Legit don't deserve any readers for how long it's been, but I'll love you forever if you continue reading! Okey, lil summary, cos even I forgot what's been happening in my story, so straight up:

Annabeth died, Percy killed himself to be with her. Luke and Annabeth are kinda a thing down in the Underworld (in Elysium, natch), but poor darling Luke (boy needs a better redemption arc than what Riordan gave him, in my opinion) feels wrong about it and is trying to save Percy (who is being tortured for eternity because of his dishonourable suicide- not a good Grecian death at all).

Sooo, Luke teams up with the living demigods to try to hack into Thanatos' iPad and save Percy cos Percabeth is the OTP and he can't forgive himself for being with Annabeth. Thalia hates him (does she though?) but Leo, Calypso, Reyna, Piper, Frank and Hazel are pretty chill if it means they can save Percy.

Also, Nico's involved, cos, duh, he's the son of Hades. Oooh and some drama. Thalia looks at Piper and Reyna and thinks of Jason which makes her a lil sad. Piper and Reyna hate each other cos they share an ex and each think the other betrayed Jason's love. Nico's still slightly in love with Percy, but Solangelo is so cute and I don't want to mess with that. Also, I know Thalia ~hates Luke, but she loves him, obviously, so who knows where that will lead...

Okey, enter Thanatos. He and his iPad play a big part. In the OG series, Thanatos and Eros are stated to look pretty similar so I've decided cos Eros is vain (I'm sure he looks at whoever he loves and sees his reflection anyways but whatever) he and Thanatos are together. Poor Thanatos is totally falling for him, but who knows what Eros is really feeling... maybe he just wants some drama.

In the last few chapters, Annabeth is starting to remember some things... maybe she'll reawaken and remember EVERYTHING... but this are demigods we are talking about, and nothing ever goes right, or easy, for them.

SO ENTER THE PLAN. The demigods need access to Thanatos' iPad, so they set up a date between the two gods. They neeeddd access to that iPad, but who knows what will happen...

(except you, darling reader, if you're still hanging around. 3000 words of demigod drama are headed your way if you are still reading!!!)...

~~~

Things were going according to plan. For once. Leo, for one, was feeling pretty surprised. He let a proud smug grace his face as he peeked over the counter. Calypso hissed at him, pushing down upon the tangle of dark curls atop his head so. He hit his nose on the back of the counter and turned around indignantly, letting his back slide against the wood as he slumped to the ground.

"I'm just trying to see, Sunshine," he whined, as he snatched at a virgin mojito, crushing the cane sugar against the side of his glass with the flat of the straw.

"Leo! What if they see!" Calypso furtively glanced over the counter and relaxed ever so slightly when she noticed Eros and Thanatos gazing into each other's eyes, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. But Leo could see the tautness in her shoulders, the way that her legs were tensed. She instinctively reached to tie her apron up a little tighter, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Leo stopped his quiet seething when he recognised those small things his love did when she was nervous, and quietly tapped out a quick morse code message against the counter behind him. I love you, he said, without saying a word. Calypso replied wordlessly, clattering her nails against the coffee cup she held in her hands. To anybody else, it was just a meandering rhythm; a thoughtless melody carved out by a distracted mind, but to Leo, it was a reply. Ditto. He'd said it once, without even thinking and she'd parroted it back to him, with that questioning lilt at the end of the word. Leo often forgot how little Calypso knew about the outside world after all those years in Ogygia and he had been ready to launch into an explanation about the word, but she had surprised him, noting that it had Latin origins. She hadn't understood its modern context, though, and Leo explained. Every time she said the word -or tapped it out in morse code- Leo felt a tiny spark of pride blossom in him.

She cast him a smile, the kind that made Leo want to just lay down next to her forever, and picked up another saucer, a coffee cup balanced precariously on top of it, and then, she was gone, trailing behind the scent of cinnamon and spice. Leo felt a slight twinge of panic rise up within him. What if the gods knew what they were up to? What if they suspected something? Leo knew that Thanatos' realm was below. He couldn't hurt him - or Calypso - until there were dead. But Eros? He had power everywhere. That bubble of nerves rose up in his stomach again. Oh gods, what if Eros saw into them. Understood that Leo's ultimate fear was losing Calypso again. Having the love of her life banished back to Ogygia. It would break her heart and his. He wanted to jump up and shout at the girl to come back. He swallowed uneasily and squeezed his eyes shut. That would jeopardise the whole point of the quest. Was it a quest? It hadn't been delegated by Chiron. Or orchestrated by the Olympians. In fact, it was going against the will of the gods; attempting to wield fate was not only unheard of but most definitely outlawed.

Leo wished he had brought a periscope of some kind. How could he let Calypso just waltz right into the lion's den like that? What kind of human being would do that? He risked a quick glance, ducking back down again, lest Eros or Thanatos see him. It was common knowledge that Leo was a co-partner of the café, but Nico and the others had all agreed that the fewer demigods Eros and Thanatos noticed, the better; there would be less of a paper trail back to them.

The chatter of the café swelled mellifluously against the gentle clinking of cups and saucers. Calypso was nearing the table now. Eros looked up at the moment of her skirts as she weaved her way around other customers. He tilted his head approvingly as he caught the slightest whiff of that vanilla perfume she wore. Thanatos looked up, his eyes glinting darkly as he looked for the source of his boyfriend's distraction. Oh. His lip curled and he narrowed his eyes. That titan girl. He had never been allowed to claim her. She had been immortal, and she had given that up, for what? Love. That son of Hephaestus. Leonardo or whatever. Mortals were pathetic. He rolled his eyes as she placed the two cups on the table in front of them. The girl's hand shook as the saucers met the wood and some coffee sloshed over the side of his cup and he would have growled at her had Eros not been so infatuated by the girl.

Jealously swelled within Thanatos. But when the god of love turned back, his eyes seeming to swirl with a million shades of brown, the toxic feelings subsided, and he knew that Eros would never love anybody as much as he loved Thanatos. The girl's voice broke the air.

"A mocha, for you." She gently nudged the coffee closer to Eros. "And a macchiato." Thanatos didn't acknowledge her and simply took a sip of the coffee. It tasted weird. He didn't often dine on mortal food, but for some reason, Eros had insisted they visit this quaint little demigod cafe. It was one of those unusual quirks that he liked best about the man. He was so unexpected. And mysterious. That smirk of his could mean anything, and Thanatos often spent hours wondering what the god of love was thinking.

"How's your coffee?" Thanatos asked politely, wondering why his lexicon seemed to disappear around the man before him.

"It's fine." Eros picked up a teaspoon and scooped at the froth, licking it suggestively. "How about yours?" Was this what they were going to do for the next hour? Make small talk of mochas and macchiatos?

"Fine." Not really. The macchiato was disgusting. Like somebody had poured a capful of bleach into it. He'd only taken a few sips but he could feel his stomach churning. He turned for the waitress, but the mortal titan girl was nowhere to be seen. Eros raised an eyebrow, and Thanatos gave a strangled kind of smile in return. He didn't know what to say so he took another sip of that disgusting drink. Maybe that was just what human drinks tasted like? He downed another gulp. He started squirming in his seat. He really really needed to pee. Some obscure part of his mind wondered about that. Why would a god need to pee? It could only be witchcraft. But the urgency of the situation pushed such thoughts to some dark recess of his brain, forcing it away.

"Excuse me." He leapt out of his seat, almost running through the café as he searched for the bathroom. Calypso smiled wryly. Leo had been the one to suggest laxatives and some flat tummy tea he had found in the Aphrodite cabin once (Calypso still had no clue why he'd been there) but it was Reyna who'd employed her skills, honed when she had lived on Circe's island. She glanced across at Leo, the two of them slouched behind the counter, and they exchanged a grin. Leo held out a fist and she bumped it hesitantly, still unsure about what he claimed was a "customary gesture of bromanship" and let out a quiet giggle. Some waitresses walked by, shaking their hands -but smiling- at the odd behaviour of the owners of The Garage but certainly used to it, by now. So far, everything was going according to plan. Reyna had spiked the drinks earlier in the day and Calypso had delivered it. Now that Thanatos was gone, all that was left was for Piper to charmspeak to Eros; the two gods looked so alike that she was sure that he would be able to bypass the face recognition identification on the lock screen (all the demigods, except Nico, had agreed it would be riskier to con Thanatos than Eros). And if not, well. They were all hoping it would not come to that.

Calypso risked a peek over the counter, and Leo made a smug face at her. She batted his arm. "I'm more cautious than you are!" She protested. She wondered where Piper was and felt an insistent tugging of nerves. What if...? No. She forced herself to remain optimistic. Being rescued after eternity on Ogygia had taught her to always hold out for the best.

Eros stirred his drink absentmindedly, and then pulled Thanatos' iPad toward him. He studied his reflection in the smooth glass surface and then tapped at the screen. Calypso held her breath; they may not even need to utilise so much of Piper's charmspeaking powers. She heard Leo's sharp intake of breath beside her as he took in what was going on. And then, the screen flickered to life, Eros' profile bypassing the facial id. Calypso didn't know if it was because of the two immortals' similar features or if it was just the sheer power of being a god that granted Eros such powers, but she didn't care either way. It looked as if the plan would all work out!

She glanced about. There! Piper, with an apron secured tightly around her waist and her hair pulled back in a messy bun, she looked just like a waitress. Calypso noticed how the charming smile of the daughter of Aphrodite worked wonders with the tip jar and started seriously considering hiring the girl. Then she shook her head slightly and smirked at Leo who cocked his head in reply, confused as to why she was looking at him like that.

"Can you feel it?" She breathed, nodding in Piper's general direction. Leo shrugged in reply, brow knitted in confusion.

"Her charmspeak. Well. She is not even speaking, but you can feel it, a kind of radiance that makes you want to be close to her." Realisation dawned in Leo's eyes. He had been feeling like he needed to be right next to Piper; it had actually been on the very tip of his tongue to suggest as much to Calypso. But now he realised that the girl was simply showcasing her gift from Aphrodite.

Piper approached the table that Eros sat at, and the god instantly swiped away whatever he was playing on and turned the iPad off. "Done with the coffees?" She inquired innocently as she slid into the seat opposite Eros.

"I think he's had enough, if that's what you mean," said Eros, quirking an eyebrow at the girl. "And so we meet, my sister." He offered a hand to the girl who stared at it. Eros took the girl's hesitance as an opportunity to shut her down.

"Ah, no, my darling Piper. Your little charms won't work on your big brother. I'm much, much older than you, and a lot more experienced too. You don't want to mess with me."

Piper's eyes widened at the god before her.

"Little sister, I see into your mind. Oooh, it's not as awful as Nico says. Love isn't all bad. Where is that boy anyway? I felt his aura. Perhaps, I pushed a little too hard and he's now canoodling with Apollo's boy. They fit so well. The darkness and the light. I'd felt that maybe the son of Hades had suffered enough, but perhaps I can shake up his love life a bit, what do you say?"

She felt adrenaline flood her body. She was ready to murder this thing. Damn right he was a god - he wasn't human, but rather inhumane, inhuman. He chuckled, a sound which tinkled in the air.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Nico's not suffering right now. Well, he is. But I can't help it if Will likes to tease his boyfriend. Anyway, Piper, it's your turn to realise your love. Jason's death hurt didn't it?"

The aura of her charmspeak seemed to dissipate into the air around them, forming a kind of bubble that sheltered Eros and Piper from the rest of the world. Nico, long gone, didn't feel the immense power. But Calypso and Leo did, craning their heads over the counter to try to figure out what was going on. From what they could see, the demigod and her divine relative had their eyes locked on one another's. How were they to know that it was not Piper who had Eros transfixed, but rather the other way around?

"Oh yes, the pain of it. Shedding tears for a boy you never truly loved."

Her eyes glistened and she shook her head vehemently. "That's not true... I did love Jason...do love him still."

"I'll let you in on a secret." He wagged a finger in front of her face and she wanted to punch him, but leaned in powerlessly as he whispered in her ear. "I know exactly what you and your little friends are doing here. Trying to hack into Thanatos' little iPad to save your friends. That's all well and good. Percabeth for life - and death- I say. And love conquers all, doesn't it."

Piper nodded, hoping that he'd let them all go.

"No, sweetie. The bitter truth is that love is a mess. It hurts and breaks and kills." She shuddered. "Thankfully, I am in a good mood today. You've given me the opportunity to have lots of fun. With Thanatos and with your little love lives too."

Eros slid the iPad out of Piper's reach and she felt her heart race even faster. The entire mission ruined because she wasn't strong enough to overcome Eros' own gifts from Aphrodite.

"So, tell you what. We'll leave the dark side of love for the battlefield, but you and your friends are going to walk out of here. You won't get the chance to try to charmspeak your way past me - nor the iPad. It's an admirable effort, it really is, but I intend to spend a few delightful hours with my boyfriend tonight and I can't exactly do that if Hades is raging at him for letting a couple demigods overcome death now, can I?"

The tears spilled over, trailing down her cheeks. Percy and Annabeth. They didn't deserve this.

"Now, Piper, say it with me - love conquers all. You're a smart girl, you studied Virgil didn't you. You'll just have to remember that. Trust me, it's not a personal vendetta against you little godlings, even though you are all so fun to wind up. No, I just can't have you disturbing my fun tonight. Also, this little interlude has interrupted what was meant to be a wonderful coffee date, so it's only fair that you have some retribution, right, you little queen of disaster?"

Nobody else noticed the way that Piper's body tensed with fear. Leo and Calypso mistakenly believed that the mission was running smoothly, all according to plan, and were clinking their glasses and have preliminary celebratory drinks. Nico had vanished. The spell that Eros had cast over him was working well. Thalia was nowhere to be seen, but Reyna, she was biding her time in a shadowy corner of the cafe, sure that something was not going right. She wasn't wrong.

"Oh, don't look at me that way, sister. I'm hardly going to kill you." He laughed at loud, the sound booming around them. "No, just a little fun. Time for you to act on those feelings that you try so hard to suppress."

In that moment, Thanatos returned from the toilet. He froze at the sight of Piper with his boyfriend. But Eros stood up in a sweeping movement, brushing past his sister. He handed the iPad to Eros and leaned in to brush a kiss against his cheek, turning slightly to wink at Piper before they both vanished.

Reyna, perched from her vantage point in the cafe knew, in that instant, that the plan had failed. She darted over, eyes flashing furiously, ready to scream and rage at Piper. But the daughter of Aphrodite turned toward her, heart beating loud, and the echoes of Eros' words thundering in her ears. Love conquers all. Was that a clue? Some hidden detail that might save Annabeth and Percy? In her love-addled state, she could see no alternative other than to act on purely love alone. Surely, it would save them, save them all?

She turned to Reyna, the praetor glaring viciously, about to launch into a tirade of curses. Piper shut her up. Wordlessly. She felt herself become weightless as she acted on Eros' assertion, on those feelings she had so long suppressed. It was true, she wasn't in love with Jason. She was in love with the girl he once loved. Reyna.

Piper crushed her lips against Reyna's mouth and for the first time in her life, she realised that she was well and truly in love.