Archive of Our Own

1 st time:

Mr.D had once again given Percy the task of cabin inspection, something about social contact being healthy for his mental state. If you ask him, Percy talked to the campers a lot (given they are usually younger because younger campers are just easy to talk to) and did not need to be put on cabin inspection duty.

He checked the next cabin on his list: Aphrodite.

He thought about just giving them a perfect score as usual and moving on, but then figured that talking to Drew, Piper and some of the younger campers would be good for him (the Aphrodite cabin is scary when they think he has not been spending time with them one time…..nevermind that's a story for another day). 

He knocked on the decorated wooden door of the Aphrodite Cabin and waited for Piper to open it as it is mandatory for the Cabin counsellors to lead the cabin inspection of their cabin.

While waiting, Percy looks through his list, only 4 more cabins to go, good. The door is opened and he is met with the sight of crystal blue eyes talking to a grease coated shirt clad person, his mind automatically sinks into the headspace where his brother and sister are alive with him and grins, “Beck! You have your own cabin to tidy up! Stop hogging the Aphrodite cabin! And Sil do you want the Hephaestus Cabin to get the lowest score again ?” 

There is silence for a beat and then someone keeps their hand on his shoulder squeezing gently. He looks towards the person…Drew and blinks. A feeling of dread settles in his stomach and he turns towards Beck and Sil Leo and Piper…shit. They stare at him with surprised eyes and Leo looks at him with concern, “umm Perce?” 

Face red with embarrassment, Percy looks around the cabin, ( anywhere but at their faces) and sputters something about the Aphrodite Cabin getting a perfect score as usual, waves to the younger children and hurries away towards the next cabin missing the sympathetic look from Drew and the confused yet concerned looks from both Piper and Leo.

2nd Time :

Percy and Clarisse were sparring in the arena as usual. Him and Clarisse had become something akin to friends after the Giant War and usually hung out together in the form of sparring. 

They were sweating and breathing heavily after some intense minutes of sparring and decided to take a break. Percy walked towards the stands where he had kept his water bottle and drank half of the water while splashing the rest over his head re-energizing himself. 

He had almost turned around for another round when he spotted two people passing by the arena. Sparring with Clarrise had took him down the memory lane (which is common and they often end up sitting together and reminiscing about the days where Silena and Beckendorf were alive) 

He had become close to Leo after the stunt he pulled with blowing himself up (Percy could never forget the feeling of dread settling into his bones as when he saw Beck Leo blowing himself up to save him the camp). And then the almost dead look Sil Piper had on her face had made him talk to the daughter of Aphrodite who was so different yet similar to his Sil he might just cry.

 Jason had immediately gone to Camp Jupiter to start building the shrines, and Percy suspected, to come to terms that his best friend was dead. 

Now seeing The daughter of Aphrodite and the son of Hephestus coming towards him coupled with the memories of everything was bound to make him say what he did next.

“Hey Sil! Beck!” 

He immediately cursed his mouth (and brain), these weren't his Sil and Beck no matter what his brain thought or how similar they are, these aren't his dead siblings friends and he feels so guilty mixing them up. Piper and Leo are their own people and they deserve to not be confused with the brother and sister they never knew.

Not being able to see the confusion on their faces (no one had the emotional strength to tell them that Percy had been so close with their half-siblings) Percy turned his back to them and looked over at Clarisse who was gazing sadly at him and put her arm around his shoulders, “Come on punk, let's do another round.” 

3 rd Time:

Percy was walking through the woods at camp after having a very emotional conversation with Jake Mason, a son of Hephaestus reminiscing the time they spent together before the war when Beck used to bring Percy and Tyson in the forge to show them how it worked.

Beck and Sil were the only people who did not shun him and Tyson but accepted them like little siblings. Sil used to take them with her for pegasus grooming (Tyson was and is too big to ride on pegasi) and would talk with them about everything and nothing. Sometimes Beck would join them and they would end up having a picnic on the beach laughing and chatting like there was no war in the future and everything would be okay. 

He cannot count the number of times he had been insecure and they, his friends, his siblings even helped him, comforted him and most of all, supported him. 

Percy was walking on a familiar path now, the path to Bunker 9 when he saw the silhouettes of two people coming towards him. Flash of sunlight reflecting off of a tool belt.

He waved happily, thinking this was a memory, these were his siblings. His family. “Hey Beck! Sil! What are you guys doing today? Anything I can help with?”

Beck and Sil stopped walking and were looking at him now. Confused, he tilted his head and slowed to a walk from the slight jog he was doing to reach them faster. “Beck? Sil?”

“Perce? Who are you talking to?”

This wasn't right. This was not his Sil’s voice. It was so so similar but this wasn't it. He blinked and then blinked again as his eyes adjusted in the dim light of the woods. 

No.

He had done this again.

“Sorry” he muttered, turning away and practically running through the woods, ignoring Beck Leo calling him, rubbing his eyes furiously realising they were wet.

Back in the woods, Piper and Leo looked at each other with more concern than confusion. Leo hummed thoughtfully, “I think I know who he is talking about but I don't know why he keeps calling us Beck and Sil?”

Piper nodded, “I know. It's like he sees someone else in us. We should talk to him. I am getting concerned Leo.”

They looked at each other and nodded. Next time they will find out what exactly is going on.

4 th Time:

Percy had longed to return to the forge since the Giant War but was unsure if Leo wanted him to accompany him in the forge. 

When Beck had asked him to join him in the forge, Percy had always thought it was out of pity, before the visits became something to look forward to, a place where he gained a big brother, a place where he gained so many friends in the Hephaestus children. The place where he bonded with Beck, told him about his life before camp (Beck had smashed the sword he was working on) and also told him that he was a decent cook (something that the whole cabin had heard and then pestered him to make something for them in return for cool gadgets).

Now, he did not know if Leo wanted him to help him in the forge or he would do it just because he did not want to refuse out of kindness. So he never asked.

Though today, Nyssa, another child of Hephaestus, had teamed up with the younger kids and asked him to make them some cookies, and Percy, being a person who could never refuse his campers, agreed immediately.

After baking 2 batches of cookies (Dionysus had demanded him to make one batch for him when he smelled the cookie batter), Percy headed towards the forge to drop them off. When he reached the forge, as he had predicted, all Hephestus' children were busy tinkering away on small (younger kids) and rather huge (older kids) pieces of metals.

He cleared his throat when there was a din in between the noise which got him being the sole focus of 15 children. He walked into the forge and presented the container of cookies, “Here are your cookies. Wash your hands and come sit.” He heard some groans from the children, and looked sternly at them. Will always said he was even more of a health freak when it came to his campers. “If you want cookies, then take a break.”

More groans followed but they obeyed and washed their hands from the sink they had installed after Percy freaked out about them eating without washing their hands, ‘ do you even know how many germs your hands have due to the constant metalwork, do you want to get sick!’ 

Percy passed around the container of cookies to the children who had taken a seat on the floor of the forge a little ways away from the fires in a circle. Percy sat down in between Leo and Jake smiling at the blissful expressions on the younger children’s face.

Jake nudged him with his elbow, “Hey Perce, why don't you come around anymore? We miss you, you know?”

Nyssa piped up from across him, “Yes! You always had the coolest suggestions to add in our gadgets!”

Percy blushed and looked around noticing the older campers agreeing with Jake and the younger ones as well as Leo looking confused. “I-I thought you were busy enough, I did not want to intrude” he said eyes darting towards Leo for a split second which was caught by said boy.

Nyssa looked incredulous, “ Why would you think you are intruding? You are a part of the forges just like the rest of us!” Her sentence was met with agreement from the other children.

Leo piped up, “Yes Aquaman! You never told me you can forge! I have been missing on a forging buddy for so long? Today you will sit with me and we’ll forge some wicked stuff, whaddaya say?”

Percy smiled brightly and nodded earning cheers from all the children, even though he was sure the younger kids were just excited at the prospect of more cookies.

After they finished eating, Leo dragged Percy to his work station which was……Percy's breath hitched… Beck’s station. 

Not noticing his brief reaction, Leo dragged him to sit beside him and started talking.

They talked about everything and nothing, Percy helped Leo with his water powers to cool the weapons down faster and suggested some features the weapons and gadgets could have. Sometimes the other kids asked for his help which he gladly gave. It felt like before, like home.

He and Leo also talked more about their pasts which was a key factor which bonded them together in the first place. They also talked about the rest of their friends, how Annabeth had started attending college in New Rome after their mutual break up, how they were proud of Hazel and Frank for becoming Praetors after Reyna joined the hunt, Nico had gotten therapy with the rest of the seven upon insistence of Hazel and Percy and was now doing way better (thanks to Dionysus) often flitting between the Underworld, Camps and the Jackson-Blofis household.

Leo was very sad that Jason had decided to stay in Camp Jupiter for planning and building of the shrines he had promised to Kymopoleia. He had promised to visit when he came to camp for building shrines here but it was clear that he was still reeling from Leo's not-death and needed some time alone but it still hurt Leo.

Percy offered him a hug which Leo graciously accepted and Percy was not surprised by how warm Leo was, before too long Percy felt a small body crash against his back and a child’s excited giggle, “Mom special hug pile!” That was Harley no doubt Percy thought and smiled softly as the children surrounded him in a hug.

–

They were just finishing up when he heard a melodic voice call Leo’s name, he turned around and saw a flash of blue eyes and before he could stop, his mouth started working on its own, “Hey Sil! We are just about done, don't worry I will not let Beck miss another lunch.”

Silence

His brain catched up to what he just said and he looked down. Damn his brain for not letting go.

He felt a hand on his shoulder making him jerk surprised, “Sorry. Perce? Please tell us what is going on?” He looked up into warm brown eyes and crystal blue ones looking back at him and barely contained a sob from coming out.

“I-I am so sorry Pipes, Leo, I just-I can't let go! I don't know why! It is so shitty of me to call you the names of your d-de-dead siblings but you are just so similar” He felt something wet on his cheeks and realised at some point he had started crying. 

Piper, Leo and the Hephaestus children were looking at him concerned but now he was on a roll. “Silena and Beckendorf were the people who had accepted me even when I was a tiny kid with no talents. Beck-Beckendorf used to bring me and then later Tyson to this forge right here and teach us how to forge. Silena taught me how to care for horses. Pipes, your eyes, sometimes they become crystal blue just like hers. They were my Sil and Beck my friends the only people who accepted me for who I was, they were my siblings my older brother and sister. Leo, when you sacrificed your life, he-Beck had also done the same for me. For the entire camp! And then Sil, she-she joined him in Esylum too.”

“I- we lost so many of our friends, our family in the Titan war and I can't- I can't forget them, especially because you are so similar to them. I am sorry so so sorry but I can't-”

Percy's voice broke and he started sobbing not able to talk anymore not able to remember anymore. His stupid brain had to understand that his Sil and Beck were gone, they were gone!

He felt rather than saw the others hugging him and he sank in their embrace tired after such an emotional conversation. 

He felt the same as he had when he had this conversation with Pollux and Dionysus after he mistook Pollux for Castor one too many times, and they had hugged him till he calmed down. That day he had stayed in the big house with Pollux and Dionysus.

He indicated for his campers to pull away after some time and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

When his eyes cleared, he saw Leo and Piper giving him watery smiled with dried tear tracks on their cheeks, “Perce, you never have to apologise for anything ok? We cannot understand what you went through but we will support you no matter what. You have us now and we can't replace them, but we can dam well be your new brother and sister” Piper said looking confident and stubborn with Leo expressing his aggreement.

Percy laughed wetly and pulled them into a hug again muttering, “thanks.”

5th Time:

18 th August, Percy's birthday. He didn't see it as his birthday though, and neither do the campers who were in the Titan war. No, 18 th August was the day they lost their friends and family so it was only proper for them to mourn this day, mourn for the lives their loved ones could have had, mourned for the loss of so many lives. Percy's birthday is so many people's death day that he stopped calling that day his birthday. No this day did not warrant for celebration. His birthday can wait, mostly celebrated by the campers a day later as a post war celebration, a celebration for peace.

Today-today Percy will mourn, today he will cry for his family.

–

Everyone had their own way of mourning, on this day, camp was always very quite, everyone stuck in memories.

Percy sat on the beach, near the water, remembering all the good times he spent with his family, remembering each and every one of his friends that left him. Zoe, Bianca, Castor , Lee, Michael, Beck, Sil, Ethan, Luke and so many more. 

He sniffled, for once letting the tears fall.

After some time Percy heard the sound of two sets of footsteps and turned his head spotting Leo and Piper coming towards him looking unsure. Percy sprang to his feet and hugged them, feeling them tense for a second before they hugged him back. 

He buried his face in their hairs and sobbed muttering, “ SilSilSilSil” “BeckBeckBeckBeck” 

They hugged him back muttering, "We're here" again and again. They sat down on the beach still embracing each other, comforting each other with their presence.

Percy felt in peace, he lost his two older siblings but gained two younger ones. They would keep his Sil and Beck’s legacy alive.

+1 Time:

Perseus Jackson dies at a ripe age of 80 years, a bachelor and very happy in the decisions he made.

He helped raise his the children at Camp Half blood later mixed with Camp Jupiter to form Camp Unity.

He, along with his friends, many of whom had started their own families took care of Camp Unity and the new generation of kids there. Percy was their mother, the one who took care of them and guided them through their trials.

After Percy died, he left a long lasting legacy behind him, in the form of those kids and the Gods who had become much more involved in their children's lives.

He opens his eyes after closing them for the last time and looks around himself after accessing that he was now a spirit which had taken the form of his 20 year old self, his eyes land on the thrones in front of him seating two Gods and bows.

“Uncle Hades, Aunt Persephone”

They smile, “Nephew, it seems that you have come to the end of this life, I must say, you have made numerous people and gods very proud.” Hades says.

Persephone continues, “What would you like to do now nephew-mine? Rest assured, anything you wish to do will be available, Elysium, Rebirth, even Godhood would you wish for it to happen. You have achieved feats deemed impossible and have the gratitude of the entire Greek-Roman pantheon.”

“Not to mention, Po would have my head if I don't grant your wishes.” Hades says fondly which makes Percy smile.

“Thanks Uncle, Aunt. I would just like to reunite with my family in Elysium for now. I have never wanted to be a god and that won't change now.” Percy said smiling at the prospect of reuniting with his mother, Paul and his family at Camp, some of his friends who had died before him too.

Hades and Persephone shared a look and sighed, smiling, “Very well nephew, it has been a pleasure to get to know you. We will meet again should you decide to stay at Elysium forever.”

Percy bowed again and closed his eyes, even as a spirit, looking at a god's true form while they flashed him to Elysium would tear his soul apart.

—

He opened his eyes again and blinked to adjust them to the bright light of paradise, of Elysium as opposed to the dim light in the throne room.

He walked towards the rows of houses where he could see people spirits mingling with each other.

“Percy!”

He turned towards the familiar voice and saw his mother running- floating? Towards him and grinned.

“Mom!”

They embraced for a long time before he pulled away and told her that he would go searching for his other family.

He noticed four people sitting under the shade of the tree talking and recognised Piper and Leo, walking over to them.

“Pipes! Leo!” He shouted gaining their attention seeing their eyes brighten as they jumped up in their  18 year old forms. The other two people also turned towards him and if he had breath, it would have caught in his throat.

“ Sil, Beck” he whispered.

He practically ran towards them crushing them in a hug.

They returned the embrace with equal- if not more vigour. “Percy, our baby brother. You are here.”

He nodded in their embrace and hugged them tighter.

After a while he lifted his head and beckoned Leo and Piper to join them snatching them as they came close enough. He felt at peace. He had them, he had his Sil and Beck and Pipes and Leo.

After a long time they pulled away, still holding hands and sat down under the tree, they had a lot to catch up on.