Percy Jackson : Gods Annihilation

He was tempted to ask how she felt about the whole ordeal, but wasn't sure how to really bring it up, so he let it be and refocused on the ice.

"Yes, it is. You'll have some of my abilities now." Offering the block to her, he added, "So, want to give it a try?"

...

The godling looked between him and the block several times as she chewed on her lower lip, a slight fang peeking through making him almost chuckle. 'She's got plenty of similarities to Raven right there too. I almost can't wait for them to meet. She's going to love her, I just know it,' he mused, all the while patiently waiting for Cloelia to make a choice.

"Okay…" she answered as she shuffled a little closer and sat right beside him.

"Alright then, first hold your hands out," he instructed, waiting as she followed his instruction.

He smoothly transitioned the block onto her smaller hands, smiling as she gasped a little at the could touch but she didn't pull away. Now firmly in her hands, he watched her get a feel for the block and observed just how she was interacting with it on a deeper level. That block was cold enough to make most mortals uncomfortable with touching it, but he could tell Cloelia wasn't bothered.

Whether she realized it or not, she'd started radiating a sort of cold of her own around her hands to match the block, her fingers gliding over the smooth surface as she tested it. Seeing that, he couldn't help but focus on her right hand and the unique coloration it now had after her experience channeling his power without a blessing or anything else to protect her from the effects. The almost marble-white appendage gained a more blueish hue as her power went through it and from what he could fell, the cold part of her power she now inherited form him flowed much easier through that limb.

"Feel comfortable with it?" he asked, getting a small nod from the godling whose attention was thoroughly on the block now. "Good. Now, can you feel your power at your fingertips?"

"A little," she answered, finally looking to him after staring at said fingers of a good minute.

"That fine, this is just a start. Now, with that power, imagine the ice moving like clay or maybe wet sand wherever you're touching it," he instructed, conjuring another block in his hands and making his own fingers glow with cold power as he did just that.

She watched him for a minute or so as he simply pressed and slightly shaped the ice in his grip before she looked at her own block. The glow of her fingers intensified slightly as she started to press them against the block. It took a moment or two but soon enough, the ice started to shift and give where she touched it.

"I did it!" she cried excitedly, the last of her hesitation melting away as she looked at him.

"Great! Then keep doing that until you barely have to think about it," he continued, already feeling a swelling of pride as he watched her start to really play with the block.

Minute by minute, her control was getting better as the block responded like warm clay would rather than the choppy, shifting mass it started at. By now Cloelia was thoroughly engrossed in the endeavor, her face scrunched in concentration. Between the look in her eyes and the way her little fang poked out, Percy almost couldn't resist the cuteness.

He'd already dismissed the block he'd been working on in favor of simply watching her. After a while though, he felt she had enough of an idea of what to do so he spoke up.

"Okay, now you can try and shape it into something specific."

Cloelia glanced at him for a moment at the new instruction before she gave a slight nod as she refocused on the mass of ice in hand. However, it seemed that she wasn't going to have such an easy time at the task as whenever she focused on one specific section, another part in her hands would shift and move. At the fifteen-minute mark a slight whine escaped her as she tried to rotate the ice in hand to focus on what looked like the head of whatever she was making.

Only, she ended up twisting the whole mass accidentally, just about undoing all the progress she'd been making. Her cheeks were starting to puff up as she tried again but the more upset she got, the quicker her mistakes came. Coincidently, Percy felt the slightest flaring of heat now coming from her. He also noted it was predominantly on her left side and the glow of her fingers to that side were now glowing orange, a slight hiss coming from the ice at the points of contact.

It was only his power still suffusing the block that prevented any melting.

"Alright, I think you can take a break now," he said as he put his hands over hers and gently took the icy lump.

"… Almost had it," she mumbled with a pouty frown as she looked at the ice as it returned to a pristine block in his hands now.

"And you'll do even better next time," he returned encouragingly as he set the block beside the two statues.

"So you'll visit again?" Cloelia asked, the hopeful look in her eyes not lost on him.

"Of course I will," he answered with a warm smile at her as he gently rested his hand on her head, ruffling the dark wavy hair that looked so much like his.

She blushed a cute pink but didn't try to escape the touch. If anything, she was somewhat leaning into it. For a second though, his eyes fell on the little tuff of strawberry blonde hair mixed into her bangs. 'It's at the same spot Annabeth and I both got grey hairs from holding up the sky.' He almost sighed at the memory, all the while wondering if maybe Phoebe had pulled one on him. Otherwise, his life really was full of too many coincidences even when deities of Fate weren't messing with him.

However, he was pulled from those thoughts as he noticed the barrier Hestia had up falling, the three goddesses approaching them.

Hestia looked as unruffled as when he'd arrived while Rhea looked just a little sweaty but otherwise fine too. Athena on the other had looked like she'd been a lion's chew toy, and to be fair, she kind of was. Her top was just about gone, exposing the sports bra under neath. Her hair was out of the ponytail and he was pretty sure she had a slight limp while favoring her left leg. That and she was caked in ash and sweat, her breathing still heavy even as he noted the satisfaction in her eyes.

Nothing quite like a good workout and spar, even if you do look like you'd been mugged by the end of it.

Smiling at all three, Percy was quick to stand up and was about to give Hestia the kind of greeting she clearly wanted but paused as he noticed Cloelia ducking behind him. Glancing down at his daughter, he noticed she was giving shy look to Rhea from behind his leg. 'Right, she hasn't been introduced to Rhea yet. Well, that can be fixed,' he mused, his hand coming down to rest comfortingly on Cloelia's head as she looked up at him.

"Hey, no need to be shy. This is Rhea, my wife," he introduced as he gestured to said wife who preened at the way he referred to her.

She was always partial to that and loved it when he indulged her like that. Still, seeing as how Cloelia was now looking at her, Percy leaned down and picked her up, getting a slight squeak from the child. It didn't take long for her to adjust though, now clinging to him but not as tense as she'd been a moment before. See her relax somewhat, he stepped a little closer to Rhea but still left some space.

"Hello there Cloelia, it's nice to finally meet you," she greeted with her warmest smile, one hand extended to see if Cloelia would take it.

The godling glanced between the hand and Rhea's face several times before slowly reaching out and grasping her fingers.

"Hi," Cloelia greeted, almost as softly as she had Percy initially.

Rhea simply gave an encouraging smile as she gently shook the hand before letting go, Cloelia returning to leaning against Percy's chest, her head tucked under his chin. An amused chuckle rumbled through his chest as he shared a look with the three goddesses. After a moment though, Athena glanced down and noticed for the first time the statues Percy had made.

"Oh, what are these?" she asked as she picked up the wolf one, inspecting it with an appraising eye.

"One of Percy's ice sculptures. He makes them to practice his ice control," Rhea answered as she leaned down and picked up the plushie replica and the actual toy, looking between the two approvingly.

"They don't melt unless you use powerful flames or divine power on them, so we have a nice collection of them," Hestia supplied only for Rhea to smirk in her direction.

"Don't you mean you have a nice collection of them?" the lioness teased, getting a slight blush from the draconic one. Leaning closer to Athena and stage whispering, "And she says her link to dragons isn't that big a deal."

Percy chuckled as Hestia huffed but it did nothing for her blush, especially with Athena adding her own playful grin.

"Alright fine, so I like collecting them, sue me," Hestia admitted, quickly snatching the wolf statue right out of Athena's hands. The goddess looked like she was about to protest but Hestia cut it off with a pointed sniff, "Now, are we going to stand here all day or are you finally going to take a bath?"

Now the attention was on Athena and Rhea wasn't one to miss an opportunity to tease.

"You are a little ripe at the moment." She even waved a hand in front of her nose.

If it weren't for the ash and dirt, Percy was pretty sure they'd have a good view of the blush Athena sported at that. With as much dignity as a goddess could maintain while powerwalking, Athena swiftly made for the cabin to get cleaned up, Rhea and Hestia sharing a giggle.

...

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