The Gift of the Lethe

Homecoming

Percy cranes his head from where he had somehow squeezed onto the couch beside Annabeth to look at Pallas.

"I'm going to guess that you're not going to stay here anymore?"

Pallas shifts, flushing slightly."Is that alright?"

"As long as you don't forget to visit." Pallas snorts at that, and Percy flashes a grin at her. "But . . . where are you going to stay?"

The other three members of her family all lean forward in interest at that. Pallas glances between them, her gaze lingering on Triton and Athena.

"I'd like to split my time between Thene and my . . . original father - I guess? - if possible." She glances at Poseidon. "It's not that I don't want to spend time with you either, it's just that they're my home. Besides, I highly doubt that you wouldn't pop in to say hello and all that."

He gives her a reassuring smile. "You don't need to explain things, I understand." He pauses. "I noticed that you were struggling with the terminology. If it helps, refer to Triton as you always have and just call me Grandfather - but Percy stays your brother."

Pallas laughs. "Thank Styx that is settled. Do you know how confusing it is?"

Poseidon snorts. "No, but I can guess. Now, I have noticed one thing."

Pallas raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Oh? What?"

"You say you want to live with both Athena and Triton, but who shall you stay with first?"

Both named deities focus their gazes on Pallas, provoking a trickle of nervous sweat to run down her back. She sends a sheepish smile to her father. "Could I perhaps stay with Thene first?"

He shrugs. "As much as I want to keep you close, I'm not going to keep you from making your own choices. I also know how close you are to her, Pallas."

Pallas flushes and from the corner of her eye she can see Athena's own darkened cheeks. She coughs, muttering, "Way to call us out, Father."

There is a squeaking sound from both Annabeth and Percy. Pallas perks at them over Athena's shoulder to see Percy gaping at the two of them. She flushes brighter, enough so that Athena pokes her cheek.

"You've gone crimson, Pallas."

While Percy is still gaping, Annabeth manages to find her voice. "You too are- were-"

Athena nods at her daughter. "Yes. It isn't something the history mentions, is it? They did the same to us as they did to Achilles and Patrocles." She nudges Pallas. "Don't look so embarrassed, Pallas. It's not like it would have been hidden from them for long."

Pallas nods, then yawns into Athena's shoulder. She blinks in surprise and groans. "Why?"

Athena glances down at her. "Hmm?"

"Why am I getting tired? I slept for seventy years, I don't need sleep!"

Triton laughs. "The sun went down a long time ago, Pallas. Do you know how long we've been talking?"

She furrows her brow. "No?" Then she yawns again. "Damn it."

Athena laughs. "Come on, Pallas. You need to sleep."

"But I don't want to."

"Too bad. You need to sleep. Is there anything you want me to grab?"

"Spear? And the owl, I guess."

Athena laughs. "Oh, I'm never forgetting that. And-" She hesitates. "Did you say spear?"

When Athena is silent for a few moments, Pallas looks up at her to see Athena biting her lip. "What's wrong?"

Athena shakes her head and gives Pallas a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. Where's your spear?"

Pallas waves a lazy hand toward the bedroom. After extricating herself from the huddle of people on the couch, Athena ducks into the aforementioned room and emerges with the spear's shaft clutched in one hand. She steps over to Pallas, watching as she stares at Athena from her curled up spot on the couch.

Pallas gives her an owlish blink and Athena sighs, moving forward. Between one step and the next, the spear disappears and so when Athena reaches Pallas, she just pulls her up from the couch. Pallas stumbles on her feet and with a small laugh, Athena scoops her up.

"You're not in any position to walk anywhere, are you?" Pallas mumbles something back, but even she doesn't know what she said. Athena laughs again and turns to the rest of them. "Goodnight. Triton, I'll make sure she keeps herself in one piece. Annabeth, try not to stay up too late when sketching." Annabeth flushes and sinks into the couch, leaning against Percy.

Athena nods once more and along with the sensation of brushing feathers, carries herself and Pallas away. When she sets Pallas on her feet, Pallas blinks blearily at the room. It looks familiar, like the room Athena had at her father's palace.

"Thene? Where are we?"

"Olympus. You can ask more questions in the morning, but you are dead on your feet, Pallas. You need to sleep. You can stay in this room with me, or you can take the other room. It won't take much effort to set up a sleeping space in there."

Pallas frowns. "Why would I sleep somewhere else?"

Athena hesitates. "You seemed a bit hesitant earlier, beyond the fact that you were using me as a pillow."

"Didn't want to push you. Know new body must be weird."

Athena laughs. "You're still you, Pallas. If you're staying in here, let's get you into the bed. Do you think you can walk?"

Pallas gives her a mock glare. "Of course I can walk."

"But can you walk well enough to get into the bed?"

With a grumble of dissent, Pallas stumbles her way over to the bed. Once she is there, she somehow finds herself unable to do anything more than stare at it. Why is it so high up? Is she short? Athena snorts from behind her and steps forward as if to help, but Pallas jumps, managing to pull herself over the lip of the bed. Wriggling, she scoots all the way into it and twists around to grin at Athena.

"Told you I could do it."

Athena gives her a soft smile. "Sleep. I'll come up soon."

Pallas doesn't want to go to sleep before Athena does, but she at least bundles herself beneath the blankets to make a cozy nest for herself. Despite her attempts at staying awake, she is exhausted and she slowly begins to drift off. Thankfully, before she can slip completely into sleep, the bed dips as Athena climbs up and settles close behind Pallas. That prompts Pallas to turn over and move closer to Athena, letting Athena wrap her arms around her in the same way they have always done when sleeping together. With a smile, Pallas lets herself drift the rest of the way into the darkness of sleep.
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Did you think this was how Pallas and Athena's relationship was, or were you expecting something different? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out