Artemis's pov
Thalia looked at me for a few minutes before she spoke.So what you're telling me is that you almost forced yourself on my cousin, and now you're asking for advice on how to seduce him? Not exactly in those words I responded, but I don't know how to love, and I need someone to teach me. Can you please teach me? I don't want to hurt him. I love him with all my heart. I've never felt a love this pure. Please, please help me. I begged. I've never felt love pure enough to fulfill me. I just... I just want to love him. Talia sighed in frustration. She knew that Artemis wanted love, and she'd known this for a while. She wanted someone who was kind and loving to give her a child so she could raise them as her own. Sure, the younger hunters were like her children, but it was never the same. Talia understood and nodded her head. Alright, I'll help you, but you cannot try and force yourself on my cousin. No means no even if you don't like that answer.But first, let me tell you something about Percy. He's the take it slow kind of guy. So you don't have to worry about losing your virginity to him anytime soon. Artemis frowned and said, But what if I want to? Well then you're going to have to talk to him about that. You can't just do it. That's not who he is, and you could cause him great emotional distress by doing so. I know I'm talking in big words and I don't normally do that, but that's because I have to take a more clinical touch here. Because if I don't and I do emotional, you're just going to get me yelling at you. Artemis nodded and said, Okay, what do I need to do? Well, first off, it's not just something you need to do, said Talia. It's something you need to say. A is well, you need to express your feelings, not just do something about your feelings. humiliated and confused but also Determined to learn Artemis listened with rapt attention.So, do you know what I mean by express your feelings?Talia asks. I think I do, says Artemis. I need to tell him that I love him, not just try and force him to love me back. He won't love me unless I express how much I love him, right?Talia looks at her with a little bit of confusion and shock with how quickly Artemis was catching on.If you know this, then why do I need to help you?Asked Talia.I want to give him my heart, my body, my soul, everything about me, but I don't know how to do that without being forceful. I know the basics, I just need help applying them.I love him. He's everything to me. I just don't know what to do.I want to hug him, I want to kiss him, I want to snuggle with him. I want to be everything that he wants me to be, and I want to do anything to make him happy.But I don't want to sacrifice who I am to do that. I don't know how to do that. I'm confused. I'm scared. And honestly, I need to be in control of myself. And I know that. And I'm not.
Percy pov
From my hiding spot under Talia's bed, I heard everything that Artemis was saying, and it made me wonder what could I do to show Artemis that I care about her as well, just not in the same way she cares about me. I could learn to love her for sure, but I don't want to force love because that's wrong. It should come naturally and I want to show her that I care, but I don't want to hurt her.