Beyond the Storm: A Percabeth Collection

Meet the In-Laws: Godly Edition

Percy's POV

I should've known better. When I told Poseidon offhandedly about the dinner, I never imagined he'd actually show up. It was supposed to be a quiet evening—just me, Annabeth, Mom, and Paul. Nothing out of the ordinary. A chance for Annabeth to hang out with my family without, you know, monsters or gods dropping by. But clearly, the word normal didn't exist in my life.

The chaos started five minutes before dinner.

I was setting the table when there was a knock at the door. Mom called out, "Percy, can you get that?"

"Sure!" I said, expecting maybe it was the pizza delivery guy. (Yeah, Mom cooks, but even she needs a break sometimes.) Instead, I opened the door to find a very familiar figure: Hawaiian shirt, tan skin, and an aura of saltwater so strong it made me sneeze.

"Dad?" I gawked. "What are you doing here?"

Poseidon smiled, a grin that said he knew exactly how awkward this was. "You said you were having dinner with Annabeth. I thought, why not stop by and meet your lovely girlfriend?"

My jaw dropped. "I didn't invite—"

"Of course you didn't. I'm your father. I don't need an invitation."

Before I could argue, he ducked under the doorframe (he's a tall guy) and stepped into the apartment. The air immediately smelled like the ocean, and I was half-worried he'd flood the carpet just by standing there. Mom appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel, and froze when she saw him.

"Oh," she said. "Hello, Poseidon."

"Hello, Sally." My dad gave her a polite nod. "I hope I'm not intruding."

I opened my mouth to tell him that yes, he was absolutely intruding, but Mom—being Mom—just smiled and said, "Of course not. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water," he said. "Preferably saltwater, if you have it."

I slapped my forehead.

Then the second knock came. Before I could stop him, Poseidon swung the door open, and standing there in all her regal glory was Athena, looking like she'd just walked out of a Greek statue catalog. She was wearing some kind of metallic gray dress, her storm-gray eyes scanning the apartment like she was already unimpressed.

"Lady Athena," Poseidon said, his voice turning cold.

"Poseidon," Athena replied, just as frosty. "I assumed you'd show up uninvited."

"And I assumed you'd do the same," he shot back.

I wanted to die.

Behind Athena, Annabeth stepped into view, looking as mortified as I felt. "Hi," she muttered, brushing past her mom and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Please tell me this isn't happening."

"Oh, it's happening," I groaned.

Annabeth sighed, brushing her hand against mine as she stepped into the apartment. "At least you didn't tell them we're officially dating."

"Yeah... about that," I whispered. "Pretty sure my dad knows."

Her eyes widened in horror, but before she could respond, Athena turned to glare at us, her lips pursed like she'd bitten into a lemon. "Must you two engage in such public displays of affection?" she asked, her tone icy. "It's unbecoming of a daughter of mine."

I rolled my eyes, slipping my hand into Annabeth's just to be annoying. "Relax, Lady Athena. I think Annabeth can decide for herself."

Annabeth squeezed my hand, trying not to smile. Athena, meanwhile, looked like she was about two seconds from summoning her spear.

Mom stepped in before things could escalate. "Dinner's ready!" she said brightly. "Why don't we all sit down?"

The table was way too small for this. Poseidon and Athena ended up sitting across from each other, which was already a recipe for disaster. Annabeth and I sat between them, trying to act as a buffer, while Mom and Paul sat at the ends, doing their best to keep the peace.

At first, it was almost normal. Poseidon complimented the blue napkins. Athena said something vaguely nice about the wine choice. But then, halfway through the main course, it all went downhill.

"So," Poseidon said, slicing into his steak, "Annabeth. How are you handling Percy? He's a handful, isn't he?"

Annabeth gave him a sweet but deadly smile. "Oh, I manage. He's only mostly hopeless."

"Hey!" I protested, but no one listened to me.

Athena smirked. "She's being generous, I'm sure. Percy's... impulsiveness has caused no small amount of trouble over the years."

Poseidon bristled. "Better impulsive than overly cautious. At least my son knows how to act in the moment."

Athena's eyes narrowed. "Yes, like jumping into situations without thinking. A trait that has nearly gotten him and others killed on countless occasions."

"Hey, Annabeth likes that about me," I said, leaning back in my chair. I shot her a grin. "Right?"

Annabeth snorted. "I don't know if like is the right word..."

"See? She's smiling. She totally likes it."

Athena made a noise of disgust. "Annabeth, surely you don't condone his reckless behavior."

Annabeth turned to her mom, her expression calm. "It's true Percy can be impulsive, but that's what makes him who he is. He's brave, loyal, and always puts others first."

Poseidon beamed like she'd just handed him a gold medal. "Exactly. My son has heart. Something your children could learn from."

Athena bristled, her gaze darting between me and Annabeth, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she picked up her wine glass, muttering something about poor judgment.

After dinner, things didn't improve. Annabeth and I ended up sitting together on the couch while Poseidon and Athena argued over who had contributed more to Western civilization. Annabeth leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder, and I could feel Athena's eyes burning holes into the back of my skull.

"Do you really need to be sitting that close?" Athena asked sharply.

Annabeth didn't even look up. "Yes."

Poseidon smirked. "Let them be, Athena. Young love is a beautiful thing."

"Spare me your sentimentality," Athena snapped. "This relationship is a distraction. Annabeth has her studies and her future to consider."

Annabeth sat up, her eyes blazing. "I am considering my future. Percy's part of it."

The room went silent. Even Poseidon looked a little surprised.

Athena stared at her daughter, her expression unreadable. "You believe he is worthy of that?"

Annabeth didn't hesitate. "I know he is."

I felt my face go red, but I managed a lopsided grin. "Thanks, Wise Girl."

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

Athena, meanwhile, looked like she'd been forced to swallow a live eel. "Very well," she said stiffly. "But don't expect me to approve."

"Wasn't expecting it," Annabeth muttered under her breath.

Poseidon clapped his hands, breaking the tension. "Well, I think that went well! Who's up for dessert?"

By the time the gods left, Annabeth and I were completely drained. We collapsed on the couch while Mom and Paul cleaned up the kitchen.

"So," I said, looking at Annabeth. "What did you think?"

She smirked. "I think your dad and my mom need to stay far, far away from each other."

"Agreed." I grabbed a blue cookie from the plate on the coffee table. "Next time, we're just ordering pizza."

"Deal."

And that's the story of how I survived the most awkward family dinner of my life. Honestly, I'd rather fight a hydra.