Chapter 1: The curse

Even before he got cursed, Jason Grace son of Jupiter, was having a rotten day

He had woken up in the back seat of a bus, not sure where he was, holding hands with a girl he didn't know. That wasn't necessarily the rotten part. The girl was hot, but he couldn't figure out who she was or what they are doing holding hands. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to think.

His head was pounding - he must have hit it hard. He tried to think back ... the last thing he remembered...

The girl groaned and he turned his attention towards her. Now only did he realize that she was unconscious as well, and was now waking up. She wore a brown shirt that showed off her figure, blue jeans and worn out sneakers - it didn't do much to downplay her beauty though. Her onyx black hair went past her shoulders and ended at her waist. Jason figured she must have tan skin but now her skin was sickly pale, as if she had lost quite an amount of blood. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing luminous sea-green orbs to the world - though the only ones on the abandoned bus was him and her.

"What the -?" She looked at him and their intertwined fingers; her eyes alarmed and confused. Jason flushed when he realized that he was staring to hard at her.

"S-s-sorry." He tried to pull his hand back but couldn't. His first thought was that the girl - who seemed to be about the same age as he or was older by a few years - wouldn't let go. But he realized that she was having the same trouble as he: their hands were stuck. He swore in Latin and at the same time the girl swore in... was that Greek? He wondered how she knew such an ancient language; his instinct nagged at him that something feels wrong about the girl.

"I wouldn't recommend pulling away from one another if I were you."

Jason turned to look at the source of the amused voice the same time the girl did. The lady that had spoken was beautiful in her own way. She wore a red dress and her hair in a cascade of ringlets, while wearing makeup. Jason thought that she was different from the girl sitting beside him - she was elegant without trying, fashionable without, effort, stunning without makeup.

An enraged look crossed the mint-eyed girl's features "Aphrodite," she spat, "What is the meaning of this?" She gestured with her free hand at Jason. Jason tried not to feel offended when she gestured to him as if he were some menace.

Aphrodite? As in the Greek counter part of Venus. - Jason assessed the girl beside him warily now, she wasn't a mere mortal. If she was how did she know a goddess? Or perhaps, she had the ability to see through the mist. Maybe she was Aphrodite's legacy or something.

Aphrodite - or maybe Venus - smiled sympathetically. "It isn't my doing, Percy dear." Jason guessed that Percy was the name of the girl - odd name for one. "Why don't you ask the boy beside you? Why don't you tell her, Jason Grace, of what you have done to result the reason both of you are in this situation?"

Percy's head snapped to look at him. "I didn't do anything?" was Jason's automatic response; he recoiled form the intensity of the glare. The girl's eyes softened, the anger slowly leaving them but the confusion was still evident in them. She looked back and forth between Aphrodite and Jason. "I mean I don't remember."

"That boy offended my son - Eros or in Roman form, Cupid - you see." Aphrodite explained, her sickly-sweet smile - as if she was enjoying their troubles and confusion - irritated Jason. "He insulted him when my son ordered Jason here to fall in love. So, he punished you by sticking you with the least likely person you will fall in love with." She looked as dread settled in Jason's stomach - he was starting to remember the encounter now and no words could be described how much he regretted it. "I'm very interested -"

" Hold it!" Percy held up her free hand. "You mean we're going to be stuck like this? Forever?" Her tone had taken a pleading note and her eyes seemed to shine with tears. Which did nothing to Jason's conscious, he hated making a girl cry if they're not the enemy.

Aphrodite waved her hand. "No, of course not. Within a week, it will wear off." Jason and Percy relaxed. "It's not permanent, but if you want -"

"No thank you!" Percy snapped. "Let's get out of here." She stood up and tried to leave but Jason's weight prevented her from doing so.

"Wait," He said. "We have a lot of problems to deal with."

Aphrodite nodded, grin still intact. "That's true. For example, where are you two going to sleep?"

"At home... no?" Percy looked confused. Personally, Jason thought it was cute.

"Yeah, but whose home?" Jason ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what the girl was - most likely a demigod though - and he definitely can't bring her back to New Rome in this situation. His hard-earned reputation will go down the drain, his position as praetor might be in danger, Reyna will be furious at him, and he will be the laughing stock at Camp Jupiter.

Percy's shoulders slumped. "This, by far, is the oddest thing that has ever happened to me." She pouted. "It's not fair. I didn't do anything! There must be some other girl he can't get along with." She looked pointedly at Aphrodite.

You've offended my boyfriend and Cupid is our son." The color drained from Percy's face It made Jason wonder how she offended him - if so, he couldn't be the only one to blame right? "In any case, I'll be watching you two. Good luck." With one last wink, the goddess disappeared in a shower of roses.

''This sucks." Percy muttered.

Which pretty much sums things up.