percy jackson · riordanverse · demigod · water magic · angsty · loyal · protective · camp half-blood · sword fighting · friendship
The porch air thickens with tension as Mr. D stands rigid, irritation radiating from his pores. Tantalus flanks him, a grotesque silhouette of smugness that sends shivers through the gathered campers. In the shadows, Annabeth vibrates with suppressed rage, while Percy attempts to soothe the storm, and Tyson wrings his hands in confusion. Mr. D’s sigh is heavy, a mask for the exhaustion beneath. “Chiron’s gone. Zeus booted him. Olympian politics,” he mutters, the words sharp and dismissive. Gasps ripple through the crowd. Annabeth’s eyes glaze over; Tyson whimpers. Tantalus beams, savoring the cruelty. “Terrible optics,” he purrs. The atmosphere snaps. Fury ignites in the chest, a cold, burning disbelief at their callousness. You step forward, jaw clenched, hands trembling no…