Chapter Text
I Get a Strange Taste in My Mouth… NICO!!!
Of course weird stuff always happens to me, I'm a demi-god. But this was weirder than anything that had happened yet. I'm heading into college and of course weird godly things happen to me! AGAIN!
“So Annabeth, how do I figure out this…this… beef?” I said, about to ask Annabeth how to figure out question five on a math prep paper. It wasn't what I was planning to say but the flavor engulfed my mouth leaving nothing left to hang onto.
“Beef?” Annabeth restated.
“Beef, I-I taste beef….. Why do I taste beef?” I replied back. Confusion swam on Annabeth's face.
“Come on Seaweed brain, what do you mean you taste beef? We ate lunch not even an hour ago! You didn't have any cow in your meal, you had pork.” Annabeth replied, stating the obvious.
“I don't know Wise Girl! I taste beef! And now I taste cream corn?” I said questionably back. This whole mess had only just begun and I was already done with it.
“Cream corn? Really? What is this? A Buffet?” Annabeth replied. What in the world was going on? I knew strange things happen to demi-gods, but this? This was never heard of! Who in the world randomly tastes foods! Before I could make any clear connection Piper walked into the big house followed by Leo.
“What's going on in here love birds?” Leo replied, seeing the tension in the air.
“Percy is tasting things” Annabeth replied back, not explaining the real issue. Leo and Piper stilled and stared in my direction. They probably thought I was having some taste testing for wedding cake or something.
“Like?” Piper questioned, looking for the source of the taste testing.
“Like beef and creamed corn! And now angel food cake? Man that tastes good.” I replied, flavors entering and leaving my mouth in an instant. For a minute they looked at me like I was insane. I hadn’t put anything into my mouth but I was still reacting as if I did. I could tell it freaked them out by the look on their face! The next person that entered the Big house was Nico. Nico walked in chuckling to himself. Clearly something had piqued his interest.
“What's so funny Nico?” I asked. The others all turned to look at the boy and listen for his answer to what he was laughing about.
“I just convinced some of the campers to give tribute to fish brains over here.” Nico continued to laugh. After he said that the four of us stood there staring at Nico. We had realized why I was tasting random foods. So all of this was his doing, and somehow, for the first time in a while, I was surprised by another demi-god and not an actual god for playing a trick on me.
“What? Am I missing something? I thought it would be hilarious. Why are y'all staring at me?” Nico said. Annabeth started looking between Nico and me like we were sharks with legs in a city roaming around. I could hear her thoughts saying “stupid big three kids” which is completely valid in this circumstance.
“So this is your doing?” I questioned Nico. Nico had finally realized something was officially wrong by the tone of my voice.
“What are you talking about? It's not like it's doing anything, is it?” Nico replied back with a slowly dying chuckle in his voice.
“Nico, I've been tasting different foods for the past ten minutes. And for some reason I can tell they were all blue.” I replied back, with other foods still entering my taste buds. Nico stared at me dumbfounded. Nico had just told the newer campers that I was a god. Based on how other people have reacted to me in the past I can understand how they might believe it, like when I first met Hazel, but the fact that they are giving me tributes? That's wack. Apparently, Nico told the newer campers that I was the god protecting the camp, which was only half right. I'm no god, but I would protect this camp with my mortal life.
“So… you're saying that the newer campers believe Seaweed brain here is a god? And they’re giving him tributes? And it's working!?” Annabeth asked.
“It was just a joke! I didn't think it would actually affect him!” Nico replied. The five of us headed out of the big house and ran for the campfire. Where do we even start? With the newer campers? With the ones that suspiciously have mule food on their plates? We decided to start with asking people around who they thought I was. About half of the newer campers had blue scraps of food on their plate, and they genuinely thought that I was a god for the camp.
“It's not like we can just tell these kids you're not a god.” Piper finally said as we sat in silence at our own table by the fire. She made a good point, there were so many new campers this time around, it would be hard to get to all of them and they may not trust Nico after this. It's important they trust Nico as he is one of the Camp counsel leaders and will be a very important influence on these kids as one of the big three kids. He's going to be one of the ones taking care of the camp while Annabeth and I are gone at college. I guess I'll just have to deal with tasting food randomly. It's not the worst thing that can happen, it's just strange. If it were almost anyone else who had done this to me I might have just blown a toilet up in their face (if Clarisse, blow up a toilet in her face…again), or doused them in water.
“So Perce, what's it like tasting blue food constantly? I mean, I know you eat blue food, but like what's it like not actually eating it, but like tasting it?” Leo asked, rightfully getting a
smack on the head from Piper.
“Uh, it's weird but I can deal with it I guess? Somehow I can taste that it's blue even though I can't see it. Maybe it's not that I can taste its blue more like I just know it is?” I replied back to my fiery friend. Annabeth had a look of worry on her face, I guess I was the only one who noticed because no one else asked if she was alright.
“Now that I'm thinking about it… Percy… Why do you eat blue foods?” Nico asked, rightfully so, since the only people who know about my past are Annabeth, Grover, Chiron, and my family. I'd like to keep it that way for a little longer. I could feel the gazes of Piper and Leo follow after Nicos. Hint Hint, how would you guys feel about getting a one-shot fic about that? I’d be more than down to write that.
“It's… It's a long story, maybe for another time bud.” I could hear the strain in my own voice, it was obvious even after all this time that I wasn't fully healed from the scars of back then, like the scars that riddle my body now. The worry on Annabeth's face grew more, more obvious that even her Yankees hat couldn't hide it..
“Don't worry Wise Girl, the past is the past; and the whole tasting foods thing? I'll just get used to it, it's not like it's doing anything bad, right?” I said looking straight into
Annabeths stormy gray eyes. She relaxed a little,enough that I could tell she was worried, but it no longer showed to the public.
“Can we atleast check with Will? I want to make sure there's nothing else going on with you.” Annabeth replied back after a pause. Of course I would never ignore Annabeth so after dinner I promised to go to the infirmary with her so she could fully relax.
“Percy, you better not be here because you beat someone else up. If it is for you, just go jump in the lake, I still have patients from the last time you played capture the flag” Will said to me as Annabeth followed me into the infirmary.
“There is an issue with Percy, fixing this by jumping in the lake will not help his case sorry Solace, but I think you'll be interested in this one.” Annabeth said to the frantic son of Apollo. Will stopped in his tracks and I could tell by the look on his face that he was already done with my shenanigans. Worry also traced his face, knowing its serious when Annabeth has to bring me into the infirmary.
“Sorry to bug you Will.” I said as he pulled me into another room to start examining me. The smell of medicine circled the room and it was giving me a slight headache. The smell of ambrosia also filled the room making it a little better. It's always been strange coming here, having a headache but also getting fixed at the exact same time? It wasn't a feeling I liked too much. I preferred the clearness of the water, healing me much faster than Will could (No Offence Glow Stick). Will knows that when I have to come to him for me that I don't want anyone to know about it besides Wise Girl, Hence the change in scenery.
“So Water Boy, what's going on? You seem to physically be fine, so what's got you here with me?” Will said to me. It was kinda strange. What do you say to your doctor when you can taste food randomly? I think they normally check your brain for a seizure, but I'm not fully sure about that. Eh, screw it.
“I’ve been tasting random foods that new campers have been sacrificing to me because Nico decided to joke around and find out.” I ranted to Will.
“Woah Percy, slow down. Let me get this right, you are tasting offerings?” Will replied
“And this all happened from a joke Nico was playing on you? Have you checked your blood yet?” Will immediately got to work on analyzing Percys, skipping over the old scars and and even the newer ones, all demi-gods had them. Will checked my blood with a prick of the finger.
“Ow” I said
“I thought you were like, really strong?” Will said after giving me a small glance.
“That doesn't mean it doesn’t hurt, It's not like I have the Curse of Achilles anymore.” I said back. Will got back to work.
“You know, we've had some campers try this before. You know, the whole offering food to your friends. It didn't work, it's really weird that it's happening to you. This could be because the new campers genuinely don't know better, or maybe something else is playing a trick on you. Anyways, your blood is red and healthy, it doesn't seem that anything else is wrong with you so I’m going to have to send you on your way, but tell me if something happens, or if your symptoms change. You know, the usual doctor check ups.” Will said, then sent Annabeth and I on our way. I could tell Annabeth was relieved at the news from Will.
“I told you I would be fine Wise Girl.” I told her as I held her face, cupped in my hands outside the infirmary.
“I know, but I also know you. If something changes, please Percy, please tell me or Will.” Annabeth asked of me.
I knew I would get taken advantage of when it came to this weird tribute to the gods thing once it got out. Of course Connor and Travis were the first ones to realize they could mess with me this way. Constantly they try to throw me off my balance during training. Connor will come at me, and have his brother in the background offering spicy foods to me. This throws me off but as always, I win the mock fight.
Nico on the other hand had decided that since I was just accepting that I was going to taste food randomly for the rest of my demi-god life, that he would just keep telling new campers that I'm a god. He even came up with the god I am, which isn't too far off that mark. The God of Demi-Gods and the Prince of the Ocean, Perseus Jackson. I am not saying I'm a god, but if I were one, that would be pretty close to the title I would want, although, I would add something about loyalty considering that is my fatal flaw.
Continuing on, it's been a few days now, maybe about a week or two and things haven't really changed. The Stoll boys realized the offerings in the background of the mock fights were not doing anything to give them an advantage, and it seemed like capture the flag was the only time I would get not having to taste weird mix ups of food. It also seemed that my friends could give me offerings. Kinda strange based on what Will said, but i'm not worrying about it too much.
“Please, I don't know if I can keep going. I miss my family and I feel lost here. They said i'll be getting a godly parent but… I just don't know… who would want to claim me…”
“Hey, did you just say something?” I couldn't fully make it out but it sounded like someone was talking to Percy through his mind. It almost felt like a soul link like with Grover.
“No Seaweed brain, did you hit your head or something? Do we need to go see Will?” Annabeth said. Her tone was mostly joking but there was also a seriousness that seeped into her voice. Man, I love her so much.
“Nah, just thought I heard something” I replied back and shrugged. I felt like I was needed somewhere and couldn't shake the feeling. What did I hear?