DA : Chapter 47: Unbreakable Bonds I

Andromeda watched sadly as Hestia continued to softly cry while sitting against the white oak in the courtyard, her presence hidden in the shadows of one of the larger statues. Hestia had been like that for several hours after Percy's confession and Andy could feel her pain and confusion.

Right now Hestia needed someone to confide in, someone to help her sort out her feelings, and hopefully, make a decision. So, taking a deep breath, she slowly walked towards the distraught goddess, keeping her face neutral knowing that looking at Hestia with pity wouldn't help at all.

After a few minutes she'd walked close enough to look directly down at the goddess but Hestia made no move to so much as look at her.

So instead Andy got beside her and sat down as well while tugging her knees to her chest. As she did so, she felt herself shift and age until she looked to be around 35 rather than the usual 20's most gods prefer.

She wasn't really surprised though, guessing Hestia needed more guidance as from a parent or elder than just a friend. So she sat silently and waited for the goddess to address her instead so that it wouldn't feel forced or intrusive.

After nearly 15 minutes she saw the goddess turn her head towards her out of the corner of her eye. Andromeda looked back at her, noting the puffy eyes and tear stains making her want to hug the sad goddess but she refrained as she waited for Hestia to speak.

They looked at each other for some time before Hestia broke the silence and asked, "Can I help you with something?"

"No," Andy replied slowly before adding, "But I can help you."

"Why?" Hestia asked in a voice laced with distrust.

"Because I don't want to see you or my brother or Rhea so sad," she answered softly. "They care about you Hestia. More than you would have thought."

Hestia scoffed slightly while looking away. "Sure they did … didn't stop them from forgetting about me for years while they held each other," she added bitterly before sniffling slightly. "Here I was waiting and hoping … but when he finally came I'd missed my chance."

"That isn't true," Andromeda said firmly getting the goddess to look at her. "Ever since I got here, Percy used to tell all about you. The only Olympian goddess he respected and cared about.

There wasn't a day he forgot about you but Nyx said it would have been too soon to take you away from Olympus so he had to wait. Rhea was the same, especially after Percy confessed his feelings to her including you."

"And how did she take it?" Hestia asked as she wiped away some tears.

"Honestly, pretty well but that was because I told her beforehand. My brother is the best but he's still clumsy with sensitive talks and I didn't want him to possibly mess up so I talked to Rhea while he was gone on a mission.

Turned out it helped because when Percy told her himself, she'd already had time to think about it.

When she learned you were the other woman Percy had fallen in love with, I'm not too sure what happened there but I know that they settled it out as well," Andromeda answered.

"So what then?" Hestia asked as she looked at her again. "Am I just supposed to go along with it? Will he even care about me the same as my mother? Or is he just being greedy?"

"That's your anger talking," Andy replied firmly as she looked at the goddess. "And you can trust me when I say his love for you is genuine. I've watched for decades as both Rhea and Percy missed you and wanted to bring you here sooner."

"Decades?" Hestia asked with a frown.

"Time in Tartarus passes five times faster than in the mortal world remember," Andy explained before continuing. "And in that time their love grew between them but also for you.

I could see it … like a third of them was missing and whenever they asked Nyx if they could get you but she said no both would get sad for a whole day. They care about you Hestia and want you to be happy too."

"I … I just don't know," Hestia said unsurely as she looked down.

"Hestia," Andy said gently as she cupped the goddess' chin and turned her to face herself. "They do love you and didn't want to hurt you in any way." Andromeda then stood up before offering a hand to the goddess. "Come on, walk with me."

Hestia looked at her hand for a few hands before taking it slowly and getting pulled up. Once both were up Andromeda snapped her fingers to make a napkin pop into her hand before using it to wipe away the last of Hestia's tears and cleaning off her cheeks.

After that was done the two started to walk through the courtyard and towards the House of Night as Andromeda spoke.

"Tell me Hestia, what's really holding you back?"

Hestia looked at her nervously as she rubbed her own arms while remaining silent. After a minute or so she finally spoke. "I'm scared okay …"

"Of what?" Andy persisted as Hestia looked down.

"Of being … forgotten," she replied softly. "I … I was too scared to tell Percy how I felt all those years ago and looked what happened.

He fell in love with someone else … someone prettier, more experienced, stronger, and everything better than me …" By now Hestia's eyes were getting watery again and crying was bound to come up but Andromeda pulled her into a hug while rubbing her back.

"Hestia, you know Percy isn't like that," she said soothingly. "Yes, you've never loved like this before and it scares you that you might do something wrong, especially when there is someone else to be compared to but neither would want you to be anything other than yourself.

Percy loves you for you Hestia, not because you're the prettiest or strongest or any sort of thing."

Andromeda could feel Hestia slowly nodding into her shoulder as she let out a few more tears as Andy tried to reassure her more.

"Tell me Hestia … do you still feel the same way about him?" she asked softly.

Hestia remained silent for some time until in a low voice she said, "Yes…"

"And even knowing that you'd have to share him, does it mean you love him any less?"

"No," Hestia replied while shaking her head softly.

"Then there you go," Andromeda said in a warm voice. "The three of you deserve love Hestia and I know you'll need each other. Percy especially will need you both. You're one of his reasons for fighting, for wanting to create a better and safer future, and for not losing hope drowning in his own vengeance.

You were there for him when Kronos attacked, you became his friend during the year of peace you had before Hera's plan, and you were his shoulder to cry on when Annabeth broke his heart. You're precious to him Hestia and no matter what, he will always love you."

Andromeda then broke the hug and leaned back to look directly into Hestia's eyes.

"Rhea too. You're the one who remembered her and used to still pray to her to show her that she simply hadn't been locked away to be forgotten. You are her first born and she wants to see you happy. That's why she was more than willing to share Percy with you, because it is you.

Anyone else would have been brained if they so much as looked at Percy with less than pure intentions … trust me, it nearly happened to Lamia one time," she added with a snicker.

Hestia giggled slightly as well and there Andromeda knew that her talk had been a success. She smiled at the goddess before pinching her cheek earning an annoyed pout but Andy just giggled at the face.

"Now go and get your man!" she cheered before leaning closer with a suggestive wink. "And if anything, show Rhea that just because she has experience doesn't mean she'll always be on top."

Hestia practically glowed with a golden blush as Andromeda started to laugh at the sight in good humor before shoving the goddess slightly.

"Go on now, they should be somewhere in the kitchen since Rhea cooks when she's nervous, or in Percy's room trying to relax while waiting," Andy instructed as she shifted back into her usual 21 year old form.

Hestia gave her a firm nod before walking back in the direction of the House of Night while Andy sighed. 'First successful matchmaking!' she mentally cheered before wondering what else to do for the day.

So far there wasn't much more than training every day until Tartarus and Nyx decided they were ready for the big moves and becoming full protogenoi. She then glanced at a white gold ring given to her by Hemera to transport to the Palace of the Sky whenever she wants.

"Oh well, let's go annoy Hemera," she said with a shrug before focusing on the ring and dissolving into particles of light …

...

Percy watched as Rhea drifted back and forth between the oven and the counter as she fussed over her cooking pastries, her fingers twitching nervously at times. It was slightly annoying watching her move back and forth like that but he could understand where she was coming from. He was just as nervous, if not more so than she was while waiting for Hestia.

Hestia.

Man, he'd made a blunder there and he'd thought he'd grown a little more tactful but again he ended up putting his foot in his mouth. He came off way too blunt and sudden and nearly made Hestia run off. Seeing her look so heartbroken and crying had felt like he stabbed himself through the heart with a Stygian iron blade.

He never wanted to see her crying unless they were tears of joy. Then, the very thought of losing her man him jump into action, kissing her with everything he could to try and show her that he loved her just as much as Rhea.

Even if she'd tried to resist at first, with the fire burning around them (luckily he still had her blessings making him fireproof), he could literally feel her emotions in the fire. There was anger yes, but more than anything it was sadness and a feeling of loneliness within it that Percy tried his damnedest to try and soothe.

Then with that kiss, their first and likely her first entirely, he'd felt her return his need for her equally. In that moment he had no doubt that both Rhea and Hestia were the women for him, that without them he was incomplete.

Now all he could do was pray to Lady Chaos and hope that Hestia accepted it. With those thoughts he remained silent as he continued to observe Rhea as she took out a batch of blue cookies before throwing in another tray full, her foot tapping nervously as she got ready to prepare yet another batch.

Seeing that his girlfriend was spinning herself into a frenzy he got up from his stool and walked to her before wrapping his arms around her waist making her squeak in surprise.

"Love, calm down," he said softly as she turned in his arms to face him with worried eyes.

"But …"

"I know, you're nervous and so am I," he said as he rubbed her back. "But please, I need you to try and relax. We've done everything we can and now it is up to her."

"And if she decides she doesn't want to be with you because of me?" Rhea asked as her eyes started to get watery.

"You can't blame yourself for that Rhea," he said sternly as he cupped her chin to make sure she looked straight up at him. "I made my choice knowing the risks and I will never regret being with you. Yes, it would hurt if she said no but I would survive and so would you."

Rhea stared at him silently for a few minutes while sniffing occasionally before she hugged him closer and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

He rested his chin on her head as he tried to comfort her more, knowing that even if he said it Rhea would still blame herself if Hestia rejected them. He sighed at the thought and felt a pang of pain in his chest but it wouldn't be the first time he felt such pains, as sad as that is.

"She loves you," Rhea suddenly said without moving her head making her warm breath wash over his throat. "And as any mother I want to see her happy … but was I being selfish this time around?"

Percy thought about it for a moment before softly replying, "Yes."

Rhea pulled her head back as she looked at him in slight surprise but he continued on, "And there is nothing wrong with that. After what you've been through and waited, I think you were entitled to happiness.

And, even when you got it, you still considered how Hestia would feel about it and allowed me to try and also have a relationship with her. So please, don't blame yourself if this turns out different from what we wanted … okay?"

Rhea stared at him intently for a few minutes before she gave him a faint smile as she nodded.

"Okay … I love you."

"And I you," he said before leaning down slightly to give her a tender kiss.

At the embrace she brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck as he tugged her by her waist, finding comfort in the warmth of her body being pressed up against his.

They stayed like that for several minutes before they caught someone clearing their throat making both snap their heads in the direction of the noise.

They were treated to the sight of a slightly blushing Hestia, the Olympian looking away slightly as her hands nervously played with the golden rope tied around her waist.

Rhea and Percy looked at her awkwardly for a moment before they released each other and turned to face her, both suddenly getting tense as they waited for Hestia to give them her answer.

They all remained silent for some time until Hestia fought her nerves down enough to look at them properly.

"So …" she started while looking them up and down. "I've decided."

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

...

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