Rise (Percy Jackson x Reader)

five

rewritten: april 16, 2021; edited: october 1, 2021 & august 2, 2023

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"So, I'm the son of a mythological-but-not deity?"

Grover nods in response to Percy's question as they walk through the camp. He occasionally points out things along the way, encouraging Percy to look on with intrigue.

"And you've known this for how long?" Percy asks, and Grover folds his lips inward in thought. He tilts his head from side to side, mentally counting and working through the years.

"The year before I joined Yancy Academy," he eventually says, making his best friend's eyes go wide.

"You've known since I was in fifth grade?" Percy hisses, the muscle in his jaw ticking with frustration. "It's been that long, and you never thought to fucking tell me?"

Grover lifts his hands in innocence, inching away from the annoyed half-blood as they walk side-by-side. "There's a reason for all of it," he tries to explain, but Percy scoffs.

"What possible reason could justify you hiding this huge part of my life from me for six years?" Percy's pace quickens with his annoyance, and Grover hurries to catch up.

"It was best that we kept you out of as much danger as possible," Grover says, starting to walk backwards and in front of Percy in the hopes of slowing him down to listen.

"Yeah, right." Percy rolls his eyes, trying to maneuver around Grover. The satyr simply moves with him, continuing to block the way.

"Seriously, Perce," he says, quickening his words so that Percy doesn't storm off. "If you didn't know about your heritage, then it was less likely for you to know about the threats you faced. We could keep you protected because you wouldn't be running off blindly into danger."

Percy raises an eyebrow. "Wouldn't I just be more safe if I knew who I was so that I could train to protect myself? Couldn't you have brought me here sooner so that I'd have more experience?"

Grover sighs. "It's not that simple, Perce." He holds his hands out to rest on Percy's shoulders, bringing the boy to a stop. "Look," he starts, and Percy begrudgingly makes eye contact with Grover. "How likely would it be for you to believe that you were a demigod at ten years old? Add that on to the fact that you didn't have any experience with the reality of this world to act as proof. You would have called me crazy."

Percy's tense muscles relax at the reasoning, and he lets out a soft sigh. He doesn't say anything, and Grover takes this as his cue to continue speaking.

"When you had instances of seeing monsters that no one else could, we had to take control of it quickly. That person you kept saying had one eye as they followed you like a creep? Remember him?"

Percy nods slowly, and Grover shrugs. "Your mind wasn't making things up. He was a Cyclops; I saw it too. But we couldn't let you know that. You would have become terrified; you might have run off without protection."

"So you pretended that it was just my imagination." The dots connect in Percy's mind, and Grover nods.

However, Percy feels his fury build even more.

"You made me think I was going insane!" Percy exclaims, only lowering his voice because of the surrounding people who go about their business. "I thought I'd have to go to an asylum or something, Grover!"

The satyr winces at his tone, and his expression floods with apology. "I know," he says, shaking his head, "and I'm sorry. But it was the only way that we could really keep an eye on you. Why do you think I moved, too, after you got expelled from Yancy and had to transfer to Goode?"