Apóllōn tended to Lea's wounds as soon as the half-bloods made it to Olympos.
If Hermês was being honest, he believed that was what really convinced most of them to go along with the idea to allow Perseus to live. The boy hadn't even paid attention to the meeting aside from arguing in favor of the Ophiotaurus. Instead, he sat as close as he could to his sister while Apóllōn worked.
It became clear to them all at that moment just what his fatal flaw was.
And it also became clear to them just how they would be able to manipulate things to ensure that Olympos was to be preserved.
Once the meeting was all said and done, the kids were sent back to Camp while Leaneíras was going to stay overnight within the healing halls of Theoi tou Iatrikoi. Well, at least that's what they were told. When Apóllōn had noted blood dripping from her simádi psychís, he had ordered for Hermês to surround her in his things and to break the mind link between them as whatever those on the Titani side had done to block the two had poisoned the mark. The more that she was surrounded by things that he held a strong emotional connection to would cleanse it and make her recovery even easier.
Poseidón had followed him out of the meeting after stopping to speak with his son.
"To think tis the first time I see her in person in fourteen years, and she is not even conscious for the meeting," his Uncle mused, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair from her face. She shifted absently as if she was seeking the warmth of his hand. "When she was younger, before she became so apathetic to the world around her, she'd sit on her windowsill and make wishes to the stars to take care of me."
He breathed an airily type of laugh. It was funny in hindsight. To wish that the stars would take care of one of the eldest gods. "When their Mother took them on trips to Montauk, she'd find all the shells she could in the sand and push them back into the water and tell the ocean to bring them to me so that they could lead me home."
Leaneíras shifted as if she was going to wake up, but Hermês knew that Apóllōn placed her on some very strong drugs.
"There was a picture that she drew when she was about five. It was of her and Percy, and her Mother standing on a beach and they were waving at me coming back on a boat." It sounded like he was speaking of a different person. "And then, one day, she just woke up and didn't care anymore." Poseidón's voice sounded pained. Hermês wondered what caused her to change. Was there a trigger of sorts? Or did she possibly not even know or even remember? He could not imagine his Leaneíras in any other way, but he still mourned the child-like wonder from the girl in the past. How different would she have been if she still allowed such optimism in her life?
"When did you grow up?" her Father murmured, but she continued to slumber on.
It was silent between the two gods as they watched her, and Hermês had half the mind to leave and venture to the demos oneiron to be with her.
"You will take care of her, ναί," Poseidón asked, but it was not really a question. It was a statement of fact.
"I plan to be at her side for her recovery," Hermês told him. "Well, for as long as she would let me."
Her Father hummed. "I imagine you have plans to chase down Hekatê Huios." Well, of course, he did. He was going to skin him like a snake and gut him like a fish and use his intestines as fairy lights. "I assure you, there is no need for that."
Indignant, Hermês turned to look at him. How could he take away his need for vengeance? Poseidón didn't look back at him though. He only stared at his daughter silently with a pleased but cruel twist to his lips that Hermês had not seen since Hurricane Mitch back in '98. It had been disastrous for the humans and Poseidón had personally paid for their entrance in the Underworld himself and did what he could to fix the economy that he ruined without causing anymore issues. "She prayed to me, my daughter. Asked me for such a favor. A little gift if you will and what kind of Father would I be if I didn't grant her such a gift. Όχι, you need not to worry about him for I swear that the next time you see him... you will be leading his soul to Háidēs' home."
His Uncle clapped him on his shoulder before turning to take his leave.
Hermês shivered.
Sweet Gaia, it was obvious that Leaneíras took after her Father in temperament.
After a moment of silence, he cast a glance around the room. It was his "trophy" room, mainly a place where he stored things that he collected over the centuries with more security around it than every Area 51 and its equivalents around the world. (He had in fact just scrubbed the three-decade old ichor stain from the last person that tried to steal from there.) A lot were gifts from his family. Things that some of his children made him or the ones his devotees gifted to him. A couple things came from past lovers whose death moved him in a way that he not thought possible for someone as disillusioned with it as he.
He winced. He might need to move them, but before he did that, Hermês stepped forward and descended into the demos oneiron where Leaneíras sat atop the blackened sand. The rosy-cheek maiden with piercing eyes as if someone had managed to liquidize emerald jewels. Dark-haired she was as if Nýx had taken the feathers of her dark wings and placed them upon her head, crowned with crocus. She smiled at him as he approached.
"Leaneíras," Hermes murmured. Her smile gentled into something soft and for a moment, he could see the girl that Poseidón spoke of. Her gaze moved back towards the sand as she traced her fingers through it. "Leaneíras."
"Lea," she interrupted. Her eyes fluttered up to his, green meeting green. Soft and lively. Nothing like the confusion and rage that took over her features when they flew down to rescue her and Artemis. "Call me Lea."
Hermês stood, silent and a bit amazed as he stared at her. Absently, he knew that this was a significant thing. A cause for celebration that he knew Huákinthos, Dionysos, Apóllōn, Artemis, Persephónē, Árēs and Aphrodítē would tease him for later. If this was a movie, this would probably be the climax moment where they kissed.
(Absently, he took note of the way she jerked in place and her face flushed red.)
He looked around them, half tempted to find Morpheus to pinch him and make sure that he was not dreaming.
Leaneíras-Lea stood to stand in front of him. Her hair, with a ghastly white streak shining through it, flew down her back in wavy, curls. He was overcome with the need to kiss her and she managed to turn an even deeper red.
Ahh, right. She could hear his thoughts.
"We have to break that," he murmured, softly. He really didn't want to interrupt the relaxed ambience atmosphere around them, but he knew that keeping the link would only hurt her more. He did not like seeing her in pain.
"Yeah," she breathed just as softly. Her eyes slipped close as she leaned her head against his chest. "Later?"
"Whatever you want," he said immediately. "Whatever you want."
She clutched tighter to him in response.
And he held her for as long as she let him.
Lea was sitting in the Big House medbay when Drew walked into the room. Ethan and Alabaster had only just left and she knew that they were actually lingering outside of the door. All three of them had wanted to talk to her one on one instead of all piling in the room, but she also found it sweet. Alabaster had worked the poor child of Apóllōn's nerves asking about her recovery and the batch of herbs that they were making her take.
(And it goes without mentioning the children of Hermes that Ethan had cheerfully informed her were standing outside of the Big House like bodyguards.)
(She hadn't seen Percy, but she had been cheerfully informed that he was cleaning their cabin from top to bottom and packing their things so that they could go home. Their Mom was a bit hysterical to know that her daughter had been missing for days and no one thought to update her when she was retrieved.)
(They were not going to let out of their sight for weeks.)
"Drew," she smiled a bit weakly as she entered. She had to mentally remind herself that this was her best friend. That she wouldn't betray her like Trent (and Luke). She disobeyed her Mother to come after Lea. She was her friend.
The girl gave her a soft smile as she took a seat in the chair by the bed. "How are you feeling?"
Lea shrugged, "Medousa can look at me straight in the eyes right now and the joke will be on her because I'm already stoned." She was on some very good pain meds. Nothing like the kind that Lord Apóllōn had given her, but these were just as good.
"That's good," Drew murmured. "That's good." She turned to look at the clipboard beside her bed, reading over it quickly. Doing so gave Lea the perfect view of her necklace.
"New bling?"
"Huh? Oh!" She blushed a bit, tucking a curl behind her ear. "No, this is actually a gift from Ethan. My birthday present."
Lea jolted. "Oh, no. I missed it. Did it go well?" She and Alabaster had helped him put together a dinner date in this field that was a short trek in the woods. The two of them had been helping him set it all up together. A small campfire for the two of them. A spread of her favorite foods. A bunch of ice and snow roses and fairy lights hanging all around it. She was supposed to be the one to lead her in there to look for some herbs for her potions while Alabaster played lookout.
Drew flushed a bit. "Yeah," she said, absently brushing her thumb over it. It was a glittering platinum pendant with a diamond D.
Ethan had stated that it reminded him of one of her archery tournaments and that her team needed the win to qualify for finals during the school year. Her opponent had been tough and they had all wondered if they were secretly a child of Apóllōn or something. Drew had only shrugged and said: "No pressure. No Diamonds". She had said the same thing another time when she was getting ready to introduce him to her siblings as her blessings.
(The Tenth Cabin had been unnervingly intimidating even Lea was sweating buckets as they scrutinized him. Drew had only sighed, saying "Il m'est très cher alors sois gentil avec lui". It meant "he is very dear to me so be kind to him". See, Drew. Lea did pay attention to those french lessons.)
"Good," Lea said. "I owe you a gift also. One second." She really shouldn't be doing this. Her mageia was so weak and sickly within her, but the gift that she had for Drew had been left back in their dorm room, tapped under bed with the glamour spell that Kirkê had given her. "Ancient wise ones link to my will, My greatest desire now you fulfill."
Drew cursed immediately, slapping a hand down on her arm. No doubt she read it in her chart that Lea was not supposed to be using mageia, but oh well. Shimmering into existence on top of her bed was a russet pink quiver filled to the brim with different arrows. "Lea!" the younger girl scolded.
Lea shrugged. "Happy Birthday," she said instead, waving her hand towards them. "Kirkê helped me with them."
"What do you mean," Drew sighed, moving to inspect it.
"Well, these arrows are actually spells and potions," she smiled in excitement. Sure, Lea didn't believe in all that witchy nonsense before but she couldn't deny it now and all the things that she learned were cool. "She taught me how to cast spells and take the essence of said spell and turn them into weapons. Remember how I told you that I managed to swap me and her powers? That arrow right there-" A sparkling baby blue arrow. "allows you to swap powers with whoever you shoot it at. For like five minutes though. Any longer and it explodes."
Drew stared.
Lea stared back.
"You gave me a quiver filled with spelled arrows? Like this is your own mageia?"
Lea shifted. Now when she said it like that, there were romantic undertones to it and Lea already had enough issues with one person being in love with her because of a magical connection. And yes, Drew was very beautiful. Incredibly beautiful in fact. If it weren't for the fact that she was sure that Hermes might try to kill her, Lea would have probably tried to flirt her away from Ethan. Well, she would've flirted until she grew bored with it.
(There was a reason that Lea didn't bother with flirting and relationships in general. She got bored easily and never cared to put any interest in it and look, she didn't have time to worry about broken hearts if she just didn't give them the chance to get their heart broken. Not that it mattered anyway.)
"Sort of," Lea admitted. "Some of them had been bathed in potions. The ones with the ribbons around them. They were the ones that I collected when monsters were shooting me off Luke's orgie boat."
Drew was silent before a gentle smile appeared on her face. It made her look much younger than the makeup she applied. More like a fourteen year old and not a contestant in a beauty pageant (though, she did win every single last one they had at school and Lea didn't know why they frequently had so many and why she wasn't already banned from competing). "Thank you. I usually get arrows from Mother. Sometimes Lord Ares. And the few times I charmed the Ninth Cabin into making me some and then charmed them again to forget that I had even asked."
"Well, now, you don't have to do that anymore," Lea shrugged.
"And now I have some new arrows for my training with Lord Apollo," she said casually. Lea raised a brow. "That's new?"
Drew nodded her head in agreement, curls swinging back forth cutely. "He asked me after the Solstice meeting and ugh, I embarrassed myself so bad, you know. He stopped me and asked to become my patron and he hadn't even gotten all his sentence out before I was blurting out Yes. What if he thought I was easy?"
"Pretty sure he has a soulmate."
"I didn't mean it like that," Drew spluttered. "And I know that. He stood beside him, one arm wrapped around Lord Apollo with his lavender colored eyes shining under the lowlights. They were both so attractive. I was almost jealous, but I was also too excited to really think about anything else."
"Did he at least have on clothes," Lea asked. She remembered the first time she met Apóllōn. He had been naked saved for a cloak and stood there as if he was america's next top underwear model.
"Of course he had on clothes!" Drew looked at her weirdly. Lea shrugged. "But enough about me. That wasn't what I came to talk about."
She sat straighter in her seat, tucking that stubborn curl back behind her ear.
Well, this must be serious.
"You are fired," Drew said harshly and Lea recoiled just a bit. "And you are not going to go on any quest ever again. No," she stated decisively. "They are horrible. I didn't have time to shop! I didn't have time to change clothes! My hair smells like the woods and do you know how hard it is to get monster dust out of polyester? No, neither one of us will be running around on these irritable quests and getting involved with those nasty monsters who I am pretty sure are the reason that Annabeth acts as if she had never seen a nail file a day in her life and why Clarisse acts as if she had never seen a comb. Can you imagine me sitting in my cabin just to receive word that my best friend was kidnapped because she jumped onto the back of a knock off Chimera monster with a fake persian accent when she was just supposed to be helping her brother pick up two kids! One who is now dead and the other on a goddamn spiritual adventure!"
Lea winced before blinking in surprise.
"I scared you," she realized.
"I am Drew Tanaka," Drew scoffed. "The only things that scare me are out of season accessories, split ends, Annabeth's face before her morning coffee, three-in-one (or Mother forbid or more) shower gels in the bathroom of anyone I have ever willingly associated with." She huffed. "But no," she added, voice a little tight. "I did not find the idea of you being KIDNAPPED all that pleasant. Did you forget what happened to beautiful girls that got kidnapped in ancient greece?"
Lea winced once more. "I'm sorry."
Drew took a deep breath, smoothing the wrinkles out of her shirt as she stood to her feet. "Well, at least, you've learned your lesson and got it out of your system." Lea wondered if she should point out the hypocrisy to that statement because she was sure that being a devotee to one of the archery gods who was a very good hunter meant getting a bit more in touch with nature, you know, the woods and shit. But considering the glare on Drew's face, Lea was quite alright with leaving that topic alone. "We'll work on that white patch in your hair later. I have to go lead my cabin through their activities."
Lea gave her a wary smile as she leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room, the scent of nutmeg and pine lingering as she left.
Lea was going through her stretches with the help of her Mother when the doorbell rang. The two of them shared looks even as Percy stood from where he had been doing his own situps beside her to answer the door.
None of them mentioned anything about having company over.
So, it was very surprising to them all when the door opened over to reveal Hermes standing on the other side. In his hand, he held a giant extravagant box from Beauregard Bonbons. They were the parent company to the candy store that Sally Jackson used to work at: Sweet on America.
"Um," Lea said as the four of them stood looking at each other.
"Come in," Sally smiled, standing on her feet in a hurry. "Come in." She looked between the twins a bit in confusion as Hermes smiled charmingly at her. Lea averted her eyes.
(She repressed the thought of how ironic it was that they both met each other Mother's now. Really all that was left was for her to meet her own Father and his Father and they'd be one big happy family. Woohoo!)
Lea sat up slowly, biting her lip to keep from asking why he was there. It was a violation to xenia after all and he presided over that.
"I thought I'd drop by for a visit," Hermes explained as he looked between the small family. "And to make sure that she wasn't using her mageia to say; speed read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and the other books on her winter reading list?"
Lea's jaw dropped open even as her Mother and Brother turned to her. "Oh my gods, what are you? A cop?"
Hermes snorted. "I think being the patron god of thieves eliminates that idea."
"Lea," her Mother scolded as she accepted the box of chocolates to take into the kitchen.
"Brat," Percy murmured as he picked up the stuff he was using to workout. "How are you going to get better if you keep breaking the rules," he scolded lightly even as he brushed her hair back. He cast a glance at Hermes. "Try to keep her in line, please?"
"I am a god," Hermes smiled, "But even I cannot create miracles."
Lea scoffed.
The two of them hid in the kitchen to give them as much privacy as her Mother would allow. No way was the woman going to leave her underage daughter with the god.
Lea stared after the two of them blankly before moving over to the balcony. At least this way she could close the door and not worry about being overheard.
"You don't have to keep giving me gifts because your psycho son and his friend kidnapped me." She woke up with a small gift on her bedside table everyday since she made it back home. She wondered how her Mother would react to that piece of knowledge.
Yeah, she wasn't trying to find out either.
Hermes shook his head. "That is not why I'm doing it because of that. Well not just because of that. I'm doing it because friends give each other gifts."
Lea smirked softly, looking at him out of her peripheral. "So we're friends now?"
The god nodded his head. "Of course, Lea. I am Hermês, friend to mortals."
A light laugh escaped her as she turned to look out over the city. She had never thought she would miss it more than she did than being trapped on a mountain where the only side to be heard was the crickets and bugs at night.
"I have never given you a gift since I met you."
"Not true," he said immediately. "Your presence is a gift in itself. And I like giving you gifts."
"As opposed to anyone that isn't my parents or brother or friends?"
"I am a very jealous person, you know."
Didn't she know it but still... "You claim another child every other day."
"Oh, um..."
She turned to him, an amused twist to her lips as he suddenly tried to avoid her gaze. "You forfeit the right to be jealous with each child." Not that she really cared either. Better those people with kids than her. She just disliked the fact that she was a stepmother to people the same age as her.
"Ahh, those were before you my beloved. And I thought of your words before." Lea raised a brow at him. "I am proud of my lineage and I want them to be proud of theirs also. There have been none since I've met you though." He smiled, taking her hand in his to press his lips to. "And you're brandished with my name, so as your blessing, I should be the one who gives you gifts."
"I have your name engraved in my skin for reasons that science has not figured out yet. We are not blessed."
"But what is so blessed than the love that could make the sky weep and the oceans jealous?"
"Okay, calm down, William Shakespeare."
"He was my nephew."
"Of course he was."
A small meow was heard from behind him and they both turned to see a little orange tabby kitten with stripes like a tiger. Lea fell in love immediately, moving around her to stick her hand out to it.
"Wait, Leaneíras," he spluttered, moving her backwards. "Tis dangerous."
"Its a kitten."
"It is a saber-tooth tiger born from the teeth of its deceased ancestor."
"So, a kitten," she hummed. The animal gave another meow and butted its head against her hand. "I think I'll keep it."
"Your school doesn't allow pets, babe."
Lea flushed and twitched at the pet name. It was less intimate than the other names that he called her, but still just as significant.
(Confusing.)
"How are you going to take care of a zombie cat? You don't even take care of yourself. Jumping on the back of monsters and whatnot."
Lea rolled her eyes. Jeez. Let it go already. That was in the past.
She shrugged, picking the kitten up in her arms. "Then you take care of us."
He stumbled over his words and she bit back a smile at seeing the god of crafty wiles all tongue-tied.
"What are you going to name her," he asked after a while, clearing his throat as he avoided eye contact.
Lea turned the animal towards her, glancing at its face and smiling as it gave her a little kiss. "Salome. She looks like a Salome."
The god hummed. "Okay and um, how about when you get better we go out somewhere. As friends! I mean, as friends. I think the New York Giants are playing."
"Look at me," she snorted. "What about me makes you believe that I like a glorified game of exercise? Drew has to drag me to archery tournaments and I mean literally drag."
Which... that's kind of funny because he was the god of the gymnasium and competitions and all that jazz.
"I think you'd enjoy it," he said and when she glanced at him to see the earnest smile on his face, she found herself folding faster than origami.
And now the shining light of the sun was dipped in the ocean trailing black night across the grain-giving land. Nýx rose her awful home wrapped in dark clouds from where sky meets earth and ends of gloomy earth and misty Tartara and the unfruitful sea and starry heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor, flooding all the earth with darkness bringing men release from toil. And soft-eyed Hypnos (Sleep) came, embracing all his limbs, beating his shady wing sent the daughter of Poseidón rest within his embrace.
A pair of feet moved silently around the room that she lay in, pausing to gaze at her. The curls of her hair laid across her body like a blanket, covering her almost sensually. It was much, much longer than one was led to believe. It was easy to brush the strands of hair that cradled her face, tracing a finger over the plump of her lips. She shifted as if seeking the warmth from the touch. It was easy to sink into her psyche bypassing her slumbering appearance within the demos oneiron. The oneiroi hissed in warning and protection and yet they were ignored.
The sand spun around her in a slow circle, a warning for heavy winds. "Listen to my voice," the words dribbled smoothly. "Hear my words." Scenes appeared around them. Memories from the past few days. The reveal of a shocking truth. "And forget I said anything." The image of her traitorous friend froze in the midst of informing her of the Roman Camp. "Bless your mind, bless your heart, let these painful thoughts depart." The memories went up in smoke, disappearing into the hungry bellies of the oneiroi as they shifted around her. The onerioi shifted as her previous vow fought against the spell to keep away influences on her mind, but they held fast to the memories that they devoured as treats, grasping them desperately and greedily every moment something attempted to slip away.
Leaving as quickly as they arrived, they covered their tracks lest someone discovered the truth.