Everlasting Promises – The Path Not Traveled
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. I also don't own "Everlasting Promises", Starblade176 does. (Thanks for allowing me to write this, though it's been sooooo long since I've asked.)
A/N: So, like my disclaimer hinted, the title isn't a coincidence. Starblade176 had written a Pertemis fic and it's very nice (shame it's not yet completed). In fact, I liked it so much that I thought I could have a route branching off from it, but this time with a different goddess - Aphrodite. This takes Star's story as "canon" then branches off near the end of chapter14 of his story. I didn't take the whole of his story as is though. I changed some parts to it to fit mine. Anyway, I'm quite not sure if you need to read "Everlasting Promises" first before this, but if you haven't read it, and you're looking for a Pertemis fic, go read that. It's really great. Enjoy?
Sighing for the umpteenth time that night, a voluptuous, curvaceous, sexy, beautiful, gorgeous, or whatever adjective there is on the dictionary that meant the same –because really, she still was the goddess of beauty– woman had turned on her bed once more. Aphrodite had been restless. For the past few weeks, she had kept on thinking about a certain immortal-turned demigod ever since her first request to him to rescue her daughter.
It wasn't a secret that she had been trying to get his attention. Keyword: trying. On the first few days, she was only furious that someone – male especially – had been able to turn her down. She blamed that it was because he's grown powerful from Chaos's blessing. Hello, this was Chaos we're talking about! Creator of the universe. Most powerful being. She was only a goddess in comparison. But honestly, it wasn't the case. Contrary to popular belief, she doesn't use any of her powers to attract men; she was beautiful to begin with - attracting them was easy. So it hurt her pride that somebody was able to shun her – her beauty, her appearance, her whole self. Though she always made an excuse to others that it's because he's a demigod, or it's because of Chaos's blessing, or whatever she could say at the moment that he turned her down. She wouldn't admit her "defeat" in the matter. EVER.
Long story short, she was furious that Percy shunned her, so she made it a challenge or game to win his heart. That's what it was supposed to be anyway. For every failed attempt at capturing his heart (or body), for every encounter she had with him, for every seemingly rude but gentle rejection he gave her, she fell for him deeper – the reason for trying changing ever slightly, day by day. And it's because she wasn't using her powers but trying for real that it hurt her more. Yet she had to continue playing it – to make it seem as if she was still just joking around. Because if she ever did tell him that she was being serious and he just shot it down like he usually did, she won't be able to take it. That's the one thing she disliked about being the goddess of love – it hurt her thrice as much, or at least that's how she thought it would be like since she's never truly fallen in love and gotten rejected before. He was the first. It was usually men chasing her, not the other way around. They were easy to catch, lure, play with. But he was different. So she'd continue to "play" it.
After another count added to her sighs, she heard a knock on her palace's doors.
"Oh goodie. He's here.", she said in a soft voice that could be happy and very well be sad at the same time.
"Do we really have to be in this getup?", said a man wearing a dark green tuxedo, black khaki pants, and black leather shoes.
"I am helping you, aren't I? Now do as I say.", said a woman wearing a gold printed, red halter V-neck cocktail dress, her arm hooked on the man's arm.
The two entered a French restaurant that had a doormat that read "Daniel". The receptionist saw the hunk of a man first and her sight stuck to him like glue. She then asked if they had a reservation to which the man looked at the woman with him.
"Aphrodite Jackson.", the woman told the receptionist. The receptionist eyed the woman with a bit of surprise. She then nodded and showed them to their table. As they were walking, the man nudged the woman beside him.
"What's with the "Jackson"? And also, you didn't use your powers on her did you? She didn't even check if we really did have a reservation.", the man hissed in a whisper.
"Relax will you. She's my son's girlfriend. She's completely mortal, so my son had introduced me to her as a celebrity before. She was told beforehand of this appointment and was told not to ask anything.", she answered as her hold on the man's arm tightened, making him feel more of her bountiful chest.
The man didn't flinch nor feel embarrassed at what the woman was doing. Instead, his face turned stern as he asked his other question. "And the Jackson? What's up with that?"
The question was left unanswered as they finally reached their private room. After the receptionist had left with the note Aphrodite handed her, Aphrodite started walking towards the table when she was forcibly stopped when her "date" wasn't moving a single step. She looked at him questioningly when she saw a tint of anger in his eyes.
"You said that we infiltrated this restaurant to make sure that the apples are safely handed, and so that your son and I could get acquainted should there be problems later on. And also, you didn't answer my last question."
Her brows eased, and with a smile, she answered sweetly, "We're already here, we might as well try the food you'd be eating right? You know, to know if the food really is up to your taste." She approached him, their faces almost touching when she added with seriousness and power in her voice. "And there's nothing wrong with using your surname. We don't have those after all."
Her demeanor returned to her usual sweet and alluring self when she removed her arm from his and took a seat. After a few seconds, the man begrudgingly took his seat as well.
"You were supposed to pull my seat for me. You're not going to impress Artemis that way."
"I- I already knew that. You're not Artemis anyway…or whoever it is that I should be doing that to.", he said in mock anger, thinking that she's acting her usual self – on a plan to seduce him. He was surprised when for a moment, he felt her grief. He didn't see her expression; he just felt an overall shift with the atmosphere of the room. And it was not the usual dejection when he rejected her, but genuine sadness. He almost apologized when her mood shifted to her usual one.
"Well, I guess being a maiden – she wouldn't really know how a date should be… and I already knew that." The last line said in a whisper she thought he didn't hear. With that, they decided to wait in relative silence – with her fiddling the centerpiece on the table, and him thinking.
"What did she mean by she already knew? Artemis being a maiden goddess? That she's not Artemis? Even for her, that's a bit too slow." A few minutes later, the food arrived one by one, and they started to eat.
Another set of silent minutes, and Percy felt weird. Not the Aphrodite-rigged-the-food weird, but the there's-something-wrong weird. Aphrodite wasn't this quiet. It was always usually her trying to get him to bed her…or her bedding him – whatever; the point was, she wasn't acting like herself. Not like he knew how she truly acted, he argued to himself. Despite the obvious hate he showed her every time, he still respected the goddess to a certain degree. He knew first-hand how a woman was NOT to be treated, and despite her uh…easygoing disposition, he'd still feel bad if he had overstepped his boundaries. So despite not wanting to, he felt he should apologize.
"Hey, I, uh…I'm so-", he was cut of his words when the door opened and a man wearing the restaurant's uniform entered after knocking.
"Hey mom.", the guy greeted.
"Hi dearie.", she kissed her son on the cheek, before she motioned to Percy.
"Mr. Jackson.", he greeted with an outstretched hand.
Percy shook it, and from there, they discussed what to do with the apples. Of course, he wasn't let on that they were actually Hera's golden apples; just apples from one of Demeter's garden. Aphrodite also made it a strict order NOT to do anything with the apples. She had said that she already applied her special lipstick on them so all he had to do was serve them. After a few more reminders, her son left the room. And shortly after, Aphrodite finally spoke to Percy.
"I guess we should leave too.", she said as she stood, and started heading towards the door; leaving no room for argument.
Percy, albeit confused with the lack of flirting coming from the goddess, followed suit. Percy was too confused to actually celebrate that for once, Aphrodite wasn't clinging to him too much. In fact, it worried him more - it was less scary if you knew where the spider was, rather than when it was hiding. He was taken out of his reverie when Aphrodite lead him into an alley. Thinking that she was finally going to do something to him; not that he was waiting for it to happen, mind you; he flinched and turned to face her when they appeared in a forest in a flash of pink light and smoke.
"You did say that Artemis wanted you back right away, right?", she said the name of a certain moon goddess filled with distaste in an overall gloomy tone.
Aphrodite was about the flash herself out when Percy grabbed hold of her arm. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to say something. As she was about to pull her arm from him, he decided to voice the question that's been haunting his mind.
"What are you up to?", he asked looking straight to her eyes, trying to find anything to hint him to an honest answer.
"Excuse me?"
"The moment we entered the VIP room, you've been acting "weird". You actually didn't try and do anything, much less touch me. And if you think that acting like this will change my mind about going to bed with you, then you're wrong."
Aphrodite turned wide-eyed before going back to a solemn expression, giving Percy a soft sad smile, before flashing back to Olympus. The last words she said lingering in his mind for a while, before going back to Artemis.
"I know."
On the day that Percy and the Hunters were to kill Lamia, Aphrodite had been watching them. She watched the hunters pair Percy with Artemis, and was slightly surprised that the hunters were fine with Artemis going after a man. "As expected of you, Percy.", she said with a tinge of amazement and pride.
After arriving at the nearest place that they could land without being noticed, she commented on the maiden goddess's choice of age to appear.
"My dear sister, why would you choose that age while with him?! Take advantage of the fact that you could be misunderstood as a couple! He simply looks like a single father with many kids.", she said in mock anger.
The love goddess's ranting only increased when a number of female mortals were trying their hardest at flirting with him. "Now, see that?! Not that what they're trying to do would work, but they're getting free service from this!"
As she watched her sister silently boil in anger and jealousy, she commended her sister for finally changing appearance to that of someone that would at least make it seem as if the man with her was already taken – that they were a couple. She snickered at the jealousy the other ladies were giving off at the sight of Percy with a lady. Her amusement was cut short when her daughter said something that was actually quite obvious.
"The problem is that this looks even weirder because you two look like teenage parents."
The mere thought of Percy having a real biological family with Artemis made her lose strength in her whole body. She lied on her bed, the plan with Ares forgotten, and calmed her breathing.
"I guess I truly have fallen for you, Percy.", she said to the image of Percy.
A look of genuine longing and regret painted Aphrodite's face as she continued to watch how Percy got overly protective of Artemis when a police (Ares) touched her. She wondered how much happiness she would feel if the love and care Percy was giving her sister were directed towards her instead. And though the desire to know was strong, she also wanted Percy to be happy – and Artemis is currently the reason for that, so she would push through with Percy's plans and allow him the happiness he deserved. For the first time in her whole immortal life, she was prioritizing the happiness of someone else over hers, and she knew that it was love.
"How I wish you were mine, Percy." A soft whisper floated as the goddess of love wasn't able to continue watching anymore, and fell asleep with a tear falling to her bed sheet.
By the time the hunters were done with their mission and were traveling back to camp, Aphrodite had already woken up from her nap. She flashed herself to Artemis's cabin to proceed with helping Percy (and/or Artemis) with their love. She knew that she had enough time before they arrive, so she went about exploring her sister's cabin for a bit, and as expected, nothing was of interest for the goddess of love. Bored, she started to ponder why she was in her sister's cabin again.
"Oh right. Because if I leave it to Artemis to pick her own swimsuit, I'm sure it'd be boring – probably a racing one piece or something."
A few moments of silence later, she sensed them back to camp. A while more, and Artemis entered her cabin and snarled at the love goddess.
"Aphrodite. Get out of hiding and tell me what you're doing in my cabin."
Aphrodite appeared and turned to her in fake-excitement. "So what are you going to wear?"
"Something modest. A one piece or something.", Artemis said while shuffling through her clothing.
"Figures." "No way! You can't wear something that nasty! You're not going to a swimming competition, so wear this!", Aphrodite exclaimed, holding out a silver two-piece bikini that appeared with a snap of her fingers.
Artemis froze at the swimsuit her sister was holding out.
"Excuse me! Are you crazy? I'm not wearing something like that!", Artemis yelled.
"Hey, this is pretty modest compared to what I usually wear. Either this, or I'll force you to wear something smaller."
"I'll wear that if it was an all-girls party. Not with the boys there.", Artemis growled. In reality, Aphrodite figured that she was only afraid of showing it to Percy, though she was sure that she also wanted to show it as well.
"That's exactly why I'm there! I can draw all the attention to myself, which I actually do without trying by the way. But point is! You can attract Perc-fectly nothing!", she said, covering the slight slip of the tongue.
Artemis narrowed her eyes. "And what's stopping me from going out in my own choice?"
"Weeellll~ I could certainly just have him all to myself.", Aphrodite said half-jokingly.
Anger instantly boiled through Artemis's blood. "Don't. You. Dare.", she snarled, walking up to her sister, and glaring into her multi-colored eyes.
"And why shouldn't I?", she asked half-challengingly.
"Because he's the only decent man left on the planet, and I won't let you corrupt him!"
Getting irritated with the excuse her sister, and current greatest love rival, was saying, the love goddess asked something she wasn't meaning to ask. "And I ask you again why I shouldn't. What's it to you if, like you said, I "corrupt" the only decent man left on the planet?
"J-just because!", she faltered a bit at the serious tone her usually playful-scheming sister had.
Not able to stop herself from talking, she continued on with what had been on her mind for the past few weeks. "Listen, Artemis. I know that you have feelings for Percy. I mean, I of all people should know that, and you should know that I do know too. I'm frustrated enough that you're not doing anything to progress with him, but you're adding more with not allowing me to actually try advance with him?"
Artemis was simply taking in what her sister was saying in silence, staring at her sister's eyes.
"I won't do anything today. But mark my words, if you still deny it, I will be going after him.", she said in mid-turn, her back to her.
"I truly do love him, Artemis.", she said before flashing off to somewhere Artemis wasn't sure of, leaving the moon goddess to contemplate on the bomb that was dropped on to her.
"Aphrodite loves Percy.", she thought, staring at the silver two-piece bikini that she assumed fell at Aphrodite's declaration.
After her tantrum in Artemis's cabin, Aphrodite flashed back to her palace in Olympus. She felt her knees go weak, and she fell to her bed, sitting.
"I didn't just do that...if Artemis gives up on Percy now, he'd be heartbroken!"
Artemis wasn't ready yet, and she provoked her. She tried to think of possible solutions – to redirect the flow of things; to make Artemis be sure of what she was feeling and not throw her feelings off somewhere; to avoid Percy getting heartbroken; to avoid Percy hating her. She knew that if Percy hated her, she'd die. Well, she won't fade, or go to Tartarus and reform, but she knew that she'd be so weak – another thing she assumed would happen to a love goddess.
But then, as she tried to think of possible ways to correct her mistake, she came to a halt. Did she truly regret saying those things to her? It's not like she lied. Everything that she had confessed to Artemis was nothing but the truth. Now, did she want to take it all back? A part of her said yes – to fully support Percy's love; while another part said no – she was only a goddess who truly fell in love. What's wrong with wanting to be with the one you truly love? The gods and goddesses were selfish anyway.
Deep down, she already knew the answer she wanted to go with, but on the surface, she decided to ponder on the subject more later on. She still had a beach party to attend to. She snapped and a very skimpy two piece bikini covered her body. Looking at herself at the mirror, she seemed satisfied before she remembered Percy's reaction to her wearing a skimpy bikini before.
"No. I'm not just trying to bed him this time. I truly want him to fall for me."
With another snap, she changed the skimpy bikini into a red, modest two-piece. She was now also wearing a white pareo skirt with gold linings, and a white beach hat. She looked at herself on the mirror once more, winking, before finally flashing herself to the beach party.
Everyone had arrived at the venue, some teleporting, some riding the Argo II. Zeus had just finished his speech, and had motioned for everyone to enjoy – cueing Dionysus to produce anything party-related on the beach. The demigods cheered and ran off towards the sea.
"You know Lord Zeus, instead of thinking it as Dionysus's own party, why not just think of it as an "Olympian Family Reunion"?, Percy asked, walking up to Zeus.
"An Olympian Family Reunion?"
"Well, yes. Where all immortals just get together and have fun. When was the last time you had fun anyways, Lord Zeus?"
"That's an excellent idea. I think we should just get together and have fun and forget about everything.", Hermes supplied.
"Yes, I agree too! Percy, would you like to share a blanket with me? I'm sure we'd be cozy.", Aphrodite said, walking over to Percy, slinging an arm around him. Percy turned to Aphrodite to see, in slight surprise, that instead of wearing a skimpy bikini like she showed him in one of his visits to her palace, she was wearing a modest bikini instead. She was even wearing a pareo to cover herself more, in contrast to the usual show-as-much-skin-as-possible approach she had.
Aphrodite noticed Percy eyeing her, and asked. "You like?"
"Well, I guess that's better than the last time.", he answered removing her hands off him.
"What last time?", Hermes asked.
"Oh, nothing. Anyway, no thanks. I prefer the sea, and besides, aren't you supposed to be with Ares? Speaking of which, where is Ares?"
Aphrodite smiled at the memory, and answered. "Ares can't come because he suffered some very bad injuries. Really severe."
Percy frowned. "From who?"
"Who? Uhm, he was fighting with Athena.", Aphrodite said, hoping he'd buy the lie. Athena played along by nodding.
"O-k. Then please excuse me, I'll go hang with my friends.", Percy said, dashing off.
Everyone was having fun – some demigods were swimming, some were surfing, while the others, ladies especially, simply laid and bathed under the sun. Percy was talking animatedly with Jason and Frank when they crested the hill to where the Olympians were. They all froze.
There was a big grill, which Hephaestus had just finished tinkering, and he was making burgers. Dionysus was skipping around with a bottle of wine. Demeter was munching on some grapes. Hermes was having fun surfing against Apollo. But what shocked them the most were The Big Three - Zeus and Artemis were playing high-speed volleyball against Hades and Poseidon. Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, Persephone, and Hestia were watching from the sides. It was only after Artemis scored a point against his father that Percy noticed that Artemis was in a bikini as well.
While the others moved off, Percy couldn't help but stare. He knew it was rude but he couldn't help it. Here was his love, wearing a bikini, and he didn't intend to miss it. He would've continued staring but a smirking Thalia interrupted him.
"Hello~ Earth to Percy. Percy? Hey!", she yelled at his ear.
"Huh…wha...uh…huh?", was Percy's intelligent reply.
"Seaweed Brain, were you just getting googly-eyed over our commander?", she said smirking.
"Wha-what? No! I-uh..I was, uhm.. I was j-just shocked that Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon could actually have fun.", he stuttered, blushing furiously as he wrenched his gaze away from Artemis.
"Really? Come on, I just saw you staring at Artemis only. You didn't even notice Hades score a point against Dad.", Thalia said, her electric blue eyes sharpening as she gazed into Percy's.
"Look, she's awesome, amazing, smart, beautiful, nice, extremely skille-", Thalia interrupted by clearing her throat, "but I don't think I'll ever be ready for a relationship, and neither will she."
Thalia snorted."You never know. Now get going, they're starting to wonder where you've gone off to. And remember, the Hunters are behind you on this, if ever.", Thalia said, giving her cousin a hug, before dashing off.
Percy stared after Thalia's retreating form. "If ever, huh?"
Percy shook the thought off, before walking over to where his dad was getting pummeled by Artemis.
Aphrodite hadn't cared about anything else after Percy had once again, as usual, rejected her advances. Though she knew that she might actually just have been making him dislike her more, she couldn't stop as she was now not just lusting over a man.
She had been mindlessly staring at the sand when she recognized a voice interrupt the game. She blinked and looked up to see Percy talking to his dad and Artemis. He seemed to be teasing her, and she seemed to be playing along (and vice versa). She unknowingly sighed before it came to her that Percy would be playing. She saw him step on the playing field and decided to voice her immediate complaint.
"Percy! You can't serve in clothing like that! It's not beach attire!"
"Ahhh. So that's how Artemis got into that swimsuit?" Percy asked. Aphrodite saw him arch an eyebrow towards Artemis to which the moon goddess blushed but nodded.
"I like it. You look great."
Upon hearing him praise her, Aphrodite's face turned to a scowl. "Oh, praise her some more, why don't you?" Though she did decide that she won't do anything today, it didn't mean that she should be happy for them.
"So Aphrodite, what will it be?", Percy asked.
It took a few seconds before what he said registered to her. "You're agreeing with me? Are you really agreeing with me?!" Percy nodded resignedly. "Ok, here! How about this!."
Aphrodite snapped her fingers and a brilliant pair of green swimming trunks replaced his pants. Percy looked down and nodded in approval. He raised the volleyball, ready to serve again, when Aphrodite interrupted him, again.
"No Percy, your shirt. Take it off.", Aphrodite said, her eyes shining.
Percy had already given her permission to decide his clothing for him – or the lack thereof – so she might as well take advantage. It wasn't every day that you could make a hot young man strip off his shirt. To be honest, she could've just made it disappear a while ago, but she figured him removing it himself was hotter. Percy looked at her exasperatedly before putting the ball down and reaching for the hem of his shirt.
"You know what, Aphrodite? You have pedophilia.", he said as he took his shirt off.
"Then the same goes for Arte-", Aphrodite stopped, stared, and started salivating as Percy pulled his shirt off completely. She noticed that the other goddesses couldn't help but stare as well. With his shirt off, Percy's powerful build was displayed in all its glory – his muscles were perfectly proportionate and perfectly sized, and as Aphrodite (and Artemis) knew, packed quite a punch. His wide shoulders and biceps shone and flexed as he bent to pick up and raise the ball.
As the game started and continued, Aphrodite watched as Percy and Artemis bickered like a couple. She wasn't able to continue on watching so she stood to leave. She got to a bench facing the ocean – just staring at the scene. After a few minutes of relative silence, she felt someone sit next to her.
"Something troubling you, dear?"
Aphrodite turned to see who it was. "Hera?"
"Well?"
Aphrodite just sat in silence. When Hera felt that Aphrodite wasn't going to answer her any time soon, she took hold of her hand. "You can tell me.", she said with a soft smile.
Aphrodite looked at Hera quizzically.
"Hm?"
"I mean, I'm one of Zeus's children from another woman, I'm unfaithful to my "husband", and…well, aren't you supposed to hate me?"
"Well, I'm already done hating the children from Zeus's affairs – it's not your fault that he couldn't keep it in his pants, besides, the mortals do have a different origin for you, so we can't entirely be sure if you're his child. You were only forced to marry Hephaestus as well. We're also both goddesses of relationships.", she answered, still smiling. "I don't hate you."
Aphrodite reluctantly laid her head on Hera's lap and stared at the sea. Hera hand-brushed her maybe-daughter's hair; waiting for her to voice whatever it was that was on her mind.
"I…I'm confused."
"About Perseus?"
Aphrodite tensed a bit. Knowing what the other goddess was going to ask, she added. "I noticed for the past few weeks that you've stopped going after men – even Ares – and you've never stopped for anyone."
Aphrodite relaxed and decided to just voice it out.
"I think I'm in love with him."
"But that's not really the problem, is it?"
"He loves Artemis."
"And?"
"What do you mean 'and'?"
"Nothing usually stops you from getting what you want, especially if it's about men, so why are you hesitating now?"
"But Percy's different. I don't want to break his heart."
"You're just going to play with him?"
"No! I truly do love him.", she rose from Hera's lap, looking at her seriously.
"Then go. If he does get his heart broken, then you heal it. Show him what you truly feel."
Aphrodite stared wide-eyed at what her maybe-mother said, and hugged her. "Thanks…mom."
Aphrodite came back with Hera, walking towards the miniature bar where they spotted the rest of the Olympians gathering. Demeter had made the table stretch so it could seat them all. Poseidon sat to Percy's right, while Aphrodite sat to his left. She grabbed to link their arms, but he pulled his arm off. Poseidon then asked of his son's well-being. It then turned to everyone seated drinking alcohol, and Percy telling his full tale – from the moment he met the hunters, what happened, what he did, Aphrodite's request for rescuing her daughter, and almost anything that came after. And as he was speaking, Aphrodite tried to snuggle up to Percy. She was new to this "truly falling in love" part so the best she could do was try with what she knew – physical contact. When Percy had finished with the death of Lamia, she had managed to successfully sit on Percy's lap, drawing his hands around her body.
"Aphrodite! You've had a relationship with practically every man in this room, including Hermes! Just leave one man alone, will you!", Athena growled as Percy pushed her off again.
"Yeah, why are all females looking at him anyways? I'm the hottest.", Apollo sniffed.
"You may be hot, but Percy's my favorite! He's got the best body, the most amazing hair, the deepest and dreamiest eyes you could ever want, perfectly sized muscles and don't even get me started on the length and thickness of his-", Aphrodite was cut off by Percy giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Aphrodite gasped as she held her hand to where Percy kissed her. "Did Percy just kiss me?"
The shock from the kiss made her not able to control herself. Being the goddess of pleasure, a kiss had that kind of effect on her, especially when it was coming from the man she was in love with as well.
She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and the back of his head as she began kissing him deeply. Percy gave a strangled scream as Hestia teleported over to Aphrodite to yank her off.
Percy gasped as he called to the dryad at the bar, "Get me another Vesper Martini please! I have to wash my mouth!"
The dryad hurriedly began making one while Aphrodite gave a muffled scream.
"Hestia! Let me go! I was just getting to the best part! Come on Percy, you know you want to.", Aphrodite pleaded, staring straight at Percy's eyes, all the while fighting off Hestia's grip.
Percy grabbed the Vesper and drank it in one go. "Sorry Aphrodite, but I don't like heart-breakers and faithless women."
"Percy, I love you! I'd stay faithful to you, I swear!", Aphrodite yelled, unable to stop herself from confessing her feelings.
Everyone fell silent as they pondered on what she had just said. That was serious, since Aphrodite never committed herself to anyone. The silence and stillness was disrupted when Percy spoke.
"Well Aphrodite, I'm honored that I mean that much to you, but I really must decline.", his voice coming off worse than he expected because of the Vesper.
Aphrodite's eyes widened, finally registering what Percy had said, and what she had done. She calmly got herself off from Hestia's hold, and flashed back to her room. She guessed that she deserved it. After playing with the hearts of countless men, it was high time she got her just desserts. She cried herself in pain, clenching the pillow she held to muffle her sobs. Hera flashed herself into her room. Aphrodite, sensing Hera in the room, ran to her chest, and continued to cry. Hera hugged the broken-hearted goddess's head, rubbing circles on her back, as she allowed her to cry her heart out.
After minutes of crying, Aphrodite managed to calm down and stop her tears.
"So this is how it feels to have your heart broken. It hurts so much.", she said in a soft voice, almost a whisper.
"Well, you're not out of the game yet. They still haven't admitted their feelings for each other, right? You could-"
"No. I think I can be ok with this. I don't want Percy to experience this the second time.", she said, pulling herself from the hug.
"Are you sure about this? I could always just-"
"I love Percy enough to want happiness for him as well. And currently, it's not me. But I'll surely get him in his next life.", she said with a smile and her tears welling up again.
Hera let go of her daughter and saw her change her clothes with a snap. Before Hera could ask where she was going, Aphrodite flashed out after thanking her once more.
Aphrodite saw the man that had just broken her heart enter her cabin. She still had tear marks, and her eyes were red from crying, but she had a solemn expression that could also be of contentment and acceptance. Percy noticed this and was surprised. He originally thought that what she had said on the bar was just one of her schemes as well. He was even relieved when instead of trying further, that she decided to teleport herself from the bar after he declined her. He decided not to comment on it and get on with why he was there in the first place.
"So, what am I wearing tonight?", Percy asked.
"There, into that room. I prepared something. Try it on, and I'll look after.", she answered.
Percy walked in and saw an exquisite looking suit and a bottle of gel. He quickly put it on, and walked out of the room to show it to Aphrodite.
"How do I look?"
Aphrodite smiled. She already knew how he'd look with it, since she made him wear something similar to it in their mock-date. He was wearing a dark green button down shirt, with a Nyx-black tuxedo over it. His black pants were lined with silver at the sides, and his black leather shoes were sparkly shined. He had his hair slicked back, and he was wearing tinted sunglasses that had deep sea green and black mixed together.
"You look good."
Percy smiled at the compliment, which stunned Aphrodite. "You make giving up on you so difficult."
"Thanks a lot Aphrodite. I suppose I owe you one now."
"It's alright. Just make sure to get her.", she said, the smile on her face turning a bit strained.
"Well, I'll see you later then.", he said as he walked out of her cabin.
Aphrodite returned to the party after Percy, Artemis and her Hunters went out to their "date". She didn't feel like partying any more but she figured she'd only be more depressed alone in her palace, and for once she wouldn't want the attention she'd get if they notice that she wasn't around. She sat in an inconspicuous spot, thankful that the others were still busy playing/partying to notice her. After a while of watching Zeus and his brothers play volleyball like little mortal kids running around the sandy beach, she felt her spirits finally lift, even if only a little bit. She moved her gaze to the immortal campers – her daughter flirting on the lap of her lover; the son of her "husband" still trying to woo the Roman camp's praetor; the architect daughter of her sister building a sand replica of Parthenon – only to destroy it afterwards with a scowl; and the Lord of the Dead's spawns lying on folding beach chairs, drinking from coconuts that seemed to be fresh from the nearby coconut trees – the Love goddess noticed a few skeleton warriors atop said coconut trees. The distraction was short-lived when a "problem" that she'd known to be "Ares" walked over, clearing his throat.
"What do you want?", the goddess asked with annoyance in her tone she wasn't hiding.
"I just came back from a favour from you. How about a thanks for starters?", he said while grabbing her arm and rubbing it.
"I'm not in the mood for this."
"You're never NOT in the mood."
"Well, I am now, so leave me alone or else."
To say that the war god was surprised would be exactly what he was then. His eyes were wide, mouth imitating that of a fish, arms slack, shoulders slumped, and feet rooted to the ground. In the long time that Ares played boyfriend for Aphrodite, never had he seen her in such anger. Even when he had killed that sissy Adonis did she become like…this – for the lack of a better term. When he saw, with his battle-hardened senses, that the goddess was about to turn, he made sure to vanish to the mini-bar – deciding that a cold, hard drink was always fine in place of a(n angry) woman's touch.
Aphrodite was sure that by the time Percy had come back from his date, he'd be in a relationship with Artemis – hidden or not. She figured that her kissing Percy should've made Artemis see that she truly wasn't joking about him. She had been alone sitting by the cliffside, overlooking the beach that the party was still going on, watching the moon rise brightly when she felt Percy approach her.
"So I'd assume that you and Artemis are together now?" Aphrodite asked without turning to look behind her.
"W-what are you talking about? Like I said, the whole dinner was just for me to give the apples to the Hunt."
"Artemis didn't do or say anything to you after the "date"?" Aphrodite asked incredulously.
"She...felt the effects of the apples on her and her Hunters?" Percy asked, unsure if that was what Aphrodite wanted to hear.
"Hmm…" Aphrodite didn't know whether to be happy or mad that Artemis didn't do anything. "Is she underestimating me? Well, it doesn't matter. It's her loss."
When Aphrodite didn't respond much than a hum, Percy had his mind jumping to conclusions. Aphrodite always had a scheme after all. "What did you do?"
With no response, Percy took hold of Aphrodite's shoulder and turned her to face him.
"What is it?" The calm, if a bit surprised, look on Aphrodite's face made Percy's "anger" wither down to a mild, patient irritation.
"Did you do something that I should know about?"
Percy watched Aphrodite shift from surprised, serious-contemplating, and finally serenity before she stood up to face him properly, and answered.
"I told Artemis that I was serious about you."
"Wha-"
"I'm sorry about awhile ago." She cut Percy before continuing. "This should already be obvious, but I feel that my actions just make you forget that I am also a goddess of pleasure. Just like how you're a son of Poseidon - that when you're angry you can't help but let your power loose in some quake or wave somewhere. So, when you kissed me, albeit only at the cheek, that power was also let loose that I kissed you back, though on the lips."
She turned to look anywhere but his eyes, but didn't move away just to let him know that she wasn't merely making up excuses for her actions. What she was telling him was the truth.
"It's not like I slept with every other man because I fell in love with them. I am also the goddess of beauty. If I found someone to be good-looking, then my other domains would get affected - it would just so happen that I'm also the goddess of pleasure." She laughed sadly at this. "It's in my...nature to sleep with them."
"T-then-" Percy cleared his throat to ease his guilt with how he had always treated her."That would mean that you being a love goddess made you fall in love with them afterwards too though." He couldn't help himself from voicing it out like a question - wanting to convince himself that he had been rejecting her because her confessions weren't true.
At this, Aphrodite faced Percy back - her eyes focusing on his, trying to make Percy see that she was very much sincere.
"No. Love is such a powerful thing, Percy. Pleasure and Beauty aren't above Love that they could affect it. Even I, as the goddess of love, can only observe it - sense it from the beings that express it, but never manipulate it."
There was silence between the two of them for a while before Percy felt Aphrodite's hand cup his cheek. "I'm truly sorry about awhile ago. But I want you to know that I was serious."
"I love you." She gave him a small smile before flashing away - not in the usual pink but in a red light; leaving a warm feeling instead of a cloud of perfume.
Percy had been disconcerted. He felt like a hypocrite - having told off the Hunters of being discriminatory of him simply because he was male when he was doing the same to Aphrodite. He didn't even know anything about the love goddess, yet he was so quick to judge.
But, it shouldn't really matter. A simple apology to the goddess should be enough. He was already in love with the moon goddess, wasn't he? She was the one who helped him when he was hurting with Annabeth. The one to give him a purpose when all he wanted to do was die.
"It wasn't like you would've given Aphrodite the chance in the first place." Something in his subconscious mind argued.
"Because she would've only wanted to get closer to me physically!"
"And look where that line of thinking got you. She just told you why that was, didn't she?"
"I-I'm already in love with Artemis."
"She doesn't feel the same. You've tried enough. Isn't it about time you let yourself be loved in return?"
Percy wasn't able to argue back. No matter how much he told himself that he was in love with the moon goddess, it'd be useless if the sentiment wasn't returned. Wasn't that the reason why he joined the Hunt in the first place? The one he loved didn't love him back.
"Maybe I should give Aphrodite a chance…"
A/N: It's not really that much. I've thought of how it could proceed further, but in the mean time, I just wanted to post this because it was Valentine's and all. Tell me what you think of it?