The Last Bullet

4) Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

My goat had babies, and someone asked to see them. I don't know how to add multiple images at the top, but that one is Finn.

Percy agreed with the chapter title entirely. He could remember when Nico was a child — well, more of a child — and had taken on the help of Minos. That was a bad idea. Then there was the  time Jason's ghost mom tried to convince him to join Gaea. That wasn't good. Then there was the time all the evil dead people were revived by Gaea in order to cause Percy and his friends problems. That was the worst.

All in all, Percy didn't think it was a good idea to play with dead things, like the stupid people did in this chapter.

It all started when Sam said they should go and visit Mary's grave, thinking it would help Dean.

"Come on, Sam, I'm begging you," Dean sighed, glancing in the mirror. "This is stupid."

"Why?" Sam said.

"Going to visit Mom's grave?" Dean said, shaking his head. "She doesn't even have a grave — there, there was no body lefty after the fire."

"She has a headstone," Sam shrugged.

"Yeah, put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met," Dean sighed. "Do you wanna, go pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger? Come on."

"Dean, that's not the point," Percy said, figuring that maybe this would help Dean. Ever since Dean had punched Percy, Dean had been freaking out. He would put distance between himself and Percy, and he'd frown every time he looked at him. Percy hated it.

"Well then, enlighten me, Percy," Dean said, then frowned immediately, as if he regretted it. Percy knew he probably did regret it, even if it had only been natural sarcasm.

"It's not about a body, or, or, a casket. It's about her memory, okay?" Percy said.

Dean hummed instead of responding.

"So after Dad it just... just feels like the right thing to do," Sam added, his eyes softening.

"It's irrational, is what it is," Dean scowled.

"Look, man," Sam shook his head, "no one asked you to come." Percy furrowed his brows. He had asked him to come.

"Why don't we swing by the roadhouse instead?" Dean questioned. "I mean, we haven't heard anything on the demon lately. We should be hunting that son of a bitch down."

"That's a good idea, you should," Sam grinned lightly, knowing Dean wouldn't go for it. "Just drop me and Percy off, we'll hitch a ride, and we'll meet you there tomorrow."

"Right," Dean chucked uncomfortably. "Stuck... stuck with those people, making awkward small talk until you show up? No thanks."

***

Percy watched from a bit away as Sam kneeled in front of Mary's headstone. Percy and Dean were walked together around the edge of the cemetery, a frown on Percy's face. Normally, Dean would have held his hand. They would have made a few jokes, had a serious discussion about Ratatouille, and made dinner plans. Now, they were quiet.

"It's okay, Dean," Percy whispered once the silence got to be too much. Dean looked down, frowning. "I'm not mad at you."

"I hit you, Percy," Dean looked pained, and Percy wanted to hug him, but he didn't. "I hurt you. I... you mean the world to me, and if I'm going to hit you for no reason then—"

"You had a reason," Percy said simply. "I provoked you."

"That doesn't give me the right to hit you!" Dean shook his head.