Dear son

Seventh chapter

Hiii!

Finally, a chapter with a bit more action in it! And Atlas :)

Btw what do you think about the pairings/ships so far? Anything you like/dislike about them?

The TW's are: graphic depiction of violence and injury, panic attack (i think?), self-harm

I hope you'll like it!

Good night,
Sea cucumber

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Dear Son,

Naw, I can't believe it! You're actually five years old now!
I know this is going to sound so mom-like of me but I can't believe you're already so big and old. Where did time go?
It seems like not too long ago you learned how to crawl and talk and now you are running around in the backyard, playing catch with Nico and Felix. And I'm going to be twenty in two months, so... closer to the age people usually start having children. Eh, just means I have a head start.
On your first day of kindergarten no one believed me I was your mom, they kept asking about your parents.
Today you also got your first real book (because apparently you decided to be a smart ass and start reading now, instead of looking at pictures), some dinosaur pyjamas and matching socks, a new net to catch butterflies and a pair of glasses (that is the gift you wanted by the way, you kept insisting on it, turns out it's because you wanted to look like Uncle Nico).
Felix or Dad as you call him now, wasn't very happy with that and tried to style your hair the same way he does his, but that didn't work out very well, because you said it 'respectfully' looks dumb and you were right. Your curly hair just doesn't work that way.
Okay, I should go now. Dad and Nico both need help getting you inside again. FYI you don't listen to them very well.
Happy birthday! I love you, my baby.

With all my heart,
Your Mom

"Please tell me this looks good?" Luke turned around, looking more devastated than I had ever seen him before.
He had changed a dozen times, trying to find the perfect outfit for my birthday. He had gone from casual, to high end, back to very casual and now landed on a mix between elegant and roadworker (it included ripped jeans and a black button-up shirt).
I on the other hand had just put on the first best thing I could find. Oversized jeans, a white shirt and a brown flannel on top. Very simple, but good enough for the occasion.
But my appearance didn't matter as much as Lukes, since he was the one trying to impress someone. On the drive home from Gaias place, I had bombarded Luke with questions. At first he was resistant, but after violently describing what kind of sexual fantasies he probably had about her (I do feel bad about that, mainly because of Gaia), he gave in, giving me one single piece of information: "Yeah, I think she's alright."
That was more than he had ever said about a girl and it was enough for me to keep the investigation going. Luke changing his fashion choices every couple minutes was not helping his case at all.
I looked him up and down. That outfit had to go, it was horrendous. If he ever stepped into daylight like that, he would lose his status as a cool kid. His grandfather Zeus would smite him. The vaginas of every woman laying their eyes upon him would shut permanently. My gaze alone was enough judgement for Luke to get undressed again.
I believed to see a single, frustrated tear glittering in his eye, so I decided to help him.
"Okay, put on the black pants again, pair it with a medium brown turtleneck and then the black blazer over it. Oh and make sure your golden necklace is visible."
I watched as Luke did what I told him too. His eyes lit up when he turned towards the mirror, inspecting himself. And a second later he threw himself onto me, hugging me (but more like strangling me) and thanking me over and over again.
"You are a genius, Percy! Turning seventeen really is good for you."
"Ay!" I gently shoved him off me, finally able to breathe again. "One of us has to have fashion sense."
After the fashion emergency, we went downstairs. Everyone was walking around, either making the table ready for dinner, helping hang up some more decorations. To my surprise Gaia was already here and putting a bowl of salad on the table.
"When did you get here?" Luke asked, a bit startled. I watched him readjust his jacket and clear his throat, all without taking his eyes off Gaia.
Gods, how didn't I notice that sooner? A blind dude could have sniffed this from a ten metre distance. Suddenly all the times my mom had chuckled out of nowhere when those two were in a room together made sense.
"About ten minutes ago. Kyra let me in." Gaia nodded to the kitchen, where my mom was finishing off the desert. "I saw the lasagna by the way. It looks and smells great!"
The complement and the sweet smile Gaia gave Luke were enough to make him blush slightly. Now the question of how Gaia hadn't noticed Lukes behaviour yet popped into my head. Like really, how blind was she?
Oh, yeah... she had been homeschooled all her life. Fair enough.
"Dinner is ready!" Mom announced.
Everyone finished off what they were doing and sat down. I was sitting between Mom, at the head of the table, and Nico on my left. Luke was (conveniently) sitting next to Gaia, opposite of me. Zayn and Lucy were on the remaining seats across from each other, giggling over something Zayn had said.
There was only one empty chair at the end of the table. The memory of who used to sit there felt like a stab to the heart. I tried to push the feeling deep down. I could think of Felix every other day of the year but not today. Today was about my family and everyone who actually showed up.
There was a lot of conversation going on during dinner. Luke was talking to Gaia about the lasagna he made, while rolling his eyes at everyone grinning at him. Mom, Nico and I were betting on who could eat the most fries. It was not looking good for mom, she already had a greenish colour, while Nico and I were on our third serving already. Zayn and Lucy were discussing something highly intellectual, none of us wanted to participate in.
Halfway through dinner, Mom raised her glass, gently clinking her fork against it. Immediately all bantering and talking stopped. I knew what was coming: Her annual speech about me.
It was as sweet as it was embarrassing. I was pretty sure that's why she still did it.
"Dear family, you know why we are all here today: to celebrate my dear son. The one and only Percy Winchester. The best still living Winchester and heir to the throne... sorry, I'm kidding." The half-awkward chuckle was an indicator that she had a bit too much wine. But we laughed along, I could already feel my cheeks burning. "I want to thank you all for coming and celebrating my boy with me. As you know he is strong, smart, an absolute nerd..." More laughter. "But most of all he is the most important thing in my life. Percy, I know our lives haven't always been ideal, but it felt like a dream living it with you. You have changed my life for the better over these past seventeen years. You are my best friend and more than I ever could have wished for."
Everyone cheered, toasted to the speech and then went back to their conversations. Good, because I was on the verge of tears. My mom... gods, she was the most unserious person out there, but then she pulled out something like that. I was never prepared and all the emotions hit at once.
Hearing her, the most amazing, strong woman, my role model, say that about me. Fuck it made me feel just as special now as when I was five years old. She never failed to make me feel loved and enough in this world.
When she was back in her seat I hugged her and whispered into her ear:
"I love you so much, Mom."
"I love you most, baby."
We both laughed and I wiped the tears away. Nobody needed to see those. Mom cupped my face in her hands and kissed me on the forehead. Warmth spread through my body and I felt completely safe.