The Reluctant Hero

A whole new world.

Percy fidgeted in the suit Pepper was forcing him into.

"I don't like it." He protested.

"You don't like anything that isn't jeans or swimming trunks."
"I can fight in those." 

"You won't be fighting."
"Oh yeah?!" He challenged, "I'd say that this is the most terrifying thing I've ever done if I hadn't proposed before." The CEO slapped him, a small smile fighting against her carefully contained cool exterior, which was specially reserved for forcing wayward super heroes into press conferences.

"You've lead armies into battle and fought Gods, you are a God! You can talk to some reporters."
Percy grimaced.

"I'd rather fight Gods. I wonder if Ares would be up for a rematch." He muttered. Pepper slapped him again, simultaneously smoothing a wrinkle on his pristine suit like only she could.

"Stop talking and don't crease the suit."

"I hate the suit."
"And I'm sure the suit feels equally strongly about you, but it's helping you make the right first impression on a lot of people who decide whether people still like your team. So you're going to smile with those pearly whites of yours, be charming, make small talk, answer questions and not crease your suit. And you're not going to punch any of the reporters."
"Fine, no punching."
"Or any other contact; physical or through your powers, which could cause a disruption in any way." She clarified.
"Fine, no disruption." He agreed.
"Or unnoticed. Don't do anything to the reporters except speak."

This time he wasn't so happy. a bit.

"Fine." He grumbled reluctantly, slightly less happy with the deal.
"And to think you're one of the few mature Avengers." She smiled teasingly at him.

"I don't like being interrogated." His mouth set in a grim line, clearly suppressing the dark thoughts that lurked, waiting to pounce, at the back of his mind every moment of the day. Pepper felt something inside her twist painfully in sympathy.

He bit his lip.

"Should I hide my scars?" Pepper looked up from adjusting his jacket to see his face shimmering between the scarred, world weary soldier and the tanned, clear skin of the happy teen. She could practically feel the self-consciousness and worry lingering around him.

"They're already seen them in the pictures from the battle with the bots and you have no reason to hide them Percy. You shouldn't be ashamed, they're not a bad thing."
He frowned, worried.

"People are scared of them, of me. I could-I could ruin for the others, Pepper. They've helped me so much, you've helped me so much, I don't want to be the reason you all got hurt. Again." His voice has worn down to a whisper by the end.

"It's OK Percy. You haven't hurt us, you've helped us just as much as we've helped you and you should never be ashamed of yourself. And even if that was true, which it isn't, it's always best to be as honest as possible from the start with the press." Pepper smirked, "Just ask Tony."

"I've never done this before, Pepper. I've always known everyone involved and everyone was included in every decision and if someone didn't like something they said, it was changed and I've never dealt with reporters and people I don't even know judging me personally who actually make a difference to those I care about. The closest I've ever gotten to that is the Gods placing bets on which of us would survive and I-I don't know how, Pep."

Pepper rested a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, guiding his face up from where he was trying to avoid her. 

"You are one of the purest, most loving, most loyal people I've ever met and you could never hurt us, Percy. We're a team, that means you help us and we help you. Now, it's only some mortals with cameras, surely the Hero of Olympus can pull that off without causing a flood." He chuckled a bit, letting himself relax just slightly, before returning to her quips.

"Don't joke, I once flooded a toilet because some bullies tried to make an impression." She laughed, loud and clear. Percy hadn't heard a sound like that in a long time. He smiled just a little bit more genuinely than before. "OK, so...I'm supposed to wait in the next room right?"

"Yeah, sadly with Clint, Tony and the others. Natasha's busy in another room talking to Fury."
Percy hummed in recognition.

"Well, that's definitely going to help my nerves isn't it."
"Suck it up, you're a God. Now go make nice with the scary reporters."
He laughed as he walked out the door. "I think you're the most dangerous mortal I've ever met."
She laughed as well.

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"So, what are going to tell them your name is huh?"
"What, Clint?" Percy raised an eyebrow at him, his ADHD was not making handling his nerves any easier.

"What are you going to call yourself? Wave? Tide? Olympian?" He grinned. "You know! Like Hawkeye, Blackwidow, Ironman!" 

"I don't know." Percy grimaced. "I hadn't even thought about it." 
"Well you'd better now. We've got like six minutes until we're live and we have to walk through that door."
"Err.....what do you think?" He asked nervously. Stark stepped forward grinning.

"Something to do with the sea. Cyclone? Hurricane?" Then Steve contributed.

"But he's not just a son of Poseidon, he's a soldier. A leader. He's the God of them. It should reflect that." Steve insisted.
"So," Stark continued, "The sea, and soldiers? Marine?"

Clint hit him.

"Leader you idiot. He's the Admiral." Clint grinned.

"I like that." Steve agreed.

"Same. But Cyclone was cool." That was Tony.

"That feels arrogant, and I don't exactly have an army anymore." Percy cringed apprehensively. 

"Yes you do and no-one cares." Clint grinned even more. "This blond brute here is literally called the Captain of America. I think you're fine." Percy sighed.

"OK, but I'm not happy. I'm not in the core, I haven't earned that rank. It's not right." Steve looked at him.

"Percy-Admiral," He corrected with a smiled, "You've saved the world, you've lead armies and you've sacrificed more than every admiral I know. No-one's going to think you're trying to disrespect the Core, because you aren't. You're an honest person, who has fought hard and you care about the people you're fighting for. The press will try to turn that, but the people will see." Percy started to look hopeful.

This time Stark chipped in.

"Yeah, Mate. You're gonna have some rough weeks, but then they'll see. There's nothing the public love more than a soldier fighting for them. They'll see, Mate, and then the press'll like you more than most the other Avengers, except maybe Cap here." He shrugged. "But he's got that pure, all-American thing going on so there's really no beating that." Cap flushed and slugged him.

"He's an idiot, but he's right. You'll be fine, Percy." 

Stark smiled at him.

"Oh, and Percy. The cameras....they have a lot of flashing lights, we can ask them to keep it down a bit but there's always gonna be some. I just thought I should warn you. We've got you, and it'll be fine. Just stay grounded, OK? You ready?"

Percy breathed in; he felt everything, all the pain he'd been through, all the great times he'd had, all the fear, all the happiness and all the grief.

He breathed it all in.

Then he breathed out. 

He closed his eyes and he prepared himself, after all, triggers weren't a fun thing to deal with.

He opened his eyes.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
They smiled. And they walked out the door.