Aquagirl (Fem. Percy x YJ)

65

"How are you?" I asked, looking at Percy. She stood slightly behind her mother, staring at me with carefully guarded eyes.

"Percy, you know he will not harm you."

Guilt settled in my stomach when Sha'lain'a said that. She doesn't know about the first time she was tortured, or that I was willing to pass a death sentence onto our child. Nevertheless, Percy moved towards me, albeit hesitant.

Once she was within reach, I pulled her into a gentle hug. "I told you, I am not letting any action against you to be considered." Something sharp was digging into my arms and hands. My heart ached when I realized those were Percy's bones. I looked at her mother. "Has she eaten anything?

"Not much. She refuses most anything put in front of her. We found a way to get her to eat, we are not proud of it, but even when we do she throws almost all of it back up."

"Well, how about we make you some food? Does that sound like a good idea, Percy? If you don't want to eat, would you want to help me make your mother food?"

She nodded. I released her and followed her to the kitchen. The entire time her body was tense, like she expected me to attack her.

"Percy." I said. She looked back at me. "I'm not going to harm you, child. I am here as your father, nothing more. Not a judge or a god, just your father." I patted her shoulder. "Now, what do you want to make your mother? Pancakes?"

She nodded and started getting the stuff out. I frowned as she grabbed some things that very much did not belong in food.

"Percy, why did you grab soap?"

Her eyes widened and she looked away.

"Perseus." I put my hand on her shoulder. She was shaking. "I'm not mad. I just want to know why." Even with my words, she didn't stop. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm not mad." Her legs gave out and I slowly lowered her to the ground. I stayed kneeling in front of her. "Just tell me why." She shook her head. I sighed, not wanting to resort to what I think the others had done. "Perseus," I said, voice full of authority. "Tell me why you grabbed the soap and I'll reward you by bringing Tyson to visit."

"They made me put stuff in my food. If I did not, they would feed me worse."

How quick her response was startled me. I almost felt bad for using that against her. I growled and she flinched back. My arms wrapped around her and I held her close to my chest. She whimpered as my fingers dug into her skin.

"You don't need to do that anymore. We do not want you hurting. I do not want to see you in this pain." A thought ran through my mind causing my mouth to go dry. "Let me see your arms."

She didn't move.

"Perseus." I moved her away. Without any hesitation she pushed her sleeves up and lifted her arms so I could see them. I undid the bandages. My eyes lingered on the scars from her shackles, then the long scars from when she tried to follow the mandate. I clenched my jaw when I noticed fresh scratch marks.

Before I could comment, Orin walked into the room. "My Lord, I did not know you would be visiting today. What is going on?"

I sighed. "Percy told me something about what they would do to her. What did you need, Orin?"

"A few of Percy's other friends are waiting to talk to her in the hanger. I thought she would like to visit with Lori."

Percy perked up and moved so fast, she reopened one of the wounds on her arm. I rolled my eyes and rewrapped her arm. "Go ahead."

Percy

I immediately rushed towards the hanger. Sure enough, Lori leaned with her arms on the cement edging the water. Topo was underwater, while La'gaan sat talking with Ronal.

"Percy!" Lori smiled. Her eyes took in all of the bandages and how thin I was. Her smile fell. "Are you okay?"

I walked to the water and laid by its edge. "It is nice to see you, Lori." I really tried to make my voice come across normal, so she wouldn't worry more, but it still came out quiet. Lori reached her hand up and rested it on my face; I leaned into her touch.

"Can you come in so I can hug you?"

I froze and she hastily apologized. I stared at the water and slid in. Water wrapped around me, wanting to heal my injuries but unable to. The water was my home.

I hated it.

I didn't show it, but I wanted to scramble out, the memory of water filling my lungs not one I was anxious to repeat. The only thing that kept me from doing that was Lori.

Her arms wrapped around me in a tight hug and her tail twined around my legs. "I missed you. I missed you so much. Who did this to you? Was it a Purist?" Hundreds of questions left her mouth. I answered none.

"Can we just cuddle?" I asked. Lori immediately nodded and we sank to the floor of the pool. Keeping my head tucked to her shoulder, I almost flinched when I felt someone else touch my shoulder.

"I- I don't want to bother you, but-" Unlike all of my other male friends, I nodded and let Topo join in. I did not know why I was comfortable with him but not the others. Maybe because of how pacifistic he is. Definitely the opposite of Sha'ark.

"I'm joining in." With only that as a warning, Tula joined in. She sprawled over all of us. More weight joined, so I could only assume La'gaan and Ronal were sprawled in the pile as well.

"Whoever has their knee digging into my tail, please move it."

For some reason, that made me laugh.

Hi! This i C to the R to the A to the P!

I really should be relaxing and trying to get out of my burnout but I just woke up from a nap and i have two things to tell yall.

I finished Death's Apprentice with a total of 80,052 words

And I graduated.

I'm gonna go do something

See yah