AN: Ehhh...I don't know how to write this. But let's see.
Time: Unknown
Percy woke up on a soft bed. He couldn't open his eyes, but for once, he didn't feel the regular effects of a hangover. Rather, he felt... nice. The bed he was sleeping on was familiar and lovely, the pillow his head rested on was soft. His heartbeat calm, his breathing normal. A soft soothing light tinged his closed eyelids with a red glow, and a refreshing scent of wet earth and olives reached his nostrils, calming his mind. Someone off to the right of his bed was humming a song, a Greek nursery rhyme that he liked.
His lips were okay, soft and wet, and his mouth tasted like nectar and ambrosia.
Although his chest and abdomen were still sore, and his jaw and cheeks stung, Percy had never felt better and more invigorated. The air was cool and comfortable, and the soft blanket covering his torso was warm. His right hand was dipped in a bowl of warm salt water to speed up his healing process.
Someone was sitting at his head, a soft pressure forming a depression on the mattress which he felt. Percy couldn't help but lean towards the source of the warmth, but in vain. Despite his desperate attempts to try and reach the warm body, his body did not respond. He tried opening his eyes, but in vain.
Then the Titan noticed a small, soft hand stroking his cheek gently, oblivious to his awareness of its actions. A pressure on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, a lush mane of hair tingling against his chin. Percy deduced it was someone's head. She smelled of the wet earth. Percy waited for a few moments as the female continued listening o his heartbeat, trying to discern who she was. The scent was familiar...
It struck him like a truck, making Percy want to stir, but again his body did not respond. Artemis moved her stroking hand from his cheek, to run it gently against the side of his face, and making Percy lean into her soft touch. She removed a wet cloth from his forehead, making Percy start as he hadn't realised it was there in the first place. She dipped it into a bowl of water, judging from the splashing and rinsing sound, and a few moments later, Artemis replaced the cool, wet cloth on his forehead, gently patting it with her dainty fingers.
Percy's heart broke. He remembered what he had done. He remembered what they had done. He knew his feelings. He did not want to do anything. He did not want to decide. He only wanted to wrap them up in his arms and protect the three girls from everything, leading them to an eternity of happiness and joy. He had failed. Through his own actions.
He tried to say something, most probably, 'I love you', but no sound came from his throat. Percy felt as if he was back in the Void, dead to the outside world. But that couldn't be... he was listening to the outside world, he knew what was happening, his body was still intact...
"His medicines." The voice was soft, and low, but it was still unbearably loud to Percy. He tried to wince, but his facial muscles refused to cooperate.
But he knew the voice. It was Athena. The blonde... Percy's heart broke again as he knew the guilt she was wallowing in. It was not your fault, he tried to say, it was mine. But no sound came from his throat.
He felt his lips being pried open worn soft fingers- he loved their taste- then some crushed ambrosia being forced into his mouth. A soft pair of lips crashed onto his, ensuring that the godly food stayed in, and Percy wanted to stir again, realising he was kissing Athena. He wanted to wrap his strong arms around her and kiss her back, but again, could not.
After a few minutes, which Percy swore Athena took full advantage of -not that he minded, of course- the wisdom goddess broke off, leaving Percy slightly breathless, though he was unable to show that.
He could almost feel Artemis' pout, and feared that the two would start arguing, but his heightened hearing was saved the torture by Calypso's arrival.
Percy could hear her soft footsteps as she came towards the infirmary. The door swung open softly, and she entered, leaving the door open, and softly placing whatever she was carrying on the bedside table.
Calypso slowly walked up to the bed, making Artemis stand up beside Athena as she took her place at Percy's head. The Titan briefly missed Artemis' warmth, before it was replaced by Calypso.
She took his right hand out of the bowl of water, gently pressing her soft lips to the wet hand, before kissing his forehead protectively. Percy wanted to do something... anything, but only lay limp in response.
"How are you feeling, Percy?" Her voice was almost a whisper, but Percy's heightened hearing caught it as clearly as if she had spoken out loud.
"He is still asleep," Artemis whispered. Everyone was being careful with their patient.
"He has been awake for a few minutes now, am I not right, my love?" Calypso whispered. Percy could not respond.
"Can you move anything?" Percy tried to shake his head, no, but could not.
Calypso seemed to glean the answer from his inability to respond. "Don't worry." She whispered, kissing his cheek, "Now that you are awake, the healing process will speed up." She continued talking as she held Percy's hand. "How did you like Athena's kiss? I'm sure you want more from the three of us." She stopped talking, giving Percy the impression that she was smirking at her triumph. triumph could almost feel Athena's blush. "Do you remember what happened?" Percy did not know why she was talking to him knowing that he could not respond in any way, but he did not mind. He tried to respond, albeit in his mind, but still, he could imagine himself asking, 'How long was I out for?'
He did not speak his question out loud, obviously, but Calypso seemed to know him well enough to respond anyway, whispering softly, "Are you wondering how much time has passed? It has been three weeks, Percy, three whole weeks since you arrived in that state." Giving Percy some time to absorb the information, she continued, "There were some Titans who came angry that you slept with their women." She whispered, "I turned them away threatening them severely, of course. You don't need to fear anything, we are all okay. If you had been responsible, of course, none of this would have happened. Iapetus and Hestia were here with us, they just left yesterday-"
Her words were cut off abruptly as Percy felt a burning pain in his right hand, the hand she was holding, like someone was holding a drill to his hand. He would have screamed, gasped, anything, as he felt intense pain, as if someone was hitting his arm with the heated, sharp end of a pickaxe. However, he could not; his muscles refused to cooperate, and he lay limp in soul-wrenching agony, a coming from the hand Calypso was holding.
The pain continued for a few minutes before being cut off abruptly. Percy felt Calypso leave his side. "I'm sorry, Percy, but that was necessary. You can move your right hand now-" Percy tried to lift his arm, "-not your arm, only your wrist and palm and fingers. You can write whatever you need to." He felt someone, Athena or Artemis, handing him a notepad and pen. Twirling the pen in his fingers, already relishing in his sharp motor skills, Percy clicked it impatiently, tuning out Calypso's chatter.
'Why can't I see?' He wrote.
Someone sighed softly by his ear. "Percy, there is a bandage over your eyes. You almost lost your eyesight." Artemis whispered, hugging him slightly, not enough to hurt him.
'Can I sit up?' He wrote then.
"Yes, just a minute- Artemis, will you get some more pillows- Athena, help me with him." Percy hated every moment of his weakness, he wanted to be the one taking care of the girls, not the other way around.
'I'm cooking all of you a delicious meal once this ordeal is over.'
Chuckling slightly, Athena passed the notepad to Calypso, who laughed softly, before Percy felt his cheeks being kissed. By this time, Artemis had returned, her small feet pattering on the floor as she reached the side of the bed. "I'm holding the pillows, you two prop him up." She spoke softly.
Percy felt two smaller, female bodies slide to his side, holding him firmly, but not tight enough to hurt, but his skin still stung through the bandages wrapped around his chest. Calypso and Athena struggled for a moment, before Percy felt his torso being lifted. He mentally berated himself all the whole for his weakness, before he felt Artemis place several pillows behind him. Athena and Calypso removed themselves from his side, and Percy was pleased to find that he was now sitting straight, his back rested against a solid wall of soft pillows.
'I love you.' He wrote.
His proclamation was met with silence, and he realised what he had written.
"I'm gonna go..." Artemis whispered softly, and Percy heard her footsteps retreat.
'Wait.' He wrote, forgetting she would not be able to see his message. But Calypso did, and she sprinted off to retrieve the goddess.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Athena busied herself with something, only returning when the other two returned.
Then, with the three girls standing around his bed, his body limp and unresponsive, save for his right hand, his eyes bandaged, Percy wrote, 'I love you. Romantically. All three of you.'
He could almost hear Athena's smile as she softly kissed his cheek. "I knew." She pressed her lips to his ear. Calypso kissed his other cheek. "Thank you, Percy."
Amidst all this, the Titan heard Artemis sniffing. 'Don't cry, Artemis.' He wrote. 'I had imagined much better circumstances when I finally told you this.'
Artemis smiled at that, Percy liked to think. She whispered. "I know, Percy. These are tears of happiness. I knew you would come around."
Percy tried to huff at that. 'Don't get yourself over the moon at that. I only did this because Calypso is the only one who can keep me healthy.'
Calypso laughed softly, while Athena whispered. "I think that is just you soothing your bruised ego."
'I'm hurt.' Waiting for a moment, Percy added, 'figuratively and literally.' Making the three girls laugh softly, a sound that Percy would commit suicide to hear again.
He felt the notepad and pen being taken away, and he let go, knowing that the girls had his best interests at heart. "Percy, I've brought some good for you. Slowly, you will have to start eating solid food again."
She scooted closer to him. Sensing his unasked question, she replied. "Its nothing much. Boiled, almost liquid, vegetables with crushed ambrosia for easier digestion. Nutritious, and necessary." She added. Percy would have made a face if he could still control his facial muscles, and he could almost feel the heat from Calypso's glare. "You have to eat this." She waited for a moment. "Okay, we will make a deal. If you eat this, you'll get a kiss with every spoonful." And she knew, she had Percy in the bag with that.
Athena giggled from the side. "You'll have to do it anyway. He doesn't have any control over his muscles, remember?" Percy got the feeling that Calypso had not, in fact, forgotten, but instead was treating him like a child, but he did not mind.
The food tasted horrible. (I know I'm vegetarian because of my little problem, and that this sounds hypocritical, but boiled vegetables is nowhere near the top of my vegetarian delicacies.)
But the soft lips that accompanied every spoonful made the torture almost worth it. He would go back to the Void willingly if they kept kissing him like that.
Yes, they.
Calypso and Athena alternated between spoonfuls, and Percy loved every moment of it. After the Titaness' soft, cinnamon flavoured lips retreated, his lips were assaulted by passionate lips that tasted like olives. He loved the taste of Athena's lips, and he felt slightly sorry for the goddess, trying to kiss her back.
He had almost finished the bowl when he realised that it was only Athena and Calypso kissing him repeatedly. He did not mind, but there was a third pair of soft lips to be enjoyed.
He tapped Calypso's thigh with his right hand, making her stop. Not wasting another moment, she handed him the notepad, asking worriedly, "What's wrong, Percy?"
'Where's Artemis?'
"I'm here, Percy." She spoke in a soft voice. She was standing at the foot of his bed.
'She hasn't fed me a single spoonful, has she?'
"No, she hasn't." The Titan could almost hear the smirk in Athena's voice.
'She will be feeding me the rest. I don't know why she wants to keep me from enjoying what is mine by right, but tell her that it is of no use being jealous.' The relatively long message took some time to write.
Calypso giggled. "Don't worry, Artemis. He's only trying to act tough."
'Calypso, I'm trying to act tough here, as you so rightly pointed out.'
"Don't worry, Percy, dear Arty here will be feeding you the rest," Athena spoke, before Percy felt her stand up. A few seconds later, Artemis was shoved into her place at Percy's head.
After a few moments, Percy wrote again. 'What are you waiting for, Artemis?'
Calypso giggled at his other side. "She's blushing up a storm, Percy. I think your command broke her."
'Then I fear her state when I regain control over my body.'
Percy could almost feel everyone in the room blushing at that. He chuckled mentally.
"O-open up." Artemis stuttered, before Percy felt his lips being pried open again by soft, dainty fingers. If he still had control over his lips, he would be sucking on the delicious digits. He felt the offensive vegetables being dumped in his mouth again, and almost gagged at the taste.
The Titan made his best attempt to swallow before Artemis' lips contacted with his. He had no such luck, but fortunately, she had enough sense to keep her tongue to herself. Percy would have pouted at that, but he had to bear with that for the time being, only relishing the feeling of Artemis' lips on his for the first time in the last four millennia.
Artemis broke away, breathless. "I've wanted to do that for the last four millennia." She admitted.
'I enjoyed that.' Percy wrote. He would have grinned or smirked or done something, but unfortunately, his body still refused to cooperate.
A few more loving kisses and horrible food later, Calypso clapped her hands, making Percy wince internally at the loud noise. He flipped her the bird, making everybody wince as they caught the slip-up, and the Titaness to apologize profusely.
"Now, I'll need to take a look at your chest again. Athena, you're with me. Artemis, unwrap his face and clean his cheeks and chin. I think it's healed. If it isn't, we will apply some more salve, but no wrap it. The wound needs to be exposed to the air."
Percy sighed internally as he felt himself being lowered to a lying position again.
Although he felt he would really enjoy being tended to by the three beautiful girls. He only wished his eyesight back so he could watch them at it.
He winced internally as the bandages were taken off, exposing his stinging skin to the cool, open air. Artemis whistled softly. "How did this happen?"
Calypso, who was working at his chest, gently, and slowly unwrapping the bindings as Athena sterilized everything, responded, seeing as Percy couldn't. "After spending millennia in the Void prison, the Void would not let one of its long term inhabitants just go, would it? Percy had nightmares, and fits, which would almost reduce him to a dead state. It has largely reduced in effect, though it would have never happened if he had just stayed at Ogygia. It only happens when he is feeling particularly murderous or hateful." Then her anger turned towards her limp patient. "And this idiot, instead of coming to me immediately, spent a week drinking and club hopping."
Percy internally prayed for a saviour to deliver him from Calypso's wrath. That angel came in the form of a blonde-haired wisdom goddess, who handed the two whatever instruments they needed, which for Artemis only meant a pail of warm water and a cotton sponge for cleaning.
Percy relished the feeling of the moon goddess rubbing his chin and cheeks with the warm, wet sponge. Artemis gently drew the sponge across his face, leaving a clear stretch of scarred skin in its wake, tanned skin which was not tinged red with antiseptics.
She withdrew, placing a gentle kiss on the bandage covering Percy's eyes. "When you get your eyesight back, I promise I'll never get my body out of your sight. Just hang on, okay?" She pressed her lips to his ear, making goosebumps on his skin. Teasingly, she withdrew immediately, resuming her job of cleaning his face of antiseptics as if nothing had happened.
Calypso and Athena were copying her actions on his chest, moving the soft sponge gingerly over his stitches, and taking pleasure in massaging his firm, rock hard muscles. He did not have an ounce of fat in his body, the chiselled frame glorious when healthy, but at that point; it was broken.
All jokes aside, Calypso loved serving Percy and attending to him as if he was her master. However, she knew he hated being like that, and she hated seeing him like that. She swallowed the lump in her throat, looking up to see silent tears streaming down Athena's face.
The Titaness squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, before turning to see Artemis' work was done.
Percy's face was clean, no speck of any ointment or medicine on his chiselled face. His otherwise heavenly face was marred with several new, and still pink scars, but none of the girls in the room cared.
Speaking of the girls, one of them was engaged in a one-sided make out session with the limp patient.
"Artemis, continue distracting Percy. This will hurt." She spoke, putting on the latex gloves and watching Athena do the same. She handed the wisdom goddess a pair of scissors, before she stood at the side with gauze and new stitches. She tried directing the goddess, before realizing that it was not needed. Athena seemed to have expert knowledge on surgeries, her deft fingers executing otherwise complicated motions with ease.
She did not register any anaesthetics, fearing the negative effects. And seeing as Percy could not move anything, it was not really needed. He had a high pain tolerance, anyway.
Artemis was all the anaesthesia that Percy needed. Hearing her moan as she explored his mouth with her wet, velvety tongue numbed him to the intense pain he felt from his abdomen as he was sliced open.
AN: Ok, this chapter is done. I'm gonna go watch the Champions League knockout stages draws.Keep calm and CR7!! Keep calm and LM10!! (Messi)