"the very first night" - [p.jackson one-shots]

"never in your wildest dreams"

1.3K wordcount
warnings: none
requested: no
tags: Tsunami1729

🫧❀💿✞☔️༄

"In your wildest dreams, Jackson," I scoff, staring down the boy fiercely. My sword in hand, my battle armour on, I was easy to beat this stupid son of Poseidon once and for all.

He grins at me, his smile slightly lopsided. "Okay, Red," he teases. "Bring it on."

I roll my eyes at the nickname. He's been calling me it ever since he came to camp, two years ago. Ever since he found out I was the daughter of Ares, and I lived in a big ugly red cabin with a terrible paint job. I mean, I hate the cabin's decor as much as the Aphrodite kids, but that doesn't mean Percy Jackson gets to insult me.

I yell, and charge at him, our swords meeting in midair with a clang. I whirl, aiming for his unprotected side, but he blocks me, sidesteps, jabs at my stomach.

I stumble back, slashing at him, as anger flashes through me. I want to beat him. I have to beat him. This has been going on long enough, and I need to get my revenge.

Two years ago, Percy Jackson came to Camp Half-Blood. On his first proper day here, he tried to drown Clarisse, my older sister, and two of our other siblings. He made a fool out of Ares cabin. Then, later that summer on his stupid lightning bolt quest, he fought our father, the god of war himself, and somehow, he won. He ruined Ares' reputation completely.

Ever since, I've wanted to turn Percy into a Poseidon pancake.

"Come on, y/n!" Adam, my favourite brother, cheers from the side of the arena. "Beat Jackon's ass!"

"I'm trying!" I shout back, as Percy manages to catch the hilt of my sword in his. He's stronger than me, and taller. He pushes down, fighting against my strength. Then, as he's pushing his sword down, he suddenly twists, and I'm forced to let go. My weapon clatters to the ground.

There's silence from the bleachers. Every camper there, who came to watch us duel, has no idea what to say.

I have a lump in my throat, and I don't know how it got there. A sudden, overwhelming feeling of defeat grips me, and I send a tearful glare in Percy's
direction.

"I hate you."

I shove past him, hoping my final words sting him as much as my loss to him stings me.

"You should let this go, you know?"

I glance up in surprise. Leah and I are on stable cleaning duty today, which is an absolutely awful job, in case you were wondering.

"Let what go?" I ask.

She waves her hand aimlessly in the air. "This whole... Percy Jackson thing."

I raise my eyebrows, disbelieving. "You want me too, what? Forgive him?" I make a sound in my throat that's almost a gag, almost a growl. "Hell no."

"Come on!" Leah pleads. She's the daughter of Athena, with pretty dark skin, dark braids, and warm dark brown eyes. She's shorter than me, but way smarter and prettier. We arrived at camp almost the same time, three years ago. I'm still not sure why she likes being my friend, but I love Leah.

"Look," she sighs, leaning against her broom. "I hate Poseidon as much as the next girl, and Jackson isn't exactly my favourite person." She grimaces, probably remembering the time Percy messed up and made her team lose at Capture the Flag. I'd won that day, so maybe I should thank Percy for his service.

"But," Leah continues, "he's not really a bad person. Like, yeah he's a total dumbass and annoying and way too cute for his own good–"

"What?" I half groan, half laugh. "No he's not." I try to believe it myself.

Leah ignores me. "He's not worth making your enemy."

I sigh. "I guess you have a point..." Even saying that feels wrong. I want to hate Percy; I want to get my revenge and prove for once and for all that Ares isn't lame, that we can be great. 

But, Leah is right. There are bigger things to worry about now. There are rumours; Kronos is rising. Luke Castellan is making an army. Camp Half-Blood will be going into war.

I realise my grip on my pitchfork is so tight that my knuckles have turned white. I let go of the pitchfork, watching it fall into the straw on the stable floor and almost disappear.

"Go." Leah gives me a little shove. "I saw him doing paperwork sorting for Chiron on the porch a little while ago."

I give her a quick nod, brace myself, break into a sprint, running towards the Big House.

I spot Percy long before I reach the Big House porch. As I near, my footsteps slow to a walk, and I have to force myself to take a deep breath, striving for calm. My temper isn't easy to control.

"Hey," I call, taking the front steps two at a time.
Percy half-glances up, looks back down at his pile of letters and documents, then double takes at me. "Y/n?"

I try for a smile, waving at him with my fingers. "What's kicking?"

"Uh–paperwork," he replies, looking at me in slight confusion, probably wondering what I'm doing here. "For Chiron?" he adds quickly, then scrunches his nose in a way that almost makes me want to agree with Leah about Percy being cute. Almost.

I nod. "Sounds like torture to me."

Percy grins wide. "Tell me about it." He waves the stack of papers in the air as he gets to his feet. He's only standing half a metre away from me now, closer than we've ever been without trying to beat each other up. "I never remember how much I hate being dyslexic until I try doing this."

I bite the inside of my cheek, suddenly having no idea what to say. Percy seems to notice the awkward pause, and frowns uncertainly at me. "Why are you here, y/n? I doubt it was for just a chat."

I let out my breath slowly. "Uh—yeah. I came to make out—I mean up! Make up."

Percy tries to hide his smirk, and fails. I feel my jaw ache from clenching it. All my old hatred for this boy bubbles almost out of control, but I fight it, like I fight everything, and this time I win.

"Okay..." Percy muses. "Y/n, the daughter of Ares, god of war, wants peace." He stresses the last word. "Not to mention I humiliated both her older sister and her father, when I was twelve."

I grit my teeth and glare at him. "Do you want me to pulverise you, Jackson? Because I will."

"Oh really?" Percy has an eyebrow raised. "But I thought you came to make up? Or was it out?"

"Why did I let her convince me to do this," I mutter, already ready to just make a run for it. But no. Leah was right, albeit pretty frustrating and exasperating and extremely embarrassing. I did need to end this somewhat ridiculous rivalry with Percy. And I guess it was now or never, right?

"I'm sorry," I blurt out before I can change my mind. "I've been stupid and selfish and I'm sorry." I hold my hand out to him. "Friends?"

Percy stares at me, then my outstretched hand for a count of three. At first, I was almost certain he was going to leave me hanging. That would be so like him! But then, he grins, that adorable, dumbass smile I've known for so long now.

"I don't want to be friends, Red," he says, his words solemn and his tone teasing. "I'm in love with you."