A/N. Reviews!

"Damn I kinda feel bad for Artemis, though mostly percy tho, I feel like they should go on a date where Artemis feels comfortable? like teaching percy how to shoot a bow also GREAT FUKIN CHAPTER! I can't wait for the next one" -Sankarea396

Yeah, they are in a pretty shitty situation. But oh boy, you're gonna love this chapter. Hopefully.

"Not gonna lie. I thought Percy (or someone else) would reveal Percy being the King of Hell. Would have been funny. Good chapter regardless." -GokuBlackSSJR14

Not yet. Not yet.

"Is he going to tell ger about hell and his kingship next time ? I mean, the honesty card is probably the best way to save his marriage and it's not as if Artemis is stupid, she knows Zeus would go crazy if he learnt about it" -Ladis11

See, here's the thing. You are completely, 100% right. But you also have the perspective of an outsider looking in. From Percy's POV, he doesn't know if Artemis would do that, especially if it would… well, I address it in the beginning of this chapter.

"Also, while I agree with your point about fanon overgrazing Percy's accomplishments in the original series, I think this also misses the point that by the end of book 9 he has a shonen rage moment that literally has a primordial goddess of misery and pain crying for mercy and begging to be spared. Via warping her domain that he's not even supposed to have that much control over. He's not the same kid at HOO's end as he was when remarkably surviving Ares at 12 to land a lucky paper cut or even the same one who held their own but could not kill Hyperion at 15-16. I think there are extremes to both sides of people trying to power scale this character and in my personal opinion you seem to be on the end of underselling it.

However I do agree that the heart of the franchise and character being lovable doesn't have anything to do with power scaling nonsense in the first place and I don't particularly need to see such things to enjoy a story.

Just writing out some thoughts on your opening comments bro. No hate Love and appreciate your writing talents and your story so far all the way" -Psych1c

Yeah… And usually, I am actually in the OP Percy camp, so when trying to ground him, I think I swung too far the other way to overcompensate lmao. But yeah, either way, he's gonna get more powerful later, so it'll satiate that.

"Post chapter thoughts; Cute and awkward, almost relatable in a way lol. For both couples/would be couples.

Question: I thought you said Artemis would have a specific speech pattern where she doesn't use contractions when she talks? But I don't see that here" -Psych1c

Good, good. That's what I was going for. As for Artemis's speech pattern, I looked over the last chapter and I missed 2 or three instances. I tried to be more diligent in this chap, but I do suck at editing lmao. (Also, there is an apostrophe near the end in this chap, but it used to show ownership, not as a contraction.)

"damn that suvks. poor percy. i hope artemis gives him a break and actually tries to make their forced arrangmemt better" -Ragori Mitternacht

I mean, could you blame her? Percy ditched her, is lying about it, (Which she suspects), he's not exactly in the right here. Guess we'll just have to see how it unfolds.

"This seems very interesting. I can't wait to read Artemis' reaction to her fiance being the King of Hell"

Thank you. That's not for a little bit. Another 4-5 chapters maybe. I don't know for sure.

That wraps up reviews, onto the chapter!

Chapter Ten

As the next date approached, Percy was getting increasingly nervous. Many things weighed on his mind, one being Annabeth still, and the other being the fact that he probably seriously screwed up his entire future. Artemis was probably pissed at him for ditching. He was thinking about how he could explain it to her.

Part of him wanted to tell her the truth, but he couldn't do that. Artemis was widely known to be Daddy's Little Girl, along with Athena. He couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't sell him out, especially if it would get her out of the marriage.

Not that he wanted to trap her in a marriage, but if he did tell her, and she used it to get out, then it would also have the side effect that he'd be killed effectively immediately. He'd be publicly executed on the steps of the Throne Room. And he'd rather not die.

Selfish of him, he knew.

Luckily, when Nico had come bringing the news of Wednesday's arrival, he had also delivered good news. He had told Artemis that the Son of Poseidon was working for hades and as such, had to run out to do something for the Lord of the Dead.

He felt like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders, an apt comparison, considering he had once held the sky for a couple of minutes. A memory Artemis and he actually shared. As did… Annabeth.

However, while he did feel better, it didn't clear up his anxiety completely. And so, he made sure that he dressed more casually this time, and before heading to Central Park he stopped by a flower shop near his apartment that he would visit sometimes back when he was with Annabeth.

"Hey, Jules." He said to the woman running the stand.

"Percy!" The woman, Jules, exclaimed, her face lighting up when she saw the Son of Poseidon. "It's been a long time since I've seen you! It's like you dropped off the face of the Earth! I thought you died!"

"Nope, still kicking, if you can believe it."

"So, what can I do for you?"

"I need some flowers. Do you have any that say 'I'm sorry'?"

Jules snorted. "I'm a daughter of Demeter, of course I have flowers that say 'sorry'." She turned around and started to pick through the various types of flowers she had growing. "What'd you do to get Annabeth mad at you again? If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, uh. We broke up. A while back."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you trying to get her back with these, then? Cause take it from me, flowers don't really work for ex's. Unless you're really desperate."

Percy rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, no. Not for Annabeth. Someone else."

Jules nodded. "And who is this mystery woman?"

"She's uh, well, she doesn't really want people to know, I think. Sorry."

Jules waved him off. "Don't worry about it. Although, that doesn't sound too healthy." She cut a blue flower, one that looked like the flower tattooed on the back of her hand.

"Maybe you'll get invited to the wedding."

"Whoa, Loverboy. Considering you're getting these, I wouldn't exactly be banking on a wedding. But I appreciate the sentiment." She cut another flower.

"It's not like we have a choice." Percy muttered under his breath.

Jules came back to the counter, various flowers in her hands. "So, I got you Blue Hyacinths, Pink Carnations, White Orchids, and Sunflowers. The last one, I could get rid of if the circumstances aren't the best."

"Yeah, I don't think they are the greatest circumstances."

"That's fine. You never said, what are you apologizing for?"

Percy sighed. "I was called away to do something for… uh… a God, and had to leave our date early."

"Hmm. Yeah, you're fucked."

"Don't say that."

Jules shrugged. "I don't make the rules, dude. But in your case, yeah, I'd drop the Sunflowers. I'll replace those with Lily of the Valley. It's a sign that you want to leave the past in the past."

"Thank you."

"You're a customer, so I didn't really have a choice."

Percy rolled his eyes as Jules wrapped the bouquet.

He paid for the flowers and walked over to Central Park. He found the bench that he sat at the past two times they had met and sat down. As he waited for Artemis, he began to get nervous again. What if she was completely done with him and decided not to show? What if she did show, but only to turn him into a jackalope and hunt him in Central Park, then take him back to the Hunt and cook him and eat him for dinner?

He didn't have to wait long. Artemis walked up to him and immediately, Percy didn't feel great. First, she didn't sit. Second, she had a bow slung over her shoulder, as well as her quiver.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as Percy stood up. "I… um… I'm sorry about leaving last time. I didn't want to but I had to go deal—"

"With something for Hades, I know." The ground rumbled when the God of the Underworld's name was said. "Nico told me."

Percy rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah… Again, I'm sorry. I uh, got you these." He presented the flowers. "They, uh, are supposed to mean 'I'm sorry'."

She studied them for a second. She reached out and took them. "They definitely say sorry." She commented. "Blue Hyacinths, White Orchards, Lily of the Valley's, and Pink Carnations." She narrowed her eyes. "You picked these out yourself?"

He shook his head. "No. Jules did, she's a daughter of Demeter. She runs a store near here. I bought them from her."

"Hm."

Percy silently prayed, he didn't know to whom, that she would accept them and not hunt him down and eat him for dinner. Sweat was pouring down his back like a waterfall.

"I… appreciate the flowers." She said slowly. The flowers disappeared from her hand, vanishing in an instant.

Percy took a step back in shock.

She saw and cracked a smile. "I am just putting them away. At my camp."

Percy blinked. "Right, Goddess. Multiple places at once. I forget you guys can do that."

"I do too. I do not do it often. I prefer to be in one place. Live in the moment. It is nice though. For a thing like this."

After a beat of silence. "Do you have an idea for what to do today?"

"Actually, I do." She took her bow off of her shoulder and handed it to him. She handed him the quiver as well. "We are going to hunt."

"Uh, Artemis. I feel like you should know, I'm not good at archery. Like… at all."

"I know."

"And you still think this is a good idea?"

She nodded. She held out her hand. "Come."

Percy hesitated, before taking her hand and closing his eyes. A flare of light lit up his eyelids before dying away almost immediately. He opened his eyes to see wilderness. Trees surrounded them, reaching high into the sky. The sounds of birds chirping and branches swaying in the wind filled the air.

"What are we hunting?" Percy asked.

"You are hunting deer."

Percy stared at her. He blinked once. Twice. "Okay. What direction?"

"In the direction of deer." There was no hint of humor on the Goddess' face. No twitch of the lips, no stifled laughter, nothing.

Percy sighed and turned around, scanning the area around them. "I guess I should try to find tracks or something? Footprints, droppings, eaten plants."

Percy looked at the ground, trying to find footprints. He found some tracks and started to follow them. Artemis followed behind him, hiding a small grin on her face.

"So, Nico said Hades has you doing errands for him. What kind of errands?"

"Uhhh, you know. God stuff." Percy said, not looking up from the trail of footsteps.

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "Very descriptive there."

"Well, uh. When our father's were fighting, it caused a lot of deaths, right?"

"Yeah?"

"It flooded the Underworld with souls. And since there wasn't enough space, a lot of souls escaped. So… he had Nico and I hunting them down."

"Huh. You would think he would call his son before he would call you."

"Well, I assume he knew Nico was on a date. He didn't know I was. I doubt he even knows about this." He wiggled a finger between the two of them. "Considering Olympus has been quiet and all apparently. If you guys haven't even told the demigods, y'all definitely haven't told ol' Prince of Darkness."

"Hm. Well, you could have taken me along. I am something of a hunter myself."

Percy's eyes widened. "No! No."

She narrowed her eyes.

Percy swallowed nervously. "I mean, you have far more important things to do than hunt down some lost souls."

"Percy. You left me alone, third wheeling on another date. It was awkward for all three of us, especially considering that for one of them, I am their aunt."

"I know. And again, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have left if I could have helped it." Percy looked to the left, where a berry bush was growing. Some of the berries were on the ground, some half eaten. "Eaten food. Deer must be nearby." He paused. "Artemis, I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Have you written your vows yet? For the wedding. Considering it's next week."

"I have not, no. I don't know what to say."

Percy let out a sigh of relief. "Me neither. That makes me feel so much better. I guess we should probably do that soon though."

"Yes."

Percy continued following the tracks. "I'm on the right track, right?"

"You tell me."

Percy turned around to face the goddess. "Are you getting off on the fact that I don't know what I'm doing?"

She looked confused. "What is 'getting off'?"

Percy opened his mouth before closing it. He did not want to explain that concept to Artemis of all people. "You know what, forget it." He said, missing the grin on Artemis' face.

Rustling from a bush to their right filled the air. Percy quickly nocked an arrow and fired into the bush. A yelp of pain came from the bush, followed by more rustling.

"It is getting away, Percy! Follow it!"

Percy ran through the bush and was met with a sight that made his blood run cold. Artemis stood next to him, a shit eating grin on her face.

"Let me guess. Those weren't deer tracks."

"Nope."

"It was a baby bear."

"Mmmmhmmm."

"And I shot it."

"Looks like it."

"And it ran to momma."

"Yep."

"I'm fucked, aren't I?'

"It would appear that way, yes."

Percy sighed. He pulled the knife out of his pocket before realizing what he had done. He slid it back into his pocket and pulled out Riptide. He uncapped the pen, the celestial bronze sword springing to full size.

The larger momma bear stood protectively in front of her cub, growling lowly. Percy held his sword out in front of him defensively. If the bear didn't strike at him, he wouldn't strike the bear. He didn't want to render the cub motherless.

Unfortunately, the bear did strike. It lunged forward in a great leap, looking to tackle Percy to the ground before mauling him. Percy rolled to the right, and brought the sword up in an arc, a clean strike straight through the bear's neck.

But, in his haste, he had forgotten one of the first things he had been taught. Celestial Bronze only works on the mythological. And this bear wasn't.

Percy dropped Riptide and took in a deep breath. He was fucked. The bear lunged at him again. Percy rolled out of the way again. He came up and faced the bear, who had frozen.

Across the clearing, Artemis stood, her bow in her hand, her posture suggesting that she had just shot it. Percy carefully walked around the bear, and sure enough, a single arrow was buried into the bear's chest. The bear slumped forward.

Artemis walked up to the bear and pulled the arrow out. She stared at the tip, ran a finger over it before nodding slightly. She placed the arrow into the quiver on her back.

"Thank you." Percy said.

Artemis nodded. "I can not let you be mauled before the wedding, I suppose."

"Ah. You suppose."

"That is right. I suppose."

"Okay." Percy said, unbelieving.

Artemis turned and crouched down. She faced the baby bear and patted her knees, beckoning it forward like one would to a pet cat. The bear slowly approached her, before nuzzling her leg. Artemis scratched the bear in the head before picking it up in her arms.

Percy felt a pang of guilt shoot through his chest. He had caused this bear to lose its mother. Who knows how long it would be able to live on its own? The woods were a dangerous place enough as it is, but to a baby, it was practically an execution.

Artemis carried the bear, holding it as one would a human baby. She smiled down at it.

Percy cursed himself, because in the moment he had a realization. Artemis, smiling, looking down at a baby bear with pure adoration in her eyes, standing in a beam of moonlight, she was beautiful. Ethereal. He sucked in a deep breath.

He watched as a silver glow enveloped the bear before she put it down. The bear ran off into the forest, disappearing quickly. "He should be safe for a while. My blessing protects him."

He nodded. "Cool." He barely squeaked out.

A flash of light came from behind them. "Oh good, you're both here."

Percy had to physically suppress the groan that wanted to exit his mouth.

"What do you want, Aphrodite?" Artemis asked.

"I wanted to run down the wedding plans with you both." The Goddess waved her hand and a desk appeared between them. One seat on Aphrodite's side, two one Artemis and Percy's. The Goddess of Love sat down, a stack of papers appearing on the desk. When she noticed the others still standing, she motioned for them to take a seat.

Artemis and Percy slowly sat down, the Goddess scooting away a bit as she did so.

Aphrodite smiled and picked up a paper. "Now, this wedding will be a mix of ancient customs and modern traditions. It is currently Gamelion, so that's great, although we already knew that going into this."

"What?" Percy asked. "The hell is 'Gamelion'?"

"The wedding month. Most marriages took place during this month, way back when." Aphrodite said, waving a hand dismissively. She continued, "The dowry has already been paid, so we don't have to worry about that."

"I have a fucking dowry?" Artemis said, irritation evident in her voice.

"Ah, yes. Quite a sizable one too. Quite common for the, ah, troubled ladies."

Artemis clenched a fist underneath the table where Aphrodite couldn't see it. The Goddess of Love continued, unaware of the Hunting Goddess' growing anger. "We are skipping the Engisys, cause honestly, Arty, I don't know if you have any skills that would transfer to being a homemaker."

Percy leaned back and placed a hand over his face, squeezing his eyes.

"The day before the wedding, we will have the Proaulia. That's for Artemis, not you Percy. You're just going to have a regular bachelor's party, courtesy of Apollo."

Percy felt his blood run cold. Apollo would probably spend the entire party torturing him for marrying his 'little' sis. He wasn't looking forward to it.

"What?! I have to go through all that ancient tradition bullshit, and he just gets to go to a strip club?"

"What?" Percy turned to Artemis. "Who said anything about strippers?!"

"Oh please, I know what happens at bachelor's parties, and with my brother in charge." She rolled her eyes.

"We're not going to have strippers! That is almost the last thing I want."

Aphrodite cleared her throat. "If I may continue. The night will end with the Pais Amphitales."

"Oh hell no."

"What's that?"

Aphrodite smiled sickly sweet. "It's where the married couple-to-be sleep in the Groom's bed. It's to bless the marriage with fertility."

"Yeah, no. We're not doing that." Percy said, shaking his head.

"Why not?"

"Aphrodite. I live in an apartment with my mom. And I haven't exactly been back home since the whole war thing. I can't just show up and be like, "Hi, mom, me and this chick you never met are going to go sleep in the same bed. Don't worry, we aren't going to fuck. She would kill me if anything like that happens.". Yeah, good luck telling your mother that. Oh wait." As soon as it came out of his mouth, Percy realized what he said and immediately regretted it. "I am so sorry."

"Fuck you, Percy." Aphrodite said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. We won't do the Pais Amphitales."

"Thank you." Percy mumbled.

"Thank you, Aphrodite." Artemis said, gratefully.

"Whatever." She muttered. She picked up another paper. "Moving on to the day of the wedding. Percy, you will go to Poseiodn's palace on Olympus. There, you will get dressed before going to the Throne Room, where the Ceremony will take place.

"Artemis, you will go to your palace, where you will get ready before going to the Throne Room for the ceremony. The ceremony itself will begin with offerings, then a modern wedding ceremony. Saying vows, I do's, kissing the bride, and all the reception, first dance, some games. And then, that's about it."

Percy nodded. "Okay. sounds… Like a wedding, I guess."

Artemis nodded.

Aphrodite stood up and waved her hand, the desk and chairs disappearing. Percy fell, landing in the dirt. Artemis responded quicker by standing. She reached down and offered her hand. He took it and stood up.

"Well, now that that is all cleared up, I will be leaving you two to whatever you were doing before." She flashed out, leaving no trace of her having been there.

Artemis looked up at the sky. "It is getting late." She stated. "Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?"

"Uhh. Just Central Park."

"Are you sure? It is dark out."

"I'll be fine. I'm a New Yorker."

"Okay." She reached her hand out once more, and he, once more, took it.

Percy closed his eyes, and when he opened them a moment later, he was back in the Green Park of the Concrete Jungle.

A moment passed of awkward silence, before Artemis said something. "I am sorry."

A look of confusion passed over Percy's face. "For what?"

"For taking you hunting? You almost died to the bear?"

Percy blinked, before chuckling. "Don't, don't be sorry. Artemis, I almost die everyday. Have been 'almost dying' since I was twelve."

"Still… I did put you in harms' way."

"You killed the bear. You were looking out for me." He paused. "I was probably safer today than I have been in a while."

Artemis breathed out slowly.

"Besides, it was fun." Percy said.

A small smile graced Artemis' face. A small golden blush seemed to have adorned her cheeks, although it could have just been a trick of the moonlight. "I… I will see you in a week, Percy."

"See you."

Percy closed his eyes as Artemis flashed away. He opened his eyes and let out a breath, before smiling.

Maybe the marriage would actually be… good.

A/N. I know things are slow right now. I'm just focusing on building Percy and Artemis's relationship. I feel like I need work in that department (building up relationships naturally). Next chapter will have a major plotpoint, so if you're waiting for the plot to get underway, there you go. Next chapter will also be the wedding, hopefully, probably.

The ancient greek wedding stuff… that's what I gathered after a five minute google search so… If some of it is wrong, sorry.

Thoughts?