"To me?" I asked, my brow furrowing slightly. "Why would that matter?"
Her lips curved into a mysterious smile. "Oh, Percy, don't be so modest. I keep tabs on all my favorites."
"Favorites?" I repeated, the word sticking in my throat. "I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or… terrified."
"Why not both?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She gestured to the chair across from her. "Come, sit. You look like you're carrying the weight of Olympus on your shoulders. Let me guess—you've been overthinking something again."
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I took the offered seat. "Yeah, you could say that. It's kind of a habit these days."
"Well," Aphrodite said with a playful grin, "Lucky for you, I'm an expert at breaking bad habits. Let's start with this one."
I leaned back in the chair, still trying to make sense of everything she was saying. "So, what? I'm supposed to just stop thinking and start… feeling? That's your expert advice?"
Aphrodite smiled, standing gracefully and moving behind me before I could react. "Exactly."
"What are you—"
Before I could finish, she started kneading her thumbs into the tight knots in my shoulders, and I immediately forgot what I was about to say. My whole body tensed for a moment before I felt the tension start to melt away under her hands.
"You're so wound up," she murmured, her tone half-scolding, halfteasing. "No wonder you can't think straight. You're carrying enough stress to crush a mortal."
"Uh, yeah," I muttered, awkwardly staring at the floor as her hands worked their magic. "It's been…a rough few days."
"Rough?" she repeated, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Percy, you've been running headfirst into danger since the day you found out you were a demigod. No wonder your muscles feel like they've been carved from stone."
I wanted to argue, but it was hard to focus on anything except the way her fingers seemed to find every knot I didn't even know existed.
"This isn't…really necessary," I managed to say, though my voice lacked conviction.
"Oh, please," Aphrodite said, rolling her eyes. "Relaxing is always necessary. You can't fight, plan, or even think clearly when you're this tense. Let me help, Percy. You might even enjoy it."
She leaned in slightly, her breath warm against my ear. "That's allowed, you know—enjoying yourself. You don't have to be a hero every second of every day."
Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit. She wasn't wrong—I'd been so caught up in the constant cycle of fighting and planning and surviving that I'd forgotten what it felt like to just…be.
"Better?" she asked after a moment, her voice softer now.
I nodded reluctantly, feeling the last of the tension ease from my shoulders. "Yeah. Better."
"Good," she said, her hands lingering for just a moment before she stepped back. "See? Letting go isn't so bad, is it?"
I turned to look at her, unsure of what to say. She was watching me with that same knowing smile, but there was something genuine in her expression this time—like she wasn't just playing her usual games. She was just…there. Real.
Before I could react, she moved with her usual grace, settling herself in my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. I stiffened instinctively, every nerve in my body on high alert, but she didn't give me time to overthink it.
Her hands rested lightly on my shoulders, and her face hovered inches from mine, her breath warm against my cheek.
"I've been feeling your love, Percy," she said softly, her voice like a gentle caress. "For everyone. For everything."
I blinked, my pulse hammering in my ears. "My love? What does that even mean?"
She smiled, but it wasn't her usual playful smirk. It was softer, almost wistful, with a touch of sadness in her eyes. "You don't realize it, do you? You love so deeply, so fiercely, and you don't even see it. Your mother, your friends, the campers you protect—it's all for them. Every fight, every sacrifice, every reckless leap into danger is driven by love."
Her words hit me like a tidal wave. I wanted to deny it, to brush it off, but something about the way she said it made me hesitate.
"That love," she continued, her voice quieter now, "Is what makes you different. It's what makes you you. And, Percy, it's beautiful."
"I don't know about that," I said, swallowing hard. "I just do what I have to do."
She laughed softly, the sound warm and melodic. Her fingers brushed lightly against my arm, her gaze never wavering from mine. "And that's exactly why I love it. Because it's not about glory or recognition. It's pure, unselfish, and unyielding. And because of that, Percy…I love you."
"You—what?" I stammered, my voice cracking slightly. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.
She leaned in closer, her nose almost brushing mine. "I love your love, Percy," she whispered, her voice so soft it felt like it was meant for me alone. "And because of that, I love you."
I didn't know what to say. My mind was spinning, my thoughts colliding in every direction. But before I could find the words, she leaned in, closing the small gap between us.
Her lips met mine, warm and impossibly soft. The kiss was gentle, almost hesitant, but it carried a weight that left no room for misunderstanding. It wasn't playful or teasing. It was real, genuine, and so full of emotion that I couldn't do anything but melt into it.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop. The glow of her presence, the faint scent of roses, the warmth of her lips—it was all-consuming. I didn't think about prophecies, gods, or battles. I didn't think about anything except her.
When she finally pulled away, her gaze lingered on mine, her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite put into words.
"I meant every word," she said softly. "Think about it, Percy. Let yourself feel it."
"I'm feeling something right now," I muttered.
"Percy," She sighed, planting another small kiss on the corner of my mouth, "Next time, you'd better be the one to kiss me."
"I'll do my best," I couldn't stop smiling. "What do you want to do today? I do owe you a date."
"Hm…I don't know," Aphrodite said, rocking back and forth a bit—still on my lap, mind you. She's going to make me start acting up soon. I think she knows that, too, "Oh! I know! I'll finish giving you the tour, and then we can go to the movies, and then we can go to lunch with your mom! I was supposed to meet her later with Hestia, anyway. I think Hades will be there, too. It'll be a nice surprise."
"Uncle Hades? He's visiting my mom?" I said slowly, still tumbling over the words. "Uh, why?"
"Well, his wife is at her mother's, and he hates her mother," Aphrodite shrugged, "He'd usually spend that time with Hestia, but Hestia has basically been living with your mother, so…"
"Huh. I had no idea they'd hit it off so well," Eh, who am I kidding? My mom's basically the best person ever—of course, they were going to hit it off. On a more serious note, my mother and Hestia do share similar qualities. They're both kind, smart, and would do anything for their family. It really isn't that much of a surprise that they're close, based on what Aphrodite's saying.
"I'm still so glad you wanted to do this," She squealed happily, hugging me tightly, again. "I've been trying to get my claws in you."
"Me too," I said. I'd kind of underestimated how much physical affection she'd be craving, but I'm a hot-blooded male, so you're never going to hear me complaining about that. I was still a bit surprised at how quickly she was moving, but I wasn't complaining. "That plan sounds great, though."
Aphrodite smiled, slowly getting off of my lap with one more tantalizingly slow grind, and bouncing back onto the carpet. I got up a moment later—well, she basically dragged me out of the bed with a beam of pink energy that picked me up and carried me off the bed like I was a little baby. I couldn't help but laugh at the cute look of determination on her face.
"Come on!" She grabbed my arm, holding it to her chest. "The tour!"