Hunter blinked at Arabella. She's played this game before. She's doing it right now. He felt nothing for her. Hunter sighed quietly. He was tempted to sweep her into his arms and never let go. He shook the thought away. He was going to get hurt again. "Thanks for letting me know." He said coldly before turning back to Artemis. "My apologies for the interruption, ma'am."
Thanks for letting me know? No, no, no. Arabella wasn't going to go down without a fight. Ignoring the fact that she was about to piss off a goddess, she stepped in between Hunter and Artemis and she took his face in her hands gingerly "No, Hunter, you're not getting away that easy" she said and she looked up into his eyes "I love you and I want everything with you" she told him, letting her hands fall from his face and resting her hands over his heart. Tears slid down her cheeks and she looked up at Hunter with wide eyes. She had never felt so vulnerable but at the same time, she never felt so strong.
Hunter blushed at the feeling of her hands on his cheeks. He hoped she couldn't tell. "You know, Arabella? I did too." He whispered quietly, a lump forming in his throat. He gently grabbed her arms and pushed them away. He pushed past her and stood in front of Artemis. "Please, continue, ma'am. My apologies once again. A shred of a past life that doesn't seem to get the point." He said quietly
Arabella looked at Hunter standing in front of Artemis and her heart sunk. How was she going to get him to stay with her? To realize that he was making a huge mistake. Chiron was watching them, clearly wondering what he should do and Artemis just looked annoyed. Arabella had never gotten along with Artemis or any of her hunters. One time, when Arabella was 14, she had managed to get into a fist fight with a hunter and yanked out some of her hair. She took a deep breath and slipped her hand into Hunter's hand "You can't do this. I know you. I know that this isn't what you want. Please..stay with me. I know that I hurt you and I am so sorry but you have to know that I thought that if I did what I did, I would be saving you a lot of pain. I was wrong" she said to him, tugging on his hand lightly to pull him back to her.
Hunter closed his eyes. He was hurt by Arabella. "You don't know me." He said quietly. "Obviously, you don't know anything about me." He pulled his hand out of hers and opened his eyes. He turned around to look at her. He knew that Artemis was going to be upset, but the sooner she was gone, the sooner he could get on with his life. "If you did you would have known that I would have done anything you asked of me. I would have gone to Europe with you. I didn't care that you had to work most of the time. I would have waited and made the most of the time we had." He could feel Artemis' and Chiron's eyes looking at him. "You broke it off. I'm done trying with you. Please, go."
"Hunter, what is your relationship with this girl? Do you love her?" Hunter heard Artemis say behind him. Hunter stared Arabella in the eyes. She had done so much for him and he wanted to be with her, but all she was going to do was hurt her.
"No, ma'am." He said shaking his head and studying his feet. "No, ma'am. I don't."
Her heart was breaking into little pieces. She felt like Hunter was ripping it in half then stepping all over it. Arabella took a shaky breath, trying to remember her mother's words. She hoped that Hunter was only saying that. She hoped that he had loved her once and he could love her again. The tears started running down her damp cheeks again but Arabella didn't bother trying to stop them or hide them. She didn't care that Artemis and Chiron were watching. She didn't care that she was soaking wet. She didn't care that Hunter was saying that he didn't love her. Arabella had to do something that she hoped would make him change his mind. She walked right up to him so that she was standing in front of him, only inches away from his body and she placed her hands on his cheeks. Arabella pulled him down to her and she placed her lips on his in a gentle but powerful kiss. She put her entire heart into that kiss, hoping that it would be able to carry the emotions that she felt and the words she didn't know how to say.
Hunter blushed. The feeling of her lips against his. Her warm breath gently tickling his face. He stood there, frozen. When she finally broke it, he looked at her with sad eyes. He missed her. He blinked and turned around to Artemis. "My apologies, ma'am." He said once again. "I can't rejoin the hunters. I'm sorry for wasting your time. Goodbye, ma'am. Chiron, it was good to see you again." Chiron smiled and nodded at him. Artemis rolled her eyes and disappeared. Hunter turned around and left the Big house. He walked through camp. He knew that she was only going to hurt him again, but he loved her. He would probably always love her, but he didn't want to be with her. At least, he didn't think he wanted to be with her. He walked until he reached Thalia's Pine. He finally sat down next to Peleus, who woke up and looked over at him before putting his head back down and falling to sleep again. Hunter buried his face in his hands. He had nothing all over again.
Arabella watched Hunter walk away and she took a small breath before running after him. She saw Hunter sitting next to Peleus and she skidded to a stop infront of him, falling to her knees "I'm sorry, Hunter. I am so, so, so, so, sorry" she whispered and took a couple deep breaths. Would he ever forgive her? Arabella put her hands on his cheeks again, not sure if he was going to let her stay like that or if he was going to swat her hands away "I didn't mean to hurt you"
"Then why did you?" He said quietly. He was done shedding tears for this relationship. He had spent enough time being sad about this. "I loved you. I still do." He whispered. "Arabella, I'm done having to work for this. I want this to happen, but I feel like I'm doing all the work. I can't do this alone." He turned his head away from her hands and laid back on the ground. This was one of his most favorite spots in camp. He looked at Peleus who woke up and put his head on Hunter's stomach and fell asleep again. Hunter felt like doing the same.
Arabella looked down at him then took his hand, pulling it on her lap. She knew that she had hurt Hunter and she knew that she could never take it back but maybe they would be able to work past it. "I was afriad, Hunter. I was afriad that you would start to resent me because I was never around. I was afraid to love you because everytime I tell someone I love them, they hurt me. I was afraid that I would hurt you worse than I already did and I would lose you forever" Arabella admitted softly and took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself down "You don't have to do anything alone and you don't have to work for it. I love you. You love me. It's that simple, right?"
"I thought." Hunter said with a sigh. "I thought that it would be that simple. I was ready to be with you, but you broke things off." He said calmly. "I don't know what you want me to do. You jump me every other day and then when I'm trying to be romantic you break up with me. I don't know what you want me to do with that." He looked at her and petted Peleus' head. "What do you want from me?" He said quietly.
She thought about what he was saying and it hurt to hear. She knew that she was emotional and confusing and over the top but she never really thought about how it was aftecting other people. Arabella looked down for a moment then looked up at him "I just want you, Hunter. I want everything you want..I just don't know how to express it" she whispered and quickly wiped a tear from her cheek "I uh..I'm leaving my company. I'm not doing it anymore. I don't need to keep working and it wasn't making me happy anymore" she told him quickly.
Hunter pushed Peleus' head off his stomach and sat up. "You can't do that. I mean, you...Please, don't tell me you were doing it for me. I don't want to stop you from doing that anymore." Hunter reluctantly ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "You're really good at it. I don't want to hold you back from doing something that you enjoy." Hunter didn't want to be with her if he was only holding her back. He looked at her and reflexively brushed some hair out of her face.
Tingles shot through her whole body when Hunter brushed the hair out of her face and she got goosebumps. The goosebumps could easily have been because she was cold but she knew that they were because Hunter was touching her. She shook her head lightly "I'm doing it for me. I don't enjoy it anymore. I hate getting up in the morning because I have to go to work. I don't need to do it anymore and I don't want to. Besides..I'd rather spend my time with you" she said softly and looked up at him. She was tempted to kiss him again but she knew that she shouldn't so she turned her eyes to the ground.
Hunter looked at her and blinked. Hunter took a deep breath. Hunter tried to be mad at her or sad with her, but it was becoming more and more difficult. Hunter wanted to kiss her and hold her. He wanted to fall asleep in a bed next to her. "Ellie, Are you sure?" He asked, still feeling bad. He felt like she was quitting for him.
Ellie. He called her Ellie. Arabella wanted to fall into his arms and stay there for as long as possible. She never wanted to let go of him. Arabella nodded softly and looked up at Hunter "Yeah..I'm positive" she whispered and before she could stop herself, she wrapped her arms around Hunter and was burying her face in his chest. She took in everything about him. The warmth from his body and the way he smelled. She took a shaky breath "I'm so sorry, Hunter" she whispered, feeling like she couldn't say that enough.
"Stop." Hunter said, closing his eyes. He sighed and after hesitating a moment put his arms around her. He held her close and buried his face in her hair. It felt like weeks since he had been near her. He rubbed her back and removed his face from her wet hair. He finally broke the hug and brought her face up to his. He smiled and put his hand in her hair. He pushed it all back out of her face and cradled her face in his hand. "Why did you run through the rain?" He said with a chuckle.
Her whole body felt warm again. Like there was a glow in her heart and it was heating her up. Hunter was holding her again. Hunter was touching her again. Hunter was with her again. Nothing could be wrong anymore. Everything else was so right. Arabella blushed and smiled softly at him "What else was I supposed to do? Run around the rain drops?" she teased
Hunter shrugged. "That's what I would have done. Why do you think I'm so dry looking?" He said sarcastically before leaning his head toward hers and quickly running a hand through his hair, flicking specks of water into her face. She blinked and Hunter wiped a droplet away from her cheek before bringing his face forward and leaving a brief kiss on her lips. It was a short, but tender kiss. Nothing more.
Arabella leaned into him as he kissed her. It was short but the tingles that shot through her whole body lasted for a long time. She wanted to kiss him again and again and again. She intertwined her fingers with his and looked up at him through her eyelashes "Let's go home" she whispered.
Hunter looked at her and thought for a second. "Let me show you something." He said before standing up and walking to her car. He got in and waited for her to get in. They drove for a few minutes before Hunter told her to stop. He got out and stood in the driveway. "Welcome to my house." He said with a shrug.
Arabella stepped out of the car and looked up at the house in shock. She didn't know how to react. Arabella turned and looked at him with an eyebrow raised in question. She walked up to the house and placed her hand on the side of it lightly, like she expected it to be an illusion or something "Your house? I thought that Marina lived here" she said softly and looked over at Hunter.
Hunter walked over to Arabella and fidgeted with his hands before holding them behind his back. "When I went to the lawyer I got more than the cars." He said quietly. "I got a house. And a lot of money." He said under his breath. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to see me any differently. I uh...I'm sorry for not telling you until now." He said clearing his throat.
Arabella looked at him and blinked. She didn't know how she felt about it all. On one hand, she was happy for him. It was nice that he had gotten all of these things and that he had some things of his own now. But on the other hand, she felt a little angry. Why didn't he tell her? It kind of hurt to know that he thought that she would see him differently. However, Arabella didn't think that she really had a right to be angry at him right then. Not after everything she had done to hurt him. "Well" Arabella said and let out a little breath "I guess this means that I get to help do some decorating, right?" she asked him
Hunter gave a small smile. "I actually wanted to show you something inside the house." He stepped forward and put his hand lightly on the small of her back as he turned toward the house. He led her inside and up the stairs. He stood in front of the door and pulled a key out of his back pocket. He unlocked the door and looked at her for a moment before walking inside. He really hoped she liked it.
Nervously, Arabella stepped into the room. What she saw took her breath away. It was a large room with a huge window on one side of it. By the window was a window ledge that looked like it had been made for someone to sit there. The bed in the room was big and it looked incredibly comfortable and inviting. The room was decorated simply but it was still beautiful. Arabella let out a little sigh and looked over at Hunter "This is amazing" she said softly and folded her arms across her chest, walking around the room, looking at everything "This is the best bedroom..ever"
Hunter laughed. "I'm glad. I did it myself." He said with a chuckle. He was glad that she liked it. He was the same Arabella that he knew. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He picked her up in a hug. He spun around once and then set her down on the bed. "Well, it's yours if you want it." He said quietly. He immediately regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. He immediately blushed. Did he just ask her to move in with him? "Uh...For tonight. If you want it." He mumbled clearing his throat.
She giggled as he spun her around and looked up at him with a stunned look on her face. He was asking her to move in with him? She knew right away that she would love to. She would love to get away from the city. Arabella could picture a perfect life for them, growing old and having a family. But then he added that he was inviting her for the night and her heart sunk. He just wanted her to stay with him for the night. Arabella hoped that the hurt wouldn't show on her face and she quickly put a smile on her face. She put her hands on Hunter's neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him lightly on the lips. She was hoping that a kiss would hide what she was feeling "Tonight sounds great" she whispered
Hunter smiled against her lips and leaned into her. He pushed her back and kissed her again and again. He traced her lips lightly with his tongue and then brushed kisses down her cheek to her neck. "Well, maybe you should test out the bed first." He whispered before breaking away and looking at her. "Not like that. Sleep. Eventually. Not that." He said awkwardly before kissing her again. It felt so good to be with her again.
Arabella laughed and when he kissed her again, she giggled against his lips. It was something that she loved about Hunter. He was probably the only man she knew that could say something like that and not mean it in a sexual way. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed along his jaw "Hey, Hunter?" Arabella whispered in between kisses "Would you be up for meeting my dad?"