Inhuman (Percy Jackson & the Avengers)

Chapter eight

I thought of leaving grazes my mind

There's something holding me back, I can't leave it behind

Percy followed Tony and Bruce back to the kitchen, where Steve was mixing something together.

"I'm going back to my room." Percy mumbled to his uncle who nodded and rubbed his back. Percy turned around and walked out in the hallway. He wasn't hungry.

"So, what did you find out?" He heard Steve ask.

"Well..." Bruce said hesitantly. Percy stopped walking and leaned against the wall, hidden from their view so he could listen. "He is dyslexic and has ADHD, which he already knew." Bruce started.

"Okay, we can work with that." Natasha spoke up.

Percy bit his lip. "Yes, we can..." Bruce spoke slowly. "I haven't told the kid yet, but from what I can tell from the tests and how he was reacting to different things... I think he suffers from PTSD." He had already guessed that. That's what leading two wars gives you.

"Are you sure? PTSD? At such a young age?" Steve asked, not sounding like he believed what he had heard.

"Yes, and it's bad. I think... I think if Tony and I hadn't stopped the session, then it could have become much worse than just an empty look in his eyes."

"Where's the kid now?" Clint asked.

"His room. I'll bring him a plate with food later." Tony spoke.

"I want to talk to him." Steve said.

"What now?" Tony asked. Percy widened his eyes. Not now, he wasn't even in his room, and he didn't want to talk.

"Yes."

"I think he needs some time for himself." Bruce said quickly.

"Okay... then what?" Steve asked.

"How about you finish off that food, and then we play a game of Monopoly?" Tony asked. Percy could hear the smirk in his voice.

He then turned and walked down the hallway, towards his room. He was tired.

***

Tony woke up hearing an odd constant sound. He sat up, clearly annoyed, in his bed and stared at the wall.

"Can't a man get his beauty sleep?" He mumbled as he stood out of his bed. He put on a shirt and sneaked out of his room. He tiptoed down the hallway. "If Thor is playing his fucking music again, I swear..." He cursed quietly. The God of Thunder's music taste was bad. Tony tiptoed down the hallway, and slowly the sound grew louder. When he was about four meters away, he realized it wasn't Thor's terrible music he was hearing. Someone was screaming, Tony slowly approached the white door and tried to open it. He clenched his jaw as the door was locked.
"Jarvis?" Tony asked out in the dark.

"Yes, sir?" Jarvis' voice erupted from the ceiling.

"Please unlock the door." Tony said.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sir. There is no technology in the doors, it is an old-fashioned lock." Jarvis explained his master.

Tony groaned. "Then how do I open it?"

"You could either try to get the key, but seeing as it is behind the door, you will fail at getting it. You could try to bust the door open." His AI suggested.

Tony nodded and stepped back, then he ran at the door and hit it with his right shoulder. He repeated that, until the door burst open, only to reveal a trashing teen in the bed. Tony's eyes widened as he watched his nephew scream. He scurried over to the teen and grabbed his shoulders.

"Perseus!" He yelled and shook the boy. Tears were streaming down Percy's face and his face was contorted into a pained expression. His body was glistening with sweat and the bandage that had been on his arms, were messed up and bloody once again.

Tony had no idea how to wake up the screaming boy, he had tried to yell and shake him awake. But he refused to slap Percy. He wouldn't go that low. So, he did the only option he had left and held the boy close in a hug.

Percy cried out in pain and grabbed Tony's shirt tightly, his knuckled turned white from gripping too hard.

"Shh," Tony cooed and stroked Percy's back. Percy's screams became less and less, and soon he was only shaking with a few whimpers leaving him. "It's going to be okay." Tony whispered to the young demigod. Percy slumped down against Tony's shoulder; his arms were hanging down his side.

Percy blinked tiredly. He was fighting not to close his eyes again. He didn't want to go back into that hell. He buried his face in Tony's neck and sniffled. He didn't care about his bloody arms. He didn't care that Tony had heard his screams. He didn't care that Tony had seen him having a nightmare. All he wanted was to stay in this moment, with Tony rubbing circles onto his back and whispering calming words into his ear.

When Tony had laid Percy back down again, and stood up to leave, the young hero grabbed his shirt to hold him back. Tony turned and looked down at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly. Percy looked up at him with tears in his eyes. Tony looked at him with soft and caring eyes. Just like how his mother had been looking at him.

"Please stay," Percy whispered with a hoarse voice. Tony nodded and sat down next to Percy. After a few minutes of Percy hugging Tony's hand tightly, the billionaire decided to lay down and the demigod quickly snuggled into his side. Tony smiled and wrapped his arms around his nephew.

"Goodnight, Perseus." Tony whispered to him.

A small smile appeared on Percy's lips, and he buried his face in Tony's chest. He tightened his grip around his uncle and closed his eyes. Tony stayed awake till he knew Percy was asleep, and then let himself dose off.