This chapter has some sexual stuff. Also we're skipping most of Artemis and Issei's time together to get to the heart of the story quicker. Don't read if you can't handle it.

Artemis watched Gaia walk up the steps towards the room where the young boy, who had been put trough too much too quickly, was residing.

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked as she turned her eyes to the sky.

She wasn't asking anyone in particular, knowing that none of her fellow deities would offer any good advice. And the only ones she would potentially trust to ask, were too close to the ones hunting him.

And while she wasn't very fond of any male. The boy had wormed himself into her life enough that the thought of sending him away just didn't sit right with her.

So, as much as the idea made her uncomfortable, there was really only one choice here.

Issei is going to live with her…..alone….just the two of them.

The thought made her both wary and intrigued. Because for the first time in over a millennia, the idea wasn't immediately met with anger. It scared her, sure. But that was because she was essentially becoming a parent for at least the next year or until he'd aged enough to take care of himself.

But the possibility that this one male, young boy or not, hadn't driven her into a fit of rage since the night he came to her home was….. a weight off her shoulders. Like she wasn't as broken as Gaia said she might be on that strange night.

The memory stoked a reminder of what else she would have to deal with though. her parties were annual. Every year, on the same day, the ladies of the supernatural were welcomed onto her island.

She would have to cancel at least the very next party, and come up with a way to conceal Issei for that night. She was sure he would agree to that.

It had been over an hour since Gaia walked upstairs to talk to Issei, with not even a sound coming from that general direction.

Artemis was starting to wonder if Gaia had just up and left, leaving her to tell the boy that his Godmother/Aunt had left and wouldn't be returning until he was an adult.

Just as the thought crossed her mind of how that sort of conversation could go, she heard a door open, and then click shut.

Artemis sat up straight in her seat, listening as footsteps echoed through her home. They seemed to lead further away before silencing for a few minutes. That led her to believe it was Gaia, taking whatever it was she needed before leaving.

The footsteps returned, coming towards her this time.

And just as she'd thought, Gaia came around the corner, and down the steps.

She looked like any and all emotional triggers had been set off at once.

At the bottom of the stairs, Gaia stopped and made eye contact with Artemis. The heartbreak was there, she didn't want to do this….just like she said. Never had she seen Gaia so….lost, at how to handle a situation. This boy was important to her on a level that Artemis just couldn't comprehend.

Taking a deep breath, Gaia made her way towards the door. She hesitated as her hand reached the knob.

"Before I go…You need to know this." She cast her eyes towards Artemis, who only gave a slight nod to show she was listening.

"He will never lie to you, Dragons have always taken pride in that fact. And treat him the age he appears to be, his mind will mature with his body."

The door opened, and Gaia stepped through, that was the last time anyone would see her for more than a decade.

-LineBreak-

Issei sat on the bed, crying silently so as not to disturb Artemis, who he thought had been asleep for a while now. His body shivering as though he were cold, even though it would have to be well below freezing for him to even notice the difference from a summer day.

[ You understand why, don't you Issei?] Albion made himself known to his host.

Issei nodded, unable to come up with the words, but knew that his grandfather/ sacred gear would know he made the gesture.

[ If she stayed, it would put the entire world in danger. She's the oldest of the Earth Gods, and the most powerful. If it were a small matter, someone else would have taken it.]

"I know. It just feels like everyone is leaving me. Irina, my parents, Aunt Gaia." Issei's voice was subdued by his sleeve wiping away the tears and snot.

[Though it's not in a physical sense, you still have me. And I wouldn't leave you, even if it were possible. You are my blood. A Hatchling from born mine own.]

Albions words did help enough that Issei attempted a smile, marked by the tear stains as it was. But it would start the recovery to normal, knowing that no matter what happened, he would always have his grandfather with him.

Knock Knock Knock

The sound at the door snapped Issei's eyes to it. His hope was Gaia had come back, even if only for a little while longer.

The door slowly creaked open, and the silver hair was followed by the deep ocean blue eyes of his host came into view.

Her face showed that she could guess fairly well at how he was feeling. She hadn't need to guess, as it was written all over his face.

She didn't ask the stupid question of 'How are you feeling.'

She said nothing as she walked into the room and sat on the bed next to him.

Artemis had come to a decision. And that was to welcome him into her life, regardless of the fact that Gaia had basically forced it upon her.

Issei watched her, trying to think of just what she was doing. He was happy as well as surprised that she had even come into the room. He wanted someone to be there with him, isolation was never something he'd enjoyed.

She reached out took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.

His hand was warm, more so than a human or most other creatures, a result of having that ever burning fire inside of him. And it had much more strength then she had anticipated when he gave it a squeeze, silently thanking her for the gesture.

'I can do this.' She thought to herself.

A bright blue flash came from out of Issei's back, and after her eyes had adjusted, Artemis marveled at her first glimpse at the Divine Dividing Sacred Gear. The white metallic membranes with blue energy wings. It was strange at how perfect they seemed to fit to Issei's appearance.

Issei glanced to his back, curious as to why Albion was making an appearance at this particular moment.

[Thank you, Lady Artemis. While Ise may not understand your plight, I do. And your being here is greatly appreciated.] And just like that, Albion was gone.

Artemis blinked in surprise at being called out by the Vanishing Dragon himself so soon after learning he was inside of the boy next to her. But smiled as his words sank in.

The words of one of the eldest beings in the universe helped to make up her mind, and ease her concerns.

Artemis scooted herself to be fully on the bed, not letting go of Issei's hand. Once in a position she had deemed good enough, she pulled Issei back closer to her position.

His eyes danced around the room, unsure of what to make of what was happening at the moment, but didn't want to voice it.

Artemis started to lean back, placing and arm around the front of Issei's shoulders, pulling him down with her.

They laid against the bed, still as statues for a moment. Issei's head was about 4 inches out, and eye level with her collarbone. Artemis could only see the silver mop of hair next to her, so she didn't notice the battle Issei was waging internally of whether it was ok to snuggle up to her or not.

Issei didn't move so as not to upset her, not knowing what movements could make her angry. but Albions voice convinced him that this was ok.

[If she wasn't alright with physical contact, she wouldn't have done it. She wants to be here for you.]

With that, Issei slowly brought one arm under his head to act as a pillow, and the other around the Huntress' midsection, snuggling himself into her collar.

The contact made her stiffen up for only a brief moment, before relaxing. Her own arms wrapped around him as they started to drift to sleep.

And both thought just before the sandman claimed their minds.

'This is nice.'

-LineBreak-

Artemis had greatly underestimated the growth of a full-blooded dragon, even though Gaia had given her a time table of how quickly Issei would age and mature.

During the first month, Issei hadn't said or done much of anything, not in her presence at least. He would wake up, they would eat together, Issei would thank Artemis politely for the food. And after whatever clean up was necessary, Issei would head out to the clearing where Gaia had taken him so that he could continue to build on his skills.

There was a distinct change the second month.

Artemis had hit her annual low point for land based meat, and so she recalled a classic fish dish that she always loved. Grilled salmon with a yogurt based avocado dip on top.

It only took a little more prep time then her usual meals, but she really didn't mind since the end result was taste bud bliss.

Issei waltzed in through the front door, quietly announcing himself. His low volumed voice was the complete opposite of the beaming smile on his face.

His training had taken a huge leap in progress today. For the first time in his short life, he was able to breathe fire without any sort of prep work. Before today, it had always taken minutes of picturing the flame rising from inside him and towards his mouth. And even then it was only a small stream.

Albion had decided to use something that their species was feared for. A dragons rage. The need to protect what was theirs, to protect their treasures.

It was an image of Gaia, and a dark silhouette with a blade inches from her neck. it worked marvelously.

Issei was able to not only bring forth his flame, but it was at an intensity that had been lacking before. It was hot, it was bright, and the holy energy was pulsing wildly throughout it.

The bird in the sky was unfortunate to be where it was at the time. It wasn't given the opportunity to even register the heat before the flesh was burned from its bones.

For several hours afterward, Issei tested his newfound control. The golden white flame poured not only out of his mouth, but rippled over his entire body at his command.

Albion had lectured him on the dangers of letting his emotions get the better of him will Issei quickly created a bow and shot arrow after arrow into the sky, before bursting them like a fireworks display.

"That smells….Amazing!" Issei declared as he stood at the frame from the living room to the kitchen.

Artemis smiled towards the food she was plating. She didn't want to ask what had changed the boys mental state so suddenly, she would just enjoy the positive company that it provided. She could always inquire about it later.

"Glad you think so. It's always been one of my favorites."

They sat across from each other, Artemis waiting for him to take the first bite to see the reaction of her labors. She wasn't disappointed.

Issei's face lit up even more than it had been. And the food was quickly devoured. Praise for her culinary skills in between each bite. A Goddess does like to be praised afterall.

They stood up at the same time, placing the dishes into the sink. But before they could start the cleaning, Issei surprised her.

"Lady Artemis?"

She turned to face the boy beside her. And her heart nearly jumped out of her chest in shock.

They had already been standing fairly close together, but Issei closed the distance and carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, and his head turned to the side as he embraced the huntress.

"Thank you. For everything."

Looking back, Artemis still could not believe how such a short amount of time would change her. In most aspects, it was for the better. But there would always be one choice that stood above the rest in things she wished she hadn't done.

The day she cast him aside, the day she told him everything they'd ever had was a mistake. That she could never love someone like him. That he was a monster.

-LineBreak-

What was once a beautiful church of over 300 years, now lay in ruins.

The landscape near it hadn't been taken care of in over 50 years. The weeds, vines, and other plants had grown to be as much a part of the building as the stonework itself.

The once beautifully crafted stained glass panes were mostly broken, letting the bitter winter air flow through and add to the atmosphere of decay and hopelessness.

The stench of mildew was only compounded by the iron scent of blood.

"How did we let things get to this point?" Came the soft, saddened voice of a man with long blond hair.

Bodies, skeletons, were scattered in most of the lower levels. Some of which looked to be only dead for a few days before they had arrived. Some of the newer deceased appeared to have been drained of the blood in their veins.

There were others in the basement, a room that had its vents closed like some sort of gas chamber. There was a hole in the wall now, where they had found a few more bodies.

"Gabriel….are they all….dead?" A man with orange-red hair asked of the only female in their midst.

Gabriel turned towards the two of her brothers that had spoke. Her eyes brimming with tears that gave her guilt away more than any words ever could.

She took a ragged breath, to calm herself enough to answer them.

"One is missing."

The four of them stood in silence. The four great seraphs of heaven, in a church filled with the bodies of dead children.

And for what?

Even if the result was 3 holy weapons per body here, the life of a child was not an equivalent exchange.

And the one responsible for this had fled, away to be hidden and protected by the fallen. How he had caught wind of being Ex-communicated was beyond them.

"Wherever that one is….I hope they live a happy life. For what we see here, I can only imagine, is a portion of the hell they endured."

"Isaiah. He's the one that is missing."

Gabriel stepped through the debris and corpses towards her brother Michael, taking his hand to borrow his strength for the sight of despair before her.

"Uriel. Please brother, give them the honor of being put to rest by your holy flame. They deserve that, and so much more. But it is the best we can do at the moment."

Uriel nodded towards his brother and leader. Carefully gathering the children bodies to bring them outside and bring them to their deceased father's light.

Michael turned towards Gabriel, trying to give her a smile to wipe away her worries.

"You are not responsible for this my sister. Let's get you home and rested. You'll need the break Artemis' party will give you. I'll handle everything to do with this from here on."

Gabriel tried her best to smile.

She was very much looking forward to the party her friend was throwing. It was the first in 5 years.

-LineBreak-

Issei laid in what would be his new home for the next few days, reminiscing over the last few years of his life. A cave near the edge of the island.

As far as he could tell, he was 17 now. 11 and a quarter by calendar years, but to a dragon, that was irrelevant. They aged differently than other species, so they didn't use the otherwise universally accepted system.

And now his body was slowing down its aging process, so 17 he would be. For the next two calendar years. It had started early, so he wasn't all that surprised or worried that it was slowing down early.

He thought of his time with the woman only a few miles away from him.

Artemis.

The Goddess of the hunt. Guardian of the moon, wild animals. The protector of children.

'Goddess.' He thought with a wistful look on his face.

The term described what she was to him so perfectly.

She was elegant, she was powerful, she was wise, and she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Long silver hair, eyes that matched the deep blue of the sea surrounding them. A figure that had caused men to nearly lose their life for even thinking they were allowed to touch her.

And that right there was the source of his confusion. The reason for his introspection.

She hated men.

And he loved her.

Issei had ventured off the island with her a few times a year. And almost every time, some idiot would try and woo her, only interested in the physical things she could do for them. Issei found it appalling.

Did they have no desire to know even her name? What about her hobbies? Favorite food? Color?

Each and every one of those men met the painful end of either a slap or a punch, leaving them an unconscious mess on the floor.

So….why did she seem to be okay with his being around her? Why was he the only one who could touch her without his face meeting the floor?

He and Albion had thought, that she might not see him as a male, because they'd met when he was so young. And if there was anything that killed an attempt at confessing to a girl, it was wondering if she thought of you as either an androgynous being, or a pet.

There were dragons that had no specified gender, but he wasn't one of them. And he may not be Human, but he certainly wasn't a pet. The fact that he could be classified as a familiar was quickly swept under the rug in his mind.

issei perused through his time with her, starting with the time his….accelerated growth began.

During the winter nights, they had started to sleep in the same bed, taking warmth from each other in lieu of a heavier blanket. They had been a part of each others lives for just over 2 years.

Her arms were wrapped his shoulders, pulling his head into her breasts. His were around her waist.

Issei had started waking first, but made no move from his position. He was warm and comfortable right where he was.

Artemis pulled his head further into her perfectly proportioned bust, which made him aware of an uncomfortable situation for him.

One. He had to pee, the position of her leg pressing into his pelvis was not helping any.

Two. There was an abundance of blood rushing towards said pelvis, something that had never happened before, but Albion had warned him would happen soon only after Issei and Artemis spent a week straight in the same bed.

And just like that, puberty had started for the young dragon. And he was in a very comfortable and favorable position with the absolute worst person to have an erection with.

As she stirred, her legs shifting slightly, he prayed that she wouldn't notice it.

She'd opened her eyes, looking directly into his just as the final words left his mind.

But if she had noticed it, she said nothing. Instead just giving her usual good morning and another powerful hug.

After relieving himself, Their day had been just as they normally had. Breakfast, cleanup. She accompanied him and helped with his training where she could. And on a bold move on Issei's part, he'd held her hand, he was happy that she hadn't rejected the physical contact.

Issei had felt like he'd kicked a puppy when he'd said he was going to bed alone that night. Artemis looked like her favorite toy had just been taken away from her permanently.

He had taken Albions advice that perhaps explaining his new development would make the situation clearer.

He stammered through the words that Albion gave. Telling Artemis that he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable around him because of it. he felt like the flame in his gut had moved to between his ears.

To his immense surprise, she didn't get upset, angry, or blush. She only said that she noticed it that morning, and he couldn't control when his body was sexually maturing.

For a Goddess that supposedly hated anything to do with men, she was being very nonchalant about this. But referring to anything sexual was probably more common before the modern era.

She told him, in no uncertain terms, that it was okay and not to worry about it. So they continued to sleep in the same bed. And her leg continued to to press against his morning wood.

The second layer of confusion started after he realized that body was reacting to Artemis instead of just being a daily event.

During the late spring, they would go out into the woods when the sky was clear and the stars were out in force. They camped out there one night, and the ocean breeze had gotten them both fairly cold.

So the next time, Artemis suggest that he turn into his dragon form. The heat he radiated was more pronounced that way, and his body was less susceptible to the temperature difference.

He had difficulty with how to take her calling him 'her warm cuddly dragon'. It certainly sounded like she was referring to him as a pet, or a domesticated animal. And a dragons pride is a fickle thing.

6 months ago, he finally knew what term to place with the way he felt about Artemis. A nice dinner that he had cooked for them, a fire stoked and hot to sit by. A silver haired Goddess asleep with her head on his lap.

He couldn't resist the temptation as he looked down at her. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. Artemis' face scrunched up for a brief moment, but otherwise she didn't stir.

Until Issei had come to the conclusion that he was in love with Artemis, he'd never thought about whatever way she referred to him as. He was just content in the fact that she didn't push him away, and seemed to enjoy being close to him as much as he did her.

But now he was at a crossroads of sorts. If she thought of him as familiar or pet, it would potentially destroy their current relationship. And that was something he wasn't sure he was willing to risk.

'What if she doesn't feel anything romantic for me? it's so easy being together, I don't know if its worth the risk.'

[But what if she does? And all it will take is one of you saying the words?]

As usual, Albion was keeping his opinion of what she might feel for Issei to himself. It didn't matter how many times Issei asked. Albion would always just say that a persons heart is their own, it was not anothers place to open up.

"I have three days to figure it out. I'm sure i'll have an answer after her party."

-LineBreak-

Artemis had been in a loop of emotions for the past 72 hours. Her entire house held the presence of a dragon. Not just your average dragon either. No.

It was like every room wanted to announce the fact that a 70 foot long silver holy dragon was living here. A dragon that if properly motivated, could probably wipe out one of the lesser factions with little effort.

It still baffled her. Ise, her dragon. He was so unassuming. Sure he was built very well. Muscles that men the world over tried for years to attain, on a tall 6'2 frame with radiant light blue eyes, and silver silky hair that she loved running her hands through.

But as long as you didn't wear down his extremely long fuse, he was just a big, scaly teddy bear. And it showed in the way he carried himself. His gentle expression, those kind eyes.

But If that fuse got to its end…. you'd have a knife, or sword, or arrow, or spear made of holy fire shoved into the orifice you least wanted it.

She had used every trick and spell she could think of to try and erase his presence from the house, most specifically her clothes and bed.

The last thing she needed was for any of her friends to think she had finally laid with a man, the teasing would be endless. But she could swear that his presence was still lingering.

'Maybe a little breather outside will help.' She walked outside to clear her senses.

'my dragon. my Ise.' the thought had been toying with her mind for a while now.

The night that Issei kissed her on the forehead. He thought she was asleep, but she was just enjoying the warmth from two sources, him and the fire.

She surprised herself when she didn't even flinch from the kiss. It just felt like it was natural. That was when she realized that, if she wanted, he could be hers. Even more so than he already was.

She'd seen it enough times before. Orion, Adonis, Callisto. They had all fallen in love with her. The difference was that they tried to take her by force when she didn't immediately accept, they tried to rape her.

But Issei wasn't like that. Other than the one kiss, and a few times his hand slid a bit too far south during a hug, he'd made no other advances.

Artemis knew she felt…lighter…when they were together. But she had no idea as for how to classify the feeling in terms of an emotion. When they would fall asleep together she would warm and safe. When they spent time together it was rare for her to feel anything remotely negative.

'But is that love?'

She envied Ise for knowing what he felt. She'd been so jaded for so long that she wasn't sure what to call it. Only that it felt good.

Knowing that he loved her, only made her feel better, and Gaia's words of letting him into her life ran threw her mind.

'I have let him in. And no, I don't regret it, just like you said.'

The somewhat hidden innuendo in that thought brought her mind elsewhere. To Issei's….morning predicament.

Until his body had reached a point where she could deem him to be 16, it had only been a thing she thought was because of him maturing.

And as the mornings continued on, and in her waking state she continued to run her leg up against it, her own body started to betray her. A heat in her body that had only even started to simmer once before with Orion, before his forceful attempt.

That was when she started noticing that whenever they had any extended bodily contact, that Issei would get an erection. As long as he didn't try and force himself on her, she didn't really mind his lusting after her from afar. It even made her feel good about her somewhat, in her opinion, lackluster body.

Artemis, wanting to find an answer about her own feelings, ran away with what the physical aspect of a relationship would be like with Issei.

One of his hands would catch her around the waist as she entered the room, his other hand cupping her chin bringing her face to look up at his before their lips crashed together.

using enough force to show that he wanted her, but gentle enough so she knew he cared about what she wanted if she wanted to refuse him.

She would part her lips when she felt his tongue across her bottom lip. Their tongues would clash and dance together as the hand holding her chin would slid over to the side of her face, stroking her cheek lovingly.

Artemis felt herself moan just as she would in her daydream.

He would carefully, and slowly guide them over to the bed, stopping a step before she tumbled down onto it.

Issei would pull back from her mouth, only to kiss along her neck and collar before sliding his hands down her sides, caressing the sides of her breasts that were bare just under the night shirt.

The simmering heat was building as she pictured the scene, her eyes unfocused towards the sky, to the height were Issei's would be if he were in front of her.

His strong hands, made that way from their training and him helping her in the forests and her home, would slid underneath the thin shirt, gliding across her pale soft skin upwards.

He'd caress the sides of her breasts again, before cupping and squeezing them directly and pulling the shirt over her head.

Her bare chest before him, Issei would kiss along her collar again, lowering himself down to kiss down one of her breasts, taking one into his mouth as he gently squeezed and fondled the other.

The sensation would be new for her, and Artemis would throw her head back from the unexpected feeling, her hands grabbing onto to the back of his head, not wanting it to end just yet.

Kissing his way across the valley of her breasts, he would switch and do the same to the other, making her feel worshipped.

When her pants and breaths increased, Issei would stop, kissing upwards again and claiming her mouth. To which she would respond eagerly, both hands on his cheeks as he lead them forward to lean back on the bed.

She would stumble back as the back of her knees hit it, putting her sitting on the edge.

Issei would place a hand on her chest, pushing lightly to force her on her back.

There would only be her panties in his way now. Issei would place his fingers inside the elastic band as he kissed his way down. In between her breasts and to her stomach, starting to pull her panties down.

Then Issei would kneel before her, his Goddess. Her panties just on the edge of showing what she so wished he pay attention to. Instead Issei would lift her left leg, kissing from her thigh down, a more pronounced kiss on each section of her leg that had been covered by her knee length silk socks.

After traveling back up her thigh after the other sock was removed, her skin kissed and lovingly praised for its beauty would his hands return to remove his last obstacle.

Slowly. Too slowly in her opinion, he would pull the band down until it met her knees, falling to the ground below.

His lips return to the base of her stomach, making her almost whimper with desire for him to go lower. He'd oblige, but only after he made it clear that his actions were for her pleasure, for the needs that she had, that had been placed on the back burner for too long.

The picture in her mind made her blush at the thought of giving a man a complete unobstructed view of naked form.

A light kiss, on each side of the now weeping lips of her labia. The teasing making it hard for her to nothing but lay there, and bringing her hands to his hair, trying to silently say what she wanted.

Then his tongue would run along the outside of her lower lips.

Only when she did let out a needy moan would he start to give her what she wanted as his tongue prodded her core, and the feeling of nerves never before used would ignite like a match thrown onto gasoline coasted kindling.

His worship given, Issei would dive in, his tongue sliding from her depths to her neglected clitoris.

Artemis would writhe on the bed, moaning praises to her lover through ragged breaths.

He would end their foreplay soon. Bringing his tongue to focus solely on the bundle of nerves at the top, and bring two fingers to enter her slowly, deeply, stroking her insides and leaving her breathless to nothing but hold onto his hair for the ride.

She would feel it building, the tightening in her loins that signaled her welcome into nirvana. Issei would turn his fingers to curl slightly towards her stomach, hitting a spot to blind her with pleasure as she screamed out his name.

Artemis pulled out of her daydream before she wasted too much time to get everything ready.

At least she had come to an answer about what she wanted.

And once Issei decided that he was ready to let her know how she knew he felt about her, She would give in to what her body had been whispering to her what it wanted, before she screamed out who she wanted as he gave her just that.

But until then, she had guests to prepare for, friends to endure teasing from for her celibacy. And a new set of undergarments to put on.

Also I decided that Artemis' party will be next chapter.