The Beach | Afternoon | Sunday | April 1

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy didn't know what he was hoping to accomplish with this. He'd gotten it in his mind to invite Anna long to the beach with him to see why she was so angry about him and Luke (he thought the alternate universes would make that okay) and maybe just to talk to her without Aritaseus around, being bitter and tiny. That kid....

Percy just didn't know what they were gonna do with that kid.

He'd brought Mrs. O'Leary along and she was currently bounding along the beach, playing fetch with a big bone Percy had found. She'd taken quickly to Anna and had slobbered happily over the girl when Percy had gotten her out of the stables.

"She still around in your future?" Percy asked curiously.

[Percy's here for Emmy Rossum his daughter but the beach is an open place!]

Comments

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

This wasn't the first time Anna had been with her father at the beach, but it was kind of surreal being the older one in this situation. "Yeah, she's still around. Hellhounds live long lives, apparently."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Guess that's good," Percy said since he'd gotten attached and everything. "Where do we even live?"

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Just outside of New York City. Suburbs, so there's space for Mrs. O'Leary to run around and you and dad can work in the city," Anna said. "In this universe, because dad can't go anywhere else."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Luke actually works?" Percy asked, trying to make a joke. "Wow. Must have gotten less lazy."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

Anna smirked. "Yeah, well, he takes the supporting the family thing seriously. Seems to think you're too much of a wuss to live on the streets like he did."

That was also a joke.

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I could live on the streets!" Percy protested, frowning. "It's not like I was staying in hotels when I was chasing down the lightning thief."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Lightning--you can just say it was dad," Anna said, shaking her head. "It's kind of hard to avoid hearing about what you guys did."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I know I know," Percy said, shaking his head. "I'm just not used to being able to say that, you know? I had to keep it a secret for a long time from him so I didn't mess up his future or something."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Yeah and that turned out so wonderfully," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "You guys are a lot more open more now about the stupid things you do."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"He made his own choices, Anna," Percy said, shaking his head. "I'm not gonna get struck down by a god because I told him stuff I shouldn't have."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"And he's not gonna get struck down by a god by telling you stuff that could help you get that stick out of your ass," Anna said with a shrug. "Guess you're both afraid to go the way of Nico."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I don't have a stick anywhere!" Percy said, frowning. "Why are you so judgmental?"

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"I am not judgmental." Yes she was. "I'm just not stupid."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"You are judgmental!" Because he was judgmental and she was his kid. "And I'm not stupid either! Things are different here than there!"

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Well that is obvious," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "Are you even happy right now?"

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Are you?"

Good comeback, Percy.

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Do I look happy right now? There's a possibility I'll be erased out of existence," Anna said. "And you didn't answer my question."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"If you're still here right now, how do you figure you'll be erased?" Percy asked, still avoiding her question for the moment.

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"You obviously haven't watched enough sci-fi movies. This kind of stuff happens." In the movies, which totally counted as real. "You still haven't answered my question. I'm not as distracted by shiny objects as much as Aritaseus is."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I'm your dad." Sort of. "I don't have to answer your question."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"You don't answer my question then I'm gonna assume it's a no," Anna said. "You're not happy."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I'm plenty happy," Percy lied, shaking his head. "Would you quit being a shrink? You're not even in college yet. Besides, no one's really happy."

[wee-demigods.livejournal.com]

"Grandma's happy." Of course Sally Jackson was probably too nice to show when she's upset.

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Has Grandma met Aritaseus yet?" Percy wondered.

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

The next stop for Billy and his brood was one of his favorite places to meditate.

Ana, full of ice cream, skipped along beside him, but at the sight of the ocean, ran ahead.

"Ooooooooh." she gasped.