#because lancer

"Tell you what," Nico had said. "Keep an eye on them. We hope nothing happens, and Emmy's happy we are giving them more responsibility, deal?"

Percy had smiled.

"Everybody wins."

"Except the guy stuck giving out candy," Nico had said as he pointed at himself.

But Nico had been wrong.

His children had been dragged away on their trip before he could notice, and he was not as good a tracker as his husband.

"Excuse me, did you see a snake woman and a cyclops dragging Wonder Woman and a boy with blue hair?" He asked a group of kids.

Gods, he loved that this type of question wasn't seen as demented on this holiday.

A boy dressed as Flash pointed at arusty door down the pier.

"Thanks!" He said quickly.

Before he took off, he heard one of the kids shout, "Cool Roman armor!"

"Actually, it's Greek!" He shouted back, grinning.

He rushed through the opened door, and the first thing he saw was three monsters sorrounding his kids. Emilia had her sword raised as she covered Asher with her body, the boy holding his lance horizontally and covering his sister's back.

"Why bring us here and not just eat us in the open?" Emilia said. Percy smiled. Good, she was making time, just like he taught her.

"Becausse you are the bait!" The dracaena hissed. "Lure for our prey!"

"And like, you can also be the starter once the main course gets here!" The third figure drawled, and Percy's blood ran cold. "I want to see him screaming in despair!"

Kelli.

"'s good marinade," the cyclops grunted, but Percy ignored his words, stuck on the Empousa.

They had cornered, kidnapped, and threatening his children to get to him.

Percy saw red.

He jumped, using Riptide to stab the cyclops in the heart and immediately after cut off the dracaena's head. Both turned into dust before Kelli turned, eyes wide.

Percy didn't stop, he slashed low, cutting off her bronze leg and making her stumble, and then willed all the moisture around the empousa to condense around her head, making a water bubble.

Kelli screamed, but only bubbles came out of her.

"Get close to my family again, and I'll make sure you don't reform," Percy said in a cold voice. "I'll take almost all the fluids from your body, leaving you with just enough to keep you alive, eternally living as a desecated hag."

Kelli shook her head, eyes wide with terror. Percy stabbed again, this time on her chest, turning the monstrous cheerleader into dust like her lackeys.

He turned to look at his kids, who were staring at him, wide-eyed.

Percy cursed. This couldn't be happening.

"Hey, Emmy, Ash," he said, too afraid to step towards them. "Are you okay?"

Asher nodded slightly. He tried moving towards him, but Emilia held him back.

Crap.

"Look, about what you saw, it was—"

"Oh no!" Emilia stomped her foot, angry. Percy blinked. "You were following us, mister! You don't trust us!"

Percy felt his brain stop working. What?

"Uh..."

"And don't think that I'll forget it just because you did the coolest thing ever!" She continued, crossing her arms.

"You... you thought it was cool?" He asked, confused. Emilia huffed.

"So cool, dad!" Asher said, eyes bright. "Can I do that? Ooh, can Emmy do that?"

"Ash, we're angry with him!" his sister whispered, but it was loud enough that Percy heard. "But... I'd like to know too..."

Percy sighed in relief and smiled apologetically.

"Maybe when you're older," he said. Emilia nodded, satisfied. "I'm sorry, I just can't help but worry about you."

"It's not even the first time we've been attacked by monsters who want to get you or papa," Emilia said. Percy's eyes widened.

"Yeah, they're small fry compared to uncle Crusty!" Asher added.

"He doesn't deserve to be called uncle," Emilia chastised her brother, who just pouted.

"But he sends me toys every year for my birthday," he protested. "He's just mean in person."

"Those are torture devices," Emilia said, exasperated. "He's threatening you!"

"It's not... the first time?" Was all Percy managed to say. Emilia rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"We're your children, dad," she said like that explained everything. "We know how to handle ourselves."

And Percy smiled and hugged them.

"I know that now," he said. "But I think that's enough for the night. How about we go home and watch a movie with papa. I'm sure he missed us."

Emilia looked at her candy bag, probably pondering how full it was, before nodding.

"Only if you teach me that water trick."

"We'll see next weekend," he promised.