𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 (Annabeth X Malereader)

[3] Some pigeons crash the race

The next few days were torture for Percy.

First there was Tyson moving into the Poseidon cabin, giggling to himself every fifteen seconds and saying, "Percy is my brother?" like he'd just won the lottery.

"Aw, Tyson," Percy would say. "It's not that simple."

But there was no way to explain it to him. He was way to happy. And Percy hated it. He couldn't help feeling embarrassed. Ashamed.

The all-powerful Poseidon, god of the sea, had gotten moony-eyed for some nature spirit, and Tyson had been the result. Being his son didn't stop the onslaught of comments from the other campers. Suddenly, it wasn't Percy Jackson, the cool guy who'd retrieved Zeus's lightning bolt last summer. Now it was Percy Jackson, the poor loser with the ugly monster for a brother.

Gossip was one thing that Y/N hated with a passion. It hurt people and spread rumours that often weren't true. But the worst thing it did was tear families apart. And every passing day, he saw people staring and whispering to one another about how, "The Cyclops is a monster" and, "He's related to Percy?" Y/N tried his best to diffuse these sorts of comments. But even the son of Hestia was no match for the power of teen gossip.

Percy protested whenever Tyson wasn't around. "He's not my real brother!" He would say. "He's more like a half-brother on the monstrous side of the family. Like . . . a half-brother twice removed, or something." Nobody bought it.

Days passed.

"I mean, why did Poseidon have to claim him!" Percy exclaimed, reclining back on the therapy chair. Y/N sat nearby, holding a clipboard and wearing fake glasses.

"Well, questioning the gods' ideas and intentions never ends well." Y/N clicked his pen. "Do you think perhaps he wanted you to have a brother?"

"Maybe a demigod brother." Percy replied. "Not demi . . . Monster!"

Y/N rubbed his eyes. "Maybe we should continue this session later."

Annabeth and Percy decided to team up for the chariot race. After all, Annabeth's mom, Athena, had invented the chariot, and Percy's dad had created horses. Together they could win quite easily. One morning Annabeth and Percy were sitting by the canoe lake sketching chariot designs when some campers from Aphrodite's cabin walked by and asked if he needed to borrow some eyeliner for his eye. "Oh sorry, eyes."

As they walked away laughing, Annabeth grumbled, "Just ignore them, Percy. It isn't your fault you have a monster for a brother."

"He's not my brother!" Percy snapped. Annabeth raised her eyebrows.

"Hey, don't get mad at me!"

"Well, you gave him permission to enter the camp."

"Because it was the only way to save your life! I mean . . . I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't expect Poseidon to claim him. Cyclopes are the most deceitful, treacherous—"

"He is not! What have you got against Cyclopes, anyway? Annabeth's ears turned pink.

"Just forget it," she said. "Now, the axle for this chariot—"

"You're treating him like he's this horrible thing," Percy said. "He saved my life." Annabeth threw down her pencil and stood.

"Then maybe you should design a chariot with him, and I'll design one with Y/N!"

"Maybe you should! I bet Y/N would like that anyway."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

She stormed off, leaving Percy feeling a lot worse than before. Annabeth stomped over towards the Hestia cabin, grumbling to herself.

"Stupid Percy. If only he knew . . ." She stopped a little further back from the front porch, where she heard giggling and laughing. Upon seeing the entrance to the cabin, her breath hitched in her throat. 4 Apollo girls, all chatting and laughing while Y/N served them drinks and food.