𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 • 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

Dating

Y/n's Pov:

The spider led us back to Hephaestus. He had stopped for five minutes to take a break and prepared some hot stew. We sat down to eat the stew with him.

"So," he said. "How'd it go?"

He seemed so excited for his forge to be free, breaking the news to him was going to be sad.

"Um..." Grayson started. "We don't...know..."

Hephaestus's smile faded slightly. "What do you mean you don't know?"

We told him the story. What we'd seen, the telekhines, the explosion, and finally, Percy's death. I left out the kiss part.

Hephaestus looked slightly sorry for us, although I doubted gods could feel sorry.

"Gee, I'm sorry for ya kiddos," he lamented.

Wow. I was not expecting that.

Hephaestus sighed. "I know you all liked Percy very much, but I must admit it was silly of him to make a rash promise."

And there it is.

"Yeah, Percy can be quite...er...impulsive sometimes," I noted.

"Oui. Très impulsif," Grayson agreed.

Annabeth turned to Hephaestus. "We made a deal. Tell us where Daedalus is."

"Oh, but daughter of Athena," Hephaestus said mysteriously. "You already know."

And with a SWISH there was no more garage, no more machines, no more Hephaestus. Annabeth groaned loudly.

Great.

~

The spider led us back to Camp Half-Blood. Everyone was happy and celebrating our return. 

"Did you find him?"

"How'd it go?"

"Is Daedalus hot?"

"Where's Percy, Tyson, and Grover?"

Campers peppered us with questions, inching closer and closer to us every second. I felt slightly claustrophobic creep up on me when Chiron appeared, thankfully.

"Come with me," he demanded softly. "Let's talk somewhere more private."

Thank the gods! Even the ones I don't like. Well, maybe not some of them, but still.

He led us to the big house and told us to sit on the couches.

"Now tell me everything," he ordered.

We told him everything. The dreams, Nico, Janus, Hera, Kampê, Briares, the Triple G ranch, the Sphynx, Hephaestus, Grover and Tyson, the telekhines, the explosion, and finally, Percy. Chiron listened patiently throughout our narrating, nodding softly in understanding.

"I see," he spoke after we finished talking.

"So, now what do we do?" I asked him.

Chiron hummed, deep in thought. "Are you certain Percy died?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "I mean, he didn't come back, so I'm rooting for yes."

Chiron hummed again. "Let's give him two weeks. If he doesn't come back by then, we'll burn his shroud."

Annabeth, Grayson, and I nodded. Chiron clasped his hands together.

"Great," he said. "Now return to your afternoon activities. I shall see you at dinner."