A few minutes later, the four were sitting at a booth in a gleaming chrome diner. All around them, families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas. Aurora couldn't help but long for a life like that, acting as if it was a normal day at a normal time in a normal place.
Finally the waitress came over. She raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Well?"
Percy looked like he didn't know what to say, but managed, "We, um, want to order dinner." As Aurora noted earlier, Percy, by nature, was not a liar.
"You kids have money to pay for it?" The waitress looked like she would rather be anywhere else than there. And, given the extent of Aurora's knowledge about what the average American worker made in an hour, the waitress was completely valid for that.
Grover's lower lip quivered. Annabeth looked ready to pass out from hunger. Percy's brood indicated that he wanted to start a fight, his sea green eyes darkening as he glared at the lady. He might've not thought he looked terrifying, but when Aurora examined his face, he was for sure a Big Three kid, with no doubt about it. His face was striking and chiseled, and she could hear roaring waves as his jaw set in annoyance.
Aurora opened her mouth to attempt sweet talking to the waitress (a skill Silena had bribed her with learning in exchange for a makeover) when a rumble shook the whole building.
All conversation in the diner stopped. An intimidating man sat on the motorcycle the size of a baby elephant that had pulled up to the curb. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh.
Aurora's heart dropped to where her food should've been. It was Ares, the god of war. She looked sideways at her dark haired questmate, who was glowering already. With Percy's stupidity and attitude, Aurora knew the family reunion was not going to fare over well.
Ares was all muscle, with red wraparound shades, and the cruelest, most brutal face Aurora had ever seen. Aurora could see what Aphrodite saw in Ares, because the man was handsome, but cruel. He had the bad boy trope nailed to a tee, and his bike was to die for. Like, people actually died for it. Human flesh covered the motorcycle seat, where leather or canvas could've been.
As he walked into the diner, a hot, dry wind blew through the place.
Ares answered for the demigods and satyr with his booming voice, "It's on me."
He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and said, "Are you still here?"
Ares pointed at her, and she stiffened. She turned as if she'd been spun around, then marched back toward the kitchen.
"Are we really going to let him pay for us, Shark Boy?" Aurora hissed, grabbing Percy's elbow. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt fear radiate her body. That was just the presence of Ares, she guessed.
Look, Aurora was all for food. She never skipped a meal. She could never stop loving to eat, ever. It was her and Connor's favorite past time together. But if the food was being handed to them by someone from her mom's side of the family? She definitely didn't trust it.
"Why not?" Percy asked, eyeing the god in front of them. Gods, Percy really didn't know who the biker was, and it was going to kill them.
"Jackson, 'you are not the exception. You will never learn your lesson!'" Aurora stared at him with a pointed gaze, sighing when Percy just blinked back at him. "Foolish One? Gods, you're so uncultured."
"What are you talking about?"
"We just don't have the best track record with hamburgers and mythical stuff, Perseus." Aurora added, waiting for Percy to get it. He never did. His mind still on food, Percy shrugged, allowing Ares to slide into their booth, which was way too small for him, crowding Annabeth and Grover against the window.
Gods, Aurora groaned to herself. Percy was going to get them all murdered. And the best thing Aurora could do was sit around and watch.
Ares looked solely at Percy and no one else, giving him a wicked grin. "So you're old Seaweed's kid, huh?"
Aurora was getting so fucking fed up with being just a secondary character to Percy's importance, but she guessed it came with the territory of being on a quest with Poseidon's son. Still, she felt anger bubble in her gut like lava.
Like she predicted, Percy's eyes flared. "What's it to you?"
Annabeth's eyes flashed him a warning, her hands gripping the table nervously. "Percy, this is—"
Ares raised his hand. "S'okay," he said. "I don't mind a little attitude. Long as you remember who's the boss. You know who I am, little cousin?"
Aurora watched Percy draw his head back, realization flitting over his idiotic face. "You're Clarisse's dad," he muttered grimly. "Ares, god of war."
Ares grinned and took off his shades. Where his eyes should've been, there was only fire, empty sockets glowing with miniature nuclear explosions. "That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear."
Percy shrugged nonchalantly as Aurora rolled her eyes at the mention of Percy's "great" feat against her friend. "She was asking for it." Aurora elbowed the boy, who stiffened and scrunched his nose at the impact, careful not to wince in front of the god who loved pain more than anyone. Everyone might've thought Clarisse to be mean and a bully, but deep down, the girl was kind and had good intentions. She was simply just trying to prove herself to her godly parent, as was everyone else.
Ares didn't respond with defense, like most gods did. Instead, he leaned back, like he didn't have a care in the world about the daughter he should've been the most proud of. "Probably. That's cool. I don't fight my kids' fights, you know? What I'm here for—I heard you were in town. I got a little proposition for you."
The waitress came back with heaping trays of food—cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and chocolate shakes. Ares handed her a few gold drachmas. The waitress looked nervously at the coins, her voice small. "But, these aren't..."
Ares pulled out his huge knife and started cleaning his fingernails. Aurora's face grimaced with disgust at his casualty. "Problem, sweetheart?" The waitress swallowed, then left with the gold.
Aurora's mind filled with things she wanted to say to the god, but before she could open her mouth, Percy beat her to it. He shifted so he was sitting taller in his seat, and fist clenched beneath his lap. "You can't do that. You can't just threaten people with a knife."
Ares laughed. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, punk? You should. Dangerous world out there. Which brings me to my proposition. I need you to do me a favor."
Aurora's words slipped out without a second thought, which as probably an issue. "What favor could little demigod orphans like us do for a god?"
"Something a god doesn't have time to do himself. It's nothing much. I left my shield at an abandoned water park here in town. I was going on a little... date with my girlfriend. We were interrupted. I left my shield behind. I want you to fetch it for me." Ares responded, not even glancing at Aurora. Her teeth ground together. But of course Ares wouldn't even look at her. She wasn't a boy, even if she was the best swordsman in the last century.
Percy reached for her fingers, which were dangerously fiddling with her gold ring. His aquamarine met her hazel, and he subtly shook his head. He ignored that his other hand was wrapped in a fist, as if he was going to punch someone, and instead brushed his thumb lightly over her index finger.
"Why don't you go back and get it yourself?" Percy asked without even glancing at Ares.
The fire in Ares' eye sockets glowed a little hotter. "Why don't I turn you into prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don't feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?" He leaned forward. "Or maybe you only fight when there's a river to dive into, so your daddy can protect you."
For the first time since their little interaction started, Ares turned towards Aurora. "Plus, my girl has her pretty little eye out for this one right here." Aurora recoiled in fear, more fear than ever in Ares' presence. The greatest scare in the world was having Aphrodite look at you personally. "Tell your mom I say hey, sweetie." Ares sent her a wink that made her guts feel icy.
Aurora itched her eyebrow with her middle finger, her insides squirming with uncomfort and violence. Percy's voice was angrier than she'd ever heard it to be, almost defensive of her. "We're not interested. We've already got a quest."
Ares let out a brittle chuckle, one that made the entire restaurant rumble. "I know all about your quest, punk. When that team was first stolen, Zeus sent his best out looking for it: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and me, naturally. If I couldn't sniff out a weapon that powerful..." He licked his lips, as if the very thought of the master bolt made him hungry. "Well... if I couldn't find it, you got no hope. Nevertheless, I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your dad and I go way back. After all, I'm the one who told him my suspicions about old Corpse Breath."
Something in Aurora's brain clicked. "You told Zeus Hades stole the bolt?" If it was all a nothing, if it was just a rumor... they wouldn't have to see her torturer. Her stepfather. Please, she prayed, please.
"Sure. Framing somebody to start a war. Oldest trick in the book. I recognized it immediately. In a way, you got me to thank for your little quest."
"Thanks," Percy grumbled. A giggle bubbled in Aurora's throat, but a fucking terrifying glare from Annabeth across the table kept it in.
"Hey, I'm a generous guy. Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll arrange a ride west for you and your friends."
"We're doing fine on our own." Percy argued defiantly.
"Yeah, right. No money. No wheels. No clue what you're up against. Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your mom."
Like a dog, Aurora could practically see Percy's ears perk up at the mention of his mother. "My mom?" Her heart squeezed to see how that caught his attention so quickly. His mom was a bargaining chip at this point, and Aurora truly felt bad for the boy who was to be manipulated so much more due to him actually caring about his mortal parent, and her caring about him. Aurora could've laughed at the contrast in her own life.
Ares grinned maliciously. "That got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancy. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride."
"Cute date spot." Aurora asked sardonically, crossing her arms with a small smirk. "Why the rush to leave?"
Aurora had seen the threatening look of Ares on Clarisse many, many times before, and she saw right through it: he wasn't going to kill her, he was scared. Nervous, even.
Ares bared his teeth. "You become less pretty as soon as you open your mouth, sweetheart." Aurora felt murderous. "I'll make sure to tell my girlfriend to make your life a little more interesting. And Percy Jackson, you're lucky you met me, punk, and not one of the other Olympians. They're not as forgiving of rudeness as I am. I'll meet you back here when you're done. Don't disappoint me."
And with that, Ares was gone.
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Aurora didn't want to date a boy if Waterland was where they took their girlfriends on dates. The main gate was padlocked and topped with barbed wire. Inside, huge dry water slides and tubes and pipes curled everywhere. It looked run down and rusty.
"Poor Aphrodite," Aurora shook her head as she gripped the brass rung of the gate. She hoisted herself up, the familiar rough metal reminding her all too well of the fire rock wall at camp. "She could do so much better than this."
"Aphrodite. Goddess of love?" Percy asked as he watched her climb over the fence and hop down without a scratch. "And what the fuck did you just do?"
"Are you scared, Jackson?" Aurora teased as she flipped the son of Poseidon off. Grover seemed inspired by her idea and said the command that made his shoes sprout wings. He flew over the fence, did an unintended somersault midair, and stumbled to a landing on the opposite side.
"No, shut up. And isn't she married to somebody?" Percy grunted as he and Annabeth mimicked the way Aurora climbed the fence.
"Hephaestus." Annabeth answered as she landed next to Aurora. The Persephone girl wrapped her arms around her best friend. Her love language was touch, after all. "What's your point?"
Percy didn't say anything but look awkward as he stepped off the fence, very obviously remembering the conversation he had had with Aurora about Persephone and Hades when he first arrived at camp.
The four kept walking until they reached what was an empty pool. Around the rim, a dozen bronze statues of Cupid stood guard with wings spread and bows ready to fire. On the opposite side, a tunnel opened up. The sign above it read, THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE!
"'Tunnel of Love?'" Aurora read, managing through her dyslexia to read the words. "Sounds like a Taylor Swift song. But, like, way worse."
Grover called the three demigods to the edge, pointing nervously. Marooned at the bottom of the pool was a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a canopy over the top and little hearts painted all over it. In the left seat, glinting in the fading light, was Ares's shield, a polished circle of bronze.
Percy took a deep breath. "I'm going down there."
"Of course you are, my handsome amazing main character hero!" Aurora's voice was pitched up an octave as she clutched her hands together, blinking slowly at Percy. The boy scoffed and shoved her shoulder lightly.
"Shut up." Percy didn't even glance at Annabeth. But if he would have, he would have seen that she was already shaking her head with revulsion before he even thought to ask the question. "I was going to ask you anyways—"
Aurora jumped sarcastically. "Oh, yay! Percy Jackson and his pretty assistant partner who he pushed off a building take on the Tunnel of Love—"
"Would you stop it? You've clearly never learned the expression 'let go and move on.'"
"I have, but who says I have to listen to that?"
They reached the boat and the shield was propped on one seat, and next to it was a pink silk scarf. In any other circumstance, Aurora would've loved it, it was the perfect shade of pink. But it was also Aphrodite's. Percy picked up the scarf and smiled like a fucking idiot. He lifted the fabric, as if to rub it against his cheek, when Aurora smacked his hand, and then his face for extra measure. "Are you serious? Aphrodite's, remember? She already has a personal vendetta against me. Don't make her target you too."
"What?" Percy looked groggy, like he was in a daze.
"Love. Magic." Aurora cooed slowly, as if she was speaking to a very small child. And, given that it was Percy, she practically was.
"Huh?"
"Can you be any slower in the head?" Aurora huffed frustratedly and reached forward. It was clear that the boy wasn't going to do anything. But the moment her hand felt the bronze of the shield, she knew it was a trap. Her hand broke through something that had been connecting it to the dashboard. She quickly saw blood.
No, not blood. Pomegranate seeds.
Noise erupted all around them, one of a million gears grinding, as if the whole pool were turning into one giant machine. Grover and Annabeth yelled from overhead, but they couldn't hear their specific words.
The Cupid statues were drawing their bows into firing positions. They shot at each other, across the rim of the pool. Silky cables trailed from the arrows, arcing over the pool and anchoring where they landed to form a huge golden asterisk. The threads wove together to create a net. "We have to get out!" Percy screamed.
"Oh, now you can think?" Aurora retorted as Percy grabbed the shield from her and took her hand to help her run.
The Cupids' heads popped up. Out came video cameras, and a loudspeaker voice boomed: "Live to Olympus in one minute... fifty nine seconds, fifty eight..."
"Fucking gods..." Aurora sighed exasperatedly. They were so annoying. Hephaestus' work, of course. She and Percy frantically climbed into the boat as the countdown narrowed. As the countdown went down to one, Aurora jumped as water exploded out of the pipes.
She glanced at Percy, whose eyes were shut in concentration and his eyebrows were scrunched together, creating a crease between his brows. He had never looked so powerful and peaceful before. Percy was in total control, and, like when Aurora was falling from the Arch, she felt a sense of safety, like a net falling over her body.
Since the ride was out of commission, there was no exit for them. They were going to crash into a barricade. "Unfasten your seat belt!" Percy's eyes snapped open as he yelled at her, and she was so startled at the vast green of his irises that she looked away immediately, careful not to get caught.
"Fine." Aurora shrugged complacently. What was there to lose? Death? Hah. "Let's jump. Just don't push me again, okay?"
Percy muttered under his breath, but reached for her hand, just as he had done when they were plummeting. Waiting for her to make the other move. She complied and his grip was firm as they jumped in unison.
Grover grabbed their backs and brought them to Annabeth, dangling dangerously off of a ledge, who gripped Aurora's forearm and pulled her to safety. Grover dropped Percy by accident so he tumbled to the ground, but Ares' shield was still on his arm.
Aurora felt eyes still on her, and she unsheathed her bow. Oleander grew to its fullest potential, the gold metal of her bow and white arrows glinting in the moon's light. Her mouth pursed with rage. "Show's fucking over!" She screamed. She was done being a pawn in the gods' game. And she didn't care if her mom was embarrassed of her; it wasn't like she wanted her in the first place.
Percy agreed, waving at the camera right before Aurora shot an arrow in the Cupids' camera eyes. "Thank you! Good night!"
She missed the proud beam on Percy's face as the point of the arrow pierced the glass of the video camera, the lights shattering and everything turning black.
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Ares was waiting for them in the diner parking lot. "Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed."
"You knew it was a trap," Percy retorted, throwing the god's shield on the ground. It landed with a deafening clatter. "You're a dick."
Ares simply just grinned, one so menacing that Aurora could feel a war brewing underneath his jagged teeth and fiery—literally blazing—eyes. He raised his brows at Aurora with a smirk that made her body curdle. "You looked good on TV. Nice touch with the cameras." He grabbed his shield and spun it in the air like pizza dough. It changed form, just like Aurora's ring did.
"See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to LA, with one stop in Vegas."
The truck read: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS. Something told Aurora it was the exact opposite of that.
"Of fucking course." She muttered. She glanced at Annabeth and Grover, who looked like he was about to vomit.
"You're kidding." Percy grit his teeth. "I don't want your lousy—"
Grover interrupted quickly, giving the impertinent boy his best warning face. However, Aurora somewhat wanted Percy to continue. She could hear the animals bray softly inside the van, a solemn, sad song of exhaustion and abuse. She couldn't be any angrier because, reminder! Aurora was, by birth, an environmentalist. "Thank you, Lord Ares. Thanks a lot."
Aurora sighed, puffing her cheeks out. She didn't know why Grover was thanking the god: he didn't do jack shit. But she guessed they were going to LA animal style. There was something bound to go wrong, she just knew it. She stared at the truck and could practically see the stench of manure. Of fucking course.
ೀ⋆｡🌷 notes ...
word count: 3607
date published: march 13, 2024
thoughts: sorry for the long chapter! special lotus casino scene is next!
also i'm on a book posting spree so for all the sturniolo fans, i posted a chris fic called foolish one (reference in this chapter) if you want to check it out!
also quick question! what should the ship name for aurora and percy be (i feel like i've asked this before but i was inspired by a comment)? i was thinking aurcy or perora but i want you guys to decide, and if you have any other ideas pls comment
update: the ship is perora thank u all