AFTER THE HAPPY ENDING

Percy couldn't believe it at first.

He couldn't accept it.

Sure, he had a lot of experiences of deaths—that was a demigod life, after all—but this one was different.

First he got a message from Piper, and a few minutes later she appeared, tears in her eyes, in the Iris message. By then it finally felt real.

Jason Grace was dead.

Dead, fighting with an evil ancient roman emperor, while helping Apollo doing something, she had said.

Whatever quest Apollo was doing, Percy was quite sure that it didn't have as much worth as Jason's life. No matter how important the immortal thing is for Apollo. It shouldn't have cost one's life.

Especially when Jason…

Percy couldn't help but wonder how Zeus feels about Jason's death. Jason died helping Apollo—who was a son of him—with the quest he gave, and Jason, he…was the son of Jupiter also. At least Zeus has to feel guilty, or sorry, for Jason, right?

Percy wasn't sure Zeus would feel that way.

He was sure, however, that he himself did.

Jason was a son of Jupiter, who is the king of Mount Olympus. Jason was strong, powerful, maybe as much as Percy. He had overcome thousands of hardships and dangers, and now…

…He was dead.

It was in vain.

Somehow Percy hadn't thought that Jason, Annabeth, or Piper, will die, not really. He knew there was always a lot of possibilities of dying, but he didn't really felt that way, by his heart.

Now he felt that way.

Jason was dead, though he beat hundreds, thousands of deaths before, including the fights with Gaea and Titans, and Percy, even Percy, could die tomorrow, who knows.

That was the fate of all demigods.

Percy definitely hated it.

He sighed as deeply as the depths of Tartarus, wondering when he can live a normal life.

Percy was confident that he never could.

That was why it made him even furious.

Percy carefully opened the room door, not wanting to wake anybody in the house. He walked out, trying very hard not to make any noise—and found his father right before him.

Percy blinked, staring at his father's familiar face. Poseidon was wearing his usual Hawaiian shirts with bluish pants, and Percy could recognize him at once, thanks to not only his alike features of himself but his clothes, too.

He wasn't expecting to see Poseidon here, especially now at night, but somehow it was…great to see his father.

Not wishing to show any hint of weakness, Percy cleared his throat and said,

"Uh…hello, dad. Why are you here?"

He managed to hide his voice trembling at the edges. His father was a god, he was a demigod who underwent so many things, and he was eighteen.

He wasn't a kid anymore.

Poseidon didn't answer to his question. Instead he simply said,

"Perseus."

Every single time Percy heard that name from others, he felt like he had some responsibilities to the world. The name was from the demigod Perseus, who was a son of Zeus.

Who had a happy ending, which was rare for demigods.

Percy was unsure he would do the same.

Poseidon may have noticed Percy's discomfort, because he said again,

"Percy."

That voice…his father's voice was so warm, like ocean saltwater in hot summer.

"…Yes?" Unable to hide his voice shaking, Percy murmured.

"Jason died," he told to his father, although he could guess he would already be aware of that.

Poseidon nodded solemnly.

"I cannot believe it. I just can't. Jason…he had so many hardships and eventually won all of them. He even killed a Titan. He was a hero, like…like me."

Percy suppressed his tears, not letting them to fall.

"It's unfair. Why die now? He fought, fought and won, and gained his happy ending, whatever it is. After everything went well, he died."

Poseidon didn't say anything but kept listening to him. Percy moved on.

"I hate it. Dying, fighting, being a hero, being a demigod…"

Percy could feel anger burning inside him.

He spat, "I hate this life, this fate."

The fate which stole his childhood and made him live with a terrible stepfather. Which caused deaths, him and his family, his friends to suffer.

"And Zeus doesn't even look like he's sorry for his son. I don't know, father…"

Percy stopped and raised his gaze to Poseidon. He looked right into his father's sea green eyes.

He made a half smile bitterly.

"…Will you, would you… feel sorry for me if I die tomorrow?"

Suddenly, without any words, Poseidon walked toward him.

Percy stepped back, in his dismay. Was he angry with his words? If so, why would he hold his arms to…

Poseidon hugged him.

"You won't die tomorrow, Percy. Because I will be watching for you. I will not let anyone to harm you, my son."

Along with his dad's soft words, Percy cried.

He had never cried before; he never cried, even in Tartarus. He didn't cry when he lost Charlie, he didn't cry when Bob died, and he didn't cry when he was about to die, no hope remained, several times.

Guess they were all saved for now, he thought.

He let his tears to flow down to his face.

With his face buried on Poseidon, his father's shirts became wet, but he didn't seemed to mind. Instead he just patted Percy's back, comforting Percy as ever.

"It's okay, Percy. Everything's fine."

Nothing was okay, Percy knew.

But he wanted to believe.

Believe that his father truly loved his son.

Believe that it was real.

Percy smiled, his eyes closed, still hugging his father tightly.

As for now, this was the finest thing that he could ask of his dad.