The Calm After the Storm (Fem. Percy)

Chapter 3: Poseidon

Percy slept through breakfast and lunch, never shifting from her bundled ball. It had to be bad for her back, being as tightly curled as she was, and I knew the couch wasn't the comfiest place to sleep--a touch too close to the benches of by-gone years. On occasion, she'd whimper or shudder, roll over, and return to her sleep.

It was the type of sleep you'd see in soldiers who know they cannot make much sound lest the enemy discover them. She shouldn't have been sleeping like that.

"Why don't you move her?" Amphitrite asked. The pile of books beside her had grown, as she hadn't stopped reading since Percy came.

"She's fine."

"She's cold."

I frowned. It took little concentration to keep the water around Percy warm without ruining the delicate balance that kept my family's tenuous peace, so why did she want me to move her? I knelt beside the couch, folded my arms on the edge, and stared at my child.

Her breathing came in steady puffs, chest rising and falling against her knees rhythmically. Her eyes flickered beneath the lids, eyelashes dusting her reddened cheeks. It seemed as if the alcohol hadn't quite left her system fully, despite the length of time. Did she mix nectar with it? That was dangerous for a demigod to do--intensified the drink itself, and the alcohol hid the tell-tale warmth of drinking too much. I'd ask, later, and lecture her if she did.

"Do you think she's going to wake up soon?" I looked up at Amphitrite. She flipped to the next page in "The Power of Showing Up" and took a bite of a cookie. No answer.

I sighed, picked Percy up, and started towards the bedroom. Triton would have to deal with his blankets being messed up. It wasn't a long walk by any means, but it was enough time for her to uncurl and latch to my shirt.

"Tired little thing, aren't you?" I chuckled.

Her body didn't answer, content to slump in my arms. That was fine. Perfectly fine. My hand wasn't trembling when I gently touched her wrist to feel that fluttering pulse there. I didn't miss a step when her hand released and turned to lightly grasp mine. No pressure, no actual grip. It was loose and seemingly instinctual.

I opened the door and paused. Triton's blankets and Amphitrite's were neatly piled and fixed in their spots. All extra blankets had been cleared away, leaving only my portion of the bed with its unkempt appearance. Oh. She did that on purpose. Rolling my eyes, I laid Percy where I slept before pulling a couple blankets up to her chin. I hovered, for a moment, debating on tucking her in or not, and ultimately turned away.

Then the bed creaked behind me. Percy was awake.  Her hand was in her pocket, grasping for her weapon. Her eyes flicked around the dark room, unable to make out anything other than water and blankets and--I silently cursed--an unfamiliar bed. A whine pulled out of her throat. Her free hand flapped against the mattress.

Two steps. I hushed her, put my palm on her cheek. At once, she settled, going limp and staring up with tired eyes. It still wasn't a relaxed state, however, and I sat on the bed.

"You can go back to sleep," I said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Percy exhaled through the nose. "How long was I asleep?"

"Dinner is in a half hour."

She mouthed the words to herself. Little furrows formed between her eyebrows. I resisted the urge to smooth them away. Not my place. Yet...

"What I said still stands." I stood. "You're exhausted, so you should sleep until your body decides you've had enough. I'll--"

The loud growl that broke my sentence made Percy blush. She wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Can...Can... I, um. Never mind."