Wolf Meets Nightshade

Chapter 16

Percy stayed frozen, unresponsive to Zoe's questions, a million thoughts running through his mind per second. Zoe liked him, him. Did he like her back? Of course, he did, but he never thought of it that way. He did like teasing her, the only purpose was to make her blush that cute blush of hers, and he did like her hugs, and he did like the way she smelled, fresh flowers and forest, and the way that she puts up with every shenanigan that he did, and he liked he. That thought made his thoughts stop and pounder on that. After a few minutes of contemplating, he realized that he did like her in a romantic way and not just as a friend.

Zoe was getting worried that she broke Percy. He had been unresponsive for more than five minutes and he didn't even blink, having that far away look in his that scared her. He doesn't like me back, she thought, repeating that sentence in her head so many times that she believed every single word that it spoke. Silent tears were making their way down her cheeks. As if by some invisible force, Percy snapped out of his trance as soon as the first tear fell. He hugged her; no words were needed between them to comfort each other. "That was embarrassing." Zoe said, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood, which didn't work. Percy kept staring at her with a mix of emotions that she wasn't able to pick up, and that made her uncomfortable.

Zoe was going to ask if they could still be friends, hoping that he stayed by his promise, when something that she never thought someone would do to her happened. Percy had kissed her, on the lips. She was brimming with excitement, diving deeper in the kiss, making Percy fall on her bed, but their lips were still intertwined. They only stopped when they were running out of air, panting, Zoe's body on top of her lover. "Well, that was good for a first kiss." Percy said after regaining his breath. This made Zoe laugh and nod her head in agreement.

Just 11 years ago she hated every man that ever walked on this planet, despised love and would kill, and castrate, anyone that would think otherwise. Now here she was, kissing a man, on her bed, alone in her tent. Before they could do anything else, squealing could be heard just outside the tent, followed by shushing. Percy and Zoe looked at each other before walking to the door and unzipping it. All the hunters came tumbling in, falling over each other, making pained sounds, which were soon replaced by shouts of excitement. Zoe blushed at the thought of her sisters, who had sworn off any men and would kill any men that would come within ten feet of them, hearing what she had said, and that Percy had kissed her. It was supposed to be a private conversation, but the hunters knew no boundaries. Artemis was standing just outside the tent, looking at the fallen hunters in amusement and then looking at her and Percy, a full smile on her face.

Artemis was glad that Zoe at least loved a decent man, that had proven his worth multiple times, and that had earned her respect. She was happy to see the two together, after years of Zoe babbling about every good aspect of Percy, she didn't know if she could take another week with that. "I'm guessing that you two got together?" Artemis asked, chuckling at their reaction, which consisted of them blushing from head to toe.

When the shouts of joy and excitement reduced from the hunters, they all lifted the two on their shoulders, close enough to hold each other's hand, and carried them to the dining table, which was filled to the brim with finger foods and all the possible types of unhealthy food they could imagine. That night the hunters, Artemis and Percy had the time of their lives, the hunters making fun of the two of them and telling them that if they had kids that they needed to be the aunts, while Artemis would be the grandmother, which she pouted at while all the people present laughed at her expression, but she soon joined in the laughter.