Work Text:
Over and Over Again
Percy P. Jackson and Annabeth Chase meet as Percy is passing out after fighting The Minotaur. She says something about him being the one and he’s out like a light. Percy laughs when he is set up in the Hermes cabin. He knew a son of Hermes once upon a time, In a different life.
When he watched Annabeth chase twirl her hair around her fingers as she thought Percy thought of someone he had been dreaming of since he was little. At this point in his life Percy had come to terms with that fact that he was waiting, again, for a man.
He didn’t really care this time though, he was 12, and girls and kissing were still icky. Much to the amusement of an inner voice of his mind. Yes Annabeth was pretty but, and this was a sticking point for Percy, He didn’t know if Odysseus were here.
Annabeth was also pushy, it was her way or no way it felt like. When she left Percy in the woods during capture the flag and abandoned him. He tried to pass the time by being super cool and normal, so he danced, it wasn’t something silly though, he wanted to floss thought it’d be fun. But instead he started the dance some ladies who had studied on Skyross once taught Penelope.
Then the bullies came for him. He managed to survive not only them, but the hell hound ambush before Annabeth bullied him into the water and he was claimed. When he was the trident above his head he knew he could never tell anyone whose memories he held. What would the sea god do to him? If he knew anything from living with Smelly Gabe it’s that upset men hurt those around them.
Percy was hesitant to step into the cabin of the sea god but found it far more peaceful than how he often considered the ocean to be.
What Percy hadn’t really taken notice of until he was finally blissfully alone and safe by himself was that the chat in his chest was duller. Ever since the memories started Percy had felt a pulling. It got worse when he was around 7. He never really understood it and his mom would brush his hair aside and tell him it was his heart reaching out for his other half. That many, many, many years ago Humans were combined. One perfect being split into two. Both halves forced to wonder around looking for their other half. His ache, that was his heart reaching out for its other half.
That first night in his cabin Percy dreamt of a man sailing away from him in a cliff. He was so unsure of himself as he clutched a baby in his arms and cried as he watched a fleet of ships sail away.
Percy watched everyone after coming to camp. He saw a lot. He saw the anger in Clarisse, how tired Chiron was, and how unsure of himself Grover was. But the person who drew his eyes the most? Annabeth Chase. He saw her at the archery range one day. Not necessarily odd, what was however was the bow she was using, it was a palintonos bow. Just like the one Odysseus had. Just like the one Penelope tricked the suitors with. Annabeth bit her lip and she flexed and let an arrow fly. It hit its target.
Percy watched her even closer after that.
When they left on their quest at some point Annabeth spoke on how their parents hated each other and Percy just nodded. He was aware of some of the tension between Athena and Poseidon. Hell, he was in a strange way related to part of the problem. Knowing that Ithaca’s royal family had some ties to Athena even if as a spartan princess Penelope had prayed to Ares (Which would later make Percy shutter a bit).
Annabeth seemed really against calling on the gods for help, almost as much as Percy was until they made it to the St. Louis arch. By the time they felt with Ares (Definite not praying to that olympian for a while) and got on the truck taking them to Vegas Percy was pretty sure Annabeth was hiding something. Percy was pretty sure it was something similar to his issue. A past life maybe, but one of the opposite sex, how could he tell? Annabeth was subtle about her gender dysphoria but Percy had been experiencing it his entire (Current) life.
At one point Annabeth had called themself their mother’s son. They also only wore men’s shoes, which wasn’t too weird, but even of the women’s was more comfortable, Annabeth went for the mens, the most utilitarian in style. While they were shoved in the back with the animals and grover was trying to sleep Percy looked up at the other pre-teen.
“I never asked, do you prefer She/Her? Or they/ them, maybe a he/they situation?”
Annabeth looked up at him confused, “What?”
“Well,” Percy rubbed his head on the back of his neck,” You just… seam uncomfortable with like,” He waved his hand now he could feel his face flush, “Like, Femininity? Not you have to be trans or even like non-binary I just know that when I was figuring myself out I had my mom use She and They pronouns for me a lot and It helped. And If I can do that for you…” She stopped and Annabeth laughed. It was deep, and Percy thought it was beautiful.
“I… right now He/Him would be fantastic,” Annabeth said as she rubbed her temples before sliding her hand down her face and as she looked up she asked Percy, “What about you?”
“I’m fine she He or she. I’ve come to accept a lot more of myself this past year.” He waited a beat and when Annabeth only hummed in response he asked the other boy. “Do you have a name you want me to use?”
That’s when Annabeth started crying, “No, I. I can’t.” Percy scooted closer to the crying boy.
“It’s okay, sometimes what’s in our hearts aren’t to share.” Percy said softly. “I… I’m scared too.”
Grover woke up then, Percy could tell he was being quiet to give them the space they needed. Then with a small voice grover asked, “Do you us to use your other name P?” Grover had found out pretty quickly into their year at Yancy that Percy was Gender fluid and honestly didn’t think too much of it. There were stranger things in their world.
“Nah, I’m good right now G-Man”. Percy said as he eyed Annabeth.
“Can I.” Annabeth started, “Ask what the name you use is?”
“Penelope,” Percy said.
They stoped shortly after, freed the animals and left the truck behind.
When they made it to the Lotus Hotel Annabeth took one look at it and then grabbed the hands of his companions and dragged them away, “We are not going in there,”.
“What why?” Grover asked.
“In the Odyssey,” Annabeth started, and tried not to smear the word, ”If you eat a lotus flower you loose yourself, If you sleep on a lotus bed you sleep for 100 years, Lotus eaters are deceitful pitiful creatures and we will not be going in there.”
“Uh… okay.” Grover Stammered out.
They stopped at a much rougher looking hotel but they woke up the next morning with the sun and started on their journey, never knowing that under different circumstances they’d have lost so much of their precious time.
Percy gets the pearls in Santa Monica and they continue on looking for the underworld. They run into a monster trying to sell them beds, But Annabeth managed to talk to the guy about a bed made out of a tree. And how if the wood of living it could grow with the person. The monster stopped to consider this and that’s when Percy dispatched him. “Carved out of an olive tree.” Percy said softly under his breath. Annabeth turned to him eyes wide.
“What did you say?”
“Uh… nothing, it’s nothing important.”
They finally bribed their way to the underworld, made friends with Cerberus, almost got sucked into the pit, and got an Audience with Hades. He didn’t have the bolt, He was also missing his helm. But more than that. When they first walked up to the lord of the dead he looked at the three of them confused,
“What are you doing here again,” he said with an annoyed voice,
“Again sir?” Percy asked confused.
“I let you both go from this place why have you returned. Seeking another Prophet Odysseus?”
Percy turned to look at his companions. “Odysseus.” He said with shock.
Annabeth Walked around Percy and before the Hades said, “We came for the master bolt and for Sally Jackson”. Then he took in a deep breath, “I’m not here to seek anything or anyone else.”
“Odysseus…” Percy said again reaching out a hand.
“Well I have not the bolt and I will not return Sally Jackson until My helm is returned to be Odysseus of Ithaca. Now get out of my sight”. And he waved a hand and the three kids vanished.
Grover looked at Annabeth and Percy who were staring at each other in disbelief. “Guys what was he talking about?” And then he turned a rumbling of a motor cycle, “GUYS”
Then they became too busy fighting a literal god to talk more.
Annabeth chase, Odysseus of Ithaca, was freaking out. She was a 12 year old CHILD, but she was also more than that. She was staring in Horror at Penelope, at Percy, fight Ares the literal GOD of WAR, That she knew her wife once prayed to. They hadn’t been able to speak but Annabeth knew the coincidence of her name and knowing about the tree and just accepting the lotus eaters. Odysseus was staring at one of the two entities on this entire planet he would do anything for. If Penelope were here, was Telemachus, a small part go his brain whispered, Is your crew, is the crew you abandoned and betrayed here.
They didn’t get to talk about it on the way back to New York, Percy looked sick in the sky and then shushed Annabeth when she tried to ask when they got off the plane at the airport.
“We’ll talk soon, I have to go return something. Wait for me?”
“Forever,” Odysseus said softly as he watched Penelope walk away from him and Grover.
“Hey grover,”
“Yeah Annabeth?”
“Let’s go back to She/Her for now.”
“R…right.” Came the Saytr’s response
Odysseus wouldn’t be able to talk to Penelope about what was going on yet. But they came to an agreement through quirked eyebrows and gestures to not speak of it to anyone yet.