Song recommendation: "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. It's one of my favorite songs. It's got an upbeat sound while being quite melancholy and a bit somber at times in terms of lyricism. My personal interpretation of this song is that the lover has died, leaving the other alone in their home with this ship being a metaphor for a few things. You could interpret it in the sense of the boat representing death, or in a more literal sense, the funeral pyre that the Nordic peoples used. Alternatively, you could also just think of it as being a dream. Up to you, but definitely worth a listen. A wonderful inspiration for some of my writings.

"So," Thalia started somewhat awkwardly as she and her patron observed the other hunters' first lesson of the morning, "You and Percy?"

Artemis hummed as she fiddled with her bow, not turning her attention from the weapon, "Yes."

"What happened?" Thalia was, admittedly, too curious for her own good.

"Nothing of note," Artemis said plainly, gently plucking at the string to test its weight, "What concerns you?"

Thalia winced a little as the image popped up in her mind, "You guys looked pretty friendly which is great but definitely not something I needed to see."

"Perhaps a knock then next time?" Artemis smirked without looking up.

"You didn't really answer my question," Thalia pointed out. At this, the goddess looked up at the man training her hunters before turning to her Lieutenant.

"Did you wish for something to be happening?" The moon goddess's tone was once again teasing.

The lieutenant cocked her head, unsure how to respond to that particular statement before sighing, rubbing her arm awkwardly and resigning herself, "He's an idiot."

"I won't argue that, but has something brought this on?" Artemis questioned, smiling as her eyes followed the man in question.

"A lot of things," Thalia paused, "He's trying his best but he's just an idiot."

The maiden goddess smiled a bit wider at that, "Again, any reason that you might say that? You've repeated yourself."

Thalia shook her head, "None that I'm willing to share."

"As you wish." Their conversation lulled after that, with Artemis continuing to observe her hunters' practice while Thalia went off to attend to some of her other duties.

While all of that was happening, Percy was having a grand time putting the hunters through their paces. Many of the younger recruits were only passable at best so he focused on the broader picture, correcting forms and teaching technique before moving around on a case by case basis to keep things interesting. Every so often, he'd check in with the group, answering any questions or assisting anyone who requested it. As such, he was doing quite a bit of running around, but he didn't mind. A life saved was more than worth the work.

Occasionally, he'd glance up to get his bearings and each time, he'd meet the goddess's silver eyes. Artemis would smile a bit wider each time, trying to show him that she was appreciative of his help. Naturally, this had caused them to have a bit of a nonverbal conversation during these small moments with Percy conversing through body movements, be it by waving his hands around or by tilting his head. Things were far easier for Artemis though as she could simply brush the edge of his mind with her consciousness, letting him know what she was thinking.

Percy had been surprised to feel her mind brush against his own initially, but he'd taken it in stride with little more than a raised brow and a smile in her direction, quickly adapting to it and accepting it without hesitation. It was a somewhat familiar feeling, though he wasn't quite sure why. Even during his little spars with his students, they'd converse with topics ranging from music to her complimenting a well executed maneuver. Sure, his responses were simple, equating to little more than 'yes' or 'no' answers, but the moon goddess was the one leading them for the most part.

Eventually, it did come to an end with Percy bringing his first class of the morning to a close. Many of the hunters dropped straight onto the floor, legs incapable of supporting their weight, much less moving them a foot. Percy laughed at their misery before taking pity on them, slowly escorting hunters towards the showers one at a time. A few of the older members assisted him, and in a few minutes, the training pitch was mostly clear. Likely, it'd be that way for the next two or so hours until the hunters were called back for their second class of the day, meaning that only he and Artemis would be there for a while.

"So," Percy started, meeting her in the middle, "How do you think it went?"

"I imagine that many of my hunters will not feel their arms in the morning."

Percy chuckled, "Was I that harsh?"

"No, but they are inexperienced," Artemis shrugged, "Though I think that you did an excellent job."

"Yeah?" Percy rubbed the back of his head, "I thought I was being a bit rough."

"Rough is not the word that I would use," the moon goddess gestured over towards a fallen log on the edge of the training pits, "Firm, but not rough."

"What do you think I could do to improve?"

Artemis looked at him curiously as they walked, "Did you think you were doing poorly?"

The savior of Olympus shook his head, "No, but I'm not really used to teaching and you've been doing it for millenia so I figured I'd ask for your advice."

Artemis smiled at that, "That is admirable, but I have no specific advice to offer you."

"That good of a job huh?"

The goddess of the Hunt rolled her eyes, but Percy knew she didn't really mind, "Do not let it go to your head."

"As you wish, My Lady," Percy gave a half salute as they walked, bouncing along next to the goddess as they made their way over towards the edge of the clearing, "I was thinking the morning session should be the lighter of the two."

Artemis laughed, "I am not sure they are going to be happy to learn that their first session was the light one."

Percy waved it off, "I'm sure it'll be fine."

As it would turn out, it was not fine. Many of the hunters looked dead on their feet, and while they were capable of training, he didn't think it'd do them any good. While Percy was quick to laugh, he was equally fast to give them another two hour break as he didn't mind training in the evening. Many of the girls were quick to thank him before slowly trudging off towards their tents. One of them even flopped down on the grassy floor and simply laid there, content to sit there until their next session. Unfortunately, it did leave Percy a bit jittery. He'd been all prepared to run around for the next few hours and he'd just put it off, leaving him with an abundance of restless energy. Initially, he opted to jog around for a bit before starting drills, but it wasn't all that stimulating. Even after half an hour, the man could feel the energy still begging to be expended.

As it happened though, Thalia was quick to hop in the ring after finding him there practicing on his own. Not only was she bored, having woken up in the last fifteen minutes after a nap (perks of night watch), but she was eager to speak to him as well. He knew exactly why, though he wasn't sure if he should have been concerned or not. It could go either way honestly.

Currently, the two were talking idly while trading blows in a casual spar with Thalia leading the conversation, "So, care to tell me what happened last night?"

Percy half shrugged, casually parrying the demigoddess's blade, "You'll have to be more specific."

Thalia rolled her eyes as she blocked with her shield, "What happened in the tent?"

"I thought you already asked Artemis about it."

"I want to hear it from you."

Percy gave her another half shrug before swiftly disarming her with a flick of his blade, "She checked me for injuries and then we talked for a bit. You came in during that part then we just kinda hung out before going to bed."

Thalia cocked her head, completely dropping her guard after a moment, "You're kidding, right?"

Percy mirrored her actions, letting his sword point drop towards the ground, "About what?"

"Okay okay, follow along with me now so I can understand," Percy nodded so Thalia continued, breathing out through her nose before speaking, "You're telling me that after healing your wound, which is normally handled by someone else, the two of you spent the rest of your night talking in bed until you both went to sleep?"

"Uh," Percy rubbed the back of his head again, "Yeah. Basically."

"And are we not seeing how that may seem a little…" Thalia trailed off.

"On a bed," Percy pointed out, "But I do see what you mean."

"Okay," Thalia paused, cocking her head, "Are you happy? You've seemed distracted all day."

Percy cocked his head, regarding his friend with a look of confusion, "Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"

Thalia just shook her head, "You're an idiot that won't look out for himself on his own."

Percy had the decency to look sheepish, "I'm working on it still. It's progress, even if it's slow going so it could be worse."

"I can see that," Thalia said dryly.

Percy smiled, "Hey, the way I see it, I have to take care of myself to take care of my idiot cousin."

The daughter of the thunder god rolled her eyes, "Come up with that one on your own or did Artemis tell you that?"

Percy grinned, "Bit of both."

"At the very least, I don't have to worry about you since she's watching out for you," She sighed again, pausing before adding on something almost as an afterthought, "Even if I think you two might cause trouble."

"You sound like a mom."

"Comes with the job."

"What job? We're both unemployed."

"I hate you."

"You're just upset that I'm right."

Thalia shocked him, causing him to hiss in pain, "Keep talking Kelps."

Their second training session went well. It seemed that many of the hunters appreciated the extra break he'd given them. As he'd been told, it was a rarity, especially with the way that Artemis ran things. Sure, they weren't operating at full capacity, but they were still doing well even despite their previous exhaustion. As it seemed, Artemis was a slave driver when it came to work, though they were quick to tell him he was worse when it came to actual training. As it would happen, you couldn't really spar with bows.

That meant that Percy's practices were a bit more physically demanding with the man often pulling hunters aside to spar and gauge their skills on an individual level. They weren't easy spars either, with Percy pressing each hunter to their limit so that he could get a good idea of where they were. The current hunter he was with, a young daughter of Aphrodite, was around twelve or so years old. Even still, Percy noted that she showed remarkable skill with her sword regardless of her age. Honestly, in a few years, she would likely be able to give Clarisse a run for her money. At the moment, she was keeping up rather well. Her timing was impeccable, though some of the moves themselves were better suited for a stronger user, leading the girl into some unfavorable trades as she wouldn't be able to recover as quickly as she should.

He sidestepped a downward strike and was quick to capitalize on the mistake as she was pulled by the heavy strike, easily stepping in close and completely locking her sword down. She stumbled back as he did, nearly falling over, but he caught her arm and helped steady her.

"Thanks," she was out of breath, hunched over with her hands on her knees, sucking in deep breaths, "How are you not tired?"

Percy shrugged, "I've been doing this for years."

She grumbled, "I was hoping you'd say you drank some sort of magical potion or something."

"Why's that?" Percy grinned, twirling his blade around idly.

"Because I want to be lazy."

Percy outright laughed at that, "I mean, you could bathe in the Styx but I can't say I'd recommend it."

"I could handle it."

Another laugh, "What's your name?"

"Aryl."

"Well Aryl, pleasure to meet you," Percy paused to observe a bout between two of the other hunters before turning his attention back, "you've got too much talent to be lazy."

She stood up a bit straighter after hearing him say that, "I'm sure there's a way to have the best of both worlds."

"When you find it, let me know," Percy snorted, "For now, you're good to take a break. If you could send over your sparring partner, I'd appreciate it."

She mock saluted him, "Will do Captain."

The same pattern continued for a while with Percy bringing in each hunter one by one and giving them a bit of advice. Many of them were better than the campers their age, so his work was far easier than it'd been with the campers. He imagined that it was in part due to Artemis's own blessing as well as her teachings. While the goddess preferred hunting knives and a more nimble, mobile fighting style, she was more than adept with a blade. Honestly, she could have held up against Hermes in a match and he was widely regarded as the best swordsman amongst the olympians. She probably wouldn't win unless the messenger god had a stroke mid-fight, but she would definitely have survived, and that wasn't mentioning her hunting knives.

Percy turned his attention back to his students, giving a few final remarks before calling the session all together. They'd done remarkably well, though he wasn't all that surprised, having either brought the girls into the hunt, or having interacted with them during his occasional visits. Even still, he was quite happy that they were done with everything. It meant that Percy was free for the rest of the day, and he sort of needed that. Needless to say, he'd had a rough night and a swim sounded perfect for now, especially since he'd spotted a small lake not too far away. He liked to imagine that Artemis chose this particular camping location because of that, but it was probably just coincidence.

Independent of all of that though, he was just tired. Plain and simple, his mind was a bit overactive. It had been easy enough to ignore when he'd been busy training the hunters, or talking to Thalia or Artemis but it was starting to catch up with him, but his dream had been a little strange last night. Sure, it had the normal Tartarus stuff, but there'd been something else about it that felt off. He brushed it too the back of his mind though as he had no interest in thinking about it.

Now, he would distract himself in the water. It was a welcomed change of pace, even if he would have preferred the ocean. The water was far warmer than he'd wanted it to be, but it was leagues better than the muggy southern air that he'd been in for the past several hours. Eventually though, the novelty wore off and he began feeling restless again.

'Okay,' he reasoned as he floated on his back, 'Maybe I'll go for a drive?"

While it sounded fun, he didn't particularly feel like getting up. Really, he didn't feel like doing anything which was precisely why he was going to force himself to do something. It didn't have to be anything major, maybe just a walk, but something. He glanced at the sky as he willed a small wave into existence to push him over towards the shore. Well, he considered as he stared at the moon, maybe he did have an idea. From what he could tell, it seemed that most of the hunters had finished their meal and were doing their own thing. That was good since it meant that he'd be relatively alone, but more importantly, it meant that Artemis was free.

Recalling their nonverbal conversation earlier in the day, Percy was struck with an idea. It took more than a moment to focus, but he could feel his mind reacting the same way it had during his first class of the day while talking to the goddess. It felt a little strange this time though, but he quickly got over it. In theory, all he needed to do was reach out. That was difficult, but he'd done it before during some of his dreams as a demigod so he was somewhat familiar with it. Now though, it was a bit more of a struggle to focus as everything felt fuzzy. His movements themselves were sluggish, almost dulled. It was as if he was being forced to trudge through some sort of thick gel.

Slowly though, he reached out towards Artemis, noting the giant wellspring of power that was the goddess of the hunt while being (very) faintly aware of some of the stronger hunters, like Thalia, Phoebe, and Thea, but he had to stop himself from wandering around as it was hard enough to move around. Ever since he'd become immortal, he'd been faintly aware of his increased mental ability when he'd attempted to control his dreams at the advice of his father. It had been somewhat helpful, but he'd never quite gotten the hang of it as a demigod. That being said, he wasn't exactly mortal anymore so he knew that something was a bit different.

Maybe it was something he could have always done, or something that he'd gained when he accepted immortality, but the point was that it allowed him to push bits of his mind into his surroundings to sort of experience them. There were times that he'd even tapped into it by accident, though that had been in the heat of the moment during his fight with Kronos. At the time, he'd attributed the increased awareness to the Curse of Achilles, but he'd done the same in his fight with Gaia, and later against Hyperion.

Sure, he couldn't really see much, but he could feel everything in a sense. Gently, he reached out, careful not to lose focus on the task at hand. It took another long minute before he finally reached the goddess, but he could feel his own mind brush against the edge of her consciousness at camp. Hesitantly, he reached out.

"Hey," he started sort of awkwardly, unsure whether she could actually hear him or if he was just talking out loud. It was silent so he tried again, "You there?"

For some reason, he was reminded of sending a prayer to a god though he could feel significantly more around him. Again though, it was silent, but this time it was punctuated by a sudden influx of power around him. In a way, it felt as if the entire area around him was collapsing in on him but a soft response broke him out of it. In a strange way, he could practically feel the goddess's head snap towards his direction. Equally strangely, he could sort of begin to make out her surroundings, but he quickly tore himself away from that as he began to lose focus, "Perseus?"

"Uh hi," Percy wanted to rub his arm, but he didn't really have a body to do that, leaving him with a faint fuzzy sensation in the back of his head, "Do you have a minute?"

Artemis was silent for a second before she responded. It was sort of disjointed, a little muddled, but he understood what she was saying well enough, "A moment."

This time, Percy felt an influx of power closer to him. It was lesser, but it nearly overwhelmed him all the same, causing his consciousness to snap back to him in a rush. He groaned as he felt the full force of it snap back to him, his head already starting to ache. Gently, he massaged his temples as the water surrounded him.

"Are you alright?" Artemis's voice rang out, though he thought he detected a hint of hesitance. He craned his neck to see her sitting on the shore, seated just in front of the water with her knees pulled halfway to her chest.

"Bit of a headache," he said softly, "But it's going away I think so could be worse."

"I see," Artemis paused, "Are you aware of what you just did?"

"Did I do something wrong?" Percy turned a little to look at her, "cause it sounds like I did something wrong."

"No, just surprising," Artemis said gently, drawing a hand over-top the blades of grass next to her.

"What'd I do?"

"You may think of it as a more focused form of a demigod prayer. It is not entirely accurate, but you will understand fully when you become a fully fledged god. Quite impressive given your limited experience regardless, though I advise you not to do it unless you are certain of your safety."

"Oh," Percy said lamely, "Uh why?"

Artemis smiled, "When you become a fully fledged god you may do as you please but at the moment, you only have the one consciousness so it leaves you rather exposed."

Percy blinked, "How does that work? The multiple consciousness thing?"

"Consider that we gods are the literal embodiment of our domains. I am Artemis, but I am also the moon, or nature, or the hunt. Each domain is an aspect of our power, spreading us across them. With that comes new consciousness for each of them. When you become a god, I imagine that you will have several new streams of consciousness and you will understand more."

"That's pretty cool," Percy paused, "Is that what that burst of power was?"

Artemis's gaze sort of snapped to him, "You could feel that?"

"Yeah. It was really overwhelming."

"I apologize then," Artemis said softly, "You surprised me."

"Why are you apologizing?" Percy asked curiously, craning his neck to look at the goddess.

Artemis's mouth twitched, "It's like viewing one's divine form. You are not mortal anymore, but it can still be quite disorienting and potentially dangerous."

"Huh," Percy trailed off, "Then I'm sorry."

"It is fine," Artemis seemed to be distracted by something, "I was simply not expecting it at that particular time."

"Did I interrupt something?" Percy asked curiously.

The moon goddess's gaze flicked to him before returning towards the woods across from them, "Nothing worth mentioning."

Percy breathed out a small breath in relief, "That's good. I didn't want to bother you."

"You are not a bother, Perseus," Artemis's reply was firm, "May I ask what you called for though?"

"Oh," Percy suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, gently rubbing his thumb against his index finger, "I uh, wanted to talk to you."

He was distinctly aware of the goddess's eyes dropping to him once more, and he was sure that she seemed to lean in a little, "What about?"

"Well," Percy trailed off awkwardly again. He sucked in a quick breath before starting, "I've just been having sort of a bad day and I figured it'd help to talk to someone."

"And you intend for me to be that someone."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not at all," Artemis gave him a soft smile, "I am happy that you are reaching out."

"That's good," Percy rubbed the back of his head, "I noticed it yesterday but I've been in a weird mood recently."

"I have noticed," Artemis's tone was softer than it had been.

"Yeah," Percy grimaced a little as he tried to find a way to start, "In a weird sort of way, it kinda stemmed from my talk with Annabeth."

Artemis's eyes narrowed momentarily, but it was quickly replaced with a look of concern as she regarded the young man. He seemed a little pained, but was quick to continue, "I just wasn't really expecting that conversation. It got sprung on me out of nowhere. Like after all this time, it just came out of thin air for what feels like no real reason. It sort of felt like she wanted something from me and I know that's not true but that's what it feels like. And it's not like nothing good came out of it. We talked, and we're sort of on good terms again. I even got an apology."

At this, the goddess could see him grow a bit agitated with the water around him seeming to churn a bit. She placed a hand on his shoulder to soothe him while he continued, "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she apologized, but it feels so underwhelming. After all this time, I can't help but feel mad sometimes."

She nodded understandingly, "You were left to suffer for a long time on your own."

"Yeah," Percy's shoulders sagged, "I should be thankful that it went well, but I'm just annoyed now."

"That is understandable," Artemis paused, "Though it helps, a single apology is rather paltry after everything."

"You think so?"

Artemis nodded, "Your feelings are not unfounded."

Percy sighed, "Thanks. It just bothers me and I feel like it shouldn't."

Artemis's voice was firm. Gentle, but unyielding, "Your emotions are completely justified. It is important not to write them off."

Another sigh, "Yeah. I'm just having a hard time accepting it all."

The moon goddess was sympathetic, "You are being harsh on yourself again."

His mouth twitched a little as he considered that, "I do that a lot, huh?"

"Less so than you used to, but yes."

Percy attempted a small smile, "Progress is progress right?"

"That is true," Artemis smiled, "I am proud of you."

Percy looked surprised, "For what?"

"You have been dealt a harsh hand. A lesser person would have crumbled long ago, and yet you remain strong," Artemis said plainly, hand gently tracing a circle on the ground next to her, "It is impressive."

Percy's small smile grew a little, "Thanks. Kinda needed that."

"As I have said, I will always help you."

"Really?"

"I would not say so if I did not."

"I feel like we repeat this same little bit a lot."

The moon goddess smiled at that, her gaze dropping to him, "You tend to ask the same stupid question often."

Percy wanted to be indignant, but it was true, "Yeah yeah I know."

"So long as you are aware."

Percy grumbled a little, "Maybe I'll ask Hermes next time."

Artemis laughed, affixing him with an amused smile, "You wound me, though if I may advise you, do not ask in the same manner."

"Any particular reason or just jealousy?"

Artemis's eyes shifted a little, but her smile grew, "Such communication is typically reserved for those who trust each other implicitly. It is rare for gods to speak with each other in such a way."

"You didn't deny the jealousy bit," Percy said teasingly, letting his head loll back to view the goddess.

She just shrugged, "I imagined that you would understand without me having to say."

Percy smiled before a question popped up in his mind, "Do you trust me that much?"

"I do."

"Why?"

Artemis's eyes had that look again as she responded, "You have shown me that I can trust you."

Percy nodded sagely, "I do have one of those faces."

"True," the huntress laughed, "You are like a pup. Too innocent for your own good."

"Aww I'm flattered. On a somewhat related note, are you a dog or cat person?" Percy certainly felt more relaxed than he had earlier. The large smile on his face certainly indicated such.

"Is it not obvious given what I just said?" Artemis responded, mirroring her friend's look, "The hunting dog is sacred to me. And they are cute."

"Are you making a pass at me?" Percy grinned up at her.

Artemis paused for a moment before bursting into laughter, "Perhaps some time as an animal would do you well. I see that you have become far too comfortable."

"I'd be a cute dog," Percy's reply was quick, "Probably like an aussie of some sort."

"I imagine you would be exactly the same."

"Exactly."

The moon goddess laughed, "Would you like to find out?"

"Hmm." Percy hummed, bringing a hand up to his chin, "I think that's a tomorrow night sort of thing."

"Then I will hold you to that. And what would you have us do tonight?"

"Good question," Percy responded easily, gently floating in the water, "I'm quite happy just like this, honestly."

"I'm sure you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Artemis looked at him with an unreadable look, her eyes shining brightly, "It is up for interpretation."

"That's not helpful."

"That is unfortunate," The moon goddess shrugged, "Now, I believe it is my turn to ask a question."

Percy perked up a little at that, "Sounds fun."

"You would certainly be a wolf pup if you were an animal, perhaps a fawn, but what am I?"

Percy blinked, "Is there a right answer?"

"I am simply asking you what you think," Artemis leaned back, fanning her arms out behind her for support as she regarded the man.

Percy responded quickly, "You're definitely a black cat. Wolf or deer is too easy, so I'm definitely thinking you're one of those cute, witchy ones. Probably pretty big with a sort of thick coat too."

The goddess smiled at that, "I see that you have thought about this before."

"Yeah a few times," Percy scratched at his cheek, "I feel like it's pretty accurate."

"Excluding the other two options, I would agree."

Percy grinned at her, taking a second to think of a question, "What's your favorite misinterpretation?"

"Regarding myth or something more specific?"

The son of the sea was thoughtful for a moment before coming to a conclusion, "Yourself."

Once again, he got a look he wasn't sure he liked. A bit lupine, half roguish, certainly playful, and aimed fully at him. Then again, he found that the look was quite suited to the goddess, even if it often spelled something rather unfortunate for himself. It seemed that Artemis's (and Diana's) sort of mischief often ended up with him in their crosshairs, not that he really minded. It was certainly part of the allure of the goddess, even if he felt his hair stand up as she stared at him.

Ah hello again. For the record, this is definitely one of my weaker chapters. It's got some fun moments, but I couldn't find that sweet spot for it which is annoying but inevitable. There's a part in the middle with the whole mind thing that I just wasn't a fan of, but I did want to get it out there. Thankfully, the mechanics of it aren't really a focal point outside of it, but it something I want to reference and talk about in later chapters. Anyway on to the fun part.

To OkBoomer147, Ishimaru Taiki, HellRaiderS, Guests 1&2, and Dudududhehe: Love to hear that you guys are enjoying! Hearing it always inspires me to try and do the best I can. To TomorrowCarpe Diem: Yeah I don't really want any of the hunters to be so I tried exploring that in the upcoming chapters. And to answer that question, yeah but I'll get into it a bit later. To PhantomFuryJP: In the process of brainstorming something fun for the ascension arc so you saw some early hints of it that I'll be building on a bit. And thanks! It's one of the songs I've got in my playlist for this story. To BlakeT1996 and lmfao 180: Massive thanks to both of you. The dynamic is what I think of as one of the strongest points of this story. My goal is to make my characters feel real, and to hear that the dynamic between the two, or between the characters in general is a massive affirmation so thank you. To Popeye220: Ah thank you! Pleasure to have you along. That was sort of my inspiration for writing this story. A lot go in a very strange direction in my opinion that don't really match Percy so I wanted to really take some time to explore him and generally everyone as characters. Thank you again! Glad to hear that you're enjoying. To kikinder: Ah thank you! Always love to hear it. Unfortunately, slow burns are kinda my thing with characters like these, but you'll still see progression in their actual relationship as well. I just really wanted to do a deep dive on the stuff leading up to it since I think that few authors really really focus on it. Not saying it's a bad thing at all, but I've always wanted to read a story where the two progress steadily and slowly. Again though, thank you! Always happy to have you and love to hear that you're enjoying.
And to oneizm: Great hearing from you as always. I recently joined an author sort of discord thing called the Emerald library where I've got my own channel. The invite is just- discord .gg/elibrary -remove the space between and drop in to say hello! I'll be under the name Daaazer117 since that's my old user. On to the chapter stuff though! Love to hear that it's coming across that way because it's been my intention to sort of mix those lines and lives. As you said, my characters are really just trying to survive and be happy and I wanted to explore that. About Artemis though, that's sort of the beauty of the two in my eyes. They're both similar in that sense that they're sort of so out there that nobody else feels worthy so to speak. At the core of their character, they're just authentic friends who do shit with each other, and I feel like that's what's making this story work as well as it does. They're isolated in a very different way from those around them, and it was always something I've felt was super interesting. Percy is absolutely a god to most people, even in the OG stories with Hazel describing Percy as a god when first seeing him and it's something that I've already written a scene for in one of the upcoming chapters. Going back to the Artemis thing more though, she's always been one of the most interesting characters to me in how she's the most human of the gods in a very strange way. She's got this regality and holds herself like a monarch while still maintaining a level of closeness to those around her that just makes you like her as a character. I wanted to just have some fun with that idea and that's part of how this story came around. Anyway, always great to have you!

Again, if you want to chat, the discord link discord .gg/elibrary should work. Up to any of you but if anyone wants to drop by, I've got my own channel to talk about whatever. Anyway, have fun reading! Let me know what you think and happy reading.