The first day passed surprisingly... well, not exactly quietly, but peacefully.
Once Percy realized he wasn't actually going to be banished to sleep outside with the mountain wolves, he settled in remarkably fast.
He had taken off his cloak and dumped his pack in a corner, instantly transforming from "Mysterious Shadow Ninja" into "Overly Enthusiastic Roommate."
They were sitting on the soft rugs in front of the pedestal, the glowing egg sitting safely between them like the centerpiece of the world.
"So," Percy said, leaning forward on his hands, staring at the egg with intense fascination. "We just... sit here? And watch it?"
"It's called nurturing, Percy," Theo corrected gently, not looking up from his book. "I provide warmth and care. It needs to get used to my presence."
"Right, right. Nurturing." Percy nodded solemnly. Then he reached out, his hand hovering closer and closer, tempted to poke it again.
"Ah-ah." Theo swatted his hand away gently but firmly.
"Ow! What?!"
"No touching," Theo said strictly. "Strict rules. Mom said I have to nurture it. It needs to bond with me specifically."
He looked at Percy seriously.
"I don't want it getting confused or attached to someone else. Imagine if it hatches and thinks you are its dad? I'm not raising a step-child that likes you more than me."
Percy blinked, then burst out laughing, clutching his chest.
"Oh my gods! Are you serious?! You're jealous of an unborn baby?!"
"I'm not jealous!" Theo blushed, looking away. "I'm just... being strategic! So hands off, Jackson! Keep your distance!"
"Fine, fine!" Percy raised his hands in surrender, grinning widely. "I won't touch it. I'll just look with my eyes. Promise."
As the sun began to set, casting long orange shadows inside, stomachs started to growl.
Theo opened his satchel and pulled out the supplies he had brought: a few pieces of biscuits, some snacks, and a couple of candies.
"Rations," he announced, dividing them up. "We have to make this last seven days. And there's a garden at the back with fruits if we get hungry."
Percy looked at the small pile of food. Then he looked at Theo. Small, young, only twelve years old, looking up at him with those calm eyes.
Percy's heart gave a little tug.
'Wait,' Percy thought, frowning slightly. 'This is it? This is all he brought? This is barely enough for one meal, let alone seven days. He's just a kid. He's still growing. He can't survive on just that for a whole week. He needs real food. He needs nutrients.'
He looked at Theo, who was already taking a small bite of biscuit like it was normal.
"Theo," Percy said softly, his voice serious. "This isn't enough. You're... well, you're you. You need to eat properly. We can't just live on plants and crumbs."
Theo shrugged casually.
"It's fine. It's what I have. Do not expect any extravagance," Theo said sternly. "You followed me here voluntarily. So don't complain to me about the menu."
Percy didn't argue. He just stood up, putting his cloak back on.
He wasn't annoyed. He just knew he had to do something.
'I'm not letting him starve or eat poorly,' Percy thought firmly. 'I'm gonna make sure he gets something good in his stomach.'
"Where are you going?" Theo asked, pausing as he saw Percy heading for the door.
Percy turned back and gave him a warm, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry," Percy said gently. "I'll be right back."
About an hour later, just as Theo was starting to wonder if he should go look for him, the heavy doors swung open again.
Percy walked in, looking slightly windswept but incredibly proud of himself, dragging a large, bulging paper bag and several boxes.
"Ta-da! I'm back!" Percy announced cheerfully, dropping the heavy load onto the floor with a satisfying thud.
Theo raised an eyebrow, putting his book down. "What is all this?"
"I came down the mountain with Blackjack," Percy explained eagerly, opening the bag to show the contents. "And I found a small town not too far away! I bought all this there! Look!"
He started pulling items out one by one, like he was presenting treasures.
"Biscuits, crackers, chips, chocolate bars, juice boxes... I even got some instant noodles and more bread!" Percy grinned widely, his eyes shining. "Isn't it awesome? Now we have enough snacks to last us a month! Aren't I awesome?"
He puffed out his chest, waiting for praise.
Theo looked at the mountain of food, then looked at Percy's proud, expectant face.
He felt a small, warm feeling spread through his chest. Percy had literally flown down a mountain just to buy him proper snacks because he was worried the rations weren't enough.
He let out a long breath, trying to hide his own smile by acting unimpressed.
"Yeah..." Theo muttered, looking away and picking up a packet of biscuits. "You're great."
Percy beamed, looking like he had just won the lottery. "Hehe! I knew you'd like it!"
After they had sorted out the food and their bellies were full, the mood settled down into something very comfortable.
The temple was quiet, only the sound of the water in the pool echoing softly.
They sat near the edge, legs dangling over the side, watching the ripples.
"You know," Percy said suddenly, his voice softer than usual, his shoulders looking lighter than they had in years. "It's kinda nice here. Really."
"How so?" Theo asked, munching on a biscuit.
Percy sighed, leaning back on his hands and looking up at the sky through the roof opening.
"Just... away from everything," he admitted quietly. "No monsters. No prophecies. No campers looking at me like I'm supposed to save the world again tomorrow. No one expecting me to be the big hero 24/7."
He chuckled lightly, but there was genuine relief in his voice.
"For a few days, I don't have to be Percy Jackson, the Hero of Olympus. I can just be... Percy. Just some guy sitting on a mountain with his friend. It's... relaxing."
Theo paused, looking at Percy, really seeing him for a moment. The weight that usually sat on Percy's shoulders seemed to have lifted here.
"Yeah," Theo whispered, a small smile touching his lips. "I get that. It's nice not to have expectations for a while."
"Hey Theo," Percy started, looking at him carefully. "I was wondering... about your family. I know your mom is... well, a goddess obviously. But what about your dad? Your mortal one?"
Theo went quiet for a moment. He stared into the water, his expression calm but distant.
"He died," Theo said simply, his voice steady. "A long time ago. I don't really remember him. As far back as I can remember, it was just me. No dad, no family name, nothing."
He shrugged slightly, as if it didn't matter, though there was a faint shadow in his eyes.
"So yeah, I'm just... Theo. No surname. Just Theo."
The silence stretched out for a moment. Percy looked at him, his heart giving a little painful twist.
He couldn't imagine growing up like that, having nothing and no one. It made him want to protect Theo even more.
It made him want to wrap Theo up and never let him go.
He thought about his own mom, about Paul, about Grover and Annabeth... he had so much love, and here was Theo, acting like being alone was normal.
Then, a slow, warm grin spread across Percy's face.
"Well," Percy drawled, leaning closer and bumping shoulders with him gently. "That's easy to fix, you know."
Theo turned his head. "Fix what?"
"Your name situation," Percy said, grinning broadly, though his eyes held a deep, serious intensity that Theo didn't catch in the dim light. "If you don't have a last name... just take mine."
Theo blinked. "Huh?"
"Jackson," Percy said proudly, puffing out his chest slightly. "Theo Jackson. Has a nice ring to it, right? Sounds official."
He laughed it off, waving his hand casually to make it sound like a joke, scratching the back of his neck nervously, trying to hide how much he meant it.
"Think about it," Percy whispered. "Then we can be brothers officially. For real. You'd have a family name. You'd have... well, you'd have me. And my mom. And Paul. Everyone."
'Me? Having the same surname as him? The main character? The Hero of Olympus?'
Theo's heart gave a strange, tight squeeze. It sounded nice. Too nice.
'No way,' he thought firmly, looking away to hide his expression. 'It's not a beginner-friendly surname... and... I don't deserve it. I'm not part of this world. I'm just... me.'
Theo just snorted, shaking his head and looking away with an amused smile, completely believing Percy was just fooling around.
"Nice try," Theo said lightly, dismissing the idea immediately. "Don't try to adopt me, Seaweed Brain. I'm not becoming your little brother just like that."
He chuckled.
"Besides, 'Theo Just Theo' sounds cooler and more mysterious anyway. I'm keeping it."
Percy's smile didn't fade, but something in his chest sank just a little. He saw the way Theo laughed, completely convinced it was just a silly joke.
He didn't know that the idea had already taken root deep inside Percy's mind, growing stronger every day.
"Okay, okay," Percy sighed, hiding his true feelings behind a grin. "Suit yourself. But hey, the offer stands forever! Just so you know! It's always open!"
"Yeah, yeah," Theo muttered, rolling his eyes but smiling.
Night fell completely, and the temple was illuminated only by the soft, pearlescent glow coming from the Egg.
It was magical. The light pulsed gently, like a lullaby.
They had dragged over more cushions and blankets, creating a cozy nest right next to the pedestal.
Theo was lying on his back, staring up at the stars visible through the opening in the roof.
Percy was lying on his side, propped up on one arm, watching the egg with intense focus, keeping his hands firmly to himself like he promised.
"So," Percy whispered, as if speaking too loudly would wake it up. "Seven days, huh? It's gonna hatch on the last day?"
"Yeah," Theo nodded sleepily. "Mom said seven days and seven nights. So we just have to wait."
"Okay," Percy hummed thoughtfully. "Then we wait, whatever it is, it's gonna be awesome. Because it's yours."
He reached out again, this time just resting his hand near the shell, not touching it.
"Hey little guy," Percy whispered to the egg. "Just so you know, your dad... I mean, your master... he's kinda clumsy and he trips a lot, so when you hatch, you gotta promise to catch him if he falls, okay? And don't let him wander off cliffs. And make sure he eats his vegetables."
Theo threw a pillow at Percy's face.
"Will you shut up?!" Theo hissed, trying not to laugh. "You're corrupting the baby before it's even born!"
"I'm giving it vital life lessons!" Percy defended himself and shifted closer, just enough so they were sharing warmth, but not touching the egg.
They fell into a comfortable silence again, the warmth of the egg and the warmth of each other's company wrapping around them.
Theo felt his eyelids getting heavy. The day had been long, and the atmosphere was so peaceful it was like a sedative.
He shifted slightly, turning onto his side, facing away from Percy but still close enough to feel the body heat.
"Hey Percy?" Theo mumbled sleepily.
"Mmm?"
"Thanks... for coming," Theo whispered so quietly he thought Percy might not hear it. "Even though you're annoying and you ruined my alone time... I'm... glad you're here."
There was a pause. Then he felt a gentle weight as Percy pulled the blanket up higher over both of their shoulders.
"Anytime, Theo," Percy whispered back, his voice thick with affection and sleepiness. "I'm always gonna be here."
Theo smiled softly, his breathing evening out.
And just like that, sleep took them both.
The Egg glowed brighter for a moment, as if smiling too, bathing the two boys in its gentle, protective light, keeping them safe for the night.