Shards (A Percy Jackson and Avengers Crossover)

Percy the Waterbender

The lights flickered on, and everyone gasped in horror.

Red was splattered against the bed, dripping off the thick navy covers onto the floor. Percy thrashed on top of the bed, stained dark with blood. Screams and gasps of pain emerged from his bloody lips. His face was twisted into a mask of agony.

"What the..." Tony muttered, wide-eyed.

"Help me!" At the god's holler, they circled the bed but stood still, uncertain at how to help the writhing boy.

"Hold him down," Thor commanded. They complied and each held down a flailing limb, which wasn't as easy as it seemed. Steve was pretty sure he'd have a black eye tomorrow, and Bruce's glasses were cracked and hanging skewed from his nose.

Thor lifted up Percy's shirt and grimaced. "Odin's beard." He was covered in blood and cuts. As they watched, a diagonal cut appeared across the teen's chest. Percy groaned.

"That's what?" Steve stumbled, staring slack-jawed as yet another slash magically emerged.

One of his hands slipped free, knocking Tony in the face. Tony recoiled, sharp pain bursting in his check, but quickly pinned Percy's arm again.

"Thor," Tony started, dragging out the name through clenched teeth. "Do something, buddy."

Thor's gaze flickered to the bathroom. No, he decided, it would take too long to fill. The pool is the quickest route.

"I'm picking him up." They let go at the announcement, and Thor scooped the boy up. He pinned Percy's arms, careful not to further harm him.

Percy thrashed in his iron grip, muttering incomprehensible words.

Thor spun on his heel and strode out of the room. The Avengers followed behind him, brimming with questions.

"Where are we going?" Bruce asked as he stepped around the splintered door.

"The pool."

Thor walked to the end of the hallway and stopped in front of the elevator.

"Percy doesn't like elevators," Tony protested automatically. The metal doors hissed open. Tony's gaze switched to the squirming, barely conscious teenager as they stepped inside the fancy, cushioned interior. "Ah, never mind."

The giant elevator moved smoothly upward.

"Why the pool?" Natasha asked, ever the inquisitor.

Thor's eyes flashed to the woman before returning to Percy. "You'll see."

Clint sighed at the vague reply. "Are we ever going to get a clear answer out of you?"

Thor pursed his lips, watching impatiently as the floor numbers slowly changed. "You'll see," he repeated.

Percy arched, a cry bubbling from his lips. Thor tightened his grip. He could practically feel the boy's pain.

The doors swished open. They marched through another hallway to the swimming area. The pool itself was practically Olympic-sized and connected to a much smaller—but still abnormally large—heated portion. Lounge chairs and benches littered the area.

Thor stopped right before walking into the pool.

Tony turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Great, we're at the pool. Now what are you goi—holy s***!" Tony shouted, surprised, as Thor casually tossed Percy into the water. He hit the water with a loud splunk! and quickly sunk.

"What the hell, Thor?! You can't just go yeeting unconscious kids in the water!" Tony yelled, already taking off his overpriced shoes and coat.

"He's going to drown!" Steve hollered desperately. The supersoldier wasn't exactly sure what 'yeeting' was, but he got the gist of Tony's argument and was ready to jump in the water with the billionaire.

"He will not." Thor's soft but sure voice quieted the Avenger's panic. Steve hesitated, head turning to Thor, to the water, and back to Thor again. Tony paused midway in taking off his jacket.

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked. He pushed up his broken glasses, nervously staring towards the water.

"Yes," Thor replied calmly.

Tony gawked. "Uh, Point Break, I don't know what you Ass-guardians can do, but humans can't breathe underwater."

"Percy can."

Steve stared at the pool uneasily. "You better be right about this, Thor. Or else we'll have a dead teen on our hands."

Thor met his eyes evenly. "I'm sure."

Everyone watched the water so intensely that Thor wouldn't have been surprised if a mermaid popped out for a quick chit-chat.

Midgardian mermaids were much nicer than Norse ones.

Percy was hard to see. Dark blood surrounded him, and wisps of red drifted to the surface.

"I would stand back," Thor advised abruptly, taking a few huge steps backward.

The group stared at him curiously but followed his lead.

The pool burst up. They yelped as droplets showered the surrounding area. The water fell, and Percy stood at the pool's edge. His clothes were tattered and stained red, but there were no signs of open wounds or any wetness. His face was impassive.

The Avengers gaped at him.

"Perseus," Thor greeted, stepping forward. "How are you feeling?"

Percy glanced up from where he had been frowning and fingering his ratty shirt. "Hmm?" His sea-green eyes were unfocused and dull, flickering incoherently at them. His eyes cleared, and he blinked slowly.

"Thor."

It was hard to tell if it was a statement or a question.

"Perseus," Thor repeated steadily.

The teen flinched. His fingers curled around the tattered top. "Percy,"
he muttered. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't call me that."

Thor frowned before understanding lit his face. "Ah, my apologies, young Percy. How are you feeling?"

"I..." He trailed off and surveyed his body and clothes in a daze. He shrugged, lips tugging downward at the twinge of pain from the sudden movement. "My shoulder healed wrong," he mumbled to himself. He plopped down and in one smooth movement, popped his shoulder out of place.

Everyone flinched at the loud sound. Tony couldn't help his gag reflex, and even Steve looked a little green at the sudden casualness of it. Percy's face scrunched up in pain for a second, before he gestured with his good arm.

"Percy—" Tony started, dumbfounded.

Water flowed from the pool and around Percy.

Tony gaped. "Holy—"

"—mackerel." Steve finished, flabbergasted.

Tony paused, thrown off, and turned to stare at the supersoldier. Steve felt his eyes. "What?"

Tony shook his head and turned back around.

Water droplets floated untethered in the air. The main stream of liquid was wrapped around Percy's arm like a cocoon. His shoulder slowly slid back into place. The water cocoon burst and dropped back in the pool.

Percy rotated his arm experimentally, happy when he felt no pain. He licked his lips and ran a shaky hand through his unruly black hair wearily.

He was so tired.

Tired of the memories.

Tired of the pain.

Tired of death.

Tired of life.

His gaze went to the pool. Maybe he'd just take a little nap—

"Percy?"

Percy blinked and looked up to find six Avengers staring at him.

Have they been here the whole time? He winced inwardly. That might cause a little bit of a problem.

Percy grimaced sheepishly at them.

"Uh... hi?"