Of Greeks And Romans (Leo Valdez x Reader)

XL

Percy

The last thing Percy was expecting to come out of this trip was his own death. In some ways, he was surprised to go, but in others, he was wondering how he hadn't gone sooner. His memories were at least partially starting to return, and even though he drank the wrong vial of gorgon blood, his death seemed to have started to trigger the return of some of his memories.

Deja vu struck him hard as he looked around the room. It certainly wasn't what he expected of the underworld, but something told him this was just the waiting room. More importantly, a part of his gut told him he had been here before.

Elevator music rang out through the room, though Percy couldn't see the speakers. The carpet and walls were steel grey. Pencil cactuses grew in the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and only a few seats were taken. There were a few people sitting on couches, and a couple people waiting for the elevator, but apart from that, it was strangely empty. He shook his head, a headache already starting to pound from trying to remember this place. He could remember Annabeth. She was there with him when they were her. As well as that one goat dude who had visited him in his dreams a couple days ago. What was his name? Grover? The only difference was that this lobby was now nearly empty when he could faintly recall the lobby being full of spirits of the dead.

Nobody moved, or talked, or did much of anything. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see them all just fine, but if he focused on any one of them in particular, they started looking... transparent. He could see right through their bodies.

Percy looked down at his own body, surprise shaking him as his own features grew translucent. If he was doubting he was dead before, there was no way he could deny that fact now. The only issue would be getting back. He had witnessed the 5th cohort centurion Gwen get stabbed by a 7 foot long spear and get up as if nothing happened. She claimed she was at the river Styx and found the exit.

Percy walked over to the desk at the front, a dark figure standing there. If Percy wouldn't have thought better, it seemed like the guy was suffering from boredom. After all, he was sure that the keeper of death wouldn't have much to do when the doors of death were open.

The man looked up as Percy walked over. He had chocolate-colored skin and bleached-blonde hair and seemed a little too formal in his neatly tailored suit. Percy shivered upon meeting his eyes. They were empty and hollow, dark sunken pits like those of a skeleton. Yet, if Percy could guess, recognition flashed on the man's face. Without a doubt, this was Charon.

"Back so soon, Percy Jackson? I never got to thank you last time, but it seems your charity got me a raise. I've never enjoyed such elegant Italian suits. Do you think it suits me?"

Percy frowned. So, he had been here then. Perhaps while the poison of the gorgon's blood may have killed him, perhaps it started to give his memories back too. "So I have been here?"

Charon smiled, but his skin stretched around his mouth, the thin layer only making the outline of his jaw and teeth more frightening. He really was a skeleton walking. "Of course. Though, I see you're dead this time. A shame you're still a child. I don't suppose you have any more drachmas on you?"

Percy understood where the reference for the coin that Gwen mentioned came from. The ferryman needed some kind of payment for transporting the souls of the dead to the underworld. Instead, he just grimaced. "I don't suppose there is an exit around here is there?"

Charon shrugged. "I guess it is likely that you wouldn't be ready to die yet. You are not the first to walk back out. With the doors of death open, I suppose nothing is stopping you."

Percy glanced to the right. A bright green EXIT sign was hanging near the entrance, but surely it couldn't be that easy. He stepped towards the door, only to hit what seemed like a wall of glass. The impact made a sharp crack in his nose and he stumbled back. The pain in his nose seemed as real as it would be if he was alive and he placed a hand against the tender bump.