Won't Say I'm in Love [Pertemis]

5-Nightmares

Who'd you think you're kidding,
He's the earth and heaven to you

Percy

Artemis walked out of my tent and left me alone. I looked at the walls and ceiling. A living memory. I could almost feel Annabeth beside me, staring up at the sky. The world was burning to the ground, but I had her, and that had been what mattered. My whole world had been standing beside me.

"We've got a good crew," I had admitted. "If I have to sail to my death-"

"You're not dying on me, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth interrupted me. "Remember? Never separated again."

I had to let that go now.

I watched Artemis go, and then sat down on my cot. I uncapped Riptide, and leaned it against the wall of the tent. I stared at the celestial bronze blade.

When Artemis said magic, she really meant magic. From the outside, it looked like I had a normal silver family sized camping tent you could buy at Walmart. It looked like nothing  special. On the inside, it was like a tent mansion. A spacious room with complete furniture, including a sofa and coffee table. A sea green curtain hung from the tent ceiling, separating the main room and my cot. I opened a silver door and walked into the next room, revealing a bathroom and closet. I opened the closet doors and found some boys hunters clothes that matched my sense of style. I said a silent thanks to Aphrodite. She was definitely behind this. Even the bathroom was nice. I wondered if it could magically clean itself.

"Huh," I muttered. "I could get used to this. A travel sized mansion."

No doubt, I could probably fold this thing up and stuff it in my backpack.

I went back to my cot, and tried to take Artemis' advice and get some sleep. As I drifted off, I found myself thinking about the goddess.

Huh, I thought to myself. Goddess isn't the word for it.

***

Who knew godhood would not protect me from nightmares.

"Percy!" Artemis voice yelled. I sat straight up, gasping for breath. My forehead was beaded with sweat, and my heart was racing. The goddess stood over me, wearing a worried expression. "You were having a nightmare."

I looked around, still breathing heavily. "Did I wake you?"

"You were screaming," Artemis said. She sighed in relief. "I thought something was wrong."

"I'm okay," I managed, the images still dancing in my mind.

"What were you dreaming about?" She asked. Her eyes were full of genuine concern.

"Tartarus," I said after a while.

Artemis stared at me. I wondered what she was thinking. Poor little boy, or broken hero, probably. Instead, she sat down. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but if you do, I'm always willing to listen."

"Have you ever been?" I asked.

"To Tartarus?" Artemis asked. I nodded. "Oh, definitely not, Percy. Venturing down there is suicide... but I'm sure you already know that. It's no place for anybody. A god would never go down there. There's no getting back. What happened in your dream?"

I took a shaky breath. "It's okay. You should get some rest. I don't want to keep you up."

Artemis frowned, but didn't protest. She stood. "Very well."

I watched her walk to the door of my tent, disappointment balling up in my chest. She turned to face me. "For what it's worth... you're a part of the hunt now. I'll always be willing to give up sleep for you."

With that, she lifted the tent flap, and left.

***

Artemis kept her word. Everybody was up and at it as soon as the sun touched the sky. Unlike everybody else, I've never been a morning person, and it was blatantly obvious.

I stumbled out of my tent drowsily, still in a daze. The hunters were packing up tents and putting out fires, breaking down camp with excellent skill.

"Hey," I called to one of the hunters, motioning to my tent. "How do you take this thing down?"

"Newbie," Thalia said, walking towards me. "I'll show you how it's done, Jackson."

She showed me how to swiftly dismantle my tent- pulling up the stakes, and folding it a certain way. My suspicions were confirmed: the tent rolled up into a box of fabric the size of a dinner plate. I tucked it in my hunting bag, and looked up. Artemis was leaning against a tree, smirking at me. "You might learn a thing or two," she said.

"Only from you, your majesty," I said, bowing jokingly.

She smiled, a warm, lighthearted smile. She radiated happiness and confidence. "Alright, Lord Perseus."

I made a face. "The formalities."

"Lord Perseus," Thalia said sarcastically. "You're still a dam kelp head."

I grinned at her. "Careful there, Pinecone Face, or I'll introduce you to my dam sword."

Artemis glanced between the two of us, confused.

"Insider," Thalia coughed. "Hoover Dam."

"I see," Artemis said. I wondered what she was thinking. Her eyes shown in the early morning light.

"We're all up and ready to go," Thalia told her. "On your order, milady."

Artemis turned to me. "Percy?" She asked, a little grudgingly.

I looked behind me, and then raised my eyebrows. "Are you asking me if it's okay?"

"Well, you do share leadership of the Hunt now," she said with a small laugh.

"Does it matter what I think?" I asked. "You're clearly more cut out for this than I am. I'm just here to assist you."

She pondered that, and then looked at me quizzically, in an expression I could not read. Gratitude? Respect? Surprise? Maybe a mix of all three. "Very well," she decided. "You are quite the character, Percy."

I shrugged. "I try. It's your call. This is your Hunt. I'm just the Guardian."

"Maybe I could get used to your company," she shrugged, with grudging respect. "Your humility still manages to surprise me. Alright. Hunters, out!"

I realized that for the first time she had complimented me without attaching 'for a man' to the end of the sentence.