Hey guys, I'm back!

Thank you for the reviews. I've seen them over the past few chapters.

This has been built up over several chapters, but I'll address the guest reviews in chronological order here, starting from the ones in May, when I started updating again, since I can't message them directly:

Guest: Thank you. As you can see, I have been progressively making the chapters longer. Or trying to, anyway. And both the title and the "Oh snap" in the first chapter was completely unintentional. I'm glad you're enjoying my story, though!

Guest: I'm not actually sure if you're the same person as the one above. Nonetheless, thank you for the encouragement. I'm glad you didn't actually notice the difference in tone. Maybe I'm over-analyzing my own work. Haha.

Enjoy the story, and keep the reviews coming, please. Remember, Reviews=happiness=motivation=faster updates!

Overthinking.

Orion was definitely overthinking.

It took a while, with him hanging onto his denial with every ounce of his willpower, but he could safely say that he most definitely had fallen in love with Artemis.

Well, not safely. He was fairly sure his chances of his head being taken off with an arrow following that revelation had just become astronomically higher.

He blamed Aphrodite.

Now, the question was, did Artemis love him back? From what both Aphrodite and Apollo had said, Artemis had been spending more time with the Hunters since he joined. He was also the only male whom she had ever invited to join her Hunt. Surely that meant something?

Perhaps Artemis was simply waiting for him to make a move.

Orion calculated his chances. If she didn't harbor feelings for him, surely if he had just confessed his love for her and made no attempt to coerce her into anything, there was a chance he'd be left alive? He calculated a 30 percent chance of survival.

And if she did harbor feelings for him, either she'd agree to break her vows, or she'd try to kill him to eliminate the possibility. He felt that could go either way. 50 percent then.

So what are the chances of Artemis actually being in love with him? She was good friends with him by now. He got the feeling that he was the closest relationship she had with any male. Perhaps that counted for something?

Or maybe not. Either way, his chances aren't good.

He felt like a mortal teenager.

"Aw, the pining is so simply adorable," a voice said behind him.

Orion didn't hesitate. He fired an arrow in the direction of the voice.

"So testy, dear. It really does not look attractive on you," Aphrodite sniffed, examining her fingernails, though Orion caught her eyeing the arrow shaft where it had planted itself on a tree trunk half an inch from her head warily. "I see that you've moved past your denial."

"Take it back," he snarled. "I did not ask to fall in love with Artemis."

"What makes you think I did anything?"

"Oh, I can think of a few anecdotes," he growled.

"Oh, please. I only use my love magic when I'm annoyed, or if someone prays to me for it. It's so much more beautiful when two people fall in love naturally, without my help," she squealed suddenly. "I've been watching you, you know. So cute!"

"What, so you're saying that you've got nothing to do with this?"

"Honey, do you think Artemis would let you back to camp if I've enchanted you somehow? She can sense my magic, you know. Antitheses, and all that. I'm sure you of all people understand. So no, sweetheart. I have not enchanted you in any way."

"Right. And are you going to say that Artemis is also in love with me next?"

"Oh, that I have no idea. Like I said before, she's one of the hopeless cases I have no control over. I can't sense her romantic inclinations like I can sense everyone else's. Regular, surface emotions, yes. Deeper emotions, like love or hatred? I've been...locked out from it. The best I can do is to make educated guesses. It's rather annoying. If you ask me, Artemis needs someone to love in her life."

"And it just happens that you decided that I'm the sacrificial lamb you want to make that happen." Despite that, Orion felt a surge of hope. Perhaps, if he had a blessing from the love goddess herself…

"Oh, don't put yourself down like that," she smiled prettily at him. "If it makes you feel better, your chances aren't zero. While I can't sense if she loves you, I can say from her interactions that she at least likes you. You should just ask her, you know? What's the worst that can happen?"

"She puts an arrow through my head?"

"Oh, don't be such a downer! She only does that to people she doesn't like. And you've said it yourself that you're friends."

"Even so, I can't just presume-"

"I've seen young couples do it all the time! Waiting for each other to confess their love, it's so cute! Frustrating at times, but adorable all the same. Neither of us knows how Artemis feels about this, so why don't you take a chance?"

"W-well, she did ask me to join the Hunt first," he murmured thoughtfully.

"And?"

"And both you and Apollo said that she's been spending more time with the Hunt since I've joined."

"Go on."

"And...she likes spending time with me."

She nodded enthusiastically. "That's the spirit! You have a chance! A good one, even!"

"Alright," he said reluctantly. "I'll ask her."

"I'm so proud of you," she wiped away a tear. "I'll even give you my blessing and everything. Now I must depart. I've got parties to attend."

He watched her depart with a heavy sense of deja vu as she dissolved into a pile of rose petals.

Orion was suddenly, very, very glad that Artemis was not anywhere near this time.

Apollo watched the exchange, hidden from both of them, hand tight on his bow.

The giant was becoming a problem.

He had been prepared to tolerate him, for Artemis. Maybe given enough time, he'd even grow to like him.

But this was crossing the line.

How dare this...abomination try to take his baby sister away? That monster was going to woo her, and she would change before his eyes as she grew more and more distant from him and closer and closer to him. Before long, she would disappear from his life.

She was going to break her vows, and he will lose his sister.

It was already happening.

He nocked an arrow and aimed. Better to take down the threat before it causes any damage.

But no.

If he eliminated him now, Artemis would still be attached to him. Gods knew how he was like after Daphne and Hyacinth.

He would break his little sister's heart.

He needed to make Artemis see that Orion was a monster. She needed to sever her attachments to him first.

Yes.

He lowered his bow and began to plot.

And that, my friends, is the beginning of the end.

And damn, Apollo is dark. I know I'm the one writing him, but still. I was writing the plot with an endpoint in mind, considering this story's foregone conclusion. And as I'm trying to work out Apollo's thought processes and motivations as the plot progresses, I was like, "Goddamn, we definitely underestimated this guy."

So what I'm trying to say here is Good is Not Nice.

Until next time!

And please give more reviews. I feel repetitive saying this, but reviews give me life.