𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀; p jackson x d grayson ¹

𝙸𝙸𝙸.

Percy could inhale the food right then and there. 

It's the first time in a month that he finally gets to eat a proper human meal. Atlantean feasts made by the palace chefs aren't human, and two-minute noodles aren't meals no matter how hard he advocates for it. Except he chooses the path of dignity and calmly takes his portion. It's a draining endeavour, as no one really has self control when it comes to Alfred's cooking. (But no one missed the way he zealously eyes the various platters.) 

"Your food is as great as always, Alfred," he says after swallowing the first heavenly mouthful. Alfred expresses his thanks by heaping another spoonful of mashed potatoes onto his plate. He shovels more food into his mouth as quickly as he can without breaking his air of decorum. Which he really doesn't need to be concerned about, granted Jason and Stephanie tear into their chicken drumsticks like starved cavemen. Across the table, Babs rolls her eyes in both disgust and affection. She catches Percy's eye. 

"Remember, that used to be you whenever I came over to eat dinner." She nods to the two on her left side. 

"It's Alfred's cooking. Could you blame me? Or them?" He shrugs. "Besides, I've matured now. Mostly," he adds as an afterthought after glancing down at his demolished second helping. Dick coughs back a laugh next to him.

Steph glances up. "Hey, I'm plenty mature!"

Duke accusatorily stabs a fork in her direction. "Didn't you just make a 'your mom' joke?"

Percy snorts. "I mean, it was funny."

The blonde grins at him. The two air high-five across the table, much to Duke's dismay who groans and sinks further into his seat.

"Must we really add another fool to the family, Father?" Damian clicks his tongue from his seat beside Bruce. "Brown is already enough, and she's not even truly a part of the family."

Percy forces back the quip that he was taken into the family for years before Damian, except he's not a part of the family anymore, hasn't been for a decade, and Percy can't just come back and call them his family, these people who probably hate him under their smiles —

Bruce frowns imperceptibly. "Damian, they are both already part of the family. Even if they aren't adopted." He sends a surreptitious look to Stephanie who immediately holds up her hand in a stop gesture with a blank face in response. If Percy didn't know any better, he would say Bruce almost pouts. His ex-pseudo-father trains his gaze on him now, and Percy avoids that conversation with all the grace of a prince with how he snaps his head in the opposite direction and ogles a definitely not new painting on the wall. 

Damian huffs and stuffs a piece of fried tempeh into his mouth.

"Well, I'm not staying for long, so don't have to worry about that." Percy fixes his gaze on his empty plate. "This is just a brief thing, while I'm in town, y'know?" 

Three pairs of eyes stare at Percy in bewilderment. 

With a clatter of utensils, Dick latches onto his forearm. His glare drills holes into Percy's temple. "We just got you back, what do you mean you're leaving?" 

"Yeah, Percy." Tim looks up from his phone to see everyone's eyes on him. "What do you mean you're leaving after you bought an apartment in Gotham?" 

Percy's eyes widen marginally. Then he sits up straight and narrows his eyes at the teenager. 

"How do you know that I bought an apartment?" 

Tim scrambles up from his original slouched position and slips his phone into his pocket. He looks around the table, at the food, at his family, anywhere but Percy's sea-green eyes — how is this young man more intimidating than Bruce? With an unexpectedly stiff voice, like his throat had seized up, he answers.