Month 5 (May)

Artemis was spending her day as she usually did during the week. She was watching some Youtube videos on Algebra, her form of studying, when the door opened quietly. She paused the video and took off her headphones, looking up. Apollo stood at the door, staring in at her awkwardly.

"What's up?" She asked, not even realising what time of day it was, and that her brothers were probably all home by now. Apollo entered the room and shut the door behind him. "Hey, uh, can I talk to you about something?" He asked nervously, leading her to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Okay? What is it?" She questioned.

Apollo sat down on the bed next to her. "Look, I know I've been... kind of a dick." He began, which immediately triggered Artemis. "Kind of a dick? You told me to kill my baby. If you ask me, THAT'S MORE THAN KIND OF A DICK MOVE!" She screamed, instantly making Apollo regret this confrontation.

They had not been getting along very well for the past 5 months, mainly because Artemis was pissed at his behavior when she revealed her pregnancy. At least her parents were just disappointed, and rightfully so.

Apollo evidently looked hurt, and Artemis' face returned to its normal color. She felt bad for yelling at him. "Sorry, mood swings. Stupid pregnant body." She said, looking down but not mad at the baby, of course.

Apollo's ears perked up. "Oh, and how is it being pregnant?" He asked. Artemis groaned, glad to have someone other than Percy or her mom to vent to. "It fucking sucks. I wake up, I need to vomit, I have to waddle into the shower because my stomach feels uncomfortable, I'm eating the most disgusting shit but it tastes so good, and on top of all that I've got constant homework. You want my advice? Never get pregnant." She warned him, making her twin brother laugh.

The two siblings sat in silence for a few seconds before the younger brother remembered what he came there for. "Uh, as I was saying. I've been a bit of an ass..." He trailed off, gulping as he saw Artemis' narrowed eyes. "Okay, a huge asshole. I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." He sighed, not looking up at her.

That one hit Artemis hard. She knew it was hard for anyone in her family to apologize for anything, even if it was their fault. It must've damaged a lot of pride for Apollo to say that. But still, he wasn't done.

"I was just pissed that you're dating Percy, even after like a whole year. He was everything I wanted to be when I started high school. Sporty but not a jock, popular but not an asshole, smart... okay good-graded but not a nerd, fun and wild but not batshit crazy, had a good family, liked by teachers, all that stuff. And then you're my baby sis, you were supposed to be pure, a virgin, innocent, and then you got an amazing boyfriend and started going to parties and even got on the cheerleading team. You made friends." Apollo sighed, and Artemis felt guilty, but that didn't mean he was completely right.

"Apollo, you made friends. I know you think you're a loner who's only survived because of his family, but that doesn't mean you're an outcast or whatever you're thinking. What about Hephaestus, or Hermes or Hecate or any of those guys. Are they not your friends?" Artemis asked, trying to cheer him up.

Apollo looked over at her. "Artemis, you know what I mean. They're my close buddies, my inner circle. You have one too, I see you guys hanging out all the time. The difference between you and I is that you have an army of side friends, people who like you. I have like 6 friends and then the people I sit next to in classes. I don't go to parties and socialize that way like you do. Hell, I don't even have a girlfriend. Closest I got were Hyacinthus and Daphne, but she didn't like me back and he... well, you know." Apollo said, resting his head on his hand.

Artemis knew full well what he meant. Sophomore year, Apollo had a thing for his friend Hyacinthus. The day he was gonna come out of the closet and admit he was bi and liked the guy, which he had planned with Artemis, Hyacinthus was hit by a car on the way to school, and died in hospital hours later. He never woke up after the fall, so Apollo never got to say goodbye, and worse, never got to admit his feelings.

Artemis felt bad. "I'm sorry, Apollo. I still am. But hey, it's not all sunshine in my life. Partying is usually fun, but it can go sour. I ever tell you what happened at the party after we beat the Sharks?" She asked, and Apollo shook his head confused.

"We went to a party at Marcus' house, you know Marcus LeBlanc? Well anyway, it was the team, the cheerleading squad and plenty of other people, so a pretty crowded place. I was drinking a lot that night. After about 5 or 6 drinks, Percy came over to me and took my hand, and I didn't think twice about it as he led me upstairs." She said, and Apollo's eyes widened as he realised where this was going.

"He led me into a spare bedroom, and got me to take my shirt off. I let him touch my boobs, and it felt kinda off. Just as I was about to take off my bra, the door burst open, and Percy was standing there." Apollo's jaw dropped in shock.

"I looked back at who I thought was Percy, but it turns out the alcohol was lying to me, because it was actually that Orion kid a year above us. I let that creep molest me." Artemis shivered. "He may have been a year above us, but Percy was like 5 games into being a football player, so he easily grabbed the guy and threw him down the stairs." Artemis laughed, managing to draw one from Apollo.

"Ares came over asking what the hell he was doing. Percy explained what happened, and even though Ares and I hate each other, the guy almost raped his sister, so Ares and some other huge guy dragged him outside and did god knows what." She told him, making Apollo smile in satisfaction.

Artems continued. "I was so upset. I thought Percy would think I cheated on him and dump me, but instead he came over and hugged me. He asked what happened and I told him. I told him how I was drunk and thought it was him, and that I was sorry. He understood though. He said he saw the guy, completely sober, approach me who was completely shitfaced. So he didn't leave me, but he was flattered I'd let him touch my boobs so easily." Artemis finished the story with a lighthearted joke.

Apollo's lips were sealed shut, as he couldn't find the right things to say. Artemis decided to speak for him. "So yeah, that's why you don't wanna be popular, little bro. It's all fun and alcohol and drugs until you almost get raped." She advised him. Apollo cheekily grinned. "I wouldn't mind getting 'raped' by Aphrodite." He joked, making her punch him in the arm for the comment about her friend.

Apollo thought over her story. He was shocked that he hadn't heard about this until now. "Wow, so he stayed with you even after that? Percy really is the Golden Boy of Goode High." Apollo rolled his eyes with a smile. Artemis's face darkened as she remembered what he said earlier.

"He's not as perfect as you say, you know that. We've been friends since kindergarten for crying out loud. He has lots of problems. Swimming and Football stresses him majorly, even to the point where he got prescription meds to take the day of games from the doctor to help alleviate his anxiety. His family life isn't perfect, since his parents divorced and he hated his stepmother for the first good year. Some teachers hate him because he's a sassy little shit. Not everyone likes him, in fact a few people hate him, even one or two on his own team. On top of that, his mind is almost as empty as yours, so..." Artemis told him with a smirk, and the brother tried his best to hold in a grin.

He looked down, thinking over it. "Yeah, I guess I never really thought about it. No one's perfect. But again, the real reason I came here was to apologize, and also something else." He said, and the teen girl looked up at him in confusion.

He took a deep breath. "I wanna help you with this baby. I've decided to put my disliking of you being in a relationship aside because... well, you're pregnant, you've had sex, you're not a virgin, you're not the little innocent good girl I hoped you'd be forever. I've just gotta get over it. I wanna be a good uncle. Plus, the only real career I have going for me is either music or become a doctor or something, so I feel like this would go good on an application to medical school." He grinned cheekily.

Despite his joke, Artemis felt like she was gonna tear up. This was all she wanted out of him, and he was finally accepting her. He wouldn't ostracize her and look down on her in shame. Maybe he'd even start to like Percy, and her son or daughter would have an uncle who actually cared about them. Now they would have more than Aunty Aphrodite.

Artemis hugged her brother tighter than she'd ever hugged him before. Even harder than when she was 8 years old and she sprained her ankle falling out of a tree, and Percy carried her the whole two miles back to the house, where Apollo hugged her while her father bandaged her foot. She smiled and cried into his shirt as they held each other close for a few long minutes.