Just Observing (Fem. Percy X Young Justice)

11

"Dad?"

He looked over at me before standing up. "Percy? What are you doing here?"

I pulled the notebook out of my bag. "I figured I should bring this by. I was meaning to come talk to you anyway, and I don't want to take more risks than necessary. If Kaldur finds out who I am..."

Dad walked over and took the notebook before ruffling my hair. "Thanks. Do you want to watch some TV while I read this?"

"Maybe?"

"I'll sit with you in the living room, I just don't want you to get bored. Whenever you get bored, that's when you start getting into trouble."

"No, I meant I have no idea what kind of shows you have. I know Hephaestus runs the television network for you guys, but what kind of shows do you even watch?"

"Depends. It's this way." Dad led me through his palace. He sat on the couch, gesturing for me to sit. He tossed me the remote.

I flipped through the channels, and upon not finding anything interesting, I turned off the TV. "Hey, Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you send me to watch them? Diana is a member of the League, and it's not like you can't order Orin to do it."

Dad lowered the notebook. He looked over at me. His eyes were tired, and it seemed like I could see every single year he had lived in them. "Percy," he said with a sigh. "You have no idea how rare it is for demigods to have a stress disorder, do you?"

"What?" My eyebrows drew together and I tilted my head. Stress disorder?

"Never mind." Dad shook his head. "You're doing good with the  observations. Come here." I didn't get a choice as Dad pulled me towards him into a tight hug.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Your mother called and threatened to fight me if I don't start showing affection." He released me. "She mentioned something about you not getting any sort of fatherly affection when you were younger."

"Well," I said, grabbing the notebook. "If that's everything, I'm going to head back to the Cave before I get in trouble."

Dad's hand wrapped around my wrist, stopping me before I could leave. "Percy, what did you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to ask why you-"

"The truth."

"It's nothing, Dad. I can figure it out by myself."

His eyes searched mine. Using his free hand, he dug around in his pocket. He pulled something out and placed it in my hand. "Here. Consider it an early birthday present." I couldn't tell if he was serious or not, considering he threw in a wink at the end.

I held the pearl up. "And what's going to keep me from losing this?"

"You managed not to lose the ones I sent you before. Rainbow is waiting outside if you need a ride to Poseidonis. I'll talk to you in a week."

There wasn't anything else said, mainly because he left. I sighed, stood up, and swam outside. Sure enough, Rainbow was grazing just outside the palace door. I didn't climb onto the hippocampus though, something about not being able to have a conversation with Rainbow wasn't appealing. Instead, I swam in the direction of Happy Harbor.

I didn't let myself wonder about what Dad meant, he's a god. He was probably messing with me. But...one thing stuck in my mind. When he said that, he seemed upset and it wasn't accompanied by a wink like every other time he was messing with me.

Sighing, I moved up into a current that would help me along. It won't do me any good to think about it, after all since when do gods tell us anything we need to know? Or even want to know for that matter. They never told me what the prophecy was actually about until tight before it happened, all so I wouldn't try to run off in the face of my prophesied death. My luck this is going to be-

"Ow!" I floated backwards, rubbing my head. A wooden post was in front of me, leading up and out of the water. Fishhooks dangled from bobbers with worms thrashing. I reached over, carefully removed the worm, and yanked hard on the line. The hook caught my hand letting a small swirl of blood into the water before the cut stitched shut.

I flicked the worm towards a fish. "Don't go near those hooks. I doubt these people are doing catch and release."

Thank you, my Lady.

I swam a little further down the coast before peeking out of the water. Seeing no one around, I climbed out onto shore. Wonder what the Mist would make people see? People know Atlanteans exist, so the Mist might not have to do much.

My feet skimmed the top of the sand. I was walking like that for two reasons. One, I wanted to see how far I could kick sand without a bug wind up. Two, I was trying not to get sand in my shoes. Honestly, I was tempted to take them off, but there's a lot of glass left on this beach and I don't feel like stepping on a piece.

Eventually I made it back to the Cave. I walked down the ramp, past the assembled Team, who were getting lectured by Batman, and into the living room.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Megan flew in. "You didn't say anything before leaving earlier."

"Sorry. I got a call from my dad, and he's not a person to keep waiting. And if you excuse me, I'm going to curl up on my bed, take a nap, and then, well, I'll find something to do."

...

This is crap.

And now I'm gonna go work on another chapter

See yah