Porcelain Face | Percy Jackson

purple is a color of royalty

At the same time, he is having an argument with the King. "I don't need anything like that. I don't even want it." He shakes his head.

The King who used to despise his kin calling him anything other than Father or Lord even, is close to begging. "Percy, Zeus will never be able to threaten you. Never again. Just accept this, it's your birthright."

"Was it not my birthright before the war?" Percy let some of his anger slip.

"It was. But now is the time to crown you prince...!" The King insisted. He noticed how the water around them had started to change, the color itself almost poisonous.

"Why now? Because seeing me die let you know that we're different? I will always be me, and that will never change if it's something under my control." He wanted this god to admit what he'd done. He would use manipulation to get what he wanted because he was no longer above it.

Poseidon seemed to loose all energy. His face lost color and he aged in front of Percy's eyes. "Son," he hesitated. "I've done something terrible to you."

Percy closed his eyes.

"You must understand. There was no other way and I did not want to loose you. Please, please, promise me you'll listen to me and try to understand. You can call me any foul words but don't hate me for what I've done... what I had to do."

His hands were shaking and he was so close to losing his temper bit he knew he couldn't. "What did you do?" He asked, failing to hide the tremor in his voice.

"I made you a god, Percy. You are immortal now. You are one of us."

Despite knowing the truth all along, hearing it put into words did something worse.

Here, he ran away. He shut himself in his room away from prying eyes. There, in his mother's embrace, he lost his strength to stand and fell onto his knees. Sally Jackson did not leave him, even at his weakest moment when he was also at his strongest potential. They sat on the floor, his head on her lap and she stroked his hair and mumbled sweet words. His shoulders shook and sobs broke through his throat. She held him.

Gods were selfish creatures.

He wondered what would happen if he became one with them. Would he steal the peace of afterlife from his family?

His eyes rimmed with gold, he looked at his mother. Her face was full of concern.

Percy got up, "I'm sorry." He whispered. With a kiss to her forehead and a promise of coming back- he disappeared, leaving golden and red flowers. Ichor and blood.

He opens his eyes to look at his home and domain, patron of half-bloods and heroes. While Camp Half-Blood is still the same, the demigods living oblivious to the shift in nature, in Camp Jupiter the new augur is walking on the streets, shouting, to tell the residents of New Rome about the new god in town.

He stands invisible to anyone's eyes and watches as the first stone is put on the temple hill in the making of his temple. He knows, tomorrow when he will come back, he will see a glorious structure, with stories engraved on its walls and he will meet Hestia- He closes his eyes as his Roman form settles. He is still Perseus. He is also god of rightful vengeance.

Suddenly, with this realisation, he's not outright hateful of Terra. He feels some anger directed at the faded god Pan. If only the deity had taken upon the path of instilling fear in mortals- he would be alive and the wild could have had a chance to be saved. Terra might have known some peace if it were so.

The air is crackling with power, he can tell Kym had to take control of a storm he brew--

"I always knew we'd make a great couple." Percy startles.

Apollo walks up to him, "Yeah, I can see you. There's much to learn, you're just a newborn. But I must say, you're not half bad for starters." He winks, "Not bad at all." The sun god grins at him, teeth shining white and skin glowing golden.

"I didn't see you coming."

"Of course. Like I said, just a newborn." Apollo sits down on the grass, leaning back on his elbows.

"Why are you here?" Percy asks, he knows his voice is harsher than he meant it to be. It's Rome's doing.

"To offer friendship." Apollo says easily, "God of prophecy and god of inevitability." He points between them. "We'll be like a power couple!"

"You just want the power." He deadpans and then scoffs.

The sun god chuckles, "Who doesn't?" He shrugs. "Percy, you have my goodwill. I do not ask for friendship to use-"

"Okay."

"Uh, O-kay?" Apollo drawls in disbelief. He's acting differently, he can tell that much too.

"Yeah, but I want a proof, that you're honest." He tells him.

"Now, Percy," Apollo bats a hand, "You know-" Percy doesn't let him finish. "Lift the curses you put on me just because of my heritage."

Apollo's demeanor changes entirely. Percy watches as the blue of his eyes bleed into molten gold. The sun burns harshly on his skin- and then it's all back to normal, like he wouldn't have been dead right now if he were still mortal.

Apollo is in front of him, sporting a predatory grin, looking all inhumane and elderich. "You ask too much. But, I shall let this go," he says, he voice too smooth. "As a gift for your ascension." And then Apollo's lips are on his, a hand on his jaw that grips with with such a force that it allows Apollo to deepen the kiss and bruise him with his too sharp teeth.

Before Percy can even process-- what just happened?!-- "The curses are gone." Apollo whispers in his ear, his breath hot.

With those parting words, he disappears in a flash light, leaving a scent that oddly feels like early mornings after a night of heavy rain.

"Curse you, Apollo!" Percy shouts.

Laughter rings in his head.

*

I don't know what happened here. Really.