When Percy woke up, the first thing he realised was that he was in a very comfortable room which obviously wasn't his. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see that the room was filled with opulent furnishings, fit for a king. The walls were painted a shimmering gold colour that seemed to reflect the light in a way that made the entire room glow. The intricate designs on the walls were made up of intricate patterns of swirling vines and delicate flowers, all woven together with a precision that spoke of expert craftsmanship. Percy sat up in the plush, velvet bed he had slept in. He groaned, his head pounding. The brightness of the room definitely wasn't helping. The bed itself was covered in the softest silk sheets, so luxurious that Percy couldn't help but run his hands over them.
The second thing Percy remembered was yesterday's event. All of a sudden, the memories came flooding back to him. His choice about accepting godhood, his domains, his immortality, and most importantly, his mentor. Aphrodite. Percy's heart had sunk as soon as Zeus said her name, and it wasn't in the mood to come back up now. He didn't know what the king of gods was thinking, assigning her as his mentor. Percy had made it clear to everyone that after what she'd done with him and Annabeth, he had no intention of keeping in touch with her. Unless Zeus had an Athena worthy reason, there was no way Percy was going to accept her as his mentor. Then again, knowing the king of gods, he wouldn't have much of a say in it. Speaking of Zeus, where was he? Speaking of where people were, where was Percy?
As Percy was stretching and getting out of bed, still dazed, he heard a voice ask, "Are you sure he's awake?". His head snapped up, eyes lingering on the door in front of him.
"Apollo, it's two in the afternoon, if he's not up, I'll make him get up," Another feminine voice hissed.
"Yeah, well us guys need our beauty sleep," Apollo muttered. The next thing he knew, both doors were blasted open, as Apollo and Demeter walked into Percy's room. As soon as he saw them, his eyes went wide while the two gods seemed to study him with an amused expression.
"Ah Percy!" Apollo exclaimed. "Glad to see you're up, cuz!" Percy noticed that he was deliberately refusing to acknowledge Demeter's smug expression and her, 'I told you so.'
"Thank you… Apollo," Percy mumbled. He knew that he no longer had to refer to the gods as Lord or Lady, but it still felt strange to him. Percy made a mental note to get used to it quickly for all the gods aside from Zeus. It can't hurt to call him Lord Zeus and get into the King of God's good books, can it?
Percy rubbed his temples gently, letting out a groan. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve such a headache, but it wasn't going away any time soon. Instead, he needed answers. Percy still had no clue where the Hades he was.
"Quick question," Percy began, looking both immortals in the eye. "Where am I and how did I get here?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"What?" Percy asked in a befuddled tone, causing the sun god to let out a chuckle.
"Nothing," he smirked. "I just thought you'd have more questions instead of asking where you were. For example, I was ready to bet money that you would at least mention Aphrodite."
"Oh I will," Percy agreed. "But I want to figure out where on Earth I am first."
"Not on Earth, cuz," Apollo giggled, a shine in his eyes. "We're much higher than that." As this sunk in, Percy's mouth formed an 'O' shape.
"Alright, so I get that we're on Olympus," he began, "but I still have no idea where I am."
"That's easy to answer, you're in the worst place in Olympus," Demeter scoffed, giving Apollo a weird look.. "The Apollion Hotel." It was the first time she'd spoken to him since they'd come into the room.
"Hey!" Apollo whined. "Everyone loves my hotel." Demeter snorted, as if he was delusional.
"Oh please, it's the only hotel in Olympus to have three stars." With a synthetic look of hurt, the sun god faked emotional damage.
"I'll be the first to assure you, it's four stars now-"
"And both Artemis and Aphrodite have five star hotels," she retorted, interrupting him. For a moment, it looked like Apollo was about to snarl back, but he just shrugged, mouthing 'woman' to Percy and grinning. Percy rolled his eyes, but couldn't help feeling amused by Apollo's attitude.
"Enough chit chat," Demeter sighed, beckoning Percy to follow her. "The council is waiting, and no one is in a good mood." Percy translated that to mean, don't keep them waiting unless you want Zeus to go berserk mode on you.
Percy walked alongside Demeter and Apollo, taking in the exquisite decor of the Apollion Hotel. He didn't understand how it could've ever been a three star hotel, or why Demeter was talking so badly about it. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, casting a warm glow over the plush furnishings and elegant artwork. The walls were adorned with intricate murals depicting scenes from Greek mythology, and the marble floors gleamed underfoot. It was clear that no expense had been spared in the creation of this luxurious establishment. He would stay here without a shadow of a doubt if he was laying over in Olympus, although both his home and Camp Half Blood are pretty close. Plus, he hadn't seen Aphrodite or Artemis' hotels yet, the latter probably never.
"So what exactly happened yesterday after Zeus made that… declaration?" Percy asked, breaking the silence. Apollo let out a low whistle.
"That bad huh?" the sun god asked sympathetically.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you're obviously so traumatised that you've forgotten everything past that point," he explained.
"Actually, I just sorta zoned out-"
"No need to deny," Apollo interrupted, flashing a smile. "I'll explain anyway." Looking at Percy, Demeter smirked like she was saying, see what I have to deal with.
"Well, after Zeus declared Aphrodite as your mentor, the entire council erupted more viciously than that time when you blew up Mount St. Helens. It was like, bad bad. Aside from Hestia and Dionysus, there was a war going on. Everyone was arguing and shouting like madmen." Demeter nodded in agreement.
"It was a mess, to say the least. I've never seen the council so divided in a while."
"Divided?" Percy asked. "Why?"
"Well some of the gods thought Zeus was being reckless, making such a rash decision without consulting the council first," Apollo explained. "And then there were those who were just plain jealous *cough* Ares. "By the time weapons were coming out, Zeus had to shut the meeting down and eventually half ordered, half forced everyone to get some rest, not that anyone did. You seemed to be lost in your own planet, so naturally I volunteered to find you a place to stay for the night-"
"-I thought Zeus forced you to get the boy a room," Demeter frowned.
"-Now, everyone's back in the throne room," Apollo ignored his aunt, "And I tell you man, the tension in there is more than palpable." Percy rubbed his still aching head, groaning. Now was the wrong time to be dealing with this stuff. It's only 2PM. He needs his sleep!
The walk to the throne room felt like an eternity to Percy. The silence was only broken by the sound of their footsteps, and the occasional whisper about him. He couldn't help but feel nervous about the upcoming meeting with the council. Judging from what Apollo said, the council were not in a good mood, and that usually meant short tempers. As they passed by the nymphs, Percy couldn't help but notice their curious glances. He had always been something of a curiosity to the residents of Olympus, being a demigod and all. But now, with the added title of Aphrodite's protégé, he felt even more under the microscope. Apollo, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the attention they were getting. He was too busy trying to convince Demeter to take a detour to the museum of Olympic ancient art. The goddess snapped at him multiple times, not in the mood for his tourist antics. Instead, they slid into an alleyway that was more shady than the Hermes cabin's pranks. It was dark and narrow, making him feel slightly claustrophobic. He had been to Olympus many times before, but this particular route seemed unfamiliar. Perhaps they were taking a shortcut, but he couldn't be sure.
Finally, they arrived at the massive doors of the throne room. Percy couldn't help but feel a sense of awe again as he looked up at the ornate carvings and gold-plated handles. This was the room where the gods made their most important decisions, and he was about to be a part of another one… or a continued one depending on how you saw it. Even Apollo seemed to be in a more subdued mood as they approached the doors, his usual playful banter silenced by the tension they could feel radiating from the room. Demeter stepped forward and placed her hand on the door. She muttered something in Greek, and Percy was pretty sure the goddess was praying for his safety and sanity to be kept intact, although he couldn't say he was certain. Percy's Greek was worse than his Spanish, and he didn't even speak Spanish. Okay maybe that was a slight over exaggeration, but his Greek was just okay.
Percy entered the throne room with his head held high. His mother would always tell him to stop slouching and look up, down not at the boring concrete floor. Quickly, he surveyed the faces of the gods and goddesses in attendance. He saw Zeus, his eyes crackling with electricity, Hera with a stern expression, and Ares looking like he was ready to fight at any moment, probably the most normal thing in the council room. Other gods had a variety of expressions on them, but what attracted his attention the most was the look on Aphrodite's face. She had a small smile playing on her lips, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with a glint of mischief. It was almost like she knew she was going to win this argument.
Not trying to agitate Zeus, Percy's tour guides quickly took their respective seats, before Zeus began.
"Percy Jackson," he boomed. Zeus's voice rang throughout the hall
"Yes sir?"
"It is very rare that we have to push an entire council meeting back by a day because the gods are at each other's throats and questioning their King's judgement." As he said, 'king', Zeus turned to glare at all the Olympian's who seemed very interested in the marble floor.
"However, what's done is done, and we are here again to finalise discussing the matter of your patronage- Hades, it's not the solstice, what are you doing here?" Zeus asked in a tired voice, his expression betraying his annoyance. "And why is Nico here?" Hades shrugged nonchalantly.
"Brother, we're just here for the comedic drama," Hades replied with a weak chuckle. Zeus glared at him, clearly unamused.
"Partly because you have been with the boy for the past year, and partly because I am too tired to argue, you can remain here with your child, but interrupt this discussion once and I will boot you off Olympus faster than you can say 'Zeus is great.' Now where was I? Ah yes, patronage." Zeus stood from his throne, straightening his back and summoning his master bolt. Percy sat up straight. Although he was facing Zeus, Percy could feel Aphrodite's eyes on him, and he wondered what she was thinking. Was she still so sure about her argument?
"I don't want any of us babbling like animals," he said sternly to everyone else. "Instead, let me hear the arguments from both sides in a sensible fashion, one by one, although I highly doubt I'll be changing my decision."
Poseidon was the first to his feet, his expression tense and his vice seething with anger.
"Brother, there is no way my son is learning from that woman," he hissed at Aphrodite. "He'd be lucky if he learned how to flash, forget harnessing his godly power or doing anything else remotely related to learning about godhood. I vote that instead Percy goes to Apollo." A few murmurs of agreement seemed to chorus through the room. Percy glanced over at Aphrodite, who was flipping her hair and tapping her perfect nails on the armrest of her throne. She didn't seem bothered by Poseidon's outburst, something that scared and confused him.
"Uncle Poseidon has a valid point," Artemis began, sitting with her knees to one side, on her throne. "But my brother wouldn't be a good substitute. If anything, he'd be worse than Aphrodite."
"Hey-" Apollo suddenly yelled out. He didn't even have time to say a second word.
"Are you DEAF?" Zeus bellowed, letting out a deafening roar that silenced everyone in the room. "What was confusing about 'ONE by ONE'?" Apollo seemed to sink back into his throne, not daring to say another word. Everyone looked at Zeus, holding their breath, but he didn't do anything. Letting out an angry growl, he rubbed the sides of his head, motioning for Artemis to continue.
"My brother would most likely forget what he's meant to teach Perseus, and instead would tell him how to live like a god rather than how to be one," she finished in a slightly quieter voice. Percy didn't think anyone had expected Zeus to burst out in anger at Apollo like that, and the shock still hung in the air.
"I also agree with Poseidon," Ares said rather fiercely. "A gem of beauty like Aphrodite should not be forced to work with the lowly likes of Percy Jackson. Hell, I would rather train him than let Aphrodite suffer by his side." Most people seemed to be nodding their heads, while Apollo just gave him a cheeky smile. However, Zeus was just staring at his son, eyes narrowed.
"Very well," the Lord of the Sky said with a musing sigh. "Instead of Aphrodite training Perseus, Ares has volunteered! Huzzah! Now he can be stuck with Percy for the next few years while he teaches him everything he needs to know!"
"WHAT!?" Ares suddenly roared, being cut off quickly.
"Why are you so confused?" his father asked. "You just said you'd rather train him than let Aphrodite do so. I'm simply granting your wish. I don't usually do that, so it would be nice to see you act grateful-"
"GRATEFUL? You know as well as I do that I didn't mean it like that-"
"Well how did you mean it?" Zeus roared. "I'm sick of all of you saying empty words. Either say what you want to say with intent, or don't speak at all! None of you ever own up to your mistakes, and it should be time you learn that actions have consequences!" By the time Zeus finished his rant, the god's face was more red than the fire in Hephaestus's forges.
"Brother?" Hestia said gently, yet with caution. All eyes turned to the one eight year old girl sitting cross legged on the floor, watching the meeting with curiosity. "Yesterday you were in such a good mood, so much that at one point you beamed at Perseus. What happened?" For a brief moment, it looked like Zeus was going to finally snap, but just before, he sighed, slumping in his throne.
"I'm tired, Hestia," he growled. "I have better things to do than teach a bunch of immortals on how to behave in a meeting that wouldn't even be taking place if they could all have just behaved civilised yesterday." The goddess gave a nod before turning her attention back to the Hearth that had shrunk.
Zeus let out a deep sigh, the weight of the meeting looking like it was going to crush him. Ares' outburst had only made matters worse and Zeus rubbed the side of his head again, trying to alleviate the pain.
"Sit back and shut up," Zeus growled at Ares. "If I hear so much as a breath from you, the boy will be your liability." Scowling, the war god nodded, watching his father go back to rubbing his temples.
"It hasn't been this bad since Athena," he mumbled to Hera. The goddess frowned at her husband, not making a move to comfort him, but not giving him a look of disgust either. At that moment, she didn't want to add tension in the room. Despite his obvious discomfort, Zeus knew he couldn't look weak in front of the council and quickly tried regaining control of the meeting.
"Whoever's next, say whatever you have to say so I can take an Apollo-codamol and get to bed," he said, the irritation in his voice evident. At this point, even Percy was feeling slightly sorry for him. He had never looked so exhausted and defeated and Percy was curious what the god had done to tire himself out that much. As Zeus glowered at Ares, no one else in the council dared to move, let alone speak. For a moment, Percy thought that was it. All the arguments were in and Zeus would finally make whatever ridiculous decision he wanted to. Unfortunately, the Fates were not siding with him. In the corner of his eye, there was movement and he saw a figure rising from her seat. The shape of her silhouette was elegant and feminine, with long flowing locks of hair cascading down her back. With grace and elegance, she moved forward, her every step a testament to her power and pose. As the goddess reached the centre of the throne room, she took the time to flash Percy a smirk, before turning to the King of the Gods.
"If I may talk, Zeus?" she spoke up, her voice silky and smooth as honey, sending shivers down Percy's spine. The council stirred, murmurs breaking out as they recognised the speaker. Zeus sighed heavily, as if he couldn't take any more of this, but he motioned for her to continue.
"Say what you have to say, and make it quick," he grumbled. Tension was breathing down his neck as the goddess took a step forward, and another, and then another. Percy could feel his heart restlessly pounding as she finally spoke.
"I understand that some of you may have concerns," Aphrodite said in a low and soothing tone. "But I can assure all of you that I am the best mentor for our newly acquainted God. I can teach him the ways of charm and persuasion, a lethal weapon in the hands of the right person." Percy' mouth went dry as her words seemed to influence the council. A lot of members were beginning to sway towards Aphrodite, even though Percy didn't think she was using charmspeak. "Furthermore," she said, her voice velvet, "We all know that, contrary to Poseidon's thoughts, I actually am capable of flashing, as well as harnessing my godly power, albeit a tad weak. I promise to take good care of him, and to help him grow into a great god, one so powerful that he will make Olympus look even more grand and almighty, like the old days." The room fell silent as the goddess finished speaking, the only sound being the soft rustle of her robes as she stood there in anticipation, waiting for a decision. Percy's heart skipped a beat as it dawned on him that his entire training was in Zeus's hands. He watched as the god of the sky leaned forward, his expression weary, yet indestructible, as if he was weighing up the pros and cons.
After what felt like an eternity, Zeus spoke, his voice still holding its authoritative tone.
"Perseus, under my decree, you are still to become the protégé of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love." His heart deteriorated in despair. "Anyone who questions my decision will be the first to incur my annoyance… as soon as I get a power nap. Now off you all go back to your palaces and jobs." Poseidon and Hades both shot their brothers glares more murderous than Typhon. Percy could feel the tension intensify as they turned to face his new mentor.
"Aphrodite," Poseidon said softly, yet there was nothing soft about him at that moment. "Forget sleeping in his bed, if you so much as enter my son's room without explicit permission, Tartarus will be better than what I will have planned for you." With the threat hanging in the air like a heavy fog, Poseidon struck his trident one time, as if to emphasise his point, before flashing away. Hades didn't glare, but gave her a sharp, almost knowing look before him and Nico flashed away, the latter giving him a cheeky grin. One by one, the rest of the gods trickled out of the council chamber, some like Hermes and Artemis giving him almost sympathetic looks, while others like Apollo and Ares muttered how lucky he was. As the last of the immortals filed out, only Percy, Zeus, Hera and Aphrodite remained in the room.
"Perseus, you are expected to reside wherever Aphrodite deems fit," Zeus ordered, wasting no time . "For the foreseeable future, I want you to learn everything there is to know about godhood, as well as meeting those who Athena suggested earlier on. Any questions?"
"Just one, Lord Zeus," Percy said hesitantly. The God's mood seemed to lighten up when Percy addressed him as Lord, but he still came off as moody. "Why am I being forced to work with the one Olympian I do not wish to speak to anymore." Zeus sighed, looking anywhere but at Percy.
"What you don't understand, Perseus," he began, still diverting his gaze from the poor boy, "is that the integrity of Olympus relies on us gods having faith and trust in each other."
As soon as Percy made an angry noise of complaint, Zeus continued on, raising his voice.
"I know that half the time it looks like we're at war with each other, but honestly most gods have enough respect for each other, with the exception of Ares. My son can be a little complicated at times." Percy snorted. In his opinion, that was putting it lightly. "You and Aphrodite need to fix your relationship with each other, and this is the method I've chosen. For the time being, you're in my good books, Perseus Jackson. Don't lose that spot by attempting to defy my orders or find loopholes around them." He nodded vigorously, although something still felt off. There was something about Zeus's demeanour that made him feel uneasy, like the god was hiding something from him.
"Lord Zeus," Aphrodite scoffed, beating him to it. "As much as I appreciate the kind gesture of putting Perseus in my company, surely that is not the only reason for it. I'm not Athena, but I can tell that you're not saying something."
Seeing her husband's panicky face, Hera decided it was time to interject in the conversation.
"As I'm sure you've seen, my husband is in no state to explain his actions with his raging headache," she said stiffly. "I'm sure he has some sort of partly valid reason, but let him tell you in his own time."
"Oh yeah, how come Zeus is so miserable today?" Percy piped up with a grin. "Yesterday had I known better it seemed like Zeus was best friends with the whole council, and today he comes in with an attitude. Either he has split personality disorder, which I guess every god has, or something happened in the short space of time between the two meetings." Zeus's frown deepened at the mention of his supposed "best friend", but before he could respond Hera shot him with a murderous glare.
"Oh something definitely happened," she hissed, venom laced in her voice. "Although I suppose I am partly to blame. After all, it was I who thought my husband was capable of change." Her voice was bitter, but Percy could see the glimmer of hurt in her eyes. Despite her tough exterior, he knew the queen of the gods was deeply wounded by Zeus's actions.
Aphrodite, always one for drama, decided to chime in. "Oh he went back to that mortal bar didn't he?" she asked mischievously. When neither of them replied, the goddess only cackled louder. "Zeus, we were doing so well! It had been a few months at least since the last time! No wonder you're suffering from such a headache. I too have had my fair share of hangovers."
Hera tried to give her a withering look, but with the pain on her face, it came off as more depressing if anything. Zeus, however, was quick to deflect.
"My personal affairs are none of your concern," he said carefully, his face devoid of emotion. "My wife and I have somewhere to be." Standing up, he glared at Aphrodite before giving me the nod. The message was clear: their meeting was over and Aphrodite had just spoken out of place.
"Bye Perseus," Hera sighed, before reluctantly taking Zeus's hand. The room was silent except for the sounds of their footsteps as they walked away. Percy watched as they vanished from sight, their forms dissolving into thin air in a flash of light.
"I guess it's just you and me then, Perseus," the love goddess said, turning to face him. Up close for the first time since Camp, and in the light of the throne room, he finally got a good look at her face. Of course she was beautiful, why wouldn't she be? Her hair was a perfect cascade, her skin smooth and flawless, and her eyes were like two sapphires that sparkled in the light. A smile graced her lips, one that would make every man's heart melt. In front of him was Aphrodite, the most drop dead gorgeous woman to walk the halls of Olympus, and yet his heart felt hollow. Perhaps it was how her face screamed 'Annabeth' to him. Reminders of how they'd broken up still pained him. They were still friends of course, hell, she was the sole reason he was an immortal, and nothing he did could ever be enough to repay her, but it had been Percy who wanted something more, and it had been Aphrodite who'd taken it away.
"I suppose it is," Percy mumbled, looking anywhere but at her. Whether she noticed this or not, it was hard to tell
"Take my hand," Aphrodite said gently. Percy sighed. He felt exactly how Hera must've been feeling when Zeus offered her his hand. He took it, feeling the warm, softness of her hand. The new god braced himself, and before he knew it, the two of them had vanished into the warm afternoon of Olympus.
After feeling a sudden rush of wind whip his hair and a bright flash of light that seemed to blind him, Percy figured it was safe. He opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a spacious room. Quickly letting go of Aphrodite's hand, Percy took a step back, feeling dizzy from all the flashing. He clenched his fists tightly, trying to get a bearing on where he was.
The room was bathed in a soft, golden light which seemed to come from nowhere. Magic, he guessed. The walls were made of a light grey, polished granite and were decorated with carvings of flowers and vines, something that surprised him. He hadn't expected the goddess of love to have illustrations of Demeter and Dionysus's domains. A plush, white sofa sat in the centre of the room, surrounded by a collection of velvet pillows in various shades of pink and red. Looking up, he saw a crystal chandelier hanging, casting shimmering rainbows on the call. Percy knew that Aphrodite must've sweet talked Hephaestus into crafting that. No one else had such skillful hands.
As he gazed around the room, Percy felt a little overwhelmed at its beauty. It was like stepping into a dream, in a place where everything was perfect and nothing could go wrong, only it was Aphrodite's place, where perfection was a façade, and everything was waiting to go wrong.
"Welcome to my home, Percy," Aphrodite said, giving him a small smile. "Make yourself comfortable because this is going to be your home as well until you're trained up."
"Thank you Lady Aphrodite." Percy tried to sound casual, but he knew it must've come out very formally. Both of them stared at each other in an uncomfortable, agonising silence. The scent of lavender and roses didn't make it any less awkward.
"Perhaps you want to see your room?" she asked, breaking the silence. Percy agreed quickly.
"Yeah that'd be nice."
"Follow me". Aphrodite led the way, with an absent minded Percy trailing behind, feeling like he was walking on eggshells. As they walked up the stairs, he made sure to look down firmly at the ground. Unless you want to be in a complicated situation, don't look up as you walk behind a woman, specifically on the stairs. Gods, these tiles were really interesting…
The stairs led up at least seven floors, but they stopped on the third. A long, dimly lit hallway was ahead, with doors on both sides. More flowers adorned the walls, only this time, she had added intricate tapestries alongside, depicting scenes from Greek mythology. The hallway smelled of jasmine and honeysuckle, making him feel like he was walking through Hera's garden instead of a palace.
Aphrodite's house was a maze. She offered him a tour, but right now, he needed some alone time. In the past day, more has happened to him than in the two years with Hades. He'd become a god, and one with half decent domains at that. He'd also learned that Annabeth had sacrificed two years of her life to get him this position, and that Aphrodite was his mentor, something that still made him shiver.
"This is your room," Aphrodite said, guesting towards the door in front of them. "I hope you find it comfortable.". In front of them was a door made from spruce wood. It was painted a light red shade, with a handle that seemed more golden than Apollo. Cautiously, Percy opened the door, and took a whiff. To his surprise, it actually smelt normal, and looked it too. He stepped into the room, serenity immediately washing over him. The soft glow of the evening light streaming in from the window made the space feel warm and inviting. As if she'd already been planning his arrival, the walls were painted a gentle shade of blue, and the ceiling was beautified with images of the sea he felt so homely in.
Percy's eyes widened in surprise when he saw the size of the bed. It was so large, it could easily fit four people on it, let alone one. The sheets were made of silk so delicate, he couldn't resist the urge to run his hands over them, feeling their softness. Percy jumped onto it, before falling down and collapsing on the plush pillows. He let out a contented sigh, closing his eyes for a moment.
When he heard a light chuckle, Percy opened his eyes and sat upright quickly, suddenly remembering he wasn't alone. Aphrodite was looking at him with a smile, as if she found his antics humorous.
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," he said, feeling a little self conscious.
"You're funny," she decided after a while. He shrugged, unsure how to respond. Once again, a thick tension enveloped the room.
"Listen, Perseus," Aphrodite began, shifting uneasily on her feet. It was strange to see her so anxious. "I want to talk to you about what happened with Anna-"
"I'm a bit tired right now," Percy lied loudly, interrupting her before she could finish the name. "It's been a stressful day or so, and right now I need a nap." The goddess looked like she was going to respond, but decided against it in the end.
"I understand," she said after regaining her composure, looking at him with an expression Percy couldn't decipher. "I will be downstairs for a few hours, and then will go to bed too. Hopefully, we can have a talk tomorrow morning." He gave her a curt nod, and she quickly closed the door. As soon as she did, Percy breathed a sigh of relief. This was a conversation he was more than happy delaying.
Normally, he would change into more comfortable clothes before going to bed, but today he was too tired to be asked. Chucking his jacket to the floor and placing Riptide on the side table, he kicked off his shoes and socks, not bothering to think about how dirty he must look, and crawled under the covers. The silky fabric felt like it was caressing his skin, something he could get used to. Percy pulled the sheets up to his neck, before letting his head sink into the softness of Aphrodite's pillows. As he closed his eyes and let the drowsiness take over, Percy couldn't help but think of the absurdity of the situation. A demigod/god, whatever he was, sleeping in the bed of the goddess of love and beauty. He chuckled to himself, imagining what the other campers would say if they saw him.
"Hey Percy, how was your night with Aphrodite?" He could already hear the teasing in Annabeth's voice when they would next Iris message.
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of these thoughts. He could worry about godhood, training, Annabeth, and Aphrodite tomorrow. Until then, Percy needed to do what he had mastered over his precious years as a demigod.
Sleep.
I figured the last chapter couldn't end where it did, so I tried to add a scene showing how stubborn Zeus is when it comes to changing decisions, and how angry the council got. Also, the reason Zeus is so moody is because he has a bad hangover from gong to a mortal bar last night, something mentioned when he's talking to Aphrdoite.
Otherwise, how was it!? It took some time but I hope everyone enjoyed it. As always, feel free to PM me any ideas you have, or even just to give me a "good job!" Next chapter is going to be focused on Percy and Aphrodite.
Just a quick response to a few reviews:
1 - This is NOT going to be a harem story
2 - Yes, Percy and Aphrodite will build a sibling bond, not because of their linkage to the sea, but because they'll work closeley. After a while, they'll begin confiding in each other, teasing each other, and becoming cose friends, but nothing more than that.
Hope to update again next week, and as usual, review please!