"Just write a book" they said. "It'll be easy," they said, "Everyone gets published these days." Yeah, well, it's a little harder when your editors are gods that will turn you into a gecko and use you as a ping pong ball if you don't write them exac...
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ONCE I GOT OVER THE SURPRISE, I WAS ACTUALLY SORTA HAPPY. Tantalus couldn't do anything to Tyson now that he was under Poseidon's protection. And he was our brother! Tyson was our brother!
I had always wanted a younger sibling. I know that sounds silly. The only dad I'd had was my stepfather, Gabe, who had zero right having children. But I would remember kids I went to school with and their little siblings. Often they complained about them, but every time I met the kids they seemed fun. Mom says its because I was always good with kids. Percy says its because I didn't have to spend 24/7 with them.
A part of me wondered if this was Poseidon's attempt at an apology. After learning about the Greek gods being real, I'd made a big deal about him never helping us. How he'd let Mom suffer when he could have saved her from everything.
Now I understood it wasn't that simple. Mom wouldn't have wanted that saving, and Dad wasn't allowed to step in and show favoritism to his kids. It was still a sore subject. I still resented him sometimes. But it was easier to swallow now and, perhaps a bit optimistically, I wondered if he was trying to make up for it. Like he was saying, See, look! I couldn't help Tyson, but I brought him to you. Now you can help him.
Was it perfect? Uh...no. But it felt like he was trying.
We helped Tyson move into the Poseidon cabin – which is to say we walked him there. He didn't have anything to bring with him. The entire way, Tyson kept giggling and saying "Percy is my brother?" or "Attie is my sister?" like he'd won the lottery. I blushed every time. It was a weird feeling to have someone so...so happy to know me. Tyson was acting like just existing around us was the greatest thing that had ever happened to us. We weren't that great, you know?
"You'll have to stay on the bottom bunk," I said to Tyson as lights out approached.
The bunks were made for human children. Both bunks were too small for Tyson, but if he went on the top he'd probably break it. He didn't seem to mind. He sat down and patted the cushions, once again giggling to himself. This was the problem the first time he'd ever had a bed, I realized. It was certainly a step up from a refrigerator box.
After a moment, Tyson looked up at me with a wide eye.
"Will you stay with me?" He asked. "You and Percy?"
"Of course, we live here." It took me a moment to realize what he meant. He wanted one of us to sleep in the bunk above him. I sighed. "Sure, buddy."
It wasn't like I was particularly attached to my original bunk. I had some extra clothes stored under it, but I didn't have to move it. Who was going to complain? Percy? He had his own bunk.
After that, Tyson fell asleep almost anyway. He didn't even change. Which was fair, his clothes were entirely intact and he didn't have pajamas to change into. I did have to change, however, and when I returned I found Percy fidgeting with Riptide (in its pen form, turning it over and over in his hand. I should probably clarify that.)
