Indigo Eyes

Chapter 110

Paul had kept his word and didn't bring up Castor once, instead, he dared Cressida to see who was better at waltzing. The two of them had waltzed around the living room, Paul putting Percy's dancing to shame before Tyson said it looked fun and he wanted to try it so Paul took a seat as Cressida taught Tyson how to dance and promised to continue to teach him back at camp.

Afterwards, Percy was getting ready to blow out the candles on his cake, his hand still linked with hers as he hoped it would make his wish come true a little sooner, when the doorbell rang.

Sally frowned. "Who could that be?"

"Annabeth?" Percy questioned and Cressida shook her head.

"There's a card from her in the bag I gave you, but she was still staring at her computer when I left."

Poseidon was the last person they all expected to see standing on the other side of the door. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and Birkenstocks, like he usually does. His black beard was neatly trimmed, and his sea-green eyes twinkled. He wore a battered cap decorated with fishing lures. It said, Neptune's Lucky Fishing Hat.

"Um, hello," Sally blushed as he smiled kindly at her.

"Hello, Sally," Poseidon said. "You look as beautiful as ever. May I come in?"

Sally squeaked a sound that Poseidon took as a yes as he came in.

Percy was still in shock, refusing to let go of Cressida's hand despite the way she tried. She knew how her father felt about them being together, they knew nothing about how his father felt.

Paul finally stepped forward and said, "Hi, I'm Paul Blofis."

Poseidon raised his eyebrows as they shook hands. "Blowfish, did you say?"

"Ah, no. Blofis, actually."

"Oh, I see," Poseidon said. "A shame. I quite like blowfish. I am Poseidon."

"Poseidon? That's an interesting name."

"Yes, I like it. I've gone by other names, but I do prefer Poseidon."

"Like the god of the sea."

"Very much like that, yes."

"Well!" my mom interrupted. "Um, we're so glad you could drop by. Paul, this is Percy's father."

"Ah." Paul nodded, though he didn't look very pleased. "I see."

Poseidon smiled at Percy. "There you are, my boy. And hello to you as well, Miss Lynn."

"Hello. And Cressida is fine, sir," she said, and his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"Please, no need for such formalities today. And Tyson, hello, son!"

"Daddy!" Tyson bounded across the room and gave Poseidon a big hug, which almost knocked off his fishing hat.

Paul's jaw dropped. He stared at Sally. 

"Tyson is...Not mine," she promised. "It's a long story."

"I couldn't miss Percy's fifteenth birthday," Poseidon said. "Why, if this were Sparta, Percy would be a man today!"

"That's true," Paul said. "I used to teach ancient history."

Poseidon's eyes twinkled. "That's me. Ancient history. Sally, Paul, Tyson, Cressida... would you mind if I borrowed Percy for just a moment?"

"Good luck," Cressida whispered as she let go of his hand and Poseidon put his arm around Percy and steered him into the kitchen.

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It took a little work to convince Paul that Poseidon had left via the fire escape, but since people can't vanish into thin air, he had no choice but to believe it. Cressida had been ready to work her magic, literally, if needed, but Percy promised it wasn't necessary and he also promised to tell her everything about Poseidon's visit later.

As for right now, they ate blue cake and ice cream until they couldn't eat anymore. Then they played a bunch of cheesy party games like Charades and Monopoly and Percy's mother definitely cheated at Charades because having the daughter of the god of theatre on your team is definitely cheating.

Tyson didn't get Charades. He kept shouting out the answer he was trying to mime, but it turned out he was really good at Monopoly. He knocked Percy out of the game in the first five rounds and started bankrupting Sally and Paul. Percy spent the first-round teaching Cressida how to play and then the next four rounds handing her all his money.

Percy decided it was probably best to not play Pinochle with Cressida who was now teaching everyone else how to play, so he disappeared to his room for a second.

Nico had then appeared in his room and the two boys discussed a potential way to beat Luke and really the only way Percy would stand a chance against him, and the second Nico told him, he knew he couldn't tell anybody. Meaning he couldn't tell Cressida because she'd probably do Luke a favour and kill him first.

"Uh, before I go," Nico said. "Is Cressida here? I have something to tell her."

"Yeah, she is. One sec," Percy said as he opened his door. "Hey Cress, could you come here for a minute?"

"Coming," she called before she appeared in front of his bedroom door. "What's up?"

And Percy stood back to let her in as she saw who was inside his room.

"Nico."

"Hey, Cressida," he said with a small smile.

"What's going on?" she asked as she looked between the two boys.

"Nico has something he wants to tell you," Percy revealed as they both turned to the Son of Hades.

"I just- I just thought you'd like to know," Nico began. "Castor is in Elysium."

And something in her broke as she surged forward and hugged him. "Thank you," she said as Nico took a second before hugging her back. "Really Nico, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

"You're welcome," he said before she pulled away a relieved expression on her face as she kissed Nico's cheek and the boy's eyes went wide as Percy grinned.

Yeah, getting kissed by Cressida Lynn would do that to you. Percy still remembered their first kiss very vividly. Very vividly.

"I have to tell Pollux!"

"Here," Percy said as he fished a drachma out of his pocket. "There's a window in the bathroom you can use."

That earned him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks!"

And Percy bit his lips to hide his smile as she ran out of his room.

Yeah, the waiting sucked, but for her, he knew it would be worth it when they were finally able to be together.