Percy Jackson
Without any diabolical goddesses to hunt or worlds to save godhood gained something of a routine surprisingly fast. Percy picked up his godly education with Apollo and at times Artemis. Though truth be told Apollo was the more enjoyable teacher. It was fairly obvious that the goddess did not spend much time around men she did not actively dislike and wasn't quite sure what to do with him. The only draw with Apollo was that he kept flirting with Silena every chance he got and Silena low-key went along with it. Despite being with Annabeth, Percy had to admit that he felt somewhat territorial when it came to the daughter of Aphrodite. Of course, such notions were ridiculous and morally he had no leg to stand on but it still bothered him.
Over the past few weeks, more and more prayers had begun to be sent his way, mainly from Camp Half-blood. Fortunately, it wasn't actually problems the campers needed solving, more them just sending greetings his way. The only ones who had felt obliged to ruin a good thing had been the Hermes cabin, who had taken to spamming him one night with random weird noises until he sent Blackjack by to do his business right on their welcome matt.
Percy was just helping Silena and Juniper set up the winter Solstice party when the doorbell rang.
"Can you get it?" Percy called over to Annabeth who along with Piper had retreated to the lounge and its firepit where they would be safe from the winter chill.
"On it," Annabeth replied and rose, wearing one of the hoodies she had stolen from him, and made the long trip to get to the door, rather than the shortcut through the inner courtyard. While the heated floor tiles pool had kept the courtyard, save the flour beds snow-free, the icy wind and heavy snowfall made for a less than pleasant environment.
"Percy;" Juniper asked, hurrying up to him. "We could set up a fire brazier in the courtyard to get visitors to also go outside..."
Unlike every other perpetually freezing female it was fairly obvious that Juniper's body wasn't entirely physical. Where even Annabeth had put on layers, Juniper still ran around in her simple cotton dress, barefooted, and with her long hair tied up in her by now customary twin braids. The only allowance she had made for the cold season was a set of red ear mufflers that covered her pointed elf ears. Truth be told Percy had quickly gotten used to having Juniper around. She was kind, cute, made for pleasant company, and hadn't taken her misplaced expectations of what his uses for her would be too harshly. She had even dropped with her cavalier disregard for what mortals would consider clothing conventions. Percy had the nagging suspicion that Annabeth had taken the dryad aside at some point. That was around him at the very least. He knew for a fact that Juniper, Silena, and Annabeth, had started using the Sauna more and more as winter took hold, and when he wasn't around they'd do so naked and then jump into a pool with the thermostat set just above the freezing solid.
"Sure, go ahead. Do you need help dragging..-"
"Percy," Annabeth cut in, jogging over him. Her earlier merry holiday mood had evidently gone because the daughter of Athena's eyes were narrowed and her lips pursed. "Lady Hera wishes for a moment of your time," she explained, though the tone of her voice made it fairly obvious that she would have considered a less flattering title more appropriate.
"I got this, can you help Juniper drag something around?" he asked.
Annabeth shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
After making sure he was somewhat presentable Percy entered the atrium where the queen of Olympus awaited him. Apart from the golden circle adorning her head, Hera looked very much like a beautiful mortal woman, dressed as she was in a long white coat and heavy gray scarf. Thick snowflakes were caught in her hair and clothes.
"Perseus, I see you are preparing for the solstice," she announced, glancing over at the disco lights, and loudspeakers that a few Apollo campers had begun to set up the previous day. They would be returning in an hour or so to finish setting up the entertainment part of the evening.
"Lady Hera, how may I help you," Percy greeted her formally though he could guess why Hera would come by. There were only really two options after all."I have come to check on your goddesses," Hera announced coolly, though Percy noticed her lips twitching slightly as she bit back a smug smile.
"Fair enough," Percy replied, fully aware that Hera likely assumed that the goddesses were being used as private sex slaves. So seeing as prizes of war the two goddesses were technically speaking part of his so-called harem, he wasn't sure how appropriate Hera poking her nose into what by Olympian logic would be his private affairs. He would have to ask Apollo or his father later. "Follow me."
Percy led Hera past Silena who looked after them with concern.
Over the past few months, Silena and Khione seemed to have formed some sort of friendship so her concern was understandable, but fortunately, she didn't follow them.
"Do you ever take them from their cells?" Hera asked as they stepped into the custom-built jail. In the summer Khione's presence was enough to cool the vault down to a pleasant chill but now in winter Percy had been forced to keep the vault doors open and set up two space heaters outside of Circe's cell additionally to providing additional blankets. It was arguably a fire hazard but the worst thing Percy could realistically see Circe achieving was setting herself and Khione on fire. Seeing as both were goddesses, that meant little.
"No," Percy replied, not mentioning that Silena was keeping up a low-key pressure to at least allow Khione out of her cell for a while, especially now that winter was coming around and the goddess's element was falling from the sky. Percy would if Khione actually met the conditions he had set for her a few months ago. If Khione wasn't ready for such concessions, he would not risk everyone else's safety by letting her out. Powers contained or not, Khione had had millennia to learn how to fight dirty. While she might look the part at the moment, he was not arrogant enough to consider her a damsel in distress.
"Good morning, Ladies," Hera announced as the two other goddesses rose from their cots.
"Lady Hera," Circe announced, sounding a lot politer than she had ever been around him.
Khione did not bother with such formalities. She glared at Hera with the kind of loathing she hadn't even shown Circe, in his presence at least.
"It is good to see that you have made yourself comfortable," Hera mused, looking around at Khione's admittedly by now quite lavishly furnished cell, unlike Circe's confinement space, which was while comfortable still a lot more spartan. Khione said nothing, only glancing over at him for a moment as if unsure if she could risk mouthing off. "It looks like someone put in the extra effort. I hoped your defiance would at least last a few decades."
"At least my husband doesn't knock up every mortal strumpet he comes across," Khione suddenly sniped back.
"That is because no one wishes to marry you," Hera snapped back, immediately taking the bate.
"Lady Hera," Circe announced, striking a much more diplomatic tone. "I implore you to plead for my pardon with Zeus. Did I not side with Olympus in both recent wars?"
Hera sighed. "You are not a traitor, unlike our D-list goddess here. But your support throughout both wars has been found wanting, I do not recall seeing you on any battlefield. I fear, my old friend, that you have caused one headache too many."
Circe smile narrowed just a fraction. "We both know Olympus will need my services again at some point in the future."
"Then we know where to find you, Circe," Hera replied lightly. "Your enthusiasm honors all of us though but does not worry, you will continue to serve Olympus in some sort of capacity down here under Lord Perseus's never waning vigilance."
For a few more minutes, Hera gloated at the two prisoners, making thinly veiled inquires about their stay.
"Perseus, may I make a request for tonight's celebrations?" Hera asked, her attention turning back to Khione.
"Yes, my Lady," Percy replied, already almost certain he would not like what came next.
"Would you be willing to present Khione as a spoil of war to Olympus after the council finishes deliberating? I am sure seeing a traitor dragged in front of the crowd on a leash would raise morale, these past few years have been hard ones."
Khione instantly stiffened but said nothing, instead of awaiting his response.
"I would not be, Lady Hera," Percy announced, deciding to put his foot down. For one, he was not comfortable at all with the idea of forcing such humiliation on Khione, even on Circe. That was needless cruelty. He had even banned Piper from coming down here to gloat over Khione, for that very same reason. For another Silena would be quite cross with him afterward. "They are my women, and I do not wish to share their charms and beauty."
Hera raised a skeptical eyebrow but nowed her head slightly. "As you wish."
Without another word Hera turned around and walked off, looking awfully pleased with herself.
"Sorry," Percy muttered at the two women and hurried after Hera.
"You have not used them," Hera announced matter of factly. It was not a question, merrily a statement of fact.
"Ahm no,..." Percy admitted. "What gave it away?" he then added.
"They do not look like conquered women," Hera explained and looked back at him, a thoughtful expression spreading across her face. "Have you put any thoughts in your future marriage?" Hera asked.
"Some," Percy admitted, his thoughts immediately drifting to Annabeth.
"You should play your cards with care then Perseus, a hero of your renown could make quite a worthy match. Even too a council member," Hera hinted.
"Pardon me?" Percy asked as they headed up the stairs.
"Artemis, obviously for one. Perhaps Athena, though I can see how that would be made more complicated by you bedding her daughter so openly. Lord Zeus would be happy to finally have them in firm hands. Antheia is also on the market, so is Melinoe, according to their mothers."
Percy coughed uncomfortably. "Aren't two of them maiden goddesses?"
Hera shrugged. "They are until they aren't. Persephone once fashioned herself a maiden goddess and we all know how that worked out. And if the prospect of being wed to a major goddess is not to your taste and you desire a wife you can control more easily Circe and Khione are certainly available to you."
"I will think about it," Percy promised, despite being sure that his choice would still somehow fall on Annabeth. Though, he mused, that while Annabeth might be willing to continue their relationship if he was forced to commit to a political marriage if the bride were her mother that would very probably make things very awkward.
"I doubt Khione or Circe would go along with it willingly," Percy then added.
"Perhaps not, especially with Circe. Hence they would be slave wives, their compliance is not required to give you an heir. In any case, when you make your choice let me know. , even if the bride isn't a goddess. After all, your wedding will make for the spectacle of the century and I would be happy to organize it."
"Your generosity honors me," Percy replied politely. As a teenager, he might have found choice words for the queen of Olympus, but now that he was directly responsible for Silena's, Juniper's, Khione's, and Circe's wellbeing, additionally to his commitments to Annabeth, mouthing off was simply not a luxury he had anymore.
"Should I be expecting any trouble?" Silena asked quietly from behind him.
Percy looked back at the daughter of Aphrodite. "Probably," Percy grunted. "Maybe Zeus pissed her off again and she wanted someone to gloat over."
"There's trouble?" Juniper asked nervously.
"No Juniper," Percy assured her. "Probably not."
"I see, by the way, we dragged a fire brazier outside. I will go and make sure the guest rooms are ready for any who stay overnight."
Once Juniper was safely out of earshot Silena grossed her arms and gazed up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers. "What did she want from Circe and Khione?"
"I do not know," Percy insisted. "She asked if I was willing to parade Khione around Olympus on a leash tonight-"
When Percy saw Silena's face he quickly added. "Which I immediately said no to."
"Ah," she replied and hesitated. "That's good...after tonight could both of us talk to Khione. She really isn't that bad and heading downstairs every time I want to hang out with her is annoying. Besides, Circe always tries to ruin any good mood."
"Fine," Percy conceded. "We'll talk to her. Just so you don't get your hopes up too high."
Silena gave him her best, tongue-tying smile and bustled off, leaving him standing there and trying not to look at her ass.
The next few hours passed quickly and as the sunset and Percy returned to his bedroom he was surprised to find Piper, Juniper, Silena, and Annabeth, crowed around the styling mirror in the bathroom, surrounded by a number of boxes containing a wide assortment of styling equipment.
"What are you three up to?" Percy asked skeptically, looking at Annabeth with a raised eyebrow.
The daughter of Athena was sitting on the bathtub's edge in her bra and panties, while Silena cautiously snipped away at her hair.
"They are being foolish," Juniper announced, looking as doubtful as he felt.
"There is nothing against an occasional makeover;" Silena chided the dryad who rolled her eyes. "All three of you have natural beauty, there is no need to go at your faces with paint, spoiling what the gods have given you."
"Makeover?" Percy asked skeptically.
"Well yeah," Piper muttered defensively and looked down.
"Yup," Annabeth announced brashly. "The Winter Solstice is once a year so I will not apologize for trying to look good."
"But you always look pretty," Percy automatically argued and earned a wink from Silena, letting him know he had said the right thing.
"There is every day pretty, and then there is the playing arm candy for your insanely hot godly boyfriend as we attend festivities with all the major gods present hot. Tonight is the occasion for the second."
"Right you are," Silena confirmed. "Piper go take a shower and properly rinse out your hair."
"I do not want-" Piper began but gave up when she noticed Silena's sharp glare. "Piper and this is the first time your ex and all our friends are in one place. Remember, we wanted to all pretend like we have your shit together?"
When Piper still looked doubtful Silena added, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I won't turn you into Drew, not that the girl actually needs all the makeup. You are going to look really good, just in a Piper way."
"Fine," Piper grunted and looked at Percy pointedly. "I know this is your house and everything, but mind leaving the bathroom so I can use shower?"
"Ahm, yeah!" Percy replied.
"And take Juniper with you. Your bathroom is big, but not that big and seeing as she does not require my expertise, she is in the way!" Silena added.
"Come on, Juniper," Percy added dutifully, and the two of them left the other three girls to their devices.
"I shall never understand the need for such things," Juniper admitted. "Neither will I," Percy admitted. "Neither will I."
Together Percy and Juniper heard back upstairs where Will Solace and two of his half brothers, Nico, the Stoll brothers, Katie, and Grover were waiting for him. Frank and Hazel had retreated to his gym's armory and were inspecting the considerable array of weaponry, though to Percy it seemed that they had in truth retreated to talk in private.
"Oh," Juniper muttered, apparently having just been reminded why she had fled the ground floor and made a graceful exit by simply evaporating into thin air, leaving only a swirl of leaves and the scent of juniper behind.
"Are they ready?" Will asked skeptically.
"I was just thrown out of a bathroom in my own house, by a woman I technically own," Percy replied.
"So no," Will summarized and was rewarded by a chorus of sniggers. "Stop laughing or I will show them the pictures of you after I gave you a makeover," Katie warned Travis grimly. The threat immediately wiped the smile from his lips to everyone else amusement.
"Do you want to go down there?" Travis asked apologetically.
Katie sighed deeply and pinched her nose. "No,...I'll catch Silena when everyone else is ready."
"Well, we are pretty much ready here," Will finally cut in.
Percy looked around taking in the final product of their labor.
The entire ground floor had been rigged in the fire. Silena had taken over the bar area, setting up a dancefloor and making sure the bar itself was fully stocked. He had tried to convince her to simply enjoy the party but she had been hellbent on putting her barkeeper skills to the test. Despite Percy's protest at the prospect of his rarely used game room being repurposed high tables had been set up for people to chat and mingle. Loudspeakers were set up left, right, and center, along with a light suite that could put any disco to shame.
"Hey, is Juniper alright?" Grover asked once they were somewhat out of earshot. "Yeah," Percy replied. "Looks like Olympus is suiting her well for now," Percy explained. "Though I think she came here with false expectations," he then added and Grover nodded, clearly understanding and pleased. Percy grimaced, knowing that Grover had probably spent weeks imagining Juniper merrily getting her brains screwed out.
For a moment Percy thought Grover might say more but was cut off by the doorbell. Hoping that it was not another major god wishing to gloat at either Circe or Khione Percy headed towards the door and opened it.
It took Percy a few long moments to recognize the admittedly very pretty latine American girl, standing in the swirling snow. Without her Toga or armor, she looked softer, younger,...normal even. She even had pieces of what looked suspiciously like tissue and plastic wrapping in her hair whose function Percy could not even begin to guess.
"Reyna?" he asked with eyes wide. Reyna smirked at him. "May I enter your residence, mighty Perseus?" she asked.
"Are you here to see Circe?" Percy asked confused.
"I'll check in with her later if that is alright with you, but no, Annabeth invited me...," she explained. When he still looked confused, she awkwardly shrugged. "I did understand that correctly, right?"
"Oh, yeah," Percy stammered and stood aside to let the Preator inside. "I just didn't expect you to come,..." he admitted.
"Rome will survive a few hours without me," Reyna explained, an amount of enthusiasm and excitement he hadn't seen from her yet sparkling in her eyes. " Listen, Annabeth texted me they are downstairs and I didn't anticipate the weather,...this needs some serious damage control efforts and word is you have a mission specialist...," Reyna then announced, gesturing at her hair.
"Oh, by all means," Percy replied and closed the front door.
Reyna grinned at him one more time and then hurried deeper into the house where she nearly ran into Frank and Hazel, who seemed to be on their way.
"Zang, Levesque," she greeted the two brightly.
The couple looked at their Preator in confusion for a long moment before both recognized her and snapped to attention.
"At ease, legionnaires," Reyna announced and then disappeared off deeper into her house.
"What's wrong with her?" Frank asked once Reyna was out of earshot and they had come over to him. "Don't know, looks like she is in a good mood," Percy mused.
"That's scary," Hazel admitted. "Like, once you've seen it,...it can't be unseen. Anyway, about the room..."
"Something wrong with it?" Percy asked.
Frank awkwardly scratched the back of his head and Hazel's chocolate complexion gained an adorable blush. "No," Hazel hastily assured him. "It's just, are you sure it's appropriate? You know, us sleeping in the same bed together."
Percy shrugged. "Hey, it's up to you. I am happy either way. If you too are uncomfortable with it, I can free up another room."
"No," Hazel hastily said. "Just asking..." Then she grinned up at Frank who blushed deeply.
Percy realized that this was some sort of angsty teen romance thing but decided that both were combat veterans of the Roman legion he left them to figure it out. He and Annabeth had,...or not. Considering their current situation, he wasn't sure they were a good example.
Consoled in the realization that Frank and Hazel would likely do better at this than he had, he left them to their merry giggles.
Soon Leo too arrived along with more and more campers along with Jason arrived, many already dressed for the festive occasion. For them, that meant an odd mixture of button-up shirts, dresses, and highly polished battle armor and weapons that really only came together with demigods. Even Clarisse had put in the effort to look presentable.
By the time Annabeth. Silena, Piper, and Reyna returned a small crowd had gathered, offering the girls what Percy considered an entrance worthy of the Paris fashion show. They certainly looked the part. In other words, they looked absolutely gorgeous, every one of them. He clearly wasn't the only one who thought so, because a collective gasp went through the room, though that might just have been because for most it was the first time seeing Silena again.
Annabeth, in a dark blue knee-long dress and boots that almost reached to the knees over dark tights against the cold. It was one of the first times he had ever seen her wear makeup and while in general; he preferred his warrior maiden. This version of Annabeth, with her cherry red lipstick and sparingly applied eyeliner, looked more like the actresses in Holywood,...it would have been impossible to look away had the distractions available been any less potent.
Despite having known Silena to fairly run around with anything less than immaculate styling. But since her return, probably due to having an underwhelming audience she had almost stopped using makeup entirely. Not that Silena had ever needed it. There were few girls in the world that could wake up with a hangover and still be a solid ten, but Silena was one of them. Having gotten used to seeing her without Makeup, will the effect was quite striking. The tight, formfitting dress that she wore, well, it certainly reminded him of how she looked naked.
Piper wore a light white cotton dress and wore her hair open while Reyna brought up the rear guard in a long purple dress, a light jacket, and had her long dark hair secured in a thick braid.
"You ladies look amazing," Percy announced, approaching to take Annabeth's hand.
"Nah, no kisses," she warned. "I had to sit still for twenty minutes."
For a moment Percy was tempted to kiss her anyway, but her eyes held that dangerous sparkle that both terrified and turned him on at the same time.
"Looking decent enough yourself, Jackson," Reyna replied with a grin and Silena nodded.
"Not compared to the four of you," Percy replied evenly.
"You think so?" Silena asked innocently. "I think I look fat in this."
The comment earned a few skeptical snorts. "Beauregard, I would kill to have a midriff that narrow and at the same time get to have your titts and ass. How much do you leg press? Three hundred fifty pounds?" Reyna hissed. For a moment Percy was taken aback by the familiarity with which Reyna addressed Silena. For a moment Percy thought Silena might offer some sort of rebuke but instead she only made a show of pushing back her long dark curls and hooked elbows with Annabeth.
"Silena, about that bar," Piper began when she noticed that Jason was very openly staring at her uneasy, sad eyes.
"Got you, darling," Silena replied dutifully, and then turned to face him. "So, my glorious overlord. I have a very beautiful daughter of Athena here. Would you care to take over?"
"I would be happy to," Percy agreed and took Annabeth's hand, freeing Piper and Silena to head over to the bar. Reyna too excused herself and linked up with Frank and Hazel, the only two other active-duty roman legionnaires
As Piper and Silena headed off to the bar Percy led Annabeth forward.
"So, welcome to my home. The Olympians will begin to hold the council at nightfall, so that gives us about an hour. Now that most of us are assembled I hereby open the bar," Percy announced and was met by sheers and the clatter as armored gauntlets struck bronze chest plates. "Will, get the music going. Let's have some fun."
Here you go, people. Another short chapter. I am procrastinating the major editing run because there is a certain scene I want to write that is scheduled for in two chapters that might involve Silena once again performing the duty of her office. Do Review, and post things that need editing in the discord.
Henry Locker over and out.