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Chapter 12: A Night Beneath the Moon

The moon was full that night, its pale light casting long shadows through the trees and reflecting off the still surface of the lake. The storm clouds had scattered, leaving only the soft whispers of the wind and the chirp of distant creatures in the air. For the first time in a long while, the world felt at peace.

Percy sat by the lake's edge, his legs stretched out before him, the cool breeze tousling his dark hair. The crackling campfire behind him had long since burned down to embers, but the moonlight seemed to fill the space with an ethereal glow. His thoughts wandered back to Artemis, and the quiet, tender moment they'd shared by the fire.

He still couldn't quite believe it. After all the battles, the wars, the pain, he had somehow found himself standing beside a goddess—a being who had lived through centuries and seen things he could hardly imagine. He had offered her his heart, and somehow, she had taken it, even if it was with hesitation. The weight of that felt like a promise, a bond that neither time nor gods could break.

But what now?

He had always faced danger with a sword in hand, with water at his command. But this—this was different. This was uncharted territory, a place where his usual bravado couldn't help him. The uncertainty of where their relationship would go hung in the air like an invisible fog, and Percy felt it pressing down on him.

The sound of soft footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to see Artemis approaching, her silvery eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She was as graceful as ever, moving through the night like a shadow, yet there was a new weight to her step—something he hadn't seen before.

"Percy," she said, her voice gentle but carrying the familiar strength he'd come to recognize. "Mind if I join you?"

He smiled, shifting to make room on the grass beside him. "Not at all," he replied, his voice a little too eager, his heart betraying him with an unexpected flutter. "I was just thinking."

She lowered herself gracefully beside him, her silver cloak rustling softly as she settled. For a long while, neither of them spoke, the only sound being the occasional rustle of the trees or the gentle lapping of water at the shore. It was comfortable. In a way, it was more than Percy had expected.

"About what?" Artemis asked after a moment, her gaze fixed on the full moon above. She didn't seem to need him to answer, but Percy could tell she was curious, perhaps more about him than the thoughts he was keeping to himself.

"I was thinking about how strange this all is," Percy said after a pause. "About us."

Artemis turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "Strange?" she echoed softly.

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck, not quite knowing how to put his feelings into words. "Yeah. I've faced monsters, gods, and prophecies, but none of that has been as confusing as this."

Artemis remained silent, her eyes still locked on the moon, but he could sense that she was listening—waiting for him to go on.

"Not that I'm complaining," Percy added quickly, glancing at her. "It's just... I never thought this is where I'd end up. I thought I'd be fighting some evil villain or saving the world for the hundredth time, but instead, I'm here, with you. And I... I don't even know what to make of it."

Artemis's gaze softened for a moment, and for the briefest second, Percy thought he saw a flicker of something like understanding—or maybe even vulnerability—pass through her eyes. But it was gone just as quickly.

"You're not the only one," she said quietly, her voice almost like a whisper. "I've spent my life watching mortals come and go, their lives fading like the seasons. And I've watched my fellow gods—and heroes—make choices that cost them everything. I never thought I'd find someone who..." She trailed off, as if not quite sure how to finish the sentence.

Percy waited, feeling the space between them stretch with words that remained unsaid.

"You never thought you'd find someone who would stay," he finished for her, his voice gentle but certain.

Artemis didn't look at him, but she nodded slowly. "Maybe. The gods... we live for centuries. We become so used to solitude, to distance, that we forget what it's like to rely on others, to trust them. And I..." She paused, biting her lip slightly. "I've seen too much to believe that anyone can truly stay. Not without losing something. Not without it costing them."

Percy's heart ached for her, and without thinking, he reached out, his hand resting gently on her arm.

"I know it's scary," he said softly, his thumb brushing across her skin, sending a warmth that had nothing to do with the fire. "But I'm not like the others. I've seen how it goes—how everything can be ripped away in a heartbeat. But I'm still standing, Artemis. I'm still here. And I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't pull away from his touch. In fact, she leaned into it slightly, as though testing the waters, letting herself feel something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in centuries.

"You say that," Artemis whispered, her voice barely audible, "but I've seen what happens when you get too close to someone like me. I'm not the kind of person you can hold onto forever. I'll only hurt you."

Percy leaned a little closer, his face softening as he looked at her. "I don't need forever. I just need now. I'm not asking you to be perfect. I'm just asking you to be with me, however long that is."

For the longest time, Artemis didn't respond. The silence stretched between them, both of them waiting, both of them hoping.

Finally, she turned to look at him, her silvery eyes meeting his, and for a brief moment, Percy thought he saw something in her gaze he had never seen before: not the cold detachment of a goddess, but the warmth of someone who had let their guard slip, just a little.

"Maybe," Artemis said softly, her voice trembling just slightly, "maybe I don't have to be perfect. Maybe I can just be here."

Percy's heart swelled at her words, and he smiled, feeling something deep inside him settle. "That's all I want, Artemis. Just you."

They sat in silence for a long time after that, the night unfolding around them like the opening of a new chapter. The stars twinkled above, and the moonlight bathed them in its glow, a quiet promise of what was to come. They didn't know what the future would hold or what challenges they would face, but in that moment, with the world around them so still, it didn't matter.

They were together, beneath the stars, above the storm. And for once, that was enough.

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