Hi everyone, thanks for the reviews! Usually I try to be a little more eloquent in any ANs but I've spent far too long writing and looking things over today so my brain is absolute mush. Hope you enjoy the latest update!

~Secrethalfblood

Lpov

"A mistake?" Dex asked in surprise and I nodded. "Seriously?"

For the second time, something I said shocked him into letting his guard down, and I was able to pin his thumb.

"No offense Lorelei, but have you looked in a mirror… like, ever."

"Very funny Dex." I said finding it odd he'd said 'no offense' before essentially telling me I was good looking.

"I'm serious." he insisted, his expression dubious. "How can you look the way you do, and have figured you belonged anywhere else?"

"There are plenty of attractive mortals out there," I pointed out. "They're not related to my mother."

"Yeah, but your powers." He argued. "How do you explain that?"

"I couldn't." I admitted a little begrudgingly and shrugged. "I mean, I know she was right now."

"But?" he pressed, prompting the part of the statement that was so clearly left unsaid.

I didn't answer at first, trying to put what I was thinking into words.

"I dunno." I said thinking back over the years, watching my siblings and their relationships with the other campers. How naturally it all seemed to come to them. How effortless they made using the abilities they inherited from our mother seem.

It had never been that way for me, apart from the ability to change my appearance, and even that hadn't totally been under my conscious control.

Even now, after I'd learned to use my powers and with the lockets help, most of my mother's influence felt foreign to me. Alien. Like it wasn't a part of me, rather an extension of her that had decided to take up residence in my body for a while, and was now trapped by a curse I'd so stupidly brought on myself.

"I think something went wrong with me."

"What?"

He'd dropped my hand in shock, but when he realized what he'd done, and reached out to reclaim it I'd already pulled back.

I stared at my palms, mostly, because I didn't want to have to explain while looking at him.

"It's hard to explain." I admitted feeling a frown cross my expression but forcing it into a smile. "Especially to someone like you, who so clearly takes after your dad."

I chanced a glance at Dex to see his brow had furrowed in a characteristic expression, only he didn't look irritated at the moment, just confused.

"But something isn't right with me." I continued softly looking back at my hands, turning them over and taking a deep breath before admitting, "Being a child of Aphrodite. It's never really come all that easy to me."

"I'm sure that's not-" he started but I shook my head, the frown returning.

"It's true. Something is wrong with me, even my siblings know it." I said grabbing a handful of sand and watching as it sifted between my fingers, falling back to the beach. "I never really cared that much about how I looked, other than the fact that I enjoyed changing it. I like making clothes, but really don't care too much about wearing them. I was never all that worried about being pretty, or about boys or girls."

"Girls?" he asked sounding surprised and I felt a jolt of anxiety go through me along with a protective instinct that had me raising an eyebrow, adding an edge of ice to my tone as I asked.

"What? Would that be a problem?"

"No." he said automatically, and it sounded like he meant it. "I just didn't realize."

I hesitated for a moment, trying to gauge what I could of his expression in the half light.

"Well," I said eventually. "I guess that's what so odd about me."

I looked back at my hands.

"It wasn't about caring about one or the other. Or both. I didn't care about either." I paused.

He seemed to think about this statement for a second, as if he was debating how he wanted to respond.

"When you say care," he started sounding a little confused, but also like he was afraid he was stepping in a verbal minefield. "Do you mean like-"

"I'm not attracted to people the way my siblings are." I said bluntly. "The way most people are. It's different. It's one of the reasons my siblings find me so strange."

I paused for a moment, trying think of a way to explain.

"It's not like I don't notice people. I can recognize when someone's good looking, guys or girls, but other than knowing they're attractive, and some people more than others, it really doesn't mean anything to me."

He seemed to think about this for a second, and while I expected to be hit with a bombardment of questions, or the same questioning gaze my siblings didn't even bother to hide from me, it didn't happen.

"That does seem to be a bit of an irony." He said eventually. "With you and your family, looking the way that you do."

"My siblings think it's weird." I said shaking my heads. "We can read each other's emotions to a certain extent. We all know I'm the only one, but we can't figure out why I'm so... different."

"Maybe you're just special."

I shook my head.

"Different doesn't always mean special Dex. I'm not some crazy talented fire wielder like you." I smiled and looked down, tugging at a strand of my hair. "You know they used to call me mouton noir, black sheep." I translated, when it was clear he hadn't understood.

I lifted the strand so that the dark ends rested between us, almost hidden in the night apart from the reflected moonlight.

"That seems pretty cruel," he said quietly. "Even for your siblings."

"You don't need to feel sorry for me Dex." I assured him. "I find their behavior just as baffling as they find me strange. Running around after pretty faces, breaking delicate hearts." I shook my head. "It all seemed like such a waste of time. Still does."

"Is that why you seemed so bored the other day, when you were talking about Jenny's feelings?"

"Who?" I asked a little surprised by this question and at a complete loss on how to answer it.

"The waitress," he said and when I simply looked at him he added. "At the diner. When we went together before the arcade."

"Ah." I said, realizing who he was talking about, picturing the mortal girl. "I was bored because it was boring."

Even I could tell from that limited interaction she barely knew Dex. Had no idea who and what he really was.

"It's a crush. She'll get over it."

"That seems a bit harsh."

"Maybe," I said with a shrug. "But it's true."

He didn't seem to have a response for this, but eventually, he asked the question I knew was coming.

"What about Caleb?" he asked. "Look, I get it if you're not into all the lovey dovey romance crap, I'm not either. But that doesn't mean anything is wrong with you."

He seemed to debate for a moment, if he really wanted to say what he was thinking, then pushed on anyways.

"But you don't hate someone that much if you didn't care about them."

"You don't think there's something wrong with that?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "A child of Aphrodite who isn't a romantic? You don't think that means there's something wrong with them?"

"No, I don't." He said pointedly and it sounded as if he was being honest. "And stop avoiding my question."

I grinned.

"You really are getting to know me aren't you?"

"Stay on topic Lorelei."

"Fine." I said with a sigh.

I took a few seconds to gather my thoughts, trying to figure out how to explain something I didn't fully understand myself.

"Caleb was an exception." I said eventually, not wanting to meet Dex's gaze as I admitted it. "I don't know who was more surprised by that, me or my siblings, but we were friends." I shrugged. "We spent a lot of time together than one day… it was just different."

I paused for a moment, not for the first time struggling to find the right words.

"Everything just changed. I saw him differently. How I felt about him was different. I guess maybe that's why I hated him so much." I continued, realizing the words as I said them might just be true. "I thought if someone was able to make me feel that way, something even close to what my siblings were always chasing after, seemed almost addicted to, that it had to mean something. Had to be real."

I felt something inside me tighten, like a knot in my chest and I looked up at the sky, willing for it to come loose.

"But, obviously." I tilted my head a little and smiled, but it felt a little brittle. "I was wrong."

"Sounds like he took advantage of it."

"I'm not entirely sure he knew." I said honestly. "I'm not the best at expressing my feelings, or being honest about them."

Dex snorted.

"I hadn't noticed."

"Oh shut up." I said, but I wasn't angry, and it didn't exactly help when he grinned. It was hard to stay upset when he was smiling like that. "I think when he asked me out, Caleb I mean, he expected some crazy romance with a gorgeous daughter of Aphrodite that would make his wildest relationship dreams come true."

I felt my lip quirk up a little.

"Most campers won't admit it, but that's what they're all after when they go out with my siblings. Especially the Ares brothers."

"That's insane."

"And yet it keeps happening."

He seemed to think about this for a minute before he frowned.

"So why bother?" he asked sounding oddly conflicted. "Why bother messing with your class mate and his girlfriend earlier? What's with the make-up and the clothes, and setting up my friends-"

"You asked me to do that."

"You know what I'm talking about Lorelei." He continued impatiently, but it sounded like there was a desperation behind it I didn't understand. "If it never mattered to you what you looked like, what's with the Barbie routine? Because your mom is mad at you? Do you really hate Caleb so much that you'd changed you are entirely? And for what? Revenge? Did what he did screw you up that much?"

"I don't expect you to understand Dex." I said quietly looking away, suddenly feeling extremely cold.

I shivered.

Gods knew it seemed like no one did.

"I don't understand because you don't tell me things." he said in exasperation. "And you can't expect me to. Do you know how hard it is to understand a machine when you can't see it? Diagnose a problem, or fix something when people are hiding information they don't want to tell you?"

"People aren't machine's Dex." I said irritated. "I don't need fixing."

He put his head in his hands and whispered something to himself.

It sounded like, 'Gods help me.'

"I really hate talking to people." he muttered running his hands through hair before looking up. He looked pretty frustrated and a stab of guilt went through me, but I wasn't exactly sure why. "I cannot believe this is me saying this, but you're taking this too literally Lore."

He shook his head again and let out a somewhat helpless laugh before looking up and back at me.

"You know, you drive me absolutely crazy sometimes." He said softly and when his eyes met mine, I felt my heart skip a beat. "I've never met someone that completely upends everything in my life like you, and yet I still want to hang out with you."

He gestured towards me.

"You get upset when I don't understand you, but make it impossible to get a hold of anything when I try. You seem to constantly be knowing what's going on in my, and everyone else's, head, but then act like it's unreasonable for anyone to want to know what's going on in yours. You avoid anyone getting to know anything about you like it's the freaking plague, and I don't know why."

He looked over to the board walk, apparently lost for words for a moment before glancing back at me.

"I don't know why I put up with it," he continued. "I really don't. And it has nothing to do with you look." He said when he caught my expression and something about his made it feel like suddenly, the world around us didn't have enough air. "It's you." he said softly. "Something about you. And I don't get it, I don't understand…"

His words faded and he shook his head again. It was obvious he was looking for answers, answers even I wasn't sure I had.

"It feels like you don't want to tell me anything, but then get upset when I don't know things about you."

It felt like something was closing in on me. My heart rate had picked up, thrumming rapidly inside my chest making it even harder to breathe.

"Sometimes it feels like getting to know you is a futile attempt." He said softly. "But I still want to. And it drives me insane."

My brain felt simultaneously as if it was firing too quickly, and getting stuck all at once. Like a firework that had started to spark, only to be dropped in mud.

I hugged my arms around myself and shuddered again, but this time, it wasn't because I was cold.

"Has it occurred to you that maybe I don't like telling people about myself, because I'm afraid they might not like what they find?"

In my anxiety, I'd been more honest that I'd meant to, and when his eyes went wider, I closed my own.

I set my jaw and turned away, furious with myself, before I took a breath and looked back at him.

"You're afraid I won't like you?" he asked quietly.

He sounded stunned. Genuinely shocked but I didn't answer. I was too afraid to.

"Why on Olympus wouldn't I like you?" he asked and I let out a humorless laugh.

"Why?" I asked and I could hear the edge to my words. "Why? I told you Dex, I'm selfish."

It was as if his question had broken a damn of emotion I hadn't even realized was there, and was unprepared for as it burst.

"I don't get along with people. I'm angry. I hate everyone. I don't have any friends apart from Jake and Liv, and I guess you if I don't manage to screw that up. I really hate everyone. My class mates, my dad's fans, people at camp, I don't get along with my siblings and my dad, my mom, Caleb, Heather. I just-"

The words cut abruptly when I realized they'd turned into an explosion, I was almost shouting at him at this point and wondered why he was looking at me like that. So… sad.

It was only then did I feel the tears. The realization was horrifying, but I couldn't seem to stop.

"I hate everything Dex." I said quietly, wiping my eyes quickly, but knowing the damage was already done. "The people I've trusted, the choices I've made. I hate my life." I looked back at him, my voice tight. "Why would someone, especially you, like a person like that? Why would you even want to be around them? I'm a complete mess."

"Yeah, no offense Lorelei." He muttered a little awkwardly. "But I sort of already figured that out."

He scratched the back of his head, and seemed to want to avoid eye contact as he said.

"It's kind of obvious you're a little screwed up. But with everything you've been through I don't really blame you. Most kids with famous parents are."

"Then why?" I asked and he looked a little uncertain at the question.

"Why what?"

"Why do you still hang out with me, why do you even want to be around me at all?"

What good did any of this do him?

He didn't answer for a moment and the silence was almost unbearable. I searched his expression for any sign of reaction, and the longer the moment hung between us, the faster my heart beat.

It felt as if, out of nowhere, my world had plummeted into a free fall, and the difference between a soft landed or a shattering end to it all depended on what he said.

"Because," he said with a shrug. "Mess or not. I still like you."

I stared at him, uncertain I could trust what I was hearing.

"Lore, you don't have to be perfect for people to like you. Everyone's got their issues. And quite frankly, I'd be more worried about what you think than what I do." He said looking upset. "You sound like you hate yourself."

I didn't answer at first, still processing everything that was happening, and at this point, he looked truly alarmed.

"Do you?"

He sounded genuinely concerned.

"No." I said honestly, shaking my head and rejecting the notion. "I just…"

The sentence momnetarily died however, as the realization struck.

"I just don't like myself either."

It wasn't news to me, but still admitting it in my head and hearing it outload were two very different things.

The tears were well and truly flowing now and I brushed at them, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." I said quickly, the shivering worse. I felt awful. Awful and sick, like I'd been stung by something venomous and was now reaping the reward. "I shouldn't be this upset. I'm sure you don't-"

But to my surprise, Dex had reached out and taken my hands with his, and when he spoke, his tone was far gentler than I probably deserved.

"I asked." He reminded me.

"See what happens when I'm honest?" I asked with a broken laugh, not bothering to question what he was doing.

I was falling apart.

I looked away, humiliated and ashamed at my inability to keep it together and keep my emotions in check, but looked back however, when suddenly, the beach was flooded with light.

A wave a warmth of washed over me, and I saw that above my palms supported by Dex's hands, was the fire he'd shown me earlier.

I expected it to hurt. I expected my skin to blister and burn coming into such close contact with pure magical flames but it didn't.

It was just warm. A feeling I thought I might have forgotten how to feel by this point until tonight.

I stared at the fire completely confused.

"See what happens when I'm honest?" he asked quietly.

"Why doesn't it hurt?" I asked trying to lift a hand from his, but he closed his fingers around it.

"It will if you break contact." He said sounding a little amused. "I can't be burned. As long as you're close enough, you can't be either."

"That's why you could hold the cookie tray." I said in realization and he grinned.

"Yes." He said with a laugh. "But the point still stands." He continued, relaxing his grip, but I continued to rest my hand on his. "Sometimes things that are supposed to hurt, aren't really all that painful with a little help from friends. You just have to let them."

I wanted to call him out on such a cheesy metaphor, but I didn't. I was afraid of what would happen if I did. The cold had been banished for now, and I was scared that if I did or said anything, it would be back. That he'd let go, and everything would come rushing back along with the darkness. That all my problems and my choices would be waiting for me the second it was gone, and after even just a moment of reprieve, they'd come back heavier and more crushing than ever.

That they might just bury me alive.

"I'm sorry people have hurt you Lore." He said quietly. "But if it makes you feel any better, I like honest Lorelei."

His eyes met mine, their usual warm shade of brown almost golden in the fire light.

"Caleb is an idiot if he doesn't realize how badly he screwed up hurting you like he did. Especially if he knew that he's the only-"

But I cut him off.

I knew what I was about to say was stupid. Stupid and reckless, and I knew admitting was only going to mess my situation up even more, but I couldn't help it.

"I didn't say that." I said quickly and I could tell that the urgency in the words had him a little confused.

"What?"

"I didn't say that." I repeated deliberately, turning my hand over.

His eyes went wide.

"Lore-" he started anxiously, obviously concerned about the fire, but my skin never broke contact with his, and I rested my palm against the inside of his hand.

"I said Caleb was an exception, Dex." I continued, my gaze meeting his over the games. "But I didn't say he was the only one."