Artemis PoV
I stood up, my hand in Percy's, and followed Athena to a large conference room where the rest of the council was waiting. Percy and I sat down next to one another."So," Percy started. "What's up?"
Several Olympians turned gold with frustration, veins popping in their head. "What's up?! That's all you have to say?!"
Percy scratched the back of his head. "Um, what was I supposed to say?"
Aphrodite sighed. "Percy, we want you to explain why you took over."
Percy nodded. "Well, I really got tired of getting bossed around, forced to kill other demigods, and be unable to live a normal life. After I lost my parents and Annabeth, I just snapped, I guess."
"He speaks the truth," Apollo declared. Then he looked down at our linked hands. "May I ask, Perseus, what is your relationship with my sister?"
"Uhhhh," Percy answered.
Aphrodite giggled. "They're dating!" I felt myself blush.
Percy cleared his throat. "So, if that's all, we'll be turning in for the night." Nobody stopped us as we left the room.
I locked the door just in case my brother decided to swing by. "I'm going to take my shower now. Stay." I commanded. Percy nodded and flopped down on the bed.
I stepped in the bathroom and let the water rain down on me. After l dried off and changed into my nightclothes, I stepped back out toward the bed. Percy stood up and kissed my forehead. "My turn. You can knock out now if you like."
I nodded and burrowed under the covers, shutting my eyes. After a while, I felt Percy slip in beside me, resting an arm around my waist as he pulled me close. I smiled into Percy's chest as I drifted off.
I awoke in the morning, Percy still asleep. I pecked him on the lips, and he blinked his eyes open. "Good morning, Percy."
"Good morning to you too, Arty." Percy wrapped me in a hug.
After breakfast, Percy pulled me toward the empty space in the room. He hit a button on a machine and music started playing.
Percy stuck his hand out. "May I have this dance, Artemis?"
I chuckled. "This isn't formal music, fish-face."
Percy shrugged. "Didn't say it was going to be a formal dance, now did I?"
I smiled and took his hand. I yelped as Percy spun then dipped me. After a while, Percy pulled me close and kissed me. My arms went around his neck, and his around my waist.
Breathless, I finally pulled away, blushing deeply. "You're adorable when you do that, you know," Percy commented.
I huffed. "I feel like that's supposed to be annoying, but for some odd reason, I find it endearing. Know what I mean?"
Percy shook his head. "Nope, I never find you annoying in the slightest."
"So, can I not annoy you?" I asked
Percy shrugged. He smiled and wrapped me in another hug as he flopped down on the bed. "I take that as a challenge. I will annoy you!" I declared. I started (not painfully) slapping him on the face. When that didn't work, I used my middle and index fingers on one hand to drum down his face. As I drummed my fingers down his lips, Percy opened his mouth and began to suck on them. Percy then took my hand and wiped it on his shirt. "Tasty." My heart rate skyrocketed.
I sighed. "Fine. You win." Then I clapped my hands together. "You've been making breakfast the past few days, so I reckon it's my turn. Use the bathroom or something." Percy nodded and trotted off to the bathroom, and I set to work on the breakfast.
As I was setting down the plates, I felt Percy wrap his arms around my waist from behind. "Hi, Arty." He kissed me behind the ear. I smiled and kissed Percy on the cheek as he let go to take a seat.
After we had finished our breakfast and I had changed, there were three sharp knocks at the door. Percy answered. "Apollo, how can I help you?"
I heard a loud thump, then saw Percy stumble backward, his nose fountaining blood. Not ichor, blood.
I ran over. "Apollo, what happened? Why is he bleeding blood instead of ichor?"
"Din't'cha know sis? Your boyfriend is mortal now!" Apollo exclaimed.
"If your only intention is to bring harm‚ just leave Apollo." When he didn't respond‚ I pushed him out the door and locked it behind him.
I found Percy roughly washing the blood off his nose. Pulling his hand away, I said, "Percy, your nose is broken. You aren't doing it right. Here," I led him back to the bed and sat in his lap.
"It's fine, Artemis," Percy grumbled. Regardless, I continued.
When I had finished, I placed a bandage over his nose. "Don't touch it, okay?" Percy nodded and I pecked his cheek.
"So, what happened that made Apollo punch you?" I asked.
"I dunno. I asked how I could help him and he sucker-punched me," Percy responded. '
I sighed. "Guess I should've expected that. Apollo tries to act like he's older and more mature, like he should be doing the things big brothers usually do, like drive boys away. Wow, that felt weird to say."
Percy chuckled. "Aren't you the older one, Arty? I'm pretty sure you're the more mature one, anyway. If Apollo got a girlfriend, you wouldn't just walk up to her and punch her."
"Yeah, I'm the older one. Apollo is so aggravating, trying to convince everyone he's older!" I continued to rant.
By the time I was finished, Percy was laying on the bed, holding me in a snug embrace. "Better?" He asked. I nodded, resting my head in the crook of his neck.
"Percy," I asked. "When do you think we'll leave? Y'know, start over, have kids."
"I dunno, Artemis. I love you, but I'm not immortal anymore, and I don't want to start a family with you then leave you and the kids," Percy answered.
I stood up. "Let's go then. Come on," I pulled Percy up.
"Where are we going?" Percy asked.
"To see Hecate. To make you immortal again, Percy." I answered.
Percy nodded and slipped his hand in mine as he opened the door. Using the linked hand, he gestured out the open door. "Ladies first."
As we walked, I asked, "So, where is Hecate? Are the two of you on good terms enough to make you immortal again? Whatever happened to the rest of the gods anyway?"
Percy cleared his throat. "Well, if I understand correctly, Hecate and I are in good terms because I placed her as head of the Magic sector of the Education Complex. Everyone else-"
Percy was cut off by a young god, maybe Percy's age running up to him. "Sorry to bother you sir, but are you, Lord Perseus? The king of the gods?"
Percy shook his head. "I am who you're referring to, but please, just call me Percy. And, I don't think of myself as King of the gods either. What's your name?"
"Aaron. I'd just like to say that all you've done for us immortals has been great. You're a much better and fairer ruler than Zeus was. It's also nice to see that you aren't biased, and the education system is awesome. It isn't that lame mortal stuff you never use, but more on how to understand everything. It's actually fun and useful." The young god said.
I turned to Percy. "You never said anything about that, Percy."
He shrugged. "Never really seemed important."
Aaron turned to me. "Oh! Lady Artemis! So sorry I didn't recognize you at first."
I smiled. "Relax Aaron, you can just address me as Artemis."
Aaron nodded. "Sorry if this is being nosy, but, um, what're you doing with Percy?"
Percy chuckled. "She's my girlfriend, Aaron."
