“So…this is the place I’ll be working in for a year…” Percy eyed the large building with awe. “Sweet.”

She entered it with high hopes and expectations, excitement just bubbling in her.

Percy had no idea how her hopes were going to be dashed, expectations crushed, and excitement deflated within the coming hour.

The place was large and she had to keep a watchful eye on where she was going, lest she get lost and unable to tell where she was going. She could hardly keep up with everyone running around and looking busy, and she was starting to get dizzy just watching them all. None of them paid any attention to her and she was apprehensive going to one of them and bothering them just for directions. The intensity of everything going around her was rather intimidating.

Monsters, evil overlord Titans, and enemy demigods for some reason didn’t seem to have prepared her for this…or seemed as intimidating in that moment.

She somehow made her way to the top floor, even more amazed that that was where she was going to be working at specifically.

“So you’re my new intern, hm?”

She immediately looked to the mahogany double-door entrance of the office, noting a very beautiful woman observing her with a small smirk. Long blonde hair flowed down her back, held in a small ponytail, and light brown eyes that glinted golden as the light hit them. She was tall and overall could pass as a supermodel easily.

“Hello, my darling,” this new woman smiled flirtingly, suddenly right in front of her and bending into a dip as she kissed Percy’s hand in greeting.

When had she gotten a hold of Percy’s hand?

“I’m Danny Egerton, your boss, and I’m looking forward to your stay with us,” Danny smiled again and this time Percy felt a little wary, seeing the sharkish hint to it that she thought she’d imagined the first time around.

At least, though she was embarrassed to note so, Danny was flat-chested compared to her supermodel good looks that made everyone else feel inferior –like Percy, for instance.

“And I’m 24 and single, dear, if you ever want to go out,” she winked at Percy.

Oh…oh, her boss was a lesbian…and had hit on her…Her cheeks heated up and she gave a hesitant smile, even as she was dazed by the revelation and sudden implied confession.

“Ah, t-thank you, Miss Egerton. I’ll keep it in mind.”

What a weird start to her first day on the job.

Soon enough, she quickly started to realize her boss was…kind of insane. Percy had started out excited about her first day, but now she was really starting to wonder about her choice in choosing this place. Like the company name, for example. That, right away, should have given her a clue.

H.E.L.L. Inc.

How

Everyone

Learns to

Love

Psychotic.

At first, she thought that someone had played a joke on her or the company had messed up the name on the invitation letter and the calling card that accompanied it. After all, no one would actually name their company H.E.L.L. Inc., right? On her first day, she saw the acronym again and realized it actually was the company name. Then she learned what the letters stood for. It was then that she was starting to think second thoughts about working there.

Working with Danny Egerton decidedly supported those thoughts.

“24 is not old, you mongrel!” Danny shouted into her phone as Percy quietly typed up some letters at her small desk inside the office. Strange how it was inside and not outside with the other secretary. “I’m in the springtime of youth! It’s a most wonderous era, presenting my reign!”

Percy firmly kept her eyes on her screen and ignored her boss. Which would’ve been much easier had Danny not turned her attention to her at that moment.

“Percy! Say I’m a pretty, young flower fully bloomed!” her boss directed the receiver in her direction.

She hesitated before inwardly sighing.

“You’re a very pretty, young flower fully bloomed,” she forced her tone not to be too deadpanned.

“See that? My new intern agrees and even added a ‘very’,” Danny crooned into her phone. “And I know ‘wonderous’ is not a real word! Bastard!”

She hung up and huffed, and then calming down almost immediately before turning to Percy with a bright smile, as if she hadn’t just been extremely agitated.

“That was my friend Harry. He’s currently living in Forks, Washington at this moment. Picked up some strays, he tells me,” Danny informed her happily.

Percy just nodded, deigning not to answer vocally, lest she sound sarcastic.

“Say, Percy…how’s being a Daughter of Poseidon?” the blonde asked nonchalantly.

The demigod choked on air and nearly doubled over in surprise.

“Y-You –”

“Know?” Danny guessed her question. “Mia bella, but of course. My father is Thanatos.”

Percy blinked at that knowledge before a small smile spread across her face. She didn’t realize how much she wanted to be near someone who knew about that world until her boss had revealed so.

She cheerfully went to go make copies.

By the time she came back, she was humming and nearly skipping back to Danny, who seemed to be enjoying the display.

“Do you know how Thanatos met your mother?” she asked Danny curiously, starting to work on organizing files.

“You mean Hypnos,” Danny corrected.

Percy paused in her work, turning confused. “But I thought I heard you say Thanatos…”

“Hm? Perhaps I did. They’re twins, you know. They look so alike, they could be mistaken sometimes. My bad,” Danny easily shrugged it off, another smile coming into play.

And then Danny was telling her of her parents meeting, and she was listening in rapture before she realized she had to deliver some of the files to other departments first. Holding off on the rest of the story, Percy promised to be back soon as she departed with her current work.

“So what were you saying about your mother and Hypnos?” Percy asked as she came back, starting in on the highlighting of notes.

“You mean Persephone.”

Then it clicked and Percy felt herself twitch. She looked at her boss, who just stared back innocently with a harmless smile.

“Are you really a demigod, Miss Egerton?”

“Of course I am. My mother is Persephone and my father is Hades…though my mother might’ve been Hera instead…”

Percy looked at Danny with a bland expression, though the blonde just continued to smile back.

Though, if she had thought on it a moment more earlier and was less distracted by the news of a possible fellow demigod, she would’ve noticed the godly father and thought it a strange choice of parent. And then she would’ve remembered her boss was insane. And then probably have come to a similar, if not this conclusion, a bit earlier.

She didn’t even want to think about how Danny would know about demigods and all, if being part of that world was not the case. Though it was highly suspicious how that topic suddenly came up, now that she thought about it…

“Come, Percy! Time to visit the café!”

Suddenly, Percy found herself being unwillingly dragged to the company’s café, wondering how she got herself into this.

“Wait…we have a café?”

Percy was ignored.

In the too-extravagant-to-be-a-company-café, Percy caught her breath as Danny excitedly searched the dessert selection, ignoring the assortment of regular food.

“Miss Egerton, shouldn’t you eat something before eating sweets?” Percy asked warily.

“Nonsense! That’s absolutely blasphemy,” her boss said without blinking or turning to look at her.

She felt the urge to twitch again.

“Ohhh, strawberry shortcake~” Danny hummed happily, stopping in front of it.

This time, Percy did twitch…but in an uncomfortably like-minded manner. Unfortunately, Danny caught it and hid her mischievous grin.

“I’m going to buy it and we’re going to share~” Danny sing-songed, practically skipping to the cashier.

Then her boss started ordering a large amount of sweets, and not just the strawberry shortcake Percy thought she was getting.

“M-Miss Egerton! That’s way too much! You can’t possibly eat them all and the cost is going to add up!”

Danny looked at her and she shivered. The look was…oddly terrifying. Even though the blonde was smiling and all, there was a dark aura around Danny and the woman’s eyes were closed, making it hard for Percy to see the actual emotions in them.

“Sweets are food for the Gods,” the older female said calmly, and yet still sounded scary.

Percy just nodded.

She didn’t even bother to correct her on the truth, and actually would agree with that statement and believe it, even though she knew better, because her boss was very scary right then.

“I’m sorry. You’re right,” she said in a small voice, inwardly whimpering.

“Wai~! Percy agrees with me!” Danny said happily, glomping Percy tightly and practically smothering her as she enthusiastically rubbed her cheek against Percy’s. “I’m so happy!”

Percy went back to grumbling, twitching again. That was probably going to become a constant habit for her from now on.

“Picture!” and then Percy was blinded as Danny whipped out a camera from out of nowhere and took their picture together, the two of them still plastered to each other and heads still close together.

She wished she had accepted Paul’s offer to intern at his family’s business.

Regretting her choice in embarking into this mad world all on her own, she started fervently praying to the gods, most specifically her father, that she would survive this first day in Hell. And she meant that literally.

Dragged back to the office, she had to endure an entire hour of being fed and cowed into feeding Danny back. Fortunately, she was able to get back to work and be busy for most of her time left. As far as she was concerned, she was going to dutifully finish the day off and then tell Danny that she couldn’t come back but she was…most fortunate in being able to experience their unique business working and was lucky to have gained the position in the first place.

But she was still going to leave.

All set and determined, she approached Danny near the end of the day and got ready to announce her news, speaking in a steady voice. For once her boss was serious looking and totally focused on her, intensely so, and it unnerved her. Even more so when the blonde’s face was closed off and revealed nothing to her.

And then a smile slowly spread across her lips, inwardly alarming Percy, though the demigod didn’t understand why it would.

“I understand completely. And don’t worry, I get what you’re not saying, love. We’re all very out of the ordinary here and to be more precise –hard to handle and take in. Of course you would have your hands full trying to wrap your mind around all of us and this place, as well as trying to fit in with the rest of the crazies. I understand, Percy.”

Her smile turned a little more wicked and the shadows behind her seemed to have encased the blonde slightly in an ominous cover, and creepily seem to leer at Percy in a way.

“Only…didn’t you read the fine print?” Danny nearly purred. “The one that says you work here until your time is up.”

Percy paled and felt herself grow cold, leaning over to read the contract that seemed to have magically appeared in Danny’s hand, a slender finger pointed to the bottom where very small writing could be barely seen.

I hereby agree to uphold my contract and all of its addendums, notations, and contract provisions for a year worth of labor, with time subject to change in evaluation of my performance in that timeframe.

Percy stared at it in horror, jaw dropping.

“Oh gods, why does it sound like I sold my soul to the devil or something? Did I?!?”

“Well…when you put it that way,” Danny murmured, dark mischievousness dancing in her eyes. “Then again, it does make some kind of weird sense and fits in quite well with everything, doesn’t it.”

Percy stared blankly at her.

“Welcome to a long stay in Hell, Percy,” Danny chirped cheerily. “I’m so pleased and can’t wait to work all this time with you.”

The younger girl screamed and ran out, ignoring how she had one hour left of work to do.

“It won’t be forever in Hell, dearest! At least…not yet~!” the boss of the building’s voice sing-songed after the girl, somehow becoming traumatizing.

After she’d run out, Percy had headed straight to a place to hide. A bathroom wasn’t an ideal place, but it was one of those places to avoid and she needed that…Plus, everyone searches the bathroom whenever they’re searching for something or someone (happens all the time in movies and books and shows, she could tell you…), so it’s become too obvious a place and no one will look in there because of that. Reverse psychology –beat that.

“Damn straight,” Percy muttered under her breath, darting into a bathroom.

She paled as she realized it was the Men’s and almost ran back out, but 1) didn’t want to be caught sneaking out of the guys’ bathroom and 2) she didn’t want to take her chances that her boss or any other insane employee could be out there and just waiting to snatch her up and traumatize her further. The Men’s bathroom was as good a place as any and she was already in it. She was just glad that no one was in it and that she didn’t have to explain herself to anyone.

Finding a stall, she hid in there and locked it, trying to minimize and limit her touching as much as she could. After awhile, she grew bored and was just about to sneak out and leave when she heard the door swing open and someone peeing. She cringed and closed her eyes, fidgeting and wanting to run out. Again.

Damn it.

The sounds stopped and she wondered if she could spare at least one explanation for one person in exchange for the chance to run out of this place straight after and be gone from the building as fast as she can, hopefully without having to run into anyone else…most specifically her boss.

She got out of the stall, prepared to do just that…when she came face to face with the one person she’d been hoping to avoid the most –her boss, who was in the middle of washing her hands.

Wait, why was Danny in the Men’s bathroom?

Blinking in confusion, she leaned closer and squinted her eyes, trying to get an answer just by looking.

“Ma’am, why are you in here?” she asked, conveniently leaving out the fact that she was also not really meant to be there.

Then she caught sight of what gave her the answer, freezing up immediately and her brain processes slowly revolving around the new fact, paling as her mind blanked out and then started completely focusing on that new information she’d learned.

Danny tilted her head, a small, amused smirk playing lightly on her lips as she examined her prey.

Then again, that was all wrong.

Because Danny had an Adam’s Apple.

She had an Adam’s Apple?

She had an Adam’s Apple.

An Adam’s Apple.

She was a he.

Percy squeaked and tried to scramble back into the stall, hoping to slam it close and have a barrier in between her from him. Only Danny was quicker and had pulled her away from the stall before she could move an inch back to try her plan, suddenly in front of her and encircling her within his arms, ever present small smirk on his face. He’d bent her back and leaned over her, his face hovering close to her dazed one.

Belatedly, she realized Danny wasn’t flat-chested…he was just a male.

Inwardly shaking her head of frivolous thoughts that kept popping up, she tuned in when he started to talk.

“Silly rabbit, is it hunting season already?” light brown eyes glinted and she nearly fainted in the combination of shock and terror.

Dear Zeus, how did she always get into these kinds of situations?

 ~*~*~

Travis and Connor sneezed, both of them rubbing their noses in irritation afterwards. Then they, out of nowhere, started to think about Percy and wondering how she was doing at her new internship at that place they’d sign her up for. They snickered, remembering the name.

H.E.L.L. Inc.

Hehe. They didn’t know what the heck the company was or anything, but the name was just hilarious and they’d filled out an internship form for Percy, remembering her talking about thinking of doing something like that near the end of high school. Of course, they said nothing to her about it and she never found out or knew anything of their involvement. Instinctively knowing it would be a good idea, not only for their sake and just overall health, they were trying to keep it that way.

Ares, Apollo, Hermes, Artemis, and an annoyed-looking Athena popped up nearby. Hermes saw his two kids and grinned, walking over hurriedly.

“Travis, Connor! Hey, have you two seen Percy?”

“Come on, Hermes! Hurry it! Let’s kidnap her already, so we can get to the party. We’ll be late!” Apollo hollered out from where he was with the rest of the group.

“Nah, haven’t seen her. Might be at her job, but dunno,” Travis shrugged.

Hermes frowned in disappointment and relayed the news back to the others.

“Oh well. We’ll be fashionably late anyways; let’s just go pick her up from her job then,” Ares grinned nastily, knowing it’d piss her off.

“Oh…okay then. See you two later!” and their dad teleported with the others.

Travis and Connor sighed.

“Man, so not fair. Percy always gets invited to all the cool shit happening anywhere,” Connor huffed.

“Hence why we stick close to her so her luck and popularity rubs off…and because we get to be tagalongs.”

The two high-fived and grinned at each other.