Raising Cain

Overdue meetings and surprising friendships

Um hi. Its been more than just a while and I am the biggest asshole that I know. I'm sorry. I don't even know what to say because there isn't just one reason but so many and they just feel like excuses. I mean, school, exams, you've heard them all. I guess I just lost my muse and I haven't been able to find her again. And for the longest time I thought maybe its just stress or something or the general lack of things to keep me going. And I was like, ok, I'll go watch civil war, maybe I'll get something then, something to push me, to get my zing back, but it just didn't happen. I was just... angry after that movie. As you know, I am firmly on Team Iron Man and after watching the movie, I was not moved at all by Steve Rogers's stance. I couldn't empathise with him even when approaching the entire scenario with an open mind. I mean, I just couldn't after that. I'm just... angry after that movie, it just sucked out everything else when it comes to all things Marvel and this fic related. So this is one last chapter as a goodbye. I was reading over one of the previous chapters in this fic, where Poseidon drops by and I decided to write Loki as having history with the Greeks. This is a continuation of that and the last chapter I can promise for this fic. If I am ever inspired to write more or some of you want to see something and send in a request, I will take time out from writing my Originals and TVD fics to write that. For now, this is goodbye.

Norns, this place has changed. Your father wasn't exaggerating about that game room either Percy. With the damage Triton and I did to it, I'm rather surprised he fixed it up in only six hundred years."

As surprised as Percy was that Loki had decided to accompany him to Posiedon's palace, he was more impressed at how the god still vaguely knew his way around after so long. It had taken much persuasion to get Loki to come, a task which Percy had taken without much protest, mainly because he wanted to see his half brother and the Norse interact. And if Apollo and Hermes had also been informed about it, well, he could hardly be held responsible for what might follow. The issue at hand, however-

"What damage?" The demigod asked, curious as to how two gods had destroyed his father's game room so utterly that it was only natural that it took so long to redesign.

Loki just grinned widely, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You forget Jackson, I am and always will be, the god of chaos and trickery."

"Oh, come on!" Percy cried out in protest. "That story would probably beat everything the Hermes cabin has ever done by a landslide and a few hurricanes!" If anything, Loki's grin only widened.

"Call it a skill and leave it at that." Before Percy could question him further, they reached the throne room and the doors were thrown open. Seeing his father, he rushed forward to embrace the god, always happy for a chance to be with his father. He then fist bumped Triton, the two being on actually pretty good terms now after the last time he had come and Bucky ensured they would see each other as nothing less than friends. Triton was actually pretty cool once you got under his tough exterior. Right now, however, he looked pretty pissed as he saw Loki.

The Norse deity had first given a half bow of respect to Posiedon before turning to Triton who promptly puched him and then pulled him in for a tight hug. "I sincerely hope your oaf of a brother was worth it." He told Loki who drew away immediately as if burnt even though he had been practically melting into Triton's embrace a moment ago, his green eyes lining with silver in the barest physical show of emotion, yet possibly the most vulnerable Percy had ever seeen him. The demigod averted his eyes from the scene unfolding before him in an attempt to give the two some semblance of privacy when Posiedon vapour travelled himself and Percy away, understanding that the two needed to be alone for a while.

"Sometimes I wish he had been." Loki told the other god whose hands still rested on Loki's arms with a fierce grip almost as if afraid to let go. If Loki had been human, his arms would already be extremely bruised by the force behind Triton's hold. "Sometimes I wish I had remained here. Remained where I wouldn't be judged or hated for being different instead of going back."

"But you did go back. You left and you never came back!" Triton's voice rose with every word until he was essentially screaming at Loki.

"You think I wanted to go back? I had to! Someone had to keep Thor from getting himself killed and-"

"It didn't have to be you!"

"Yes it did! Because that imbecile would have been killed centuries ago and his battle starved companions would have simply let it happen in the name of glory! I would have given anything to be able to have stayed! Anything!"

"Then why didn't you? Why didn't you ever come back?" Triton's question was spoken in a voice so low Loki barely heard it at first. When he finally caught on, he smiled wryly.

"As far as I knew, you hated me. What did I have left to come back to?" As he spoke, two golden flashes of light engulfed the room, the figures of Apollo and Hermes visible as the light ebbed away.

"Us. Definitely us even if Triton refused to take you back." Hermes filled in, looking at Apollo to confirm his words which the other god did willingly and loudly.

"We needed our prankster! Triton here," clapping the god in question on the back, "for the most part, became a boring stick in the mud after you left. Really quite rude but we forgive him for it-"

"After he helps us with a prank we planned for Aphrodite." Hermes interjected.

"Right, yes. After he helps us. You're welcome to join in too because this is going to be the prank of the decade if we can pull it off sucessfully. Which, of course, we will." Apollo continued confidently. "A little chaos is never amiss."

"It certainly is not indeed." Loki said before turning to Triton. "So. Am I forgiven?"

"You were forgiven a long damn time ago Loki." Triton said, sighing and shaking his head slightly. "Just know that this time none of us are letting you go that easily again." Loki nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat, a real smile spreading across his lips.

Hermes suddenly frowned, having thought of something. "Hey guys, do you think we should probably warn Uncle P about the shitstorm of epic proportions that is about to happen?"

Triton just grinned. "No need. Father's pranking detector may be a little rusty but it should be going off right about... now." Posiedon literally poofed into existence right beside them, Percy in tow, startling three out of four of the gods present.

"Really? The second you get your fourth prankster back?" Posiedon began as the four schooled their faces into the appropriate 'chastised schoolchildren' look. The god sighed. "I'm not going to be able to prevent the carnage that is going to go down am I?"

"Absolutely not." Apollo said smirking, adding a "sir" when Poseidon looked at him. The god of the seas sighed.

"Then I will just say this. 500 drachmas on the lot of you succeeding and Aphrodite, is it, the one who will suffer, that is?" He asked, continuing at Hermes and Appollo's stunned, speechless nods. "Aphrodite nearly clawing your faces off when she finds out who to hold responsible. Possibly Artemis too on sheer principle alone depending on the prank. And yes, before you ask, you can use my palace to cower and hide in afterwards." He nodded once as if that concluded everything and vanished leaving behind a torrent of bubbles.

"Does that happen often?" Percy asked, having watched everything unfold with a great deal of confused amusement.

"Not nearly often enough." Triton told his younger brother as Apollo and Hermes looked at each other, finally brought out of their stunned silence to exclaim at the same time:

"Uncle P is awesome!"