Rise (Percy Jackson x Reader)

twenty-five

TEN THOUSAND READS OH MY LORD
I THREW MY PHONE ACROSS THE ROOM WHEN I SAW HOLY SHIT I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

edited: april 7, 2021; may 18, 2021
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Percy walks up to the arch marking the camp's entrance, his mother's arm slung around his shoulder. "You can come visit me anytime," she tells him, and Percy sighs.

"Just promise me that I don't have to see that loser Gabe ever again."

"I made good use of that head," Sally tells him with a smile, and Percy's eyes widen in shock. "Yeah, he's gone. He's out of our lives forever."

Percy lets out a light scoff, surprised yet relieved, "Finally." Sally chuckles, and Percy gently bites his lip in thought, "I... I might come back for my senior year. I'm not sure, though."

His mother shrugs, "It's up to you, Percy. Just let me know."

He nods, "Of course." Sally smiles, giving Percy a hug, which he returns. He sighs. "I'm gonna miss you."

"You, too," his mother responds, squeezing him tighter. They pull away, smiling at each other before Percy waves and turns around, beginning to walk through the archway. "Percy," his mom calls out, and he looks back to her, "this is where you belong." A warm feeling rushes through him, and he welcomes it, waving at Sally before making his way down the path into camp.

As he sees the populated area, he quickens his pace, soon arriving at the clearing outside the armory. "Good job, man," one demigod (whom Percy has never seen before) compliments, patting his shoulder as he runs by.

"Nice, Perce," a girl (again, completely unknown to Percy) says, jogging behind the first teenager as other campers follow.

Percy just smiles at them, realizing that this is probably going to happen a lot.

He walks without properly looking forward, not noticing that he's about to be impaled by an arrow until his best friend jumps in. "Whoa, Perce, watch out!" Grover exclaims, running up to Percy and shielding him with his body. "Hey, you guys gonna kill the man who saved the world?" Grover asks the archers, and they lower their bows to let them pass as he continues, "Great job. All of you guys take a lunch break. Thank you."

Grover chuckles, slinging his arm over Percy's shoulders, "So the conquering hero returns triumphant." Percy wraps his arm around the satyr's back, glad to see his best friend.

"Hey," Grover starts, turning to Percy, "you notice anything different about me?"

"No," Percy responds, looking at his friend.

"You sure?" Grover asks, slightly hurt, "Anything that's... improved about me?" He tilts his head down, giving Percy a hint, but the demigod doesn't understand.

"No, what? You've been working out? What, you get a new cologne? You smell good."

Grover lifts his head, both confused and amused.

First, Percy was smelling him. That's weird.

And second, he's probably oblivious to everything. This boy almost got arrows stuck in him, twice, and he can't even notice the one thing Grover is showcasing right in front of his face.