Behind the Shadows

Percy stabs his pasta with a spoon. His knife lies forgotten beside his plate. Sapphire watches his attempts to pick up the slippy pasta with the spoon. Olivia smirks and waves her fork at him which is carrying multiple pieces of pasta. Percy grunts and his spoon clatters on his plate making Sapphire jump. She glares at Percy while she rubs the goosebumps off her arm. The dinner table is small with only enough room to sit four people. Sally sits across from Sapphire. Her eyes remain glued to her plate while she munches away. Sapphire polishes off her plate and lays her fork down. In a flash her fork disappears. She looks up and sees Percy now happily picking up pasta with a fork. Olivia cringes but remains silent. Sapphire take matters into her own hands.
"I have germs" She says. Olivia makes a fake gagging noise. It reminds Sapphire of her a little girl. She would always be disgusted whenever Luke offered his half eaten lollipop or a drink from his juice carton. Percy smirks and slowly picks up more pasta and shoves it in to his mouth. The fork remains in his mouth for a while before he takes it out and offers it back to Sapphire. She rubs her temples defeated. Why were boys so gross at times. Correction, why are brothers so gross. She knew this feeling to well from having to deal with a young Luke for too many years. "It's your death"
Percy pauses and looks at Sapphire. Olivia hums to herself and Sally now watches Sapphire and Percy with curious eyes. Sapphire fakes a cough and places the back of her hand on her forehead. She brings it away and waves it about as though it burns. Percy does not fall for it and chugs down his drink.
"You are so funny Sapphire. I even forgot to laugh" Percy states. Sapphire freezes and her eyes glare at Percy. His sarcastic comment had beaten her joke. Had she finally met her competition? Percy grins at her and Sapphire throws her twin a mirrored grin. Olivia bursts out laughing and she struggles to control it.
"That was a good one Percy!" She squawks through her outburst. Sapphire watches Olivia laughing with a fond smile. Percy grins at the little girl. Olivia stops smiling and stares at the twins. "wait are you two related?" Sally is now looking at Olivia. Percy shrugs then nods his head.
"Is it that obvious?" Sapphire asks. Olivia studies the pair like a textbook. She grins and nods her head.
"Yup. Same hair, same eyes and smile. You even act the same" Olivia scrunches her eyes like she is trying to read both Sapphire and Percy's mind. "Sapphire is more cool though". Sapphire raises her cup to Percy with a winning smile. Percy's mouth hangs open.
"I saved Olympus!" Percy slams his hand on the table for dramatic affect. Sapphire chokes on her drink. Olivia looks confused.
"Whats Olympus?" She sounds very lost now. A frown creases her face. She looks around as though she think she has been mislead on a joke. She hasn't. Percy has saved Olympus and no doubt will accomplish more in future years in camp.
"My dog" Sapphire rushes in to save Percy's from his mistake. "Percy saved my dog Olympus from.. eh.. being eaten from the neighbours cat". Olivia seems to accept that answer and her attention goes back to her food. Sapphire sends a warning glare to Percy.
"Cake anyone?" Sally finally speaks up. She had been silent and watching for the whole meal. Percy and Olivia nod their heads.
"Is it blue?" Sapphire asks. Percy laughs and Sally looks surprised.
"Ignore her, she is just jealous from watching me eat a mountain of blue cake at camp" Percy chirps. Sally smiles sweetly. "her cake eating problem is far worse than mine"
"I prefer chocolate cake" Olivia mutters as she hands her empty plate to Sally. Sapphire gags. She hated chocolate cake.
"I like cream sponge" Sapphire says and smiles fondly "My ma used to make the best..." Sapphire pauses when she notices Sally's expression. Sally was her birth mother and her childhood mom had been nothing but a lie that the gods had thrown at her. Actually she had been thrown at them. She had been left on their doorstep only a few days old. Apollo had assured her that her adoptive parents had already known and agreed to keep her.
"Don't you still make it?" Olivia asks Sally. Sapphire Searches for the nearest exit.
"Sapphire life is complicated. I didn't raise her" Sally's voice is cracked. The room falls silent and Sally leaves the room for the cake. Olivia's face is pale as she looks at Sapphire with sad eyes.
"I'm adopted too" Olivia spills. "I lied about my parents. I have never met my father and my adoptive mom works full time in different countries so I never see her" Sapphire takes in this new information with difficulty.
"Who looks after you?" Percy asks. Sapphire remains silent as she stares at the girl.
"The housekeeper. He is cool" Olivia shrugs as though its all okay. "His name is Hermes". Percy nearly falls out of his seat. Sapphire leans closer.
"Hermes? your housekeeper is Hermes?" Sapphire splutters. Olivia grins and nods. A plate full of cake lands on the table. Its blue. Sapphires fists clench under the table. If this was actually the god Hermes then Sapphire was going to kick his butt. He could find time to be some random families housekeeper but couldn't spare a moment to talk to Luke. Hermes could of prevented all of this mess to do with Luke hating the gods if he had just spared a moment to talk to him and change his view's. Luke may of been righ this whole time about the gods. They really didn't care at all about their kids. Luke was wrong about the demi gods over throwing them though. That was impossible and unneeded.
Percy kicks Sapphire under the table. Her thoughts clears and she finds everyone staring at her. She rubs her head and focuses on Olivia. "Why did you run away then?" She asks.
"Hermes said he was going to send me off to some camp" Olivia grumbles. Sapphire gasps. She had been correct the whole time. Olivia was in fact a demigod. "Camps don't have any chocolate"
Percy snorts.
"Camp is fun" Sapphire reassures her. "The camp I go to is like a home to me" Olivia frowns and stares at Sapphire while munching on her cake. Percy nods in agreement.
"I want to go to camp if you are there". Sapphire and Olivia beam at each other. "Will you be there too, Percy?"
"I might be" Percy mutters with his mouth full of cake. Sapphire cringes at him. "Don't judge, sunny"
"Sunny?" Sapphire quizzes. Percy shrugs and shoves more cake in to his mouth.
"I'm seaweed brain and you are sunny".
"Uh huh. You make no sense". Sapphire takes a slice of cake and glares at Percy while she eats it. "Your girlfriend only calls you that" Percy drops his spoon.
"Annabeth is not my girlfriend!"
"Who is Annabeth?" Sally asks. Sapphire grins at Percy. He gives her a warning look but she ignores it.
"She is Percys.."
"Friend!" Percy grumbles. Olivia watches with an amused look on her face.
"Oh. So the pet names are just on friendly terms?" Sapphire asks. Percy glares at her.
"If seaweed brain is pet name between Annabeth and I then what is Saphy bear between you and Luke?" Percy asks sounding proud of himself. Sapphire is silent. "And what is gear box between you and Jake?" Percy was winning and Sapphire's silence was making it worse. Sally look slightly shocked. "And then there is also Clarisse".
"That was a joke!" Sapphire splutters.
"So Jake and Luke are serious?" Sapphire searches her mind for a comeback but come up blank. Percy had won this one.
"You have two boyfriends?" Sally asks. Percy bursts out laughing.
"They are my best friends, nothing romantic" Sapphire clears the air. Sally nods and looks slightly relieved. Sapphire takes a deep breath to calm herself. She takes another slice of cake and kicks Percy under the table. He was going to pay for this.

Notes