Summary: Athena descends to the mortal realm disguised as a scholar, teaming up with Percy Jackson to recover a lost artifact. Struggling with forbidden emotions, she navigates the tension between her divine duty and unexpected affection for a demigod.
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Snow fell almost soundlessly around Camp Half-Blood, coating the ground with a quiet white thickening. Percy Jackson made his way through well-trodden paths, his clouded breath swirling in the chilly air toward the Big House. Winter holidays made life easy for the camp when much of it fell quiet, but there was a comfort for Percy in the familiar atmosphere. Annabeth was down in Boston with her family, while Percy had obtained a rare eve of being alone—the young lad was never bored for the simple reason that trouble was always at hand, in the very name of one or the other.
Up on Olympus, Athena, for the next few centuries, presided; she had told herself a thousand times over that such interests did merely belong to the domain of her "duty," where she must observe the affairs of demigods. But it did not matter how many whirlwinds of logic flared; she still could not help stealing glances at Percy. Not that it was his strength, which was indeed formidable; indeed, there were several heroes. It was, one could say, his allegiance, his strategic brilliance beneath the veneer of impulsiveness, and, of course, the way he sparkled up the lives of everyone around him.
She hated him, really liked him, with a passion. He was, after all, a son of Poseidon. And even worse, he was irrevocably attached to her daughter. However, it could be said, these feelings had taken root and were something she could scarcely shake off.
Finally, Athena decided to act rather irrationally after ages and—not without a few seconds of wondering—fleshed herself on the mortal realm on the very day of dawn as a scholar. While the plan was fully forming in her mind, she approached Percy as he was training in the arena the next morning.
Percy mopped away the sweat off his forehead and lowered Riptide. Now he saw a woman standing on the very outskirts of the obstacle course. Gray-eyed and very authoritative, she immediately reminded Percy of Annabeth's mother. This couldn't possibly be Athena, could it?
"Percy Jackson?" she asked. She was strong, calm, and oddly familiar. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, that's me. Can I help you?" was his answer, undecided as to whether it was flattery or suspicion.
"I am Dr. Althea Gray," she introduced herself, the name a subtle play on her real identity. "I am investigating an ancient artifact that may hold much value to Olympus. Chiron suggested you might help me."
Percy blinked. "Me? Really? I'm much more a swing-a-sword kind of guy than a research person. Annabeth, she's the one—"
"Miss Chase has an appointment," Athena pointed out, sharper than she'd meant. "And by the looks of it, you have a knack for solving problems when they count."
Percy shrugged because he could not dispute that. "All right. What's the artifact?"
Over the next few days, Percy and Athena worked hand in hand to track down the artifact—a lost shield thought to be imbued with the wisdom of an ancient Oracle. Athena found herself staring at Percy in a manner that was perhaps a little intense. He was the type who would guard those around him without a second thought, which was sort of attractive if she were to think of it. There was also his way of making light of a bad situation. So irritatingly sweet.
To Percy, "Dr. Gray" was like a puzzle. Was she smart? Who's to say? There was just something about her attitude that reminded him so much of Annabeth. Coincidental, he thought, and he turned to his work.
It was at an abandoned temple that the duo found the shield. The firm determination in Percy and the fact he did not back down wowed Athena. As she returned to Camp Half-Blood, she was sure that her time in this particular guise was almost over.
That night, Athena stood at the edge of the camp's forest, her disguise fading as she contemplated her flight back to Olympus. Percy waved to her, falling for her normal crooked smile and totally unaware of who she was. The ache in her chest came as a surprise.
Once back within Olympus, Athena retreated to her temple. She sat in silence, the shield they recovered now standing wider in view as a mark of their time. Just once did she allow herself an escape of sadness as she reflected that feelings for Percy always remained inside, unspoken. Better this way.
Even gods, it seemed, were not protected from the complexities of love.
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Author's Note: Just a fic I felt like writing. Hope you enjoy. Tell me in the comments whether you guys would like me to write more one shots like this.