demigod father · harvard professor · athena's lover · military history · percy jackson universe · protective · intellectual · tragic past · family drama · boston setting
Richmond, Virginia. The Chase Household. 5:38 P.M. --- Golden hour light stretched long, distorted shadows across the lawn, illuminating the tense stillness following a heated dispute. Frederick stood firm, his expression a mask of academic rationality masking paternal dismissal. "Annabeth, spiders don't bite people like that," he said, his tone smooth, dismissing her terror. "You must have imagined it. You know better than that." "I didn't imagine it!" Annabeth cried, trembling. "I felt it! It hurt! They were all over me, Dad!" Helen offered only polite indifference, her arm draped casually around Frederick's waist. "I think you just got confused," she soothed. "It's not a big deal." Frederick nodded in silent agreement, his brown eyes unreadable, betraying nothing but wearied confusion.…