Hades sat cross-legged on Percy’s bed, grinning widely as he watched the TV. It was uncharacteristic of himself and he looked rather creepy…

But he’d had a fantastic time with Percy that night.

And right now, Percy had fallen asleep and he was smug enough to know it was because of his voice. His voice!

Hades cackled under his breath.

Life was insanely good for him right then.

He created a bowl of popcorn and sniffed the smell, still grinning as he enjoyed watching whatever was currently on at the moment.

The next day, however, seemed like trouble was in the air. Hades felt on edge as he cooked eggs and bacon for breakfast, but he felt blissful just listening to Percy happily humming from behind him, as he was sitting at the table and patiently waiting for his food.

“Sunnyside up on the toast, and tender, chewy bacon,” he announced, retrieving a plate and putting the food on it for Percy.

“This is great, Hades! Thanks a lot,” Percy said enthusiastically, before he dug into his food eagerly. He tried to keep polite and remember his manners though.

There was a knock on the door and Hades narrowed his eyes at it. He looked at Percy, who had slowed down and looked inquisitively at it as well.

“Go ahead and focus on eating, Percy. I’ll go and check it out,” Hades gave him a small smile, before he strode gracefully over to the door.

However, once he’d opened it, he was viciously yanked out and the door closed behind him.

“Why were you in Perseus’ room?” Zeus growled, with narrowed eyes.

“Because I spent the night,” Hades couldn’t help but reveal smugly.

“It’s unfair!” Zeus whined.

Hades smirked. “Too bad.”

And so, in retaliation, Zeus upped his electric charge and zapped Hades into unconsciousness. He hid him in a room he unlocked and then relocked (he didn’t know it was the same room Artemis was tied up and locked up in as well), before happily slipping into Percy’s suite.

“Dear Perseus! I have arrived!” Zeus announced loudly, throwing his arms up grandiosely.

“Hello, Zeus,” Percy greeted him friendly, though he looked confused. “What happened to Hades?”

“Ah…he had something to do. For awhile. Yeah,” Zeus coughed and awkwardly cleared his throat. “Anyway! The island! We’ve finally docked! You said you’d come with me, so let’s go, okay?”

“Oh, right! Okay. Just let me finish my breakfast and get ready, and we can head out,” Percy beamed at him and Zeus melted into a puddle of goo (metaphorically of course), and grinned goofily back.

So Percy hurried up with his food and took a quick shower (Zeus tried really, really hard not to peek –he was trying very hard to be a very good boy, thank you very much).

Meanwhile, Annabeth and Rachel were approaching their doom. They had finally located the secret entrance to the Fangirl/boy Headquarters. They felt extreme fear, greater than anything they’ve ever known. Scarier than the times of the Second Titanomachy. These people were scarier than the Titans themselves. Even Kronos, damn it!

They traded scared looks before both gulping. They then both pushed a door each, of the double doors that looked heavy and ominous, and they entered the room.

It was dark. It was silent. It was cold.

The only thing they could hear was the sound of their own breathing, and the only thing they could see was the visible clouds of their breath in front of them as they breathed.

Rubbing their hands up and down their arms, they looked around uneasily.

“Who dares enter the domain of those who worship Fan-isms?” a voice boomed out.

They both jumped a bit into the air, whirling about and trying to see where the voice was coming from. They traded scared looks again.

“W-who is that?” Rachel quivered in terror, somehow producing a hair brush from out of nowhere, and holding it as a weapon.

Annabeth stared weirdly at her for a second, after seeing that, before going back to being scared as well.

“Where the Hades are you?!” Annabeth yelled out bravely.

They suddenly heard footsteps, and they both zeroed in on the direction. The sounds of it came closer and closer to them, and they put on brave faces as they prepared to defend themselves. They scooted a bit closer to each other, and kept their eyes steady on where their opponent was coming from.

Very slowly, the footsteps came to a stop, but they still didn’t see their opponent. And then whoever it was, took one large step more and a light shone on them.

An average height girl stood there, smiling beatifically at them.

“My name’s Ashley,” her smile widened. “What can I do for you two?”

The two girls opposite her looked at each other, before sighing and nodding in resignation.

They then turned back to Ashley, kneeled and threw out their arms, bowing in the most excessive way possible.

“Please teach us the way of the fangirl!” the two of them pleaded.

A dark smile crossed Ashley’s face.

“It is ‘The Way of the Fangirl!’ And up you two. If you wish to be trained, we must get started immediately.”

The two of them hesitantly got up, and then followed after a gesture from the other girl.

Ashley began madly cackling along the way, and they shivered.

What the hell were they getting into?

 ~*~*~

When they entered the island, they hadn’t realized how bare and…not really a tourist stop island, like they’d been hoping and expecting for.

In fact, it was Calypso’s Island.

“It was all we could get, on such short notice!” Clarisse got all defensive. “People were starting to go stir-crazy on the ship, so we had to do something! Next time! We’ll promise an actual, fun island next time!”

There was a lot of grumbling all around, but people reluctantly accepted it.

“Well, I’m very happy to have so many guests and to have you all here!” Calypso was smiling happily and looked absolutely ecstatic to see everyone. “I actually have so many visitors!”

Percy saw her and was also very happy.

“Calypso! Long time no see, right? Wow, I can’t believe I’m seeing you again!” Zeus was unhappy at this familiarity between the two, but he became gooey again when Percy grabbed his hand and led him eagerly over to her.

“Oh, Percy! It’s you! I’ve missed you so much!” the beautiful girl threw herself forward and hugged Percy tightly.

Zeus scowled.

“Zeus, Calypso,” he introduced him to her. “Calypso, Zeus,” and vice versa, forgetting that the two already knew each other.

“Hello,” Zeus grumbled.

“Hello!” Why was she so bright and happy? She’d been stuck on a freakin’ island for how long!

Well, Percy had asked them to free all the peaceful Titans and all, but they hadn’t really gotten around to that just yet…

He then felt a tugging at his arm and he looked to see Percy adorably staring up at him with a pout.

“I know you guys have been busy and all and haven’t gotten around to fixing things up, and freeing the peaceful Titans…but would it be okay if we could get the Princess Andromeda to like…have Ogygia anchored to it, and we could haul around Calypso and something, so she won’t be so lonely?”

Zeus inwardly twitched. “I guess so…We’ll see.”

But then Percy smiled brightly at him and he was melting again.

“SSSSAAAAAP!” Apollo yelled obnoxiously to Hermes, and the two high fived.

Zeus glowered at the two, his hands crackling. He glowered even more as Aphrodite smoothly slid in between him and Percy, slipping an arm around one of the demigod’s, and then moving away.

“You did say you would cook for Perseus, won’t you Zeus? You could do that while the rest looks around the island, and I go off to have a little private chat,” Aphrodite called out from behind her, as she continued leaving with Percy.

She paused and threw a sickly sweet smile at the others.

“Don’t interrupt,” her voice was very threatening.

The other gods and goddesses (minus a suspiciously missing Artemis and Hades) flinched and tried to make themselves busy. Various other people there were just milling around and pretending they weren’t noticing the exchanges between the immortals.

Calypso was again pouting at having Percy stolen away from her once again.

“So, Perseus –may I call you Percy?” at his dazed nod, she giggled and continued. “Fantastic. Anyway, how have you been? In fact, how are you handling the insane chaos that’s been surrounding you lately? Particularly with the gods and goddesses’ involvement?”

Percy winced. “Um…okay, I guess.” He sighed in aggravation. “Badly actually. I’m a little overwhelmed.”

Aphrodite smiled mysteriously. “Yes, I suppose it is daunting to be faced with so many suitors, especially as fanatical as they’re acting.”

“Daunting even seems like an understatement,” he said dryly.

She laughed outright and then, surprising Percy, stopped walking. “Here we are, darling! How do you like?”

Percy blinked and openly gaped.

Wow. If Aphrodite was a guy and he was a girl, he would be even more mightily impressed than he was. As it was, Goddess of Love or not, she knew how to make things romantic and idealistically beautiful in any and all sense.

They were in a pretty little clearing, tiny bright orbs of light dancing around them, a very soft-looking and inviting blanket in the middle of the place, a picnic basket to the side of the blanket, and music in the form of nature all about them.

Percy was absolutely awestruck.

“Follow, Percy. I have scrumptious desserts for you to enjoy,” Aphrodite gave him a wink, before she tugged him a bit and got him to focus and follow her.

She led him to the blanket and sat down first, and he scrambled inelegantly to copy her and sit next to her. She opened the basket and began to bring out some of what she brought.

“All of them have some inclusion of strawberries in them. I know they’re your favorite,” she said teasingly.

At his bright red blush, she laughed lightly and tapped his nose playfully.

“So tell me, Percy, have you figured out some things?” she asked slyly.

He blinked at her in confusion.

“Eh?”

“Here, let me help you out. Despite his very smooth and cunning use of his words and phrasing, Hades was there during the meeting in which my son idiotically pinned the whole Olympian Council with his arrows.”

Percy frowned. “So he is affected by an arrow?”

“Of course. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. Or the others. Nor I,” she grinned mischievously, leaning too close into his personal space.

And, unlike most others at this point, she neither stopped and pulled back, or got interrupted.

She did keep rather chaste and kissed his cheek rather simply, but sincerely affectionately.

“So, darling Percy, I’ll keep telling you whatever you need to know, but you promise to keep on with that sweet and heartwarming attitude of yours, m’kay?” she was grinning widely.

“Okay,” he was blushing heartily now. “Y-you seem kind of normal. I mean, compared to the others! It’s just…you’re not acting all crazy like them. Aren’t you affected by the arrow?” he asked hesitantly. “You seem more like you’re yourself, than being in love.”

Aphrodite laughed. “Oh Percy, I am Love! Of course, I am.”

Percy blushed even more. “Er, should I really be eating? Zeus was supposed to be cooking and all.”

Her eyes were twinkling as she looked at him. “Just a little bit, Percy. Trust me.”

And he did, and thoroughly enjoyed all the yummy strawberry desserts Aphrodite had practically conjured up just for him.

Then, it wasn’t long until he was watching as Zeus barbecued, singing loudly and off tune to some song no one recognized (Apollo looked rather horrified). He got the first plate and gave Zeus a happy smile, who smiled brightly back. And Percy took a bite.

He tried really, really hard not to grimace and immediately spit out the food.

Zeus’ cooking was nowhere near anything like his brother’s, Hades, cooking. In fact, it was the total opposite. Deadly, even.

Suddenly, Percy was also very grateful towards Aphrodite.

He sent her a ‘deer in the headlights’ look, which she looked apologetically back at him.

He mouthed ‘Is there anymore?’ (about the desserts) to her, when no one was looking. She gave him a wink and tapped the basket sitting next to her, and he inwardly sighed in relief.

Now he just had to figure out how to survive through Zeus’ cooking, hopefully by not getting to eat it at all.

There must be some way he could try to avoid eating the Sky God’s food and not get poisoned as a consequence.