It felt like a long time that Hunter did anything after Arabella was gone. He didn't know where she was going, but he was a little glad to see that she was doing something else instead of stewing inside like he was. He took a deep breath and finally stood. He was weak and tired and achy and his head was throbbing, but he hated how helpless he was feeling. He needed to face this if he was ever going to move on and it looked like Arabella needed to move on as fast as possible. Sitting on the couch wasn't helping that.
He closed his eyes a moment. He felt so bad for all of this. It was his fault that they were never having kids. It was his fault that Arabella was so heartbroken. He was so broken and so hollow and now he was too confused and jumbled to do anything about it. How could he do this to her? He wished that he had never given this to Arabella. What if he had never left camp? What if he had never left camp? And what if he had never met Arabella and hurt her so badly?
Hunter sat forward and after a few tries, stood up on weak legs. He hadn't used them in so long and now they were a little stiff. Ajax who was sleeping by his leg barked up at him and Hunter sighed. He needed to do something. What could he possibly do? What did he have? He had a house. He had a lot of money. He had a bank account full of money for a kid that's never going to exist. He had nothing. Nothing that would help him now at least.
"You're completely forgetting something." Hunter turned around and saw Arabella standing near the door. She looked like Arabella, but something about her told Hunter that this was someone older than Arabella.
"What are you doing here, Aphrodite?" Hunter asked, his voice raspy from not using it for so long. "What could I possibly be forgetting? Did I inherit some magic potion that makes me fertile? Because that's what I could really use right now." Aphrodite pursed her lips a moment.
"I'm going to ignore that you were so bitter right there and fill you in." Aphrodite cleared her throat. "Your sterility isn't your fault, Hunter. It's not your fault. It's not your parents' fault. Do you remember all those years ago when I brought you back to life? You weren't a hunter anymore and Artemis was furious." Hunter nodded softly. He was starting to see where she was going with this and it made his heart beat a little faster. "Artemis left and she was so pissed, but after you declined godhood, she came back and she pleaded with the gods. She wasn't going to kill you or turn you into a jackalope, but she wasn't going to let you get away with this." Hunter blinked at her for several moments.
"SHE did this to me!?" Hunter asked in disbelief. "I can't believe her! After all that I've done for that ungrateful monstrous BI-"
"Hunter, listen. She's still a god, so don't--" Hunter waved her away. Hunter wasn't going to let this go. He wasn't going to let his rage get in the way, but he wasn't going to let Artemis get away with this.
"No. I know what I have to do. See you soon." He said with a nod. "Please go." He said, looking down at the coffee table. He looked up and she was gone. Hunter took a deep breath. He was going to go face the gods. He was going to do something very brave and very stupid, but it was worth the risk. He needed to do this. Hunter looked at the ring on his finger and carefully slipped it off, placing on the coffee table. After that, he left the house.
He started walking, but the closer he got, the more enraged he became about this. He was not going to let Artemis get away with this. He was running at full speed when he was coming over Half-Blood hill. It felt like not long ago when he was getting married in this same place. He walked past everyone looking at him and giving him looks and he walked straight into the Artemis cabin. The statue at one wall was looking down at him.
"GIVE IT BACK." He shouted at her. Nothing happened. He wasn't going to let her pretend that she didn't hear him. He was in her domain and he was going to make a big deal out of it. He spoke in Greek. He wanted to be on her level. "You took it from me. I gave you my life! I gave you everything! Do you think I wanted to spend my whole life fighting monsters and saving you from whatever it was that threatened you!? I give you EVERYTHING and to no fault of my own I lose the oath. I DIED for you and you make sure that I can't live a happy life. You just can't let me go!" Hunter was breathing heavily and after the days he's been having, he was running on adrenaline mostly. Nothing. "LISTEN TO ME!" Hunter's vision became bright and he squinted away. He could feel the atmosphere shift and the light died down. When he could see again, he was in Olympus.
"Hunter, it is by sheer mercy that we're allowing you to speak to us like this." Zeus said, growling down at Hunter. Hunter looked around and found Aphrodite looking right at him. She looked impressed, but more surprised than anything. Hunter cleared his throat.
"I demand that you right this injustice that has been done to me." Hunter said, standing in the middle of the gods, his heart beating out of his chest.
"You...demand?" Hunter turned and found Ares leering down at him. "You do realize who you're talking to, right?"
"Yes. I DEMAND. I saved you from corruption and infighting and I saved your kids from a bunch of crazy witches. Then I saved everything and where were you? I've given you everything. I died! I gave you my life! And I want to move on! I'm not your kid! I'm not yours to control and make demands of. So, I do realize who I'm talking to. Do you realize who you're talking to?" Ares started to get up, but Zeus raised his hand, stopping him.
"What do you want, Hunter? You come to us making demands and it is by our grace that you are not a soot mark on the floor. Speak quickly or that will change." Hunter nodded and turned to Artemis. The look on her face was one of mixed emotion, but it made Hunter pause a moment. With a deep breath, he stepped forward.
"Artemis, you took away...everything. I was done with this. This life. I sent offerings to you still even after everything you've done to me and you still punish me. I died trying to save the gods and save camp and I lose my oath and you take away my ability of having kids. I want it back. Do you redact your punishment?" Artemis' eyes flared a moment.
"Your life, Hunter, is mine. You've disobeyed me and you've ignored me, but I saved you. You're alive because of me, so I will do what I want to you and you can't do anything about it, do you understand me, mortal!?" Artemis snarled at Hunter and Hunter's heart fell. What else could he do? The gods would need to stop her. There's nothing he could do about it.
"My, my. He comes in here. Hunter, you're acting like a god almost. It makes me...phew." Aphrodite said to him. She winked at him and Hunter thought for a second. He still had one chance.
"Zeus, I give up my godhood." Zeus who had been picking at the armrest of his throne sat up.
"What godhood? You have nothing to give up." Zeus said, shaking his head. Hunter thought for a second.
"I defeated Prometheus and you brought me here and I stood here and you offered me to become a god and I said no, but you were sick of people declining it, so you gave me the request to cash in at anytime. You said I could become a god at anytime. I give it up in exchange for the undoing of her punishment." Hunter said, pointing at Artemis. Zeus looked at him like he was crazy and, glancing around, it looked like everyone was doing the same thing.
"You would give up being a god for her? Give up being a god to raise a family with that wife of yours?" Athena asked, looking at him oddly. Hunter didn't even think about it. Raising a family with Arabella was all that he wanted.
"Yes. I give it up." Hunter said firmly. Zeus stood and he looked down at Hunter.
"Go, then. It has been granted." The room went white and Hunter was standing on Half Blood Hill. Hunter stood there for a second just thinking over what had just happened. A moment later, he was sprintig back toward his house. His heart was beating out of control and adrenaline was pumping through his body and Hunter needed to be home. It wasn't long until Hunter was bursting through his front door.
"Hunter?" Hunter looked into the kitchen. Arabella got up when she heard him and she looked like she had had the worst day of her life. Without saying anything, Hunter wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tightly on the lips, pouring all of his passion and all of his love and all of his regret that he felt for how he had treated her the past few days. Without moving his lips away from hers he pushed her back into the kitchen and lifted her up onto the counter, moving between her legs. They were going to start a family and he wanted to start as soon as possible. Hunter put an arm under her, moving his lips across her cheek to her neck where he nibbled and bit down on her skin. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" She breathed putting her arms around his neck.
"I'm sorry, Ellie." Hunter whispered into her ear before placing a kiss on her earlobe. "Thank you for being so strong and for staying." He said before mashing his lips to hers again, stopping her words in her throat. Hunter lifted her up and he pressed her up against the wall, feeling her legs wrap around his waist.
"Hunter, what is it? What's going on?" She asked finally, pulling away enough to look at him. Hunter was breathing heavily and all he did was smile and that was enough. He wasn't sure if there was an understanding now, but he was happy to have her in his arms and she was happy to be in his arms. It felt perfect and Hunter wanted nothing more. Things were going to be perfect.