Title: Seashell Tie

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. So don't bother me!

Summary: It's almost Father's Day, and Percy sees a seashell patterned necktie. Taken from Titan's Curse, page 97.

Percy's POV

It's Father's Day tomorrow.

A few years ago, I didn't really care. I didn't really know who my father was. Just that he was important and that he was lost at sea. And a few other things.

I knew that he looked like me. I knew that he also liked the color blue. I knew that he and Mom had met at Montauk and knew each other for one summer. And some other trivial stuff that my mom told me.

And here I am, in a crowded Target, shopping for my mom and looking at a tie. A simple tie with a seashell pattern. Nothing special.

Seriously, I wonder how Dad would react if I got him this. Would he be touched? Or just annoyed? He is the king of the sea. Seashells would suit him. This plain tie with a simple white seashell pattern.

My dad's not the type of person to wear neckties. No, that was my uncle, Zeus.

It was just one dollar and fifty cents. (Plus tax.) Even though my family was poor, it was easily affordable. (By my family, I didn't mean the Olympians, who were stinking rich. Rolling in gold.)

I looked around, shrugged, and stuck it inside my bag. It didn't really matter.

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(I don't feel like doing Percy's POV anymore.)

Percy was alone in his messy room, sitting on his swivel chair. In front of him, there was a blank sheet of paper in a cluttered desk.

Percy bit his lip. He twirled his pen and wrote out: Dear Dad.

There. Two words.

Percy took a deep breath and wrote out "Happy Father's Day." That was it.

No other inspiration came to him. He twirled his pen again and wrote "Love, Percy."

It was a little stupid. Just a blank sheet of paper with a few words in deep blue ink.

Dear Dad,

Happy Father's Day.

Love, Percy.

Said boy scowled heavily. He grabbed the paper and the tie and shoved it in a leather bag and then under his bed, throwing his drachma that he had been planning to use there for good measure. Then he left without looking back.

He gradually forgot about it.

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Sally sighed. Percy's room was always sloppy. She gave it a quick inspection. Desk, covered with papers, books, and other junk. Bed pillows and blankets wrinkled. Things all over the floor.

She noticed a corner of something sticking out from underneath her son's bed. She sighed again and crouched down.

There were all kinds of random junk under the bed. But she noticed a small leather pouch that seemed out of place. What was this?

She opened it and a piece of paper fluttered out.

Dear Dad,

Happy Father's Day.

Love, Percy

And there was the seashell necktie. Sally's lips twitched. It was just like Percy to add this little touch. But at the same time, her eyes watered. It must be hard, really hard, to be a demigod, especially one who wasn't supposed to be born.

Sally hesitated for a minute, or rather a few seconds, before tossing the drachma in. With a poof, the pouch disappeared.

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It had been a hard day for Poseidon. He had argued with Zeus (again) and had to settle a few disputes in the ocean. Not to mention there were the rumors of his son and that daughter of Athena in the bottom of Siren Bay together.

He saw something on his table. A leather pouch.

Weary, he ripped it open. A seashell patterned necktie. Poseidon raised his eyebrow in half amusement.

And a sheet of paper.

Dear Dad,

Happy Father's Day.

Love, Percy

Poseidon smiled.