Love Against All Odds

Oskar - A Moment of Reflection

Athena stood firmly in the middle of the road, her arms crossed, her expression enough to make anyone think, Uh-oh. She had traded her gleaming battle armour for a pair of jeans and a crisp white blouse, but the change in attire did nothing to soften the intensity radiating from her. Her grey eyes blazed with a fierceness that made it clear she was still very much the goddess of war and wisdom, regardless of what she wore.

Percy flicked his eyes to me, a silent plea for help as if I could somehow rescue him from this situation. Sure, I could shadow-travel us out of there, but I had a sinking feeling that Athena would track us down and drag us right back. The thought of her wrath kept my feet rooted to the spot. No, my friend would have to face this one on his own.

I stood warily beside him, feeling the tension rise as Athena glared down on Percy. She completely ignored my presence, focusing entirely on him. 

"Well, Percy," she began, her voice sharp and direct, "you've chosen to remain mortal."

"Um, yes, ma'am," Percy replied, his voice wavering slightly.

"I want to know your reasons," she demanded, her tone leaving no room for evasion.

"I want to live a normal life," Percy said. "I want to grow up, attend high school, and have a regular experience."

"And what about my daughter?" she pressed, her gaze piercing right through him.

"I couldn't leave her," Percy admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or Oskar or Grover," Percy added quickly, trying to cover all his bases. "Or—"

"Spare me the list," Athena interrupted, stepping closer. Her proximity made my skin prickle with the sheer force of her aura, a tangible reminder of her power. "I once warned you, Percy Jackson, that you might destroy the world to save a friend. Perhaps I was mistaken. You seem to have managed to save your friends and the world. But I urge you to think very carefully about your next steps. I've given you the benefit of the doubt. Don't mess it up."

To underscore her warning, Athena suddenly erupted into a column of flame, the heat so intense it seared the air around us, charring the front of Percy's shirt. The flames vanished as quickly as they had appeared, leaving no trace of the goddess except the lingering smell of smoke and the singed fabric on Percy's chest. No doubt was left in my mind about the seriousness of her words.

And then, just like that, she was gone, leaving us standing there in stunned silence. I broke the tension with a shrug and said, "Well, that could have been worse."

Percy glanced down at his ruined shirt and muttered, "She could have burnt me. I liked this shirt."

I waved my hand before me, trying to disperse his shirt's remaining wisps of smoke. "Don't worry. I'll buy you a new one," I offered, though I knew it wouldn't do much to ease his frustration.

Percy kept grumbling under his breath as we started descending from Olympus. 

I couldn't help but smirk, thinking about how tough it must be for him, dealing with the fact that the mother of the girl he was crushing on pretty much hated his guts. Not that Percy would ever admit he had a crush on Annabeth, but it was clear as day to anyone paying attention.

As we approached the rest of the group, Annabeth's gaze immediately zeroed in on Percy's charred shirt. Her frown deepened as we drew closer, her concern evident.

"Why do you smell like smoke?" Annabeth asked, eyeing Percy curiously.

"Long story," Percy replied, brushing it off. 

I held back a laugh, watching the exchange. Percy's tough exterior couldn't wholly mask Annabeth's effect on him, and it was equally apparent that Annabeth cared more than she let on.