Festive Spirits

A Christmas oneshot split into two parts cause I'm not good at updating. Basically another way of thinking about Christmas.

Festive spirits

The sun rose on Christmas morning and as the rays began to pierce through the flap of her tent Artemis still hadn't risen. Usually on Christmas she would have been the first person up, making a huge Christmas breakfast while watching the youngest hunters open their presents from Santa, the older ones supervising them of course. However, by this time most of the hunters should have opened all their presents by now and the older ones would already be beginning work on prepping the humongous Christmas feast ready for this evening. Yet here she was sulking in her queen sized bed wishing the day away. How could she not see the signs when they were so obvious for the last month?

Let's explain for a second. Last night Artemis had finally lost it with her boyfriend, on their first Christmas as a couple...

Last night

It was bleak mid winter so obviously as soon as the two of them had entered the tent Percy shut the flap immediately to conserve heat, Artemis hated sleeping in a cold tent. Though as soon as he turned round from completing his task he was met with the face of a wrathful goddess. They had just come back from the Christmas Eve bonfire which goes on forever so both parties were slightly tired from all the festivities. Gulping slightly while edging towards his girlfriend who, despite being in a Mrs Clause suit which he thought made her look adorable, was ready to kill him by the looks of things. "Everything okay?"

"What is your problem?" The clearly very angry deity demanded in a frosty voice he had only heard when he had witnessed men who had pissed her off lose a vital organ. Fortunately for him however, she was not holding one of her hunting knives rather, had them resting on her hips just above them instead. Turning slightly to seal the flap, sensing an argument brewing and not wanting to be overheard.

"What do you mean...?" The demigod replied cautiously, turning to face his girlfriend while taking off his large leather and fur overcoat. He had an idea where this might be going and if he was right this was going to go down like dynamite in a country pancake, judging by the look on her face.

"What. Is. Your. Problem. Perseus?" Artemis repeated, punctuating every word taking a step until she was right in front of him, her face so close he could feel her harsh breath as she exhaled. It was at this point he knew he was in for it as Artemis hasn't used his full name since he was 14, almost three years ago. "You've been acting weird for over a month, you haven't once partaken in any of the Christmas activities of your own volition, you grimace whenever you receive a festive greeting and you blatantly refuse to join in with decorating the camp."

"I don't know what you me-" Percy said trying to feign ignorance after she had finished her rant. Instead of calming the situation as intended it only served to enrage the goddess in front of him, causing her to slam one her hunting blades hilt deep into the mahogany desk beside them putting a large crack straight through it. Turning back to him, those silver eyes glaring at him with a fury he had not seen before.

"DON'T BULLSHIT ME, JACKSON!" The goddess yelled, eyes literally blazing with silver fury, her knuckles going white on the grip of her knife. Taking a breath to calm down slightly, though still keeping a firm hand on the knife, she looked him in the eyes before continuing. "Christmas is a special time of year for me Percy, for starters I was the one who literally invented it. But really it's one of the few times a year that my hunt really acts like a family rather than handmaidens and a mistress, no more milady's and all that other crap. It's refreshing, you know?" To which the demigod nodded his head as he watched he begin to pace around the room twirling her knife as she did so. "And while others may not notice it, I do. I know you Perce, and I know when you're faking it. You haven't smiled in over a month, you haven't once of your own volition joined in with the festive activities, hell you wouldn't even sing Mariah Carey with me! It's literally my favourite part of Christmas!" She let out another sigh as she casually tossed her knife onto their bed before leaning against the now severely damaged desk and turning to lock eyes with him. Her voice barely a whisper she continued, "Is it that you don't trust me Perce?"