Sea Green Eyes

10

Percy had given himself 3 days to think over his situation, and check in on how things were at camp, before deciding he was ready to try again with his soulmates. It had been beyond stressful to ignore their texts, ranging from begging him to return, to letting him know that they would give him space if he needed it. Even asking if he was okay.

So, in typical Percy fashion, he spoke with Chiron before disappearing in the middle of the night once more, deciding to wake up in his own apartment in Manhattan before going back to the manor in the morning. That way he would be able to go to the manor around lunch, with more of his belongings than he initially brought. Especially if he wanted to make up for the disappearing act he's been doing.

Percy groaned, flopping onto his bed. He didn't realize he could be home sick without having people to return to, but he was wrong to assume he couldn't. He missed his bed. And the decor of his place that he threw together with Apollo. It was almost funny, considering he would've had feelings for Apollo if the soulmarks weren't a thing. The god had supported him so much in the wake of the war, it was a miracle he didn't say screw it to the names on his wrist. With that thought, he fell asleep.

When Percy woke up the next morning, the sun was still barely rising. He found himself watching the colors splash the sky from his bed, unable to move as he could've sworn he could see the flaming red of the Sun Chariot from his apartment, before finally stretching when his eyes wouldn't let him stare any longer. He pulled himself from the bed and gathered up his more important belongings. It didn't take long, though he did throw a lot of his things into the enchanted drawstring bag that seemed to never run out of space.

Once sure he had everything (after searching his apartment at least three times) he vapor travelled to the front door of the Wayne Manor and dropped the knocker. It wasn't a long wait, considering Alfred had a way if being everywhere always. And the door opened when percy was checking over his shoulder for something.

"Master Percy, I see you have returned."

"Yes, and planning on staying this time." Percy scratched the back of his neck at the eyebrow raise Alfred gave him.

"We'll see, considering your track record and all." Alfred smirked slightly before stepping aside and allowing the young halfblood in.

Percy laughed at the insinuation, "hopefully not this time, considering i took the time that i really needed to help myself."

Alfred only nodded, "I'm glad to hear it, we all missed you around the manor. I hope everything at camp is going well?"

In a flash, Alfred was pinned to the wall in the foyer of the Wayne Manor, a Stygon Iron blde hovering mere centimeters away from the butlers neck. The loud bang of the walls echoed through the mansion but Percy payed no mind to the rushing footsteps, "how do you know about the camp?"

"You told us about them when explaining your heritage." Alfred explained, but Percy only shoved the butler harder into the wall, still ignoring the frozen bodies beginning to witness the scene.

"I know exactly what i told each of the people in this manor, not once have I mentioned camp. I'll ask again, how do you know about the camp?"

"Percy?" Dick asked from the sidelines but was ignored, left to only witness the scene once more with his brothers and adoptive father.

"You'll find I know more about your heritage than most. Considering my own heritage."

"Stop being cryptic. Tell me. How do you know about the camp?"

Alfred seemed to finally fully understand his situation as the freezing cold of the blade began to seep into his skin. "My father is Hermes. I also grew up among the camp and fighting the same beasts as you."

"Impossible." Percy hissed, finally allowing the blade to brush the old butlers skin, watching the energy begin to creep away from the old man. "I would be able to sense it."

"Not if the Gods protected me." Alfred was becoming desperate, feeling the iron seeping his soul from his body.

Finally Percy pulled the blade away, shoving the old butler harshly into the wall for a third time before storming past the brothers and up to the room he previously occupied. He ignored the way the brothers rushed to help the knealing butler, and instead locked himself in his room for the last of the daylight hours.

After the sun had fully set behind the treeline was when Percy heard a knock on his door. Using the water molecules in the air, he twisted the lock and cracked the door open to allow whoever had knocked entry. He stayed in his seat, still gazing out the window as the person slowly closed the door. "Percy?"

Percy let out a small non-committal hum in acknowledgement as Jason rested a hand on the demigods shoulder.

"We wanted to give you some space after what happened, but we were getting worried for you."

Percy sighed, finally looking up at the soulmate that had come to see him. "Is Alfred okay?"

"He's resting, you gave us all quite the scare. Do you wanna talk about what happened?"

"He knew about the camp."

Jason took a seat, resting his back against the cool glass. "What's camp? Why would him knowing have made you react like that?"

"I never told anyone in the manor about the camps, it would comprimise the safety of the place if very many people knew of its existence. He asked me if everything was alright in the camps without me knowing his history. I was going to kill him if he proved to be a threat to my home and my family."

Jason nodded in understanding, resting a hand on Percy's knee, "thank you for telling me. Is there a reason why you've been hiding in here all day?"

Percy shrugged, "just thinking about everything. A lot has happened over the last few years and that kind of triggered my defenses."

Jason once again nodded, "Dinner is going to be ready soon, would you like to join us for it?"

"That would be nice. I should apologize to Alfred when I see him next."

"That would be a good idea."

Dinner was tense, the family not quite knowing what to say after the scene theyd witnessed. Percy himself was struggling to hide his guilt and each of the members could see that. So, they awkwardly ate, each trying to come up with some form of conversation starter as a means of breaking the thick tension that threatened to swollow the soulmates whole.

They'd each seen the way Percy would react violently in self-defense. Considering the bruises some of them had gained from waking the boy during a particularly intense nightmare. But this was new, as he didn't immediately apologize to the butler despite his obvious guilt over the situation. They hadn't realized just how far the demigod would be willing to go in order to protect the life that had traumatized him so.

Percy was the first to leave the dining room, the tension was eating him alive and spoiling his appetite. with no more than a mumbled 'goodnight' to the family, he vanished back to his room.

"So," Jason started, "he was willing to kill Alfred."

"He told you that?" Bruce asked, his grip on the fork he'd been eating with tightened.

"Yeah, said he was going to eliminate the threat to his family and home," Jason seemed nonchalant about the situation, but anyone could tell he was tense at seeing the true extent of their soulmates protectiveness.

"He knows Alfred isn't a threat, now, right?" Tim asked cautiously, not wanting to seem like he thought his soulmate would kill their grandfather figure if the man proved to be the threat he thought he was.

Jason nodded, "he plans to apologize when they cross paths again, so no need to stress about it anymore."

At those words the family relaxed, knowing they didn't need to keep an eye on the newcomer in the house.