Of Fire & Steel --- A Percy Jackson x Reader Fanfic

Chapter 1

Percy POV

I was underwater like I usually do when I need to think. I don't know how long I was down there, but I decided to get out. I quickly make my way to the surface. Then I heard the voice of my best friend. "And he's alive! Haha!" I swim towards Grover. "Percy Jackson is a beast! Your a beast, man; give me some." After we shake hands, I lift myself up and onto the edge of the pool. 

Panting slightly, I ask Grover, "How long was that?" He replied, "Seven minutes." "Seven minutes?" Grover hums in response and hands me a towel. "That's crazy, man. That's ridiculous. How do you do it?" Not knowing how to answer, I tell him the truth. "I just like being in water. It's the one place I can think." Then Grover hums again, nods, then gives me a weird look, but I choose not to question it. 'I wonder what that look was about?'

Me and Grover are walking down the hallway of our hell— I mean school, Yancy Academy. "Wow, wish I Could spend all day underwater. Instead of this place." Grover seemed to agree with me. "Right, it's like high school without the musical. Every day is the same thing." "Look at this."

|In class|

I walk into my English class and see we have a substitute. 'Great. Now I'm screwed.' The sub begins to speak. "Good morning, I'm Miss Dodds, your substitute English teacher. Would someone please explain what Shakespeare was trying to convey in this line from Othello? " She turns and looks directly at me and calls my name. "Percy Jackson?" Putting me on the spot, "Well?" I looked at the board, but thanks to my dyslexia, I couldn't read what the board said. So, I told the truth. "I'm sorry. I don't know." She then said, "Anybody else?"

When school ends, I immediately rush home. I open the door and say, "Hey, Mom, I'm home." She replied, "I'm up here, honey." "Hi." I throw my backpack to a random corner. "Hey, Mom." Then she asked, "How was school today?" I reply, "The usual. Think this, uh, dyslexia thing is getting worse." "Oh, why do you think that?" I sigh. "I don't know. Maybe it's the ADHD. You know, I thought this school was supposed to make things better." Mom spoke, "Percy, I know how hard this is for you. But someday, it'll all make sense." 

I responded, slightly annoyed. "Really? When? Hmm? Tonight, tomorrow? When?" Then I hear the door close. 'Great, he's the last thing I want to deal with right now.' "Woman!" Mom replied, "Hi, Gabe." He groans as he sits down and asks, "Where's my beer?" "It's in the fridge." "So, what, it's supposed to magically float from the icebox and into my hand?" I really hate this guy. "Hustle. Haha." As Mom walks past him, he slaps her butt. Without thinking, I decided to say something. "Oh, come on, man. You have to do that right here? It's disgusting. W-We're in a kitchen." 

Mom sets his beer in front of him. I can't believe she actually listens to this dirtbag. "Yeah, real charmer you got there. Really. Show some respect. All right? That's my mom right there." Gabe then gets up, walks ominously toward me, and gets in my face. Then he grabs my hair and speaks, "This is my house. You show some respect." As he walks away, I grumble, "Oh, come on." I walk towards my mom and ask, "Why do you stay with that pig? He smells like a sewer. He sleeps until noon every day and can't even hold a job. Why do you stay with him?"

Mom tiredly replied, "He's been good to us, Percy, in ways you just don't understand." I was mad, so I haughtily said, "You're right. I don't understand. I don't get it." With that, I went to my room.

|Next day|

Today was the day of the field trip to the museum. Grover and I were in the very back of the rest of the class. As we were heading up the stairs to the museum. I heard a voice call out to me. Making me stop in my tracks, "Be prepared. Everything is about to change, Percy. Everything is about to change." I look around to see who said that, and then, for a few seconds, I lock eyes with a mysterious-looking man in an overcoat. Seconds later, he's gone.