Chapter 6: Percy Pushes the Limits

I just want to let you know that I have permission from the author LostHeroGuide

go check out the story on

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11493775/1/Heroes-and-Ghosts

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Clint:

Clint was used to the pipes being uncooperative in the mornings at Homestead. It usually meant that the first person showering got a weird combination of cold, then hot, then cold again water. Clint would always 'take one for the team' and take the first shower everyday.

Then Percy showed up. He was awake earlier than Clint which didn't always seem healthy. Clint suspected that Percy had a lot of sleepless nights. He walked in a few times on Percy sipping hot chocolate in the kitchen, a trick Clint had taught him that had helped him with nightmares.

Percy took the shower (it was hilarious the first time) and then decided he'd do it every morning. Clint insisted that he didn't have to, but Percy was adamant. He didn't understand why, but Percy seemed... Disappointed about exiting the shower shivering every morning. He always looked down about it, like the water had disappointed him.

It had only been a few weeks since Nathaniel had been born and Clint knew something was off about Percy since that had happened. At first Clint was under the impression that Percy was worried about getting cut out, but then he decided that wasn't it. Percy just didn't seem confident about anything.

While Percy and Clint were chopping wood, it would usually be lively. They had a game where they would try and make each other laugh hard enough that they had to stop working to catch their breaths. Percy used to describe monsters with the strangest personalities. Now, he was quiet.

"Percy are you okay?" Clint suddenly blurted, touching Percy's shoulder and stopping the rhythmic sound of axe hitting wood. Percy seemed to be startled out of his cutting, turning to Clint. He repeated what he said. Percy just shrugged.

"Couldn't really say, I guess." He muttered, then started to cut the wood again, gaining a louder CLACK with each hit than before. Clint noticed.

"Really, what's up?" He asked, slightly unnerved that Percy could cut the wood perfectly in half while looking at Clint. Another hit. He split the log in half in one stroke.

"I guess I'm just a little... Depressed." He admitted. He was about to cut into another piece of wood, but Clint took his axe and set it aside. This seemed like a talk that he didn't want Percy armed for.

"Why are you depressed?" He asked. Percy sealed his lips tight, and Clint could tell he was going to shut down. "Percy." He said. Maybe it was the tone of his voice, because Percy seemed to be paying extra attention to Clint's next words. "You can trust me."

Percy was quiet for a long time, and Clint had no clue what he could be thinking about. He didn't know anything about Percy's past besides what was on a file. He didn't know about the monsters and magic and other things that Clint wasn't trained for.

He didn't know how hard it would be for Percy to trust again.

But Clint had been there for Percy. And even more so, for Hope. This wasn't the first time Percy had moped about his circumstances, but it was the first time he'd voiced it. Clint had still been there each time.

So... Maybe it was time to trust again.

"Before... Everything happened, I- I was popular. And I was strong. Really, really strong." He explained.

Clint's brow furrowed. "And... Do you miss that power? The popularity?"

Percy screwed his face into a sour expression. "No. I didn't always want to be, but no one really wanted to step up... I broke under the pressure. And when I did, they treated me like damaged goods."

"Do you regret that you cracked? Is that it?"

Percy shook his head. "No, I regret... I regret that when I did, I wasn't strong enough."

Clint didn't understand why this was being said now, but decided that he must need someone to talk to. He could do that. "What do you mean by strong?"

Percy paused. How could he explain it? 'Oh, I controlled water at one point. No biggie'? "I used to be able to do things. Things people appreciated and enjoyed. Suddenly, I just wasn't able to do those things anymore. It's not like it was a big deal, I mean I was fine without them, but then I saw something." He hesitated again.

"What did you see?" Clint inquired.

"I saw someone in need. Someone, that if I was still able to do what I could before, I could've helped." He explained guiltily. "And even though I tried my hardest, I couldn't do what I could before." He finished.

Clint sat in silence for a while, trying to relate. What if he couldn't use his bow anymore? To help his family in need, or to kill someone about to stab Nat? He shivered at the thought, even in the summer weather. Finally, he spoke. "Well, I guess I'd never stop trying. I'd never give up. I'd... I'd tell myself 'you can't give up yet, there's work to be done'." he said.

"But what if that doesn't work?" Percy asked miserably. Clint frowned. What could he say?

"Well... You make it work, I guess. I mean..." He had a sudden idea. He took a rag out of his back pocket. "Percy, try and stretch your arm behind you as far as possible." He asked. Percy looked confused but did it anyway. Clint nodded, then handed him the rag.

"Cover your eyes and do it again." He instructed. Percy did as he was told, and Clint saw that Percy had moved his hand at least four extra inches further. He took of the blindfold and showed him the result. Percy was surprised.

"You see, you're only limited by the limits you set for yourself. Sure, you cracked under the pressure before, but that's because you had reached a limit. One you set for yourself out of doubt and confusion and anger." He explained. Percy was listening intently, hanging on every word.

"But those limits, they're just a barrier that you can break through. Percy, you can do what you could before. You are strong enough. You just need to stop thinking how far you think you can go and just keep moving instead. And when you do... Percy, you can do anything you set your mind to." He said, putting an arm around the young man.

Percy didn't shrug it off like he might've an hour before. Clint's words reminded Percy of Chiron. And like all of Chiron's teachings, this one... This one was true.

This time when they were cutting wood, Percy couldn't stop smiling, and Clint found himself feeling proud about that.

...

That night, Percy made the decision he hadn't been able to before. He set two extra places at the table for himself and Hope. Clint was ecstatic about it. Laura was happy to find that Percy had cooked something new, and even if it was a bit on the salty side, it was good.

And then, exactly two weeks after his pep talk with Percy, Clint noticed that Percy wasn't shivering in the early morning like he used to. The next day, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw that when Percy exited the bathroom that morning, steam followed him. Somehow, the piping had fixed itself. A hot shower in the morning.

And when Clint mentioned it, Percy seemed to glow with pride. All because of a warm shower.

Clint found himself smiling as well.

Hey guys! Thought about stopping there, but then I decided that Laura's perspective would be good to use, not to mention this is a filler, and you wouldn't want such a short chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Laura:

She never knew what Percy was actually talking about.

She had just put down Hope after Nathaniel had finally calmed down. Her lack of sleep was getting to her, and sadly she would probably be awake sometime later to change Nathan. His sleep pattern was anything but organized.

She was just about to wish Lila and Cooper goodnight, but when she checked Lila's room it was empty. Fear squeezed her heart for a second, but it soon past when she heard the hushed giggling from Cooper's room. She put her ear to the door.

"-just so many! How do you remember them all?" Cooper asked. Lila was still caught in a fit of giggling. Laura smiled, but kept listening.

"I had a friend who told me all about them." Percy said. Suddenly his voice zoned out. "She really loved explaining them, telling me what they meant..." He said, then coughed in obvious embarrassment. Laura, however, hung onto this moment. Percy dropped hints all the time about a mystery girl, and she enjoyed seeing the light in his eyes as he spoke about her. "Anyways, I thought you might like to hear a bit about them."

"We did." Both the kids said, and Laura could tell they were both nodding their heads vigorously. "What I don't understand is why Theseus left that girl all alone on that island." Lila said in confusion.

"Yeah. And why did that guy die just because he got shot in the foot? Why wasn't he wearing shoes?" Cooper asked. With a frown Laura realized that these were Greek myths. Stories she barely remembered from her childhood. And, being the concerned parent, she wasn't sure she wanted her kids to know about tragedy just yet.

"Gee, guys. I don't know. Some people just do dumb things." Percy said.

"Still doesn't make any sense. Why are they always so sad?" Cooper asked.

"Because... Because sometimes we have to feel sad. Just like how sometimes we make mistakes. The important thing is, we should remember the good they did and question why they did bad things later." Percy said. Laura, still behind the door, couldn't understand how he seemed so knowledgeable about this kind of stuff.

The kids all began asking if he had anymore stories to tell, begging for one more. Percy replied that, no, he didn't have anymore to tell. (Which Laura hoped was a ruse so he would stay away from the more... Uncensored stories).

"It's getting late guys. Time for bed." Percy said. But Lila wouldn't have any of it.

"There has to be more! Please, just one more!" She pleaded.

"Guys, that's all I know." He said.

Then Cooper put in his two cents. "Why don't you make one up?"

Silence.

Laura didn't understand why she was holding her breath, but she was. The atmosphere seemed to have dulled, and she wondered if she should walk in. Before her mind was made up, Percy spoke again.

"I can do that."

The kids cheered and the mood lifted. Laura blinked, realizing that she was still outside the door. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then began to walk away. Percy would get them to bed.

"It all started at the history museum in New York..."