𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 ! [percy jackson]¹

𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢. one shall be lost in the land without rain !

𝐋 𝐎 𝐕 𝐄   𝐒 𝐓 𝐎 𝐑 𝐘   !

𝙲 𝙷 𝙰 𝙿 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁   𝚃 𝙷 𝙸 𝚁 𝚃 𝙴 𝙴 𝙽   !

( 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔟𝔢 𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔱 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔫 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          "𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔?"

That was the first thing said. Bianca had been the one to ask it, once Percy and Toni had finished telling them about their meetings with Toni's mother. Aphrodite had actually been better than she'd originally thought. She was sweet and motherly . . . in a way. Better than what Toni was used to.

"Oh, uh, not sure," Percy said. Toni noticed he was still blushing when he would look her way, which confused her since she should be the one blushing. Not that she wasn't, but she was surprised to find him so shy around her all of the sudden. She really wanted to know what her mother had said to him to make him that way. Had . . . had she said something similar to him as she had to Toni?

Gods, she hoped not.

"She said to be careful in her husband's junkyard. She said not to pick anything up." Toni said, drawing the attention away from Percy and onto herself.

Zoë narrowed her eyes. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Percy. Aphrodite has led many heroes astray."

"For once I agree with Zoë," Thalia said. "You can't trust Aphrodite."

Toni felt her blood boil. She'd noticed how they'd aimed their words at Percy, and not Toni. They were telling him that they didn't trust Aphrodite, and that he shouldn't either. And from the sound of it, they also were warning him not to trust those affiliated with the goddess of love. A.K.A., Toni herself. 

It hurt to hear Thalia agreeing with Zoë. Toni thought Thalia liked her, but apparently she'd been wrong. Not like it was the first time.

"Does that lack of trust extend to her children as well, or just the goddess?" Thalia's eyes widened and Zoë frowned, as if they had just remembered who Toni's mom was. "Because I would love to know why no one should trust Aphrodite or her children. Seeing as I'm her daughter and everything."

Percy squeezed Toni's hand gently, surprising her. She didn't remember him ever taking her hand. What surprised her even more was the way her heart fluttered at the contact. She internally groaned. Stupid feelings and stupid conversations! 

Toni sighed and looked away from their apologetic gazes. She didn't want to deal with them right now while she was still angry from both their words and her meeting with Ares.