In My Heart (You'll Always Be)

Chapter 12

One week before Perseus' quest, he was attacked by seven prepubescent teenagers, one toddler, four sixteen year-olds, and three seventeen year-olds.

Affectionately.

He had been walking towards the pavilion, intent on relaxing with Annabeth and getting to know Frank and Hazel more, when he was swarmed by said children mentioned before. Of course, they were polite about not grabbing onto him in their apparent excitement, except the toddler who had yet to learn better, but it was still surprising nonetheless. Anyone would be startled, obviously, but Perseus was under the assumption that the campers were too intimidated to go near him- Leo and Aaron not included because... Yeah.

The toddler held his hand, regaining his attention, and she smiled at him with only two teeth. "Flowers," She said with an adorable lisp and Perseus just knew who they all were.

"You're late." Perseus smiled at all of them, taking in the group of kids once more. "You'd think the Demeter Cabin would figure out who I am sooner."

"Yeah, we would have if Annabeth wouldn't stop trying to run interference." Kate rolled her eyes and looked at said woman across the field. Annabeth winked at her and blew a kiss before cackling and walking away. "I was going to ask you about it later without the whole," She gestured to her siblings and the circle they were slowly forming around the god. "But you can only do so much as the only sensible one here."

"I would be offended," One of her younger brothers, who was trying to corral the toddler, spoke up. "But that'd mean I'd have to care." 

The other preteens nodded but there was something about the first boy that caught Perseus' attention for some reason. He took a look at the other children once more before giving a world-weary sigh, gesturing to the open field near the rows of strawberries. "Let's go over there and I'll tell you all about Alltid."

All fifteen kids cheered, most running over to the field, while the seventeen year-olds Kate, Mikel, and Ashton smiled brightly.

--

"And that," Perseus said as he added the last twist to a stem for a flower crown. "Is why you should work hard." He placed the baby pink flower crown on the toddler, Isabelle's, head. "Because it'll pay off later."

Isabelle giggled, the crown sitting snuggly on her head even as she got up to show her older siblings what her favorite person made her.

The god watched her go, content with the happy feelings he was able to create with one simple thing, before turning to look at the sullen preteen from earlier that made the comment about not caring. "Why aren't you hanging out with them?" He nodded towards the other children of Demeter who were playing in a small field of flowers he created for them.

"They don't really like me," The child said quietly, gently holding a tiny red rose in the palm of their hands. 

"Why's that?" Perseus idly made another flower crown, this one black instead of the cheery pink he had made Isabelle. He handed it wordlessly to the child next to him while they figured out something to say.

"They never ask me to play with them and when I come near they go all quiet. Isabelle likes holding everyone's hands but mine. She gets upset when someone tells her to. It's probably cause I'm not good at taking care of flowers. I kill them by accident. She probably thinks I'd hurt her, too."

Perseus was quiet for a moment before his lips quirked up in a small smile. He nodded towards the flower crown in the boy's hands, which the child had be idly stroking gently with a finger. "You seem to be doing just fine to me. They just take a light touch and kind words."

The boy raised his eyebrows in surprise, turning the face the god fully. "Kind words? What do you mean?"

"Well, the plants can hear what you're saying. They grow properly with good encouragement and they'll always be loyal if you pay enough respect. In fact..." The god tapped his chin, clearly contemplating something. "What do I call you?"

"Taylor."

Perseus stood up, gesturing for Taylor to do the same. The boy did but not before putting the black flower crown on his head for safe keeping. "Well, Taylor, I'm going to show you something, okay? But it's going to be our secret."

The two walked away from the clearing, the god telling the other children of Demeter not to follow, and it was about five minutes before they reached the tallest tree Taylor had ever seen. It was so huge that he knew for a fact that it hadn't been in the forest before. He surely would have seen it from even the dining pavilion. The fact that no one was coming to investigate it made him wonder if anyone even knew it was there.

"Watch your step, alright?" Perseus waved his hand and an elaborate door appeared. He grabbed the handle, opening it and stepping inside. "I've been told before it could be a bit jarring."

Taylor closed his mouth when he realized he was gaping and eyed the door with excitement and curiosity. It opened quietly, the handle cool under his touch, and when he stepped through the doorway he felt like his breath was taken away.

Rows upon rows of flowers waved in front of him, the field seeming to go on for forever, and many different kinds of trees were scattered about, most of the leaves a pretty orange color. Taylor thought he even saw a cherry blossom tree sitting next to a sycamore one despite how improbable that seemed. The flowers themselves seemed ever-changing, so many types that he wouldn't be able to even name them all. He was certain more than half of them didn't even exist on Earth. There were reds, blues, purples, and browns. Black flowers with shadows wrapping around them like snakes danced next to a white flower that seemed to glow unbothered by its neighbor. Roses shimmered like they were made of gold itself and lilies dripped with petals formed from water. 

Amaryllis, daffodils, asters, peonies, daisies, gladiolus, orchids- the list went on, there were just so many of them that Taylor though he might cry from just the wonder that surrounded him.

It was all so... beautiful.

"Taylor," Perseus spoke, his tone holding such a quiet fondness that it had the boy hanging onto his next words. "This is a place only one other person knows about and he holds my heart. This is my greatest creation, something I have spent many years fostering to what it is today."

Taylor looked around once more, understanding dawning on him before Perseus could even say the words himself.

"Taylor... Welcome to Alltid."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

merry christmas! happy holidays!

words: 1,128

song: Fly Me To The Moon Cover (Ft. Marcus Veltri & GBSN)