𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀; p jackson x d grayson ¹

𝙸𝚅.

Did they add new traps in the gardens? 

Percy licks the blood off his thumb, glaring up at the retreating spikes on the Wayne Manor's garden wall. He pats himself down and makes sure the flying explosives in the grass didn't accidentally singe his clothing. Of course he should have expected a couple obstacles when it came to a billionaire's home defensive system, but he did think Bruce may have had a bit too much money on his hands. (Maybe he's just salty, because getting spooked by a laser wall was not in his nightly Bingo card.)

Is he guilty that he had left so abruptly (again)? Most evidently, with how he looked back at least ten times in the first 50 metres of his journey home. But at least he'd left a phone number in the note this time! That surely counts as character development?

The events of the night flash through his mind. The family dinner gave him a strange sort of peace he hadn't felt in the months without his friends. It was a peace that was boisterous, bickering, and built out of love.  The influence of the new occupants on the Manor leaves Percy's memories reeling. Gone are the days of silent, dark hallways and an air of elegant gloom. Even as he was hurried to the dining hall, Percy noticed more colour on the walls; clusters of photographs line places the public would never see, like little pockets of home within home.

Home. Di immortales, he has to stop thinking like that.

Percy blanches thinking about the apartment that is his current home. An innocent discussion about his moving out propositions had quickly turned into Poseidon gifting him his house of choice — mortifying mortgage attached, AKA the main source of Percy's recent headaches. O woe, the toils of adulthood. 

Despite having flown through New Rome University like a sped-up fever dream, getting his Bachelor's in marine biology in three years, he still can't decide on his future. He can't picture himself at an office job, hunched behind a computer while decoding rows of research data. But he also can't picture himself conducting and collecting that research, after thinking back to the painstaking work his professors did. When the thought of asking his father to gift him more money sheepishly crosses his mind, he barks out a laugh. How can he take part in the nepotism system after his childhood was filled with evil eyeing every trust fund kid he stumbled upon (Dick being one of them at some point)? Oh, the irony.

Gods, if he doesn't have the patience needed for a job, how will he handle the boredom of unemployment?

Tutting, he stuffs his hands in his pockets and kicked a pebble. It bounced into a trashcan and the trashcan whimpers. 

Wait. What?

Instantly, Percy's hand is wrapped around the pen in his pocket. He inches towards the noise, one hand extended as if he can tame whatever creature is within the alley's shadows. His gaze sharpens at the quivering pile.

"Please, please don't hurt us," sounds a woman's wracking sobs. Stepping closer, he can make out the body of a frail woman, clasping her hands at him. Two children hide behind her, peeking out momentarily with fear in their eyes. They all have ashen complexions and shallow cheeks. The mother, he assumes, covers her children dutifully despite her spindly arms. "Please, we don't have anything to give you. If anything, spare my children." 

Percy breathes in deeply. Peering deeper into the alleyway, he can discern more huddled figures, either resting under thin blankets or crowding around a tiny match fire. His jaw clenches, and the children let out poorly muffled whimpers. Backing away, Percy's attention darts around the dark neighbourhood. Then, he sees the two golden arches flickering a couple buildings away. Thank you, 24-hour McDonalds, for saving the day once again.

He speeds into the fast food place in no time. After rambling out a lengthy order of whatever he could read on the bright menu, he shoots the cashier a guilty smile. While his order is cooking, Percy sprints out to the convenience he had spotted earlier. Buying a bag full of canned foods and supplies, Percy makes it back just in time to see his order get called out. The overwhelmed worker steps back hastily as he grabs more than four paper bags off the counter, spitting out a quick thank you and rushing out the door.