August 13th 2011 was Raksha Bandhan, an Indian festival that celebrates brother-sister relationships. So, yes, I'm a day behind. :P This is for Hermes Salazar Snape. Hope you like it!

Apollo snuck down the hall, quiet as he could possibly be. If he could get out of here, then maybe she wouldn't get the chance to-

"Not so fast, brother."

Artemis' words stopped him mid-step. He turned around and sure enough, there was his sister.

"Hermes did it!" he said automatically.

Artemis glared at him. "I don't see how this is something Hermes could have done."

The sun god looked confused. "Um, just so we're clear, what was it that I did again?"

"Yesterday, at our shared birthday party, there was a stunning lack of presents for me with your name on them," Artemis said.

Apollo was relieved. "Oh, so this has nothing to do with the hellhound pup in your underwear drawer?"

"The what in my what?"

"Never mind." Apollo responded. "I gave you a hug. Doesn't a hug count as a present?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, so it doesn't count. I could take you shopping, though."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "Do I look like Aphrodite?"

"'Course not! It was a stupid idea anyway. I can ask my daughter Alex to join the Hunters. How's that sound?"

"You mean the nineteen-years-old and married to a mortal bartender Alex?"

"No! That's...the other Alex? Forget it. I'll write you a haiku!" He was all ready to launch into verse when Artemis cut in.

"Please, no. I'll give you one day to think of something." She then turned and walked away.

If there was anything Apollo hated, it was deadlines. How the Hades could he come up with a decent present for an angry goddess so quickly?

"Music," he thought out loud. "Music usually inspires me."

Apollo pulled out an iPod and turned it on Shuffle. Seconds into the song, he jumped up. He had a brilliant idea for Artemis' present. The present to end all presents, if he did say so himself.

"Hey, Hephaestus! Do you have any explosive chemicals laying around nearby?"

"Come on, Apollo! Can't I look now?" the maiden goddess asked. Apollo had brought her who knows where and made her wear a blindfold.

"Just a few more minutes, little sis!"

Artemis groaned. "It would've been smart to set up whatever it was before you brought me here."

After what was slightly longer than "a few more minutes", the blindfold was removed. Artemis opened her eyes to see the New York skyline stretched out before her.

Colorful fireworks began to erupt over the buildings, forming pictures. The day that the two went on their first hunt, Apollo reading poems while Artemis laughed, Artemis accidentally hitting her father with an arrow. At the end, firecrackers of all colors joined up to form the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARTEMIS!

When it was over, Artemis whispered, "That was incredible."

"I know," Apollo laughed. "Got the inspiration from that song of my daughter's, 'Firework'."

The twins hugged for a moment until Apollo pulled away and said, "You know, yesterday was my birthday, too. I forgot: what present did you give me?"

Silence.

"Really, I forgot. Do you remember?"

"Well, I gave you a hug..."