The Hunt has taken off with Morgan the new recruit. . They were traveling back to the camp they have abruptly left. However, they weren't exactly the happiest right now.
The road to home wasn't long but this one person had made it long.
" Sal~ I know you want to~" Aphrodite purred while holding his arm. Tracy finally screamed in frustration. She stomped over to where Sal is and grabbed out her knife.
" You better take care of this woman soon or this knife will be in your stomach instead." She threatened him while twirling her knife.
Sal gulped and then saluted at her.
" Yes mam!" He said before turning his attention towards the goddess of love.
" Now missy did you hear that? Could you just go away and leave me alone? I know I'm hot and all but still you don't need to hang on to me like a koala to a tree." Sal complained. Aphrodite just pouted. She looked at Sal using puppy eyes.
" You don't like it?" She said with a soft and hurt tone. The masked hunter hesitated. It isn't the fact she's hanging on to him. It just how she look right now. There was different features that is on Aphrodite but he didn't know who Aphrodite is reflecting on.
That bothered him since he didn't exactly know who he had feelings which makes it hard for Sal to hide those feeling and ignore it.
" No." He said coldly. His eye narrowed slightly at Aphrodite's advancement. The goddess of love stepped back slightly at the sudden coldness. He stepped forward and pushed her next to a tree. Sal leaned closer to Aphrodite's ear.
" Do not mess with my feelings." He growled silently into her ear. His dagger near her stomach. Sal glared at her at slightly. It not like he hates her or anything. But he dislike how she acted around him. He hates how she's acting like she's all in love with him when she is just lusting for his body.
The goddess of love just gulped in fear. Artemis cheered as she saw the goddess of love is getting threatened.
" I'll be back." Aphrodite muttered to Artemis who just smirked and said, " I'll beat you again."
The goddess of love then turned back to Sal.
" Bye Sal~." She said hugging him tightly before flashing away.
" Finally that woman is gone." Tracy said in relief. Sal sighed also in relief. That woman is like one of the monster he had come across when he was in Tartarus.
Thalia jogged over where Sal was. The two of them walked together in the woods.
" Is it fine if I asked a few questions?" Thalia said while walking. Artemis was walking ahead however she made sure to be at a range where she could hear exactly what they're saying.
" Why?" Sal asked with a smile inside his mask. Thalia just shrugged and just smiled at Salomao Hunter.
" Cause I want to get to know you." She replied with a smile on her face. Thalia genuinely wanted to get to know this person.
He came into this world of mythology so sudden and so casually.
Sal came into her life so sudden and yet the way how she and her group of companions interacted with him so smoothly and nice spark her interest. It felt like they were talking to a long lost companion of theirs.
And the thing is, she didn't even know Sal. He was like a complete stranger to Thalia and the others. But it seems like they have become friends or even family without noticing. Especially one of her man-hater sister Phoebe.
Sal froze a second not knowing what to say or do. The same thing happen to Artemis as she continued to eavesdrop. She didn't think about getting to know him. First of all, all she want is to get info out of Sal and secondly it just felt like she had known him for years.
" Why?" He asked again. Thalia thought about it for a second.
" Well I know nothing about you. You came to m- no our lives so suddenly and smoothly that I think it about time when we start to get to know you." Thalia replied softly.
" Okay go ahead. You convinced me. Just nothing too personal though." He agreed with a big smile on his face.
' Maybe it is just only a little. But still... Thalia you changed.' Sal thought in his mind. He had forgave them already. But he never did forget. Time may heal all wounds. But some can leave scars for Sal to remember forever. Sal just couldn't face them again like that. Plus he can't do that to them right now. War is slowly arriving soon and they didn't need Percy Jackson, hero of Olympus, they need Salomao Hunter the masked legend.
" Okay let start simple. Favorite color." Thalia asked. Sal just pointed at his yellow eye.
" That color and sea green." He answered.
" Oh and maybe also blue." He added in. His eye twinkle in happiness. Thalia just smiled slightly. She continued to asked questions that is not so personal. For example, favorite place to do Mission, where have you been to, or what life have been before becoming Artemis's servant.
And Sal would replied her with his best answers.
Everywhere, South Africa, Germany, Turkey, India, Washington, China, and life before coming here was slightly less interesting than being here with the hunters.
The answers that came from Sal was quite interesting since Thalia never really been to many places outside of U.S.
" Who was your best friend." Thalia suddenly asked.
' Good job!' Artemis mentally praised Thalia.
"Getting into the personals huh?" Sal said while grinning inside his mask.
" Well...I never really had a best friend. I was kind of a loner." Sal answered while looking up at the sky and its fluffy white clouds. Thalia just tilted her head and look at Salomao in question.
" I used to have many but in the end I guess I was the only one who thought we were friends..." he said with sadness in his voice.
" I never really did understand. I didn't realize that I was the naive one. I didn't know anything about the world. Didn't know how it works." Sal continued. In the end he still didn't understand why did his family his friends hated him in the end.
" I don't know what they did. But do you hate them?" Thalia asked quietly. Sal looked at her. His eye filled with emptiness. However, he held a smile underneath his mask. He shook his head.
" No, cause I realize even the best person makes mistake. There is no point of getting all angry when the truth is already in your face." Sal answered. When Thalia looked at Sal in the eyes. All he did was to express that he was smiling inside.
Suddenly, Sal stopped walking and and hugged her.
" It must have hurt" he muttered in her ear. Thalia suddenly broke down. The reason she got quiet was because the situation Sal experienced was like Percy's.
A tear rolled down inside Sal's mask.
" Let the past go okay?" He said and for a moment Thalia thought he was Percy. Percy always knew how to comfort someone and maybe Sal also had those comforting effects on people.
Thalia just wiped away her tears.
" Thanks." She said. Sal just grinned inside.
" Now c'mon! You're the co-leader of the Hunt. Crying in front of a man is just unacceptable!" He said. Thalia just hugged him tightly.
Sal slowly accepted the hug while ignoring the dangerous looks from the hunters. First he made her cry and now he's hugging her?
" Aren't you suppose to not hug a man willingly. I mean you're a man-hater right now and I don't feel like eating carrots and being petted by a goddess of moon." Sal said slowly.
Thalia just smacked him.
" Can't I hug a friend." She answered back before running to her fellow hunters. Sal just smiled warmly before noticing Artemis.
He quickly jogged over there and greeted her. Sal looked at Artemis who was busy cursing Greek at the ground and just summoned a new brewed tea.
" I heard tea helps to cool down." He simply said to Artemis who accepted the cup of tea. She took a sip of it and raised an eyebrow.
" Did you brew it? If so how did you keep it warm?" Artemis asked. Sal just rolled his eyes.
" First of all, don't make it sound like those math questions that states what did Mary do wrong. If so what is the correct answer and please do explain and show your work. Also, a while ago I brewed it. Tea can last a long time if you just brew it right and well." He replied.
Artemis glared at him.
" How did you make my Lieutenant cry. I swear on my father if you-" She was cut off by Sal.
" Don't She look happier." He interject while looking at Thalia who is chatting while walking with the other hunters. Artemis just smiled looking at Thalia.
" Yeah what did you do?" She asked.
" Just some simple stuff." He replied back.
" You seem to have an effect on people when coming to depressing topics." She told him. Sal just shook his head.
" It only worked because her cut was just a cut that only needs a bandage. And just so happens I was the only bandage there. Maybe it because I reminded her of her fellow friend Perseus Jackson." He said.
" Yeah that must been it..." Artemis said. The two hunters walked together both traveling back home while taking to each other.
Artemis suddenly looked over at a distracted Salomao. Her face suddenly had a smile. It is weird that she was talking to a male.
However, she thinks it's okay once in a while that she chats with a male. Just the two of them talking to each other.
Auburn hair and slivers eye traveling with a white hair and one yellow eye.
Just the two of them chatting together and enjoying their travel.
Yeah Artemis thinks she is fine for this one time for a male to be along side with her.
END.
AN: I love criticism and all. It helps me grow as a writer. Now if you go on review, you'll find a certain guest and if you're reading this yes I'm talking about you. "Lazy writing" is not appreciated even to other writers. To writers who spend hours writing each chapter even just 1,000 words, lazy writing is not a good thing to say. Was it slightly cliche yes probably. But if you're speaking about that, then probably every betrayal story starts with a such a overuse start. I'm not mad about people not reading the story just please be respectful to me or any other authors. And for that guest, since I'm insulted by that, let see whether you can go write a 100 chapter story and not put something cliche in it or coincidental.
- MoonEclipse777
" Friends come and go, like the waves of the ocean, but the true ones stay like an octopus on your face."
- Unknown