December 15th
Jason was unsure he was in the right place.
He was told by the note that was attached to his gifted present by an unknown person, that he should be in Grand Central Terminal on the 15th at 12:30 pm. So, he was there in the building with hundreds of other people, and the person hadn't shown up.
"Hey," a voice said from behind him.
"Sorry," Jason apologized as he turned, assuming he was in the way of the man behind him. He smiled apologetically until he saw the man who stood before him.
It was Mars, dressed in rock clothes and way too many piercings.
"Come with me, kid," the god said, not caring for pleasantries.
Jason had heard stories from Percy about the Greek god, Ares, and from the little Jason knew of the Roman version, the weren't that much different.
He followed the burley man to a room off to the side. Mars opened the door but didn't go inside. From Jason's fighting knowledge, he knew that wasn't a good sign. But, what could he do.
Jason stepped into the room and his eyes immediately found the goddess waiting for him inside.
"Hello dear!" The goddess, Venus, was sitting in a big, old timey, puffy, pink dress. As Jason approached her cautiously, his glasses focused on her face that was covered in powdery makeup and a head covered in a wig way too big for her. She basically looked like the Pinkey Pie version of Marie Antoinette.
"Come, sit with me," she beckoned.
Jason obeyed. He sat down on a chair that had appeared across the goddess and awkwardly looked around.
Percy had once told him that Aphrodite could shape into whatever the person looking at her thought was the most beautiful. Maybe that was just a Greek thing or something because she seemed to be pretty set on looking like an old timey French queen.
Did Nico live at the same time as French royalty? Did the French still have royalty?
"So," Venus began, staring at Jason intently. "you've been getting gifts for Reyna?"
"Y-yeah," Jason answered a bit hesitantly. "She's my Secret Santa."
"Oh I know!" she said with delight.
There was suddenly a burst of light and two fully wrapped presents appeared in Jason's lap and he almost flew ten feet in the air.
"You know, I just have to say," she rushed, leaning in closer to him, "I always thought you two would make a great couple."
If Jason would have had water in his mouth, he would have spit it out.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"You and Reyna!" The goddess smiled, leaning away dramatically, "Your romance was so tragic and-"
"No," Jason said, as nicely as he could. "Reyna is aroace and I'm with Piper. Don't you want your daughter with me instead."
Venus's smile became tight, "of course! But, you would much prefer. . ."
"I love my girlfriend very much," Jason interrupted. He didn't care he was being impolite, this was crazy. "I hope to never go with out her and if we do break up, I wouldn't go to Reyna. She doesn't like me like that and never did. She's also a Hunter of Artemis."
"But how else am I supposed to teach my daughter a lesson!" The goddess snapped. She suddenly looked less like French royalty and more like Nico when he woke from his nap.
"Uh. . ." Jason couldn't help but push his back up against the back of the chair.
"I mean," Venus continued with a scoff, "she walks around like she can just defy me and my children's curse of heartbreak! It's disrespectful! It's rude! It's-"
"Wait, you want Reyna and I to get together to get back at your daughter?" Jason asked.
Venus froze. "Well. . . its more like. . ."
Jason shifted uncomfortable in his chair. He usually tried to be respectful, but he wasn't going to let anyone talk about Piper like that.
"I have to go," Jason excused himself.
He stood from where he was sitting and placed the two gifts back on the table in front of the baffled goddess. He passed Mars on his way out and the god gave him a stern look. Jason gulped and rush out the door.
Once outside, he walked around a bit to a secluded area, away from other people, before he called Tempest to come and get him. His Pegasus came and took him back to Camp Half-Blood, where he was spending the next few weeks, and he dropped him off at the Zeus cabin.
Jason walked inside 'his cabin' and walked to his bed. He tried to flop down onto the soft mattress, but something poked his back. He stood up and groaned. There on his bed lay the two presents and a note from Venus.
You forgot these! Oops! Good luck with her ;)
-Venus
***
Why. Why did Frank think this was a good idea?
He had thought going to Vulcan's temple might give him ideas for Leo's Secret Santa gift. So, he had told Hazel he would be gone for two seconds and ran to the building and kneeled in the center of it. He had asked for help or guidance but he got something way different.
Frank was now standing in the middle of a room full of weapons with the god Hephaestus sharpening an axe in front of him.
How did he know it was Hephaestus? Well, while the Greek god looked like a professional blacksmith that wrestled with boars in his free time, Vulcan was more like a god that cares more about the weapon being used properly than making it.
"What do you want?" Hephaestus asked boredly.
"Oh, I. . .uh. . ." Frank stuttered. He hadn't expected to be brought straight to the gods house.
"If you have nothing good to say, then you can go," he said, never looking up from his work.
"Wait!" Frank quickly recovered. "I was just wondering if. . . if you had something I could give your son. Leo."
The god paused at the name. He looked up at Frank, and he saw that the god's eyes were dark and hard, unbreakable. He also saw regret flash through his face before it was quickly straightened and washed away.
"Sure," he said gruffly. "Pick anything you want."
He turned his head down and looked at his axe as Frank walked uneasily around the room.
There were many weapons and weird contraptions but they didn't seem to be anything Leo would need. There were a ton of supplies but he already had so much of that at Cabin 9.
As he passed the tool section, his eyes caught on a bag. It was a plain leather bag and when he opened it up, there was a bunch of wood shavings inside.
"Can I have this?" Frank asked, turning back to the god.
Hephaestus stopped his work and looked at what Frank was holding.
"That's my wood shavings bag for when I need to clean off my table."
"So, no?"
The god gave him a funny look, "You can take it. I'm just not sure why."
"Well, could you. . ." Frank paused, debating if he should say what he was going to say.
"Can you bless it?"
Hephaestus looked at him for a moment. "How so?"
"Just," Frank tried to explain, "Leo sometimes works a lot because he wants to build something but he's just one person and doesn't let anyone help. I just thought if you could make it so if he sprinkles this on his tools. . ."
"I see where you're going with this," Hephaestus nodded.
"So, will you?" Frank asked hopefully.
The god seemed to question it for a minute.
"Why not."
He grabbed the bag from Frank and closed his eyes. Frank expected a sparkle of light or for it to set fire or something, but Hephaestus just handed back the bag after a second of silence.
"Now, go. I have work to do," was the only thing he said.
"Thank you!" Frank told him gratefully.
There was a flash of light and the room and the god disappeared.