I don't really know whether or not this will be in my Teen Olympians story, but I kind of dig it so I wanted to go ahead and post it as a one shot. Artemis is my favorite goddess, and I love writing about her! This one shot is based off of some of Mirelle Ortega's fab Teen Olympian artwork on tumblr. Go follow her (mirelleortega) and me (hollymolly022) for more writing goodness and fanart ;) !

Please review!

They walked underneath the stars, gazing up at the constellations. Artemis could pick all of them out easily; after all, she had put some of them up there.

"I still can't believe that you put that up there for me."

"Put what?" she replied lazily. She knew exactly what he was referring to, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"The constellation for me. I knew, but I never knew where you were, so I couldn't thank you for it," he murmured.

She turned towards him, her eyes appraising him. She still was angry at him for lying to her. Why didn't he just say he remembered her from the start? It almost pained her to think that he had seen her in the halls and hadn't come to her first. How long had he known she was there? How could he take being around her while acting oblivious? She sped up, wandering back through the woods towards her chariot. She couldn't get attached. He would die soon, and if the Fates desired it, how could she stop it? She might be a goddess, but some things were just out of her control. All of the fear and sadness that had occurred when he had first died were welling up inside her once again. This had to be a joke, a cruel joke meant to tear her sanity from her.

"Artemis, wait!"

His voice called her. It was the same voice she heard night after night in her dreams. Something curled in her chest, like a weight had been dropped there. What could she do? Should she spend what little time she had left with him, or should she break it off before she got hurt again? The thoughts warred in her head, and she felt tears spring to her eyes. It just wasn't fair.

"ARTEMIS!"

"What!?" she snapped as she turned to face him. Orion's face was full of remorse, the sadness apparent in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" she questioned.

"For lying about knowing you. I just thought it would be easier for you if I did. I thought it would make it easier when..." he paused taking a deep breath. He looked down and shuffled his feet in the dirt, the same nervous gesture he used to do when they went out hunting together. "I just thought it would be easier when I'm gone."

A pang echoed in her chest, at once painful and pleasant. He cared about her emotions, about how she would handle his death. Maybe he thought it would be easier for her, knowing that he wouldn't remember her after he died once more. The very thought sickened Artemis. She would remember no matter what. She would remember the way his hair blew in the soft breeze. She would remember the furious intent in which he tracked his prey, the single-minded determination in which he hunted. In her mind, she could still see the way a little crease would form in between his eyebrows in concentration right before he let an arrow fly. She would remember every touch, every word, like she had for millennia before this. She had learned to cope, learned to manage her existence without him. Now here he was, so close yet so far away.

"I get it," she whispered quietly. Artemis didn't know what to say. Orion stepped closer to her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off of him. It was a cool night, but not unpleasantly so. His hands went to the top of her arms, and she felt compelled to look up at him. How much longer would she be able to stare into his eyes before she would have to start imagining them in her head once more?

"I was going to look for you, the minute I reached an age where I could. You don't know how many times I set out to find you, but to no avail. Something always got in my way. It was like I was running in circles looking for you."

"Athena and the others kept you away," she admitted to him. She wanted to tell him that she would have looked for him too, had she known. She would have scoured the whole world to find him, but the words were stuck in her throat.

"I know. I had to break it, Artemis. I had to see you again. I would give anything to see you again," he whispered. His hands were on her cheeks now, and his thumb brushed a single tear from underneath her eye. He leaned forward, and Artemis closed her eyes. She felt his lips brush her own. His outdoorsy smell overwhelmed her just like it use to. Orion didn't pull away after the first kiss, and she didn't want him too. His hands snaked around her, one at her neck and the other on her lower back, holding her to him. One of her hands ventured to the back of his head, her fingers winding into his silky strands. The other went to his shoulder, holding on like her existence depended on it. She didn't remember it feeling this good, or the way the heat seemed to build up inside of her. They stumbled back into a tree trunk, and Artemis felt the roughness of the bark through her t-shirt. The kisses were growing deeper and more passionate, and an unfamiliar feeling took over Artemis. Was this what lust felt like? His hands were at her waist now, his fingers edging just under the edge of her shirt. Every time his fingertips touched her skin, tiny shocks rocked through her from the point of contact. Both of her hands laced into his hair tighter, holding him to her. Their panted breaths seemed loud in the quiet night, but there was no one to hear them. All the creatures had left the secluded den, leaving the goddess of the hunt and Orion alone together. Was this a dream? It was the very situation she had dreamed about for years, one that haunted her memories.

He had to stop. They had to stop. But it felt so good…how could it be wrong?

Orion's hands ran up her body, leaving her shaking from the contact. She shouldn't be doing this, but she wanted it, wanted it more than she had wanted anything in her existence. Her hands acted of their own accord, ripping his shirt off of him. She pulled it over his head, and she had a moment to admire him. Every inch of Orion was gorgeous, from the way his hips lead into the most delicious "V" to the smoldering look he was giving her now. She actually felt sorry for denying her Hunters this pleasure. His mouth crashed back into hers, and she reveled in the feeling of his skin. It was so warm and soft to the touch. She could feel the lines of his muscles, the way they tensed as they moved together. His hands hesitantly ventured to the edge of her shirt, playing with the edge. Her hands came to his, and together, they lifted her shirt off. He stopped to look at her, gazing at her in wonder. She was thankful that in this day and age, girls wore bras. She was also thankful she had put this particular one on before she came out here with him. He pulled her to him, his lips grazing her throat.

"You are so beautiful, Artemis," he whispered against her pulse point. The way his breath hit and parted on her skin was making her feel very jittery and light-headed. It took all she could to keep her form human. Her hands wrapped around his neck, and Orion picked her up, their mouths never parting. Artemis's legs folded around his waist, and she never considered how inappropriate it might be. Her only thoughts were of him, of how she had managed to get even closer to him, and her body was screaming in satisfaction and pleasure. He lowered them both down, his strong arms careful not to drop her. The softness of the grass touched her back, cradling the two of them in comfort. He kept his weight lifted off of her, his body suspended just over hers. She could not seem to keep her hands from him. She gripped the shoulders she had watched for years pulling back on a bow and arrow. His taut stomach muscles were against her own, the tension radiating from them to her. Her hands grazed his back, feeling every dip and cord.

He looked questioningly at her, almost asking for permission to continue. She had never been this far with anyone, and she wondered about him. She wasn't one to pry in other thoughts, even though she could. In all his lives, had he ever slept with someone? Had there ever been a girl he cared about? Her hands went to his face, holding his gaze into hers. He looked at her without fear, like he had eons of time to be with her.

"Orion? Have you- have you ever?" Her words mashed together, crashing into one another. How could she be so nervous? She was a goddess for crying out loud! He smiled, one that was so sweet and genuine that it melted her heart.

"It's only ever been you, Artemis. It will only ever be you," he whispered softly. He brushed her hair out of her face, gazing at her lovingly. Everything was in shades of silver and blue, the moonlight drowning the color out from around them. She could see everything perfectly though. She could see the tiny, almost invisible scar on his cheek, where a bear had scratched him during a hunt so long ago. It was still there, and her fingers brushed it in amazement. All those lonely nights she spent staring at the stars wishing he had not died were not completely in vain. She had missed him, and her greatest desire was right in front of her. How could she ignore him? How could she let me get away from her again?

This time, her lips crashed into him. She needed him, like she needed air to breath. Damn the consequences. She didn't care if she got in trouble. She could be thrown off Olympus and made a mortal, and it would still be worth the feeling she had right now. No wonder her brother was such a damned playboy. If it felt this good, she understood why people acted how they did. Orion's lips traced a path from her lips, down her neck, nipping gently right where it met her shoulder. She gasped in pleasure, her fingers digging into his back. He groaned, and as he worked his way down from her shoulder to her chest, she could feel him smile. Her fingers moved down Orion's back, stopping at the edge of his jeans. She pushed against it, and her fingers went just under the edge of his boxers. She pulled her hands around front, and she could hear the strain in his breath. He rolled over, pulling Artemis on top of him. His hands rested on her waist as she softly traced the lines of his stomach. It was chiseled, a perfect replica of stomachs of the marble statues. She had always wondered what it felt like every time she saw him with his shirt off. She bent down, her hair falling in a curtain around them. She traced the center line of his abs with her lips, working her way up to Orion's neck. His skin tasted sweet and salty, and she couldn't imagine ambrosia or nectar ever tasting this good. His hands moved up her back, sliding underneath her bra. She loved the way that felt, to have his hands on her with nothing to stop them. She cradled his face in her hands, and his fingers began to unhook to clasp.

A branch fell, echoing loudly in the clearing. Quick as lightning, she summoned her bow, an arrow notched and waiting to let fly in that direction. Orion shot up as well, his eyes anxiously scanning the wood line. Artemis couldn't tell what had made the sound. It could have been an animal, but she had a sneaking suspicion it was a person. Rage ignited within her. How dare they spy on her?

"What was that?" Orion whispered softly. It was his hunting voice, so soft and quiet nothing could hear him. Artemis shook her head unsure of what had happened. She lowered her bow, and it vanished from her hands. Whatever had made the noise was gone now. The threat had given her a chance to clear her erratic thoughts.

She had almost lost herself in Orion, willingly at that. But she couldn't. She had taken a vow of maidenhood, swore it on the river Styx. She was a virgin goddess! Granted, that vow was a long, long, time ago. It was only made because she was heartbroken over him. That kind of vow was not something she could break without suffering consequences. What if those consequences involved harm coming to Orion? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if it came to that. She had already lost him once, and she could not, would not, lose him again.

His hands rested on her hips, and his head rested against her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his hair. Orion's lips touched her shoulder, slowly working his way up to her mouth. She was still straddling his hips, and once he reached her mouth, he planted a soft, chaste kiss against her lips. There was so much that was unsaid in that kiss. The fear that they both had, that there was not much time, was clear in the way his lips trembled against hers, not that either of them would ever admit it. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears, his fingers grazing her cheek as he pulled away. He got that glint in his eyes, the one he always got when he killed something before she did.

"That was unexpected," he smirked at her. Artemis groaned and pulled away from him. She snatched her shirt up from the ground, throwing it back on hastily.

"There goes that mouth again," she snorted at him. His grin was huge, and she could hear him laugh as he slid his own shirt back on.

"I thought you liked my mouth, especially when I-"

Artemis knocked him on his back, but his laughter still echoed through the forest. She left him on the ground, a smile erupting on her face. Orion's laugh was a sound she was determined to keep hearing for a long time, no matter how arrogant he was.