Chapter Text
Why are they in the same class? Because Peter is smart and can move up classes. They share a few.
Percy's eyes flicked back to the back of the classroom again. Peter gave him a quick nod, mouthing; Sure, it's your thing. Just don't be late for the next period.
Percy nodded, then did his usual, "I have to go to the bathroom!"
He ran out of the classroom. The girl followed him, seemingly unnoticed by all the people in the room except Percy and Peter.
Percy turned to face the monster. She was young by monster standards, only a few decades old, practically a baby. She appeared to be 11 or 12, but her sadistic fanged grin was enough for Percy to not think twice about killing her. "Perseus Jackson! No monster has killed you yet, and I will be the first one to do so! I'll show my sister Kelly how to be a real servant of Hecate."
The young monster ran forward, not attempting to doge or anything. She was young and Percy was pretty sure that he was her first Halfblood to try to kill. He almost felt sorry for her when he killed her. Almost. But she was still a monster trying to kill him. The pile of dust wasn't even big enough to notice.
Percy touched the cap to his pen and watched as it shrank back down. He put it in his pocket and walked back to class. He opened the door and sat down in his seat. Peter glanced back at him and rolled his eyes, mouthing. Managed to not burn down the school. Good Job, Perc.
Percy grinned, giving Peter a smirk and mouthing. You're just jealous I get to miss parts of class.
Peter scowled and turned away to focus his attention on the teacher, but Percy grinned when he heard his cousin mutter, "Shut up."
Percy grinned as Peter jumped down from the roof to sit next to him on the fire escape stairs, but it slowly disappeared as he saw the look on Peter's face. "Bad day?"
"Mr. Stark took away my suit."
Oh. The fairy. That had been Peter. "It's ok man. You did the right thing." Percy reassured him.
Peter shook his head and looked down. "I try and try and try, but it never works. I always seem to screw it up." Peter looked up, staring at his cousin with big eyes. "You always do the right thing. I wish I could be like you."
Percy shook his head. "No, I make mistakes too. Everyone has their ups and downs. You always do the right thing, you're one of the best people out there."
"Yeah, I try, but it always turns out wrong. I'm a screw up."
"No, you're not Pete." Percy sighed, staring down at the city from his mom's fire escape. "Sometimes the worst things happen to the best people."
There was a long silence, then Peter got up, adjusting a homemade web-shooter on his wrist. "Thanks Percy, I gotta go."
"Welcome. See ya at school tomorrow." Percy said as Peter turned to go. "Wait."
Peter paused, looking back. "Don't forget, Homecoming is tonight."
Peter's eyes widened. "I forgot! I asked Liz out!"
"Yeah, I know. That's why I reminded you, idiot."
Peter gave Percy a sheepish grin. "Thanks. Are you taking Annabeth?"
"Nah, we are going on a date instead."
Peter arched his eyebrows and gave Percy a smirk. "Have a good time."
Percy laughed. "You too, good luck."
With a flick of Peter's wrist he was off, no doubt swinging to his Aunt's apartment. Percy smiled to himself and turned to go back into his own apartment.
Percy's mom had died while he was on the quest with the 7. Apparently, he had heard from Chiron, she had gotten his message from the Alaska pay phone before she died. No one knew how she died, but Peter had been there for him. Sure, Percy was 18 and Pete was still 3 years behind going on 16, but he was like a younger brother.
Percy shook his head to clear the memories and turned to go get ready for his date with Annabeth.
Percy opened his eyes. He looked at the clock. It was 3 in the morning. He had only gotten to sleep 2 hours ago. The knocking came again and he snapped over to the window.
Percy quickly got up and ran over to the window, opening it to let his little cousin practically fall inside, landing in an unbalanced crouch on the floor. He was wearing his homemade Spidey suit and was covered in blood. His hood was off to showcase his black eye and split lip.
"What happened?" Percy ran to his bathroom and started getting supplies. This had happened before; Peter getting hurt and coming to Percy for help, but never this bad.
Peter slowly sat down and leaned against the wall with a groan. "I was fight'n tha guy I tol' ya about-"
"Yeah I know the one. What did you call him, the Vulture?" Percy came back with bandages, water, and an emergency medical kit.
"Ye’, He's Liz's dad."
"Wha- Never mind. Continue."
"An'way, I ditched Liz and went to stop 'em." Peter let out a yelp as Percy put disinfectant on the scrapes and gashes littering his form.
"And...?" Percy prompted, trying to get Peter's attention away from the pain.
"... and He was tryin' to hijack Mr. Stark's plane to get the stuff."
"And you went after him?"
"And I went after him. We were up in the air, Percy, it was scary."
Percy gave a little shudder at the thought of being so high up. "High enough that-?"
Peter gave Percy a knowing look and nodded. "Yeah, that high. Anyway, I was fighting him up there, may of damaged the plane along the way-"
Percy smirked.
"-so it was crashing toward the city... I used my webs and made it crash on the beach. Then I had a big fight with Liz's dad...., he would have killed himself....., but I tried......, to stop him. He didn't die, but he got hurt......, pretty bad."
"He got hurt? Looked at yourself lately?" Percy said as he bandaged a gash on Peter's forehead.
Peter let out a shaky laugh hat turned into a wheeze. "Yeah, I webbed., em' up..., though."
"Stop talking."
"What? Afraid...., of my......, big mouth?" Peter tried to laugh again but he ended up gasping for air.
"I'm serious. Shut up. Something's wrong." Percy frantically pulled Peter from leaning against the wall till he was laying flat, staring at Percy's ceiling.
"Answer this quickly and try not to die. Is there some possible way you could have broken your ribs or something." Percy asked, panic seeping into his voice. Percy could deal with outside injuries, but internal?
"He slammed...., me into....., the ground......., a lot...... face first."
Percy rolled his eyes. "That might do it. I'm calling Annabeth."
Peter stared up at the woman above him. She paced back and forth. "We can't let him into a hospital. That could ruin his identity." Annabeth turned to look at Peter, "We could take you to Tony Star-"
"NO!...... He'll be......, mad at-" Peter gasped.
Percy sighed in exasperation. "Fine, but only cuz' you're overreacting and will probably hurt yourself more when you protest."
Annabeth sighed, but agreed. She paced for a few more seconds, then ran over to one of the many sheets of homework Percy had laying on his desk, grabbed a pencil from the floor, and started drawing on the back.
"That was calculus. Why did you have to ruin my hardest subject's homework?! Now I have to re-do it."
Annabeth again ignored her boyfriend. She finished her drawing and ran over to Peter, showing him the paper. "Is that what the spider looked like that bit you?"
Peter nodded.
A little relief and worry showed on her face. She turned to Percy. "Go get the ambrosia."
"But, but he-"
"He's mortal, I know. But you see this?" She held up a surprisingly good drawing of a spider. "That's one of Arachne's children."
Percy stared at her dumbly. "Aren't they all?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes, "No. she has descendents, the spider that bit Peter was one of her direct children."
"So that means...?"
"It means that he has a small amount of Greek magic running through his veins to give him his powers."
Peter's eyes widened and Percy gaped. "Seriously?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "How else could he climb walls with shoes and gloves on and see through the mist?"
The two teens stared at her blankly.
Annabeth gave Percy a unreadable stare. "I'm 90% sure. Go get the ambrosia."
Percy came back with a ziplock baggie with 3 squares of the godly food.
Annabeth took one and broke off a tiny piece, not really even a piece, a crum. She handed it to Peter.
"Wait! What about-" Percy began, "I don't want him to die, because he might if he eats that. You said 90%." Percy protested looking between Peter and his girlfriend.
"He could die if he didn't. He has to risk it. Percy, he has a punctured lung." Annabeth said calmly, giving Peter a reassuring look.
Peter let out a shaky laugh, "YOLO." Before popping the crum in his mouth.
It tasted like the pancakes his uncle used to make him. The good kind that no matter how much his Aunt couldn't replicate. But then it was gone.
Peter felt his lung and the rib that punctuated his lung start to heal, along with Percy's bandaged wounds, gashes, and the black eye. After about 5 seconds it was all done, he was perfectly healed. He felt hot, he was no doubt looking red. He felt sick, Wait, now he was cold, too cold, sleeping into his skin. But now he was hot, it was too hot. Why was he wearing long sleeves if it was so hot?
Percy and Annabeth both paled as Peter's face grew red and sweat began to drip off him. "Oh gods." Percy breathed.
Annabeth hurried over and put a hand to Peter's forehead like his aunt sometimes did whe he was sick. Annabeth's face began to regain color. "He just has a fever, a really bad one, but he will live. He's just sick."
Annabeth reached for the medical kit and dug through the contents, finally pulling out a packet. She ripped it open and handed it to Peter. "Take it, it will make it better."
Peter took the pill and swallowed it. (No, this ain't how medicine works, but for fic's sake, it will.) Immediately his face turned its normal color and he stopped shaking. "Thanks Annabeth."
She smiled warmly, "Welcome. Just try not to die so often and Percy won't keep calling me for help." She nudged a sour Percy, who gave her a scowl.
Peter got up from the ground and started taking off the bandages Percy had put on his earlier. "Thanks."
Annabeth smiled, giving Peter a warm smile. "No problem. Just don't ever eat the ambrosia unless it's a life or death emergency."
Peter nodded and started fiddling with his web-shooters. He flipped out the old cartridges of webbing and put in the two spare ones. Peter looked up to see Annabeth's calculating eyes studying the device.
Peter sighed. "I already showed you how they work."
"But not these, only the Stark ones. You upgraded these after looking at Stark's. I want to see what you came up with."
Peter shrugged, taking off one of them. He could still get around with only one, just less convenient. "Here, have Percy bring it to school tomorrow."
Annabeth took the web-shooter from Peter's outstretched hand. "Thanks. I will do that." She bugged Percy, giving a playful grin. "If he doesn't lose it."
Percy huffed. "Why do you guys pick on me so much?"
"Because." Peter started with a smirk before jumping up and out of the window to swing away.
He laughed to himself when he heard Percy announce, "That's not a real answer!"
Percy startled as Peter jumped down in front of him, landing in a crouch on the sidewalk. No one was around. It was fine. Just to be sure Percy walked into the nearest ally anyway.
"Here." Percy handed his cousin the old homemade web-shooter.
"Thanks." Peter fastened it on his arm above the ones attached to his suit for safe keeping.
"So, Stark gave you your suit back?" Percy asked as he stared at the high tech-Stark suit.
"Yeah! He offered for me to be an Avenger!" Peter practically radiated excitement.
"What di'ja say?"
"I told him yes!"
Percy grinned, "Really?! You're an Avenger now?! That's cool."
"Yep."
Peter's head snapped to the side to look out of the alley past Percy. "Karen said there’s a robbery a few streets down." Peter gave Percy a salute, "See ya!" He said before flexing his wrist and swinging off.
3 Months Later
Peter stared at Tony in disbelief. "What?"
Tony sighed, handing Peter a file. "Fury wants to see if you would make a good agent like Romanov, so he wants you to bring in people. Start with this guy, Perseus Jackson."
Peter took the file handed to him. He just skimmed through it. He already knew all the info on the file, so he just faked reading it. Heck, he knew his cousin longer and better than almost anyone. Well, not Annabeth.
"So, I have to bring him in?" He repeated slowly.
Tony rolled his eyes but was patient. "Yes, bring him into me."
There was a long silence, then, "I can't do this. I'm not an agent, I'm a crime fighting guy."
Tony sighed. "I know, but Fury will have my head if you don't. Humor him, it's in your best interests."
Peter stared at Tony for a second, then gave the file back to him. "Fine." He relented, But he had no idea what he was going to do.
"What about the file? Don't you need that?" Tony asked, holding out the file for him again.
"Nah, photographic memory." The lie slipped out easily, "It's how I get good grades in the hard stuff at school."
Tony nodded. "Ok, see you in a month. Fury wants you to bring the guy in at or before that time. Yes, you heard me, there's a deadline."
"Ok, bye Mr. Stark." Peter walked out of the room and over to the window he had entered. He jumped out and started swinging.
"Percy, I need help. You gotta help me!" Peter hopped through the open window and ran over to where Percy was water bottle flipping on the desk.
Peter rolled his eyes as he saw the bottle land perfectly. "Using your powers is cheating." He picked up the bottle and flipped it. It landed perfectly. "You have to have skill. Like me."
Percy rolled his eyes. "You were using your enhanced reflexes. You 'cheated' then too!"
Peter huffed. "Whatever."
Percy went back to 'flipping' the bottle. "So, what's up?"
Peter's thoughts came rushing back. "Fury gave me a job."
Percy gave him a grin. "That's great! That's what you wanted!" Percy's grin faded as he studied Peter's face. "That is what you wanted, right?"
"Yea, but he wants me to bring you in."
Percy frowned. "What? S.H.I.E.L.D. wants... oh. What for?"
"I don't know, I left before Mr. Stark could elaborate."
Percy shrugged, then looked up at Peter and grinned, putting his hands in the air in a mock surrender. "I'm here. You got me!"
Peter rolled his eyes. "Pfft. Like I could take you in. You could fight off half of the US army before you even broke a sweat."
Percy's hands dropped into his lap. "Well, I don't think I could take on that many..."
"But seriously. What do I do Percy?"
Percy shrugged. "I don't care. I'm safe. I can take care of myself. Tell them you fought me and I disappeared or something."
Percy winked. "Or a gas explosion happened."
Peter sighed. "Always a gas explosion."
"Always the answer." Percy looked down at his watch, the one he had told Peter that Tyson had made him. "I know you'll do fine. Thanks for the heads up though. I got to go meet Annabeth." Percy cringed. "I forgot something. I don't know what it is, but I'm pretty sure I forgot something important."
Peter gave his cousin a sympathetic look. "S'ok. Maybe a special day, anniversary or something. She won't kill you, maybe just a severe stabbing. I gotta go. Bye."
Peter told Tony he couldn't catch Percy Jackson. A few weeks went by with Peter hearing nothing about it, so after a few months he forgot all about the incident. He thought Fury had given up and figured Percy could take care of himself. Peter hadn't seen his cousin in school for a few days, but didn't think much of it.
He stripped down in a random alley and put on his tech suit. He swung by his apartment to drop his backpack off, then headed over to Stark Tower.
Peter looked around. "Karen, Ask FRIDAY where everyone is."
"FRIDAY says that most everyone is currently in the interrogation room."
"Ok thanks Karen."
Once he got to the level he started to hear the conversation. He couldn't make out what they were saying till he turned the corner.
Conversation stopped. Tony turned away from Director Fury and to Peter. "Hi Mr Stark, Director."
Fury gave Pete a quick nod before walking away. Tony walked forward and pointed through the glass of the interrogation room. "See him? SHIELD couldn't catch him so we called in Thor."
"Who?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Percy Jackson, duh. Though you should be worried that you couldn't finish your mission. It was like the starter pack of missions, kid."
Peter turned to look through the one sided glass. Sure enough, there was Percy. His head lulled to the side and drool coming out of his mouth. He didn't look hurt, just tired. He was probably catching up on all the sleep he missed during his classes at school.
Peter looked back at Tony. Should he tell him? Trust Mr. Stark to get his cousin out of this?
"Have you done anything to him yet? Mr. Stark? Is he hurt?" Peter tried to ask nonchalantly.
"No, Thor took him from an apartment in Manhattan. He was asleep when he was taken, and he's still asleep. We were just about to wake him up now." Tony said. He pulled out a remote control and pressed a button.
A horn went off loud enough to make Peter grimace with his sensitive hearing. Percy didn't even flinch. He remained sitting in the chair, his arms chained behind his back. Only thing that changed was the drool coming out of his mouth dropped to the floor.
Fury and Tony stared at the teen in amazement and respect. It took talent to sleep through that.
Peter had to resist rolling his eyes. "Mr. Fury, director sir?"
Fury looked away from Percy and towards Peter. "What?"
"I suggest dumping some water on him."
Tony tore his gaze away from Percy to start at Peter along with the director.
"What? It works in the movies." Peter said, trying to look convincing. Please don't let them figure out the water. Please-don't-let-them-figure-it-out. Pleasedontletthemfigureitout.
"Ok, sure, I don't see anything to lose here." Tony presses another button on his controls.
Water sprayed down onto Percy.
Percy was awake as soon as the first water droplet touched his skin. Percy's eyes snapped open.