KEEPSAKE

chapter seven

07 SUNFLOWER EYES

SHE NEEDED TO BE KNOCKED DOWN A PEG.

With Adonis in front of her, wrists bound and scowling, she felt a sense of pride envelope her. It was clear she had already defeated the defenseless god and couldn't wait to be praised. But by who? A thought of Apollo stormed her head. He was making her ache all over and not in a positive way. She almost wanted to cry. Apollo was one of the few people left that she trusted.

"My feet are weak." Adonis groaned, his body coming to a halt. Artemis' hold around his bound wrists tightened.

"You're weak." Artemis retorted back. Frankly, it was quite obvious the god was weak. Maybe one of the weakest gods. But that was only because he didn't know his only capabilities. He didn't trust himself. And as of right now, that was the only thing keeping Artemis so high and mighty.

He scoffed, wriggling in her hold and finally yanking his wrists away from her hands. She quickly got into fighting stance, popping out an arrow and aiming her bow towards Adonis warningly.

He held his hands up, surrendering. "I'm not going to run, I swear. Just-" he sighed, "can we please take a break?"

Artemis lowered her bow slightly, letting the wheels turn in her head. She never took breaks on a mission. There was never a reason to.

Finally releasing a sigh, "Fine. We'll rest here. I have some grub we can feed on." She slung the bow case from her shoulder and zipped down a secret opening. Inside was a container filled with olives and another with grapes.

"Here." She tossed the grape one to Adonis and kept the olive one to herself.

"Uh, my hands." He muttered, lifting his bound hands.

"Oh." She said shortly, parting her lips slightly. "Uh just...come here."

"Come here?" He echoed, narrowing his eyes at her solution but did start moving incase she decided to untie him.

Once he stood by Artemis, she plopped down on the grimy grass and tugged on his sleeve, signaling him to do the same. She reached out for the grape container and the olive and twisted both of them open.

"Okay." She breathed out, picking a olive out and plopping it into her mouth. She moaned at the savory taste. Only one olive and she already felt satisfied. Energized and ready to take on anyone.

"How will I eat?" He asked impatiently.

She huffed, "We're getting there! Geez, you impatient muck!" She shook her head before pulling out a grape and descending it towards Adonis' mouth which was clamped shut. "Open." She deadpanned.

He shook his head, eyeing her up.

She pushed the grape in between his lips harshly to break his tight shut mouth.

"Artemis!" He mumbled and that gave her the chance to shove it inside his hole. He choked up for a minute while Artemis laughed in victory.

"You're annoyingly stubborn." She said, eating another olive.

"And you're annoying in general." He glared at her.

She rolled her eyes, gesturing another grape to his lips, this time he obliged. But this time he also accidentally touched Artemis finger with his lip.

She recoiled faster than she meant to. Her arm went to her side and her legs shot up, dusting the saliva clad hand on her cloth. "Um-"

"Sorry.." He apologized, tilting his head back to look at her. His brows were furrowed. He wasnt quite sure why she bounced away so briskly.

"Hurry up and eat." She said, dusting off her cloak and kneeling down. She moved Adonis forward so she could untie his wrists. Once the rope loosened, he let out a sigh of relief, a smile, too. Her head tipped back so she was now inches away from his. Her eyes deathening, menacing, hungry. "You try anything, you'll wish I was beating you senseless."

He gave her one nod and a bounce to his adam's apple. She smirked lightly before standing up to her full height and walking to the stream across from where they sat.

She crouched down on the pebbles that were damp and smiled. Her fingertips grazed the flowing current, water running through the wrinkles and crevices of her hand. Autumn leaves had fallen and were taken by the current, down the stream. Artemis imagined herself being one of those leaves. She wondered if Adonis would also be one or if he'd be the stream. Drowning her.

She shook the thought away and dug her flask through the water, filling it with savory drink and screwed the lid back on. Once she finished, she stood up to her full height and stared at the reflection of herself in the water. She wondered what her mom would think of her. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. She wondered if she was a bad goddess. A bad huntress. A bad protector.

Artemis' fists clenched up without her noticing, she kicked a few pebbles into the water, effectively ruining her reflecting, and then walked back towards Adonis.

It didn't matter if her mom approved. It only mattered if Artemis approved. She was in charge of her own life, no one else. Not even Zeus.

"Artemis!" Artemis heard Adonis yell.

She didn't respond. She only fastened her pace, and tightened the hold on her bow case.

Adonis slumped down in relief when he saw her approach. "Uh we got company." He told her.

"What?" Artemis tested, striking out an arrow. "If this is a trick so you can run..." She moved closer to him and cuddled his hands together behind his back, fiercely rapping a new pair of bounds against his wrists. A more secure set.

"It's not!" He yelled, sighing from the uncomfortable hold of the wired rope. Only then did Artemis notice his change in stature. His breathing had became erratic. His voice lower, intimidating. And his hair had became disheveled and messy. Still a sight.

Artemis forced her eyes away from Adonis and took in their surroundings. She heard birds chirping. Water flowing. Leaves falling. It was all normal. She caught stare with Adonis again and arched a brow.

"Artemis— they stole our food." He whispered with a sigh.

"Who? Who stole our food, fuck! Tell me." She screamed, she instantly became frustrated and stormed towards Adonis. She pressed her palms to his shoulders and shook him.

He gave her a blank stare in response before finding his wits. He pointed to the left. "Them."

Artemis sighed, she trekked her eyes up, following Adonis' extended arm. Her lips were pursed and eyes narrowed in disbelief. She couldn't believe how much precious time they were wasting. Adonis probably ran into a mindless bear.

Adonis peeled away Artemis' hand from his shoulders. A scowl was pulling on her features until she saw her. Her lips parted and her eyes tensed up.

"What do we do?" She heard Adonis ask. Her eyes were solely focused on the ones staring back at her though. She could feel Adonis drilling holes into her profile but she couldn't find it in her to drag her eyes away.

The Naiad waved.

"A god and a goddess. What a lovely surprise."