of his body close to his own, and it made his pulse quicken just thinking about it.

Just as he was about to try to get some sleep, the door creaked open, and Jason stepped into the room, his silhouette cutting through the dim light. The older boy was wearing nothing but a loose shirt and cargo pants, his arms bare. Percy's breath caught in his throat before he could stop himself.

Jason's eyes locked onto him immediately, the tension between them palpable. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there watching Percy as if gauging his every reaction.

"What?" Percy finally broke the silence, leaning back on his hands, trying to mask the way his heartbeat had sped up.

Jason smirked, that same cocky grin Percy had come to recognize over the past few days. "Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

Percy rolled his eyes, though the movement was almost nervous. "Yeah, but if you're about to say something about how I should 'get some rest'-"

Jason took a step closer, cutting him off. "You're not fine, Percy."

Percy's heart stuttered at the way Jason said his name, low and rough. He quickly turned his face away, a mix of irritation and something else-something darker-clawing at him. "I'm always fine," he muttered, not meeting Jason's eyes.

Jason didn't believe him. "You're not fine," he repeated, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "You're hurt. And you're... avoiding it." His gaze dropped to Percy's side, where the faintest shadow of bruises had already begun to form. They were barely visible, but Jason had an eagle's eye for details. "You think I can't tell?"

Percy stood up abruptly, but Jason was faster, catching his wrist before he could take a step back. The touch sent a jolt through him, and for a moment, Percy forgot to breathe. He met Jason's eyes, his own sharp with frustration, but there was something else simmering just beneath the surface.

"I'm fine, Jason," Percy said through gritted teeth, trying to pull away, but Jason only held on tighter.

"Stop lying to me," Jason said quietly, his voice low enough that Percy could feel the weight of every word.

There was a beat of silence before Percy spoke again, his voice much softer now. "It's nothing. I'm used to it." He tried to pull away again, but this time Jason didn't let him. Instead, he closed the distance between them, his body heat radiating into Percy's.

"I know you are," Jason said, his voice almost tender now. "But you don't have to be. Not with me."

Percy's breath caught again. He could feel the heat of Jason's chest against his, their proximity undeniable, and for the first time, Percy didn't know what to do with the emotions rising up in him. He wanted to say something smart-something sarcastic to deflect-but all that came out was a shaky breath.

Jason's gaze softened, his fingers moving to brush a stray lock of hair out of Percy's face. "Let me help you, Percy," he murmured.

The moment was delicate, fragile even, and Percy was suddenly aware of every inch of their bodies pressed together. Jason's touch lingered on his skin, gentle yet insistent, and for a second, everything in Percy's mind went quiet.

Then, before Percy could think any more about it, Jason leaned in, his lips brushing against his forehead in a slow, deliberate motion. The warmth of it spread through Percy's chest, and he could feel his pulse racing again, but it wasn't just the adrenaline anymore.

Jason's lips pulled away slowly, and the cool air between them seemed to hum with the unsaid things neither of them were brave enough to voice.

Percy finally spoke, voice barely above a whisper. "You're not gonna stop, are you?"

Jason smiled, a quiet, knowing smile that made Percy's heart skip. "Not when it comes to you."

Before Percy could respond, the door creaked again, and the two of them pulled apart quickly, just as Damian entered, his sharp gaze flicking between them. "I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but I suggest you take this elsewhere. You're distracting me."

Percy blinked, still reeling from the heat of Jason's touch. He opened his mouth to make some sarcastic remark, but then he realized he wasn't sure what he even wanted to say anymore. He was too caught up in the tension, in everything that had happened in the past few hours.

Jason turned toward Damian, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Maybe you should get some sleep, Damian. You look like you're about to pass out."

Damian narrowed his eyes but didn't respond, instead walking out of the room, leaving Percy and Jason alone again.

Jason took a step back, his smirk fading into something quieter, more thoughtful. "You still wanna pretend nothing's going on?" he asked, his voice low.

Percy opened his mouth to argue, but the words never came. Instead, he just nodded, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "You're not fooling anyone, Percy. Least of all me."

Percy's heart raced again, and he knew there was no going back from this. Not now. He was already tangled in Jason's web, and there was no way out.

Chapter Text

The Gotham skyline was always dark, looming like a shroud over the streets below. Percy had quickly learned that this city wasn't like any other-where New York had its own peculiar charm and Camp Half-Blood was familiar in its chaos, Gotham felt cold and calculating. He wasn't sure if it was the constant danger or the looming shadows of its crime-ridden streets, but there was something unnervingly tense about being here.

Jason had insisted that they needed backup. Gotham had its share of dangerous people, and tonight, they were dealing with a low-level crime syndicate. Of course, "low-level" in Gotham meant a dangerous run-in with some seriously twisted individuals. That was where the team came in.

They were all gathered in a dimly lit warehouse on the outskirts of the city, waiting for the signal. The Batfamily, with its seasoned precision, was ready to infiltrate the syndicate's operation, and Percy, of course, had to come along. It wasn't like he had much of a choice, given Jason's insistence and the fact that he had to keep his eye on him.

"I still don't understand why I have to be here," Percy muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against a nearby wall. He glanced over at Jason, who was checking over his gear with that trademark calmness of his. "This is Gotham. I'm used to fighting monsters and Greek demigods. Why the hell would I need to be involved in this whole 'fight-crime' thing?"

Jason glanced over at him, a wry smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "You're not just here for the fun of it, Percy. We need someone who can take care of things when things get out of hand. You know, like when someone tries to pull a gun on you and you make them regret it."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Right, because I'm totally squishy compared to all you guys. I'm sure my help is absolutely essential."

He heard Damian chuckle under his breath from a few feet away, and Percy shot him a look.

"What's so funny, Robin?" Percy raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Damian shot him an unimpressed look. "You are so dramatic, Percy. You'll see how real danger works in Gotham soon enough."

"Yeah, because getting into a fistfight with some gang members is so much more dangerous than trying to take down a god of war," Percy muttered, mostly to himself.

Jason, sensing that Percy was already about to go into a rant, approached him. He placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. "You'll be fine. Just stay alert."

"I'm always alert," Percy said with a roll of his eyes. "Besides, I'm used to more dangerous stuff than just being stuck in some warehouse while you guys do... whatever it is you do."

Jason chuckled softly. "Trust me, Percy, you're going to be wishing you weren't so confident in a few minutes."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy muttered, his impatience starting to grow as the minutes dragged by. His fingers subconsciously tapped against the hilt of Riptide, his mind racing between the desire to get moving and the ongoing irritation of being stuck in Gotham for a mission that wasn't his idea.

"Alright," came a deep voice from across the room. It was Bruce. "We have a visual on the target. Time to move."

The Batfamily immediately sprang into action, with Jason leading the charge, as always. Percy sighed dramatically, falling into step behind him. Of course, he was part of the team-he had no choice but to go along with whatever Jason told him. But that didn't mean he had to enjoy it.

"Well, I hope you've got a plan, because I'm not looking to get shot in the back because you decided to get 'creative,'" Percy grumbled.

Jason shot him an amused look as they made their way out of the warehouse and into the dark alleyway. "Stay close, Percy. I'm the one who handles the creative stuff."

Percy huffed, falling into step behind Jason. "Creative? Oh, you mean like last time, when we got stuck in that trap and had to fight our way out because of your 'brilliant plan'?"

Jason gave him a teasing smile. "You're welcome, by the way. I saved your ass."

"Saved my-" Percy started, but was cut off by the sudden sound of gunshots from up ahead.

"Focus," Jason ordered sharply, and Percy immediately switched into battle mode. The mission was officially underway.

The team split up quickly-Dick and Barbara moving on one side, Tim and Damian on another, with Jason and Percy covering the main entrance. Percy couldn't help but watch Jason as he moved with the others, his posture confident and purposeful. The way he handled himself was impressive, even if Percy was still annoyed with him.

They closed in on the criminals' location, and Percy's attention immediately shifted to the task at hand. He had dealt with his fair share of street fights, but Gotham was something else. These criminals were ruthless. As the team took down the guards, Percy couldn't help but feel the tension build in the air.

A man stepped out of the shadows, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the team. "I don't know who you people are," he sneered, "but you picked the wrong place to make a mess."

Jason's voice was calm, cold, as he stepped forward. "I don't care who you think you are. You're not getting away tonight."

Percy couldn't help himself. As Jason and the others took their positions, Percy rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, a little too loudly. He leaned in to Jason and whispered, "Can we please just do this fast? I really don't want to be stuck here when Gotham decides to get creative again."

Jason shot him a look, but before he could respond, a flurry of gunfire erupted. It was chaos in the space, but Percy was already ahead of the game. With a quick swipe, he swung Riptide through the air, knocking the gun from one of the assailants' hands. A sharp kick to another's knee sent him tumbling to the ground. Percy smirked as he watched them scramble, clearly unprepared for a demigod's skill.

"That's what you get for thinking guns can take me down," Percy muttered under his breath, grinning.

Jason, meanwhile, was dispatching enemies left and right with swift, lethal precision. His movements were smooth, too practiced to be anything but effective. Percy couldn't help but feel a flash of admiration, even though he'd never admit it out loud.

The fight went on for several minutes, but it was clear that the Batfamily had the upper hand. Still, Percy couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something-a bigger plot behind it all. Gotham's crime wasn't this simple, and there had to be a reason they were doing this tonight.

Finally, the last of the criminals had been subdued, and the area was cleared. Jason gave Percy a look, raising an eyebrow. "That was impressive, for someone who didn't want to be here."

"Yeah, well," Percy shrugged nonchalantly, though his chest was still heaving with adrenaline, "I've been through worse. Gotham's just got a lot of... hype around it."

Jason rolled his eyes, but there was a brief flash of pride in his expression. "Next time, don't whine so much. You might just enjoy it."

"Enjoy Gotham?" Percy snorted. "I'll enjoy not getting shot at."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Jason said with a grin, though it was evident he was a little more satisfied with the outcome.

As the last of the gang members were restrained and the immediate threat neutralized, Jason gave the all-clear signal, tapping the side of his helmet.

"That's it," he said, glancing around the abandoned factory. "Secure the area and call it in."

Percy let out an exaggerated sigh and leaned his weight against a nearby pillar, resting Riptide on his shoulder. "Finally. Can we go now, or do you people do post-fight yoga or something?"

Damian, already tying up the last unconscious thug, muttered, "At least we stretch, Jackson. Keeps you from snapping like an old man."

Percy scowled. "I'd snap you like a twig, if you didn't look so much like a ten-year-old."

Jason was about to cut in-half amused, half exasperated-when a sharp click echoed through the space.

A substance started to feel the warehouse from all sides.

Everyone was masked. The second the gas hissed out from the vents, the demigods reacted on instinct-Thalia barking orders, Nico producing extra enchanted masks Hades had gifted him "just in case," and even Leo tossing Grover a spare. Years of battles had trained them well.

But even with the gear, it was clear something was off.

"This gas... it's enchanted," Nico said darkly, his voice muffled behind the Underworld-forged mask. "I can feel it scratching at the edges of my mind."

Annabeth's eyes darted toward him. "How is that possible? We're protected."

"Physically, yeah," Will answered, brows furrowing as he kept Percy close, watching him too closely. "But it's not just chemical. There's magic in this. Dark stuff. Whoever made it didn't just want to poison us-they wanted to mess with our heads."

Percy groaned and leaned back against a beam. "Great. Gotham's version of 'fun.' Where's the villain monologue and dramatic lighting when you need it?"

Jason didn't laugh. His eyes swept over the group, assessing.

"We'll split into two. Bat-family handles upstairs. Demigods sweep the floor. We'll meet in ten-"

Thalia suddenly staggered, her hand flying to the side of her helmet.

"Whoa, hey-" Percy caught her elbow just before she hit the ground. "You okay?"

"Something... flashed in front of me." She blinked hard. "Like a nightmare. I was back in the tree-trapped. I could feel the bark growing over my skin."

Percy's hand tightened on her arm.

"It's getting through," Will confirmed grimly, gripping his medical bag. "The masks slow it down, but not completely. Mental infiltration. If you've got trauma-and let's face it, we all do-it's using that as a doorway."

Nico was dead silent, but the white in his knuckles spoke volumes as he clutched his Stygian sword.

Jason gave a sharp nod. "Then we move fast."

They split quickly, urgency pushing them into motion. Percy stayed with Jason, of course, because he wouldn't trust the Gotham team not to get hurt without him there to throw shade at their villain-of-the-week equipment.

"I swear," Percy muttered under his breath, stumbling slightly as a jolt of something-fear? memory?-rippled through him. "If I see one more Joker-themed nightmare, I'm flooding this place and the sewers."

Jason shot him a look. "What'd you see?"

Percy didn't answer for a beat. His voice was too even when he said, "Just Tartarus. Again. Like a rerun. Only this time, I didn't make it out."

Jason paused mid-step. His hand reached out, just a slight touch on Percy's elbow.

"You're not back there."

"Tell my brain that," Percy snapped, but there wasn't real anger behind it-just tiredness.

They moved quietly then, clearing corners, until Jason's boot clipped something-an invisible trip wire that hadn't been there earlier.

A new alarm shrieked.

The red lights shifted to blue.

And the gas began pouring in twice as fast.

"RUN!" Jason bellowed.

Behind them, the vents shrieked. Percy didn't hesitate. He grabbed Jason's arm and surged forward-both of them moving on instinct.

"Gas got smarter," Percy choked out through the rebreather. "This stuff's hunting us now."

"You think?" Jason snapped, though his grip tightened around Percy's wrist.

Back on the lower floor, the rest of the group had reconvened-Leo trying to hack open a vent, Annabeth yelling at Thalia to stay awake, Will scrambling for a stronger healing salve and mumbling, "I told him to rest, but nooo..."

A scream rang out-unnatural, metallic. The kind of sound that haunted nightmares.

And this time?

Even Jason looked unnerved.

The gas slipped into their lungs like a whisper made of knives. Everyone had masks on, but it was the psychological component - not the physical - that started hitting hard. Fear toxin, mixed with something darker, something magic-infused.

Jason noticed it first. Percy had stopped moving.

He stood dead still in the middle of the hallway, eyes blown wide, body shaking. His hands trembled like he'd been pulled straight from a war zone. His knuckles went white around Riptide - still capped as a pen, clutched like a lifeline - but he hadn't drawn it.

"Percy?" Jason's voice was sharp through the comms.

The others paused, weapons raised, attention snapping to the son of Poseidon.

Percy flinched violently at his name. "Don't-don't call me that," he muttered. "Not now."

"Percy, it's us," Annabeth said, calm but urgent.

But his breathing was spiraling, ragged and uneven. His eyes weren't seeing them. They were seeing something else.

He whispered, "Please... not again. I can't lose them again..."

The hallway fell quiet. Too quiet.

Nico stepped forward first. "He's seeing something," he murmured, voice tense. "Something that's... shattering him."

Percy backed up against the wall like he was trying to disappear into it, hands dragging down his face. "They died - the ship exploded - Leo, Leo, I couldn't-I should've saved him-" His voice cracked at the name, and even Leo flinched.

Leo moved closer. "Seaweed Brain, I'm right here, man. You're okay."

But Percy didn't hear him. "No. No. You're dead. Everyone dies. My mom, Beckendorf, Silena... Bianca-"

Thalia's fists clenched. "Damn it."

His body slumped like the guilt itself was crushing him. "I keep failing them. I always fail-"

"No, you don't," Jason said, kneeling beside him, hands raised. "Look at me, Percy. You've saved more people than anyone I've ever met. You carry the weight of the gods and still wake up the next morning to crack a joke. That's not failure - that's strength."

But Percy didn't seem to hear him. He was curled in on himself, shaking, whispering names like prayers or curses.

And then, suddenly, he choked out a sob.

Not a small one. A gut-wrenching, soul-baring sound that made the whole group freeze. It echoed through the hall and hit them like a slap - because Percy Jackson never cried. Never broke like this. He made light of pain. Laughed in the face of death. But this gas had reached past his sarcasm and sliced through the walls he never let anyone see behind.

It silenced the room.

Even Damian looked shaken.

Will dropped beside him, rummaging for a vial of nectar. "We need to counter this now. He's spiraling fast."

Nico stepped in and knelt on Percy's other side. "Perce. It's not real. Whatever you're seeing - it's a lie. You're here. We're here."

But it was Jason's voice - low, firm, real - that finally cut through the noise.

"Hey. I'm not letting you drown, Percy."

And slowly, like someone surfacing from the bottom of the ocean, Percy blinked and looked at him. His eyes were red, raw, glassy. His mouth trembled.

"You're not real either," he whispered.

Jason grabbed his wrist, firm and grounding. "Then hold onto the hallucination. Because I'm not letting go."

The silence after Percy broke was almost louder than the chaos before.

The gas had cleared. The lockdown was lifted. But no one moved.

Percy sat on the floor, back against the wall, arms draped over his knees. His head was down, hair messy and shadowing his face, and his breathing had finally evened out - but no one was fooled. He wasn't okay. Not even close.

Jason stayed at his side, grounded but tense, like if he moved, Percy might shatter again. Nico sat nearby, cross-legged, eyes down but alert. Thalia stood off to the side, arms crossed, jaw clenched like she was holding back something fierce and protective. Leo and Annabeth hovered, unsure. Will had a hand on Percy's shoulder, checking his pulse with gentle precision, though they both knew it wasn't about his vitals anymore.

Damian leaned against the wall across from them, studying Percy with narrowed eyes - less judgmental, more calculating, like he was trying to figure out how the hell someone so broken could have survived this long.

It was Will who broke the silence first.

"You can't keep doing this, Percy."

Percy didn't look up. "Doing what?"

"Acting like none of it matters. Like you're fine."

"I am fine."

"No, you're not," Will snapped, more angry than anyone had ever heard him. "You were hallucinating every death you've ever seen and begging ghosts for forgiveness. That's not fine - that's trauma you've been sitting on for years without letting anyone help you."

Percy finally looked up. His eyes were tired. "Helping me won't bring them back."

"We know that," Annabeth said, quiet but firm. "But pretending you're not hurting won't either."

He didn't respond. Just rubbed at the scar on his forearm like it might distract from the weight in his chest.

"I get it," Thalia said suddenly. "Losing people. Carrying guilt. But this?" She pointed to him - to his hunched posture, to the bruises still darkening under his skin. "This isn't strength, Percy. This is you slowly bleeding out behind a smile."

"Why didn't you tell us it was that bad?" Leo asked, voice softer now.

Percy gave a humorless chuckle. "Because it shouldn't be. I survived. They didn't. I don't get to break down when I'm the one who made it out."

"That's bull," Nico said flatly. "We're demigods. We've all made it out. Doesn't mean we're not damaged as hell."

"It's not a contest," Jason added. "But if it was? You'd win. And that's not something to be proud of."

Percy looked at him, caught off guard by the honesty.

Jason leaned forward, voice quieter now. "You always carry everything - the fear, the weight, the expectations. But you're not alone anymore. Not with us. Not with me."

For once, Percy didn't argue.

He just exhaled. Slow. Shaky.

And then said, almost too quiet to hear: "I don't know how to let go."

"You don't have to," Will said. "You just have to let us hold some of it with you."

Another pause.

And then Percy nodded. Once. Barely.

But it was a start.

Chapter Text

The Batcave was quiet.

Too quiet.

The usual whir of the computers, the subtle tapping of keys, even the low hum of a training simulation in the background - all silenced. Bruce had given them space. Even Damian had ghosted out with a grim expression, clearly shaken in a way he refused to admit.

The rest of the group - Jason, Annabeth, Nico, Will, Thalia, Leo, and Piper - sat gathered around one of the tables. Percy was elsewhere, resting, Jason had made sure of it. But none of them were resting easy.

"He really thought he had to apologize to ghosts," Piper said, finally breaking the silence. "He actually said he was sorry to them."

Will's hands were clasped tightly in his lap. "He doesn't think he deserves to live. That much trauma... I didn't realize how bad it was."

"No one did," Annabeth murmured. "But now I'm wondering if he's ever really been okay."

Jason leaned forward, elbows on the table. "You all saw what happened in the gas. That wasn't just fear. That was everything. Every loss. Every failure. Every death he blames himself for."

"He always did take responsibility for more than he should," Thalia muttered, leaning against the wall. "It's like he thinks if he doesn't carry it, no one else will."

"Because he was the one carrying it," Nico said, voice low but firm. "Back when Olympus was falling apart. When the Titans returned. When Gaia rose. It was always Percy at the center. Always him bleeding first."

Leo picked at a screw on the table, unusually quiet. "He jokes about stuff. Pretends he's fine. But I've seen it in his eyes. Like... he's tired. Tired in a way that doesn't sleep off."

"He hides it well," Will said. "Too well. Even from me."

Annabeth's hands curled into fists. "I should have seen it. I knew the weight he carried. I was there for most of it."

"You're not the only one who missed it," Jason said quietly. "But it's not about blame. It's about what we do now."

Everyone looked at him.

Jason glanced toward the hallway where Percy had gone, then back at the group. "We make sure he knows we're here. Not just for the fights, but for the aftermath. For him. We don't let him brush this off or drown in guilt. Not again."

"Not ever again," Nico echoed.

There was a long silence. Then Thalia nodded. "He's our family. We don't let family break alone."

Leo finally looked up. "So what do we do?"

Jason smiled grimly. "We remind Percy Jackson that he doesn't have to carry Olympus on his shoulders anymore. Because this time? We're carrying him."

Chapter Text

The streets of Gotham were unusually silent - a bad sign by any standard.

Even in a city crawling with criminals, this kind of stillness felt off. Unnatural. Wrong.

Jason had picked up the signs first. Tracks that didn't belong. Shadows that shifted too quickly. The feeling of being hunted - and not by anything human.

Nightwing called it in, and within the hour, the Batfamily and the visiting demigods were suited up and heading out.

"We're splitting into two teams," Jason explained as he and Percy walked beside each other on the rooftop. "Recon and confrontation. You're with me."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Obviously. Can't let your favorite punching bag out of your sight, huh?"

Jason smirked. "More like I don't trust you not to pick a fight with something twice your size without backup."

"Rude. Also accurate."

Up ahead, Leo and Damian were arguing over whose tracker was more accurate, while Thalia already had her bow out and nocked. Nico walked silently beside her, shadows curling at his feet like loyal hounds. Will, Piper, and Annabeth followed behind with Batgirl, Red Robin, and Signal. Even Batman hadn't sat this one out - whatever this was, it had everyone on edge.

It didn't take long.

The first shriek echoed through the alleyways like a banshee scream, inhuman and sharp enough to rattle teeth. A lizard-like creature, at least eight feet tall, lunged from the shadows. Its claws dripped venom, eyes glowing yellow as it slammed into Red Hood and Percy's group.

Jason fired without hesitation, but the bullets ricocheted.

"Magic scales," Percy muttered, already uncapping Riptide. The celestial bronze shimmered as it extended into a sword. "You know what that means."

Jason drew his own blades, giving Percy a glance. "Show-off time?"

"Oh, absolutely."

The demigods surged.

Thalia moved like lightning, her arrows finding the monster's joints with unnerving precision. Nico vanished in shadows and reappeared behind the creature, slicing its tendons with his Stygian iron blade. Will kept to the back, casting glowing light toward anyone injured while barking orders with clinical efficiency.

And Percy-Percy was chaos incarnate.

He ducked under a swipe, blade carving through enchanted hide like it was butter. He was fast, unpredictable - laughing as he spun, flipped, and struck with the grace of someone who didn't just fight monsters - he lived with them chasing him.

"Did he just taunt the hydra?!" Tim shouted from the sidelines, jaw slack.

"Yep," Annabeth said dryly, already moving to help Piper flank the next one. "Classic Percy."

The Batfam stood back for a moment, awestruck.

They'd seen warriors. Trained assassins. Martial artists.

But demigods?

Demigods were something else.

They moved like a single unit born in chaos - trusting, reactive, fluid. Annabeth shouting "Duck!" had Percy dropping instantly, while Leo unleashed a flame burst overhead. Nico and Thalia had their own rhythm - one vanished, the other struck. Piper disarmed enemies with a look and a word. And in the middle of it all, Percy - grinning, wild-eyed, and so clearly in his element - was the storm.

By the time the last monster fell, its head rolling to Nico's feet, silence returned.

Heavy breathing. Scorched pavement. Crumbling monster dust.

Jason stared at Percy, who was leaning on Riptide with one hand and casually wiping dust off his cheek with the other. "So," he said, panting slightly. "Impressed yet?"

Jason huffed. "You're an idiot."

"But a badass idiot," Percy said, flashing a wink.

From behind them, Damian muttered something in Arabic that sounded suspiciously like a begrudging compliment.

Batman finally spoke. "They fight like soldiers."

"No," Nico corrected, sheathing his sword. "We fight like survivors."

The Batfamily didn't respond, but the look they exchanged was clear.

This wasn't just a group of scrappy teens with magic swords.

This was a war-hardened unit.

And Percy Jackson? He wasn't just a demigod.

He was their general.

Chapter Text

Smoke still curled in the corners of the alley as the last remnants of monster dust shimmered on the pavement. The Batfamily stood silent, watching the demigods regroup like it was just another Tuesday.

Percy tucked Riptide away in his pocket, breathing hard. He winced slightly as he rotated his left shoulder - nothing obvious, just a pull, maybe a tear. Nothing worth mentioning. He could already hear Will's voice in his head if he even hinted he was hurt.

Too late.

Will Solace had narrowed in on him like a predator on a limping gazelle.

"Percy."

"I'm fine."

Will folded his arms. "You're favoring your left side."

"I favor it all the time. I'm ambidextrous," Percy said with a bright, fake smile.

"You're also a terrible liar," Will snapped, already marching toward him. "Sit."

Jason raised an eyebrow from where he stood beside Tim. "He always this bossy?"

Thalia snorted. "You have no idea."

"I heard that," Will muttered, already pulling ambrosia out of a pouch and checking Percy's arm. "It's a clean gash. You probably overextended during that roll you did under the basilisk tail."

"You saw that?" Percy blinked.

Will smirked. "Of course I did. You're the idiot I'm in charge of patching up."

Behind them, Damian whispered to Dick, "So the sunshine one is the medic."

"And the only one allowed to bully Percy," Nico added dryly as he passed.

Will gave Percy a small piece of ambrosia and uncorked some nectar, then started cleaning the wound with practiced hands. "You're going to scar if you keep pretending you're invincible."

"I've got plenty already," Percy muttered, flinching slightly.

"Yeah, but I'd like to not add to the collection every week," Will replied, surprisingly gentle now. "Especially after... earlier."

That comment drew attention.

Bruce stepped forward slightly. "Earlier?"

Will glanced at Nico, who gave a subtle shake of the head. "Poison gas mess with heads. Not everyone came out of it easy."

Percy didn't say anything. He avoided everyone's eyes.

Jason, standing a few feet away, didn't miss it.

"Percy?"

"I said I'm fine," Percy replied, a bit too sharp this time. He stood quickly, brushing Will's hands off and tugging Jason's hoodie sleeve down over the fresh bandage.

Will didn't argue - not here. But the tension hadn't gone unnoticed.

Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "He's deflecting."

"He always does," Thalia muttered. "Especially when he's spiraling."

Percy threw his hands up. "Seriously, do we have to make this a group therapy session?"

"You sure about that?" Jason asked quietly, stepping closer. His tone wasn't challenging, just... careful. Observant. "Because I saw how you moved back there. You weren't just fighting the monsters. You were trying to burn something off."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Percy looked away. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah," Jason said simply. "It does."

Percy swallowed hard. "Look, I'll talk later. But right now, I really need to not be everyone's emotional project. Cool?"

No one said anything for a second.

Then, softly, Nico offered, "We get it."

Jason gave him a nod. "Let's head back."

As the group moved out, Batgirl turned to Dick. "They're... intense."

He nodded, watching Percy walk a few steps ahead, fingers brushing the edge of the hoodie sleeve where his bandage was. "They've been through hell."

"And they still joke and fight like siblings," Tim added, quietly.

Damian was silent, staring at Percy with a new, thoughtful kind of scrutiny.

The moment they stepped back into the safehouse, the Batfamily peeled off to debrief in the next room. The demigods didn't follow.

Percy sank into the worn couch like his bones had given out. He winced as he adjusted his weight. Will had cleaned the wound, but ambrosia could only do so much when your body had been dragging trauma around like chains.

Thalia dropped down next to him, tossing a pillow at Nico, who caught it without looking up from his phone. Annabeth sat on the armrest, arms crossed, eyes locked on Percy.

"So," she said bluntly, "are you going to tell us what really happened earlier?"

Percy gave her a tired look. "No."

Will snorted. "You say that like it's a real option."

Nico leaned forward. "You had a full-on breakdown. Don't act like we didn't notice."

Percy looked at the floor. His fingers were tugging at the sleeve of Jason's hoodie again, thumb rubbing small circles near the hem.

Jason leaned against the wall, watching. He didn't speak, didn't press-just waited.

Percy finally let out a long breath, chest visibly deflating. "It got in my head. The gas. It's meant to pull out the worst parts of you, right?"

Annabeth nodded slowly. "It preys on trauma. Guilt. Fear."

Percy's voice dropped. "Yeah. That."

No one interrupted.

"I saw them," he whispered. "All the people I couldn't save. Silena. Zoe. Bianca. Ethan. Luke. Beckendorf. My mom, even. She blamed me."

Will flinched.

Nico's jaw clenched.

"And I kept hearing Kronos. Luke. Gaea. Even Hyperion. Every monster, every god, every mortal who ever told me I wasn't enough-" His voice cracked and he swallowed hard. "And part of me believed them."

Silence.

Then Jason pushed off the wall, walking over. "That part of you's wrong."

Percy laughed bitterly. "Easy for you to say. You weren't standing under the sky, thinking if you blinked too hard someone else might die."

"No," Jason agreed, "but I've held the weight of a dying city. I've had people die under my command. We all carry it differently."

Percy looked up at him slowly, eyes glassy and tired.

Jason crouched in front of him, voice lower. "You're not alone in this. And you don't get to pretend like we can't see how much it still hurts."

Percy's lip trembled, but he smiled faintly. "You're really annoying sometimes, you know that?"

Jason smirked. "Takes one to know one."

Thalia elbowed Percy gently. "You scared the crap out of us, Seaweed Brain."

Percy let out a shaky breath, nodding. "Yeah. I know. I'm sorry."

Will sat down on Percy's other side, brushing his fingers over his wrist. "You don't have to be. You just... need to stop hiding."

Percy leaned his head back against the couch, eyes closing for a moment. "I'll try."

Jason stood and offered him a hand.

Percy blinked up at him. "What now?"

"You're getting food," Jason said. "Then sleep."

Percy let out a small, real laugh and took the hand.

As Jason pulled him up, Percy muttered, "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue."

Jason gave him a look. "You would probably argue in your sleep. That's not gonna stop you."

The others snorted, and the tension finally broke.

At least for now.

Chapter Text

The dim lights in the Batcave flickered slightly as everyone gathered around the large dining table. The tension from earlier hadn't entirely dissipated, but for the first time in hours, there was a sense of normalcy-however temporary it was.

Percy sat between Jason and Thalia, trying to focus on his food, though his mind kept wandering. His stitches itched under the hoodie Jason had lent him. He absentmindedly picked at the pizza in front of him, wondering what his mom was doing right now, if she was still worried about him. He didn't even know how long he'd been gone.

Will sat across from him, fiddling with his fork. Nico, as always, was a little further away, but not far enough for it to feel like distance. There was always something about Nico, the way he was so physically close to Will but emotionally distant, even when his presence was a comfort. It was the weirdest combination of things Percy could never quite understand.

Will caught Percy's gaze across the table. His usual brightness was slightly dimmed, but the concern never left his eyes. Will's voice cut through the soft hum of conversation as he leaned forward.

"You know, you're still gonna have to let me check on those stitches later, right?" Will's voice was teasing, but there was an edge of seriousness to it.

Percy rolled his eyes but didn't fight it. "I'm fine, Will. Really."

Nico shot him a look. "You don't get to use that excuse every time. Even you know it doesn't work anymore."

Percy just sighed dramatically. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll let you poke me with all your little godly healing tools." He grimaced, trying to keep the mood light.

"I'm not poking you," Will replied with a grin. "I'm healing you."

Jason nudged Percy's side, a little too hard for comfort, but it was his way of saying he was still watching out for him. It wasn't lost on Percy that Jason hadn't let up on trying to protect him, even in moments like these.

"Are you actually going to eat any of that?" Jason asked, eyeing Percy's untouched pizza. "Or are you just going to keep making sarcastic comments?"

Percy grinned back at him, half-nudging him in retaliation. "I'll eat it. Eventually."

Annabeth, ever the voice of reason, shot a look over her shoulder at the two. "Can we just have one meal without a full-on debate about Percy's eating habits?"

The playful banter felt almost normal.

Jason's eyes softened for a second as he let Percy slide the last piece of pizza onto his plate. He didn't have to say anything-just the small gestures, like sharing food, were enough.

Nico, who had been quiet until now, wiped his mouth before finally speaking up. "We need to figure out how to get home," he said quietly, almost reluctantly.

Percy dropped his fork, now fully awake to the gravity of the situation. "Yeah, I know. I was thinking about that too. But right now? I'm just... I'm not ready to face that."

"I get it," Jason murmured, locking eyes with him. "But we can't stay here forever."

"I know," Percy said, running a hand through his messy hair. "I just... I don't want to go back. Not yet."

Nico watched him for a moment, and then, as if he'd had enough, stood up. "I'm going to check on something."

Will looked at Percy curiously, then followed Nico's retreating figure with his gaze. "What was that about?"

"It's Nico," Percy said with a shrug. "You know how he gets."

"Right." Will gave him a look, then sighed. "But he's not the only one who needs some space." He shifted closer to Percy and lowered his voice. "I just want you to know... if you need anything-anything at all-don't be afraid to ask."

Percy blinked at him, startled for a second by the sincerity in Will's tone. He'd never been good at letting people help him. But... Will was different. Will was always different.

"I know, Will. And I appreciate it, I do," Percy said quietly.

Will smiled, though there was a faint sadness in his eyes. "Good. Just don't push us away like you're used to, okay?"

Percy nodded slowly, knowing that it wasn't as easy as that.

Meanwhile, Nico had disappeared into one of the back hallways, and Thalia had decided to follow him out of sheer stubbornness. They'd argued before about this kind of thing-the need for space when things got heavy-but Thalia always ended up getting involved.

Percy didn't really mind. He knew Nico needed it too, and Thalia was usually the one who could cut through his walls.

Jason, seeing the others leave, turned to Percy, his expression soft. "You've been through a lot. I won't pretend to understand all of it, but if you ever need someone to just be there..."

Percy shot him a sideways glance. "I know, Jason. I know."

The conversation drifted off, and for a moment, everything seemed quiet. The Batfamily was busy in their own space, probably discussing what came next, but here, with the demigods, Percy found a rare moment of peace.

It didn't last long, though.

As Will got up to check on Nico, his gaze lingered on Percy for a long moment. "I'll be back. Don't go starting any trouble."

Percy rolled his eyes, finally letting out a genuine laugh. "I can't make any promises."

Chapter Text

Percy leaned back in his seat, allowing the faint hum of the Batcave to calm his nerves. Jason was still nearby, fiddling with something on his phone, but his presence was a comforting constant. Despite their banter earlier, Percy couldn't help but feel that weight lifting off him when Jason was close. The guy was an enigma-gruff and sarcastic on the outside, but Percy could see the care he hid beneath that tough exterior. Maybe it was why he liked him so much. Jason, for all his swagger, never judged Percy.

Will, however, wasn't as easy to ignore. After his conversation with Percy, he'd been practically glued to Nico's side, and Percy wasn't sure if it was for reassurance or just to keep Nico from disappearing into his usual dark hole.

Thalia, too, had gone after Nico, probably to either help or argue with him, but Percy knew his cousin well enough to guess that the argument would be more like a conversation than anything serious. Thalia had a way of breaking through Nico's defenses like no one else could.

Sighing, Percy turned to Jason, who had now taken a seat next to him. Jason looked up from his phone, the glint of something unreadable in his eyes.

"Everything okay?" Jason asked quietly, his voice low and serious. He wasn't just talking about the mission-they both knew the true question was about Percy himself.

"I'm fine," Percy replied with the most nonchalant shrug he could muster. The familiar excuse felt like second nature at this point.

Jason didn't buy it, of course. He never did. "You're not fine, Percy. I can see it in your eyes. And don't pull the 'I'm fine' card with me. I'm not buying it."

Percy smiled faintly, more out of habit than anything else. "And what exactly am I supposed to say, huh? That I'm all messed up? That I can't sleep because I keep having nightmares about monsters and gods?"

Jason softened for a moment, just enough for Percy to notice. He leaned back against the wall, his posture still tense but his expression more understanding. "You don't have to tell me everything, but you can tell me something. You don't have to go through it alone."

Percy's throat tightened. He wasn't used to hearing that kind of thing. Sure, his friends cared about him, but they didn't always know how to handle Percy's baggage. Jason seemed to get it in a way others didn't.

"I'm... just tired, Jason," Percy admitted quietly. "Tired of everything being a fight. Every mission. Every nightmare. Every person I've lost. I know I should keep going, but sometimes, I just... want to stop running."

Jason's expression softened even more, if that was even possible. Without a word, he reached out, placing a hand on Percy's shoulder. The simple gesture was grounding, offering the kind of reassurance Percy didn't even know he needed.

"Look," Jason said after a pause, his voice firm again. "You don't have to keep it all inside. I'm here. Nico's here. Thalia's here. And, despite all my sarcasm, I'm pretty sure the Batfamily would back you up too, if you gave them a chance."

Percy smiled, feeling something loosen in his chest. He appreciated Jason's words, more than he let on. "I don't know if I can get used to all this... team stuff."

Jason chuckled, a light sound that seemed to ease the tension in the room. "You're gonna have to. But, you know, we can work on it together."

Before Percy could reply, Will's voice broke through the moment. "You guys seriously need to stop having these heart-to-heart talks in the middle of a mission. You look like you're about to start crying or something."

Percy blinked, surprised at Will's bluntness. Will was usually all sunshine and positivity, but there was an edge to him today. Maybe it was because he'd been so worried about Nico-or maybe because Will knew exactly how to keep things light when the air got too heavy.

"Sorry to ruin your fun, Sunshine," Percy shot back with a grin. "I'll try to keep my feelings to myself next time."

Will crossed his arms, his lips tugging up into a half-smile. "Good. Because I'm still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with all that 'sharing your emotions' stuff."

Jason snorted, his gaze flicking between Percy and Will. "You two should be thankful I'm not a counselor. You'd be a disaster."

Percy shot him a look. "You're one to talk. You think we can all just 'move on,' like you're some walking, talking motivational poster?"

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Well, I wasn't the one who almost died a thousand times, was I?"

Before Percy could retort, Nico appeared in the doorway, looking like he was freshly dragged out of a crypt. His expression was unreadable, but it was clear he'd overheard some of the conversation. He didn't speak immediately but nodded toward Jason and Percy.

"Just because you're all talking doesn't mean the mission is over," Nico said bluntly.

Percy chuckled. "You know, for a guy who spends all his time with the dead, you sure know how to kill a vibe."

"Percy," Thalia called from behind Nico, a small smirk on her face. "Stop making Nico feel worse. He's just trying to keep us all on track."

Nico scowled at her, then gave Percy a pointed look. "Whatever, Jackson. You'll be fine. Just don't get yourself killed on the next mission."

"Oh, you mean the one where you're going to try to pretend you didn't notice I've got your back? Yeah, sure, I'll do my best." Percy winked.

Thalia shook her head, already walking away to join the others. "You two are impossible."

Jason snorted, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched the banter unfold. "You're not wrong."

The room quieted down as the group gathered, ready for whatever came next. Percy couldn't help but feel a sense of calm amid the chaos. Despite everything-the missions, the monsters, the constant pressure-there was something about these moments with his friends that kept him grounded. Maybe it wasn't always perfect, but it was enough. And for now, that would have to be enough.

Chapter Text

The lights in Jason's room were low, casting long shadows across the walls. The steady hum of rain against the Wayne Manor windows filled the quiet space, making it feel like they were the only two people in the world.

Percy stood near the window, arms crossed loosely over his chest, Jason's oversized black hoodie slung low over his frame. His damp hair curled slightly from his shower, and he hadn't bothered to do much more than towel it dry. His gaze lingered outside, but he wasn't really looking at anything.

Jason leaned against the door frame, eyes dark with something unreadable, arms crossed like he was trying to stay casual-but Percy knew better. He could feel the charge between them, sharp and electric like the moments right before a lightning strike.

"You okay?" Jason asked, voice low and smooth, but laced with sincerity.

Percy turned slowly, meeting his eyes. "Yeah," he replied, but it came out hoarse. He licked his lips. "I just... don't want to think tonight."

Jason pushed off the door and closed the space between them. "Then don't," he said, hands coming up to gently rest on Percy's waist.

The contact sent a shiver down Percy's spine.

There was something different about Jason tonight-something raw. His usual calm control had a fire underneath it, and Percy didn't realize how badly he'd wanted to be burned by it until now.

"I mean it," Jason murmured, brushing a thumb under Percy's chin, lifting his gaze. "You don't have to say anything. Just be here."

Percy's breath hitched, his hands fisting lightly in the fabric of Jason's shirt. "Then shut up and kiss me already."

Jason didn't hesitate.

The kiss was slow at first, exploratory and filled with restrained heat. But it didn't stay gentle for long.

Jason deepened the kiss with a force that left Percy breathless, his grip tightening around Percy's waist as he walked him backward until Percy's knees hit the edge of the bed. Jason followed, crowding into Percy's space, every movement deliberate and grounding. One hand stayed at Percy's waist, the other trailing up beneath the hoodie, fingers brushing the skin at his side like he was mapping every inch.

When Percy gasped against his mouth, Jason pulled back just slightly to look at him-his eyes dark, full of something possessive and tender all at once.

"You sure?" he asked, his voice deeper now, laced with reverence.

Percy didn't hesitate. "I trust you."

Jason's answer was in the way he pushed Percy down against the mattress, careful but firm, in the way his lips traveled from Percy's mouth to his jaw, then lower-marking, claiming, worshiping.

Clothes fell away in slow pieces, the hoodie discarded carelessly on the floor, Jason's t-shirt following soon after. Jason's hands never left Percy's body-gripping, guiding, grounding him through every wave of sensation. He kissed every mark he left, soothed every gasp with murmured reassurances, every touch layered with emotion too thick to name.

They didn't rush. This wasn't about lust. It was about need.

The way Percy arched beneath Jason, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping him from drowning, was raw and beautiful. The way Jason moved above him-controlled, focused, reverent-spoke louder than any words ever could.

And when it was over, when they lay tangled in each other's limbs, sweat-slick and breathing heavy, Jason pulled Percy close, pressing his lips to his temple.

"You're safe," he whispered, voice barely audible over the storm outside.

Percy didn't answer. He just buried his face in Jason's chest, heart still racing, and let himself believe it-just for tonight.

He hurt. Not in the "I fought a hydra and got my ass kicked" kind of way, but the "Jason Todd took his sweet time proving a point" kind of way.

Every inch of him ached, a dull heat lingering in his muscles and-gods-he could still feel the ghost of Jason's hands on his hips.

The early morning Gotham light barely filtered through the half-closed curtains, casting a soft silver haze over the room. He stirred under the blankets, blinking blearily. The room smelled like leather, ozone, and the aftershave Jason always pretended he didn't use.

Percy shifted, trying to ease himself upright with a wince.

"Don't."

Jason's voice was a low growl against the shell of his ear, and before Percy could react, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, dragging him back into the warmth of the mattress.

"Jas-" Percy started, but he cut off with a hiss when Jason's other hand came up, fingers trailing lazily across his throat-firm, possessive, careful. Percy's breath hitched.

Jason's lips brushed his jaw. "You're not going anywhere."

"You're smothering me."

"You like it."

Percy glared over his shoulder. "I need water. And possibly a healing potion. Or a new spine."

Jason smirked, his hair a tousled mess of black and storm cloud. "Should've tapped out."

"I would never."

"Mmm," Jason murmured, tilting Percy's head gently and slotting their mouths together in a kiss that was more commanding than sweet-like he was reminding Percy of exactly who had him wrapped around their finger (and maybe their legs, and definitely the headboard).

When they broke apart, Percy was breathless.

Jason ran his thumb along the underside of Percy's jaw, still resting his hand against his throat like he didn't plan to let go any time soon.

"Stay in bed, Seaweed Brain," he muttered, voice rough and soft all at once. "You're mine this morning."

Percy rolled his eyes but didn't move. He wasn't winning this one-and maybe he didn't want to.

Jason didn't let up.

Even as Percy tried (half-heartedly, really) to shift again, Jason's grip around his waist tightened. His hand, still cradling Percy's throat like it belonged there, slid down slowly-fingers ghosting over his collarbone, trailing lower, tracing patterns that sent sparks up Percy's spine.

"You gonna keep squirming or be good for once?" Jason murmured, mouth brushing the shell of Percy's ear.

Percy bit down on a grin. "Depends. You gonna let me up for coffee?"

Jason gave a low laugh-dark and rough-and pulled Percy fully on top of him. Their chests pressed together, Jason's hand now firm on Percy's lower back, holding him in place.

"Nope," Jason said, eyes gleaming. "Coffee later. Right now I just want you."

Percy's breath caught. It wasn't just the words-it was the way Jason said them. Like he meant all of Percy. The broken parts. The battle-worn ones. Even the stupid ones that never listened when someone said stay down.

He swallowed hard. "You're insufferable."

Jason leaned up, brushing their noses together before kissing him again-slow, deep, dizzying. "And you're beautiful when you're bruised and grumpy."

Percy flushed. "Stop saying nice things while manhandling me."

"No promises."

Jason's hand wandered again, stroking lazy circles along Percy's hip-lingering over the faint marks he'd left. Percy shivered, pressing into him just a little more, feeling that familiar fire start building again, slow and sweet and addictive.

They stayed like that for a while-kissing, teasing, breathing the same air. Jason grounding him with every touch, every press of lips against skin.

Eventually, Percy sighed, dropping his forehead against Jason's chest. "We're gonna have to leave this bed eventually."

Jason yawned, stretching under him like a smug lion. "Not for another hour."

"An hour?" Percy echoed. "What are we doing for a whole-"

Jason rolled them suddenly, pinning Percy underneath him, eyes dark with something that sent a bolt of heat straight through Percy's gut.

"Oh," Percy whispered.

Jason smirked. "Exactly."

Chapter Text

The room smelled like cedar soap and citrus shampoo-evidence of the long, hot shower they'd finally managed to take. Percy was sprawled on Jason's bed now, dressed in one of Jason's oversized black hoodies again, sleeves falling past his hands, legs tangled up in soft joggers. Jason was sitting beside him in black cargo pants and a t-shirt, flipping a dagger idly between his fingers.

It was too quiet-a rare moment of calm between storms.

"You know," Percy mumbled, "I could get used to this."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Wearing my clothes or stealing all the bed space?"

"Both."

Jason smirked and nudged his foot against Percy's. "You're a menace."

Percy grinned. "Takes one to date one."

Jason laughed-and then-

BANG.

The door slammed open so hard it rebounded off the wall. Tim stood there, out of breath and wild-eyed, one hand clutching a communicator and the other gripping a celestial bronze dagger.

"Monster breach. Downtown Gotham. Big. Ugly. Fangs. You're up."

Percy and Jason were on their feet in seconds.

"Gear up, now!" Tim barked before disappearing down the hall, shouting orders to the rest of the team.

Percy blinked. "Didn't even knock."

Jason was already strapping on his weapons. "Didn't have time."

"Rude," Percy muttered, yanking on his sneakers and grabbing Riptide from the dresser. The sword shimmered in his hand, eager and ready.

They ran.

Boots thundered through the hallway as the others assembled-Damian, Cassandra, Dick, Stephanie-already geared and focused. But that wasn't the part that made Percy freeze for a second.

It was the golden light blinking into existence near the training room.

"Annabeth?" he called out.

From the light stepped not just her-but Nico, Will, Thalia, Leo, Hazel, Piper, Frank... The entire Seven. Even Grover was panting as he stepped through behind them.

"Nice of you to call," Thalia said dryly, eyes flicking to Jason. Then to Percy. "Wait-why do you look like you just rolled out of someone's bed-wait, you did, didn't you?"

Will's eyes narrowed at Percy. "And why are you limping slightly?"

Percy's face turned scarlet. "Now's not the time!"

Jason didn't look guilty in the slightest.

A loud roar from outside shook the walls.

"Later," Annabeth promised, her stormy eyes flashing. "We'll definitely be talking later."

"Cool, can't wait," Percy muttered, sword tightening in his grip.

Outside, chaos reigned. Smoke, crumbled stone, and the stench of brimstone.

Percy glanced at Jason. "You ready?"

Jason looked him over-hoodie, joggers, sword in hand, hair damp from the shower-and gave him a crooked grin.

"Always."

The moment they burst onto the streets of Gotham, it was pandemonium. A manticore the size of a delivery truck had torn through the pavement and was currently batting aside cars like toys. Its scorpion tail lashed behind it, slamming into a building and leaving a crater in the brick wall.

"Split up! Don't let it pin you down!" Jason barked, (The other Jason. I deadass forgot all about him and grover) lightning already crackling at his fingertips. He launched himself forward, slamming a bolt into the creature's side. It roared in anger but stayed standing.

Percy darted through the debris, Riptide flashing with every strike. "Would it kill one of these things to NOT be poison-tipped?!"

From the shadows, Damian leapt with dual blades, slashing at the manticore's haunches. "Aim for the joints."

"We know," Thalia called, flipping over a car and hurling a bolt of pure electricity at the creature's head. It staggered-but didn't fall.

Dick and Steph were flanking it, providing distraction while Annabeth moved in with Hazel and Piper.

"Hazel! Sink it-!" Annabeth shouted.

Hazel slammed her palm into the street, causing the concrete to ripple like water. The manticore stumbled as the ground shifted beneath it. Leo followed with a burst of fire from his gloves.

Will, meanwhile, was pulling wounded civilians to the side with Grover, healing those he could.

Percy launched himself into the air on a wave of water he summoned from a busted pipe. He crashed down onto the manticore's back, stabbing Riptide into its spine. The creature shrieked and bucked violently, flinging him across the street. He smashed into a wall and slid down, groaning.

Jason was at his side in an instant, shielding Percy with his body as the tail struck near them. "Stay down for a sec!"

"That was the plan anyway," Percy wheezed.

Nico, shadows curling around his feet, rose from the pavement like a ghost. "My turn."

He exploded into mist and reappeared behind the beast, sinking Stygian iron into its exposed underbelly.

The manticore howled-and finally collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Silence followed, broken only by Percy's coughing as Jason helped him up.

"You alright?" Jason asked, brushing dust from his hair.

"Never better," Percy grinned, blood on his lip and eyes dancing. "Let's do that again sometime."

"Gods, no," Will muttered as he jogged over. "You idiots need babysitters."

Percy flashed him a thumbs-up. "That's why you're here."

The Batfam exchanged glances, impressed, unsettled, and-at least in Tim's case-slightly terrified.

Thalia slung an arm around Percy's shoulders, smirking. "Now that's how you fight a monster."

Jason grinned beside them, his hand brushing Percy's lower back. "Guess Gotham just got a little weirder."

"You're welcome," Percy said smugly.

Chapter Text

The living room of Wayne Manor looked like a war zone, but not because of a battle. Empty chip bags, stray bandage wrappers, and a half-toppled stack of board games littered the floor. Nico was curled up in an armchair pretending not to nap, Will was braiding the ends of Thalia's hair while she ignored him, and Percy was sprawled across Jason's lap on the couch like a satisfied cat.

"You know," Percy said, tossing a grape into the air and missing his mouth completely, "I think we're finally due a break. Like, no monsters, no crime, just peace."

Jason side-eyed him, one hand absently stroking down Percy's spine. "You know you just jinxed us, right?"

"I did not! That only happens in movies."

"You're literally a demigod. The universe hates you personally."

Before Percy could reply, the manor alarm blared.

Everyone groaned.

"This is your fault," Tim muttered, already reaching for his gear.

"Technically, I didn't say 'what could possibly go wrong,'" Percy defended, standing and grabbing Riptide. "Also, the last time I said that, it was only mildly cursed."

"Mildly cursed?" Nico echoed, rising. "We got attacked by a telepathic harpy queen riding a manticore."

"It was a small manticore!"

Dick came skidding in with Damian, both half-dressed for battle. "Monster sighting downtown. Looks like... uh, someone confirm this, but is that a Cyclops wearing clown makeup?"

Thalia blinked. "That... sounds illegal."

"Everything in Gotham is illegal," Jason grumbled, handing Percy a mask. "Suit up, Seaweed Brain."

Downtown Gotham was chaos.

A giant Cyclops with smeared red lips and a glitter cannon was marching through the streets shouting about stolen beauty routines. Civilians fled screaming while police tried-and failed-to contain the sparkling madness.

"Okay, now I am sorry," Percy muttered as he ducked a glitter bomb.

"You should be!" Will yelled, shielding his eyes. "My hair is going to be shimmering for a week."

The Batfam tried to engage with their usual tactics, but blunt weapons and tasers weren't doing much against a mythological nightmare. Damian was yelling in Arabic, Dick had been flung into a billboard, and Tim was tangled in caution tape.

"You know," Percy quipped as he casually dodged another shot of glitter, "I'm starting to think this thing's more fabulous than dangerous."

"It's quoting Shakespeare," Nico hissed, shadows coiling at his feet. "Badly."

"Oh no," Percy deadpanned. "It's me in a crisis."

"Just stab it already!" Thalia shouted.

"With what, dramatic irony?"

Riptide flashed to full sword length as Percy charged. Jason followed, gun loaded with celestial bronze rounds they had cobbled together.

As the Cyclops reeled from Percy's strike, it wailed, "To glitter, or not to glitter-that is the question!"

"Definitely not!" Percy yelled, slashing upward.

Ten minutes later, the street was quiet, the Cyclops vanquished, and the team covered head-to-toe in glitter. Even Nico sparkled against his will.

"I miss the poison gas," Damian said flatly.

"Yeah," Dick added, examining his shimmering boot. "At least that wasn't fabulous."

"Jason," Percy whined as they trudged back toward the car, "next time I say something optimistic, just gag me."

"Oh, I plan to," Jason muttered darkly.

Will snorted. "Should we leave you two alone, or...?"

"Yes," said Nico. "And bleach the mental image."

Percy just grinned, glitter catching the streetlights. "Just another totally normal day."

The entire group groaned.

Chapter Text

The smell of monster dust and scorched pavement filled the air, tinged with the metallic scent of Percy's own blood. Not that he'd admit it.

"You jinxed us," Jason said, arms crossed, watching Percy limp across the broken street. "You literally said, 'At least it can't get worse.'"

"Technically, I said 'probably can't get worse.' There's a difference," Percy muttered, dragging Riptide through a pile of smoking ichor.

"The difference is you jinxed us and now I have manticore goo on my boots," Damian deadpanned, flicking a bit of ichor off his cape with a disgusted sneer. "Do you know how hard that is to clean?"

Percy gave him a withering look. "Wow. Tragic. Someone alert the press. Damian Wayne's fashion statement is under siege."

Damian's eyes narrowed. "Todd, control your gremlin."

Jason didn't even look up from where he was wrapping gauze around his forearm. "You try. I'm just here to keep him from losing a limb."

Will, meanwhile, was crouched beside Nico, gently applying ambrosia paste to a scratch on his boyfriend's cheek. Nico looked like he wanted to die on the spot.

"If I pass out from second-hand affection, don't revive me," Percy muttered, wincing as he sat on the edge of a cracked bench.

"You're just jealous Will didn't patch you up first," Nico said without looking.

Percy gasped, placing a hand on his chest dramatically. "Betrayed by my emo sibling. Is nothing sacred?"

"He's not your sibling," Will muttered.

"Technically, all children of the Big Three are siblings in trauma," Percy retorted.

"Can you please shut up for five seconds," Jason said, exasperated, crouching beside him. "Let me see that leg."

"It's fiiiiine," Percy said.

Jason raised a brow.

"Okay, not fine fine," Percy admitted. "More like... functioning at reduced capacity."

Jason rolled his eyes and grabbed Percy's ankle, carefully lifting the torn fabric around the cut. He winced. "Functioning my ass. Will where's that brownie stuff at!"

Will sighed, tossing an ambrosia square to Jason. "Keep him from passing out again. And make him eat it."

"I'm not a child," Percy said.

"You're worse," Jason said, forcibly shoving the ambrosia toward his mouth. Percy took it with a muttered curse, chewing as if it personally offended him.

"You're all very loud," Damian said dryly. "And inefficient."

"You're welcome to return to your cave," Percy snapped.

"Boys," Annabeth warned, arms crossed as she approached. Her eyes scanned Percy. "You jinxed it, didn't you."

"Again-probably, not definitively," Percy said.

She shook her head and turned to help Leo, who was trying to salvage something from his half-exploded toolbelt.

As the group began to settle into clean-up mode, Percy shuffled over to help-mostly by poking at debris with Riptide and offering snide commentary. That was, until his blade clanged against something solid. Something that didn't disintegrate like monster parts should.

"Huh," he said, crouching.

Jason turned. "What is it?"

Percy knelt down and pulled away chunks of brick and ichor-stained metal, revealing a small shard-glowing faintly gold and silver. It looked like celestial bronze, but fused unnaturally with something else.

"Annabeth," he called. "This isn't normal, right?"

Will and Nico came over, along with Annabeth, Jason, and Damian.

"It's celestial bronze," Annabeth said, kneeling beside him. "But it's... corrupted. It's fused with something magical. Almost divine."

"I don't like how it feels," Nico said softly, rubbing his arm.

"It's like it's vibrating," Leo added. "It's not just celestial. It's part-tech. Almost like-"

"Like it's been enhanced by something human," Jason finished grimly.

"Or not entirely human," Damian added, voice tight.

Percy frowned, slipping it into a cloth and handing it to Annabeth. "Think this is gonna be a problem?"

Annabeth gave him a flat look. "When is it not a problem?"

"Cool. That's not ominous at all," Percy muttered.

As the others began talking theories and magical corruption, Percy leaned back, the weight of the moment finally settling. He looked around the wreckage-the scattered remains of monsters, the bruises on his friends, the scar on his own leg pulsing faintly.

He'd been through Tartarus. Fought giants. Held up the literal sky.

But something about this fusion of worlds-of Gotham and Olympus, of mortal and godly threats-felt... off. Like they'd stepped into something bigger than a simple monster hunt.

And Percy Jackson had a feeling things were about to get a whole lot worse.

Chapter Text

The evening had settled gently over Gotham, a rare moment of calm for the ever-chaotic city. Inside the Batcave's temporary common room setup, a warm atmosphere hung in the air - a borrowed peace none of them quite trusted, but all were content to pretend was permanent, just for a little while.

Nico and Will were curled up on one of the large couches, the son of Hades buried half under a soft throw blanket and half under Will's possessive arm. Nico looked uncharacteristically content, his head resting on Will's chest as they whispered back and forth. Occasionally, Will would press a kiss to his hair, and Nico, despite all efforts to remain impassive, would smile softly.

On the opposite couch, Percy lay sideways with his back against Jason's chest, legs stretched across the cushions, his fingers lazily twisting the drawstring on Jason's hoodie - which he was, as usual, wearing. Jason's arms were draped around him, and his chin rested against the top of Percy's head. He seemed to be falling asleep, fingers lightly tracing the faded scar on Percy's shoulder.

"Is it weird that this is the most peaceful we've been in like... ever?" Percy muttered, voice muffled.

Jason snorted. "Don't say that. You're going to jinx it."

"I'm not going to jinx anything," Percy said, waving a hand. "That's a myth."

From the couch across the room, Nico lifted his head. "That's literally not a myth. You've jinxed every mission we've ever had. Ever."

"I have not!" Percy protested.

Will arched an eyebrow. "You said, 'At least it's not raining,' right before a hurricane hit inside the Empire State Building."

"Okay, that was unrelated," Percy grumbled.

Jason leaned in and kissed the side of his head. "Just don't say anything."

Percy huffed. "I'm just saying it's weird that there haven't been any monsters-"

A blaring alarm cut him off. A beat of silence followed, then Jason sighed.

"You had one job, Sea Brain."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy groaned, already scrambling to his feet. "I jinxed it. Get over it."

Bruce's voice came in over the comms: "All teams, we've got a Class Six entity loose in Sector Nine. Unknown signature. Possible mythological interference."

"Oh good," Nico muttered. "That's never a bad sign."

-

The warehouse in Sector Nine reeked of rot and sulfur, the scent making Percy gag even through the mask that Jason shoved into his hands on the way over.

"Keep it on," Jason barked. "We don't know what we're dealing with."

"I'm always safe," Percy replied, strapping it on. "Ish."

"You literally never are."

The thing waiting for them wasn't like most monsters they fought. It looked like a massive, bloated centipede, all gleaming carapace and poison-slick fangs, but it also shimmered - faintly translucent like mist. Greek letters burned along its segmented sides. Poison hissed from its fangs, sizzling against the concrete.

"Poison-based," Will confirmed, scanning it quickly. "That mist? It's magical venom. If it touches you-"

"We're toast," Percy finished.

"No," Will corrected. "You die. Painfully. Screaming. Maybe combust."

"Neat."

As the Batfam and the demigods worked in tandem - Damian leaping to slice at the monster's legs while Leo lit it up from the side - Percy watched as the venom seeped across the floor, corroding everything it touched.

"We can't land a clean hit unless we hit the gland," Annabeth snapped. "But the only way to get to it is-"

"Through the poison," Percy muttered. "Of course."

Jason(grace) was already barking orders. "Circle it. Get it pinned-Percy, wait!"

But it was too late.

Impulses were funny things. Some people fought them. Percy acted on them. Always had. He knew what the monster needed - someone immune to magic wouldn't cut it. It needed someone to take the risk, just long enough to make the killing blow.

And so, Percy ran.

"Percy!" Jason's voice cracked like a whip, full of fury and panic.

"I've got this!" Percy shouted back, diving forward.

He hit the edge of the venom cloud, and it felt like walking through molasses made of acid. His skin screamed. His lungs lit on fire. But he powered through it, sword drawn, and slammed Riptide straight into the gland, twisting until the monster shrieked in a tone that made his teeth rattle.

The venom pulsed, then exploded outward in a blast of heat - and then it was over.

Percy collapsed.

-

When he came to, he was on the ground, Jason crouched beside him, wrenching his mask off.

"Percy," Jason said, and the sheer terror in his voice made Percy blink.

"I'm fine," Percy croaked.

"You're not fine-"

"Guys, it's okay," Will said, running up with Nico. "I've got him. I've got it under control."

Will's hands glowed gold as he pressed them against Percy's arm, where the skin had blistered. The healing magic surged through him, burning and soothing all at once. Percy let out a low groan.

"Okay," he wheezed. "That sucked."

"I'm going to kill you," Jason muttered, gripping Percy's wrist tight. "Next time, don't be a hero."

"Can't help it," Percy said with a weak grin. "It's in the job description."

"Seaweed Brain," Jason(Grace) whispered, pulling him in close.

And this time, Percy didn't argue.

The mission had ended with monster guts, half-melted pavement, and Jason carrying Percy bridal-style all the way back to the Batcave despite Percy's weak protests that he could walk. He couldn't, not really. Will had patched up most of the damage, but there was a shaky edge to Percy's breathing and a clench in his jaw that hadn't eased since they'd left the battlefield.

Now he sat bundled in an oversized hoodie (Jason's, obviously), with a blanket thrown over his shoulders and a mug of hot cocoa clutched between his hands. His fingers trembled slightly with each sip.

Will hovered like a mother hen nearby while Nico lingered on the edge of the group, arms crossed, watchful but silent. The Batfam had scattered to give the demigods space - though Damian still looked mildly annoyed that Percy had been the one to kill the monster and not him.

Jason hadn't moved from Percy's side since they'd returned.

"You didn't have to run in like that," Annabeth said quietly, kneeling in front of him. "We could've found another way."

Percy gave her a tired, crooked smile. "You know me, Wise Girl. I see danger, I dive in. That's the brand."

Jason tightened his arm around Percy's shoulders. "We're changing your brand. New slogan: 'Think first, stab later.'" (Funny coming from him)

"I'll add it to my résumé," Percy muttered, curling slightly into Jason's side.

Will returned with a new bottle of nectar and a grim look. "The gas messed with your system more than I expected. I had to counteract a bunch of things at once - it wasn't just physical. It was...psychological. Hallucinogenic, even."

Percy stiffened just slightly.

"Yeah," he said after a pause. "I noticed."

Jason gave him a sharp look. "You didn't say anything about hallucinations."

Percy shrugged. "Didn't want to worry anyone."

"Gods, Percy," Nico muttered, voice dry but laced with concern.

"You're not invincible, Percy," Will added, softer. "You don't always have to be the one to jump first."

"I know," Percy said. "I just... I knew I'd survive it. I've... dealt with worse."

There was a pause. Nico glanced at him sideways. "You're talking about Tartarus."

Everyone went quiet.

Percy stared into his mug. "Yeah."

Jason's hand stilled on his shoulder.

"You remember that god," Annabeth said, stepping closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "The one that latched onto you down there. The poison one."

"Akhlys," Percy confirmed. "Goddess of misery and poison. She... she enjoyed watching me drown in my own blood. Said she liked the way pain looked on my face."

He gave a short laugh that didn't sound like humor.

"She sprayed me with miasma - pure poison, worse than anything we faced tonight. Every breath burned. My skin felt like it was being peeled off, cell by cell. It wasn't just the venom, it was... it was hopelessness. She made me believe I wanted to die."

The silence was heavy, and even the distant sounds of the cave felt muted.

"And I still killed her," Percy finished, voice quiet. "So I figured I could handle tonight too."

Nico looked stricken. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Percy shrugged one shoulder. "What was the point? It was Tartarus. Everything was awful. Talking about it didn't make the scars go away."

Jason leaned in and kissed his temple. "No, but it lets us carry it with you."

Will looked shaken, but Nico... Nico just nodded once.

"She's not the only one who's ever made you feel like you were dying," Nico said softly. "But you keep surviving. That's why you're you."

Percy met Nico's eyes, and something passed between them - understanding, mutual pain, resilience. Nico sat down beside Will and reached out to take his hand.

Jason pulled Percy tighter. "No more solo hero acts. You've got all of us now."

"I know," Percy murmured. "It's just hard to stop thinking like a shield."

Annabeth smiled faintly. "We're still working on that."

"Until then," Will said, handing Percy the last of the nectar, "no more poison clouds. No more collapsing dramatically. No more scaring your boyfriend half to death."

Jason didn't let go of him for the rest of the night. Neither did the others, in their own way.

Because Percy might dive in first - but this time, they'd all be there to pull him back out.

Chapter Text

The night hadn't even hit midnight when the alert sounded.

"Another breach," Tim called out from the Batcomputer. "Looks like East End. Not normal gang activity."

"Monsters?" Jason asked, already pulling on his tactical vest.

"Reading a heat spike. Not human." Tim spun in his chair, tapping keys. "They took out one of the GCPD drones."

Percy, still a little stiff from the poison incident, rolled his shoulders and groaned. "Monsters need to get a better sense of timing."

Jason smirked. "Think you're up for it?"

"Try and stop me," Percy grinned, grabbing Riptide and adjusting the hoodie he'd half-stolen from Jason.

The team mobilized fast. Nightwing, Red Hood, Robin, and Batgirl led the charge, but tonight the demigods weren't sitting out. Percy, Nico, Annabeth, and Thalia were already suiting up. Will stayed behind at the cave-the unofficial medic on standby.

They arrived at the East End warehouse just in time to see something big tear through steel like paper. It had the shape of a bull, but its body glowed with circuitry, and steam hissed from vents on its shoulders.

"That thing's got tech," Jason muttered, landing beside Percy on a rooftop.

Percy narrowed his eyes. "Monster tech. I've seen stuff like that before. In Tartarus."

"You think it followed you out?"

"I think something else dragged it out," Percy said.

Below, the mechanical monster bellowed, smashing a van in half.

"Showtime," Thalia said, launching a lightning bolt from her spear.

The monster reeled, but didn't fall. Instead, it recalibrated-whirring parts shifting and shielding its weak points.

"It's learning," Annabeth warned. "That tech is adapting to our attacks!"

"Great," Percy muttered. "I love when they level up."

Jason and Percy dropped in together. While Jason distracted the beast with brutal strikes, Percy circled around the back and jammed Riptide between the plates of its armor.

It shrieked, electricity crackling as ichor and circuitry sparked.

But instead of dying, it exploded-not destructively, but in a shimmer of disassembled parts.

Left in its place was a sphere of pulsing blue tech. Percy reached down to pick it up.

"This," he said slowly, "isn't Greek. Or Roman."

"Let me see that," Annabeth demanded.

She turned it over, eyes narrowing. "There's Daedalus-like mechanics here... but this is more advanced. Someone's fusing monster essence with human tech."

Jason stepped in close. "Looks like we have a bigger problem."

Percy glanced at the rooftops, eyes dark. "Someone's building something. Using monsters. And I don't think this was a test. I think it was a message."

"Then we send one back," Nico said coldly, shadows curling at his feet.

Percy tucked the tech sphere into his belt. "Let's track down whoever thinks they can turn monsters into machines. And let's make sure they remember who they're messing with."

Chapter Text

The night hadn't even hit midnight when the alert sounded.

"Another breach," Tim called out from the Batcomputer. "Looks like East End. Not normal gang activity."

"Monsters?" Jason asked, already pulling on his tactical vest.

"Reading a heat spike. Not human." Tim spun in his chair, tapping keys. "They took out one of the GCPD drones."

Percy, still a little stiff from the poison incident, rolled his shoulders and groaned. "Monsters need to get a better sense of timing."

Jason smirked. "Think you're up for it?"

"Try and stop me," Percy grinned, grabbing Riptide and adjusting the hoodie he'd half-stolen from Jason.

The team mobilized fast. Nightwing, Red Hood, Robin, and Batgirl led the charge, but tonight the demigods weren't sitting out. Percy, Nico, Annabeth, and Thalia were already suiting up. Will stayed behind at the cave-the unofficial medic on standby.

They arrived at the East End warehouse just in time to see something big tear through steel like paper. It had the shape of a bull, but its body glowed with circuitry, and steam hissed from vents on its shoulders.

"That thing's got tech," Jason muttered, landing beside Percy on a rooftop.

Percy narrowed his eyes. "Monster tech. I've seen stuff like that before. In Tartarus."

"You think it followed you out?"

"I think something else dragged it out," Percy said.

Below, the mechanical monster bellowed, smashing a van in half.

"Showtime," Thalia said, launching a lightning bolt from her spear.

The monster reeled, but didn't fall. Instead, it recalibrated-whirring parts shifting and shielding its weak points.

"It's learning," Annabeth warned. "That tech is adapting to our attacks!"

"Great," Percy muttered. "I love when they level up."

Jason and Percy dropped in together. While Jason distracted the beast with brutal strikes, Percy circled around the back and jammed Riptide between the plates of its armor.

It shrieked, electricity crackling as ichor and circuitry sparked.

But instead of dying, it exploded-not destructively, but in a shimmer of disassembled parts.

Left in its place was a sphere of pulsing blue tech. Percy reached down to pick it up.

"This," he said slowly, "isn't Greek. Or Roman."

"Let me see that," Annabeth demanded.

She turned it over, eyes narrowing. "There's Daedalus-like mechanics here... but this is more advanced. Someone's fusing monster essence with human tech."

Jason stepped in close. "Looks like we have a bigger problem."

Percy glanced at the rooftops, eyes dark. "Someone's building something. Using monsters. And I don't think this was a test. I think it was a message."

"Then we send one back," Nico said coldly, shadows curling at his feet.

Percy tucked the tech sphere into his belt. "Let's track down whoever thinks they can turn monsters into machines. And let's make sure they remember who they're messing with."

Chapter Text

Percy's POV

The Wayne manor was unusually quiet for a Saturday morning, save for the soft hum of Gotham beyond the windows. Nico and Will were cuddled together on one of the oversized couches in the lounge, Will resting his head against Nico's shoulder, quietly reading a book about 20th-century medicine. Nico had one arm lazily draped over Will's waist, eyes half-lidded but aware.

Across from them, Percy was sprawled on another couch, tangled comfortably with Jason Todd, Red Hood, Gotham's favorite vigilante and Percy's latest mistake-or maybe his best decision yet. Percy wore one of Jason's hoodies again, sleeves engulfing his hands, and his head rested on Jason's shoulder. Jason had an arm around his waist, casually scrolling through something on his phone.

"Are you actually reading that article," Percy murmured, "or just pretending to look busy so I stop asking to spar?"

Jason smirked. "Pretending. Sparring with you means bruises and water damage."

Percy lifted his head. "Water damage is a lifestyle."

"I swear to the gods," Nico groaned without looking up, "can you two stop being gross for five seconds?"

Will chuckled. "Nope. It's their thing now."

Before Percy could respond with a sarcastic quip, a loud alarm echoed from the Batcomputer system, followed by the quick stomp of Damian entering the room.

"There's a disturbance at a hidden facility in Old Gotham. Possible monster activity," Damian stated without preamble, throwing a utility belt over his shoulder.

"Hidden facility?" Percy perked up. "Say no more."

Jason sighed, pulling himself and Percy up. "Stay behind me this time."

"No promises!" Percy called as they followed the others into gear-up mode.

The old facility was a crumbling research station tucked beneath Gotham's sewer system. The place reeked of mold, damp metal, and leftover monster ichor. The team had split into pairs, investigating with caution.

Jason and Percy had wandered into an abandoned lab, lit by flickering overheads. Beakers, shattered containment pods, and shattered glass littered the area.

"I swear this looks like the lab from every zombie movie ever," Percy muttered, poking a metal crate with Riptide drawn.

"Don't touch anything," Jason warned, scanning the surroundings.

Percy immediately picked up a glowing canister. "So, this is glowing. That's not normal, right?"

Jason turned, grabbing it from him and setting it down. "Stop. Touching. Things."

"I'm curious! What if this is valuable monster tech? Like, portable ichor bombs or something?"

"Or it's toxic. Or cursed."

"You say cursed like that's not half my childhood."

They moved deeper into the lab, stepping over long-dead remains of some creature that had been half-robot, half-hydra. Percy leaned in toward a shattered display case.

Jason frowned. "There's no power running through this place. The computers are dead."

"No, something's still humming," Percy said. "Feel that?"

Just then, Jason paused. His hand reached for his mask. "You feel off?"

"Define 'off'-because I'm always a little off."

But then Percy's hand trembled. Just slightly. Jason noticed immediately.

"You touched something."

"I touched lots of things."

Jason's voice dropped, serious now. "No, something bad."

Percy winced and then laughed awkwardly. "Okay, maybe one thing had a really weird sigil on it and it zapped me a bit, but-"

Jason pulled up his comm. "We need evac. Now."

Bruce stormed in an hour later, the others on his heels.

"I had to use the emergency tracker in your neck," Bruce said darkly to Jason. "You two disappeared without a word."

"We were investigating," Jason snapped. "It went sideways."

Percy weakly waved from the bed. "Still alive. Just slightly poisoned."

Annabeth shoved past Bruce, glaring. "Slightly? Percy!"

Nico narrowed his eyes, approaching. "What exactly did you touch?"

"An ancient magical-glowy-not-labeled-canister thing."

Everyone groaned.

Will pulled out nectar and ambrosia. "Open your mouth. And don't you dare bite me this time."

"Next time," Jason said as Percy drifted into a medicated sleep, "we tell the team before going rogue."

"Yeah," Percy mumbled. "Next time... you carry the glowy stuff."

Jason smirked, brushing hair from Percy's forehead. "Deal."

By the time Bruce and the others found them-hidden in a crumbling, half-submerged sector of the ancient lab beneath Gotham-it was clear things were not fine.

Jason was slumped against the wall, pale, eyes glassy, breath shallow. Percy stood, barely, gripping the edge of a broken console, his body swaying slightly. His face was flushed with fever, skin faintly glowing the wrong color-tinged in purple-green around the veins.

"Percy!" Will shoved past Bruce and Damian before anyone could stop him, dropping to the ground and immediately assessing the damage. "You idiot. You absolute sea-brained idiot! You're poisoned-again!"

Percy blinked at him slowly, lips twitching. "Is this your Apollo impression? Because I gotta say, B+, needs more dramatic yelling and sunshine metaphors."

Nico appeared at Will's side, eyes dark. "You touched a sealed, ancient artifact that was glowing green and hissing."

Percy held up his hands in mock surrender, fingers twitching. "In my defense... it looked cool."

"Everything that looks cool is probably cursed," Tim muttered from the background, watching with cautious curiosity. "You're both glowing weird. What was down here?"

Jason, still mostly out of it, mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like: "...He said it was fine..."

"Of course he did," Damian deadpanned. "Because nothing says 'fine' like willingly inhaling spores from a glowing vial."

Before Will could start threatening Percy with more medical procedures, Dick spoke up from behind them. "Guys. There's something else down here." He pointed toward the far end of the corridor. "Some kind of underground river."

"Great," Percy muttered, already wobbling toward it, dragging Jason by the sleeve. "Maybe it'll help us wash off the poison."

"Stop moving!" Will snapped.

But Percy had already frozen at the sight of the water. It pulsed faintly with a dark, swirling current that didn't reflect light normally-it absorbed it.

"...Huh," Percy said quietly. "It's almost like..."

"Like the Styx," Nico finished for him, stepping up beside him.

Everyone turned toward the two demigods. Even Bruce looked mildly interested.

"What's the Styx?" Tim asked cautiously.

Percy gave him a lopsided smile. "Only the river of oaths, memory, and invulnerability in the Underworld. You know, casual water feature."

"You swam in that?" Dick blinked.

"Technically, I dove," Percy said, a little softer now. His expression shifted from amused to far-off, like he was seeing something else entirely. "I had to. During the Titan War. I needed the power to defeat Kronos, and this was... the only way."

Jason-who had finally leaned against a pillar and was listening again-tilted his head. "Let me get this straight. You bathed in a river made of death to get stronger?"

Percy gave a tight, humorless laugh. "Yeah. With a goddess whispering in my ear the whole time, telling me I'd dissolve into nothing if I didn't hang on to my 'mortal tether.'"

Will frowned. "Your what?"

Percy looked at Jason, something almost tender flickering across his face. "The one thing I loved most. The thing keeping me grounded. Back then, it was Annabeth."

Jason's jaw twitched. "And now?"

Percy didn't answer-but he didn't need to. The way he glanced at Jason made it obvious.

Nico huffed. "You're ridiculous."

"But dramatic," Percy offered. "Which I feel is kind of expected when you go full Greek hero."

Damian, arms crossed, stared at the river. "Should we be concerned this exists beneath Gotham?"

Bruce nodded. "We'll need to secure and isolate it. This could be an artificial echo-a place where divine energy pooled. Gotham's no stranger to strange... but this?" He looked at Percy. "You felt something, didn't you?"

Percy rubbed at his chest. "Yeah. Not like the real thing. But close. It called to me."

Everyone stood in silence for a moment.

"Okay but," Tim broke the quiet, "can we go back to the part where he swam in liquid death? Because I'm still stuck on that."

Chapter Text

"I'm going in," Percy said, stepping toward the river.

"Absolutely not!" Will's voice shot out like a whip. "You're still poisoned!"

Percy gave him a tired smile. "I've been worse."

Jason placed a firm hand on Percy's shoulder. "We're not losing you to another creepy river."

Percy met his gaze, a little smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You won't. I've done this before, remember?"

He stepped to the edge, boots skimming just above the dark water. It didn't ripple, didn't reflect. Instead, the current seemed to sense him-shifting slightly, forming eddies beneath the surface like it was breathing in sync with him.

"This is different," Nico said, warily stepping up beside him. "It's not just Styx energy. There's something else in it... older."

"Can you feel it too?" Percy asked without turning. "It's like... it remembers things."

Tim raised an eyebrow. "What, the water has a memory?"

"Water always has memory," Percy murmured. "But this? This is something else."

He knelt, one hand stretching out just above the surface. Everyone leaned forward instinctively, waiting.

Then his fingers dipped in.

Instantly, Percy flinched. His pupils dilated. He staggered back with a sharp inhale, nearly tripping over Jason's boots.

"Percy!" Will and Jason lunged forward at the same time, grabbing him before he could fall into the river.

"I'm okay," he gasped, gripping Jason's arm. "It just... it showed me something."

Bruce stepped closer, jaw tight. "What did you see?"

Percy swallowed thickly. "Tartarus. The river showed me-my fight with Akhlys. The god of poison. I remembered how it felt... choking, drowning in that black fog, blood burning in my veins."

His hands were shaking now.

"She told me I should've died. Said no one leaves her domain alive." He looked down at the water, then back at the group. "But I did. Because I chose to. Because even when every instinct screamed to give up-I didn't."

Jason gently tugged him back. "You don't need to prove anything. Not to us."

Percy gave a wobbly laugh. "I know. But I think... this river? It responds to that kind of willpower. To memory and pain and defiance."

Nico looked at it uneasily. "You think it's a trial? Or a key?"

Percy nodded. "Maybe both. I think this whole lab was built around it."

Damian narrowed his eyes. "But for what purpose?"

Before anyone could answer, the river shifted again. A glowing shape appeared beneath the surface-like a submerged pillar covered in divine etchings. Greek letters shimmered along it, pulsing in time with Percy's heartbeat.

Will gasped. "That's celestial bronze."

"And that," Nico said grimly, "is a sealed chamber. I recognize the markings."

Bruce exchanged a look with Dick. "Looks like we're not done here."

Jason turned to Percy. "You up for unlocking it?"

Percy cracked his knuckles, forcing some strength back into his voice. "Born ready."

Then, softer so only Jason could hear: "But stay close. Just in case I get all hero-stupid again."

Jason smirked and bumped his arm. "Wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."

Percy approached the water's edge again, his breathing slow and measured. The others stood behind him-Jason a steady presence at his side, Nico murmuring protective underworld prayers under his breath.

The celestial bronze pillar beneath the river pulsed again.

"Okay," Percy muttered, "I'm going in. Just enough to touch it."

"No," Bruce cut in, surprising everyone. "We're going in together. Whatever's down there isn't just your burden, Jackson."

For a second, Percy blinked in surprise. Then he nodded. "Alright. But you'll need to hold your breath."

Will tossed him a small breathing charm from his pack-an ancient artifact Percy had seen once used by sea nymphs. "Try not to die."

Jason snorted. "That's kind of his thing."

With a half-sarcastic salute, Percy dove in.

The water was cold and thick with magic. Not the stinging death of the Styx-this felt older, slower. As if the river had been waiting eons for someone to come back.

Jason followed seconds later, then Bruce and Damian. Tim and Dick stayed up top to monitor comms and give support.

The deeper they went, the more the glowing runes lit up around them. Percy swam ahead, following the pulse of the pillar, until his fingers grazed it.

The second he touched it, the world shook.

The river roared. The magic surged upward in a spiral-almost singing in a language only Percy seemed to understand.

The column cracked open. A massive stone doorway split beneath the water, revealing a submerged stairwell made of obsidian and celestial bronze. It shouldn't have been possible to walk under the water. And yet... the current shifted, pushing them forward with dry feet onto the steps.

Jason's hand found Percy's. "You okay?"

Percy squeezed back. "No. But let's keep going."

They descended.

Inside, the chamber looked like a long-forgotten temple. Ancient carvings lined the walls: titans, monsters, heroes, and gods-some Percy had never seen before. Others were familiar and unwelcome.

"Is that... Nyx?" Damian whispered, pointing at one of the reliefs.

Percy's jaw clenched. "Yeah. And that's Kymopoleia. My half-sister. This place is built around fear. Pain. Poison."

Bruce inspected one of the glyphs. "A weapon."

Percy nodded slowly. "A god-level one. They were trying to harness the river. Bind a piece of Tartarus into this plane."

Will's voice crackled through the comms from above. "Guys? That magical surge? It just spiked again. Something's waking up."

As if on cue, the floor beneath them trembled. From the far end of the temple, a door split open-revealing a creature halfway between a chimera and a hydra, its body leaking sickly green venom that sizzled against the stone.

Percy instinctively shoved Jason back. "Move!"

Jason didn't hesitate. Guns out, batarangs flying, he aimed for its heads. "Eyes, Percy! Take the eyes!"

Percy summoned Riptide and surged forward. The monster roared, venom splashing wildly.

It only took a few hits before Percy was back in his rhythm. Blade flashing, sea-borne reflexes kicking in. But the moment he slashed one of the monster's hearts, it exploded-spraying toxic mist that hit Percy full in the face.

"Percy!" Jason caught him as he staggered.

"Fine," Percy wheezed. "Just... just a little death gas. Again."

Damian tossed him a gas neutralizer capsule. "You've got to stop inhaling poisons."

"No promises," Percy groaned.

But before he could stand, he felt something shift inside the water again-almost like the river was whispering to him.

"Let me help," it seemed to say.

And Percy understood.

"Guys," he coughed, straightening. "I think the river's sentient."

Jason raised a brow. "The river is... alive?"

"No," Percy said, narrowing his eyes. "Not alive. But aware. And I think it's protecting something."

Or someone.

Water dripped from their suits and armor as the team climbed out of the submerged chamber. The river had somehow calmed, almost retreating from the chaos, as though it had expelled what it wanted to be rid of-the monster, the poison, the intrusion.

Jason stood waist-deep, holding onto Percy's arm. "We need to get out of here. Whatever that thing was, it's not dead yet. Will needs to run a detox scan on you."

Percy didn't move.

Jason frowned. "Perce?"

Percy's eyes were locked on the water-glowing faintly now, the color of storm-lit sea glass. "I... I can hear it," he whispered.

Jason's voice dropped. "What?"

"The river," Percy said. "It's talking."

Jason's grip tightened. "That's not funny."

"I'm not joking," Percy said, blinking like he'd forgotten Jason was there at all. "It's not words exactly. It's like... images. Feelings. Like it's trying to show me something."

"Percy-"

"Go," Percy said softly. "I'll be right behind you."

Jason didn't like it. Not one bit. But there was something in Percy's tone-gentle but absolute-that he'd come to recognize. Stubborn. Sacred. So Jason nodded slowly and stepped out of the river, his gaze never leaving Percy's silhouette.

The others gathered on the shore, still breathless from the fight, wiping blood and river muck from their gear. Nico watched Percy closely, eyes narrowed. He knew something was off.

Percy stood alone in the water, up to his knees now. The current was gentle... but with a purpose. It swirled around his calves, pulling him slightly forward, then back, like a tide beckoning.

"Why me?" he asked the river, aloud but low.

The water shimmered.

And suddenly Percy wasn't standing in Gotham anymore.

He was somewhere else. Darker. Vast.

The river flowed around him-no longer bound to a cave or pipe or city. Here, it stretched forever, winding through fields of silver mist. On either bank stood statues-tall, faceless, ancient. Some wore Greek armor, others Roman togas. One held a trident. Another a scythe.

Percy's breathing hitched. "Is this... is this a memory?"

"No," the river answered-not in words, but in a vibration that ran from the soles of his feet to the center of his chest. "This is what remains."

"Remains of what?"

"Of power. Of war. Of those who crossed too far and paid the price."

Suddenly, Percy felt cold. Colder than Tartarus. He remembered that descent-the Styx boiling around him, the pain of every scar, the feel of Annabeth's fingers slipping from his.

He shivered.

"You're like the Styx," he whispered.

"I am older than the Styx. I fed the Styx. I was buried to keep the poison from reaching the surface. But now you've opened the seal."

He blinked. "The monster?"

"No. You."

His throat went dry.

"I'm not here to release anything," he said quickly. "We were just-"

"You are marked by pain. Scarred by gods and monsters alike. You walked through Tartarus and swam my sister's waters and lived. You belong to more than the sea now, Percy Jackson."

His legs trembled. The water was rising-not visually, but emotionally, spiritually, pulling at his mind.

"I didn't ask to belong to anything," he said through his teeth.

"You carry death. Poison. Chaos. And still you protect. You are the vessel."

"I'm not-" Percy turned, trying to step back, but the water curled around his legs like invisible chains. He couldn't move.

"Let me give you what was taken. Let me show you how to end the suffering."

A bright pulse shot up his spine. For a split second, Percy saw it-everything the river offered.

He saw cities burning. A god's face split by his own blade. The Fates weeping. Olympus crumbling. And in the center of it all... Percy. Alone. Radiant. Terrifying.

He fell to one knee, clutching his chest. "Stop..."

The water eased. Barely.

"You are not ready."

"No," Percy rasped. "I'm not interested. Whatever this is-whatever power-keep it."

The current grew still.

And then... laughter. Cold. Resigned. Ancient.

"You will come again."

In the blink of an eye, Percy was back in Gotham.

The river around him was calm once more.

"Percy!" Jason was already in the water, grabbing his shoulders. "You were out for two minutes! Are you okay? What the hell happened?"

Percy blinked, eyes distant. "I think I just met the river's soul."

Jason stared.

"And it's older than the Styx," Percy added.

Bruce stepped forward. "What did it want?"

Percy hesitated. Then, "Me."

They all fell silent.

Nico's voice was unusually soft. "It saw what you survived. Tartarus. The Styx. It knows who you are, Seaweed Brain."

Percy gave a hollow laugh. "That's the problem."

Jason wrapped his arms around him and pulled him in tightly, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "We're not letting anything take you. Not again."

"I'm okay," Percy said, voice steadier now. "Just... tired."

As they walked back toward the cave exit, Percy turned for one last glance at the river.

It shimmered softly in response.

Not a threat.

A promise.

Chapter Text

They didn't speak much on the way back.

Percy's body was dry, but he felt soaked down to his soul. Jason kept a protective hand on his lower back, hovering like he was ready to catch him if he stumbled. Nico watched from a few steps behind, sharp eyes constantly flicking to Percy's face like he was waiting for something.

It started small.

A headache.

Then heat.

Then the world tilted ever so slightly as they stepped into the Batcave.

Bruce immediately turned toward them. "Alfred's prepared the medical bay. Everyone who made contact with the river or the creature gets scanned. No arguments."

Tim was already dragging a diagnostic tablet over.

Percy managed a grin. "Nice to see you too, Bats."

Jason gave him a flat look. "You still sound like you're drunk on river water."

"I feel like I got hit with a truck. Or five."

Then came the coughing. Wet. Ragged. Percy doubled over suddenly, hand flying to his mouth.

"Percy?" Will rushed forward. "Hey-look at me-"

Percy pulled his hand away.

Black liquid smeared his palm.

Nico swore under his breath. "That's not blood."

Will snapped into healer mode, pushing Percy onto a nearby bench. "Everyone back. Now."

Jason didn't move from Percy's side. Neither did Nico.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "What is that?"

Will squinted at the residue. "It's not poison. At least... not any known toxin. It's more like... ichor. But corrupted. Thinned out."

Percy blinked slowly. "I... feel fine. Just hot. It's like I'm burning from the inside out."

Tim's scanner started buzzing. "His internal temperature's climbing fast. Organs still stable. But his heart rate is-wait..." He frowned. "His pulse is irregular. Not fatal. But it's fluctuating with his emotional state."

"His emotions?" Bruce repeated.

"Like the river's in him now," Nico muttered. "Like it's... speaking through him still."

Percy closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. "I don't feel sick. I feel..." He hesitated. "Powerful."

That was when the shadows shifted around him.

Literally.

The light around Percy dimmed. Not in a dramatic, 'the-lights-flickered' kind of way-but like the air darkened. As if the room was suddenly too aware of him. As if reality held its breath.

Jason stood, tense, eyes darting to the corners of the cave. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know," Percy whispered. "But it's... inside me. Something's changing."

The next few days were a blur.

Percy slept.

A lot.

It wasn't just normal exhaustion-it was bone-deep, world-tilting weariness. He would wake up only for a few minutes at a time, skin clammy and breath shallow. Then he'd pass out again, usually curled up on a couch, Jason's hoodie tugged tightly around his shoulders while Will checked his vitals for the tenth time that hour.

Nico kept watch more than anyone. Sitting in silence. Shadow-traveling to retrieve scrolls from Camp Half-Blood, calling in favors from Underworld spirits, even forcing Apollo into a dream to demand answers. Nothing worked. Nothing helped.

And still, Percy burned.

Jason stayed close, pacing or anchoring himself beside Percy, who now had a permanent flush to his cheeks like he'd run a fever for days. His skin was warm, sometimes hot to the touch. At one point, Alfred gently pressed a cool cloth to his neck and flinched.

"He's practically boiling," the butler said, brows furrowed.

Will bit his lip, reading over data. "It's like... his cells are supercharged. Like there's too much energy flowing through him. It's not just magic or ichor-it's something else. Something old."

"But why isn't he dead?" Tim asked, glancing at the black tar-like fluid Percy coughed up the day before. "By all logic, his body should've shut down."

That's when Nico spoke up.

"The river didn't infect him," he said quietly. "It chose him. It filled him with its power, but his mortal body-half mortal, anyway-wasn't built to hold it. He's overheating, burning out."

"Then what's keeping him alive?" Jason asked sharply.

Nico hesitated.

Then: "The ocean."

Everyone looked at him.

"He's a son of Poseidon," Nico said. "Saltwater runs through his veins. The sea is cold. Deep. Immense. It's the only thing keeping him from combusting. It's acting like a counterweight."

Will slowly nodded. "It would explain the brief dips in his body temperature every time we applied cold compresses-or when we kept the room below 60 degrees."

Jason stood abruptly. "Then we need to get him in water."

"Not just a shower," Will added. "He needs full submersion. Something like the Long Island Sound. Deep. Cold. Unfiltered."

Bruce didn't even argue. "I'll have the jet prepped."

Jason knelt beside Percy, brushing damp curls from his forehead. His skin was nearly glowing with heat.

"You're not burning out," he said lowly. "I'm not letting you."

Chapter Text

Percy hadn't stirred once since falling asleep.

They'd gently moved him into a shaded alcove near the rocks. The ocean breeze rolled in off the waves, cool and constant, and someone-probably Jason-had draped a soaked towel over his neck to help lower his body temperature.

It helped, but only just.

"He's still burning up," Will said, checking Percy's forehead again. "Even with the sea this close."

"Can we rig something more stable?" Barbara asked, kneeling beside him. "This is a temporary fix."

"I've been freezing water bottles in a containment bag," Tim said. "It's crude, but if we rotate them out and keep his core temp down-"

"I'm not letting him roast," Jason said, tightening the grip on the blanket he was using to wrap Percy's legs. "If I have to bury him in snow, I will."

"I vote for an ice bucket system," Dick said. "It's how we cooled Babs down after that heatstroke mission in Cairo."

Barbara snorted. "I vote we start making an inventory of how many weird ways Percy has cheated death."

"Too many," Nico said, crossing his arms. "We need to figure out where that poison came from. And how to reverse it."

"We don't even know what it is," Will muttered. "Just that it's god-level. And that it's eating him alive."

Jason leaned back slightly, keeping Percy close. "Poseidon said it was something left behind. By Tartarus. Or something deeper."

Damian, pacing nearby, narrowed his eyes. "If Percy's being kept alive by the cold, we should prioritize resources. Build a cold room. Rotate sleeping shifts. Monitor his vitals."

"We've already set up the thermometers," Tim said. "And I've hacked together a temperature-regulating wrap. It's hooked into a solar-charged battery."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "You built a cooling suit?"

Tim gave him a modest shrug. "Sort of. It's a Batman-influenced prototype."

"Of course it is," Dick said with a smirk.

Percy groaned softly and tried to curl in on himself. The soaked towel slipped slightly, and Jason immediately adjusted it. Will moved closer, placing a cold bottle beneath Percy's arm.

"He shouldn't be this hot. His body is constantly fighting to regulate itself-if we weren't here-"

"He'd have burned up," Nico finished grimly.

The wind blew gently across the sand. Somewhere off in the distance, the sound of crashing surf echoed through the air.

"He said the river whispered to him," Jason said, brushing a thumb over Percy's temple. "Said it remembered."

"It might've been the Lethe," Nico mused. "Or the Styx again. The underworld doesn't forget. Especially not a soul it wanted to keep."

Dick cracked his knuckles. "So, we're up against literal sentient poison, monster-tech, maybe the aftereffects of divine trauma, and Percy's own bad luck."

Will looked up. "That about sums it up."

Tim glanced down at the blinking monitor attached to the side of Percy's shirt. "Temperature's stable. For now."

Damian walked over and dropped a pair of cooling packs beside them. "If he stirs, give him these."

Will nodded. "Thanks."

For a while, the team sat in silence-just the sea breeze, the beeping of makeshift monitors, and the steady sound of Percy's breathing.

Jason sighed. "He's always throwing himself into danger. Without thinking."

"That's how he works," Nico said quietly. "That's how he survived Tartarus."

"Yeah," Jason muttered. "But I wish he'd give himself a break."

A small groan interrupted them.

Percy stirred slightly, eyes fluttering open. He blinked blearily at the crowd around him.

Jason leaned down. "Hey, Seaweed Brain."

Percy mumbled something unintelligible, his voice thick with sleep.

Will leaned in. "You're burning up, but we've got you."

"Cold..." Percy slurred, tugging the towel closer. "Ocean good..."

"We'll stay near the coast," Nico promised. "For as long as it takes."

"And if the poison tries anything again," Damian added darkly, "we'll be ready."

Percy gave a faint thumbs-up, then slumped back into Jason's side and promptly fell asleep again.

Jason chuckled under his breath. "Classic."

"He's going to hate being babied when he wakes up fully," Tim said.

"Too bad," Will replied. "He's got no choice."

As the sun sank lower and the tide rolled in, the team fell quiet once more-circling their friend like knights around a sleeping king.

Because whether they were Bat-Family, healers, demigods, or shadows from the Underworld-they weren't letting Percy Jackson fight this alone.

Chapter Text

The ocean breeze was colder than usual, even for Gotham's rough coastal edge. The waves churned violently beneath the cliffs, reflecting the tension radiating from the group gathered nearby. Nico stood with Will near a jagged outcrop, the sea wind catching in their hair, while Jason had his arms wrapped tightly around Percy, who had been sleeping nearly nonstop since their last mission.

It wasn't just fatigue anymore-it was something deeper, heavier. Percy looked paler, his breath shallower, and even the ocean's nearness didn't seem to bring the comfort it used to.

"He's burning up again," Will murmured, pressing a damp cloth to Percy's forehead. "Even with the water nearby, it's not cooling him fast enough."

Jason clenched his jaw, adjusting Percy slightly as the son of Poseidon stirred but didn't wake. "We need to do something. This isn't normal exhaustion."

Before Will could respond, the waves below erupted-spraying foam into the air as a monstrous screech rang out.

A creature burst forth from the surf, its skin a pale translucent blue, eyes glowing with venomous green light. It was like nothing they'd fought before: a fusion of sea serpent and chimera, pulsing with poisonous mist.

Everyone jumped into action. Damian and Tim pulled on masks, tossing extras to the others. Will and Nico slipped into a practiced rhythm-Nico drawing shadows to trap the beast's limbs while Will launched golden light like arrows.

But Percy, now barely conscious, was still slumped against Jason's chest.

Then, something changed.

The sea grew quiet. Dead quiet.

A hum, low and ancient, seemed to echo from the waves, reaching toward Percy like a call.

His eyes fluttered open, unfocused. He took a shaky breath.

"...It's calling me," he whispered.

Jason's grip tightened. "What is?"

"The sea... no, not just the sea. Him."

Suddenly, Percy stood, shakily at first-but with each step toward the cliff, he straightened. The air shimmered around him as he reached the water's edge, his body glowing faintly with sea-green energy.

The monster turned its head just as Percy raised a hand.

The ocean moved.

Not in waves, but in a wall of liquid force-rising like a serpent behind him before crashing down on the creature. The ground trembled with impact.

"Percy!" Will called out, but the demigod didn't respond.

A trident mark shimmered across his chest, glowing brighter as he called the sea to him. The creature lunged again, but the water split-forming a blade in Percy's hand. With a single slash, he sent the monster reeling backward, its shriek drowned by another crashing wave.

Everyone stood frozen.

Then Percy swayed.

Jason was at his side in seconds as he collapsed, steam rising from his skin. Will reached them, scanning Percy's form.

"His internal temperature's skyrocketing-he's burning up."

"He was pulling from the sea," Nico said slowly. "Like... like the Styx. Remember how it tried to burn him from the inside? This feels the same."

Will nodded grimly. "He's using something that his body wasn't meant to handle fully-not without the sea's constant presence to cool him."

"I think he's awakened something," Jason muttered, brushing wet hair from Percy's forehead. "A mark... of Poseidon."

As Percy fell unconscious, Jason carefully carried him back toward the others. They wrapped him in soaked blankets, kept him on a slab of cooled stone, and even poured seawater over him to keep his body from overheating.

"We have to keep him cool," Will said. "Or it could literally burn him alive."

That night, the group huddled around a fire, casting worried glances at the softly glowing form of Percy Jackson. The waves crashed softly behind them, as if trying to lull him into safety.

And from deep in the ocean, something watched.

Something proud.

Something ancient.

Poseidon knew his son had crossed another threshold. But whether Percy would survive this power-or be consumed by it-remained to be seen.

Chapter Text

The silence after the monster fell was deafening.

Smoke curled in the air. Acid burned into the concrete from where the creature had slithered. Black ichor slowly disintegrated into the cracked pavement. But no one noticed. Not really. Because all eyes were on the boy collapsed on the ground, steam rising off his skin as though his very body were boiling from the inside.

"Percy?" Jason Todd's voice cracked as he stumbled over, half-stumbling on debris, shoving aside Nico with more force than he meant to. His heart thundered in his chest. "Seaweed Brain-"

"I think he passed out," Annabeth said, her voice sharper than usual-because sharp was how she handled fear. She dropped to her knees beside Percy, brushing the sweat-drenched hair from his forehead. Her hand jerked back slightly at the heat radiating from him.

"He's burning up," Will said grimly. He crouched down opposite Annabeth, already pulling supplies from the satchel strapped across his chest.

"He just needs water," Thalia snapped, anxiety clear in her tone. "You know what Poseidon kids are like-always boiling over when they use too much power. He's done this before."

"Not like this." Nico's voice was low and eerily calm, which only made it worse. His fingers twitched by his side like he was resisting the urge to shadow-travel. "That fight pushed him over a limit we didn't know he had."

Tim narrowed his eyes at Percy's skin. "It's like... there are frost traces along his veins." He exchanged a quick glance with Bruce, who already had his cowl down and was scanning Percy with a portable thermal device. "Internal core temp's dropping too fast after a spike."

"He's fluctuating," Will said. "His system is... compensating. Overcompensating. It's like something's burning him up and his body is trying to cool it constantly."

"Because he's a child of the sea," Damian muttered from the edge of the group, arms crossed. He didn't look as smug as usual. "Water regulates him. If he were anyone else, he'd be dead."

Cass knelt beside Percy and touched his wrist with two fingers. "We need to move him."

"No sudden moves," Will said sharply. "He'll need to stay stable-"

"He's waking up," Annabeth cut in.

Percy's eyes fluttered. Blue-green. Glazed with exhaustion.

"Did we win?" he rasped.

"Yeah," Jason said, crouching next to him, reaching to help him sit up slowly. "You did great. You saved all our asses."

Percy gave him a weak grin. "Of course I did. I'm kind of amazing like that."

And then promptly passed out again.

Jason caught him before he hit the ground. "Alright. That's enough heroics for one day."

"He's burning himself out every time," Nico said quietly. "It's like the power's growing... but he hasn't caught up to it yet."

"He's going to kill himself at this rate," Thalia muttered, running a hand through her wind-blown hair.

"So we don't let him," Will said, tone steady and filled with quiet conviction. "We do what we have to-we cool his body constantly, make sure he's never out of contact with saltwater. If it keeps him from... this." He gestured to Percy.

"We get him home," Bruce added. "And we figure out what's changing him."

Jason glanced down at Percy again, brow tight with worry.

"Let's get him back. Now."

The ride back was unusually quiet.

The van Bruce had sent to pick them up rumbled steadily along the cracked Gotham roads, its interior filled with shadows and soft hums from the portable medical scanner beside Percy. He was curled on one of the benches, head resting in Jason Todd's lap, a thin sheen of sweat still clinging to his forehead. A soaked towel was pressed gently against the side of his neck, another wrapped around his forearms.

Jason hadn't moved much since they loaded Percy in. One hand carded absently through damp black hair, the other braced against the bench to keep himself steady whenever the vehicle rocked. His eyes never left Percy's face.

Across from them, Nico sat with his arms crossed and eyes half-lidded, looking out the window like he wasn't watching-but everyone knew he was.

Will leaned slightly against Nico's side, exhausted but alert, his fingers idly tapping on his leg as he scrolled through readings on his medical scanner. "Still fluctuating," he said quietly, mostly to himself. "His temperature spikes every time the water dries. We'll need a containment setup when we get back. Maybe some kind of salt-infused hydro-bed."

"You sound like a mad scientist," Tim muttered, but not unkindly.

"I am a mad scientist," Will said, not looking up. "Just a nice one."

Cass, perched near the door with her knees tucked to her chest, nodded slowly. "He screamed," she said suddenly, voice soft. "In the fight. I've never heard that from him."

Everyone glanced toward her. Even Damian seemed to pause.

Annabeth sat near the front, close to Bruce, her fingers twisting around the hem of her camp shirt. "He's faced things that should've broken him," she said after a moment. "Tartarus. The literal god of poison. Watching friends die. He puts on that stupid brave face, but-this? This felt different."

"He doesn't even realize how much he takes on," Thalia murmured. "Or how much it hurts us to watch."

Jason's jaw flexed. "He didn't even hesitate," he said, almost bitterly. "Just ran straight for the poison because it was the quickest way to save us. Like he wasn't even worth considering."

"He thinks he has to be the solution," Will added. "Always. Even when it kills him."

There was a long silence.

Then, softly, Percy stirred.

"...'m not dead, you know."

Everyone froze.

Jason looked down. Percy's eyes were half-open, dazed but aware. "You idiots are being loud."

"Don't talk like that when you've been unconscious for an hour," Jason muttered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "I nearly threw Nico out the window."

"I'd like to see you try," Nico said dryly.

"You're all dramatic," Percy mumbled, a weak grin on his face.

"You touched liquidized god-poison with your bare hands," Annabeth snapped. "You don't get to call us dramatic."

"I was being efficient."

"You were being impulsive," Jason corrected. "And reckless. And stupid."

Percy blinked up at him, then smirked. "But effective."

Jason sighed and leaned his head back against the wall of the van. "I hate you."

"Liar."

"I really do."

Will leaned forward slightly, scanning Percy again. "Still spiking. We're going to submerge you the moment we get back."

"Great. I've always wanted a bathtub with a dedicated fan club."

"You've already got two," Nico muttered, glancing at Will and Jason.

"We'll add more," Will said cheerfully.

Percy gave a soft, tired laugh-then grimaced. His fingers twitched like they were trying to grab something that wasn't there. Jason caught them, intertwined their hands, and didn't let go.

Bruce's voice came from the front, calm but commanding. "Ten minutes out. I've prepped the medical wing."

Annabeth looked back. "Can we put the saltwater tank in the east atrium? He likes the sun."

There was a pause.

Then Bruce said, "Done."

As the van continued its way through the night, Gotham's skyline flickering in and out through the windows, the demigods and vigilantes sat in quiet solidarity. Watching Percy. Protecting him.

And slowly, for the first time in a long while, Percy allowed himself to be held.

Chapter Text

By the time they reached Wayne Manor, Alfred already had the east atrium prepped.

Large windows were thrown open to let in fresh air. Sunlight poured through the glass like honey, warming the marble floors. The saltwater tank-really a repurposed koi pond Alfred had transformed overnight-glowed with filtered blue-green light, filled with sea-chilled water imported directly from Montauk.

Percy was lowered into it like some sleeping deity, curled up beneath a wet hoodie and muttering protests under his breath. Jason Todd stayed beside the tank the whole time, rolling up his sleeves and brushing damp curls away from Percy's forehead every time they stuck.

"Is it weird that he looks like a shipwrecked prince right now?" Tim asked, leaning over the edge and squinting.

Cass nodded solemnly. "Prince of Dumb Choices."

"He can still hear you," Will added, setting up a series of med kits, enchanted thermometers, and one small glowing Apollo-blessed shell. "He's just too comfortable to retaliate."

"That makes it more fun," Nico said without looking up from his sketchpad. "Besides, his comebacks are too slow right now."

"You love me," Percy mumbled from the tank.

"Yeah, yeah," Nico replied, not missing a beat. "Get better or I'll make Will sing again."

Will smirk. "Hey, my voice is heavenly."

"Literally," Annabeth muttered, then froze. "Wait-was that a pun?"

"Guilty."

Bruce passed behind them, silent as a shadow, placing a water-chilled oxygen mask beside Will. His gaze lingered on Percy for just a second longer than usual, then he turned and disappeared again-likely back to handle ten other emergencies Percy had made him reschedule.

Thalia plopped down near the windows with a drink in hand, legs stretched out like she owned the place. "Okay, no offense, but how did I end up being the most well-adjusted of us?"

"Because you electrocuted most of your trauma," Nico said.

Thalia blinked. "...Huh."

Jason (Todd) laughed from where he sat with Percy's head on his lap again, trailing fingers along the rim of the water absently. "Honestly? I haven't seen him this relaxed since before Tartarus."

"Should we be concerned that 'relaxed' for Percy means semi-poisoned and floating?" Tim asked, raising a brow.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood logic," Annabeth said.

"Honestly," Will added, "this is still better than the time he tried to do underwater CPR on a kelpie because he thought it was a weird horse."

"It was a weird horse!" Percy snapped, suddenly more awake, before blinking blearily. "Wait. No. I hate this conversation."

Jason leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Shh. Go back to being cursed and mysterious."

Percy mumbled something incoherent and promptly fell back asleep.

Later That Afternoon...

They took turns watching over him.

Not out of duty-but because no one wanted to leave the room. Not after what they'd seen. Not when Percy was still pale and twitching from aftershocks of poison magic. Each person did it differently:

Will monitored stats, double-checked breathing, hummed softly when no one else was looking.

Nico sat near the shadows, muttering Greek under his breath-protective spells disguised as sarcasm.

Annabeth rearranged everything within five feet of Percy. Twice.

Cass drew quiet sigils in the floor tiles with saltwater.

Tim set up a drone to track any atmospheric shifts.

Thalia tried (and failed) to teach Damian how to play blackjack.

Jason (Todd) read from one of Percy's favorite comic books, his voice calm, low, and steady.

No one mentioned how shaken they still were. But the atmosphere in the atrium was thick with unspoken care.

Eventually, Percy stirred again, groggy but lucid. He blinked up at everyone.

"...How long was I out?"

"A few hours," Will said, brushing his hair back. "You're stable. For now."

Percy groaned. "Cool. So I didn't die. But I still feel like overcooked kelp."

"You kind of smell like it, too," Nico said helpfully.

Percy smirked, wincing slightly. "Thanks, ghost boy."

"Anytime, fish face."

Jason tightened his hold just slightly. "We're keeping you cold for now. And you're not doing anything stupid for at least twenty-four hours."

Percy opened his mouth.

Everyone shouted in unison: "No!"

He blinked, then pouted. "Y'all are mean."

"Mean?" Will said, grinning. "You kissed poison and passed out."

"Twice," added Tim.

"Once on purpose," said Nico.

Percy glanced at Jason, then at everyone else. "...Okay. Fair."

The group settled back into easy silence again, this time lighter-buoyed by a strange sense of peace. Even in the chaos, Percy Jackson always seemed to bring that.

Especially when everyone he loved refused to let him fall....

Jason had that feather in his hand, flipping it between gloved fingers like it might bite him.

"It just appeared?" Tim asked again, eyebrows furrowed as he paced near the kitchen entrance. "No sound, no burst of magic, no monster smoke?"

"Just the whisper," Jason confirmed, voice clipped. "And Percy felt it before either of us heard it."

Percy, now bundled in a hoodie two sizes too big and still damp from the tank, sipped slowly at a bottle of electrolyte water. "It wasn't just a whisper," he muttered. "It knew my name. Like it's been watching."

Damian stood by the window, staring out into the dark yard. "A warning. Or a lure. Either way, something marked him."

"Which is not great," Nico added sharply from where he was half-curled against Will on the couch. "There's only a handful of beings who can slip past magical barriers and the Batcave's tech. And most of them aren't exactly sending friendship bracelets."

Will frowned. "The feather... it wasn't celestial bronze or anything enchanted. Just-normal?" He looked to Percy. "But it still shook you?"

Percy's eyes were distant. "It felt like standing on the edge of the Styx again. Like... memory and death and power layered on top of each other."

Steph crossed her arms, face unusually serious. "What if it's not a monster? What if it's a message? Like something's trying to remind you who you are, or what you are."

"Or what's coming," Dick added from the corner, gaze locked on Percy. "Because it's not just a feather. It's an omen."

Percy sighed and leaned his head on Jason's shoulder. "Can we go one week without the universe trying to traumatize me?"

"You jinxed it already earlier," Nico said dryly. "Remember the 'we haven't fought a monster in a while' comment?"

"That was different. I was joking. The universe has no sense of humor."

Jason snorted. "You say that while sitting next to me."

There was a ripple of nervous laughter, but it didn't chase away the edge in the air. Every demigod and vigilante in the room could feel it-like storm clouds gathering on a clear day, unseen but impossible to ignore.

Bruce finally spoke from where he stood near the Batcomputer, gaze unreadable. "We'll analyze the feather. Cross-check the signal from your suit, Jason. And the next time either of you get a 'feeling,' you wake the house. Understood?"

Percy gave a tired thumbs up. "Got it, Dad #3."

Jason kissed the top of his head. "He means it."

As everyone began to file out of the room-Tim already diving into scanning tech, Damian muttering about soul-signatures, and Nico pausing to press his hand briefly against Percy's in silent reassurance-Percy looked down at his water bottle.

The liquid inside had begun to ripple... but there was no wind.

Only silence. And the ghost of that voice still echoing in his ears.

"Perseus..."

Chapter Text

The mission had been simple enough: recon on a sudden spike of mythical energy just outside Star City. Artemis had picked it up on her tracker, Nico confirmed it with his shadow-paths, and Bruce sent the Bat-plane before anyone could finish lunch.

Which meant the team was now cold, grumpy, and knee-deep in ancient forest undergrowth that reeked of wet leaves and monster rot.

"I hate recon missions," Percy muttered, brushing a vine off his shoulder. "They always say recon and then it turns into boss-level nightmare."

"Stop tempting fate," Will called from ahead.

"You guys jinx yourselves more than we ever did," Jason said, glancing at Percy, who was already twirling Riptide between his fingers like he expected a fight.

Percy shrugged. "I'm not wrong. Remember Gotham last week? I said it was quiet, and then a snake-dragon spat acid at Damian."

"You said it was quiet," Damian growled, pulling his hood tighter. "That was your mistake."

They broke into a small clearing, and the smell hit them first-sharp, unnatural, like sulfur and burning fur. Nico immediately raised a hand to stop the group.

"Something's here."

Jason and Percy moved ahead together. The clearing shimmered unnaturally, like heat waves rising from cold ground.

Then the wind shifted... and the monster stepped into view.

It wasn't just big - it was wrong. A twisted chimera of lion, serpent, and scorpion, with flickers of metallic plating and eyes glowing an eerie purple.

"Oh good," Percy said dryly. "Bio-enhanced nightmare fuel."

It roared.

They scattered.

"Will, keep back!" Nico called. "That tail's tipped with something - probably poison."

"Confirmed!" Percy shouted as he dodged a swipe and slashed the monster's flank. The blade bit, but the creature barely flinched.

Jason fired a round of specialized bullets, only for the shots to bounce off its armored plating.

"I think it just laughed at me," he muttered.

Then it struck. The tail lashed out, barely missing Will and slicing through a tree like it was paper.

Nico pulled Will to the side, shadows curling protectively around them. "This thing's not natural. It's been tampered with - something made it."

Percy ducked a blow and spun under the beast's claws, slamming Riptide upward into its underbelly. This time, it howled.

"Found the soft spot!" he called. "It's right-!"

Crack.

The tail struck.

Not him - Jason.

Jason went flying, crashing hard against a boulder and slumping.

"Jason!" Percy screamed.

Without hesitation, Percy surged forward, eyes glowing that unnatural oceanic green, the air around him suddenly colder, sharper.

He dodged another swing, slid beneath the monster, and stabbed deep - twisting the blade with brutal force.

The beast shrieked and collapsed, dissolving into black ash.

The silence after was jarring.

Will rushed to Jason, already working on stabilizing him.

Percy stood over the pile of ash, chest heaving, that same ripple of energy still clinging to him like mist.

Everyone felt it.

The shift. The power that wasn't just Poseidon's anymore.

And the river's whisper echoed again in his ears.

"This is only the beginning."

Would you like the next scene to follow Jason waking up and the team confronting Percy about the shift in his powers?

You said:yeah sure. ChatGPT said:

Perfect - let's continue right from where we left off, with the team regrouping after the battle and Jason just beginning to wake up. This scene will focus on their concern for Percy's growing powers, the lingering effects of the poison, and the tension that builds from how different Percy is becoming.

Jason groaned as his eyes blinked open, vision fuzzy. Will was crouched next to him, gently pressing a cold pack to the side of his head, while Nico hovered just over his shoulder, eyes glowing faintly.

"Welcome back to the land of the concussed," Will said, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the tremble in his voice.

"Monster?" Jason rasped, trying to sit up.

"Dead," Nico said flatly. "Thanks to your seaweed-brained boyfriend over there."

Jason turned his head - and froze.

Percy stood a few feet away, staring down at the charred patch where the monster had been. His hair was damp from sweat, curls stuck to his forehead, and steam still curled off his clothes. The air around him shimmered slightly, like the humidity had localized just to him - heavy and electric.

He wasn't even breathing hard.

But he looked... exhausted.

Like something inside him was drained, even if he was still standing.

"Percy?" Jason called softly.

Percy didn't respond at first. Then, almost like he was waking from a trance, he turned.

And that's when everyone saw it.

His eyes - ocean green, yes - but brighter. Unnatural. Like the sea had swallowed lightning.

"Hey," he said, voice scratchy. "You're okay?"

"I should be asking you that," Jason replied, shifting to kneel. "You didn't hold back."

Percy smiled a little, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Didn't have time to."

"That power surge," Will said carefully, standing. "That wasn't just your usual Poseidon thing."

Percy rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly self-conscious. "I... I think it's from the river. That place we found. It changed something. It's like..." He struggled for the words. "It's like the sea talks louder now. It doesn't feel like it's outside me anymore."

Nico's eyes narrowed. "Like it's in your blood?"

"Worse," Percy whispered. "Like I'm drowning in it."

A long silence.

Then Tim stepped forward. "That explains the cold. You've been sleeping more. Running colder. Your body's trying to regulate whatever that surge is."

Bruce, speaking for the first time since arriving via glider with Damian, stepped into the group. "We've seen it before. Meta energy builds with unstable sources. It overwhelms the system. Normally the body burns out."

Jason stiffened. "But he's not a meta."

"He's something else," Bruce said. Not unkindly - just observational.

"I'm fine," Percy said, though his voice cracked at the end.

"No, you're not." Jason stood now, moving to him. He gently placed a hand on Percy's cheek. "You nearly collapsed after the kill. And you were glowing."

Percy leaned into his hand slightly, eyes fluttering shut.

"It's just... hard to turn off," he admitted. "It's like I touched something in Tartarus that never really let go. And the river here - it just made it louder."

Nico looked up sharply. "What river?"

Percy's eyes met his. "It was like the Styx. But colder. Whispered things. And it didn't just test my loyalty - it showed me things. Things I'm not sure I was meant to see."

"Like what?" Will asked softly.

Percy looked down. "A future where I break. And it breaks everything with me."

No one spoke.

Then Jason wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. "Not happening," he said firmly into his hair. "We're going to figure this out."

"And until then," Will added, "we're keeping you cooled down. Sea water baths, damp packs, slushies - whatever it takes."

"Will's turning you into a walking popsicle," Nico smirked, and the tension broke slightly.

"I always knew you liked me chilled," Percy muttered.

"I like you alive," Jason corrected, and kissed the side of his head.

Tim tapped his comm. "Let's get back. We'll run scans, analyze what kind of energy residue that monster had. Maybe we can figure out who sent it - or what it wanted."

As they began the trek back, Percy faltered a little. Jason caught him under the arm without missing a beat.

And though Percy managed a grin, the storm behind his eyes hadn't settled.

Not yet.

Chapter Text

The Batcave was unusually quiet. No clacking of keyboard keys, no gadget hums or Robin sarcasm. Just the subtle beep of medical scanners and the low pulse of the ocean-themed containment field Bruce had designed - hastily - to mimic deep-sea pressure and low temperature.

Percy lay on the exam table inside the reinforced glass enclosure, fast asleep but shivering slightly despite the saltwater mist being pumped around him. His damp curls stuck to his forehead. Beside him, Jason Todd sat slouched in the chair, one hand wrapped tightly around Percy's wrist - like letting go would mean losing him.

Bruce stood a few feet away, staring at the diagnostic screen with narrowed eyes.

"This isn't demigod magic," he said finally. "At least not just that."

Will turned from another monitor. "I've been saying the same. The cells are... mutated. But not cancerous. Like something's rewriting him."

"From the inside out," Nico said darkly, arms crossed.

Bruce nodded. "Some of it matches the signature we picked up from the river. The energy is ancient, predating Olympus. Primordial."

Jason's jaw clenched. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," Bruce said slowly, "he may have touched something tied to the original forces - Chaos, Nyx, Erebus. Or even the sea in its rawest state. Something before gods had names."

Damian, perched nearby with a datapad, looked up. "He's turning into a conduit. Or worse - a battery. That explains why the cold helps. His body's trying to bleed the energy before it burns through him."

Will swore under his breath.

Tim leaned closer to the monitor. "Then how did he survive this long?"

Bruce glanced back at Percy. "Because he's Poseidon's son. The sea recognizes him - shelters him. That connection is the only thing keeping him alive."

"Barely," Jason muttered. "He hasn't stayed awake longer than fifteen minutes since we got back."

Will tapped the monitor. "We've identified five of the side effects so far: extreme fatigue, internal heat spikes, energy discharge, hallucinations when overheated, and -"

"Pain," Nico finished. "That last fight, he didn't show it. But I saw his hands. Burnt red. He was hiding it."

Silence fell again.

Then a soft voice from the bed:

"You all suck at whispering."

Everyone turned.

Percy cracked one eye open, lips twitching into a weak grin. "Also, Chaos? Really? Couldn't we have blamed this on, I dunno, a radioactive sea cucumber?"

Jason leaned over immediately. "You're supposed to be sleeping."

"I was, until I heard my entire medical history being recited like a death prophecy."

Will approached the glass. "Do you remember anything from the river? What made you walk into it?"

Percy's smile faded.

"It called me," he said simply. "Not with words. Just... knowing. Like it saw all the cracks in me. All the things I try to hide. It whispered about balance - destruction and peace. Said I had both inside. And that I needed to choose."

"Choose what?" Tim asked.

Percy looked him in the eye.

"Whether I stay me."

Jason exhaled sharply, moving to rest his forehead against the glass.

"We're not letting you go through this alone," Will said, voice firm. "Not again."

"No more Tartarus-style suffering in silence," Nico added.

Bruce turned back to the monitor. "Good. Because according to this, the next power surge could trigger in less than 72 hours."

Will swore again. Louder this time.

"We'll keep the ocean close," Tim said. "We're already modifying the containment suit. Damian's adding salt-filtration modules."

Percy raised a brow. "I'm becoming Aquaman 2.0, huh?"

"You'll be stronger than him," Jason said. "And a hell of a lot better looking."

That got a laugh - small but genuine - from Percy.

But even as the tension eased slightly, the air felt heavier.

The clock was ticking.

The Wayne Manor was quiet for once - no alarms, no sudden monster attacks, no godly interventions or shadowy labs. Just the subtle creak of old wood, the hum of filtered sea mist being pumped into the medical wing, and the muted, rhythmic breathing of the boy everyone had come to revolve around.

Percy Jackson was asleep on the reinforced cot. Again.

Jason Todd had refused to leave his side, curled up in a battered leather chair with one foot propped on the bed frame, a hand loosely resting over Percy's. Alfred had brought him a blanket three hours ago. He hadn't noticed.

Across the room, Nico and Will shared a window seat, tangled together under a blanket. Will's head rested on Nico's shoulder as he scrolled through medical readings, occasionally mumbling things like, "Heart rate stable" and "No new spikes."

Annabeth leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching them all with eyes sharper than anyone gave her credit for. Her expression wasn't grief - it was fury, aimed at nothing and everything.

Tim sat beside the monitors, and Bruce stood further back in the shadows, arms folded, listening - always listening.

"So," Tim said carefully, breaking the silence. "You were down there. In Tartarus. With him. What... what else did you guys go through? I mean - if it wasn't just that goddess... Akhlys?"

Annabeth's eyes didn't blink. Her voice was calm, but only barely.

"You don't really want to know."

"We do," Will said softly. "He won't talk about it. Maybe hearing it from you will help us understand how to help him."

Annabeth glanced at Percy, then exhaled slowly.

"It wasn't just poison and pain and shadows," she began. "It was constant. Every second. The ground itself wanted to pull us apart. There was no place to rest. No up or down. Only screaming and darkness. And monsters-"

She swallowed.

"-monsters that remembered every time we'd killed them. And they were smarter down there. Stronger. They hated us more than anything. Especially him."

She stepped forward now, her fists clenched. "They hunted him. Me, they wanted to kill. But him? They needed him to suffer. They called him 'the bane of monsters.' They whispered his name like a curse. And they fed on his fear."

Jason shifted uncomfortably.

"He kept going," she continued. "Every day, even when he was bleeding, even when I saw the madness creeping in. He never let me fall. Not once. But he was breaking. Slowly, completely. I think the only reason he's still standing is because he didn't care if he burned. He only cared that I made it out."

Nico's hand curled around Will's.

Tim frowned. "But that was years ago."

Annabeth's laugh was dry. "Time doesn't work the same down there. You think the body forgets that kind of pain just because a clock ticked forward?"

Bruce finally stepped into the light. "He's not just carrying the trauma. He's absorbing new energy - something that wants to root itself in his bones. And it's using the cracks Tartarus left behind."

Annabeth looked at him. "Then you better seal the cracks. Because if it takes hold-"

"-we lose him," Jason Todd finished, voice rough. "I'm not letting that happen."

Just then, Percy stirred.

Jason was instantly alert, turning toward him. "Hey. You with us?"

Percy blinked blearily, brow furrowed. "...Did you guys seriously start a group therapy session without me?"

Annabeth smiled - a real one this time. "Sorry, Seaweed Brain. We were just reminding the mortals how terrifying you are."

He let out a tired chuckle, then flinched. His hand reached instinctively for his ribs.

Jason sat up straighter. "Pain again?"

"Feels like lava in my lungs," Percy muttered. "How long was I out?"

"Four hours," Will answered. "A record today."

Percy managed a weak grin. "Gold star for me."

He sat up with effort, eyes drifting to the mist vents that kept the room cold. "Any word on how long I've got before I implode like a sea mine?"

"We're working on it," Tim said.

Annabeth stepped forward, her tone gentler now. "We'll figure it out. But you have to stop hiding how bad it is."

Percy didn't answer right away. His gaze lingered on Jason, Nico, then back to her.

"I'm not afraid of dying," he said at last. "I'm afraid of hurting you guys when I do."

Jason leaned forward and kissed his temple. "Then don't. Simple."

Percy closed his eyes. "Wish I'd thought of that."

The tension in the room eased just slightly - but the weight still hung heavy.

A storm was coming.

And they'd better be ready.

Chapter Text

The manor was quiet - deceptively so.

Percy had just drifted off again, slumped sideways against Jason's chest on the oversized couch in the den. Someone - probably Will - had rigged a portable cooling system into the vents, and sheets of ocean-scented mist curled softly through the room. Jason absentmindedly ran his fingers through Percy's damp curls, his free hand resting over Percy's stomach to monitor his breathing.

It had become a routine.

Annabeth sat on the floor, cross-legged with a notepad filled with frantic scribbles and magical equations, her brow furrowed.

Nico and Will were in the corner, quietly arguing over whether or not to attempt a divine healing ritual Apollo had half-remembered from his godhood days.

"I'm telling you," Will whispered, "if we time the pressure right with the temperature drop-"

Nico hissed, "If you screw this up and spike his pain again, I swear on the River Styx-"

A sound cut through the conversation. Not loud - just a stuttered, wet breath.

Jason froze.

Percy jerked once, his whole body tensing. Then again - harder. His back arched, eyes flying open, but they were unfocused, the pupils blown wide.

"Percy?" Jason said sharply.

Percy tried to speak, but his jaw clenched. He let out a choking sound - then screamed.

It was raw and guttural, ripping through the manor like a thunderclap.

Jason scrambled to hold him as Percy convulsed, his skin flashing with an eerie bioluminescent blue-green glow, like lightning trapped under waves. The temperature in the room plummeted.

"GET WILL!" Jason shouted. "NOW!"

Will was already moving. Nico slammed the emergency button on the wall, setting off a silent alarm.

Annabeth dropped her notebook and sprinted forward. "It's a power surge - a big one!"

Percy's hands clutched at his chest, his body practically steaming from the inside. Mist billowed off him in thick waves, and where his back arched, frost formed across the couch cushions.

"Internal temperature's rising too fast," Will muttered, already yanking a vial of silvery liquid from his bag. "If we don't cool him, he'll combust."

Jason didn't let go even as frost bit into his skin. "Do it!"

Will injected the vial into Percy's arm. Nothing happened.

Percy screamed again, his voice cracking mid-sound. Blood trickled from his nose. Then his eyes rolled back, and the glow in his veins turned violent - stormy, like a hurricane crashing beneath his skin.

"He's drowning," Annabeth said suddenly. "But not in water. It's energy - his own power is too much. He's fighting it and losing."

"Then we let him stop fighting," Nico said coldly. "Let him feel it."

"You're insane-" Jason began, but Will nodded.

"He might be right. If we keep resisting it, it'll tear him apart. But if he accepts the power and channels it..."

"...he might survive," Will finished.

Jason looked down at Percy. "You hear me, baby? You don't have to fight it. Just let go."

Percy's hand weakly gripped Jason's shirt.

"Let go," Jason whispered, voice cracking. "We've got you."

Then, in one final burst of violent light, Percy exhaled - and the power surged outward like a wave crashing against a dam. Frost erupted across the floor. Windows cracked. The lights blew out.

Everyone hit the ground.

Silence.

Then, the power faded.

And Percy, limp in Jason's arms, let out a shallow, shuddering breath.

"He's alive," Will said quickly, already moving in. "Temp's dropping. It's stabilizing."

Jason didn't speak. He just held Percy tighter, rocking slightly, whispering something too soft to hear.

Across the room, Nico helped Annabeth up.

"That was the worst one yet," she murmured.

Nico's voice was grim. "And it won't be the last."

Chapter Text

The marble columns of Olympus trembled slightly with the weight of unease.

It was rare - almost unheard of - for the Council of the Olympians to be summoned outside of crisis. But this wasn't just any crisis. The throne room crackled with divine tension, the scent of salt and ozone lingering despite the clear skies above Mount Olympus.

Hera sat rigid on her throne, hands folded in her lap but clenched tight. Beside her, Demeter stirred restlessly, her wheat-braided hair twitching like it sensed the tension. Athena remained composed but narrowed her eyes at the empty seat across from her.

Zeus hadn't arrived yet.

Of course.

Poseidon, already seated - drenched in seawater as though he'd risen from the ocean floor mere moments ago - looked entirely uninterested in formalities. His sea-green eyes were darker than usual, jaw clenched like tectonic plates grinding underwater.

"I told you," Poseidon said flatly. "He's been unwell for weeks. But you didn't listen."

Apollo leaned forward from his throne, golden hair unbraided for once, face unshaven and tired. "It wasn't that we didn't listen. It's that no one told us how bad it was."

Hermes, uncharacteristically serious, nodded beside him. "You all see him as a tool. A weapon. The child of the prophecy. I see a kid who held up the sky when he was fifteen. A kid who carried Olympus on his back, and what did we give him? PTSD and a warning label."

"I've always been grateful," Hestia murmured from her modest hearth. "But it's not enough, is it?"

"No," Apollo said firmly. "It's not."

A boom echoed in the chamber. Zeus arrived in a blaze of thunder and arrogance. "What is this? Why are we convening over a single demigod?"

Poseidon stood, slow and deliberate. "Because that single demigod may burn alive from the inside out if we don't do something."

Zeus narrowed his eyes. "He's your son."

"And your savior," Athena cut in sharply. "Or have you forgotten that Percy Jackson has saved Olympus twice - and the world at least three times?"

"Four," Dionysus muttered, swirling a goblet of Diet Coke. "If you count the Titans' mess again in the Labyrinth."

Hades appeared in the shadows, silent until now. "He faced Akhlys alone. Then Nyx. Then the pit itself. No mortal - no immortal - has done that and come back."

Zeus waved a hand, agitated. "We gave him peace. A normal life."

Hermes scoffed. "And he ran back to danger the second we called. That's what he does. That's who he is."

Apollo's face was unreadable. "This isn't about orders or loyalty. Percy's power is changing. Evolving. It's more than Poseidon's domain. It's ancient. Primordial. Unstable."

Artemis, who had stayed silent until now, finally spoke. "He was born during the rise of the Second Titan War. Baptized in battle. Raised in prophecy. It's a wonder he lasted this long."

Hestia's flames flickered low. "He's not meant to burn."

"No," Poseidon murmured. "He's meant to endure. But not like this."

Zeus looked around at the council. For once, even he couldn't ignore the unity in their gazes.

"Apollo," he said at last. "You said it's evolving. Is it a threat?"

Apollo hesitated.

"No," Hermes said before Apollo could answer. "Not to us. Not unless we make it one."

The silence was thicker than a storm cloud.

Then Athena said, "Where is he now?"

"Safe," Poseidon said. "With Jason Todd. And others. Mortal heroes. Friends."

Hermes grinned faintly. "He always did collect strays."

Apollo nodded slowly. "He's one of us. Brother. Son. Champion. If we don't act like family now, then what was the point of every war he fought for us?"

Even Ares, leaning on his spear, grunted agreement. "Kid's tougher than half the gods in this room. He deserves backup."

Zeus leaned back, visibly displeased but silent.

Then he said, "What do you propose?"

Poseidon glanced at Apollo, then at Hermes - then at Hades and Artemis. "We prepare. We protect him. And when he wakes again - we ask what he wants. Because we owe him that."

The flames brightened in Hestia's hearth.

And, for once, the gods of Olympus were united in silence - not of indifference, but resolve.

Chapter Text

The air was cool inside the small beachside cave. They'd set up a makeshift camp along the shoreline, close enough to the waves that Poseidon's presence could brush against Percy's skin in his sleep, like a whispered lullaby from the tide.

The fire crackled quietly outside.

Inside, Percy lay bundled in thick blankets soaked with seawater, a damp cloth on his forehead to keep his temperature down. His skin was paler than usual, but still carried that faint ocean glow - like moonlight trapped under the skin.

He was breathing - slow, steady. But it was clear to anyone watching that his body was still in turmoil.

A golden shimmer preceded Apollo's arrival.

He crouched by Percy's side, brushing a hand over the damp curls, careful not to wake him. "You look like Tartarus chewed you up and spit you back out. Again."

Hermes appeared beside him a moment later, less flashy but carrying a satchel full of ambrosia, nectar, and what looked suspiciously like human snacks.

"I brought Twinkies," Hermes said solemnly. "He loves Twinkies."

Apollo snorted softly. "You're trying to bribe him back to consciousness with sugar?"

"Worked on you when you took that arrow to the shoulder in Sparta."

"That was three thousand years ago."

"And you still whined about it."

Apollo shook his head and turned his attention back to Percy. "He's burning from the inside out. That power surge... it's not normal. Not even for a child of the Big Three. It's like the ocean is trying to pour itself through a straw - and Percy is the straw."

Hermes sat cross-legged at Percy's feet. "He needs more than saltwater and quiet. He needs rest. Time. Family."

Apollo looked at him. "You think he sees us that way?"

Hermes gave a rare, gentle smile. "I think we've all failed him before. Doesn't mean we stop trying to show up now."

They sat in silence for a moment. Percy shifted in his sleep, face twitching at some unseen memory. A tremor ran through his body, and the cloth on his forehead steamed slightly from heat before cooling again under Apollo's glowing touch.

Hermes watched quietly, then added, "He reminds me of Luke, sometimes. That same fire. But Percy's... warmer. Less lonely."

"He's stronger," Apollo said quietly. "Not because of his powers. Because he keeps choosing people. Even when it hurts."

"Especially when it hurts," Hermes added.

They exchanged a glance - two gods, often overlooked, rarely seen as protectors - now watching over the one mortal who had held Olympus together more than any prophecy ever did.

"Let's make sure he doesn't have to do it alone anymore," Apollo said, brushing one last glowing hand across Percy's forehead. "Not this time."

Hermes nodded, and left a pack of Twinkies by Percy's side like a silent offering. "For when he wakes up. And pretends he's fine."

"Classic Seaweed Brain move," Apollo chuckled.

Then, in another shimmer of golden wind and silver light, the two gods vanished - but the warmth they left behind lingered.

Just like family.

Chapter Text

The waves crashed steadily in the distance as the camp buzzed with quiet urgency. The sun had barely risen, but nobody had slept much.

Percy lay a few yards from the ocean, still unconscious, cocooned in seawater-drenched blankets. His body steamed faintly in the early light, even with the cool breeze rolling off the surf. Every now and then, a pulse of energy rippled through him - like lightning trapped under his skin.

"He's going to burn up if we don't figure this out," Annabeth said, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her voice was low, but firm - the way it always was when she was suppressing panic.

Jason Todd stood beside her, jaw tight, gun holstered but hands twitching. "He's been out for too long. The cold from the sea is slowing it, but not stopping it. And he's not healing. At all."

"I know," Annabeth said quietly. "That's the part that scares me."

Nico was nearby, holding Will's hand tightly. "It's like the Styx all over again. The power's eating him alive."

Will stepped forward, golden aura flickering. "I've tried everything I can think of. Nectar, ambrosia, light healing, pressure points - nothing works for long. It's like there's a storm inside him, and the more we try to fix it, the worse it gets."

Thalia scowled. "He's a son of Poseidon. Why would fire or heat even touch him like this?"

Annabeth answered before anyone else could. "Because it's not just fire. It's pressure. Energy. A power surge so unstable that it's pushing his physical limits. The only thing keeping him from combusting is the cold of the sea - because that's where his soul is anchored."

Leo, who had been tinkering with a small device nearby, looked up. "So... if heat's the problem, and the ocean's the buffer - can't we make a more permanent solution? Like a portable freezer suit? Or... cryo-seawater armor?"

Jason Grace, flying just overhead, landed with a soft thud and joined them. "Something like a cooling enchantment? I know some of the Hecate kids could help with that, if we were back at camp."

"Too far," Thalia said. "We need something now."

Nico rubbed the back of his neck. "The Underworld has rivers that numb pain and slow time. If we can find something like that up here - some sort of mythic water source that matches Percy's essence..."

Annabeth perked up, eyes wide. "The river we found before. It spoke to Percy. He said it reminded him of the Styx. That place might not just be similar - it might be connected."

Jason Todd's head snapped toward her. "And you let him stand in it alone?"

Annabeth gave him a pointed look. "You know Percy. Try stopping him."

Thalia grunted in agreement. "He's stubborn as hell when it comes to protecting us."

"But what if it wasn't just nostalgia?" Will asked. "What if that river really is connected to the Underworld? Or to Poseidon himself? If Percy formed a bond with it..."

Nico looked thoughtful. "Then maybe we can siphon its energy. Not to heal him directly - but to cool his core. Think like insulation for a nuclear reactor."

Leo brightened. "Okay, now you're speaking my language. I can design something to trap the cold in. Circulate it. A cooling vest... no, a net. Something that mimics ocean current but directly connected to that river's energy. Only thing I'll need is-"

He glanced back at the woods.

"Time. And maybe some more celestial bronze. And duct tape."

Jason Todd looked at Percy's prone form and then at Leo. "Take what you need. Just make it fast."

As everyone scattered to help, Annabeth knelt beside Percy. She brushed a hand through his damp hair, speaking softly.

"We're going to fix this. Just hang on."

And Percy, still half-lost in his dreams, whispered one word:

"Cold..."

Chapter Text

Darkness pressed in from all sides.

Not the quiet, peaceful kind of dark. This was heavy, searing, electric - a storm raging in his bloodstream. Percy's limbs felt like lead, his skin blistering from the inside out, though no flames were visible. It was like drowning in boiling water, unable to scream or move, with lightning crackling through every bone.

He tried to surface.

Tried to breathe.

But the moment he did, a surge hit him. Not just pain - memory.

Tartarus.
The river Akhlys led him to. The choking rot of her poison and the way it coated his lungs. The things he'd done - the monster he'd become, if only for a moment - fighting the god of poison and surviving. Barely.

Now it was like that essence had returned, but it wasn't Akhlys this time.

It was himself.

A jagged voice echoed through the void, deep and ancient and made of water pressure and tidal currents.

"You took more than you were meant to. You carry the sea in your veins, but now you hold the storm too. You are not built for both."

Percy's eyes opened in the dream, and he found himself standing in the center of a vast, roiling ocean, the sky above black with thunderclouds. But the water was red-hot, steaming around his knees. The ocean hissed as if protesting his presence.

"I didn't ask for this!" he shouted into the storm. "I didn't want any of this!"

"And yet it is yours," the voice replied, soft now - almost familiar.

The water stilled for a moment. From the depths, something stirred.

Percy blinked. A figure rose from beneath the surface, shimmering blue-green and glowing faintly.

Poseidon - not in his usual godly grandeur, but younger, rawer, his eyes glowing with sea-green fire and pain. A mirror, almost. This version of Poseidon looked worn but determined, like a god at war.

"You've inherited more than you know."

"Then take it back," Percy whispered. "I'm not strong enough."

Poseidon shook his head, stepping closer until they were chest-to-chest. "You were forged in Tartarus. You are stronger than me, boy. But even the ocean must rest, or it consumes the shore."

He placed a hand on Percy's chest.

Cool.

Blissfully, numbly cool.

Percy exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours.

"You must find your balance, Perseus," Poseidon said. "Or your strength will kill you before your enemies ever get the chance."

The sky rippled.

Thunder cracked.

The vision of Poseidon faded, melting into waves.

And another voice whispered in the distance, soft and golden and unmistakably amused:

"Don't go dying on me, Seaweed Brain. We've got plenty of trouble left to get into."

Percy groaned as pain surged again.

But this time, beneath the burn... was a thread of cold. A tide pulling him back.

Back on the beach, Percy's fingers twitched.

And for the first time in hours, a wave gently washed over his legs - drawn not by gravity or tide, but by his will.