To be a Commander

Percy Jackson AU-the second!

Crowley stared at the monster. It was massive. Half man, half bear, he guessed.

Crowley took a deep breath. He didn't have any special powers. Just him, his weapons, and his tricks. Looking around the room, Crowley spotted piles of weapons assorted all over. 

Including what he recognized as a special sphere.

A plan was forming in his head. A dangerous, possibly fatal, and stupid plan.

Let's do it!

Crowley stepped out, surveying the room. "So, you captured my friends." He kept his tone carefully neutral, with the slightest hint of satisfaction.

The giant, Agrios, laughed. "Yes I did, young demigod. Going to try to rescue your poor friends?"

Crowley simply laughed. "Friends? Far from it."

"Crowley, what-"

"We are friend-"

"Save it." Crowley said harshly. "Friends? When you mocked me for my lack of 'skill', as you called it? When I helped you so many times without any hint of gratefulness from either of you? Right. Friends, you say."

Halt and Berrigan stared at him, faces transforming from shocked, to hurt, to angry/betrayed.

Crowley felt their angry stares like a stab to the heart, but he shoved the feelings away and walked around slowly, examining the weapons with curiosity.

"Well, young demigod?" Agrios demanded. "Going to try and kill me?"

Crowley simple laughed, again. Keep it up, pretend you're acting. "No, of course not. You've done me a big favor, lord Agrios. Thank you."

Agrios stared at him, then laughed. "Well, young demigod." he boomed, "I can see you are interested in my wares."

Crowley tilted his head thoughtfully, the picture of interest. "Certainly." he said, pausing to examine a staff. "Did you steal this from Apollo? Impressive."

Agrios laughed again. "Don't you know, young demigod? I have stolen and plundered from the gods themselves. I have raided cities and taken from millions."

"As a son of Mercury, I must say, that is quite impressive." Crowley said. "I have some weapons of my own, however." He pulled out a sphere. "This is a sphere designed by Hephaestus himself." He pulled out two bottles. "Gorgon's blood, from both the left and right sides."

Agrios tilted his head, seemingly impressed. "No matter." he boomed. "I have weapons stolen from the god of war, Ares himself."

"Oh, but I have one last weapon." Crowley said, smiling. "It's more powerful than anything you have."

Agrios laughed. "Well? Then let me see it."

Crowley nodded. "You might want to stand back." he said, gesturing to a corner of the cave-coincidentally, just under a sphere actually designed by Hephaestus.

He took out a cube and took a deep breath. One shot. Apollo, lord of the Sun, please help me. He took aim, and threw the cube.

It struck the sphere straight on the 'release' button, and Celestial Bronze netting sprang out, trapping Agrios in a web of bronze.

"Trickery!" he roared, struggling to get free. Crowley grinned.

"Exactly." he said. "Trickery is my weapon. You actually thought I would willingly betray my friends? That I should harbour resentment against them? You're wrong, Agrios."

"I will get my revenge, young demigod!" Agrios roared. 

"Maybe." Crowley said calmly. "But not today."

He stepped forwards, and, in one smooth motion, drew his pila and stabbed Agrios. The half-bear half-man giant crumbled into yellow dust.

"Hold on, guys!" Crowley yelled. He looked around, then, using his pila, pole-vaulted to where Halt was hanging and slashed open the ropes. Halt tumbled down. Crowley jumped off and pole-vaulted again to Berrigan, freeing the son of Apollo.

"Thanks, Crowley." Berrigan said. "And thank gods it was a trick!"

"Thank gods you believed me." Crowley said, flashing them both a grin. "Otherwise, good ol' Agrios wouldn't have believed me."

Halt nodded and clasped Crowley's arm briefly.

________________________________________________________________________________

Later, sitting by the campfire, Halt glanced over at Crowley. The son of Mercury was sitting next to him and sharpening his pila, staring up at the stars.

"Do you really feel that way?" he asked suddenly. Crowley glanced over at him questioningly.

"Feel resentful." Halt clarified. Crowley hummed thoughtfully.

"Sometimes." the son of Mercury admitted. "I mean, like, I try to help you and I just get in the way. Or you just dismiss my, erm, quote unquote 'nonexistent' strength."

Halt winced, remembering that one day when they'd teased Crowley for having his arm broken by a bunny.

"And also," Crowley said quietly, "there was that one time when you pretty much told me that I couldn't even help at all, when I distinctly remember rescuing you from a draecenae."

Halt flinched. "Sorry." he said quietly. Crowley simply shrugged.

"S'okay." he said. "I know you don't mean any harm."

Halt knew that it had hurt Crowley, though. And he hated himself for making Crowley feel that way.

Reaching out, he pulled Crowley into a one-armed hug, smiling slightly when his friend hugged him back.