It Runs in the Family

Percy

Percy jiggled his knee anxiously. He knew that Annabeth was spending  some time with her family. He knew that she was a phone call away. He knew that she had some nearby dryads watching her carefully to make sure she was safe. He knew that. It still didn't stop the anxiety that itched under his skin (didn't stop the memory of her blind and screaming for him in a land of horror and pain and toxic air and -).

During the desperate flight back to Camp Half-Blood, Percy had been alright partially due to shock and partially due to the idea of a mission that needed to be completed. That didn't mean he hadn't been a changed person already at that point, but it had manifested in nightmares and tears and adrenalin rushes that sent him charging recklessly into battle (some of the oldest campers had admitted quietly that Percy had always kind of scared them with his huge amount of power, but he'd properly terrified them that day, fighting Gaea's armies; they  admitted that he'd looked more like a monster than a demigod, covered in  glittered golden dust, the air and water and dirt ripping around him with deadly precision). Now? Now it was anxiety and irritability and sudden flashes back to that place.

He was doing better than he could have been doing because he had an amazing support system, but it was still hard.

Percy flinched when the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the Wayne manor. He hadn't realized that they were there. He hadn't even noticed the huge building that had never failed to draw his attention before. When Percy looked around the car, he realized that Sally was watching  him, carefully scrutinizing his features. He mustered up a smile for her, "Should we go?"

Sighing, Sally smiled tiredly at him (he hated that she was still feeling worried, hated that all he could do was cause her pain, hated that he hated himself, hated that somedays he thought it would have been better for everyone else if he'd been left in that place because he wasn't entirely sure that it was him who'd come out) and nodded.

They carefully exited the taxi and paid. Standing on the steps was a larger group of people than there were the first time Percy had been there. Bruce was there. So was Alfred and Dick. Dick had his arm around Wally which was a nice change. There was a teenager, probably not much  younger than Percy, watching Percy and Sally curiously. And then there was Jason.

Unbelievable. He was actually alive. Percy had known that, had accepted that. But it was different to see it in person. Jason smirked at him as Percy and Sally climbed the stairs, "You look awful."

"Still better than you, probably," Percy shot back easily. Jason  laughed loudly and grabbed him into a big hug, projecting all his motions. Percy wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not, but he appreciated it all the same.

"Seriously, though," Jason said as they separated and he gave Sally a small hug, "You really do look awful."

"I'm well aware," Percy said wryly. He could tell that Jason was fishing. It was the same thing Paul and some of the campers and even Sally had done since he returned. He wasn't going to talk about it,  though. Not yet. He'd talk about it to Annabeth and Nico if they brought  it up, but nothing else. Not yet. Not yet.

Jason frowned when he realized that Percy wasn't falling into his trap. They turned and walked off towards the entertaining room they usually used. Percy gestured slightly at Dick and Wally, "That's new. There's also a new person here you rudely haven't introduced me to."

Dick cackled, "Yeah, Wally finally figured out what he wanted, so here we are. This little kiddo is Tim. We've, uh, got some things to explain to you."

Percy raised an eyebrow. He allowed Sally to fuss over him as he was settled into a chair. He shifted the slightest bit to the side to make  sure that he got a view that put the least amount of open space behind him. The others definitely noticed his actions but didn't say anything. Percy started fiddling with Riptide absentmindedly.