Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sally Jackson has never been a friend of quiet. At least not the kind of quiet that settles in a house after someone died, the kind, where even the walls seemed to hold theier breath. Despite that, it had become her constant companion then she was a child. After her parents died, she had been sended to live with her uncle Richard in New York. He was wonderful, supportive and kind, but many days the quiet settled here as well. Sally still remembered the first day she arrived at his house. It was completely different from the Wayne Marnor, leaving her feeling lost with the furniture that didn’t creak, the floors that didn’t settle and the air that didn’t smell like centuries of dust and family. Despite that, she settled in over time. Bruce-her brother, the one who had been left behind with Alfred when everything fell apart- grew more and more into a distant memory, his face almost slipping from her mind sometimes. He had been older, quieter, a little serious even as a child and Sally clung to that memory like a life raft then everything got to much. After the funeral, after the years apart, she had tried to find him again, had sent letters, hints, messages left with mutual family friends. But he never replied. The silence wasn’t cruel. It was just…absence.

Life had a way of moving on without waiting for her. School, for example. She had always loved it, loved studying and dropping out to take care of her uncle Richard after he got cancer had been a strong blow on her. She was torn between her own wishes and studies and taking care of her uncle. In the end, her uncle won. He had always been there for her and she wanted to do the same for him as well. The hospital bills ate away all theier money and when he passed away, the house was once again filled with the quiet that Sally hated, the silence that seemed to drown her as she tried to move on with her life, working hard to pay all of the debts.

Then came Poseidon. A love deep like the ocean, and strong like the tides. At first he was a puzzle she couldn’t completely fit, a secret that lingered over them until Poseidon told her the truth. They ended theier relationship, but Poseidon had left her a gift that she knew would be worth all the pain. Her baby, Percy.

Percy Jackson, her son, the boy who would be caught between worlds from the moment of his birth. He was cheerful, kind and full of energy. Despite the hardships he always managed to draw a smile on his mothers face and she swore to protect him no matter what. So she married Gabe Ugliano, hoping his scent would mask Percy’s, would keep the monsters away. Unbeknownst to her, Gabe was the monster to Percy, his fist leaving cruel marks on the boys skin and spirit. Percy learned to observe, to be cautious of the sounds, to smile through pain, hoping to protect his mom this way. All the while, his mom did the same, hoping to keep him safe, even as she continued worrying. Always worrying. About poverty, about Gabe, about the lack of family, about the future, about Percy’s heritage. About Bruce. She knew it was time to try again, to reach out to her brother, whom she had lost years ago. She wrote letters, made the calls that might connect her with Bruce, hoping to reach him. A week later, she was gone. An accident. A fleeting moment that ended a life too short and a plan never finished.

The testament she left behind was simple but firm. Her brother, Bruce Wayne, would get custody of her son, Percy. The handwriting was clear, the instructions unambiguous. Bruce Wayne received a call that day, informing him about his sisters death and his nephews existence. The next day, he received her letter, asking for a meeting between them. For the first time in years Bruce cried silently like a child, thinking about his sister and the fact that if her letter had arrived just a little earlier they might have met again. But it also meant that he had now another family member, a young nephew who had yet to meet his uncle. For both, it was a new start and the fulfillment of a wish made by a person ripped from life to early. A person who still left a mark in the hearts of her family through her warmth and love.

Chapter Text

Gotham never really changed. Rain still slicked the grey alleys, the air still tasted like smoke and rust, and the skyline still cut into the sky like a row of broken teeth. Percy had forgotten how heavy the place felt-how even the shadows seemed to watch you with every step you took.

It had been five years since he last set foot into the city.
It had been five years since his family got a call that he had died in a car accident.
It had been five years since the attack of the Minotaur.

Percy knew, that he had changed, heck, he was seventeen now, but the city was still the same as ever.

What he didn’t know was the fact that somewhere across the city Tim and Barb were sitting in the Batcave, testing out a new drone prototype by letting it fly over the city, until it sended them a picture that came back with an impossible match from facial recognition. He also didn’t know about the boy sitting in a safehouse, half-listening to the police scanner - until Oracles voice came through, sharp and surprised.“Uh, Red Hood? You might want to check this out with us. Tim and I were testing the new drone prototype over Gotham Cementery and… you’re not going to believe this footage.“

The winter wind cut cold through his jacket as he walked up the hill to the graveyard. The iron gate creaked in protest as he pushed it open. He could almost hear Jason’s laugh echoing somewhere behind him- “You sure you wanna come up here alone, little sea star?“

He smiled, small and pained. “Guess I owned you a visit, bro.“, he whispered into the wind.

The headstone of the grave wasn't anything fancy. Jason Todd-Wayne. Beloved son, brother, hero. The flowers that someone had laid down there had withered; Percy brushed the dead plants aside, replacing them with a few seashells from his jacket pocket. They glimmered faintly in the gray light - tiny pieces of a world far away, a world of mythology and monsters.

“Sorry it took me so long.“, he murmured.“Things got…complicated.“

He sat down cross-legged on the wet ground in front of the grave.“You’d love it you know. Campˋs full of idiots with swords, and somehow I’m one of the responsible ones. Still can’t figure out how that happened.“
He snorted softly.“Annabeth says hi, by the way. She’s still way too smart for me, so nothing new there. Oh, but I guess you would get a kick out of it if you knew that I almost joined you. Twice.“

The wind whistled through the trees. Percy tilted his head back, watching the clouds churn above Gotham. At some point it has stopped raining.“You’d call me a sap if you heard me right now. I can practically hear you - ˋCome on, water boy, quit talking to dirt.´“

He laughed quietly, then rubbed the back of his neck.“I wish you were still around, Jay. You would have liked Annabeth. And gods, you’d hate Nico. Or maybe you’d love him. Hard to tell with you.“ Percy continued sitting there for a while longer, talking quietly with Jason.

At some point the rain started again and got heavier, telling him that it was time to return. He stood up, brushing of his jeans and sighed.“Alright. I’ve said my piece. Don’t haunt me, yeah.“

Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he heard a twig snip somewhere to his right.

He stiffened instantly. Instinct. The kind that came from too many ambushes, to many monsters. His hand went to his pocket - Riptide was still there, disguised as a ballpoint pen, but ready to turn into a bronze sword at a thought.

Another sound - soft, deliberate. Someone was there.

“Who’s there?“, Percy asked, voice sharp.

A pause. Then a voice he hadn’t heard since he was twelve.
“Perseus?“

He turned.

Bruce Wayne stood a few yards away, older, but unmistakable. The rain streaked down his coat, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Behind him - Tim, Dick, a boy he recognized as Damian Wayne, and Jason. Jason.

Percy’s heart stopped.

Jason looked alive. Pale, scarred, but alive<.

“No way“, Percy whispered,“No freaking way.“

Jason’s eyes went wide too, then narrowed.“You - you’re supposed to be dead, kid.“

“Yeah?“, Percy said weakly,“So are you.“

For a second, no one moved. The rain filled the silence like static. Then Tim stepped forward, voice cracking.“We thought - we buried you, Percy. There was a crash, and -“

“I know.“, Percy said,“I was there.“

In that moment something seemed to have snapped in Jason, as he suddenly closed the distance between them and grabbed Percy in a hug so fierce it knocked the breath out of him. Percy froze for a second, then hugged back, hard. Assuring himself that Jason was really alive, was really standing in front of him.

„“Holy shit.“, Jason muttered,“ Even Alfred is gonna lose his damn mind.“

„“Can’t wait“, Percy said, pulling back with a crooked grin, gaze fixed on Jason,“I was planning to leave town in ten minutes.“

„“Yeah, good luck with that.“,Jason said.

„“No, you’re not getting out of this city.“, interfered Dick from the background.

Bruce also seemed to have caught himself again, as he says:“You will return with us, first. We will discuss the rest at the Manor.“

The ride back to the manor was a blur - Jason on his motorcycle, Damian staring at Percy with suspicion from the passenger seat, Dick next to Percy on the backseat, looking ready to catch him if Percy tried to bolt, Tim glancing at him as if Percy might disappear again and Bruce driving the car, his jaw locked tight.

Then they reached the gates, Percy let out a low whistle.“Still creepy“, he said,“Glad to see nothing’s changed.“
No one answered.

Inside, Alfred met them at the door. For a second, his usual composure shattered; the tray in his hands nearly slipped.“Master Percy?“, he whispered.

Percy smiled weakly.“Hey, Alfred. Miss me?“

Alfred’s eyes glistened.“Terribly, sir.“

Chapter Text

The manor was just as he’d left it. Too big, too quiet, too full of ghosts. At first, Jason and Dick seemed to take turns clinging to Percy, trying to ensure he wouldn’t disappear again. Damian decided to retreat to wherever he went the moment they all stepped through the door. Tim stayed near them at first, but in the end Alfred shooed him, Jason and Dick away, saying that Percy needed some space and they could talk more tomorrow. When Bruce insisted on showing him to his room, Percy braced himself for some new decor, some new guestbook, some evidence that he had been erased.
But the door opened to the same space he remembered - same posters, same books, same old snowglobe from New York. The walls were still the same blue he had painted them in together with Jason and a bit of help from Dick when he first moved in. Not even a speck of dust was in the room, showing that it had still been cleaned regularly by Alfred. Even thought they believed Percy to be dead. Even thought they believed no one would ever return to that room. As Percy let his gaze wander, a lump appeared in his throat, threatening to burst into tears, but he quickly swallowed them again.“You…you didn’t change anything.“, he said stunned, hoping no one noticed the way his voice trembled slightly.

Bruce’s voice was rough.“Couldn’t.“

Percy swallowed once more.“Guess that’s…nice. In a morbid kind of way.“

He dropped his blue backpack, which was the only thing he had with him, by the bed.

„“You should get a check-up. Your last one was then you were twelve.“, Bruce said.

Percy shook his head.“I’m fine, no need for that.“

Bruce turned, frowning.

“Percy-“, he started, but Percy cut him off.“I said I’m fine.“, he repeated, sharper this time. His hand drifted unconsciously to one of the many faint scars on his arm, hidden beneath his jacket and hoodie, - a scar that didn’t look entirely human.“Just… tired.“, he finished, ignoring Bruce sharp gaze, as his uncle opened his mouth to argue.
But before he could say anything, Alfred cut in quietly.“Perhaps some rest would be best, Master Bruce.“ Alfred pointed to the window, there the sun had already set, leaving the city in even darker shadows then during the day. Percy gave the butler a grateful nod and shut the door before Bruce could push further.
He leaned against the wood, exhaling slowly.

“Home Sweet Home“,he muttered,“Gods help me.“

Timeskip

Morning crept into the manor the way Gothamˋs light always did - weak, grey and half-drowned in fog. Percy woke up to the soft ticking of the clock hanging on the wall over his desk and the smell of rain on old glass.
For a few seconds he didn’t know where he was. The ceiling looked too high, the sheets too clean. Then he catched sight of the old photo of his mom on the nightstand and rembered: the manor, Bruce, Jason, everything.

„“Fan-fucking-tastic“, he muttered,“Back from the dead and I wake up in a museum.“

Grumbling, he rolled out of bed, stretching sore muscles that ached from sitting next to the grave for so long yesterday. Once again, he looked around, noticing even more things from his childhood. The posters had musicians and surfer on them, and he needed to smile at the memory of Jason hanging them up and telling Percy that these kind of things belonged in a teens room. His gaze caught the ridiculous model submarine Jason had once built and refused to let him throw away. Most of the things contained memorys with Jason, but barely anything also connected to memorys with Bruce and Dick. Back then, the two had been constantly fighting and a little while before Jason died Dick had gone on a cruise with some of his friends. Percy’s smile fell at that. Back then he had honestly believed all these lies, all these excuses for mysterious disappearances and bruises that the others told him. Because he didn’t want to believe that they excluded him from something big. Now he knew better. Not long after he came to camp he had found out that the Wayne’s were actually the birds and bats of Gotham. That they had lied to him whole time. Kept the secret from him. Because involving the troublemaking kid with ADHD and dyslexia was to bothersome.

Percy quickly snapped himself out of it once he noticed his thoughts turning darker again. What did it matter anyway? They hadn’t want him to be involved and that was it. Now, he also had a secret and that was it. End of the story. Before his mind could drift again he went into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He had shadows under his eyes again and there still was a small wound on his arm from a run-in with an unfriendly hellhound yesterday before meeting the Wayne’s. Quickly he turned on the water and jumped under the shower, letting himself get wet just like yesterday. The warm water healed the injury on his arm and filled him with energy. Afterwards he tugged on a pair of jeans and a faded hoodie, took a deep breath and padded down the grand staircase towards the dining room. Voices drifted from it as he came closer to- Alfred’s calm baritone, Dickˋs laugh, Jason’s gravelly mutter, Damian’s sharp comments. The smell of pancake hit him halfway down the hall, filling him with warmth but also dread at the same time.

Almost normal, he thought. Almost.

Alfred, ever the general of domestic order, had laid out a spread that could have fed a small army. Jason was already halfway through a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon and Dick, who sat opposite from him, was trying to start a conversation about the weather with those around him. Tim, sitting next to Dick, stared into his coffee like it held the secrets of the universe. Damian was eating a bread roll, ignoring Dicks attempt of making small talk. Bruce sat at the head of the table, newspaper in one hand, coffee in the other. He looked up together with the others as Percy entered the room. His eyes flickered briefly over his nephew, taking in every small detail and cataloguing it.“You slept.“, he said, as if it were a question.
Percy raised an eyebrow.“That’s what people do during the night.“, he replied dropping into the seat besides Jason.
Jason snorted.“Still a smart-mouth, huh?“
“Still breathing“,Percy said around a grin,“Figured I would celebrate.“
Dick chuckled; Bruce didn’t. Alfred merely poured tea and pretended not to notice the tension thickening across the table. Damian stared at Percy, suspicion clear in his eyes and Tim just seemed exasperated. Percy put some pancakes, which were actually blue, Alfred still remembered that Percy loved blue food, yeah, on his plate and reached for the syrup. Without noticing his sleeve slided up just enough to show a pale, jagged line across his forearm - one of the many souvenirs from a world Bruce didn’t know existed.

Bruce voice cut through the quiet:“What happened to your arm?“

Percy froze for a fraction of a second before tugging the sleeve back down.“Occupational hazard.“, he answered.

“And what occupation is that exactly?“ Bruce’s tone sharpened, more Batman than uncle or father now.

“Traveling“, Percy said lightly,“You know, hiking, camping, occasionally getting mauled by wildlife. Standard tourist stuff.“ It technically wasn’t a lie. Monsters could be considered wildlife and questing could be considered traveling.

Jason looked between them:“Uh, maybe ease up, B-“

Bruce ignored him, eyes fixed on Percy.“That scar is deep. It wasn’t an accident.“

Percy’s fork clinked against the plate.“You do this with everyone who shows up for breakfast or am I just special?“, he asked, eyebrow raised again.

„“You disappeared for five years.“, Bruce said, voice low,“We buried you. You show up alive and refuse a medical exam. Now I see evidence of violence. Explain.“

Percy met his gaze, sea-green against steel-gray.“I couldn’t come home.“

„“That’s not an explanation.“

„“It’s the only one you’re getting.“

For a moment neither moved. The air was so thick that tension that Percy was sure that he could cut it with Riptide. Dicks hand hovered halfway to his coffee mug, Jason tensed like he might need to step between them, Tim held his breath and Damian focused a deathglare at Percy. Then, Alfred, steady as ever, cleared his throat.“Perhaps“,the butler said smoothly,“we might table this discussion until after Master Percy has eaten something more than sarcasm.“

Jason let out a short laugh; Bruce didn’t even blink.

Percy exhaled through his nose, forcing a smirk.“See? Alfred gets it.“

He shoveled a bite of pancakes into his mouth and chewed deliberately. Every muscle in his back was tight. He was ready to bolt at a moments notice, but forced himself to continue eating for now. He could feel Bruce’s eyes still on him, dissecting, analyzing, looking for truth he wasn’t ready to give.

When the plate was empty, Percy pushed back his chair.“That was great,Alfred.Thanks.“

“Where are you going?“, Bruce asked.

“Room. Paperwork. Existential crisis. Take your pick.“

“Percy-“

“Drop it, Bruce.“ The name came out sharper than he meant, but he didn’t correct it.“You don’t get to interrogate me one night after I came back from the dead.“

The silence afterwards felt colder than Gothams winter rain. Percy turned on his heel and left, footsteps echoing up the stairs.

He shut his bedroom door and leaned against it, breathing hard, his emotions a jumbled mess causing mayhem in his mind.“Well, that went about as well as expected.“, he muttered. He crossed the room towards the window and looked out at the grey stretch of forest beyond the manor grounds. For a moment he considered leaving - just walking until the trees swallowed him to return to New Rome- but that would mean another disappearance, another round of ghosts in this house.

Instead he dropped onto the fluffy bed. For a moment he just laid there, staring at the ceiling, before he sat up again with a sigh and grapped his backpack. From there, he pulled out a bronze tablet. Yes, a tablet, a electronically device. Not long after returning to Camp Half-Blood with Calypso, Leo had started a new project: the creation of safe technology for demigods. It took him a few months but he and his siblings had actually finished it. Percy didn’t really understand how it worked, just that it had something to do with celestial bronze and intercepted lines, but the devices were extremely useful. Currently Cabin 9 was at the start of the massproduction of tablets and laptops while still continuing the massproduction of phones, wich were now a constant demand. Percy had been one of the first to be receive a tablet along with Annabeth. This way, they could finish theier increased workload easier. The reason for the increase was simple: After the war with Gaia, the gods had decided to interact more with other Patheons and since Percy and Annabeth already had connections to those through the Kane siblings and Magnus Chase, they had been chosen as official ambassadors. Wich meant that they were now juggling theier duties as Head counselors of Camp Half-Blood, advisors of Camp Jupiter and ambassadors of the Greek/Roman pantheon all the while attending college. On top of that, Annabeth was still the architect of Olympus and the gods still had many request for her to build them temples. Percy also needed to help out with some official duties (paperwork) from Atlantis. His father and brother had thought it to be a good idea to dump some of theier work regarding Atlantis on him „in order to learn about official business“.

As Percy turned on the tablet he saw, that he had a mountain of emails and reports again, most from Annabeth or Jason regarding issues in New Rome or the Camps, and a few from Atlantis. He scrolled through them: Diplomatic updates, rebuilding plans, requests from the gods that read like bad legal documents, trade agreements. He groaned.

„“Why did I agree to be an ambassador again?“, he muttered.

The clock over his desk ticked on as he lay on his bed sorting through the texts on his tablet and sinning things. After a while, he noticed that a deafening silence had fallen over the mansion again, even as he used the water in the air to expand his senses, a trick he had learned in tar…the pit. Even after months of being out he still couldn’t say the name of the place, and Percy knew that it was similar for Annabeth and Nico as well. He sighed and contemplated the silence in the manor for a moment, before deciding to risk it. He pulled out his phone, wich was also from celestial bronze and opened the call list. He found Annabeth‘s name right at the top. It glowed on the screen, hesitating for a moment, before he hit call. It rang once, before she answered, voice sharp with relief and irritation. “Finally! Do you know how long I‘ve been trying to reach you? I was about to send an Iris message to Camp, saying you were missing again!“ Percy winced.“Sorry, Wise girl. I got…dragged home.“ “Dragged?“ She caught the word immediately and worry crept back into her voice. “What happened?“ He told her, in fragments-the graveyard, Jason, Bruce, the breakfast. She listened silently, the only response to Percy’s words being recurring sighs. “So“,she said at last,“you’re alive, your uncle found out, and you managed to start an argument in the first twenty-four hours. That’s almost impressive.“ Percy grinned despite himself.“Yeah, I’m setting records.“ Annabeths tone softened.“How are you really?“, she asked him. Even without seeing her face, Percy knew exactly wich expression she had on her face right now. He stared at the white ceiling, one of the only walls in the room not painted blue.“Tired. It’s weird being here. Feels like I’m visiting someone else’s life.“ “Then remember it’s yours too.“, she said gently,“Even if it hurts.“ “Yeah“, he murmured,“You always make things sound simple.“ “That’s because you overcomplicate everything, Seaweed Brain.“ Percy chuckled.“That’s new as well. Normally you do all the thinking.“ Then, after a short pause, he adds:“I miss you.“ “Me too. But it’s not that long. We will see each other in less than three weeks, once winter break ends. And if you can’t stand it anymore at all, call me and we can both return to New Rome earlier.“ “Yeah.“, Percy answered. “You also need to call Camp, tell them there you are and that you will be staying there for a bit, else they are definitely going to kick up a fuss. Also, try to get some sleep. Even thought it’s only midday, you sound like your about to fall over.“ Percy hummed in acknowledgment at the first part of her sentence, but let out an scandalized huff at the second part.“I always sleep more then you. I take naps whenever I feel like it after all.“, then his tone turned serious,“Don’t overwork yourself either with all these projects going on, alright? Promise me that you will take breaks and spend time with your family, while you’re there?“ Now it was Annabeths turn to huff out before chuckling.“I will, Seaweed Brain. I already did as well. You know how my brothers are. I spended the whole afternoon yesterday playing with them.“ After that, the two of them continued theier talk for a while longer, shifting from one random topic to the next, theier ADHD minds running southwards without clear structure. Annabeth only ended the call an hour later, saying she needed to get back to work if she wanted to finish her current design for one of the new temples at Camp in time for dinner. After saying goodbye and telling each other ‚I love you‘, they ended the call. Percy flopped back on his bed from his sitting position and let his phone fall on the covers next to him. He was tired. He logically knew that he also should get back to work or at least take a walk or do anything, but he was to exhausted for that. Instead he just typed a quick message to Nico and Piper, to tell Camp there he was. If one of them got the message they would make sure to inform the others, so nothing should happen. Percy turned to his side, looking out of the window from his spot on the way to soft bed. It had started raining again, the water droplets running down on the glass of the window once they hit it. The murmurs of the rain calmed Percy’s mind wich was still racing, thought less then it had before the talk with Annabeth, and before he knew it his eyes had closed and he had fallen back into a soft slumber.