Chapter Ten
Birds chirped the next morning. Artemis awoke in her bed, her arms wrapped around something. She couldn't see what it was, as her face was buried in it. She unwrapped her arms and scooted back. She felt her cheeks flush red.
She had been cuddled into Percy's chest. Her head had been facing into his chest, and his chin had rested on her head. She took a minute to study him.
He looked so peaceful when he was resting. The lines in his face faded, the poised look that he always had, like he was ready for a surprise attack, was gone as he relaxed. A small smile adorned his face. He didn't at all look like the scared boy in the forest that he was last night.
Artemis decided that staring at him any longer would be considered creepy and got up. She put on her parka and exited the tent.
The Hunters were still asleep. She was often the first one up. She decided that she would go hunting and bring breakfast to the Hunt. She summoned her bow and entered the forest.
LINE BREAK
Percy woke up to Artemis gone. The scent of the woods that he had fallen asleep to was still lingering, so she must've left very recently. He got out of the bed and grabbed his leather jacket. He put it on and went to his bag. He pulled out his bag of candy and exited the tent with the bag in his hand.
He walked out into the woods, back to the lake he found the night before. He grabbed a log that was lying on the ground and placed it near the edge of the lake. He took off his shoes and sat on the log, his feet in the water. He opened his bag of candy and pulled out a chocolate bar. He unwrapped it and place it next to him, the wrapper shielding that candy from the log.
Venom poked his head out of Percy's shoulder and started to munch down on the Hershey's bar. Percy stared at the lake, watching as the morning sun turned the water orange. He saw some rocks next to him and picked one up. He threw it at the lake. The rock skipped five times before sinking.
"Rock skipping, really?"
"You're eating a chocolate bar without hands. You have chocolate all over your face. You look like a five year old. You can't say shit." Percy said as Venom retreated back into his body.
"Well you're acting like a five year old, skipping rocks."
"I'm going to burn you alive."
"No you aren't."
Percy sighed. "No, I'm not. But I'm going to keep skipping rocks."
He skipped another one. Ten skips this time.
"Impressive."
"Are you really going to commentate on this every time?"
"Yes. In fact, I will be rating every throw. That last one was a solid three."
Percy skipped another one. Twelve skips.
"Three point five."
Twenty skips.
"Four."
Percy gripped the next rock. He concentrated, and threw the rock. It started off well enough, making big leaps in the water. Then the small skips came. It became too hard to see. He used his water senses to feel how many times the rock entered the water. His eyes opened in shock. Sixty-three times.
"Ten. Bravo."
"Gods, you're annoying today, aren't you?"
"Geez Kelpie. I haven't even said anything yet." Thalia said from behind him.
Percy turned around. "Not you Thalia. I'm talking to Venom. He's being a real pain in the ass today."
"Well, you are skipping rocks. Can't imagine that he's the one in the wrong." Thalia teased.
Percy threw his arms up onto the air. "Not you too!"
Thalia laughed. "You know, I never learned how to skip rocks."
Percy waved her over. "Come on, I'll teach you."
Thalia walked over to him. He handed her a rock.
"Show me how you think you skip rocks." Percy said.
Thalia threw a rock. It sank to the bottom of the lake. Percy stared at it.
"I'm guessing that's not very good." Thalia said.
"No, not really." Percy teased.
He grabbed a rock. "Look, you want to swing like this." He mimicked how he throws. "This way, the rock hits the water like this." He showed how the rock hits the water at an angle. "This way it rides the water up and skips."
He threw the rock and showed that he knew what he was talking about, as the rock skipped twenty something times.
Thalia picked up another rock. She threw it, only for it to bounce once. Percy sighed. "Maybe you need a hands-on approach. May I?" He asked.
She nodded.
Percy got behind her. He gently grasped her wrists. She felt herself blush. He motioned how she was supposed to swing. "Also, when you let go, I want you to flick your wrist. It'll give the rock rotation and make it more stable when it hits the water."
He swung her arm. She did as he asked and flicked her wrist. The rock flew and skipped a few times across the water. She turned around and faced him. "I did it!"
Percy nodded. "Now do it without my help."
She threw another rock. It did worse this time. She wasn't going to give up though, as she took another rock and threw it. It did better. She kept repeating it until she consistently got over ten skips.
Percy stood aside, watching on with pride. She turned to him with a smile on his face. She took a step closer, coming real close to him. "Thanks Percy." She said. "That was fun."
"Yeah, anytime."
She paused for a second. Her eyes glanced at his lips, before returning back to his eyes. Her cheeks flushed red as she breathed his ocean scent. She breathed in before she leaned in and kissed him. Percy was shocked, and didn't respond.
Thalia separated, taking it as a rejection. "Sorry.. I just thought that-"
Percy crashed his lips on hers as his brain finally started to work. She relaxed into the kiss. She felt his tongue prod his lips. She opened, allowing him in.
Their kiss was interrupted by the sound of a twig snapping. They broke apart and looked in the direction of the sound. All they saw was a retreating figure with red hair.
Artemis.
LINE BREAK
Artemis was having a good day. The wind was blowing, feeling nice. The scent of the forest was immaculate, and she had just hunted a boar big enough to feed her entire Hunt. Coupled with the fact that she had woken up next to Percy, she was on Cloud 9.
She was walking through the forest, carrying the boar on her back. She heard some commotion come from her right. She decided to investigate. She carefully placed the dead boar near a tree and started to creep towards the noise. What she saw broke her.
Percy and Thalia were kissing. Major kissing. Like not allowed in middle school cause it's against the student handbook PDA kissing. She took a step back and ended up stepping on a branch. She turned around and started to run, the boar forgotten.
She vaguely heard the sound of running from behind her, but she didn't look back. She couldn't. Not with the feeling of her heart being smashed with a hammer.
She made it to the camp and entered her tent. She zipped it up behind her and used magic to lock it. She jumped into bed and cuddled a pillow. At least pillows didn't break her heart.
"M'lady, let me in!" Thalia yelled.
Artemis ignored her as tears started to fall. The one guy she fell for, ends up with someone else. The one time she thinks that things are going her way and this happens.
"Lady Artemis, I'm not going away, so you might as well let me in."
Artemis knew she was right, as much as she loathed to admit it. She wiped her eyes, trying to stop the tears, if only for a little bit. She wiped her eyes with her blanket, drying them as fast as she could.
She stood up shakily. Tears were welled up in her eyes, making it hard to see. She waved her hand and the zipper unlocked. It was immediately pulled up. Thalia entered a moment later.
"Lady Artemis, what is this about?"
Artemis only sat down on the bed. She grabbed a pillow and began to weep into it.
"Is this about me and Percy? Because I can just leave the Hunt and-" Thalia said. Then she noticed something. Usually whenever a hunter broke her oath, she would be angry and turn the offender into an animal. But all that was there was sadness. "This isn't about me, it's about Percy, isn't it?"
Artemis didn't respond except for a weak hug of her pillow.
"Lady Artemis... do you like Percy?" She asked.
Artemis looked up, eyes red and puffy. She weakly nodded. She didn't know why she was admitting it to Thalia. But she did.
Thalia breathed in. "I understand why. I mean, he's a lovable dumbass. He's resilient, and quick on his feet. He's kind and caring. He helps others. I don't think we're the only people to fall for him." Thalia said. She sat next to Artemis.
Artemis said nothing, only staring down at the pillow she was hugging tightly.
"What if... what if we shared him?" Thalia suggested.
Artemis looked at her like she was insane.
"Well, look. Obviously, we both like him, and if we force him to choose, one of us is going to be heartbroken. Besides, it's not like polyamorous relationships are something foreign. And I have to admit that I wouldn't mind dating a uh, goddess. But I guess it's up to you."
Finally, Artemis spoke. "But what will other people think. Two of the man-hating hunters, sharing a man?"
"To Tartarus with what they think!"
"Do you really think that this could work?"
"I think if we really tried, yes. I think so."
Artemis stared at her, before closing her eyes. She leaned in and kissed Thalia. Thalia returned it. Artemis had to admit, kissing Thalia felt good.
They separated.
"Should I tell him, or you?" Thalia asked.
"Just call him in." Artemis said. She started to wipe her eyes of any remaining tears.
Percy entered a moment later, looking nervous.
"Percy."
"Artemis, I'm sorry. I'll accept any punishment you give me. Just don't do anything to Thalia, it was my-"
"Percy, be quiet." Artemis said. "Me and Thalia have talked. She feels strongly for you. And I can't deny that I do too. So we've come to a decision. We all date each other."
"What?"
"I date Artemis, she dates me. You date both of us, we date you. It seems quite simple." Thalia explained.
"But... What..."
"Look, Kelp Head, I know you like Artemis too, I see the way you look at her. You get both of us, and we're all happy."
"I don't want to force you guys into something just to be with me." Percy said.
"You're not forcing us into anything. We chose this." Artemis said.
"You both are okay with this?"
They both nodded.
"I guess let's try it."
Artemis smiled and stood up. She approached Percy and palmed his cheek. Then kissed him. Thalia wolf whistled.
This was going to be very interesting, they could already tell.
