So, Guest, I loved your idea so much that I could not wait to write this. This has so much opportunity for fluff and I fucking live off of fluff. So this is here now, hope you enjoy!

The last thing Percy could remember was facing off head-to-head against the Chimera, again. He'd fought it before, even killed it, but you couldn't always get out unscathed. Multiple claw-marks and bites, especially after the damned snakehead got him in the shoulder, were sure to be leaving more scars on his skin. He'd killed it, of course, else he would be dead, but it was a close call. He remembered finally slicing the snake's head off and getting an easy kill from there, sword right through the side, but after that, he remembered nothing.

So when he woke up to a wet cloth on his torso and a bitter taste on his tongue, safe to say he was a bit confused.

Percy groaned aloud, his eyes still drowsy enough that it was a fight to get them open. He felt whoever was manning the cloth freeze for a moment before they resumed their work as if it made no difference to them.

He finally managed to get his eyes open, thankful that the light was faint. His vision was blurry, but he could make out the outline of someone leaning over his torso, which he noted was bare. They were completely ignoring him.

Percy rubbed his eyes to get a clearer look and was surprised to recognize the familiar auburn head of Artemis sitting at his bedside caring for his wounds.

"Artemis?" He croaked, wincing at his rasp. "What are you doing?"

She was silent, still refusing to look at him. He sighed, reaching out to halt her actions. She stiffened under his touch. "Artemis, please. Talk to me. Something's wrong."

She scowled. "You."

Percy blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I'm saying you're what's wrong!" She snapped. Percy felt mildly offended. Come on, he almost died, shouldn't he get a little bit of lay-off?

"Did I do something? Do you not like having to wash my wounds? I could do it now."

"Not that, idiot," she growled. "I'm fine. Just stop worrying about me."

Percy felt conflicted. He didn't understand women, especially not this one. "Can you at least look at me?"

Artemis shifted nervously, turning herself even more away from his view. Percy frowned, lightly touching her shoulder. "Please, Artemis. I just want to help you."

"You're the one lying in bed with wounds. I don't need your help." That hurt more than he'd like to admit.

Percy brushed her shoulder one more time as if considering before he retreated. He looked down at his injured torso as they sat there, completely still.

Artemis finally sighed, bringing Percy's attention back to her. She looked at him, her cheeks glistening with freshly shed tears. She hung her head low. "There. Happy?"

"No." He struggled to sit up, pain wrenching through his gut. His fingers barely brushed her arm before she jerked away from him. "Artemis-"

"Don't touch me!" She hissed, scooting further down the bed, a fresh tear dropping down her face. Percy was taken aback. He moved away from her as well, resting his back against the headboard and tucking his knees up as much as he could. They were once again at a standoff.

"I just-" Percy looked back up at the goddess curled at the end of the bed. Her eyes flickered to him for a second. "When Apollo brought you here, you were- just drenched in your own blood. He told me you were alright, but it was just- it was horrifying." Percy stayed quiet, something she was thankful for. If he stopped her she knew she couldn't go on. "I took you, of course, cleaned you off, but you were so still, so unnaturally still, I couldn't-" she took a deep breath, her voice quieting down to almost a whisper. "I thought you were dead."

"Oh, Arty," he moved over to sit beside her, ignoring the pain that spiked through him. "I'd never die on you."

"You can't promise that."

"I just did."

"Percy, this is serious!" She wiped a couple of tears off of her face. "That monster almost took you from me."

"Artemis, listen. Since I was twelve, I've been in a constant fight for life or death. Between quests for the gods, monster attacks, wars, I've fought that battle so many times that the number's probably higher than there are gods in the pantheon." He reached over and cautiously grabbed her hand, tangling their fingers when she didn't pull away. "They've never once got me. They've hurt me until I was on the brink of death, but they couldn't tip me over that edge. I promise, Artemis, that I will never in my life die on you."

Artemis buried her face into his side, her tears hot against his skin. "You'd better not."

Percy smiled fondly, rubbing her back soothingly. "I've never broken a promise. I won't be starting now."

Happy belated Veteran's day! Hope you enjoyed this update. Cheers!