Today was a tranquil and calm day on Olympus. The sky was painted with a blend of pastel colours as the sun began to rise from the horizon. The air was filled with an unusual calmness, and even the birds seemed to be quieter than usual. Most of the gods and goddesses were still asleep, enjoying the rare opportunity to have a peaceful rest. Hera and Zeus had even somewhat made up and were back on speaking terms. However, not everyone was taking it easy on this tranquil day.

In the midst of this peaceful morning, a couple could be seen sneaking into a palace, holding hands tightly. Aphrodite, with her flowing locks and radiant beauty, led the way with a mischievous twinkle in her mesmerising eyes. Meekly, Ares, followed behind, his expression torn between excitement and worry.

"Are you sure about this, Aphrodite?" Ares asked, his voice tinged with hesitation. "I don't want to get into trouble with your husband, especially not today." Aphrodite gave him an exasperated sigh.

"For the hundredth time, my dear, he won't be here today. He's busy working on some project for Percy, and won't be back until late tonight. We have plenty of time." Ares grumbled, still unconvinced.

"I don't want to end up on Hephaestus TV again. Athena still won't let me forget about the last time." The goddess smirked, reminiscing.

"Don't worry, this time we'll be more discreet. Besides, at least last time we weren't doing anything that… obvious. Ares blushed at the thought, making her giggle. Of course, only Aphrodite could make the fierce god of war blush like a schoolboy caught gawking at his crush.

"What about the boy?" he asked, his voice still hesitant.

"What about him?" she asked, cocking her head to the side with a cheeky smile.

"I don't want him catching us doing anything." Aphrodite let out a laugh.

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes. "Percy would be even more disgusted than you. Besides, I convinced him to take the day off and go out for a bit with his friends." He nodded, unconvinced.

"Speaking of Percy, where is he even?"

"ROMANS!" Percy's voice roared, louder than a drakon. "I command you to bow down to your new Lord!" To give his words some effect, the new god raised his hands, and in doing so, raised the Little Tiber river upwards. Percy's voice echoed throughout the entire city, as he stood atop a hill overlooking the Romans. His gaze was commanding, his posture imposing. The new god had never felt so powerful in his entire life, and he revelled in the sensation. The river he now controlled had granted him a level of control he had never experienced before, and it was intoxicating.

Originally, Percy didn't want to make such an overdramatic appearance. Then, as he began to consider it more, he thought, well why not? After all, he only lived once, so why not use his life to its fullest by making an entrance so dramatic that Lord Zeus above would cringe.

As he approached the entrance, Percy noticed two new demigods guarding the entrance. He wondered if they were part of the new batch of Roman demigods that Reyna had mentioned. They looked young and inexperienced, but Percy knew better than to underestimate anyone. He took a deep breath, feeling the power of the Little Tiber river flowing through him. With a flick of his wrist, he raised the river upwards, causing a wave to crash down on the demigods. It wasn't nearly enough to cause any damage, only fazing them momentarily. They were caught off guard, stumbling backwards and trying to regain their footing. Percy strode forward confidently, his eyes fixed on the entrance. He could feel the demigods' eyes on him, watching his every move. He raised his hands again, summoning another wave to crash down on the entrance, causing the doors to burst open. Percy stepped inside, feeling a rush of adrenaline as he surveyed his surroundings. The whole field was filled with Roman soldiers, all of whom had stopped what they were doing to stare at him.

"Percy?!" A feminine voice came from the crowd. His eyes darted around, looking for the source, before finally setting on a young praetor, one he had spent a lot of time with.

"Oh hello Reyna!" he said happily, accidentally releasing his control over the river, letting it fall down with a splash, dousing the poor guards for the third time. Playfully, his former colleague rolled her eyes at his antics. He quickly made his way towards her, getting smirks of amusement from the nearby demigods.

"False alarm guys, don't worry!" he called out. "No crazy god attacks today. I think we've all earned a well deserved break after the last war." That earned him a few chuckles.

"Oh my days," Reyna grinned as he finally reached her. "Talk about a long time."
"Nice to see you too!" he said, wrapping his arms around her in a friendly hug which she happily returned. As they pulled away, Reyna raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's with the dramatic entrance?" Percy smirked.

"Hey, what's life if you can't have a bit of fun every once in a while?" She laughed, shaking her head.

"Some things never change. How have things been with you?"

"Oh things are wild," he grinned, "but I wanna gather the others before I make any announcements." Reyna agreed that was fair, telling the two wet and furious guards to quickly bring Frank and Hazel. Water dripping like a waterfall down their hair, they shot daggers at Percy before nodding and running away, most likely to find a towel. Reyna laughed, leading Percy through the camp.

Percy couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over him as he walked through the familiar paths of Camp Jupiter. The last time he had been here was during the battle against Polybotes, where he had fought alongside his friends and the Roman demigods to protect New Rome. It was a bittersweet memory, as many had lost their lives in the process, but it was also a reminder of how strong they were when they stood together. As they walked, Percy caught up with Reyna on what had happened since their last meeting. She informed him that Camp Jupiter was slowly recovering from the aftermath of the war and that the demigods were adapting to their new lives. Percy listened intently, glad to hear that his friends were safe and well.

It didn't take them long to reach the praetor's quarters, where Frank and Hazel were already waiting. As soon as they saw him, their smiles widened as they jogged towards him. Percy's heart swelled with warmth at the sight of his old friends. He may refuse to admit it, but deeply Percy missed them. Frank was first, engulfing him in a bear hug that threatened to crush his ribcage in more ways than once, but Percy didn't mind.

"Good to see you man," he said, clapping Percy on the back. Hazel was next. Delighted to finally see him, the daughter of Pluto gave him a big hug but ended it quickly (Frank was clearing his throat uncomfortably.) After exchanging pleasantries, Reyna opened the door to her quarters, motioning for them to follow her in.

"So where have you been these past two years?" Frank immediately asked as soon as the door closed. Percy frowned.

"Wow that's it. None of the 'how's the ascension to godhood?'"

"We want to know where you've been," Hazel chimed in, before suddenly furrowing her brow. "Wait did you say godhood? As in G-O-D-H-O-O-D?"
"You spelt it better than I could have, but yeah!" he exclaimed. Percy couldn't help but chuckle at their expressions. They looked like they had just seen a ghost, although he understood where they were coming from. After all, it wasn't every day that a demigod ascended to godhood, much less a demigod who has barely been seen for the last few years.

"You have some real explaining to do," Frank grumbled, but he couldn't hide his grin from the new god.

"Ah well where do I begin?" he asked with an amused smile.
"From the start if you will, my fellow praetor," Reyna asked, but it came out as more of a demand than anything else.

And so he did. He started with the breakup, explaining how hard his heart had to fight. He decided to leave out the part about Aphrodite because it was a private matter. Even Nico didn't know. Next, he went on about his days with Hades, how he had grown to appreciate the moody god's company, and how even Hades can lighten a room up with a devious prank. Percy also skipped out the prank he had played on the hunt, instead saying he went straight to Olympus with Hades. For some reason, it felt too personal to share… Or perhaps that was his brain's way of saying Artemis would skewer him. When he reached the part about the council meeting, the trio listened intently, their faces reflecting shock and amazement.

"You are so lucky to have Annabeth as a friend," Hazel finally said. "I can't remember the last time my boyfriend made me dinner, let alone did quests for every Olympian to grant you another chance at immortality." Frank looked up guiltily.

"I mean someone else always cooks, it's not like the whole camp wants to try my food… if you can even call it that." Percy gave him a deadpanned look before snickering.

"Is that seriously the best excuse you could come up with?" Frank turned to Percy with a serious expression, before asking, "Did it work?" At this, he couldn't handle his laughter anymore, bursting out and chuckling like a child on its first sugar rush.

"What are your domains?" Reyna asked, interrupting his little laughter session and studying him curiously. Percy took a deep breath, steeling himself for their reactions.

"I have control over the domains of Rivers, Comfort, Leadership, Floods, Illusions and Metamorphosis." If it was possible, the trio's mouths grew even wider. Everyone just stared at him, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at the incredulous looks on their faces.

Reyna, always the strategist, was the first to compose herself.

"Illusions and Metamorphosis, that's quite an interesting combination," she said thoughtfully. "I can see how it would be useful in battle." Percy groaned.

"These are for me to control," he chided. "They're my responsibilities, not weapons in a war that better not be happening or for me and the Fates are having a 1v1." The praetor rolled her eyes and Frank snorted.

"Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't give you the domain of stupidity," she grinned, before leaning forward, her expression serious. "Of course we all know that war is never our first choice, but sometimes it's necessary, and when it comes, we need to be prepared." Percy nodded.

"I know, Reyna, but let's hope it never comes to that. Asides from Eris and Ares, war should never be anyone's goal." Finished talking, Percy turned to Frank, who unlike his fellow praetor had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Rivers and Floods, huh? You could cause some serious chaos with that." Percy grinned at his reaction.

"Oh yeah, I could definitely make a splash if I wanted to." Hazel and Reyna simultaneously groaned, while Frank snickered at his lame excuse for a joke.

"What about Comfort?" Hazel suddenly asked. "That's an unusual domain for a god." At the mention of his other domain, Percy's grin faltered. It was a domain that he still wasn't entirely comfortable with, pun intended.

"Yeah, it's not the most glamorous of domains, but I suppose it has its uses," he said quickly, attempting to move on from this topic. Unfortunately for him, Reyna, always astute, noticed his change in demeanour.

"Percy," she began gently, "is everything okay?" For a moment, he hesitated.

"You may be a god, but to us, you're still the same crazy guy who turned up to Camp carrying a hippie Juno," Hazel said. "We're here to help you." Percy sighed.

"It's just that… I don't really know what to do with the comfort domain. It's not like the other domains, which are more action-orientated. Comfort is more… passive, I guess. It's about easing people's pain and making them feel better, and I don't know how to do that." Hazel gave him a sympathetic look.

"Percy," she chided. "You're one of the best comforters I know, you just express it in different ways. You comforted me and Frank by giving us new roles, responsibilities, and friends. You comforted my brother Nico by giving him a cabin in the Greek Camp. Hell, you comforted Annabeth by literally jumping into hell, just so she wouldn't be alone." He nodded. After all, Hazel did have a valid point.

"What she's trying to say," Reyna added, "is that if anyone can find a way to comfort others, it'll be you, and if you're ever stuck, ask for help. Remember, you're not alone in this ascension to immortality. If puny mortals like Hazel, Frank and I are not good enough for you, seek out other gods with similar domains, like Apollo or Hestia. They might have some advice for you." Percy chuckled at her sarcasm, but nodded, grateful for the suggestion.

"I'll try," he said, "and don't worry, you guys will never be puny mortals to me, I promise you." They laughed, and the tension in the room eased.

"So do you all want to hear about how Aphrodite is my new mentor?"

"WHAT!?"

"Only you can pull something like that off," Frank laughed as Percy finished the rest of his story.

"You're acting like I planned this," Percy frowned. "Man, I didn't even want this, trust me Aphrodite is not all sunshine and rainbows, although she is bearable."

"How?" Reyna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How what? How is she not sunshine and rainbows, or how is she bearable?" The praetor thought for a moment before choosing both.

"Well Aphrodite always flirts with everyone we pass by, and she's always acting as if her next step is to get me into her bedroom. Then, she also forced me to go on a shopping trip-"

"Percy, you need new clothes, even Nico agrees, and his taste nearly made Hazel throw up," Reyna teased, a faint smile playing on her lips as Hazel scowled.

"Shut up!" he groaned. "But yes, we took a trip to the Olympian malls."

"Well the way you're saying this is making it sound like torture, so how is she bearable?" Frank asked.

"I said she's bearable because she's promised on the Styx to never interfere with my love life again, which is a relief because I don't think I can stand another fake relationship."

"Oooh, got your eyes on someone now," Frank teased, earning a scowl.

"Love is something even I'm scared to introduce into my life," Percy grumbled. Reyna, however, leaned forward.

"What do you mean by 'fake relationship'?" she asked. Percy's face immediately darkened, memories of the past suddenly flooding his mind.

"Let's just say I've had my fair share of relationships that Aphrodite was creating for her own amusement." Frank and Hazel shared a dark look, knowing what he was talking about, and decided to drop it.

Reaching into one of her drawers, Reyna fished out a bottle of Kool Aid and four glasses. As she passed the glasses around, a silence enveloped the four of them. For Percy, as much as he tried not to think about it, the first thought in his head was Love. As Reyna passed around the glasses of Kool Aid Limited Edition flavour, the group fell into a comfortable silence. Percy couldn't help but let his thoughts drift to the topic that had been weighing on his mind lately - love. It wasn't that he was actively seeking a romantic relationship, but recently the idea of being incapable of finding love was a daunting thought that plagued him. It wasn't just the inability to find love, Percy's real fears went deeper. He was scared that he was incapable of being loved, by was sad, but as the days passed, the thought had gnawed on him, digging deeper into his brain. As much as he tried, he could never meet the woman for him. Yes, he was only twenty, but it felt like the world was trying to stop him from finding true love. First with Calypso, now with Annabeth… He had seriously thought they were destined to be, but no, the Fates and Aphrodite had other ideas. The past two years spent with Hades had given Percy plenty of time to reflect on himself and his actions. He wondered if he was somehow subconsciously sabotaging his relationships or if he was simply not meant to find love. More recently, these thoughts often had begun keeping him up at night, fueling new fears. Honestly, some days he was tempted to ask Aphrodite for a few choices, but decided against it. He believed that love should be a natural and organic process, and that the intervention of a goddess would only complicate things further.

Thinking back to his time with Annabeth, Percy couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. When he had been with her, everything was so simple and perfect. She had been the perfect match for him in every way - intelligent, independent, strong, good with knives, beautiful, compassionate and a good laugh, until it ended. It seemed like the universe was conspiring against him, making it difficult for him to find someone who shared his values and understood him on a deep level. He knew that finding a mortal with these qualities was already a tall order, but finding an immortal who possessed them seemed almost impossible. Where on earth was he finding an independent goddess, who was smart, beautiful and in love with knives like Annabeth?

As he took a sip of the Kool Aid, Percy pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. He didn't want to ruin the pleasant evening they were having with his own insecurities. Unfortunately, Reyna was faster.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked, looking at him with a quizzical expression. Shaking his head, he forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm good, just lost in thought, I guess," he replied. Frank, who had been absentmindedly enjoying his drink, suddenly spoke up.

"You know, you're too hard on yourself sometimes," he said, staring into Percy's eyes like he knew exactly what he was thinking about. "You're an amazing guy, and anyone would be lucky to have you." Percy felt a warm feeling spread throughout him. He appreciated the sentiment, but it didn't change his doubts. Still, it was nice to know someone had faith in him, even if he didn't.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again," the Roman praetor said. "You don't have to go through this alone. We're here for you, and we'll always support you." He could feel a lump in his throat.

"Thanks guys," he finally said after a while. "What would I do without you?"

"Probably get lost in a mall with Lady Aphrodite," Frank innocently suggested, causing the room to burst into laughter, the tension easing. For a moment, all his worries faded away, as Percy enjoyed the simple company of true friends.

"Are you staying for the night, Percy?" Hazel asked as she finished her drink. "There's always room for you here, and the Neptune house was relatively clean when I last saw it."

"And when was that?" he asked.

"Nearly three years ago, just before we all went on the Argo II," she replied with a coy smile, earning a grin from him.

"Wow, it's been that long huh? I'm afraid as tempting as it sounds, Aphrodite expects me back within a few hours, and if I stay the night, she's gonna break into the Camp, thinking something fishy's going on." The daughter of Pluto gave him a sad smile, making him feel guilty. In all fairness, he would love to stay with the Romans for a bit longer, but he had so much stuff to do, including meeting that River God to wash away his mortality and somehow make amends with Hecate.

"Thanks for the drink," he said to Reyna, licking his lips. "I'll give you ladies some more time to relax, but I need to borrow Frank for a bit," Percy said, sitting up and stretching his legs.

"Wait what," the boy said, suddenly confused. "Oh no, did Jason tell you about the jam incident. I swear, he forced me to do it!" Percy suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"Hold up a second, that was you!? Oh, we're definitely having a talk now! I still haven't been able to get the jam out of my shirt!" Hazel laughed, ignoring Frank's pleading 'help me' eyes, as Percy towed him away.

As they walked through the camp, Percy led the way while Frank trailed behind, anxiously looking around at the other campers. They passed the bathrooms, the coffee shops, and the Field of Mars. Percy could feel the shapeshifter's unease growing with every step they took. However, it was only when they stopped at the Coliseum where Frank properly started freaking out.

"Do we really have to fight this out," he asked nervously. Percy smirked.

"We'll deal with the jam incident later, but for now, I need your help with something else." Relieved, the son of Mars nodded, now looking at Percy curiously.

"What is it?" he asked, his interest piqued. It's always been you teaching us during our quests. As far as I'm aware, you've mastered, well, everything aside from archery, but you can't have everything in life." Both boys nodded in union, agreeing on something.

"It's metamorphosis," Percy simply said. "I've been made the god of Metamorphosis, which includes physical transformations, and I have no idea how to change my hair colour, forget transforming people into dinosaurs."
"Dinosaurs?" Frank asked, cocking his head. The new god just shook his head with a sigh.

"Nevermind, it's Hades' idea, the point is I need you to teach me how to transform myself, and I gotta find out ASAP."

"Why me though?" Frank frowned. "I'm sure there are better candidates-"
"Not really," he interrupted, "You're the best shapeshifter I know, so I've figured you're the best person I know." Frank looked thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding in agreement.

"Well, the first thing you need to understand is this isn't easy." Percy remained unfettered.

"I know it's not, but I'm willing to put the time and effort in," he replied.

"I'm just saying, even after my grandmother spelled my gift out, it took an entire plane ride, train ride, and horse ride, and a conversation with Death before finally, I did my first transformation."

"It was still less than two days," Percy noted, and Frank shrugged.

"Yes, but it varies from person to person."

"Don't worry, I'm ready," he affirmed Frank, taking a deep, collecting breath. Taking off his jacket, Percy chucked it to the floor. "Let's get to business then, shall we?"

Frank decided to remove his jumper as well, flexing his muscles. Percy was surprised, but Frank was in surprisingly good shape. He'd lost a healthy amount of weight, and had even put on some extra muscle. Percy smiled, knowing Hazel had motivated him. At least someone could find true love, even if he struggled to…

"Okay, so where do we start?" Percy asked with a clap, his eyes focused on Frank.

"Well, first you need to understand the basics," the shapeshifter said in a serious tone. "Transforming is all about concentration, focus, and visualisation." Percy couldn't help but notice how his voice sounded like a teacher giving a lecture.

"Let's start with something relatively easy," Frank said, holding out his hand. "I want you to turn into a bird. Think about the animal and picture your body slowly morphing into a bird's." Nodding, Percy closed his eyes. He tried to focus, imagining his fingers sprouting wings and feathers. Nervously, the new god opened an eye, unsurprised that he was still a normal person.

"Again," Frank insisted. "Close your eyes, and feel the animal take over." He took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind. Closing his eyes once again, he tried focusing on his breathing. He tried to ignore the distractions around him, the sound of the wind blowing and the rustling of leaves in the distance. Percy tried again… and again… and again, but to no avail.

"Come on Percy, just focus," Frank's voice reverberated through the air, many attempts later. "You need to want to be the animal."

"What, do you think I don't want to be the animal?" he replied through gritted teeth. Frank only sighed, his face softening with understandment.

"I know you do, but transformation isn't just about wanting it. It's also about letting yourself become the animal you're picturing in your mind, and letting the natural side take over. Focus on the animal you want to become, and let the transformation take over." Taking a deep breath, Percy closed his eyes and tried to picture himself as a bird. He felt a strange sensation in his legs, a tingle that travelled up his body, but it was over almost as soon as it began.

"I can't do it," Percy said, frustration creeping into his voice. "It's just not working." Despite the edginess in Percy's voice, a small smirk appeared on Frank.

"It's not easy, I told you Percy. Metamorphosis is incredibly complicated and difficult, even if you are the god of it, you still need to figure out how to perform this magic." Percy groaned, running his hands through his hair in agitation.

"Why did the Fates have to make this so difficult," he grumbled. "Why couldn't they have just given me the ability to control my domains straight away?"

"Maybe because they don't have the power to do that, and have never done it for any god before?" Percy shot his friend a glare.

"Let me rant and take my frustrations out in peace, Frank." He chuckled.

"You're not the first to struggle with metamorphosis. Apparently, most gods figure it out by accident, hundreds of years after their ascension to godhood. You'll get their Percy, it just takes time and practise." He nodded, trying to focus again, but the frustration kept getting to him. It was a bitter feeling not being able to master the ability of shapeshifting, especially when he was the god of metamorphosis. He felt a wave of disappointment wash over him as he opened his eyes and looked at Frank, who was watching him intently.

"I suppose you're right, it won't come overnight," Percy said, his voice low.

"Now let's try again, this time into a squirrel. Remember, focus on becoming the animal." Nodding, Percy closed his eyes again, trying to concentrate on the image of a squirrel. He visualised the creature's bushy tail, its soft brown fur, and its beady black eyes, and tried to picture himself in that form, his body slowly morphing into that of a squirrel. When he opened them again and looked down at his hands, he was unsurprised to find they were still human hands.

"Try again, harder," Frank urged, his voice encouraging.

"What makes you think I'm not trying my hardest?" Percy asked in an irritated tone. Frank smirked.

"Perhaps because if you were, you'd already be an animal?"
"Good point," Percy grumbled.

"How about we try something new?" Frank offered in an attempt to reignite Percy's faltering determination.

"Man, I'm all ears," Percy muttered in a defeated voice. It must've been over an hour since their metamorphosing began, and Percy was having on luck. Aside from the odd tingly sensation, he was still 100% human, and 200% irritated (yes percentages now add to 300%.)

"Instead of trying to become a squirrel, or fox, or bird, or whatever, try to only turn an arm into something, say a bird's arm." Percy perked up at the idea. It was a new approach, and somehow sounded more manageable.
"That is… actually not a bad idea." Frank smirked. "Alright, here goes nothing," Percy began, once again closing his eyes and focusing on his arm this time. He envisioned a small bird, imagining its wings, intricate, soft feathers, and sharp talons.

"Focus on the animal's arm," Frank encouraged. Again, Percy felt a tingling sensation in his fingers, only this time, it kept growing stronger. When he opened his eyes, for the first time that day, something had happened. Percy's hand had indeed transformed into a small, brown bird's. He flexed his fingers, marvelling at the new sensation.

"There we go!" Frank exclaimed and sighed in relief. Percy couldn't help but smile in wonder, letting out a sigh of accomplishment as he sat down.

"And now to turn it back, focus on your own arm, and banish the bird within you." This time, it was much easier. Percy figured that since he had a human's body from birth, it was the more dominant side of him, and was ready to take back control. When he next opened his eyes, his arm had indeed become human again.

"Tell me if I'm wrong," Frank beamed, "when I told you that you could do it." Percy rolled his eyes.

"Gloating just after my success, really?" Frank pulled a face.

"You mean your success because of me?" Percy grinned, feeling grateful for Frank's guidance. He knew that there was still a long way to go but for the first time in hours, hope filled him.

"Frank, I can't thank you enough-" Percy tried to show his gratitude, but the son of Mars wasn't having it. He simply waved it away, a small smile playing on his lips. Percy knew that Frank wasn't the type of person who do things for others without expecting anything in return, but he still wanted to express his appreciation.

"If it was me, you would've done the same thing." Eventually, Percy just gave up. When he reached his prime in godhood, he'd make sure Frank, along with Annabeth, Hazel, Jason and all his other friends would get the gratitude and treatment they deserved. Until then…

"I have to get home now," Percy muttered, picking up his coat from the floor and putting it back on.

"Already? The sun's just started setting?" Percy had a wry smile on his face.

"Aphrodite's events have finished, and unfortunately that means I'm wanted back at her palace." Frank thought for a moment.

"We haven't seen you in years Percy, at least have some dinner with us. It's grilled steak burgers!"
"You tempt me Frank, but it would be rude to defy my mentor's orders, regardless of how stupid and childish she may be." Percy gave his friend a clap on the back, and two walked out into the warm, twilight air of the Oakland Hills.

"I guess this is where we depart?" Percy offered his hand to Frank. "I'll keep practising what you told me, and hopefully I can revisit you all soon enough." Frank only had a frown on his face.

"C'mon Percy, at least have a drink with us." The boy was persistent, refusing to take no for an answer. Percy tried shaking his head, but Frank leaned in, lowering his voice.

"Look man, between you and me, if Hazel finds out I let you leave without making sure you ate something, I'm a dead man walking." The two let out a chuckle.

"I want to, believe me I do, but Aph-"
"Oh forget her!" Frank said a little loudly. "What's she going to do, come all the way here herself and try making a scene? Goddess or not, if she tries storming the camp, all five cohorts will be on our side. No one is stopping you and me from heading down to the mess hall and eating the most succulent, mouth watering burgers known to mankind, got it?" A small smile curled on the corners of his mouth as he gave a slight nod of his head. For a moment, he was grateful that he could call such noble, kind, and selfless people his friends.

"I suppose Aphrodite can wait," he said with a smirk, feeling a sense of rebellion and excitement as he defied her orders. Frank gave him fist bump, grinning from ear to ear.

"That's the spirit, Percy!" he exclaimed. "Grilled burgers before mentors and girlfriends… Although don't tell Hazel I said that." As the two laughed, they headed down the lonely streets, towards the mess hall where demigods were tucking into their meals after a hard day of training.

After all, why should Percy ever prioritise the same goddess who had the power to control love and yet had caused so much heartbreak in his life, instead of his friends?

So I figured it made sense for Percy to visit Frank in order to learn more about his domains. I'm hopefully gonna have Hecate's visit soon as well. Other than that, how was the chapter? Again, every review is really appreciated, even the small, "good chapter."
Also, do you guys enjoy these chapters that focus more on Percy's life and him adapting to godhood, or do people want to jump straight into the romance?