[A/N ...and the second, as promised.]

Artemis

Something was off with Percy and she was more than a little annoyed. Grace had accepted her invitation to the Hunt a short while ago and both she and Percy adjusted well; Estelle too, as she took her childhood friend under her wing. His other mortal friends were prospering. According to her most recent knowledge he'd even brokered a true companionship with Triton and Amphitrite.

She couldn't think of anything that could be wrong with him!

He'd gone so far as to cancel game night the week he was hosting and bailed on the last one on Styx's shore!

And she was especially annoyed because she wanted his help. Well, maybe not help…but support. It didn't feel right to ask Thalia, she had her own pledge to live up to. And Artemis refused to ask Aphrodite. She could ask Piper for her assistance, but despite the time she'd spent in her camp, Artemis had no close ties to the girl. Apollo was an option, but she didn't want to flaunt her soulmate to her brother, so he shouldn't help her follow her string either.

It should be Percy, but he wasn't acting like himself.

Pacing and sighing and admitting defeat she pinpointed her quarry and teleported. Piper was surprised by her appearance, but quickly recovered.

"I need to follow my string," she spoke without preamble.

"You…do?"

"Yes. And you will assist me."

"...I will?"

"Yes."

"Uh…now?"

"Oh. Um. No. I simply wished to inform you of our quest. Which we will do. Together." Artemis heard the cringe in her voice and simply wanted to stop talking, but when faced with finding her soulmate right now her courage failed her.

"Cool. Because, I kinda wanna talk to my mom about that."

"...You do?" She shouldn't be surprised, really, but the thought made her nervous.

"Yeah… The black etching in your ring shouldn't be there. So I wanted to ask her about it."

Artemis could detect the faintest hint of evasion in Piper's voice, but she sounded so sweet and worried that she decided to let it go and focus on what was important.

"Of course. I will collect you sometime after you have sought the information you wish for."

"Uh… Thanks."

With a smile and a nod, she teleported away, unsure of her destination.

.

Percy

Two weeks later and Percy still couldn't stop himself from feeling the ghost of Artemis' lips on his cheek, or her hand on his shoulder. He couldn't stop picturing her blush spreading down her neck or the silver glint in her eyes.

He couldn't even be in any of the Hunters' presence because he could feel her blessing pouring off of them.

Right now it really sucked to have so many friends in the Hunt.

So, at present, he was lounging on the couch of a very ineligible bachelor like a psychiatric patient hoping he could get some advice on rejection without giving any details about exactly who he'd fallen for.

"Percy, I'm telling you, the only way someone is going to reject you is if they're only into girls. So don't take any rejection to heart."

"Ugh." Instead of responding he just summoned a pillow to suffocate himself with.

"Who was it?" Apollo asked for the seventh time. "Were they really rude? I can curse them! I'll do it!"

"No, Apollo, they weren't rude. We're just friends, and that's good. I just need to… I don't even know! I've never had to deal with this before!"

"Unrequited love is hard to come to terms with. But you're being very mature. I'm proud of you."

Dropping the pillow, Percy gave Apollo the stink eye. He did not need to be patronized and Apollo's approval was fairly low on Percy's list of necessities.

Apollo lifted his hands in surrender and summoned them each a mug of warm nectar. Sitting up and loosening his posture Percy admitted to himself that Apollo was actually a good friend. He knew the little things that would cheer someone up, like a mug of hot chocolate or a witty joke. He saw people now and paid attention. It was nice.

He smiled his thanks and gave a nod as he took the mug of nectar. A quick blush came and went from Apollo's face and Percy wondered what prank he'd fallen into, but dismissed the paranoia and enjoyed his drink.

"Are you willing to tell me anything about the one who managed to strike your fancy?"

"Only that she's - Artemis!"

The two blinked at the pale figure who occupied the center of the room that had just lit up. The goddess of the moon waved her fingers sheepishly as she glanced between the two and rubbed her ring.

A ring that tied her to her soulmate.

Percy flopped back on the couch, warm nectar forgotten.