Princess of the Sea (Fem Percy x YJ)

28

Scrutinizing blue eyes scanned over me. I gritted my teeth and resisted the urge to hide behind Orm. Deep down, I knew there was nothing to be afraid of, Orin's my uncle after all, and hiding would only make him want to interfere more, but the jittering feeling in my bones remained. No one else was in the living room, and the couch across from the TV looked oddly inviting.  Orin sighed and walked over. His hand rested on my shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine."

"Excuse me for doubting that, Percy, but you are not."

I scowled but didn't try to shake off his grip. "So now you get to tell me how I feel too?"

"I am not dictating your emotions, simply pointing out that you make it a habit of lying to us when you are anything other than okay. Forgive me if I doubt you after I have walked in on you sobbing only to have you tell me a bold faced lie." 

"You know he's right," said Orm, much to my annoyance. I didn't need his input with this. 

I bit my tongue and leaned into Orin. A warm arm wrapped around my back, securing me in place. The rumbling hum that resonated through his body was worth it. I had a vague memory of being little and tucked against him like this, cold and hungry after Gabe kicked me out once. It was such a different feeling then, warm and safe, not restricting and suffocating. Still, I pressed my face into Orin's shoulder and closed my eyes. Exhaustion, even though I'd only just woken, wrapped around me sinking in through my pores. 

My shoes slid against stone as I pulled away. "I- I'm going to lay down for a bit." With that I walked two feet and promptly collapsed on the couch. My uncles spoke to each other, asking or rather debating on who would stay. Orm surprisingly lost and brushed passed Orin to crouch next to me. He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. Before he stood, he mumbled a soft spell. 

"I don't need that, Orm," I said, words jumbled together. 

"Who said it was for you?" A soft hand ruffled my hair. "Call me if you need me."

As Orm's footsteps faded away, i became immensely aware of my own breathing. It was too loud. Echoing in my ears, heart in my throat. The couch creaked, and Orin slipped his hands under my head to lift it. His leg wasn't very soft, but the thought mattered more. The fingers that slipped through strands of my hair, the hushed lullaby, all of it was nice. 

"I want to go on missions." It stopped. A pit opened in my stomach. Of course I had to open my big fat mouth and ruin it. 

Orin sighed. "You are the rightful heir. I cannot allow anything that would put you in danger. Perhaps, if things were different I could. But you were born into my family, and I'm currently the patriarch, which means I am in charge of your safety and well-being. It does not matter who your father is or your standing in the lineage, you are my niece which is enough to warrant me wanting to protect you."

"All it does it put me in danger by having to protect someone else."

"The guards are not there for things from your father's side." He rapped his knuckles on my head. "You should know that by now. Not everything can be solved with a sword and a swift death. Appearances are important, yet you seem so keen to reject them for someone not wishing their secret to become known."

I huffed and stared at the ceiling. Orin's shoulders fell.

He continued, "Your father mentioned that you do not have much in the way of self-preservation. If even he notices it, when you have been so adamant about any of them caring about your true well-being, then what does that tell you? That perhaps I am justified in my worries? That I should not reject the counsel Sally brought to me?" Tears pricked at my eyes at the mention of Mom. Orin shushed me. "I miss her as well."

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened?"

Orin's gaze hollowed out. He didn't respond for a moment, simply sat and stared at the blank TV. Slowly he shook his head. "You do not want to know, little one." 

Figured as much. I exhaled through my nose and closed my eyes. And if I asked about going on missions again, he's only tell me no. I had a losing hand with a horrible poker face. Orin brushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I do want you to talk to Black Canary, though. It might be helpful with...everything that has occurred."

"And do I see you doing that?" I asked. 

"Do as I say, not as I do. Though if it would get you to talk to her, I would consider it. Mera has been bugging me about it as well, but I think she's getting tired of my late night swims more than anything."

"I'm not going to, but I am going to take a nap, so please stop talking."

"Perseus."

I didn't respond except to scrunch my eyes closed and roll so my face was pressed against his stomach. Familiarity was my friend, and I chose to accept it where I could, even if it meant acting like I did when I was little and even if it meant having to ignore Orin poking me. A loud sigh came from his, and at last he stopped annoying me. He gently rubbed the back of my neck. 

"Rest well," he mumbled.

It is a chapter! that i typed all today cause i didn't like the old one i had, so you ahve this!

I am very tired!

See yah