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AS ALWAYS I DO NOT OWN PJO OR HoO

Without further more Ladies and Gentlemen Chapter 13

*Chapter 13: The Weight of Tomorrow*

The night wore on, the silence between them a comfort rather than an awkward gap. The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light bathing the world in a soft, silver sheen. The lake before them seemed to shimmer, as if it carried within its depths secrets older than time itself. Percy leaned back slightly, his head resting against the cool grass as he stared up at the stars, his fingers still brushing lightly against Artemis's arm.

They didn't speak for a long while, but the quiet wasn't empty. It felt full. Full of things they hadn't said, full of things they hadn't yet admitted, but also full of the simple understanding that came from just being in each other's presence.

Finally, Artemis broke the stillness, her voice quiet but steady. "You said you weren't asking for forever."

Percy turned his head toward her, not quite sure what to expect, but he was certain it wasn't fear in her tone. It was something else. A question. A curiosity. He tilted his head slightly, giving her his full attention.

"I meant it," he said after a beat. "I'm not asking for forever. Just the chance to be here, with you. Right now."

Artemis looked at him, her silvery eyes reflecting the starlight. There was a soft, unreadable expression on her face as if she were weighing his words carefully, as though considering them from every angle. He could feel the tension in the air, a quiet pressure that came from the weight of everything they had yet to say.

"You say that," she murmured, "but what happens when the world calls on you again? When the monsters return, or the gods demand something of you?" Her voice was not one of doubt, but of practicality, the way someone accustomed to centuries of survival might speak. "What happens when you realize that no matter how much you try to hold on, everything can change in a single moment?"

Percy felt a pang in his chest, his thoughts momentarily drifting back to the countless battles he'd fought—prophecies fulfilled, promises made, friends lost. He had seen the world shift beneath his feet more times than he could count.

"I don't know what'll happen tomorrow," he admitted, his voice steady. "But I'm here today. And today, I'm choosing this. You. Us." He paused, glancing over at her, his heart pounding. "I don't think that's something I can just walk away from."

There was a long silence, one where time seemed to stretch, as if the universe itself was holding its breath. Artemis seemed to consider his words deeply, her gaze shifting from his face to the sky and back again. The wind stirred her silver cloak, the sound of it like the whisper of something ancient, but not quite understood.

"You speak as if you know what it means to choose someone," she said finally, her voice softer now, more contemplative. "But you're still so young, Percy. You haven't seen what I've seen. You haven't lived with the burden of eternity. The weight of promises that stretch beyond time. You might think you know what it means to choose, but the gods… we don't choose the way mortals do."

Percy sat up slightly, his brow furrowing. He knew she was right. He couldn't possibly understand what it was like to be a god, to carry the weight of endless years. To watch the world shift and change around you, while you remained, unchanged. But that didn't mean he couldn't try to understand.

"I might not know everything," he said quietly, "but I know what it's like to lose people. To fight for something bigger than myself. And I know what it's like to want to hold onto something… someone. Even if it's just for now."

Artemis's eyes softened at his words, and for a moment, Percy could have sworn she looked… conflicted. There was a deep sorrow in her gaze, but also a flicker of something else—something like hope.

"Do you really think you can hold onto me, Percy?" Her voice was almost a whisper, the weight of centuries in each word. "Do you think you can carry the burden of being with someone like me without it breaking you?"

Percy didn't answer right away. He didn't have an answer for everything. He couldn't promise her forever, nor could he promise that nothing would change. But he could promise one thing.

"I don't think I can hold onto you forever," he said softly. "But I think that if you'll let me, I can hold onto you long enough. Long enough to show you that some things are worth fighting for, even when we don't know how it'll end."

Artemis was quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, she leaned into him, her shoulder brushing against his. The gesture was so small, so subtle, but to Percy, it felt like the world had shifted in that instant. Like a thousand unspoken things had been acknowledged, and perhaps—just perhaps—a new chapter had begun.

"I'm not asking for forever either, Percy," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the wind. "I'm not asking for anything. I've seen too much to hope for more than what I can hold in my hands."

Percy nodded, his hand gently finding hers, their fingers intertwining. It was a simple gesture, but it felt like a promise. A promise that, no matter what tomorrow brought, they would face it together. Even if the world changed again. Even if the storms returned.

They sat there for a while longer, neither of them speaking. The stars above shone brightly, and the lake whispered its ancient song. The world was vast, and uncertain, and sometimes unbearably heavy. But in that moment, beneath the moonlight, with the weight of the universe pressing down on them, they had each other. And for now, that was enough.

In the distance, the faintest ripple stirred on the horizon. Something was coming. Something that neither Percy nor Artemis could yet see. But in that quiet, still moment, they both understood one thing: the future was waiting, and they would face it together.

Guest- I have read it, and it is really good.

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AND AS ALWAYS TILL NEXT TIME