Percy Jackson and the Avengers

Chapter 69

POV: Percy

         To an outsider; it might have seemed as though he'd died and then been resurrected with the way everyone was carrying on. All Percy had done was go to camp for a couple hours in order to tell Chiron that he was working on the prophecy, and to get some advice from the old centaur. When he had returned he was more coddled, worried over and lectured than the time he and Annabeth had called Will to tell him that they had found him a new sibling. 

          Will hadn't heard the whole message and thought he'd heard Annabeth say something about babies and blood. He had creatively misinterpreted an already garbled message into thinking Annabeth and Percy had somehow had children in secret. Needless to say when they'd limped into camp chased by a pack of hellhounds and twin daughters of Apollo in tow, Will was livid. Percy shuddered at the memory.

          Natasha was transitioning between lecturing and checking him over for injuries while Clint was still going on about responsibility and being careful and telling people before leaving and Tony looked ready to cry with relief. Thor was the only one who looked remotely normal and even he was casting Percy irritated glares.

          "... no note! How were we supposed to know- Percy Jackson! Are you even listening to a word any of us are saying?" Natasha asked exasperated. Percy shook his head no. Nico smiled and shook his head at Percy. He scowled back at his younger (older?) cousin.

          "If I was your mother I'd ground you!" Tony interupted Natasha

          "Screw that! Kid, you are grounded until... until... until you're thirty! Maybe longer!" Tony howled, even as the only female avenger talked over the billionaire. Steve talked over her as he snapped at Tony about using appropriate language. 

           "Stark!" 

          "If you ever disappear like that again, I swear I'll kill you myself!" Natasha finished. Nico laughed derisively.

          "If you want to kill Percy, get in line. I'm like number 10, but I'm working my way up." Percy snorted and playfully glared at his cousin. The Avengers flinched, even though he wasn't looking at them.

          "Good luck getting past Thalia. And she's got nothing on Wise....." Percy suddenly trailed off. Nico rolled his eyes before patting his cousin on the shoulder gently.

          "We're going to find her. Then you two are going to be sickeningly happy, move to New Rome, go to college, get married and have lots of seaweed brained, wise kid legacies. Promise." Percy nodded stiffly before forcibly relaxing his posture. He turned back to the Avengers who were all still in various stages of calming down. 

           "Look. I'm a demigod, I disappear a lot. It's just part of my life. You'll get used to it. The only time you have to worry is if a different demigod comes and asks where I am. Otherwise I'm probably fine." He stated matter of factly. Clint squints at Percy disapprovingly.

           "And what does your mom think of all this? We told her we would keep you safe; it's why she agreed to sign the papers Fury gave her." Percy snorted.

           "Dude, I vanish on her all the time. I just do what I can to keep her updated. Last year I was kidnapped and disappeared for like nine months. When I got home she was more pissed about the tattoo than the disappearing act. Vanishing for a few weeks wouldn't even phase her, let alone a couple hours." Percy softened his expression as best he could. The adults in the room looked horrified. He waved his hand, trying to soften the reality of demigod life for the mortals. Nico just popped some kind of candy into his mouth. 

             "Look, Nico and I warned you; demigod's don't have easy lives. If you can't handle it, I'll walk out of this tower right now. But if you can deal, then I think I have a lead on Annabeth."