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The first time Artemis saw him was when he was just fourteen he was with his friends and they were being cornered and attacked by a Manticore, her hunters and she had decided to help them at that time, and she almost mistaken him for Orion back then but she quickly brush it off. He was too devastated by losing the daughter of Athena that he had forgotten how to properly respect a goddess so she let his behavior slide for the moment. When she asked to talk to him that night, Artemis thought he was like any other men foolish, clueless, and disrespectful, oh, how wrong she was.
The second time Artemis had saw him was on the Mount Othrys, she was tricked by the son of Hermes to hold the sky in exchange for the life of Athena's daughter. Artemis had seen him with her former lieutenant Zoe Nightshade and her current lieutenant Thalia. He tried to fight Atlas but he was just a demigod he was fully aware that he couldn’t beat Atlas at his current state and strength, she told him to flee and save himself but what he did next was one of the most surprising thing that she had ever seen, he asked her to give him the weight of the sky.
Artemis told him it would kill him, he told her that the daughter of Athena had took the sky, but she still had her doubts at him and his strength so she told him that, "She barely survived. She had the spirit of a true huntress. You will not last so long." But then again he surprised her as he said that, "I'll die anyway! Give me the weight of the sky," he didn't wait for her reply because he broke her chains and stepped next to her and braced himself on one knee holding up the sky.
Artemis let him hold up the sky and fought Atlas her with the help of my loyal hunter and friend Zoe. But not all quest ends with a happy ending, Zoe died that day but she died claiming him as different from other men that she despise, and telling him that her sword that she had given to the man she first loved but betrayed her was now belong to him as she dimmed him worthy to be her friend.
Artemis' next lieutenant also dimmed the boy as an important friend to her, a brother in anything but blood. Her view to him increased tenfold when he declared that he didn't want the Ophiotaurus to die because it was innocent and instead asked for his father to protect the creature.
The third time that Artemis saw him was when the Second Titan War had ended. Her father gave him the gift of immortality but he declined instead he wanted the gods to claim all their children so they can properly be trained to protect themselves and also to prevent another war. He also wanted them to pardon the friendly Titans and set them free, and then again he had proven to be different from other male species.
The fourth time that Artemis had seen him was after the Second Giant War he looked so spent but his eyes shown happiness that finally the war has ended even though there were lots of sacrifice. In the end they still won and she can see it in his eyes that all he wanted was to be with the daughter of Athena and live a happy and normal life.
The fifth time that Artemis had saw him was the worst, he look so wreck his eyes looks dull, the normal light that was in his eyes was long gone after Athena's daughter left him. Thalia insisted that she wanted to visit her brother in all but blood and she let her, Artemis watched as she talk and console him but he never responded to her. In weeks her faithful lieutenant continued to console him but he didn't show any sign of improvement aside from his nodding response to her. As weeks turn into months and still no improvement, Artemis then decided to try and help him after all he was one of the few men that she came to respect and she don't want him to lose himself because of some reasons that she didn’t understand.
Artemis visited him daily and as time passes by she gradually turn his attention into other things, she taught him how to use a bow and arrow which he put a whole lot of effort just to learn and hit the target. Artemis taught him the fun of hunting, how to gracefully move into the forest, how to follow your prey without it noticing you. How to track your own prey using your senses.
And as Artemis trained him she noticed little this about him and his expression's on how he frowns whenever his target sense him, how a smile grace his lips whenever she graced him with her presence, how he smirks at her whenever he hits his target perfectly. But it never failed her to notice his longing looks whenever he thought that she wasn't looking.
Artemis knew he was falling for her, and her to him.
So she tried to detach herself to him, to not seek for his presence, but when the daughter of Athena returned, and tried to mend the things she had left broken and scattered. She couldn’t help but feel jealous of her and also be angered, how she can just come back as if nothing happened.
Artemis tried to make an excuse just to see him again, she brought her hunters to camp, and secretly look for him and she saw him talking with Athena’s daughter with a small smile on his lips. Artemis was jealous and furious, but who was she to be angry at him when she was the one who chose to distance herself to him, she regretted it and she knew she could never bring back time. But one thing was for sure, she could change this. She was sure of it.
It was not too late to claim him as her forever.
So she asked for her father's consent. If she said asking him this favor is difficult that would be a mere understatement, her father didn't want it but she was too stubborn, even if she hate it and she haven't done it before, she begged him. And maybe it's just her, perhaps the fates took pity on her and softened her father's heart. He let her, gave her the freedom to love him.
And as soon as her father allowed Artemis, she ran into the camp looking for him ignoring the demigods, nymphs, and satyrs that are bowing and greeting her, for all that matters to Artemis was him, and him alone. And then after an hour of searching she had found him there in the Zeus fist sitting on the grass leaning his back at the big chuck of rock, he was gazing at the stars that night and he looks so contented and calm. Artemis slowly walk towards him and called his name to reveal her presence. His eyes that was previously gazing at the stars were now fixated on her, the usual smile on his lips whenever he saw her was on his lips. Artemis returned his smile and said, "Can we talk?"
He nodded at her and motion for her to take a seat next to him which Artemis gladly took. He was still looking at her as he said, "Are you going to turn me into a jackalope if I tell you that I miss you?"
Artemis smirked at him and said, "Maybe?"
And they both laughed like they used to do when she was training him and it made me happy and again feel those butterflies inside her stomach. Then Artemis decided to asked him on how was his relationship with Athena’s daughter was going and then he said, "She wanted me to take her back and I said that I'm not sure yet if I can do that but I assured her that she's still a good friend of mine."
Artemis looked at him and asked again, "Why, what is it that you're not sure of?"
He smiled and looked at his intertwined fingers and said, "I'm not sure if I can love her again because I had already fallen in love with someone else."
Artemis tense when he said that, even though it was plain obvious into her eyes that he liked her before, she still wasn't sure if he still did, so she asked him again, "Who?"
He smiled at me and my heart skips a beat and then he said, "You..."
Artemis could see in his face that he was serious and nervous at the same time, so she decided to end his misery and said, "Good because I love you too."
As she said those words, he's eyes widen and he was gaping at me like a goldfish, just as she was about to comment on his expression he tackled her into a hug and which really surprised her, yet she smiled and hugged him back.
Artemis leaned in and whisper into his ear, "Your mine now."
His face was still buried on my auburn hair as he tighten his hug on me and said, "Forever and always."