someone to call mine (pjo various x reader)

we found ares exactly where we left him: leaning against his motorcycle outside the diner, looking way too pleased with himself.

he turned as we approached, taking one look at the shield slung over percy's back and smirking.

"well, well," ares said. "look who didn't die."

percy didn't respond right away. he just walked up and let the shield drop at ares's feet with a loud clang. dust puffed up around it.

"you didn't say anything about the tunnel being full of monsters," percy said, voice flat.

ares shrugged like he was talking about the weather. "i figured you could handle it. guess i was right."

i stayed close behind percy, every nerve in my body buzzing like static. being near ares felt like standing too close to a bonfire—bright, dangerous, and all-consuming. his presence made my skin crawl in the worst way.

"we held up our end of the deal," annabeth cut in, arms crossed. "now it's your turn."

ares's eyes flicked over to her, then to me, lingering a second longer than necessary. "easy there, princess. no need to get snippy." he looked back at percy. "a deal's a deal. your mom's safe. for now."

i didn't miss the way percy's fists clenched. he was trying so hard to stay calm, but ares knew exactly how to push buttons.

"you enjoy sending kids to their deaths?" i asked before i could stop myself.

ares turned to me, the smirk dropping just a fraction. "you got guts, sweetheart. i'll give you that."

annabeth gave me a sharp look, silently warning me not to antagonize him. but i couldn't help it. everything about him set my teeth on edge.

ares picked up the shield with one hand and slung it over his shoulder. "you did your job. now i'm out. but don't get too comfy. the worst is still coming."

he straddled his motorcycle, revving the engine loud enough to rattle my bones. just before he sped off, he pointed two fingers at us like a mock salute.

"see you around, demigods."

and with that, he tore off down the highway, the smell of smoke and leather lingering in the air long after he disappeared.

"i hate that guy," i muttered.

"join the club," annabeth said.

percy just stared down the road, his jaw tight. "he knows more than he's letting on."

i nodded, heart still pounding. "we need to be ready. whatever's coming... it's big."

and deep down, i had a feeling ares had just played us like pieces on a chessboard—and the real game hadn't even started yet.

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there are a lot of things i expected when i got isekai'd into the percy jackson universe: monsters, prophecies, maybe some tragic romance. what i didn't expect? spending several hours in a smelly truck with caged animals and percy complaining about how un-fugitive-chic this whole thing was.

"i swear, if we ever survive this quest," percy muttered from beside me, "i'm starting a petition to ban cross-country road trips via illegal zoo truck."

"put me down for two signatures," grover said, nose twitching as he sniffed sadly at a caged lion. "these poor animals..."

the air smelled like hay, sweat, and injustice. i knelt beside a zebra who looked like it was this close to giving up on the world.