Just Observing (Fem. Percy X Young Justice)

18

Glasses clinked against one another and I pulled one out, a tall blue one. With a quick motion I turned on the sink and let water rush into the cup. I groaned and buried my face in my hands. How could I be so dumb? Pissing off a god on a walk? That was a new record. I shut off the water and picked up the cup. 

Five different sets of memories clashed in my head. Love, affection, worry, care, all of those and more collided. And then there was the set of memories that made me want to bash my head into a wall. Why would I tell him that? Why would any part of me think that was a good idea? Why that stuff in particular? Mom, she didn't even know about it, and now Dad has that knowledge that he can dangle over my head like a guillotine?

Still...The warmth that spread through me at the memory of his words, that wasn't bad. Some part of me wondered if he'd let me curl up on his lap again. I liked that, it felt safe. And Triton can't get mad at me for doing that when he does the exact same thing. My eyes fluttered closed as I tried to recall the feeling of Dad brushing his hand through my hair. 

I couldn't. Or rather, I could, but it just left me wanting for the real thing. Hard glass pressed against my lips, followed by cool water. The entire time, my guard was never down. How could it have been? Megan wasn't dumb, maybe naive and oblivious to Earth customs. I couldn't rule out her piecing those riddles together. 

Chess, skeletons, blood, princess, and innocence. 

All things seemingly unconnected and yet drawn together all the same. I washed the cup and put it away. My hand twitched for Riptide, nerves fried in the endless silence. My heart was beating just a little too fast to mean that I'd actually get any sleep tonight. I sighed and settled myself on the couch. I propped my feet on the coffee table, and grabbed a nearby pad of paper and pencil. And I started to write. 

There was so much information to spit out, to categorize. As much as the memories fought with one another, they were there. They were there and I needed to make sure I gave anything important to Dad.  Graphite scratched across the paper, Atlantean words covering the page interspersed with Greek when I couldn't remember certain words, and even further scattered with most likely misspelled English. 

I didn't know how long I sat there. There were no windows or clocks. Fifteen papers sat scattered around me, torn from the legal pad. Wood scraped paper, the pencil lead having worn down enough to produce a soft rasp with each motion. 

"Percy?" a voice asked from behind me. I jumped. Gentle hands pressed down on my shoulders. "You are okay. I did not mean to startle you. It is good to see you together again." I tilted my head back to look up at Kaldur. He frowned. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Aside from being unconscious for a little bit, no. What time is it?"

"Six."

"Well, fuck."

"You should try to sleep now. I can gather this up for you."

"Thanks," I said with a yawn. My eyes closed and I fell to the side. The couch was soft. Kaldur tucked a soft blanket around me. I grasped it tighter with my hands and mumbled further thanks. Papers crinkled around me, and each one caused a flinch. 

"Sh," hushed Kaldur, gently patting my head. "You can rest now." 

"Do you know any stories?"

"I know a few, though I am not sure I'd be able to translate them fully into English if you want to hear one. My king would be a better one to ask if you--"

"I just want the noise to be honest."

It wasn't a lie per say, but it wasn't the truth. He didn't need to know about the paranoia, or how him talking would allow me to track his movements around the room. Didn't need to know how having an Atlantean around made me feel a bit safer. Didn't need to know that my interest in the stories was born out of curiosity about what I missed out on. 

Kaldur with his soft silken voice humored me. As he moved around the kitchen and living room, he spoke of monsters and heroes and of his service in the military. Stories of his friends and the mischief they got into. 

"Sometimes I miss my mother," he said. "But at the same time, I know I am doing important work here. The first time we went on a mission, Wally, Robin and I, we ended up blowing up a building but we did end up finding Connor and forming this team. That is something that would not have happened if I stayed in the Conservatory with Garth."

By that point, my consciousness was fading away, feelings being lost in the void of sleep and the rest of me threatening to follow. Kaldur's hand slipped under my neck and the other under my legs. He moved me so I took up more of the couch. Mumbles came out of my throat and he hushed me. More papers rustled. Kaldur stopped talking, and the silence returned once more. 

So, totally didn't have plans to get ahead on chapters and never did so

Here's this chapter though! This week is finals week, so lets goooooo

jump off the bridge in my bottom yard (dont worry its only a foot drop)

See yah