Percy POV
"Wait so your friend Tony wants to do what?" I asked for the second time. Steve just rolled his eyes and repeated what he said.
"He offered to get me a therapist and he said he could get one for you both as well," Steve said, laughing. "I still think it's so crazy that you both don't know who Tony Stark or Iron Man is."
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. What's happening though? Are these therapists on sale or something? How is Tony getting three of them like it's nothing! Does he want something from us?" I just asked, still so confused as to how one man is willing to just throw their money around like that. Annabeth and I are just strangers to him!
"Again, Tony Stark is the richest man in the world right now. Money is not an issue. He knew that talking to you both helped me and he offered to help you guys in return."
"Okay, but why would he do that for you?" Annabeth asked him, which is also a very good question. She was looking at Steve, as if trying to calculate something.
"Tony and I are on a team called the Avengers. Us two and the other members of the team work together to take on the high level threats that affect SHIELD. Like the Battle of Manhattan last year."
"Huh? Wait a minute! You were in the Battle of New York?" I asked, suddenly, shocked. They were demigods? Why haven't I heard of them or seen them at camp?
"Different one," Annabeth quickly murmured in my ear. "Tell you about it later, I did research."
Oh okay. But still! I didn't know there was a war in my own city. My mom lives here for gods sake!
"Can we talk to this Tony man first?" Annabeth offered. "I just want to know what I'm getting myself into."
"Yeah sure, I'm going back to the tower right after this session actually. You can just come with me."
"That's cool, we don't have anything else planned for today," I told him, looking over at Annabeth who just nodded in confirmation. Steve, Annabeth, and I continued to talk for about half an hour before we just decided to go back over to the tall, llama-like tower, and have a talk with this supposed billionaire. When we arrived there, the receptionist was so flustered looking at Captain America that she didn't even mind that he had two tag-a-longs and just let us right up.
Getting in the elevator was honestly kind of nerve racking because I was a little terrified. Annabeth and I got very claustrophobic after Tartarus, with the Doors of Death and, you know, the tiny cells we were locked in. I just ended up squeezing the blood circulation out of her hand while we were going up to like the thirtieth floor because this thing was HUGE!
"Hey Tony, I brought company!" Steve shouted in the living room once the doors to the elevator opened.
"I thought we decided on not bringing in strays!" a voice shouted from some room.
"Get yourself out of the lab first!" Steve just shouted back. A man walked in, the bags under his eyes visibly showing his sleep deprivation. He had a glass of alcohol in his hands though, and I grimaced at the look of it and instinctively stepped back. Annabeth noticed my discomfort and just reached for my hand.
"You bought children?" the man scoffed, taking a big gulp from the glass.
"These were the veterans I was telling you about before Tony," Steve informed him. He looked over at the both of us. "This is Percy and this is Annabeth. And put that glass away, would you?"
Tony just rolled his eyes and placed the glass onto the countertop before rubbing his grease smeared hands onto his pants before stretching out his arms for a handshake.
"Hey, I'm Tony. You both look awfully young to be in the military," he said, introducing himself. I leaned over to shake his hand in return.
"Yeah we get that a lot. Must be the fact that we illegally snuck in while underaged. I'm Percy. You also don't look like a billionaire."
"Yeah I get that too," said Tony laughing. "But that's just because I'm in my work clothes. I look pretty damn rich when I'm all dressed up in a suit. But can we go back to how you said you snuck into the military? Are we just going to let that slide?"
"Well, Tony, Percy and I joined up at 15 years old. We'ere seventeen now, so yes, I would consider ourselves 'rather young'," Annabeth said. "And I'm Annabeth."
"Okay, you're going to have to tell me the story another day then. But these were the friends of Steve that I was getting therapists for?"
"Yup," I said. "But we're going to have to decline."
Annabeth and I silently talked about it while getting to the tower. We don't want to spread around the lie we made about the two of us being in the military too far. Sure, we got the paperwork forged with the help of Ares and Hermes, but I don't want the word to get around or else there's going to be a lot of mist manipulation and just overall confusion.
"Um, okay, but why? Aren't you, like, traumatized or something?" Tony just asked.
"Tony! What's wrong with you!" Steve asked, embarrassed and apologetic on behalf of his friend.
"No, it's fine Steve," Annabeth said. "We're just not comfortable talking with a therapist. Talking with Steve has been such a help and I would like to continue that if he's still up to it, but I don't think we're ready for a therapist just yet."
"Fine by me," Tony just replied. "You can stay in the tower as long as you like, hell you can just stay here. We have a bunch of guest bedrooms. So whenever you just want to stay over or talk with Steve, just come over here."
I smiled at that. Tony was actually being surprisingly nice. And our rent is ridiculously high and we're too broke to pay for it, so getting a free bedroom is much appreciated.
"Thanks Tony, I think we'll take you up on that offer," Annabeth said, smiling.
It looks like we live in the Avenger's tower now.
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More Than Just Little Soldiers (PART 2)
FanfictionThe war had ended and all of the demigods had been left to pick up the pieces. For Percy and Annabeth, it was harder than most. The curse had worn off and their bodies had started to heal, but it seemed as if nothing could be done about their mental...
