(Not) An Almost Normal Life (A Percy Jackson-Avengers Crossover)

An Informative Talk

Percy's pov:

I'd been staring at the soda cans for quite a while, but I didn't find it in me to do more. First of all, I was afraid that this whole thing would spiral out of control, and second of all, I still hadn't been able to wrap my head around the fact that Peter had told me just minutes ago.

He'd told me his biggest secret, just to make sure that I was okay.

Peter Parker, the most inconspicuous, clumsy, smart guy, was Spider-Man?

I mean, I've experienced a lot of surprises in my life, but that definitely managed to get into the top 10.

Just because it was unexpected. But at the same time, awfully obvious, if one thought about it. Why didn't I think of it myself?

The poor guy had blipped away and fought again straight away, on a battle field that wasn't meant for mortal teenagers.

His mentor died in this fight, and who knows how much the boy had caught of it.

I sighed. Even the mortal world was beginning to get crazy.

All of it explained Peter's behavior, though. And no wonder that Spider-Man had fled from the reporters when he'd been asked about the future of the Avengers.

Considering his age, it wouldn't surprise me if he had some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder.

And I wouldn't want to tell some curious, loud and nosey press-people about the war against Gaea, too.

Nor would I want to tell them what had happened to Leo...

A knock on my bedroom door interrupted my thoughts and I tore my gaze away from the soda. "Yeah?"

The door opened and a brown mop of curls peeked out from behind of it. "Hey. Was Peter here already?"

I nodded. What on earth had he been doing to not hear our conversation??

"What is it, Perce?"

Was it that obvious?

"I don't want to deal with the soda cans alone," I said, although that wasn't the only reason why I was so beside myself.

Apollo smiled. "Well, if that's all." He closed the door behind him and flopped onto my bed, so he was sitting next to me. "I'd be glad to help!"

Usually, this behavior of him would've annoyed me, but at this moment it really made me happy to see how far he'd come when it came to being there for others and trying to help.

"Thanks," I smiled and walked over to the box of cans.

With shaking hands I took a can, hesitated for a second, but still opened it in the end. Apollo kept looking at me with sharp eyes.

"Peter told you, didn't he?"

I almost dropped the can. "What?!"

"Peter told you that he's Spider-Man, didn't he?"

I was speechless. "He- I... How do you...?"

In my shock I didn't manage to speak in full sentences, but Apollo still knew what I was trying to ask.

"How do I know that?" He smirked. "My dear Percy, in the time Peter became Spider-Man, I was a god. We tend to know things. Especially when it comes to the selection of superheroes down here, we get involved quite often."

I needed a while to comprehend that. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

Apollo shrugged. "You didn't have to know. Besides, that's not something I should've told you. It's Peter's secret, after all."