The Medic - Book One

CHAPTER SIX

It had been a couple of months since Percy had gotten that sickness, and the two of them continued to hang out. Street often stayed to watch a movie with Percy or would sneak in to steal cookies between missions. Percy still hadn't had much of a break since he started working at HQ and decided to take a day off. He wrote such on his trusty whiteboard after clearing it with Hicks, and grabbed his surfboard, intending on spending the day surfing down in Long Beach. He was standing awkwardly in the elevator, trying not to smack anything with his board, when the bell dinged for the second floor and Hondo's team filed in.

Percy found himself standing beside Chris, who gave him an amused look, studying his wetsuit, cargo pants, and bright blue surfboard. Percy grinned widely.

"Morning!" He said cheerily, and Chris smiled back.

"Morning, Doc. Got a day off? Didn't catch you for a surfer," She replied, and Percy leaned closer to her, dropping his voice to a stage whisper.

"You're looking at the 2010 New York Teen Champion," That got a reaction from the rest of the team, various shouts of disbelief and impressed noises filling the small elevator. Percy just grinned, and he met Street's eyes.

"Show off," Street mouthed, and Percy flipped him off cheerily, which got him an eyeroll.

"Dude, we've gotta go together one day!" Luca said, and Percy gave him a thumbs up.

"You going down to Long Beach?" Hondo asked, and Percy nodded.

"Yeah, heard they have good waves there. Found a more secluded spot near the rich neighbourhood."

"Belmont Hights?"

"I think so, yeah. Why?"

"We're heading down there now to track down a lead," Hondo explained, "Want a ride? Black Betty has plenty of space. Might have more luck fitting your board in there than in an Uber."

Percy pondered the offer, and nodded, "As long as you're sure I'm not in your way, then sure. Thanks, Hondo."

With that, Percy followed the team out of the elevator and to their truck. He and Luca strapped his board to the top of Black Betty, and he climbed into the back. He sat next to Street and got a wave of déjà vu from his SEAL days as he studied the interior. Street nudged him, and Percy turned to meet his eyes. "You good?" He asked.

Percy nodded silently, still fighting back flashbacks. "Just a lot of memories of my SEAL days," he said, and the truck went silent. Oops. Percy forgot he hadn't told anyone about that.

"Hold up, are you telling us you were a SEAL? Like a Navy SEAL?" Tan asked incredulously, and the team's shocked expressions seemed to mirror his question. Percy winced.

"Is there any other kind?" he asked jokingly, but it fell flat. Percy sighed. No getting out of an explanation now. "Yes, I was in the Navy Seals. Joined when I was eighteen, left at twenty-two. Can't exactly give details, it's all confidential, as you know."

"How the hell did you get in at eighteen?" Street asked incredulously.

"Uhhhhh..." Percy racked his brain. He couldn't very well say 'Oh yeah, being a demigod and having led two wars already, and having a cousin in charge of the army really helped things along', so instead he decided to be vague. "Let's just say I was a special case. Can't really talk about it."

"And you never told m-us about it why?" Street grumbled, and Percy felt a subtle shift between them, catching the slip. It felt tense, and Percy could tell his friend was upset. Percy sighed wearily.

"Street, it honestly just never came up. It was years ago, and not exactly part of my life anymore. If I knew it mattered to you, I would have told you. I wasn't trying to hide it or anything."

"It wasn't relevant," Deacon added helpfully, and Percy nodded at him in thanks.

"Exactly. And besides that, it wasn't exactly the best few years of my life. It isn't something I love thinking about," Percy admitted, trying to be honest so Street wouldn't be so upset. It seemed to work a bit, but he was quiet the rest of the ride to Long Beach, barely speaking to Percy.

Percy was happy to get out of the tense atmosphere of Black Betty, and quickly shucked his cargo pants off to reveal his full wetsuit. He grabbed his board, chucked his pants at Street (much to his annoyance) and ran for the waves with a quick thank you.

~*~

Percy had been riding the waves for a few hours, delighting in the feeling of the ocean and the exercise. He felt free again. He also met a super adorable dolphin, who was excited to meet him. He swam around a bit with his new friend, then got right back to the waves. The sun was setting when he heard his name being called from the shore, and he squinted to see six people in tac gear standing on the beach waving at him. He raised a hand at the team in greeting, catching a wave and making his way expertly towards themTop of Form

Percy rode the wave with an ease that spoke of years of practice, his body moving in perfect harmony with the surfboard beneath him. As he neared the shore, the team's impressed expressions became clearer, and a hint of pride swelled within him, though it was quickly overshadowed by a wave of embarrassment. He wasn't used to being the center of attention, at least not for something as personal as his connection with the sea.

He hopped off the board, dragging it along as he approached the group, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Hey, guys," he greeted, trying to sound nonchalant despite the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

"Man, Percy, that was incredible!" Luca exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration. The others murmured their agreement, their respect for Percy visibly deepening.

Percy shrugged, his blush deepening. "Thanks. It's something I've always loved doing."

Street stepped forward, the tension from earlier seemingly washed away by Percy's display. "Hey, about earlier... I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to make it a big deal."

Percy's smile returned, genuine and forgiving. "It's cool, Street. Water under the bridge, right?" Without warning, he stepped forward and wrapped Street in a wet, sandy hug, causing Street to yelp in surprise.

"Hey!" Street protested, but the laughter from the others made it clear no one felt too sorry for him.

As Percy released him, Street retaliated by tossing Percy's cargo pants back at him with a smirk. "Get dressed, show-off."

Percy caught the pants, still grinning. "Alright, alright. Give me a sec." He quickly slipped into his clothes, still feeling the warmth from the team's camaraderie and Street's apology.