#tritercy

Tags: m/m, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, courting

Main Pairing: Triton/Percy

@polympians-event Prompt: metamorphosis/shapechange

This fic on FFNet | This fic on AO3

Summary: Triton didn't like that Percy was living in Atlantis, as a merman now. Mostly because Triton was slowly and surely falling in love with the feisty omega.

--

Just Like Me

Triton stared in slack-jawed awe at the breathtaking beauty in front of him. He'd followed his nose, the alluring scent of omega in the air, more enchanting than any omega's scent he had ever smelt before. Something sweet that he was unfamiliar with, that he could not name. Delicious.

When he found the source of the scent, he found this beautiful omega. The most beautiful omega he had ever laid eyes on. His skin a soft blue like the ocean at its most shallow point where it kissed the land. Long, elegant fins white as sea-foam, slick tail moving back and forth as the young merman swam in circles, arms stretched out to caress the fishes that swam with him.

He was perfect. Beautiful, an alluring scent, clearly powerful – the way he commanded the fishes and the currents around him. Every instinct in Triton's body screamed mate.

And then the beautiful omega turned to look at him, blinking surprised. "Oh. Hey, Triton."

Percy Jackson. The face, though blue and his eyes with slitted pupils, was clearly Percy Jackson's. Triton stared at the young hero in utter mortification. Percy Jackson was a merman, an omega, and he was absolutely stunning. This was not going to end well for Triton.

/break\

Over the following months, Triton kept tabs on Percy. Claiming, to everyone and even to himself, it was because he didn't trust the former human turned merman. The longer it went on, the harder it became to tell himself that was the case, because something shifted. That attraction when he saw Percy in this form, when he smelt that as a merman, Percy was an omega – something that was exclusive to their people, only merpeople could be alpha and omega, they referred to non-merpeople as betas. But by now, attraction was, devastatingly enough, not the only thing.

Percy had come to Atlantis to get distance from everything after the second war he had to fight. A fresh start, embracing his roots as a son of Poseidon. He was living in a small apartment in Atlantis and working at the local summer camp, under Chiron's brothers.

And… he was incredibly popular and beloved by pretty much everyone at this point. The guppies adored him, Triton had heard all about that from his middle daughter Calliste, who also worked as a trainer at camp. How all the little ones loved Percy's human stories and how kind and patient he was when teaching. All his neighbors had not a bad word to say about the boy, so polite, even helping his elderly neighbor with her groceries and the harder, physical labor around the house.

This was all a side of Percy Jackson that Triton never had wanted to see, because it was easier to hate Poseidon's mortal spawns if they never became more than the result of Poseidon's infidelity toward Triton's mother. Letting them become a person, it was irritating. He'd done so in the past, allowed himself to grow attached to a half-sibling, just to be devastated when he died.

This was different. He held not an ounce of brotherly feelings for Percy. Everything positive about Percy Jackson that he had learned, he'd learned after Percy became a merman, after he'd instinctively identified Percy as a potential mate. Everything positive he now learned about Percy, it just made the omega look even more like the ideal mate. Patient, kind, helpful, good with children, a strong fighter (though he had known that one before). The perfect match for the king.

"You do know that I know you've been stalking me, right?"

Triton startled and froze. He'd visited Calliste at camp and then decided to veer some and see if he could catch a glimpse of the beautiful omega. Percy had been busy with the hippocampi and Triton thought he would not be noticed, thought he could watch, even just for a bit. Turning around, Percy raised both his eyebrows at Triton and then tipped his nose.

"I can smell you, alpha," Percy huffed amused. "Granted, at first I didn't know it was you. I just knew there was a lingering scent of the same alpha around my apartment and also around camp. I was honestly starting to freak out about having a stalker. And then Miss Betty told me 'oh, dear, yes, that's our king! He has been by a few times'. And I… still don't understand."

Percy paused and pushed away from the hippocampus he had been brushing, to instead swim up to Triton, staring at the taller merman dead on. Challenging. Triton wasn't used to being challenged by anyone, he was the king of Atlantis, the protector of merpeople. Glaring, Triton crossed his arms.

"I mean," Percy continued, motioning between them. "We've talked. Civil-ish, since I got here. I thought we were in a, you know, good place. I don't see us hanging out like me and Ty do, urgh yeah no definitely not. But I thought we're okay. So, what gives."

Triton ground his teeth together, gripping his upper arms hard to keep from reaching out for the omega he wanted so desperately. Percy just stood there, hands on his hips, judgmental eyebrow cocked and those sea-green eyes staring at him with the intensity of a thousand storms.

"I am just… keeping an eye on you."

Now, Percy also raised his other eyebrow, looking overall very nonplussed. "Ri—ight. Well, stop being a creep about it. If you wanna check in with me, just… knock on my door like a normal person and ask 'Percy, how are you doing?' and maybe you could come in and we talk."

/break\

Talking wasn't good. Ever since Triton had started doing as Percy insisted (because there was no point in quietly watching if Percy could now tell it was his scent that lingered in the water), his attraction and the following infatuation turned into something much more dangerous.

Triton was in love with Percy Jackson. With every snarky comment and silly joke from Percy, he felt himself fall a little more in love with Percy. Every time Percy spoke about his mom and friends with so much love and warmth, Triton fell harder. Every time Percy talked about how much he loved Atlantis and which parts he loved the most, Triton wanted to kiss him.

No longer did he consider Percy a potential mate. He'd started considering Percy his mate. And that was not good. Because they weren't even dating, Triton still didn't quite think Percy even liked him. Well, Percy might actually still think that Triton didn't like him.

No. That wasn't true. That was some deeply seated fear of rejection rearing its ugly head. Everything he had learned about Percy Jackson, the boy was the last person to willingly spend as much time with someone he didn't like or thought didn't like him as the two of them had been spending with each other lately. Too blunt, too honest, to play nice that way. But then why…?

/break\

When Percy felt very anxious and desperate and confused about his own feelings, he liked to look at their family tree, telling himself that among the godly world, this was super not weird. That was just his raised-in-the-mortal-world brain. And they excused the incest at Camp Half-Blood too, pretending that cousins weren't 'really' cousins and it was fine to kiss because the gods 'didn't count' when it came to these things and Percy knew that was bullshit, of course it was. It was just how they made themselves find peace with it. Now, as an adult, he knew that.

Still, falling in love with his stupidly handsome godly half-brother was… different, right? Right?

At first, he'd blamed these new, weird instincts that he had to get used to first. Being a merman was cool, but it came with a much more… feral side. Being an omega, as they called it. Merpeople acted much more instinctual than humans. Scents and tastes and just everything was much sharper and woke different instincts in him. For the first like three weeks, he had torn into his dinner like a ravenous animal. The fangs helped. It was a struggle, to find a balance. Somewhere between the social norms and instincts he had been raised with as a human and the ones he now faced as a merman. But he had to find something that worked for him.

He'd done so with every other aspect. Found a job that was actually cool, earning his own money, having his own place to live at. Make new friends, but stay in contact with his old friends. Visit his mom in New York at least every two weeks, but also visit Poseidon at his palace every other week.

And then there was Triton. Infuriating, arrogant, annoying Triton, who like stalked him for the first few weeks of Percy being here. And okay so maybe that was kind of fair, since he had… fully foregone going to the king first before moving to Atlantis, an oversight that Triton's daughter Calliste had pointed out to him. Merpeople who migrated to Atlantis first go to the king and show their respect and ask for the king's sanctuary in his kingdom. So, on a political level, he'd kind of messed that up and Triton's skeptical and wary behavior was justified. Maybe.

The longer Percy stayed in Atlantis though, the more he doubted it. The more it felt – different. Mostly, Percy guessed, because he was settling more in his own body and new instincts and recognized them. And recognized what Triton was doing. It was less 'stalking', in the traditional sense he'd think of as a human, and more… an alpha scouting out a potential mate. By now, flat out courting him. It took a while for Percy to really put it together, but now there was no denying.

"So—o, Tri," Percy tilted his head to look at Triton. "Let's talk about the elephant in the room." Percy paused. "...Are there underwater elephants? Like, hippocampi but elephants?"

"Percy," Triton's fingers were carding through Percy's hair in a soothing manner. "Focus."

It was cute, that Triton recognized when Percy was about to be distracted, and knew how to redirect his focus, without making Percy feel like he was being annoying with his distracted mind. His head was resting on Triton's lap – or, well, equivalent of a lap, with the mer-tail. Another indicator to how Triton felt about him, because the unmated alpha king would absolutely not let some random unmated omega cozy up to him like that. But he gladly did with Percy.

"What elephant?" Triton asked when Percy didn't continue due to getting distracted in his mind.

"Right," Percy grinned sheepishly. "You. Courting me. And not putting words to your actions. Oh, don't look at me so surprised, Tri. I've been a merman for a couple months now… I know. So…?"

Triton actually blushed. Flat out, fully, properly blushed. Percy grinned broadly. That was cute.

"I… do… like you. I didn't…" Triton turned away. "I thought I would have to explain to you…"

"Well," Percy sat up, still on Triton's lap, and wrapped one arm around the alpha's neck. "You don't. But you do have to kiss me, like, right now."

Much to Percy's delight, Triton actually did kiss him, and pull him even closer. Good.

Triton: No.

Percy:

Triton's eyes dragged along the sight on the bed in front of him, drinking the pretty image in like a thirsty person drinks water in the Sahara. The young man on his bed was laid bare for him, completely at his mercy. Ropes slithered across his naked body, cutting into the muscled form.

"You look beautiful," Triton whispered, his deep voice caressing the bound boy like a gentle lover. The ropes that were curled around him ended at the headboard of the bed, anchoring him down to the pleasure of the King of Atlantis.

The currents teased the naked boy, causing goosebumps running through his body. It was a beautiful sight, something he could never get enough of.

"Triton," moaned his half-brother, his impatience showing in that one little word. Triton could see a bit of insecurity in his eyes, at being so vulnerable and exposed, restricted like he's never been before. They had sex before, lots, even before getting married, but somehow being restricted made everything different.

He stepped closer, hand stretched out, caressing the black hair that was so similar to his. "Ssssh, just relax. My pretty pearl."

Percy relaxed under his gentle touches. Well, at least as much as he could relax with his arms tied behind his back, intertwined with white ropes that were in stark contrast with his tanned skin.

"You know… I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile."

"Why would I?"

"Because life is beautiful?"

"It is full of wars, unfaithfulness and moronic brats who think they are better than they are just because our father pays a little attention to them."

"That's oddly specific. Who might it be about, I wonder. I'm sure not your beloved betrothed who just wants to make you smile even though he is going through a life-changing situation."

"..."

"There, happy?"

"I'll leave you alone."

"Wait, Percy. Stay! Please… I will try to be a better husband for you, okay?"

"Promise?"

Oh, wait. This is not a headcanon! 😱

⚠️ Warnings: Tritercy, mpreg, unplanned pregnancy

"What do you mean pregnant?!" Percy shrilled, looking ready to faint as he looked down on his still flat abdomen, as if he was waiting for an alien or a hybrid sparkling vampire baby to rip him apart.

"Well, there's not a lot information about it, but there been other pregnant sons of Poseidon, so it's normal? I think," Will shrugged, not really caring about the fact that with a few words he just destroyed everything Percy knew about the world. Again.

"So... It's... Oh, fuck," Percy whispered, eyes full of betrayal. "He knew."

"What?" The healer asked with furrowed brows. While he still pretended that Percy was a constant annoyance for him, he honestly liked the son of Poseidon, and was concerned about his health. Not his physical, thankfully it seemed the baby didn't cause any unbalance in his blood work, but his mental.

"I... The father of my child. He knew this would happen," Percy whispered, clutching the shirt on his stomach. There was no way he didn't know - being the immortal son of Poseidon himself.

Now the words of adoration about how good he was with kids, the seemingly pregnancy and breeding kink he had had a different connotation. Triton... Triton really wanted to knock him up.

Fuck.

He clenched his hands, his breathing becoming quicker, shakier, just like his control over his powers. He could hear the roar of the ocean in his ears, and the shaking ground under his feet.

"Hey, hey, Percy," Will stepped forward, hands in front of him, like he was getting closer to a frightened horse. "It's okay. Everything is going to be okay. We are here for you, whatever happens. You have choices!" The healer said, and continued to murmur soothing words until Percy allowed him to get close enough for a hug.

"What am I gonna do?" Percy whispered in a broken voice.

"First, you calm down. It's not good for you, and if you want to keep them, it's not good for your child either. Then, you are going to eat something before I snitch you to Hazel who will force you to eat, and then, only after then, you will call your dad and your lover why they never told you this could happen. Okay? You don't have to decide now, you are still on the earlier stages of your pregnancy. Just, try not to flood the whole camp," Will added teasingly, but Percy knew it was not a joke. Not really.

He sighed, "Okay."

"Okay," Will repeated, and after a few seconds, he let Percy go from his arms. "I'd say, no fish, but based on the notes of the healers before me, you should eat fish. And algae."

"So lots of sushi in my future?" Percy laughed, and trying not to think about the growing fetus in his body. No. Nothing supernatural was happening. He was just going to eat, then have a nice little chat with his fucking liar of a father and half-brother, then... Then he was going to talk with Sally. His mother would know what he should do.

--

After eating, joking with his friends, pretending he was not dying, screaming, throwing up inside, he marched towards the shore, and screamed, "Poseidon, Triton, get your asses here! Now!"

There was a moment of stillness, before the naiads ran for their lives, not wanting to get between the squabbles of the Underwater family, not even for some gossip. As soon as they were gone, the lake's water was rippling, and the two people he wanted to avoid but needed to see was arriving.

"What is this about, son?" Asked Poseidon strictly, not happy about the way Percy called them.

"Perseus," growled Triton too, but Percy had enough of their bullshit.

"Shut up," he snapped. "When did you want to tell me that I CAN GET PREGNANT?!" Percy screamed.

"What?" Triton furrowed his brows, looking at his father with questions in his eyes. "I thought you knew."

Percy breathed in, and breathed out. Staring into Triton's eyes, he could see the truth in them, and while that didn't make him feeling less angry and betrayed, at least he now knew his lover didn't maliciously lied to him.

His father, on the other hand...

Turning his attention towards Poseidon, he could see the little beads of sweat on the god's forehead.

"I... Percy," the god started. "I wanted to tell you, but then it was the war, and you had amnesia, then another war, and honestly, it is not a big deal, is it?" The god shrugged, looking smaller and smaller in the crossfire of both his sons' glares.

"NOT A BIG DEAL?! What the fuck, dad, this is a power you should have DEFINITELY WARNED ME ABOUT!"

"Father, I agree with Percy! What were you thinking?! I thought he was... He wanted the same thing as I did! That he consented! And now..." The King of Atlantis froze. "Percy..." He started hesitantly, "How... How did you figure out this power of ours?"

"Congratulations, Triton, it's a child!" Percy deadpanned while doing jazz hands. Now, that he had a bit of time to calm down, the problem wasn't that he could get pregnant, or that he got pregnant. It was the fact that nobody deemed it to be important to tell him that he could. Maybe, if he knew about it, he would have been more careful.

As a son of a mortal and a god, he knew exactly what it was like to be a demigod. And his child would be even closer tied to the sea, with both his fathers being the sons of Poseidon.

He wanted to do so many things in his life, before he wanted to think about kids. But looking into Triton's eyes, he knew this was it. He was going to carry their child, he was going to give everything to this kid, and he wasn't going to lose himself while doing it.