A/N Rick Riordan owns Percy Jackson.
Chapter 6
The weather was still cool but Thalia was feeling warm anyway thanks to the strong tanned arms wrapped around her body. She felt completely safe and relaxed, a manly smell filling her nose, the gentle beating of a heart aligning with the rythm of her own.
"You look radiant today", Apollo whispered lovingly into her ear, while gently caressing her stomach, making her have goosebumps all over her body, "I just can't stay away from you any longer."
Thalia's stomach was filled with butterflies, her heartbeat speeding up, her skin feeling incredible hot as Apollo started to nibble on her earlobe while simultanously moving his right hand up her stomach to start kneeding her small breasts.
The feeling was absolutely overwhelming. There was nothing else mattering in that moment, nothing more important than to get closer to him, to take everything she desidered but was so wonderfully forbidden.
His mouth now fastened on her neck, his other hand slipping down her stomach into her pants, her hips were lifting up, begging for release…
Then Thalia awoke with a desperate gasp, her own hand pressed between her legs, feeling the wetness pooling there.
It took her a moment to find her way back to reality: The small and a little shabby room that had been her home for the last month since she had taken Nico up on his offer to stay at the sanctuary.
After staying for two weeks with the Jacksons and not coming any closer to find an answer tot he question wether to quitt he hunt or return to it, she decided it wouldn't be right to intrude on their little family any longer.
It was different here: There was a constant coming and going at the sancturay, everything was being a bit more anonymous. If she wanted to talk to someone there was always someone around, if she didn't want to she could just go to her room or for a walk.
Most kids were only staying for a night or two before leaving for Camp Half Blood or home, those kids usually shared rooms. There were a couple of kids that stayed longer than that though, because of school, family drama or problems at camp. They got either one constant roommate or a room for themselves. Since Thalia was actually considering staying there and on the other hand didn't want to room with a much younger girl (because, duh… those teenage girls could be just so shallow and nearly as stupid as seaweed brain: constantly chattering or staring into a mirror, they were simply driving her crazy), she was given her very own room.
It was wonderful! After so many years sharing tents with the other huntresses like a teen, she had to admit that it was nice to have a place just to herself. A constant place that she could fill with things she liked, where she could play the music she loved and where she was able to close the door and be alone whenever she felt like it.
She had started to job at a small cafe a few blocks away, fort he first time in her life earning her own money to buy herself a burger or to go to the movies everynow and then or just to buy some groceries fot the sancuary.
She assisted the young demigods when they where in need, wether it was to fend off monsters or just to talk about their problems that were just so similar to the problems she had had at their age.
Her free time she either spend alone, walking the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn, or with Nico and Will, who had returned from his tour and had indeed been delighted to see her but had felt a bit awkward about the whole her having the hots for his father thing.
She was keeping herself busy to avoid thinking to much, dreading to make a final decision. Yes, all those things made her happy but could she really do this forever? The hunt had made her feel at home at first too and now…
Now her night were filled with steamy dreams od Apollo and her days with the strange new purpose of finding out who she was and what she wanted. Everything could change in a few years and it was terrifying.
When she had been a kid, stuck with a depressed mother and a baby brother she was providing for, there hadn't been any choices. After Jason disappeared, leaving her mother behind had been the only logical choice for her, since she was full of anger towards her and making her last stand to safe her friends also had been the only conclusion coming to her mind that night when the monsters caught up with them, shortly before they reached Camp Half Blood. And then there was the choice to join the hunt, fueled by the pressure of a prophecy and death threats made by gods and the painful sting of Luke's betrayal.
All those decisions had been made in an eyeblink. This situation to be able to overthink a choice without being filled with anger or having danger looming over her, was a completely new situation.
Thalia took a long shower to wash any reminder oft he dream off her body while considering what to make of the lack of guilt about her unpure thoughts. Was this a sign that staying here was fort he best or was it just showing her how much being away from the hunt had corrupted her?
Maybe talking to Nico and Will would help her to finally make a decision. They never touched the subject since she had had moved in, Nico and Will politely waiting for her to make the first move while she was avoiding the topic. Maybe this was a sign from the god of decision-making to finally get going.
Nico and Will had their apartment right above the sanctuary. Thalia was just about to knock when she heard a familiar voice, making her freeze where she was standing: Apollo was there!
It took her a couple of seconds to catch herself then her curiosity got the best of her and she pressed her ear tot he door.
"…so stop whining already, dad! You're the fucking god of the sun, get a grip on your emotions!"
"You're being heartless, Will! Here I am asking for your help and you just refuse. Your right, I AM a your father and a god and know I demand your assistance!"
"We are not helping you with getting Nico's cousin to bang you!"
Thalia pressed her hand over her mouth to keep any shocked noise inside. She wanted to waltz in and scream that Apollo could go screw himself for trying to get her friends to set her up with him. At the same time she wanted to hear more.
On the other side oft he door noone had said anything in a while and it almost seemed as if the conversation was over and Apollo had disappeared when she heard a long sigh:
"It's not the way you think, my boy. This is different. It's not just about sex though I have to say that Thalia is some really hot stuff."
Will made a disgusted noise.
"I know you have every reason to believe that I'm not the type of guy to go for long term relationship after the way I left your mother behind while she was pregnant and the amount of brothers and sisters I gave you. But the truth is that I wanted to settle down for a couple of times in the few thousand years of my existence but all my chosen ones either did not choose me or they died. I nearly gave up on love but ever since I met Thalia I have hope again. Maybe I finally found my one true love in her. But then she joined the hunt and I tried to stay away, I really tried but…"
This time Thalia was not able to contain suprised noise. Not very loud, but loud enough to stop the conversation in the apartement. A few seconds later the door was ripped open and a Apollo was staring at her as if he couldn't decide if to be delighted or angry with her very apparent eavedropping.
For a few painfully long moments noone said a word, the it just broke out of her:
"You love me?"
Apollo had apparently decided to be glad to see her and looked at her with a boyish, sheepish grin:
"Yes, though I wanted to tell you in a far more poetic manner, a haiku or a ballad maybe…"
"But you can't love me, you barely know me!", Thalia interrupted him, "I am part of your sisters hunt and you're a god! You gods constantly fall in and out of love and then leave a string of broken hearts behind! You can't,…, I can't! This is not right!"
During her rant the grin had slowly slipped from Apollo's face. He looked young in that moment, vulnerable, not at all like to old, very powerful being that he was.
"So you don't feel anything for me? What am I doing wrong? Is there anything I can do to make you like me more?"
"I… I don't know what I feel.", Thalia whispered, "I'm so confused."
"Them give me at least a chance to court you. You're staying here, aren't you? Give me one week to convince you of my feelings for you. And if you never want to see me again after this week I will leave you alone for all eternity."
Thalia considered it for a moment, this offer sounded almost too good to be true, Hades, this whole morning seemed to be just too damn perfect to be real. But then again what could it hurt…
"One week.", she finally agreed.
Apollo's reaction was immediate: He let out a happy little noise, the whole face lightening up and before she could stop him, he had already wrapped her up in his arms, lifting her up into the air and burying his face in her short hair.
Thalia couldn't help but relax into the embrace. She gave in to the warm fuzzy feeling, to the wonderful sound of Apollo's breathless laughter, rumbling against her. Maybe, she thought for a tiny little second, maybe everything would be allright.
As usually it took me quite some time to update. I hope there's someone out there who is still reading this fic anyway.
I'm very thankful for every review.
