A/N: Hello readers! I just got the first review on this story, and it was very hateful. It's not a big deal though, I could get 100 reviews like that and it wouldn't stop me from continuing to write. This story is just for fun anyway, so who cares? I encourage you to send me some reviews, whether good or bad. I'd love to know what you think of this story!

BTW, sorry if anyone was confused by the random song lyrics in the last chapter. I'm going to do that for most chapters now, to reflect on Madi's love for music. (And MY habit of relating music to every single situation in my life.) Oh, and the song in the last chapter was called If You Told Me To, by Hunter Hayes. (Look it up, it's excellent.)

Anywho, on to the chapter!

Madi gathered up her courage, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door of the Hades cabin. Nico opened the door promptly, as he usually did. He greeted her with a small smile. "Hey Madi. What's up?"

Madi smiled in a laid-back fashion, though that was the opposite of how she was feeling. "There's something I want to show you."

If there's a prize for rotten judgement

Honey, I've already won that

No man is worth the aggravation

That's ancient history

Been there, done that

Nico raised an eyebrow, but stepped outside and closed the door behind him. "Sure. Lead the way."

So Madi lead him to her cabin, explaining as she walked. "The cool thing about the Apollo cabin is that... Well, we did a favor for the Hephaestus cabin a few years back. And they repaid us with doing some renovations on our cabin. It's about ten times bigger than it looks. Have you ever seen Harry potter and the Half-blood prince?"

Nico nodded.

"Well, it's kind of like the charm Hermione put on her bag. Except, on the whole building." Madi opened the door to the cabin, and watched Nico look around in wonder. Madi's dogs, Summit and Dakota, greeted her once she walked in, and then proceeded to circle Nico suspiciously, Summit growling slightly. He was always the more protective of the two. Dakota nuzzled Nico affectionately, then gave Madi a look that seemed to mean, I like him already, mistress. Nico looked warily at Summit, and Summit held the look with his usual strangely intelligent demeanor.

Nico looked at Madi nervously. "Is he going to hurt me?"

Madi shook her head. "Not unless I tell him to."

Nico's eyes widened.

"But I won't."

No chance

No way, I won't say it

No no

Madi snapped her fingers, and the dogs went to her sides. Summit on her right, Dakota on her left. She walked down the hallway, and beckoned Nico to follow her. Madi finally stopped at the third door on the left, which had a paintbrush painted on the door.

"This is the art room."

Madi opened the door and Nico walked in. His eyes widened in amazement, and a wide smile spread itself across his face.

It's too cliché

I won't say I'm in love

"Oh my gods... Canvases, acrylics, water colors, paint brushes, graphite pencils..."

He was right to be amazed. The walls were lined with every art medium imaginable, from canvases to clay, paintbrushes to water pencils. Windows were scattered seemingly at random across one wall, giving a different intensity of lighting in every area of the room.

Madi grinned and turned to the dogs. "Ayast. Ia allash urnaret onaso."

The dogs positioned themselves on either sides of the door faithfully as Madi closed it. Nico turned to her after doing a 360-degree spin to see everything. "This... This is amazing."

Madi gestured to the walls full of supplies. "Use whatever you like."

Nico's eyes lit up like a three year old who's been set loose in a toys-r-us and told to take anything he likes. Nico looked at her for a moment, youthful laughter written in his eyes. He paused before grabbing a stool from the corner of the room and putting it in front of a set canvas. He took her hand and guided her to the stool, motioning for her to sit down. As soon as she had, he grabbed a lily from a vase across the room and gave it too her. He took her hair out of its ponytail, letting it cascade in waves down her shoulders and back. He carefully took her hands and wrapped them around the lily, then set them in her lap. He leaned down and set one hand on her chin, just lightly touching his fingertips to her skin and lifting her face into better lighting.

"Beautiful." He whispered as he leaned back and sat down at the canvas, making long sweeping motions with the graphite pencil and lifting his eyes to look at her.

I thought my heart had learned its lesson

It feels so good when you start out

My head is screaming, "Get a grip, girl!

Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!"

Madi knew her cheeks must be on fire. She wasn't used to being treated this way. Like she was beautiful. Delicate. She wasn't, on either accounts, but it was a nice change of pace. He touched her so gently, like he was afraid she'd suddenly shatter. People didn't normally treat her that way. She was respected. Sometimes admired, sometimes feared. But never treated like she really meant something.

She kept her big eyes fixed on the canvas, but she couldn't see anything. She wished she'd worn something a little more flattering than her camp T-shirt and jeans, but Nico didn't seem to mind. After drawing for about 8 minutes, Nico stood up and walked over to where Madi was sitting. He crouched down so he was eye-level with her, and began examining her face.

She had never felt so self-conscious in her entire life.

No chance, No way, I won't say it

No no

This scene, won't play

I won't say I'm in love

His eyes looked over every inch of her face, from her enormous tweety-bird eyes, to the beauty mark by her right eye, to the nose she'd always thought was too big, to her burning cheeks. He was looking at her so intently that she looked down to escape his gaze, which was unlike her. She would normally hold a stare until the other person admitted defeat. Or got freaked out because of how wide her eyes could go and ran off.

Nico's eyes lit up when she looked down shyly. "Hold that! Don't move!" He then rushed over to the canvas and drew for another 10 minutes. Just when Madi thought she would go insane if she stayed still any longer, Nico smiled and said, "Done! Come see."

For one wild moment Madi thought about booking it out the door. She didn't want to see herself drawn by his careful, graceful hands. Nico always seemed... Unbreakable. Undefeatable. Bulletproof. It was remarkably similar to how she tried to present herself.

But she was not unbreakable, undefeatable, or bulletproof. She was scared. Somewhat to see the drawing, but also of what the drawing might mean.

You're way off base, I won't say it!

Get off my case, I won't say it!

But she made her face unreadable again, and walked over to the canvas.

Her unreadable look vanished and her jaw dropped.

"You drew this in only fifteen minutes?!" She said incredulously. The drawing was beautiful, yet not unrealistic. He drew her to her best advantage, but didn't make her slimmer, or her nose more elegant. He just drew her.

Less than ten minutes ago she had been at her most self-conscious. Now she couldn't remember a time when she had felt more beautiful.

Oh

At least out loud...

I won't say I'm in love

She wrapped her arms around Nico in a tight hug. "Thank you. Thank you."

She could feel Nico tense up, and she pulled away abruptly. But when she looked at him again, he didn't look repulsed or even uncomfortable.

He was blushing.

"Erm... Hello." He said, his voice shaking slightly.

"S-sorry." She said, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling.

Well, you're officially screwed. She thought dryly. Or in love.

It's the same thing, really.

A/N Thanks for reading! The song in this chapter is called "I won't say I'm in love," from Disney's "Hercules." (Disney song, I know. How mature of me) Remember to click that lovely little button down there that says "Review" on it! Thanks!