𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 - pjo x hp

xlviii. auntie artemis

𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎'𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. He normally chose similar looks whenever he portrayed himself in human form — blond hair, blue eyes, and nearly six foot four. Most of his kids took on these traits, looking almost exactly like him.

It was only when he appeared as Raya's father did he look different. With black hair and honey brown eyes, he looked quite different from Raya. She was the only child who didn't look much like him.

Raya took a moment to examine his features. She did it every time her dad visited her dreams.

They had the same eye shape, their nose was slightly similar, and perhaps the texture of their hair. Because he chose to look nearly nineteen whenever he visited, there was no way he could pass of as Raya's father. Maybe an older brother.

"Hi Jellybean," Apollo grinned, breaking her from her thoughts. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Raya cringed at the old nickname, "Please stop calling me that, dad. And I missed you too."

Apollo laughed, pulling her in for a quick hug.

The two of them were standing in a large room, covered in chairs and bean bags, and even a fireplace on one wall. Judging by the eccentric design, her dad was the one who had chosen the setting for her dream.

"Okay, we need to be quick," Apollo said, looking around almost nervously. "I've got your aunt Artemis blocking the lines, so no one can hear or see this. We'll be good, but I don't know how long she'll be able to keep it up."

"I'm so confused right now," Raya muttered, every word her dad said making less and less sense to her.

"You'll get it eventually," he waved her off. He took a seat in one of the lavish chairs. "Come, sit. We have lots to talk about, and not nearly enough time."

Raya took a seat across from him, still confused, "Why do you have Artemis blocking the line? I thought the Gods could visit their kids dreams whenever they wanted."

"Oh, no," Apollo shook his head. "I mean, if that were true, I'd be visiting all of you every night. But Ze — uh... probably best not to refer to him by name right now. My father — the King of Gods — decided years ago to install bugs in the dreams when the Gods visit their kids. We all have our ways of working around them — like right now — but it takes too much power. That's one of the reasons a lot of Gods prefer keeping contact with their children through dreams limited."

"Why did your dad even install bugs in the dreams?" Raya asked, making a face. "That's stupid."

"Eh, it makes us all a little more wary," Apollo shrugged. "Before he was listening in our dreams, many of the Gods used to talk too freely with their children. Sometimes revealing more than they should. My dad just got paranoid after one too many slip ups."

"But—"

A loud noise took over, almost like T.V. static. Raya pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block out the horrible noise. Apollo groaned, waving a hand, and pushing the sound away.

"Look, we don't have time to talk about that right now," Raya's dad said quickly. "That sound means Ze — agh, my dad! — suspects something."

"So, what are you here for?"

"One second. I know I've got it somewhere." Apollo rummaged through his pockets, pulling something out of one of his pockets, "Aha!"

Raya narrowed her eyes at the silver band. 

Apollo held it towards her like it was the most important thing in the world. "This is why I'm here."

Raya took it, examining the silver band. A small sun was etched into the inside, but besides that, it was plain.