To start off, I know I've been saying that I'll update after my exams ended, but then I suddenly got a job that requires me to be in the office 5 days a week. 

Do I want to be in the office five days a week? Absolutely not. It's been one month since I started working full-time and I already want to off myself. I don't know how adults do it. How is this going to be possible for me in the future when I graduate university, I have no idea. 

But that isn't even the worst part. I asked if I could work from home on Friday's and my boss said hell to the no. 

Like boi if you don't- 

Anyways, I apologize once again for my.... I'm not going to count how many months it's been. I don't wanna know. And I better not see anyone comment how long I've actually been away because... yeah just don't </3 

I had to go back and read my own story throughly because I forgot what I was planning to do with this. You all probably have to do the same if you could be bothered. 

Also, since it's been so long, I'll provide you all a list of the oc's (original characters) that have been implemented into this story. Well, the ones that I use the most anyway. I'm not going to list the ones who had only been mentioned once because I probably won't use them again. My bad. 

The ones who fight for Percy:

Alex and Jake- twin sons of Hyperion 

Ruby- daughter of Nemesis

Crystal- daughter of Oceanus ¿ 

The one/ones who fight with Leo: 

Andrew- son of Khione 

Not going to lie, I had to go back to read who their parent was. 

Percy 

The nerve! 

I clenched my jaw in anger as I stalked through the hallways of the palace without thinking about where I was actually going. Members of my army fled out of my way as I stormed past them with a murderous scowl. 

The audacity of Valdez to speak to me like that! Me! King of Olympus! The usurper of the Gods! 

I'll show him the consequences of messing with me. I took down Nico and the pitiful army he had brought with him, and I'll do the same to Leo. 

Perhaps this time, instead of keeping the people that I used to be close with alive, I'll kill him. 

I threw open the doors that led to my throne room, and I caught sight of Alex and Jake standing in front of one of the windows. They were talking quietly to each other, and when they heard me enter, they stopped. 

I glanced at them before striding over to my throne to sit down. I crossed one leg over the other and asked "Is there an issue that needs to be addressed?" 

Alex and Jake exchanged looks before they both bowed their heads. "Yes, My Lord." Alex said as he took a deep breath. "May we go somewhere more.... private? It's something that my twin and I have been worrying about for quite some time." 

I raised an eyebrow as my gaze flickered between the two of them. They have been by my side for as long as Zoe had, and I've become quite attached to them. So whatever they wanted to say must be extremely important, especially if they asked to speak in private. The throne room was usually where I had conversations and meetings with members of my army, but it definitely wasn't soundproof, and it is easily accessible. 

"Alright." I said as I rose to my feet. "I have no issues with that. Come." 

I left the throne room and walked down the hallway that led to my private chambers. I heard Alex and Jake scramble to keep up, and a smile formed on my lips. 

When the door came into view,  I held up a hand to signal to the twins to stop. "Stay there and don't move." 

They gave me a salute, and I rolled my eyes before turning to face the door. When I claimed this bedroom, I created and casted some sort of protection spell over it to prevent anyone from entering without my permission. 

Call me paranoid, but anything could happen. Even if all my subordinates swore loyalty to me, betrayal was still a possibility. 

I would know. 

I put a hand on the doorframe and lowered my head slightly so that my lips couldn't be read by Alex and Jake. "εγώ είμαι."

(If the translation is incorrect and it says something entirely different in google translate when/if you decide to look it up, don't come at me :( )

A golden light enveloped the door before disappearing a second later, and I lowered my hand to let it rest on the doorknob. "You may move now." 

"What was that, sir?" Jake asked as I pushed the door open. The lights in the room automatically flickered to life when I stepped inside, and I made a beeline for the couch that was next to my bed. 

"A protection charm." I replied as I settled onto the couch. I threw an arm around one of the pillows and watched as Alex and Jake moved to stand in front of me. I raised a hand and swiped my fingers to the side, and the twins startled as the door slammed shut. 

"R-Right." Jake cleared his throat as he clasped his hands together. "Uh-" "Out with it." I sighed in irritation. "I won't kill you for whatever you're about to say. The two of you have been with me for so long. I wouldn't get rid of you that easily." 

"That is not exactly what you would call reassuring, my Lord, but we appreciate it." 

What!? I thought that was reassuring! 

"Anyways." Alex curled his fingers into a fist before meeting my gaze. "We're worried about your current state of mind." 

My eyes widened, and I stared at the twins in surprise. I was certainly not expecting those words to come out of Alex's mouth. 

"Yeah." Jake agreed with a nod of his head. "Ever since she died, you've.... changed. And we're not sure if it was for the better. I'm sure Alex and I aren't the only ones that are worried about you, sir. The others are probably too scared to voice their concern, and I can't exactly blame them." 

My jaw clenched as I thought about what the twins have just said. Was it really that noticeable? Yes, I'm aware of the fact that I've lessened the time that I had spent hanging around the members of my army, but did they really pick up on that?

"It's quite noticeable, my Lord." Alex said with a small smile. "You've been isolating yourself since her death. You rarely come to speak with us anymore, and when you do, it's usually just to give us orders or to send us on new missions." 

Dam. 

"We know that her-" "You can use her name." I interrupted. "I'm not going to reprimand you for that. In fact.... I'm glad you two came to talk to me about this. It really made me realize how neglectful I had been towards all of you." 

Alex and Jake looked taken aback, and I chuckled softly. "I mean it. Yes, Zoe's death hit me hard, and not a day passes where I think about her. Ruby came to console me a few days ago as well. I know she wouldn't like to see me like this, but it's going to definitely take some more time to fully get over it." 

The twins looked at each other before Jake said "Well, we're glad that you realize what you have been doing, my Lord. However, we also wanted to let you know that we... uh...." 

"We think you're growing a bit soft." Alex interjected, and Jake swallowed nervously at his twin's blunt statement. 

I pressed my lips into a thin line as my mind registered what Alex had said. Did he really just admit that? 

Was that true? 

If it was....

"Please don't kill us." Jake said as he noticed my expression. "We just wanted to tell you what we've been thinking. We saw you bring the son of Hades out into the garden the other day. We thought we were hallucinating when you gave him the ring that was meant for Zoe, but we sadly weren't." 

"You put him and his boyfriend in the same room." Alex added. "You don't normally show mercy or kindness to your enemies. I mean, look at what you've done to Annabeth. You made her immortal so that she could suffer for eternity!" 

Oh Gods. They noticed all of that? 

I looked down at my hands as my thoughts swirled around in my brain. I had pondered over my decision in putting Nico and Will together, and to be honest, I had no idea why I had chosen to do that. 

It's like something was telling me to be more merciful to the people who hadn't really had a hand in my betrayal. 

"You're right." I murmured as I leaned back into the couch. "I've grown more lenient, and I don't know why."  

And it frightens me. 

"We understand that Zoe was your anchor." Alex said as his expression softened at the vulnerability I was showing. "But you still have an entire army to lead, sir. You've led us to victory time and time again, and we know that you care about us. We fear that if the others continue to see your gestures of kindness towards the enemy, they'll turn their backs on you." 

I ran a hand through my hair as a frustrated sigh escaped my lips. Alex and Jake knew exactly how I was feeling, and throughout the entire conversation, they had never said anything that wasn't true. 

The last person who was able to read me this well had been Zoe. 

"Yes, I've been thinking about the possibility of betrayals occurring." I said. "My recent behaviour will only have increased the doubts of my subordinates. I don't know why this is happening, but I also don't know how to stop it." 

Alex crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "I recommend that you stop checking up on the Hades brat and the rest of your old comrades. Seeing them will only bring up memories. The majority of your attention was occupied by Zoe, and since she isn't around anymore, you have the urge to visit your old friends. You shouldn't do that." 

"I was thinking the same." Jake tapped a finger against his cheek and grinned. "We'll check up on them for you, my Lord. While we do that, you should spend your time with the newer recruits. You haven't even met some of them yet." 

Were they seriously telling me what to do? 

But... I suppose I do deserve this. 

"I'll try my best." I said after a few seconds of silence. I rose to my feet and took a step forward, which prompted the twins to move back. "Calm down." I grumbled as I placed my hands on their shoulders. "I want to thank you two for telling me all of this. It helped." 

"We're just doing our jobs, sir." Alex said as he looked at my hand. "As your subordinates... And as your friends." 

Friends. Yes, that sounds right. 

"Mhm." I lowered my hands and gestured at the door. "Let's go. I have some training to do, and then I'll go and meet the new recruits." 

Alex and Jake beamed before they scrambled out of my bedroom. I trailed after them as one thought rang clear in my mind. 

I need to get my shit together. 

Word count: 1962 

Honestly got no clue who will still read this after my disappearances but to those who do, I appreciate you <3