Were they dating?

Aphrodite would answer yes.

Which was weird.

Gods weren't supposed to date. They weren't supposed to have relationships with mortals.

Even if they were demigods.

But here she was, on vacation at a cabin in Montauk with Percy Jackson.

It had been easy to convince Percy she was on vacation from work. Faking some conversations and certificates here and there and he never thought about it ever again. Of course, his priority was on:

One, deciphering how much she could see through the Mist, and explaining the mythological world to her. He had told her the truth about the camp he went through, that most of his acquaintances were half-bloods, what half-bloods were...

And second... Jessica herself. Although that was probably his biggest concern...

And Aphrodite loved him for it.

Once more, they were walking through the sandy beach, admiring the sea before them. The sea. Both had a connection to it. Aphrodite, born from the ichor of Ouranos, from the sea foam itself. Percy, son of the sea god. Even if unknown to him, that part of themselves helped them connect.

"So, what were you saying about the gods?" Aphrodite questioned with genuine curiosity. Not because she wasn't aware, duh, but because she wanted to know Percy's perspective. The goddess was sure there wouldn't be high praises for a lot of them, that was for certain.

"I mean, they exist, cause trouble, have kids..."

"But what do you think of them?"

Percy glanced at the sky. "Lesser evil. I fought worse deities."

That was true. "What about individuals?"

Perhaps pushing further wasn't wise, but curiosity killed the cat, not her. "Well..." Once more, Percy looked at the sky. "I can't say most names without drawing unwanted attention. I'll just stick to tiles." She nodded. "The king... he hates me. Most of all because of what I stand for."

"Being the son of your father?"

"Mhm." He nodded. "I don't have high opinions of him either. Same for the queen. She made me lose almost a year of my life."

Aphrodite knew about that, but her disbelief was somewhat not completely fake. "Really?"

"Yeah, wiped my memories, sent me to California... and she always beefed with... my ex." Percy awkwardly coughed. Annabeth Chase was an integral part of his story. But he didn't like to talk about her in front of Aphrodite, and neither the goddess liked to hear about the girl. And considering that they were supposed to be her pet project... "I already talked about my father; we can skip him."

And that was also true. Poseidon was absent, but present. Not the worst father a demigod could have. "My uncle... lord of the Underworld... I don't hate him."

"I thought he would be evil." Even amongst Olympians, the consensus was that Hades was bad, so a mortal thinking the ruler of the land of the dead wouldn't be nice wasn't outrageous.

"Most gods are." Percy ominously said. "But he is just hurt, I think. He does the right thing when necessary. And he was the only one to not break that oath I talked about."

"That's surprising." And now she was being completely honest.

"Most people say that." Percy chuckled. "I don't know the goddess of plants, to be honest. But I do know Ar... the god of war."

The fact that he was so close to uttering Ares's name really showed it. "And?"

"Not a fan." Percy put. "Kinda of a jerk. The goddess of love is also... well... problematic."

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard that. "What do you mean?"

"First, I don't trust people who are cozy to the god of war." Oh, boy. "And she also tends to ruin people's love lives. And... to be honest, she is kinda responsible for pushing me further to my ex. So, I don't like thinking about it."

Her ego was hurt. Even though it were words she had heard time and time again. But to hear them uttered from her lover's mouth... "She can't be that bad... love is supposed to be good."

"But it also can wound us." Percy grimaced. "And it does to where it hurts the much. And her children don't help me have a better image of her. Although... there are exceptions."

She knew he was talking about Selena and Piper, the daughters she was most proud of. Even if the latter had been a traitor.

But... she didn't have a rebuttal to what he said. And it was painful. "I see... what about the rest?"

"They're cool. Apollo and Hermes are fine, hence why I'm not afraid to say their names. So's Artemis. I don't like thinking about the goddess of wisdom too much, and the feeling is mutual. That leaves the god of wine, and well..."

"I know." Percy had told her about Dionysus's conflicting personality and treatment of campers. Overall, not the worst. "This is still crazy."

"I know." He smiled sympathetically. "I've been through it."

"And you were a kid!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "I mean, you went through what you said is comparable to Hell when you were sixteen..."

"I know, I've been through a lot." His eyes darted off into the ocean. "But I'm happy I got here. I thought I wouldn't make it past sixteen. But here I am."

"I'm glad you overcame everything." Aphrodite held him by the arm. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be here with you having the best time ever."

"Same." Percy smiled. "I'm so glad I got to know you. Honestly, I almost thought of doing something crazy like going back to the field or doing a quest. I was... so bored. And kinda lost."

"I'm sorry for that... and I'm happy too... that I managed to give you some meaning." She approached him, kissing his cheek. "I love the smell of the sea."

"Same." Percy approached the waters, where he controlled the current in the air, and returned to her side. "It always feels good to be here." He played with the water in his hand, morphing it into various shapes. A moon, a heart, a star...

"You do this like you're a superhero. I can't even believe what my eyes are seeing."

"Cool, right?" With a whim of his hand, Percy made the water evaporate. "But I can do much more-" He suddenly stopped, his expression changing from affection to horror. And Aphrodite soon understood why.

Her children. Phobos and Deimos. They... no, surely not. No! Was Percy saying the name out loud? He didn't even finish it. This couldn't be.

Fear and Panic stood a few meters away, holding hellhounds the size of grey wolves by chains tied to their necks. The hounds barked and bit the air, red eyes fixated on them.

In a second, Percy's sword was out. He held Anaklusmos in a combat posture, but... Aphrodite could see his hand was shaking. Nevertheless, nothing else showed apprehension or any other feeling like it. His stare was cold, calculating.

And so was Phobos's. She knew he was the leader of the terror duo. And how he affected mortals. So, Aphrodite almost wanted to curse Percy for not looking away when her son's red eyes met her lover's sea-green ones.

How surprised she was when Percy didn't do as much as flinch.

And it seemed both her sons were just as shocked. "There's the great Percy Jackson!" Phobos taunted. "Ice on his veins."

"What do you want?" Percy questioned, still unmoved.

"That's a secret," Deimos stated. "We gods are all about secrets, aren't we?" He could swear his eyes met hers.

"Leave. I'm warning you now."

"Ha!" Phobos laughed out loud. "It wouldn't be that simple. Remember, Percy..." Phobos grinned. "I told you there would be a second time."

And then he released the hellhounds.

The beasts ran through the sand at an unnatural speed, still barking wildly at them. Percy moved his foot across the sand, adjusting his posture. The first hellhound lunged at him, and he sliced the best in half, turning it into dust. The second hesitated but managed to dodge Anaklusmos. It wasn't so lucky the second time, when it tried to bite Percy's leg, only to have its neck impaled by the celestial bronze sword.

By Rhea, he was good.

Phobos wasn't smiling anymore. "No fun allowed, eh?" He glanced at her from a distance, and Aphrodite stepped back. She couldn't sit there like she was immune to everything her sons could throw at her. She had to pretend.

"Stay behind me," Percy said. "Don't run. They can catch you."

"Percy..."

"Trust me. They can't be here without a good reason. No god can attack a mortal without justification. Minor gods even more."

"We're feeling secretive!" Phobos said, brandishing his sword, and so did Deimos. "So, if you're not gonna let us in your head... what about we try to open with this to see how your brain looks?"

Percy chuckled. "How long until I draw ichor from you two?"

"Two of us. One of you." Stated Deimos.

"I see me. And in front of me, I barely see beings worthy of one mortal man."

And he attacked.

Percy ran at her sons, and every step could be heard by Aphrodite. What could she do? She could stop this fight right now; she was sure of it. But... her cover would be blown.

She wouldn't let Percy die. No, she couldn't do that. But would she be willing to sacrifice her newly found happiness?

But it didn't look like Percy needed much help. Her sons weren't the best duelists, relying heavily on fear tactics. It fitted them, of course. But it also made Ares incredibly angry. And now, Aphrodite could see why. Despite less experience overall, Percy wiped the floor with her sons. Defending from behind, spinning around to counter a blow, kicking Deimos to the ground, cutting their arms and legs... this fight was not even fair... the demigod dominated it.

But she knew something was wrong when Percy looked around after knocking out Deimos, and not finding Phobos anywhere. Before she could even react, she was being held by the neck by her son, a knife placed on her throat. Percy stopped for a moment but quickly defended himself from a Deimos still lying on the beach.

"One step closer... and she dies." Fear said. "We wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Stop this," Percy stated, his voice shaking for the first time. "I haven't angered Ares recently. I already paid enough for defeating him! Get over it!"

"That's where you are wrong." Phobos pressed the knife further into her pale skin. And she was shocked to find that it was penetrating her throat. That was celestial bronze. But Percy couldn't see it from this far.

They knew.

"You have angered our father, Percy Jackson." Phobos continued to press the knife. Her skin was more resilient than a mortal would be, so she knew her son was playing around with her. And she hated him for it. "Just that for the first time... you weren't even fucking aware!"

Divine biology, if that was even a thing, was complicated. But Aphrodite knew that a knife to an artery would be unpleasant at best. And she realized that Phobos was willing to go all the way. Ichor fell from her wound.

And how could Percy not notice that instead of red... her blood was golden.

At that moment, Aphrodite pushed Phobos away, his son falling to the sand below. While startled, he then laughed. "There we go."

Aphrodite looked back at Percy, who was paralyzed, looking at her with shock. Behind him, Deimos was getting up, but Aphrodite willed him away from Percy, who didn't even seem to account for that.

"Are you satisfied?" The goddess hissed quietly to her closest son. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Not me. But Father is going to be quite pleased." Phobos got up, his image shining as he went away. "Goodbye, Mother." That last bit was said just as quietly too, and another far-away flash revealed that Deimos also went away.

And they were left alone again.

Aphrodite walked closer to Percy. No words in her mind that could remotely excuse what just happened.

"I..." She started, but Percy pointed his sword at her. Her heart ached.

"Do not come closer." He warned. "What are you?"

"I'm not a monster." She cleaned the ichor from her throat. "I think you can see that." He was silent. "Percy, I..."

"Do not come closer!" Far away into the ocean, she heard thunder. Aphrodite had to remind herself Zeus wasn't the only god of storms.

"Don't talk to me like that." Aphrodite pleaded. Pathetically, even to her. "I won't hurt you."

Percy lowered his sword, looking into the seas. Was she crazy, or clouds were starting to pile up in the sky?

"Could you... not attack me?"

"I cannot promise that." He stated, and that felt worse than what Anaklusmos could ever do to her. "You should go."

"What? But..."

"Jes-" He chuckled sarcastically. "Who am I kidding, why am I calling you that?" He sighed. "Please leave me alone."

"But Percy..."

"Go. I don't want to make this worse than it needs to be."

Right now, Aphrodite was not looking at her lover. She was looking at the son of the Earthshaker. She was not her friend. She was now an enemy. And Aphrodite feared that.

She was an Olympian. Even though she wasn't a fighter, she knew a demigod couldn't defeat her in normal conditions. But did she even want to fight back?

No. She did not. The last thing she wanted was to confront him.

And she knew it would come to this if her secret were revealed. He distrusted immortals too much to not feel the way he was feeling now.

Aphrodite knew this from the start. But living a lie was working so well... too well. This wasn't supposed to happen.

The Fates were laughing at her, she was so sure.

"I'll... leave you alone." Aphrodite slowly said, defeated. "Can I... come back later?"

"I haven't decided on that." It was good that he wasn't completely shutting her down, but how much of a consolation was that? "Just please, let me think. I need to be alone."

Aphrodite nodded. She wanted to kiss him, even if it would be the last time, especially if it was the last time, but she didn't dare to approach him. Not with his sword pointed towards her. Instead, she flashed away. Leaving her lover away on the beach at Montauk, while she returned to her palace at Mount Olympus.

And then the tears began to stream down her face.

She didn't know for how long she cried. Not hours... but enough to make her eyes red, her nose to be itching, her throat to be sore.

The goddess found herself lost.

Then a meeting was called. Those stupid monthly briefings Zeus wanted. Aphrodite barely talked in those but had to be present.

And so, she was. Masking her sorrow the best she could, the goddess arrived already on her throne, staring into nothing.

Most gods were already there. Either talking with each other or waiting for the meeting to begin.

"I told you." Aphrodite hadn't noticed Ares's approach until his voice reverberated on her left side. "I wouldn't let this slide. Especially with him." She chose not to answer, which only seemed to enrage the war god further, so he smiled cruelly. "You know your little adventure is done. I ain't done with you, though. Remember that this was to remind you where you should stand."

"I am done with you." Aphrodite quietly uttered. "Do not push me further."

"So what? I'd love to see you brandishing a sword. Those two inherited your skills with weapons, not mine, dear."

Her eyes burned with untamed fury. "I can ruin you in ways you don't even comprehend. Swords will not save you from me."

Aphrodite was sure Athena heard her, she felt those grey eyes analyzing her, but she didn't care. Ares didn't change his posture, but she saw a flicker of uncertainty. Enough that it made her feel satisfied.

"I know my reminder was enough. Do not forget it." And then he went away. She felt the need to spit on him, but she did not.

After the rage, there was only sorrow now.

Aphrodite didn't even pretend she was paying attention to what was being said by Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, or even the fact that Athena kept staring at her.

She was too busy holding back her sobs.

What a dignified way for a goddess to act.

Heaven knows they're miserable now.