Work Text:
Apollo was a god and would always be.
And the gods had no qualms about getting what they wanted, no matter who suffered in the process.
If the ultimate goal was happiness, even the object of desire itself could be passed through momentary pain.
Apollo had been watching Percy Jackson ever since the boy had supported the weight of the sky and freed his sister.
The god had been impressed and the only reason why he hadn't said anything during the Council itself was the knowledge that his sister would get what she wanted and Apollo's intervention would only make his father nervous. Furthermore, he did not want Poseidon to discover his interest in his demigod son.
Observing, Apollo had been trying to find the best way to convince the boy to join him of his own free will, so as not to unnerve the sea god.
And the best way had been presented by the very campers Percy had sacrificed so much for.
Despite all the sacrifices the boy had made, Apollo could count on two hands the ones who supported him.
Thalia Grace, Nico di Angelo, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, her son Will, Grover, Tyson, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Clarisse La Rue and Chris Rodriguez.
Everyone else had an undercurrent of unease, distrust.
And Apollo would use that same distrust to gain the boy's undying loyalty.
And, if that didn't work, Apollo always had the option of using one of Eros' arrows, and still gain his eternal loyalty and love.
As he had said, the gods could even hurt the object of their desires if the ultimate goal was happiness.