HP: Monochrome

Percy Jackson

It quickly turned out that godhood didn't hold what it had promised. The end of his second war should have been the time of his life. Instead, it left him with a lot less than he had after the first war.

This time the gods had insisted on gifting him godhood and hadn't taken "no" for an answer which might have been alright but because of that fateful decision, he and Annabeth were officially on a break and it had very much been her idea, not his. The worst part was that he couldn't even really be mad at her, as much as he tried. The love of his life's panic attack and ensuring mental breakdown had been hard to watch and as much as it hurt, he knew that Annabeth tended to push everyone away when under extreme duress. He also knew that him going AWOL certainly didn't help in resolving the matter.

What should have been the best years of his life so far left him immortal and quite alone. At least he got to travel without being interrupted by monsters. After a month or so of traveling with periodic visits to his mother, he was mildly annoyed to be requested to return to Olympus so early. But after all these years, he was tired of arguing, so as requested, he reported back to Olympus and found himself being expected by Apollo, Poseidon, and Artemis.

"Percy," Poseidon greeted him kindly while Apollo came up for a high-five.

Slightly taken aback by the causal back greeting, Percy accepted it nonetheless.

"Hi," Percy greeted the three gods in return.

"Again, sorry about the entire promotion thing," Apollo said in a low voice.

Percy shrugged. "Nothing to be done about it. I should have seen it coming."

"You will have our apologies regardless. I was sorry to hear about you and that daughter of Athena. You are a worthy mate to a woman of that caliber, if I say so myself," Artemis announced, clearly making an effort to be kind.

"Sis, not helping!" Apollo interjected. "You need to tell him that his ex is a whore and then set him up with your friends."

Then, to his mild surprise, Artemis gave him a light embrace before stepping back.

"I am sorry to say that things will not get any easier," Poseidon announced grimly. "But until we find out what Zeus and Hera come up with next, we might try to make your life a bit more pleasant. Artemis, Apollo, and I have found a place for you here on Olympus. That being said you will always be welcome in our places."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Do I have to pay rent or something? Property tax and shit?" he asked, and Apollo chuckled. "You only serve at the pleasure of the king of the gods. As a male, that isn't necessarily that bad... Also, Hades apparently wished to show you his appreciation and left a gift at your place."

At this, Artemis's bright smile turned into something of a grimace, but before he could spend any runtime pondering the matter the two Olympians guided him across the bridge towards Olympus's main gates. The city was how he remembered it and he could very much see designs that he had first laid eyes on Annabeth's desk brought to life in its full glory. What would, to others, seem like classical Hellenic architecture brought to its ultimate form held a bitter side note to him.

"Well, son. I must be going. Happy wife, happy life. We'll be in touch," Percy announced. "With that, Poseidon dissolved, leaving him alone with Apollo and Artemis.

He was taken aback by how forthcoming the twins were. The two Olympians were really putting an effort into making him feel welcome. They insisted on showing him around Olympus, all the places the "locals" went to. The popular cafes, restaurants, and so on. Percy didn't have the heart to tell them that he didn't plan to spend much time on Olympus, but the twin's warm welcome touched him and didn't have it in his heart to quench their enthusiasm.

The afternoon passed in a blur, and before long, the sun was setting.

"So!" Apollo announced. "Time to show you your new place. Artemis and I took the liberty of making sure that this place was worthy of Olympus's newest champion," Apollo explained in an animated manner.

Artemis side-eyed her older twin. "If you were so opposed..." Then she shrugged. "Time to go."

They led him through the divine cities beautiful boulevards, and up the grand parade roads, lined by even grander buildings. By the time they reached the upper third of the city, the last rays of the evening's son bathed marble walls the color of blood. At the city's far side to the main gate, they led him down a side road and came to a stop in front of a sizable, single-floor Greek villa. A wide flight of half a dozen marble stairs led up to a set of double doors fashioned from dark wood. The top of a forged iron trident hung on display over the doors.

"So, Lord Jackson...lord Perseus.. Percy Whatever," Artemis announced and held out an old-fashioned, glowing bronze key. "Here is your key. A few spares are inside. You can rely on privacy here. Trust me, the hunt used to use mine to get wasted from time to time. Last time Zoe got so drunk..." Artemis trailed off for a moment but after a moment she continued. "Without your permission, no one be able to enter your residence and it even has its own Vault so it is a good place to store any artifacts might collect over the centuries."

Percy accepted the key and Apollo grinned. "This place might actually become less boring with you around, mate."

"Do you guys want to come in?" Percy asked.

Artemis chuckled and shook her head. "No, tomorrow maybe. I wouldn't want to take away the joy of exploring it for yourself."

"Wait, really?" Apollo asked, looking suspiciously disappointed, and Percy figured he was missing something.

Artemis not so discreetly elbowed her brother again and smiled evenly when Apollo nodded. "Ah yes."

"Sleep well, Percy," Artemis said and dragged her twin brother off.

Shaking his head, Percy abandoned his earlier plans for the evening, walked up the stairs, pushed the heavy key into the lock, and turned it. With a resounding click, the door unlocked and Percy opened it, revealing a brightly lit atrium. After letting his gaze sweep the marble chamber, he finally stepped inside.

It looked like a pretty neat blend between modern and ancient Greek. The atrium or entrance hall was lit by a crystal chandelier hanging close to the door. The walls were lined with marble benches, a shoe stand, and a coat/armor rack. A square opening interrupted the white ceiling, creating something of a small inner courtyard held up by four marble pillars.

An ornate white marble water fountain dominated the courtyard with two negligible dressed naiads dancing together, water shooting into the air from their outstretched hands.

A ring of uncultivated earth surrounded the fountain in what might one day be host to an elaborate flowerbed.

Percy stepped through the atrium and passed beneath an archway into the heart of the manor, a spacious courtyard dominated by a large, infinity-style pool that took on an enchanting emerald hue in the twilight, illuminated from below. The pool's expanse seemed to stretch endlessly, reaching toward the far-side building, while its narrower sections were lined with deckchairs inviting relaxation. A tiled strip, five feet wide, traced the edges of the courtyard in a graceful U-shape. More deckchairs were nestled beneath an overhanging roof, supported by elegant marble pillars. To one side, two doors led to an enticing sauna area, complete with a whirlpool.

To his left, a long glass wall shimmered faintly in the dim light, revealing what appeared to be a bar. To his right, a cozy lounge beckoned with beanbags, armchairs, and a firepit that sat beneath an air vent, its warmth contrasting with the cool evening air. In one corner, a smaller bronze brazier stood shrouded in a black cloth, hinting at secrets yet to be revealed. Adjacent to the lounge was a fully equipped gym, boasting machines, weights, and a small boxing ring, alongside racks brimming with bronze weapons, armor, and shields. Percy couldn't help but wonder if gods needed to maintain their physiques through workouts.

Curious, he made his way into the bar, where his initial impressions were confirmed. Behind the marble counter, glass shelves glowed with soft blue light, showcasing an impressive selection of beverages. Square tables and tall party tables filled the space, while an array of disco lights twinkled overhead, creating an atmosphere ripe for celebration. Continuing his exploration, Percy moved into the adjacent room, clearly designated for public gaming. Billiard tables, foosball tables, air hockey machines, and vintage arcade games—complete with those racing games he had adored as a child—awaited eager players, promising hours of entertainment.

Not sure where the living room was, he headed to the far end of the room, where an archway opened down onto a wide flight of stairs. Reasoning that this was the way to the living arrangements, he headed down and a grin spread across his face. The mysterious glow in the pool, he quickly realized, was thanks to the glass ceiling over the dining table, and offered a view up into the pool above. Right under the pool was a large dining table that could comfortably seat more than a dozen people. There were also what looked to him like six guest rooms with windows looking down onto New York itself. The rooms were complete with queen-size beds, large flat-screen TVs hanging from the wall, and attached bathrooms. There was also a larger room with half a dozen toilet stalls, likely for a larger number of guests, and one of those enormous kitchens they had on TV cook-off shows. "I guess I will have to learn how to cook," he muttered to himself.

Certain he had missed little, Percy headed further downstairs, leaving the lights turned on.

The floor further down was by another set of double doors with a keyhole. Having left his key upstairs on a small table in the Atrium, he was forced to retrieve it before realizing that the doors had been unlocked anyway and the keys didn't fit the lock. Shaking his head at himself, he headed down into what was clearly the living wing of the estate. The lights down here were already burning.

He first ran into what was clearly supposed to be a study, complete with two desks, two computers, and a shelf occupied by books, scrolls, and stone tablets. He mused Annabeth would very much appreciate the room. Percy caught himself before allowing himself to proceed down that that more depressing train of thought, and instead continued exploring.

The next room was the media room/home cinema, stocked with comfortable-looking armchairs and sofas, facing the largest flat screen he had ever seen. After inspecting the LED strips that lined the walls, he turned around to briskly leave when he almost ran into a familiar dark-haired girl wearing a glinting bronze collar, and a blue dress of classical Hellenic cut and sandals. "Wow!" she cried out.