Still in Denial?

They decided to camp for the night and try the junkyard in the morning. None of them wanted to go Dumpster-diving in the dark.

A lot went down. The skeletons appeared and surrounded them. And then suddenly the Erymanthian Boar appeared and ended the fight in one go, as the skeletons scattered all over. Then it charged towards the group, they started running away until Grover informed it to be their ride.

They felt the presence of Pan and Y/N wanted to understand after observing Grover's reaction that how satyrs were supposed to find the Lord of the Wild if this was the condition of any satyr coming close to it.

Anyways, they spent a lot of time and finally got off on Arizona where there were enormous mounds of old cars, appliances, and other scrap metal. It was a junkyard that seemed to go on forever.

Zoe and Bianca produced six sleeping bags and foam mattresses out of their backpacks.The packs were tiny, but must've been enchanted to hold so much stuff. When the Hunters needed them, they just appeared slung over their backs. And when they didn't, they were gone.

The night got chilly fast, so Grover and Percy collected old boards from the ruined house, and Y/N used heat while Thalia zapped them with an electric shock to start a campfire. Pretty soon they were about as comfy as one can get in a rundown ghost town in the middle of nowhere.

"The stars are out," Zoe said.

She was right. There were millions of them, with no city lights to turn the sky orange.

"Amazing," Bianca said. "I've never actually seen the Milky Way."

"This is nothing," Zoe said. "In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution."

"You talk like you're not human," Percy said.

"Does anybody need some healing?" Y/N asked, "Cause it was hard to sing a hymn for healing when you're getting chased by a boar."

Percy chuckled along with the others which made her say, "You're lucky to have that coat."

"I'm sure you would've saved me," Percy said.

"Just because I can save you doesn't mean you can be as reckless as you want," Y/N said flicking his forehead.

Grover sighed. He was still looking up at the stars like he was thinking about the light pollution problem. "If only Pan were here, he would set things right."

Zoe nodded sadly.

"Maybe it was the coffee," Grover said. "I was drinking coffee, and the wind came. Maybe if I drank more coffee..."

"Grover, do you really think that was Pan? I mean, I know you want it to be." Percy said.

"He sent us help," Grover insisted. "I don't know how or why. But it was his presence. After this quest is done, I'm going back to New Mexico and drinking a lot of coffee. It's the best lead we've gotten in two thousand years. I was so close."

"What I want to know," Thalia said, looking at Bianca, "is how you destroyed one of the zombies. There are a lot more out there somewhere. We need to figure out how to fight them."

Bianca shook her head. "I don't know. I just stabbed it and it went up in flames."

This was the start of a conversation Y/N was waiting for. There was something weird about the siblings. It wasn't much of a surprise for her when Bianca agreed when Percy asked if she went to stay at Lotus Hotel and Casino. What was surprising though was the fact that they entered the hotel seventy years ago, but more importantly, they were able to get out.

It wasn't possible to just wake up and realize what was happening. Y/N got the first hand experience of it and it was dangerous. There has to be someone who let them out. It was way to suspicious.

But the conversation got over quickly as Bianca looked like she was about to cry. This kind of mental pressure was not healthy for a kid like her. And it was a lot to take in. They decided to let it go for the time being.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what I said back there," Percy said looking at Y/N. The others started chatting about other things.

She turned her gaze towards him and smiled, "I know. Anyone would be suspicious about it. It was natural. I guess I should've expected it since you love Annabeth."

Percy didn't like her tone. Or her words. It was like she was blaming herself.

Feeling uncomfortable about it, she changed the topic and muttered, "You know, talking about it though made me think of one thing. It's related to Bianca's parent."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you think it's weird how someone was able to enter the hotel knowingly what it is and even inform her about how it was time to leave? And then how only she was able to actually defeat one of the skeletons?"

"....are you trying to make me understand without saying it?"

"Yes."

"Well, you should've remembered how I'm the idiot of this mission. I don't know about most things."

"Well, I don't know either and I arrived before you."

"Makes me feel very stupid and embarrassed," he laughed.

"I know how it feels Percy. You got one in your team in this one," she chuckled, "Idiots of this mission, huh."

Thalia coughed, "Idiots in love."

"Oh shut up," Y/N said as she along with Percy started criticizing her for blatantly putting her ridiculous thoughts out in the open, as if the duo weren't blushing about the situation.

All of a sudden they were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere. Y/N was half hoping it to be Apollo, as she needed to have a serious talk with him. They grabbed their sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of them.

The back door of the limo opened right next to Percy. Before he could step away, the point of a sword touched his throat.

He heard the sound of Zoe and Bianca drawing their bows. As the owner of the sword got out of the car, Percy moved back very slowly. He had to, because he was pushing the point under his chin.

He smiled cruelly. "Not so fast now, are you, punk?"

He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but behind those glasses were hollow sockets filled with flames.

"Ares," Percy growled.

The war god glanced at the others, "At ease, people."

He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground.

"This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under his chin.

"Of course I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."

"What lady?" Thalia asked.

Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back."

He lowered his sword and pushed him away as Y/N supported his back to make him stand. "Don't provoke him Percy," she whispered, "Just because you won once doesn't mean you can do that again."

"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company."

"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy and his sidechick a few minutes."

Y/N burned in shame. She knew what he meant by that word. But she couldn't reveal her emotions. Not in front of Percy and definitely not in front of that egotistical god.

"We will not leave them alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life.

The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"

Percy looked at Y/N with a look, which she can only perceive to be...apologetic. And shame ofcourse. She could feel his body language change the moment he uttered the word. "Go on," Y/N sighed and told her friends. "We'll handle this."

"You heard the girl," Ares said. "She's got a big and strong boy with herself. She's got things under control."

Oh she wanted to punch his face in and make it flat. Firstly she didn't like his tone. And secondly, it was offending how he didn't even think how she's strong too, even if it would've been a mockery.

As the rest reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant, Ares regarded him with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.

"Get inside," he said. "And mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am."

"Yeah, we're not like you," Y/N whispered.

When they saw her, their jaw dropped - quite literal in case of Percy.

He forgot his name, where he was, how to speak in complete sentences. She was wearing a red satin dress and her hair was curled in a cascade of ringlets. Her face was the most beautiful he'd ever seen: perfect makeup, dazzling eyes, a smile that would've lit up the dark side of the moon.

He isn't sure about who she looked like. Or even what color her hair or her eyes were. Pick the most beautiful actress you can think of. The goddess was ten times more beautiful than that. Pick your favorite hair color, eye color, whatever. The goddess had that.

When she smiled at him, just for a moment she looked a little like ...Y/N.

"Ah, there you are," the goddess said. "I am Aphrodite."

Percy slipped into the seat across from her and said something like, "Um uh gah." Y/N couldn't help but laugh silently at him. This was the first time that she saw his face like that.

She smiled. "Aren't you sweet. Hold this, please."

She handed him a polished mirror the size of a dinner plate and had him hold it up for her. She leaned forward and dabbed at her lipstick.

"Do you know why you're here?" she asked.

"We don't know," Y/N said, seeing how Percy was still finding it difficult to talk.

"Oh, dear," Aphrodite said momentarily shifting her gaze at Percy, "Still in denial?"

Outside the car, they could hear Ares chuckling. He probably could hear every word they said. The idea of him being out there made Percy angry, and that finally helped him clear his mind.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Percy said.

"Well then," she turned to Y/N, "why are you on this quest?" Y/N didn't know what it was about her words but it made her blush.

"Artemis has been captured!" Percy answered her. He had a feeling that Y/N might've been captured by her beauty the same way as he was.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Oh, Artemis. Please. Talk about a hopeless case. I mean, if they were going to kidnap a goddess, she should be breathtakingly beautiful, don't you think? I pity the poor dears who have to imprison Artemis. Bo-ring!"

"But she was chasing a monster," Percy protested. "A really, really bad monster. We have to find it!"

Aphrodite made him hold the mirror a little higher. She seemed to have found a microscopic problem at the corner of her eye and dabbed at her mascara. "Always some monster. But my dear Percy, that is why the others are on this quest. I'm more interested in the both of you."

Percy's heart pounded, "Annabeth is in trouble."

Aphrodite beamed, "And what is Y/N's role here? I mean, it's your girlfriend. And five would've been better if six people brought danger, don't you think?"

He didn't want to answer, but her eyes drew an answer right out of his mouth. "I need her with me." He immediately looked at Y/N who was staring at her. She looked away at Aphrodite as her ears turned pink. It made him remember how he was holding her...

...holding her waist when they were huddled up against each other while riding the boar. Her shirt rode up at moments and he felt her soft skin against his fingers. He remembered the feeling of holding her close, her...bottom against his-

"Ah, that's so cute!"

Percy broke from his train of thoughts and looked at Aphrodite. A sense of shame took over him. This must be the effect of being around her. It made him feel the one thing that should've been nowhere near when Annabeth is in trouble somewhere else.

Lust.

"No! I mean... that's not what I meant," he tried to correct the misunderstanding.

"Um...this seems to be a conversation for just the two of you. I don't think I should stay...here..." Y/N muttered, feeling uncomfortable. Surely this was Aphrodite's influence that was making him talk nonsense like this. It felt like she puts everyone in some kind of a daze. And she didn't want to be in a space where Aphrodite will toy with him and make him say things he didn't mean.

"Oh, ofcourse! Your job is done!" Aphrodite said with a smile full of mischief.