AN: Okay everyone, another Pothena one-shot! But this time it's for the Camp Jupiter Forum!
I HATE Poseidon, was the only thought on Athena's mind as she paced around her palace. Her arms were swinging on a side and her grey dress was flying around as she paced. Her dark brown hair was tied in a messy bun and her intense grey eyes were a storm.
He burned one of her favorite books, took out her bookmark, and told her books are useless.
"Darling, are you okay in there," Aphrodite's sweet voice rang through her living room, breaking Athena's thoughts and making her madder than ever.
"What?" She snapped at the love goddess who took a step back.
"My," Aphrodite blinked her eyes at the sign of Athena in front of her. "Someone's in a bad mood."
"Yes," Athena snapped again. "Now leave or quickly tell me what you want!"
"I want to tell you that love isn't-" Aphrodite never finished her sentence. Athena dragged Aphrodite outside by her shirt and slammed the door in her face.
"Forget it," she shouted over the door.
"Rude," Aphrodite mumbled. Suddenly, a thought struck her as her ever changing color eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Her lips were twisted in a smirk before she knocked on Athena's door again.
"WHAT?" Athena snapped at her again.
"I want to make a bet," Aphrodite said sweetly, charmspeak laced in her voice. "And calm down, sweetheart."
"Don't call me that," Athena replied, quieter this time. She sat down on the sofa before gesturing for Aphrodite to continue. "And what bet would it be?"
"I bet you can't make Poseidon fall in love with you," Aphrodite said with an evil smirk. Athena slumped down on the sofa.
"Yeah, no," she replied immediately. "Find someone else to bother."
"Too scared?" Aphrodite asked rather sweetly.
"N-No," Athena shuttered but Aphrodite wasn't done yet.
"Afraid that you'll lose?"
"Of course not," Athena replied instantly. "I can do it."
"So you'll do the bet?" Aphrodite asked.
"If you also do a bet," Athena said with a smirk, her mind thinking of a good revenge. "I bet that you can't go without love for a week."
"Well then," Aphrodite swallowed, her previous thoughts all leaving her. "I'm betting that you can't make Poseidon fall in love with you in a week."
"You're own," Athena gave Aphrodite a glare before saying. "If you lose, you will never bother me with this again. If you win, I'll let you do whatever you want with me. If it's a tie, well, we'll never speak of it again."
"Fine," Aphrodite huffed. "I accept the deal."
"Swear in on the River Styx," Athena insisted.
"I swear on the River Styx to your terms."
"So do I."
They shaked hands before they both left the room, having to complete their task. Well, Athena is completing her task. Aphrodite was trying to reject love.
/
The same day, Zeus called an emergency council meeting. Everyone flashed in, an annoyed look on their face.
"Why did you call the meeting?" Poseidon asked, bored out of his mind. He wants to continue annoying Athena. To be honest, he had a tiny crush on her. Okay, maybe a little bit bigger than tiny because he may or may not have divorce his wife for someone that'll never love him back.
"Someone called my lighting bolt a bad name," Zeus cried out, glaring at Hera. Everyone rolled their eyes.
"I wonder why she did that," Artemis mumbled.
"You cheated on me again," Hera screamed and there goes the calm and quiet. People started screaming at each other and arguments started blooming everywhere. Poseidon sighed and sneaked a look at Athena who seemed to be deep in thought. He slowly approached her.
Artemis was on her throne, glad that her brother wasn't arguing with her when she noticed that Aphrodite isn't bothering anyone, seeming bored as well. She called out to her. "Why aren't you arguing with me about love? Or Athena?"
"Because love is useless," Aphrodite replied. She thought to herself, wow, I've good acting skills. But I still hate the bet.
Artemis almost choked. "Say what?"
"Love is useless," Aphrodite replied again. Now she caught some of the other Olympian's attention. "How great it will be to be one of your hunters."
Ares fell off his throne and Dionysus split out his coke. "Aphy, does that mean we broke up?"
Aphrodite looked at her nails but she mind message Athena, who was watching with an amused expression. This is your fault.
Note it's not.
It Is.
Not, you accepted the bet.
Aphrodite huffed and told Ares. "Of course we broke up! I don't know why I date you anyways."
Now she has the whole council's attention. Artemis asked uncertinaly. "So you weren't lying about joining my hunters?"
"Of course not," Aphrodite said before sighing. "This meeting is useless."
Athena was laughing silently but her eyes hardened again when she thought of her bet. Argh, why does she have to make Poseidon fall in love with her? Does he even love her? Does she love him?
She flashed away as well, but to her surprise, she appeared on the beach. She sighed again but leaned back toward a rock. Why is emotions so hard to deal with?
/
Poseidon was walking on the beach when he noticed Athena there. He frowned but went toward her. Another chance to annoy her, and also to talk to her.
"Hello, Athena!" He greeted her happily and Athena turned her glare toward him.
"What do you want?" She asked silently.
"Just wondering," Poseidon started. "What are you doing here?"
"Thinking," Athena replied before going back to staring into space.
"About?" Poseidon pushed his luck. To his surprise, Athena answered.
"Why is emotion so hard to figure out?" Athena whined. Poseidon was taken back. Athena, whined, yeah, that's not her.
"Why are you thinking about that?"
Athena seems to have forgotten about the bet until she finished telling Poseidon the bet. Then she quickly covered her mouth and looked at Poseidon with a nervous glance. Poseidon gave her a sad smile.
"Well then," he started. "I'll let you in on a little secret. You've already won the bet."
He then disappeared into sea mist. Athena sat there, puzzled for a while until she realized what he said. He was already in love with her. Athena doesn't know what to think. Is she in love with him though? She sighed and flashed away from the beach.
/
Athena had been thinking about it for a while about what Poseidon said. It doesn't really make sense to her though. Poseidon love her? She sighed again. She'll admit, she kind of likes him. From the moment she was born, she felt drawn to him for some reason.
His kind smile, his teasing smirk, how he annoyed her. It was kind of an excuse for them to talk. She wanted to tell Poseidon, maybe she kind of likes him but she doesn't really know how to.
Let's how she found herself at the beach again, her face in her hands. "Are you okay?"
Athena looked up to see Poseidon's concerning eyes. "Fine," she mumbled. She couldn't exactly just tell him: I may have a crush on you but I don't know how to say it. And then I found myself staring at your domain.
"Something on your mind?"
"I may have a crush on you," Athena said quietly before turning red. Poseidon smiled but didn't say anything.
"We could take things slow," Poseidon finally said. Athena turned toward him, studying his face, looking for any sign of lies. "I also divorce Amphitrite already."
"Yeah," Athena said slowly. "We could take it slow."
The two of them sat there, staring at the sunrise. A brand new day brings on a brand new story.
As for Aphrodite, well, she never bothered Athena again. And one week without Ares made Aphrodite realize how much she actually loved Hephaestus. But a sad ending for her because it was too late that she realized it.