So I lied and I wrote another 1-Shot. I said that I wouldn't, but I did. Don't expect this to become a regular thing. Oh well. Anyway, this was inspired by a 1-Shot that I read almost a full year ago I think? So, I decided to try to rewrite it again myself. I must warn you though, this is a sad 1-Shot. At least, that is what I am going for. Read at your own risk.
Pertimis 1-Shot
Artemis stared at Orion as he slowly nodded. Inside, a pained storm was brewing.
"Yeah," she heard the dark haired twenty-five year-old murmur. "Yes. I do love her." Immediately seeing the pain he was causing, he hurried to add, "But I love you too, Arty, I swear I never-"
But Artemis cut him short. "You disregarded the bond that I thought we had, Orion." She stared at the ring on her left hand. Toying with the band with her right thumb and forefinger, she hesitated as she slipped it off. Then, handing it to him, "If you love her, then don't waste this. Don't waste the breath you spent on me. Make it worth it."
She waited for him to take the damned ring back. He didn't. His eyes were set on her, as direct as she had demanded when she asked him if yes or no, he loved Kelli. His mistress.
Gods, the word seared her mind. In a very, very bad way, too.
Orion was sitting straight, as though he hadn't heard her. She held the ring before his eyes. "Orion, take it back."
Around them, other patrons kept looking back and forth between their plates and the ranting fiances.
"Orion-" She paused, mid-sentence, before risking, very slowly. "You are going to marry her, aren't you?"
He said nothing, finally looking away.
"Aren't you Orion?"
"Gods," he blew, looking back at her in annoyance, "I told you she was just some fling! I would have stopped seeing her after the wedding!"
Artemis said nothing, then brought the ring down to the table. She gently set it on the surface, cushioning the sound with the tablecloth. Her eyes rested on its shining, curved surface. "You don't understand"
"Yes, Arty, I do, you know I would never have risked ruining our wedding-"
"No, you don't understand! Our wedding doesn't begin in eight days! It began a long, long time ago! It began when we started dating, when you kissed me for the first time, it began when you asked me to marry you!"
This caused a number of raised brows and agreeing nods in the restaurant, but no one spoke. Artemis sat up straight.
"Orion, you ruined the wedding anyhow! Do you really think I would have wanted to be with a man who wasn't faithful when he'd promised me to love me and me only?"
"Arty-"
"That's Artemis to you. And don't you dare pretend that you would have stopped. If you weren't capable of stopping it before it began, then where would we have ended up? I'm not going to lie to you. I'm glad. I'm very glad that you chose to tell me now, so that at least, ONE of us doesn't have to live with you for the rest of their life. Asshole."
She stood, grabbing her purse and making for the front doors. Orion stood behind her, carefully grabbing the expensive ring and pocketing it. Then, he darted after her.
"Arty, you have to be reasonable-"
She whirled around, cutting the pursuit short. Now they had the attention of everyone in the place. She jabbed a finger in his chest, looking up at him furiously. "I AM being reasonable. I'm dropping you! And the wedding! I hope you live the rest of your life in celibacy and never have kids!"
He looked at her weird. "What do kids have to do with this?"
"I hope you never procreate, you jerk! And to ensure it-="
She kneed him in the groin, and as he doubled over in pain, she huffed, slamming her hell on his foot so he toppled over and fell.
"I hope you die."
With those charming last words, she hurried to the exit, the people's cheers following her, though she was fighting back hurt and humiliation. She didn't turn when she heard her name being called. Instead, she hailed a taxi on the street and hopped into the first one that stopped.
She hesitated, before giving an address that was not hers. The driver, seeing that she was near tears, chose not to push polite conversation, and simply obeyed her.
Which was how she set foot out of the taxi ten minutes later and paused. Would she be a bother?
She didn't dwell on the question too much, however, making for the neon-lit, narrow lobby. She could see Mrs. Dodds' door was open, and, hearing someone trying to enter, the building owner came out, saw Artemis in the doorway, looking miserable, and immediately ushered her in, urgently questioning the girl's presence so late at night.
With a weak sob, Artemis asked if Percy was home. Mrs Dodds nodded, looking genuinely sympathetic, and said he was.
"You can go right up. I can call ahead?"
"No, please don't bother. I'll just… drop by."
With a last heartfelt, compassionate-though confused-hug, Mrs Dodds went back into her apartment leaving Artemis in the brightly lit lobby. Step after exhausting step, she made her way to the second floor and around to Percy's front door. With one last sigh, she knocked on the thick panel.
After a few seconds, she heard his steps and he cracked the door open, peering out. Then, recognizing her, he opened the door wider, but then noticed she was tearing. Immediately, his concern grew. He quietly motioned her in, and she walked inside silently making her way to this fairly large living room. She heard him shut the door, then come back over.
"Artemis?" He asked, "Arty, what 's wrong?"
Not a second after he'd asked her this, she was throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing wetly onto his shoulder. Percy, unsure, wrapped his arms around the young woman, making her sit on his large, soft couch. It wasn't a hard and rigid couch, like Orion's. Instead, it was old and thickly cushioned, so much more to her taste. She had never really been comfortable with Orion's furniture.
Brushing her hair from her wet cheeks, Percy waited for her to calm down, then asked again, "Arty, tell me what happened."
Sniffling, she stammered between sobs, "G-He was cheating on me with a woman called Kelli and he loved her but didn't want to marry her and I-I j-Just broke off my engagement to him and he was such a jerk and it hurts!"
She softly leaned into his shoulder again, shoulders shaking. He could hear her angrily mumble between tears words like, 'bastard', 'asshole', 'jerk'. He had to focus on the fact that she was crying, despite how his heart had unexpectedly started soaring at the news. She was free? Free of any demigod?
How light he felt, all of a sudden. She was free again, though he had convinced himself to accept her wedding to Orion.
Even if it hurt. A lot.
"Arty," he said, pushing her back only slightly, keeping her still quite close, "Artemis, you have to calm down."
She broke away from him, standing and starting to pace his living room furiously. Her eyes were still crying, but her face was red and angry.
"I can't believe the nerve of him! He invites me to eat at the restaurant, and then, in front of everyone, he just announces that he's been cheating on me for like, a year now! And then he gives me all this bullshit about how he'd have stopped after the wedding! I'm so sure! Gods, Percy," at this she turned back to the young man sitting on the couch uncertainly, "why do I ALWAYS end up with bastards?"
He raised an eyebrow, looking at her pointedly, "You ended up right here. I do accept the compliment though."
She shook her head, falling back beside him. Putting her head on his shoulder, she mumbled, "I didn't mean you Percy."
He smiled softly, rubbing her arm with his warm hand soothingly. "It's alright, it's alright. Just calm down. We'll straighten this out. We'll make it okay again."
Fresh tears fell out of her eyes. "How am I ever going to tell everyone? They were all so looking forward to it! Oh no!" She sat up, a tear falling onto her lap. "Oh no," she brokenly spoke, "I have to tell Poseidon! Oh no, Percy, what if he tries to kill me!"
Percy blinked at her. "Hey, don't go crazy here. You're not his daughter yet. Besides, you're an Olympian and I am his son. I don't think he'd try to kill you. And Apollo will be happy about it for sure, along with Zeus, probably."
"And Mother," Artemis breathed, seemingly not hearing him. "He was the man she wanted me to marry. She wanted him for me, she wanted grand kids!" I have to send a IM, do you mind?"
She had already picked up the bag of drachmas that Percy always kept handy. Percy reached out and snatched it from her. She squeaked and he set them back down on the side table. Then, he reached out and grabbed both of her arms.
"You calm down immediately. I am sure that she would want her daughter to be happy. And if that means she has to wait longer for grand kids form you, then that's what she would want. Plus," he added, seeing her trying to answer back, "you're emotionally drained. You'd just end up sobbing and I'd have to take over for you and deliver the bad news myself." He wiped away new tears, gently but firmly. "You're going to calm down right now."
"Don't order me around," she muttered.
"I'm not." Then, while standing, "So, do I fetch you some clothes?"
Blinking tiredly at him, she asked, "Clothes? What for?"
He sighed, rolling his eyes and softly smiling. "Arty, you't not going back to Olympus in this state. Gods know what you would do. You're sleeping here tonight. You did it before, remember?" He slowly said, making motions with his hands. "You know, before you got engaged and chose not to give your ass of a boyfriend any ideas? You can have my bed," he said. "I was feeling like sleeping on the couch tonight anyway."
She smiled softly, for many reasons. He had always been caring and understanding. And giving. Gods knew he was a giving friend. Not to mention, how he had saved her life and Olympus itself several times.
Although…
"You were feeling like sleeping on the couch? What is wrong with you?"
He shrugged his broad shoulders, shooting her an embarrassed grin. "I do that sometimes. Makes for a change in scenery."
Artemis let out a laugh at that. "Liar. I bet there's monster dust in your sheets and you won't get rid of it."
Percy shot her a glare. "I'm cleaner than that, Arty. Gods, you hurt my feelings," he joking wheezed, bringing a hand to his heart. "Honestly, the woman just can't believe I like having a change in my habits," He spoke to thin air as he made his way into his bedroom. She could hear him pulling a drawer open and closed. He came back into view a few seconds later, throwing a bundle of clothes onto her lap.
The bundle contained a pair of light grey sweatpants, and a sweatshirt of the same color with the words 'New York University Swim Team' printed on the front. On the back it said 'Jackson'. She smiled. Knowing Percy, he had most likely kept it just for her, even though with her having been engaged, the chances of her staying the night at his place again were slim to none. These clothes, in his mind, were Artemis's clothes, and no one else's.
She hurried over to his bathroom to pull on it. She threw her dress on the floor, stepping on it, before reaching out to his medical cabinet to find the bottle of make-up remover she usually put there. Reaching past the bandages and emergency nectar he kept there, she, to her surprise, found it. He had kept it after all this time, and with a silent thanks for the stability he brought her and her life, she carefully took off all her make-up. She untied her hair, ruffling it, finally relaxing.
As she removed her 'warpaint' as Percy liked to call it, she thought about how she would never have been caught dead with it on before Orion. He had always pushed her to wear makeup, to do something with her hair, to wear expensive clothes and jewelry. On the other hand, Percy had never said anything to her about her beauty except to reassure her that she looked good, (usually before a date with Orion or whenever she had makeup on) and to compliment her 'natural beauty'. (whenever she didn't have makeup on)
Rolling her dress up into a ball, she stepped out, decked out in sweats. He took her in, smiling as though finally things had become lighter, and then took her clothes from her, not even glancing down to search for a bra or panties, as any other man she knew would have, and put them in an plastic grocery bag, carefully, that he placed by the door to the kitsch, beside her handbag.
Even his words, as he disappeared into the kitchen, were familiar to her. "You'll borrow a t-shirt and some jeans of mine tomorrow."
She followed him, softly padding on the white tiled floor. "Thank you. So," she asked, leaning on his counter, "why exactly did you want to sleep on the couch tonight?"
"I need change in my monotone life. You know, ever since stopped coming over, things have been getting pretty darn boring on weeknights. I can't even go to the gym withoutwith out getting bored out of my mind." He threw her ahe a grin. "Sparring just isn't Sparring without the friendly," here he dropped his voice a little bit quieter. "And the unfriendly," his voice got a little bit louder again, going back to his previous volume. "Trash talking."
She put her cheek in the palm of her hand, smiling at him. Percy was slowly easing her heartbreak, though not completely of course.
"You really need a girlfriend," she decided. He smiled
"Nuh-uh. I don't. Here," he said. Pulling out two small tubfuls of BEN & JERRY'S Half Baked Ice Cream. He slid one across the counter towards her, before reaching into a drawer behind him to retrieve two small spoons, one of which he sent skittering across the counter towards her as well. She caught the ice cream, eyes widening in surprise, before catching the spoon as well.
"Half Baked?!" She exclaimed, excitedly. "Percy you are a god."
Percy chuckled at this. "Not quite, Arty. Just half of one."
He smirked as he reached into the upper cabinet. "You haven't even seen it all yet." He pulled out a plastic bag that had been vacuum packaged.
Artemis's eyes widened. "You still have some of that jerky from our last hunting trip!" She asked in surprise.
Percy winked at her. "I do." A giant smile was across his face.
"Can I have some? Please?"
Percy shook his head. "This is all for me." He said, a smirk on his face.
Artemis gave him a look, her big eyes making her look like a cute little deer.
Percy shook his head, His arms wrapped firmly around the bag and with his eyes already closed. He was used to her tactics by now.
Artemis glared threateningly, before a smile crossed her face. She quickly schooled her face back into a sad expression, before Percy could see her mischievous smirk. "Fine." She huffed as she turned her back on him.
Percy opened his eyes, surprised. "I win?"
"Yes, you win." Artemis was struggling not to laugh.
"Just like that? I never win."
"Yes, you win you ignorant boy." She said mockingly. "But-" here she paused, giving Percy an opportunity to ask "But what?"
"Buuut," She dragged the word out, enjoying the nervous look crossing Percy's face, before continuing "What would the hunters and more specifically, what would Thalia say if she knew you had been hoarding the last of the jerky?"
Percy's face paled rapidly. "Uh, uh-"
Artemis interrupted. "However, if you give me some of that jerky, that I may somehow forget to mention to them that you were hoarding the rest of the jerky!" Near the end her voice picked up an accusatory tone, something which made the already pale Percy turn even whiter.
Percy's mind raced, trying to find a way out of his predicament. "Um, because, uh-"
Artemis laughed, her laugh cutting through his thoughts like Riptide cutting through the Minotaur "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Hero of Olympus!"
He sheepishly smiled at her. "I accept your terms. But be warned, this will be the last time you defeat me in battle!"
She laughed. She had missed this, late nights with Percy, hunting with Percy, sparring with Per-. Now that she thought about it, she just missed Percy in general. She made a mental note to enjoy every second with her best friend she had.
"Arty? Olympus to Artemis? Come in Artemis?" She jumped, not realizing Percy had walked around the counter and was now waving the bag of jerky in front of her face.
"There we go." Percy smiled. "I knew the jerky would bring you back. Now where did you go?"
Artemis smiled, a sad smile, as nostalgic memories flitted through her mind.
Percy immediately though that her thoughts were on Orion again, so he picked her up in his arms. Artemis squealed, before she started to beat on Percy with her tub of ice cream. "Peerrccyy, put me doowwwnn!" As he neared the couch, he started to swing her a little. "A one, and A two, and a three!" He tossed her through the air, as she gave a little scream of fright. Remarkably, she had managed to maintain her grip on both her ice cream and the spoon. She bounced on the couch, dropped her ice cream and spoon, then, using her momentum from the bounce, launched herself to her feet as she grabbed one of the pillows scattered around the room.
Percy had turned around as soon as he'd released Artemis, his thoughts now on getting his ice cream and jerky from where he had set it on the counter. When he heard Artemis shriek, he turned back around to look. Sadly, our hero turned around much too slowly. And so, he was completely unprepared when a pillow came hurtling through the air, much like a missile, to crash into his face, knocking him flat on his back.
Artemis decided to copy what she had seen a mortal do once. She didn't know why, it just felt appropriate at the time. She flexed her arms and let out a roar as if she had just posterized Dirk Noitski.
Meanwhile, Percy was sitting up while getting ready to retaliate. As soon as he saw what Artemis had done, all his fantastic plans of revenge left his head. He started laughing uncontrollably.
"Whe- Where did you see that!?" He asked Artemis, who was confused as to why he was laughing.
"At Orion's, it was on TV. I believe the mortals were playing some sort of game involving baskets and balls. Why?" She hesitantly answered, not noticing the small frown that crossed Percy's face at the mention of Orion.
"Nothing, it was just funny to see you imitate a Basketball player. I just keep imagining you dunking on, like, LeBron James, and then flexing on him."
A confused look crossed Artemis's face. "Who's LeBron James?"
Percy stopped laughing, before locking eyes with her. "Who's LeBron James?" He asked, disbelieving. When he realized that Artemis was serious, he mentally facepalmed. 'Of course, she's a goddess. They typically don't watch ESPN.'
"Well," he began. "It's a little difficult to explain, so just picture a heavily muscular 6 feet 9 inches (201.3 cm) male. While you are about, 5 feet 8 inches? 5 feet 9 inches? (about 172.7 and 175.2 cm) I just can't see it happening." He finished.
Artemis pouted. "Don't make fun of me."
"I'm not." Percy declared. "I really was curing heartbreak."
"Heartbreak from what?"
"From who, you mean." He said, returning from the kitchen with his ice cream, spoon, and jerky.
"Alright, Heartbreak because of who?"
"I can't tell you. But she is oblivious to my existence as a sexual being."
Artemis grimaced, looking at him. "Please never say that again."
He grinned widely. "What, Arty? Can't stand my incredible sexuality?"
She shut her eyes tightly. "Gods, stop the madness."
With a smile, he stood from the couch again. "So what movie do you want to watch?"
She blinked up at him. "What? A movie? What the-" He cut her off with a hand to her forehead. She glared up at him from under his fingers as he carefully examined her temperature. "Percy."
"Sorry, sorry. Just checking. I was wondering if maybe you'd gone crazy or something. I mean, what did you think? That we'd eat ice cream and stuff ourselves with jerky all evening with no movie to make fun of?"
"And you're checking MY temperature? I'm a goddess, Percy. I can't get sick. You, on the other hand…" she trailed off.
Percy shrugged, inserting a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. "Just choose one," he gestured at the bookshelf next to the TV that was filled with, Gasp, DVD's.
"If Athena could see this she would have a fit." Artemis commented, a small smile across her face. "Any specific movies to avoid?" she questioned, looking back over her shoulder.
"Not really, Ooh! I have an idea! Lets watch Clash of the Titans!"
Artemis blinked, surprised. "That's an actual movie?" At Percy's nod, she sighed and turned back to the bookshelf, quickly locating the movie. She inserted the disk into the DVD player, then went to sit next to Percy.
She slid herslid a her first bite of ice cream in her mouth. The cold goodness of the ice cream made her let out a small moan. "Gods Percy, you're a lifesaver."
"Why, thank you milady." As Artemis glared at him he quickly corrected his mistake. "Why thank you Artemis." Artemis smiled at him before leaning against his side.
"Percy, can you do me a favor?"
"Yes?"
"Can you say, Orion is a gods damned asshole?"
He repeated the words with uncertainty. She smiled, looking relieved.
"Say it again, please."
He complied, adding a flourish and a British accent to it. "Orion is the worst Gods damned arsehole I have ever met."
She peeked at him from his shoulder. "Do you think I did the right thing by dumping him?"
He nodded, assuring. "Gods, yes. If you haven't already done so, 'll kick him in the balls myself."
She smiled, happy that he'd go to such lengths to save her honor. A long silence followed. Now, the 'Coming soon to theaters' was flashing across the screen. She looked back up at Percy. "I did, by the way."
Astonished, Percy looked down at her, innocently cuddled against him, a tub of ice cream cradled between her chest and her knees as she pulled a blanket over her legs. She looked almost childish, like a little girl he put up with.
Only with nice pink lips and beautiful skin.
And the waist of a goddess. (oh the irony)
And soft, perfect auburn hair…
Now was really not the time to think of her like that.
As his thoughts left Artemis, he realized what she had said. "You kicked him where the sun doesn't shine in front of the whole restaurant?" At her nod, he gave a weak, low, whine and said "Congratulations, but remind me to never insult you, woman!"
She giggled. "OK. Percy?"
"Yes?"
"Never insult me, hurt me, deceive me, disappoint me, hurt me, or my hunter, or else…"
"I won't, I won't!" He hastily, mock-desperately cried. "I would never! Besides, If I did, and I survived Apollo you would probably burn down my house, take all my remaining furniture and-" She shut him up by placing a finger across his lips. "Shut up, it's time for our feature presentation."
As the intro started to play, Artemis again turned to Percy.
"Percy, remind me again why I thought a man could be worth more than you?"
"I'll never know." Percy answered with a shrug. He hoped she didn't hear his heart thudding in his chest. "You must have been delirious."
"I feel so much better right now," she muttered. "I feel like everything is right again."
"How could anything go wrong with me around?" Percy lightly joked, though he was feeling elated.
"I don't know. But thank you." She pecked him on the cheek gently, and then turned back as the vivid colors on the screen captured her attention again. "Oh, and Percy?"
"Yes?" He forced, trying to control his heartbeat as his cheek tingled.
"You know, I don't care anymore about whether or not you sleep in the same bed as me, I mean, I trust you."
He smiled happily. "You just want to cuddle with me just because I'm warm," he accused. She laughed, the wonderful sound right next to his ear.
"Yes. You'll always be my teddy bear. Now quiet. I want to watch the movie."
"Alright," he agreed, pulling her close to his chest for the first time in what seemed like ages. She leant back and they both ate quietly, criticizing the movie whenever it got something wrong, which was often.
He couldn't remember how, or when, she had taken a romantic spot in his heart, but he knew that she would never be dislodged. Her engagement to Orion had proven that. She hadn't once left his thoughts during those months where they were apart for reasons preferably unnamed.
She had been infatuated with Orion since what seemed like forever, and Percy had been front seat witness to everything from her first date with him to Orion's plea that she please become his wife. And he had been the secretly heartbroken fool who had listened to her squeal on Iris Messages about how wonderful her evening with Orion had been, and how she wanted him to be the wedding day…
Percy had spent many sleepless nights, imagining her entangled in that cursed Orion, laughing, being someone else's but Percy's alone. And then, he would snap himself out of it, thinking that maybe, maybe, it would be the right thing to do, to let her go. And then found that he couldn't.
Ever since she had said yes to Orion's demand, they had grown apart, to both their discontent. She had clearly told Percy, one day, that there would be no more sleepovers and no more Monday nights with her, even if they had been great while they lasted. She wanted to devote her time to Orion.
He still couldn't figure out how he'd manage to nod and pretend he understood when, inside, his soul had been ripped apart. Orion wasn't just marrying Artemis. He was tearing her away from him.
And Percy had a very hard time understanding that.
But now, it seemed a miracle that she had appeared at his front door-hurt and crying, it was true, but maybe, just maybe things could return to the way they were.
Would he ever find the courage to lose his sanity again, for the sake of her happiness? Would he be able to just stand aside and let some other jerk have her? Percy knew the answer all too well. The thought warmed his heart. He wouldn't let her slip through his fingers. Not anymore.
She yawned cutely as she dipped her spoon into her tub of ice cream. On the screen, Perseus and his family are watching the city of Argos declare war on the gods. Percy knew the movie pretty well, and didn't really dwell on it. He was just reveling in the closeness, the warmth that she brought him. He saw her eyes drift closed. With a small smile, he lowered the volume on the TV, and as the gentle silence made her blink open, he picked her up easily. He was astonished at how light she still was, how easily she let him cradle her, and how trusting she had grown over the years.
He carried her to his room. It had been a repeated action. They had often drifted off to sleep together before. It had never been something negative or sexual. They just were comfortable enough that it didn't matter.
Well, to her, at least. He couldn't deny that when she cuddled near him, he felt like his heart was sprinting, like he could just smile so widely his face would crack.
But she was always asleep. She never seemed to realize how much he cared for her. She must have assumed he was gay or something. There was no other freaking way she would have let a young man sleep next to her.
Unless, said man was Orion, but then again, she had changed her mind tonight.
So it was hesitantly that he tucked her in. She seemed fast asleep. Maybe she wouldn't notice if he slid out and slept on the couch after all. There was no way he would be able to spend the night with her while actually getting some shut eye.
Though he really did want to sleep next to her, and sense the heat that she was radiating…
She took care of the question when, as he was able to walk away, her hand shot out from under the covers and grabbed his wrist, tugging him back. He fell over backwards, landing beside her, though a bit more and he'd have fallen straight on her. He turned over, glaring at the tired bundle of covers.
And he felt his heart soar as he realized that she wasn't spending the night at Orion's today, but rather here, in his bed. In his apartment.
Okay. So it was a friends-only zone for her.
But still.
She most likely wasn't aware of how much he felt like laughing. Like calling Orion himself and just laughing really loud into the message, before slashing through the rainbow mist. Maybe yell a "HA! LOSER! I WIN! I WIN!" or some other sort of jab.
Though that would be very childish of him.
He decided that would have been the fun of it. Unlike Orion, Percy didn't have any honor other than being plain old Percy, everyone's best friend and hero of Olympus. He was working on his Marine Biology Degree as well, so he could help his fathers subjects and make money at the same time.
That way he could maybe, one day in the future, support a few kids.
Hmm, the possibilities…
"Percy?" He heard her mumble almost inaudibly. He turned to look at her.
"Arty?"
"I'm cold. Your sheets smell damn good, but they're cold."
His sheets smelled damn good? Oh yeah, he rocked, that's right. Of course she'd like how his covers smelled. They smelled like him: damn good. Did she ever think of Orion's sheets as smelling damn good? Had she ever been in contact with Orion's sheets? Probably, but he hoped not.
"Fine then, I'm coming. Let me go stop the movie. I'll turn off the lights and be right over."
"Hurry up, then," she mumbled into his pillow.
Percy sighed loudly, as though exasperated, but he internally loved the way she was acting like she owned the place. His place.
He decided, as he did just what he had set out to do, that should he ever marry her, things would stay exactly as they were.
Though, maybe there'd be sex. Hopefully lots of it. He couldn't say that she hadn't haunted him in that way before. That would be a lit. Sometimes, she would haunt his nights, making him wake up with really really nice images in his mind. And then, he'd bother to feel ashamed. Gods, life sucked. If it were in real life, then he wouldn't feel shy.
Not one bit.
He't probably be too far-gone to give a shit.
No, those weren't the thoughts to have as he was about to join her in his own bed.
He wasn't all that twisted really. If he could spend some time with her at least, he'd be happy.
He had just turned the lights in the kitchen off, when a cloud of mist appeared. He had asked Iris to direct all Iris messages to his kitchen to avoid a repeat of Aphrodite IM'ing him while he was in the shower. Realizing that Orion couldn't see him in the dark kitchen, he hesitated.
"Artemis, Artemis, where the Hades are you? Do you know how worried I was? Orion. Damn the man. 'Hey that rhymed' Percy realized. He was pulled out of his thoughts by Orion's voice. I called your palace, I called your friends, I thought something had happened to you after you left the restaurant. Look, sweetie, I really love you, okay? I'm sorry you got it all wrong. It's okay, I forgive you and understand it must have been a pretty big shock. I totally understand, but please, you have to take the ring back. I promise not to speak with Kelli anymore. She's just a fling, I promise. She and I are not serious."
"Then why are you talking about her in present time, asshole?" Percy finally broke in.
"Artemis? Arty, are you-Who is this?"
"I wonder which part of no you don't get, you gold-digging lowlife. Artemis won't speak with you anymore."
"Are you her boyfriend?" Orion angrily spat into the message, making the young demigod tense angrily in the kitchen.
"No. She and I have more respect for true loving values. She never cheated on you.."
"Then who the fuck are you?"
Percy, raising an eyebrow, almost laughed into the message. "I'm Percy, her friend."
"Oh, you," Orion's voice was disdainful. "Well, I don't give a shit about you. Where's Artemis? What are you doing with her?"
"I'm afraid that such information must be withheld from you. I think she made it clear she doesn't want to speak with you ever again. Oh, and don't bother to call her brother. You probably didn't know this, but he likes you even less than I do. I'm saying this to protect you, but I'd rather have you decapitated for your actions. And you would have, because you never bothered to know Artemis's acquaintances and habits in detail."
"Who the Hades are you to judge me? You don't know me, we never met!"
"My point exactly," Percy calmly responded, swiping through the cloud of mist. He thought he had taken care of it fairly well, but having that jerk's voice so nasty at him made him furious.
How in the world had Artemis fallen for a man like him?
He tried to calm himself as he walked out of his dark kitchen and into the tiny hall. He heard rustling coming from his room's door. Hurrying, he saw Artemis lying back down on the mattress, turned away from him. He paused in the doorway.
"I'm sorry," he finally whispered into the darkness, "I shouldn't have dealt with him like that."
"I need a hug," he heard her weakly whimper in his sheets.
Hurriedly, he slipped between his covers, pulling her around the waist closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he knew at once that she was crying again.
"Artemis," he whispered, pushing her away a bit to wipe her face, "Arty, please stop. I'm sorry."
She didn't let him soothe her. She just flung herself at him, ending up halfway over him. Her face was buried in his chest. He saw her shoulders stop quaking gradually. Finally, he felt her warm breath, more than he actually heard her, say "Thank you. Thank you."
He ran hesitant fingers through her hair, whispering still, "Are you mad at me?"
"No," he could see her smile, though it was hard to discern in the darkness. "I'm happy."
He said nothing, and she explained.
"You're the only one who has ever bothered to protect me before. Orion never did that. I feel like I can count on you and you'd never let me down. I feel safe with you. Thank you."
He brought her face close to his so that they were nose to nose in the almost complete darkness. "Arty, I-"
"No, let me finish," she breathed. "I treated you like scum, and for months I didn't ever speak with you because I was afraid Orion would get mad at me, and then, the minute I got hurt, I turned to you. And you let me in without question," she added with a crack in her voice. "Percy, you're a wonderful person. I don't know why I was so blind." He felt her move so very close to him. Her breathing was heavier, ragged.
"You loved Orion," Percy whispered hoarsely. "And you still do, in your heartbreak. I'm not going to let you do something stupid."
With that he gently pushed her off him, turned her around and held her from behind, though he would have desperately wanted to let her go ahead and kiss him.
"You're hurt." He reasoned. "I'm not going to let you do something you might regret when you heal. Now hush, or you may say something you don't mean. Just listen to me. Feel free to fall asleep whenever you want."
He took a deep breath, and her soft scent flooded her senses.
"Before you can move on healthily, you need to heal right. For the next two week at the very least, you are going to enjoy your life. You're going to work a bit, go out, IM friends. And whenever you want to cry, you can come right here. You can find me. I'm always going to be there for you. I'm not going anywhere. You still have lots of time so don't worry just now about finding a husband. He'll come along when the time is right."
He knew she was listening intently. He knew she was crying still.
"And if you think things are wrong in the world, you can come right here, Arty. I'll always put everything second to you, okay?" He smiled softly in her hair. "You always were really important to me, and if you feel bad, then I know all won't be well in my world until I solve yours."
"We've known each other for so long, we met when we were what, ten? But we were raised together, happy together, punished together. I don't remember a time in my life where you weren't there. Expect maybe the past few months. And I'm telling you , Arty, those were the worst months of my life."
Her shoulders shook. He let her finish crying before continuing, rubbing her arm gently. "You are extremely dear to me. I'll admit I had trouble accepting that you should be taken away from me by Orion, but it was okay because…" At this he paused, then exhaled. "I wanted you to be happy."
She sighed heavily. He could feel some of her hair tickling his cheek.
"I wasn't happy with Orion. Percy, the only time I actually was happy was with you. I was an idiot not to notice.
He could hear her smile.
"From now on," she said softly in the darkness, "You and I are the best friends ever. And nothing is ever going to come between us, alright?"
"Alright," he weakly said.
"I'm going to sleep now. Percy?"
"Yeah?" He asked, still unsure about her previous phrasing.
"Can I cuddle?"
She didn't leave him time to answer. She turned over and nuzzled him in the neck, wrapping her limbs around him like a live, adult-size teddy bear. Had she known what thoughts ran through his head at that moment…
"Good night kiss?" She softly asked as she yawned. He smiled. He brought his lips to her forehead, placing a gentle kiss there. He could almost feel her close her eyes. He heard her breathing even out.
"Good night, Artemis," he whispered to no one, and deep in his heart, he knew everything would be all right.
The End
Yah Yeet Dab, that is the most I have ever written in one sitting. I am very proud of myself. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! til next time!