[center][color=0076a3][h2][color=lightsteelblue]PERCY[/color][/h2][/color][b]MESS HALL/BARRACKS, NEW ANCHORAGE[/b][/center]
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Percy’s jaw hurt from having his teeth clenched so tightly. This whole day has just thoroughly [i]fucked[/i] with his head. First it was that stupid fucking table, then it was Graham using his wife like that’s going to affect him, then it was seeing Agatha and Stein [i]conquer[/i] the test he thought impossible, then finally it was this blonde prick in his stupid suit. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take in a day. He was so close to snapping at the next person that spoke to him. So. [i]Very[/i]. Close. 

But he couldn’t. He’s better than that. He’s not an emotional [i]coward[/i] like everyone is trying to paint him as. He’s not the one that’s poking and prodding at the guy with the kid, everyone else is. And he's the one being prodded and poked at! He didn’t [i]need [/i]five different people telling him he was an absolute wuss of a man, a fuck-up of a father, and an inadequate husband, but he [i]sure[/i] got it today! He didn’t need [i]ANYONE[/i] else to tell him just how [i]AWFUL[/i] he was, cause he’s been doing it all by himself. He didn't need the fucking help.

[color=violet]“Are you mad?”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“What d’you [i]think?[/i]”[/color] Percy hissed through grit teeth. It took him a moment to realize what he just said, and to who. 

[color=violet]“I’d be mad too,”[/color] Ana replied, not seeming to care about her father’s tone of voice. Percy knew better, though - she was speaking in the tone of voice she’d use if she was getting scolded, almost like she’s asking a question more than stating something.

Percy exhaled, trying to get his nervous energy [i]out[/i] so he can speak properly and not sound like he’s going to murder his own child. [color=lightsteelblue]”Are you done eating?”[/color] 

Ana nodded, sliding her tray over to Percy’s. The pilot stacked the two used trays on the counter where they could be picked up to be cleaned, then walked with his child back to their shared room, Percy unlocking the door with a simple tap-tap-flick on his datatool. Ana walked in first and hopped onto the bed, turning to face her father, [color=violet]“Hey, Dad, will y-”[/color]

He was sat down in the floor, knees up to his chest, shoulders shaking from what Ana assumed to be him sobbing.

[color=violet]“D.. Dad? Dad, what ha- You were fine just a second ago!”[/color] Ana shot back up to run over to her father. She’s only seen him like this a couple times, but it wasn’t [i]this[/i] bad. [color=violet]“W-what-”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“I-I’m fine, Ana, I-I’m.. I’m f-fine!”[/color] Percy managed to choke, forcing himself to smile. Ana wasn’t stupid, though - she could easily see through it. Her dad was never that good at hiding it. Not to her, at least. Plus, he still had tears going down his face - kinda hard to fake happiness when you’re sobbing like that.

[color=violet]“I wanna help, Dad.”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Ana, n-no, you can’t-”[/color]

[color=violet]“Is it cause today’s just been awful? I mean, I’d totally agree. Graham was being mean, and then Mr. Kalfox was a dick, then-”[/color]

Percy snorted, his sobbing turning into a little fit of giggles before he said, his voice still husky, [color=violet]“You c-can’t say that, Ana.”[/color]

[color=violet]“Well he [i]is.[/i] Graham’s a dick, Ingram’s a dick - a lot of people here are all [i]dicks![/i]”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Ana!”[/color] Percy had a genuine smile on his face now, but he had a little bit of that look he’d get whenever she was pushing her luck.

Ana laughed with her father for a minute before sitting down with him. [color=violet]“Are you done being sad yet?”[/color] she asked, looking up at her dad’s face.

The pilot sighed, [color=lightsteelblue]“Sorta? I dunno…”[/color] Percy wiped his face, inhaling shakily before he continued, [color=lightsteelblue]“I told you not to worry about me.”[/color]

[color=violet]“How can I [i]not[/i] worry when you’re fine one minute, and then all sad n’ stuff the next?”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“It’s adult stuff, Ana. You don’t need to-”[/color]

[color=violet]“-Is [i]everything[/i] you worry about just over my head or something?”[/color] Ana didn’t really mean to be getting irritable - especially with her [i]dad[/i] - but that excuse was starting to get really stupid and waaayy over-used. [color=violet]“You’re [i]always[/i] saying that, and you're also always saying that,”[/color] she put on a much deeper voice, meant to impersonate her father, [color=violet]“‘oh Ana you’re so smart’ and ‘oh you’re so mature for your age’ and ‘bla bla bla bla’,”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“I don’t sound like that,”[/color] Percy commented.

[color=violet]“Whatever,”[/color] Ana mumbled before continuing, [color=violet]“I mean, I wanna know. I wanna help. You help me all the time-”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“-because it’s-”[/color]

[color=violet]“-It’s the [i]adult’s[/i] job, I [i]knooowww![/i]”[/color] Ana was exasperated at this point. Are dads always so [i]difficult?[/i]! [color=violet]“But I wanna [i]help,[/i] Dad. I don’t like seeing you all upset and sad and stuff. It makes me sad and upset.. and stuff.”[/color]

Percy actually stayed quiet for a minute, adjusting how he was sitting so he wasn’t in such an uncomfortable position on the floor. Did she actually convince him to tell her? Or was he thinking about it? If it was either one that’d be great!

[color=lightsteelblue]“Ana, I.. I don’t think you need to worry about all the stuff I do. Alright? I-it’s not healthy. I don’t want you to be like me. You’re so much like your mother, a-and-”[/color]

[color=violet]“So it’s about Mom?”[/color]

Ana could see Percy bite the inside of his lip. [color=violet]“Well?”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“I don’t want you to be like me, Ana. I don’t want you to be scared. I don’t want you to feel inadequate-”[/color]

[color=violet]“Inade-what?”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“I don’t want you to feel like you’re a failure,”[/color] Percy reiterated, [color=lightsteelblue]“I don’t want you to be like me, or feel like I do. [i]Ever[/i]. I want you to be like [i]you[/i], Ana. You’re great. You’re such a good person. You’re beautiful, you’re outgoing, you’re funny, you’re smart, you’re brave, you’re-”[/color]

[color=violet]“So are you,”[/color] Ana countered, [color=violet]“You’re pretty and outgoing and funny and smart and brave too! How else would I be all those things?”[/color]

The two shared a long look at each other for a moment. It almost felt a little too long, really. Ana thought she might've said something wrong, but before she could try to fix whatever she thought was wrong, Percy pulled her close and hugged her tight. Ana could feel him starting to cry again. [color=violet]"D-Dad, wait, I-"[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“I love you, Ana. I love you so much.”[/color]

Ana made herself more comfortable in her father’s embrace before she replied, [color=violet]“I love you too, Dad.”[/color]