Chapter 27: Aftermath
3RD PERSON POV
Artemis returned to the camp after Percy was stabilized in Apollo's temple to assess the damages. The campers and the hunters had both lost too many and the entire day after the battle was dedicated to the shroud burnings. With so many bodies piled up, there was no shortage of tears from all present. What was left of the Hunt was then flashed to Apollo's temple to see their Guardian and let the campers mourn.
Once they appeared outside of the temple, Apollo greeted them and took them to the medical wing where Percy was resting. He still hadn't woken up yet, but had no shortage of visitors. Hera and Hestia were a crying mess and both refused to leave their son's and champion's side respectively. Poseidon had to tend to his domain, but checked up on his son regularly.
Estelle was a crying mess seeing her brother was his arm missing and hooked up to so many machines. She ran to her mother and buried her face in the crook of Hera's neck as she cried herself to sleep. The rest of the little ones weren't much better, crying at Percy's side. Thalia stood at Artemis' side, both with tears in their eyes as they gazed on Percy's unmoving form.
"He's so relaxed," Thalia whispered and Artemis smiled softly. "Things are going to change around here," Artemis whispered back, causing Thalia to look at her questionly. Artemis took a deep breath and said, "He told me that he fell for me." Thalia's eyes widened and Hestia smiled at the interaction knowingly. Thalia let out a small chuckle. "Only the Kelp-Head," she said and Artemis smiled as well.
"He may be the only exception and I will follow you until I join my sisters in Elysium, Milady. But you're going to have some explaining to do to the others," Thalia said quietly and Artemis nodded. "Just make sure this is what you want," she said finally and Artemis steeled herself. "I want to see where it will go, but any sign of him turning into something I can't tolerate and he will be added to the jackalope population," Artemis said and Thalia chuckled again.
The Hunt cleared out of his room and went to Artemis' temple to rest while they awaited their Guardian's recovery. Artemis found herself in Apollo's living room again, looking at the pictures that covered the walls. "He'll be fine. Just needs his rest," Apollo said from behind her and she turned around and offered him a smile and a nod. "What is it like? Being a parent? I know the hunters are like surrogate daughters, but they're still not my children," Artemis asked and Apollo was caught off guard by the question.
He joined Artemis in front of the pictures and stayed quiet for a moment. "It's rewarding and heartbreaking all at once. I feel so much pride and love for all of them for the most minor things they do… yet I have missed so many of those moments and outlived all of them… it breaks my heart," he said softly and Artemis nodded.
"I forgive you Artemis," Apollo said suddenly after another long silence. Artemis turned to him rapidly and went wide-eyed with unshed tears. "It hurt… it still hurts… but I've seen the changes in your demeanor from your time with Percy. I-I don't want to put you through that and I want my sister back. The one from Delos," he said softly and the two twins embraced with water works.
"I love you, Little Brother," Artemis whispered into his chest and Apollo smiled softly as the tears fell. They pulled away and wiped their eyes and chuckled at how Artemis was crying and hugging her brother. "Percy has changed us so much in such a short amount of time… no wonder you fell for him," Apollo said and Artemis stiffened, much to Apollo's amusement.
"God of Truth, remember?" he said and Artemis playfully slapped his arm. "You're not mad?" she asked and he smiled and shook his head. "He's the only one it ever could have been. I just don't know if I should keep calling him cousin or brother now," Apollo said with a wink and Artemis blushed heavily. "He hasn't even taken me on a proper date yet," Artemis huffed and turned red in embarrassment again for acting like a child of Aphrodite and Apollo laughed loudly.
"I assure you that he will when he finally wakes up again. Just make sure you two use protection," Apollo teased again with a wink and Artemis was even more red in embarrassment. Apollo flashed out shortly after and Artemis went back to Percy's room to watch over him while he slept. She smiled and leaned over his body and placed a kiss on his forehead before settling into a chair and drifting off to sleep herself.
That was the extent of the Hunt for a week; they would rest and train in Artemis' temple and visit Percy while he remained unconscious. Artemis hardly left his side and would often hold his hand while she was alone in the room with him.
ARTEMIS POV
"So he finally admitted it, huh?" Hestia said four days since the battle and I sprang up, releasing his hand and blushing in embarrassment of being caught. Hestia just smiled knowingly at me. I turned and looked down on the man I loved again and smiled. "He did," I said softly. Hestia came over to me and hugged me.
"You two are going to be all Aphrodite talks about for the next millenia," she teased me and I chuckled. "It would seem so," I said and Hestia adopted a more serious expression. "Zeus is going to have a fit when he finds out," she said and I grimaced before steeling myself. "There isn't anything he can do about it. I can date who I deem worthy and it's not like I will be breaking my vow," I said and Hestia smiled widely.
"Good. And you mean you won't be breaking it yet," she added with a wink and I flushed again embarrassed. "I-I don't k-know about that," I stammered and Hestia laughed lightly. "I know, Niece. That is something only the two of you can figure out, but from what we both saw in the Throne Room years ago, it is something he wants," she said and I nodded.
"I saw how he was with the little ones and his own sister and all of the pictures around Apollo's temple. I have… thought about what it might be like," I admitted and Hestia gained a faraway look in her eyes. "As have I," she said and I went wide-eyed. She dismissed me with a wave of her hand and continued. "One of my domains is home, so I see how brightly the hearth burns between families with their own little ones. But I haven't met any man that I would consider it with. Percy is the closest I have had to a son and I am more than content with that," she finished and I smiled at her and looked at Percy again. He had drool pooling on his hospital gown and I giggled.
3RD PERSON POV
The Hunt was beginning to worry and get restless with Percy still being unconscious and Artemis still didn't leave his side. The only one who could wake him up was himself, and no one knew when that would be. But it would come a week after the battle. He would finally awaken after an interesting dream.
PERCY POV
~Dream Sequence~
I woke up somewhere in the forest overlooking the ocean with a full moon in all its beauty. 'Artemis must be really happy,' I mused and on cue said goddess and my secret love came into view being chased by a young girl of maybe three years. She was laughing beautifully as the little one giggled and chased her. She felt familiar and I didn't know why.
She had raven black hair like mine and silver eyes like Artemis and a lot of Artemis' facial features. "Mommy!" she giggled as Artemis scooped her up in her arms with a laugh that sounded like tinkling bells. 'Mommy? Artemis has a kid?' I thought as I watched a third figure emerge from the trees with a bundle in his arms.
"Look at this, my little huntress," Artemis said with the young one on her hip. "This is where the forest meets the ocean; where the tides dance to the tune of the moon," Artemis said with a smile. "Just like you and Daddy!" the little girl exclaimed and Artemis turned to look at the approaching figure. It was me and in other-me's arms was another infant girl with a darker auburn tuft nestled in a blanket and asleep.
I was shocked. Artemis had a kid; two kids and apparently with me. I was filled with so much happiness in that moment as I watched the scene of the family and felt an incredible sense of longing. "Just like me and your mother, Zoe," other-me said and I felt tears prick my eyes.
"Beautiful isn't it?" a voice came from behind me and I turned around to see other-me's daughter's namesake: Zoe Nightshade. "Z-Zoe?" I asked through the tears and she smiled and nodded, pulling me into a hug. "D-Did I die and Artemis put me in the stars too?" I asked and she laughed at me.
"No, Perseus. Ouranos granted me a single trip to your dreams given that you and Milady have fallen in love," she said and I paled to which she laughed at again. "Relax, Perseus. I have been watching you two from the stars and I am here only to give you my blessing and threaten you if you would break her heart," she said and I nodded rapidly.
"Good," she said, satisfied and looked back to the scene with me. "This is just a mere possibility of what your love for each other could blossom into," she said and I smiled as more tears pricked my eyes. "Thank you," I whispered and Zoe shook her head at me. "Thank you, Percy. You have made Milady incredibly happy and you shall continue to otherwise I'll shoot you down from the stars myself," she said and I chuckled.
"Now, wake up. Your love is waiting for you," she said and I felt my consciousness come back to the real world.
~Dream Sequence End~
I woke up to feel a weight on my chest. I tentatively opened my eyes to see the auburn hair of the goddess I loved splayed across my chest and heard her snoring softly. Her scent of pine and cinnamon invaded my nostrils and I smiled down at her sleeping form. I went to stroke her hair with my left hand as my right was being held by her in a vice grip when I couldn't feel it.
I swallowed thickly. I raised my arm and saw that it ended just below my elbow. Then the memories of the fight pounded my head and I remembered everything. I raised my… nub and prodded her awake and she groaned quietly and stirred lightly. "Wake up, Arty," I whispered and she bolted up fast and looked right at me with unshed tears.
I didn't even have time to smile at her, much less say anything, before her lips crashed into mine and every synaps in my brain overloaded in that instant. Her soft lips melted into mine like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle as they moved effortlessly around one another. Her scent invaded my nostrils a second time and her hot breath against mine sent me to Elysium.
Hormones got the better of me as the blood rushed to my manhood and I hungrily kissed her harder. Surprisingly, her tongue begged for entrance to my mouth against my bottom lip and I happily obliged. Our tongues melted together much like our lips and the wrestling match for dominance started.
"Ahem," a voice sounded in the room and both of us stopped on a dime and froze, red from the embarrassment and breathing heavily. Slowly, she got off of me and didn't dare look at her brother from the way she was shamelessly kissing me. I wasn't much better. Apollo on the other hand just laughed uproariously. "About time!" he managed to get out through the fits of laughter, making the two of us blush further.
3RD PERSON POV
Apollo ran through his check up after his laughing subsided and Artemis went to get the Hunt and take them to the Throne Room for the meeting. Apollo told Percy that he and Hepaestus could work on a prosthetic for Percy, but Percy just shook his head and said they could talk about it later. After he was cleared, Percy adorned his cloak again, with the loose fabric of the left arm blowing gently in the breeze and Apollo flashed them to the Throne Room.
Percy was bombarded by everyone when he woke up and got there. Estelle leapt on him and cried into the crook of his neck and he just smiled and soothed her lovingly. Hera came and hugged her son, also with tears in her eyes before kissing his forehead and returning to her throne. Hestia was the same way. Poseidon crushed his son in a hug, also with unshed tears and Percy gladly hugged him back.
Thalia slapped him for making her worry as did Nico and Clarisse before they shared a tearful hug. Percy gave smiles and waves to the Seven, not wanting to waste anymore time and they could always talk later.
"Perseus Jackson," Zeus boomed and he knelt in the middle of the room. "Well Nephew, it seems that we're back here again. I will not waste the breath with offering you Godhood again," Zeus grumbled annoyed and everyone laughed. "What would you like?" he asked and Percy adopted a contemplative look.
"We could get you a new arm," Leo offered and Percy just smirked. He rolled up his sleeve to expose the nub and the water from the atmosphere condensed around it in the shape of the rest of his arm. He froze it and gave it a few experimental flexes of the fingers. "I think I've got that covered," he said and everyone was wide-eyed at the construct.
"Yes, well. What will it be, Nephew?" Zeus asked again impatiently and Percy got an idea. "Well, it is not something all of you can give me; only one of you," Percy said and turned to look at Artemis.
ARTEMIS POV
Percy turned to look at me and the mischievous look in his eyes said it all and I was already growing red in embarrassment. "Phoebe Artemis," Percy began and I wanted to be angry with him, but the unfathomable amount of love in his eyes made me melt in my throne. "Would you do me the absolute honor of letting me take you on a date," he asked cheekily and everything in the Throne Room went silent.
"WHAT?!" Zeus roared at the same time Aphrodite squealed and both caused ears to bleed. "Absolutely not! I won't allow it!" Zeus began to rant but Percy stopped him. "Actually Uncle, it is no one's decision but her own. She is far older than needing your permission on whom she can date. Besides, it is just a date and I wouldn't EVER ask her to break her oath. I love her far too much to ask that of her," Percy said and my heart skipped a beat.
"Dude. you just called her old," Apollo said and Percy paled. I laughed. Genuinely laughed and Percy smiled at me. "I would love to go on a date with you," I said and hopped down from my throne, much to all the other's surprise and Aphrodite's delight. I was right in front of Percy when I grabbed him by the ear. "If you ever call me old again, I WILL castrate you then we won't have to worry about my oath," I said threateningly and he paled and nodded stiffly.
"Good," I said and placed a kiss on his cheek and everyone nearly fell over in the Throne Room. "Daughter, surely you can't be serious?" Zeus pleaded with me and I took a breath and stared at him. "I am Father. Percy is the only respectable male I have met and…" I started and looked at the man I loved and she smiled reassuringly. "And I love him. And if you harm him in any way, I will have Hera castrate you for me," I threatened and Hera smiled while Father paled. "R-Right… well. Let us celebrate," Zeus said and the party began.
Percy and I approached the Hunt and we both had sheepish looks. Before I could say anything, Estelle came forward and crushed the two of us in a hug. "Finally!" she yelled and the rest of the Hunt laughed. "Y-you're not mad?" we both asked and they all shook their heads. "Percy here is a part of the Hunt and you two were in denial long enough," Thalia said and the rest of the Hunt nodded in agreement.
"Well, that makes everyone's approval that I needed," Percy said and I looked at him incredulously. He smiled the same lop-sided smile that I fell for. "Zoe visited me in a dream and told me she approved," he said and I felt joyous tears streak my face. Percy pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead tenderly.
3RD PERSON POV
The Throne Room partied into the wee hours of the morning, but the Hunt retired early before they were to move out tomorrow. Percy and Artemis left hand in hand shortly after them. "So, where are you taking us?" Artemis asked and Percy smiled at her.
"Somewhere fun," he said and they disappeared in a column of fire. The reappeared at the same forest from Percy's dream and sat at the edge of the cliff. Artemis gasped at the beauty and Percy summoned a meal for them. They laughed as they ate and drank, enjoying the evening with one another. After a while, Artemis decided to address their status.
"Percy," she said softly and Percy hummed in response. "How is this going to work?" she asked from her position in Percy's lap. "Truthfully, I don't know Arty," came his response and she took a deep breath. "I've never done this before and I don't want to-" she began but Percy silenced her with a kiss which she gladly melted into.
"We don't need to worry. We can figure it out as we go. My heart belongs to you and that's all that matters. You're my partner in combat and I want to see if that will translate to life as well. So for now, I will call you my girlfriend and that's all I need," he said and Artemis' heart leapt for joy. She smiled at her boyfriend and brought her lips to his, trying to convey that she loved him with all her being, which he gladly reciprocated.
"I love you, Phoebe Artemis," he whispered.
"I love you too, Perseus Achilles Jackson," she whispered back, and the two enjoyed their evening in their lover's embrace.
AN: Chapter 27! The rest will be filler shit with time skips and what not. After I finish I am going to go back and edit everything for a remastered version so to speak. Until Next time!