𝙩𝙪 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨 - p. jackson [₂]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒙𝒍𝒊𝒊𝒊.

―✧―

"𝐇𝐈 𝐃𝐀𝐃."

my stared stared at the image of my face, floating in a rainbow in front of him. 

he was in his workshop — the one in avengers tower since our malibu house was no more — working on some project or fixing something. it looked a bit like his iron man suit, but with a whole new exoskeleton. he stared at me, slack-jawed as if he was drinking in the fact that i was there.

"did you tighten dum-e's screws?" i joked, using the code we'd made up so long ago.

that seemed to snap dad out of his trance, and he laughed, sniffing as he tried to secretly wipe his eyes, "no, no, they're good."

no one's listening in.

"oh my gods, are you crying?" i teased. "wow, didn't know you were such a baby."

"i'm not crying," dad defended. "i'm just — i've got sparks in my eyes."

"you'd go blind."

"let me live, child!" he groaned.

the two of us laughed a little, taking in the sight, the presence of each other. even though we were halfway across the world, i felt at ease just talking to him. 

"you — you're okay?" dad asked hesitantly.

i knew he was informed that i was in tartarus, but he had no idea what it was. he was only a mortal, and no matter how strong he was, there were still things to mortal minds could even imagine.

"i'll be okay," i promised. "i'm here though, i made it out. right now, that's what matters."

dad nodded, sighing lightly as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. he moved his project to the side, taking a seat as if he had all the time in the world to sit and talk to me. he never made me feel like i was intruding in on his work or his life.

i felt guilty for a second, not sure why i'd ever imagined that i could stay behind in tartarus. if i didn't lose my mind, my dad would definitely had lost his. 

annabeth was right. he'd come charging after me, guns blazing to drag me out of that hellhole, even if it killed him. (also based on the new suit he'd pushed to the side. i didn't think he'd need it anymore.)

"so," i said, changing the subject, "how's happy and pep? did they grow tired of you yet?"

i walked up the hill, joining percy, nico, and the others.

i went up to nico, who was adjusting the ropes on the athena parthenos. he hesitated when he saw me, wondering if i was mad at him for leaving.

i pulled him into a hug, silently assuring him i wasn't.

"stay safe," i told him. "don't overexert yourself, okay? don't try making jumps you know you can't. eat proper food, and rest. otherwise i'll leave you with aurora and ethan next time."