Nico's face slowly softened to startled confusion, then his lips quirked up at the corners into a smile, then he began to full out laugh. Sasha failed to see the humor in the fact that he'd taken a picture of her while she'd nearly had her blood drained by a donkey automaton vampire. He eventually caught sight of her annoyed, expectant expression and coughed to hide his laughter, forcing his mouth into a straight line. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"That's it? No, uh, hate? Regret? Anger? No negative emotions? Just that?" He asked, and Sasha stared at him.
"So you want me to be resentful towards my meeting you? That's what you're saying?"
"Yes. Well, no, but yes. Kinda. Look, not the 'meeting me' part, because, I mean, no one could regret that—"
"Well, aren't you modest?"
"—and I'm sure even Andrea savors that memory—"
"Ha! Now that I highly doubt to be true."
"—but I meant, like, don't you regret realizing your whole life was a joke? That it wasn't really anything but…..a mask, hiding what life really is?"
Sasha sighed. "Well, yeah. I mean, of course I do. But it's better to know the truth than to believe in a lie."
Nico shrugged. "You're just more…..relaxed, about all this than I ever expected anyone to be."
Sasha looked down at the picture. "I wouldn't have any one to rely on even if I did go crazy. You've seen Ryan—he's an idiot."
"You could rely on me." Nico said, and Sasha resisted the urge to look up at him, fully aware that if she did, he'd get a full view of the heat in her cheeks.
"You never did answer my question."
"What?"
"Yeah. How in the name of the lethe could you even think of taking a picture when I could have died at any given moment?"
"I didn't take the picture, Sasha."
"I'm not stupid you know. I am holding the picture in my hand. It's not like—"
"I didn't take the picture. Sheesh. It's a screenshot of the surveillance cameras from that day. Had you been a mortal, the mist would have manipulated your mind so you saw yourself simply yelling at a worker while your brother was asleep in one of the side chairs."
"Okay, well, why'd you go back to get it?"
Nico shrugged. "I felt like it."
Sasha's cheeks grew even redder. "I can see."

-
"So remind me again just why I'm coming to an etiquette session with you?" Sasha asked as she followed Nico towards the Aphrodite cabin, and he turned around to look at her.
"I told you, you owe me."
Sasha gave an exasperated sigh. "I do not owe you" She clarified, and he rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
"I just don't understand why you're so anxious for me to watch you flirt with your girlfriend."
"Oh you'll see. There'll be much less flirting than you think."
"I'm now officially scared to come." She said cautiously, and he rolled his eyes.
"Oh, just shut up and come on."
She shrugged and followed him as he ascended the steps of the Aphrodite cabin and knocked on the door. A younger girl Sasha knew to be Lacy answered, smiling to reveal her pink braces when she saw Sasha and Nico.
"Hey guys, are you looking for Drew?" She asked, and Sasha rolled her eyes.
"Something like that." She muttered, and Nico nodded. Lacy told them to wait just a second and disappeared back beyond view to go retrieve the head of her cabin. A few minutes later Drew emerged, Gucci scent trailing behind her and all. She gave a batlike screetch and threw her arms around Nico, not even bothering to acknowledge Sasha. Not as if she had expected her to—the daughter of Aphrodite had been blocking her out recently, which she figured was actually the best thing to keep Sasha from , life was much more enjoyable when that girl was not a part of it. Turning to Nico, she saw that he wore a slightly irritated face and was awkwardly enduring Drew's hug. He kept his hands in firm fists by his sides.
"Nikky? What's wrong?" She asked, and Sasha had to fight hard to keep her expression neutral. 'Nikky?' She thought, revolted that Nico even allowed Drew to call him that.
Nico separated himself from Drew, an odd look on his face.
"First, stop calling me Nikky. Next, uh…..wanna see a magic trick?" He asked, and Drew rolled her eyes.
"Sure sweetie," She said in the tone one might use with an annoying child. This didn't help improve Nico's mood with her, and he smiled widely.
"Poof! You're single." He said triumphantly, and Drew stared at him, shocked. Sasha gawked at him too. It was one thing to break up with someone, but she found the way he'd gone about it incredibly rude, even if it was Drew. However, the girl gathered her senses pretty quickly.
"Alright, then go away." She said, simply, and for the first time, Sasha actually couldn't detect any hate in her voice. Maybe she really didn't care.
"Gladly." Nico said, and he walked off, Sasha uneasily trailing behind him.

-
"You've been awfully quiet." Nico noted, after yet another victory against Sasha. He was winning easily, too, since Sasha wasn't as focused as usual. If she truly wished it, she could have at least stood a chance against him. Maybe even had him beat a couple times. But that wasn't really what was happening, since her sword just kept flying around the training grounds like crazy. She'd even managed (and this was totally beyond her understanding) to actually swing at Nico and instead cut her own arm.
"I don't have anything to say," she replied simply.
"Don't tell me you're actually upset about me breaking up with Drew." He said in disbelief and Sasha shook her head.
"I don't care that you broke up with her, I just found your whole 'magic trick' joke cruel." She said, and Nico stared at her incredulously.
"She's cruel!" He exclaimed, and Sasha jumped slightly at his outburst.
"Do you have any idea why we even started dating in the first place?" He asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation. 'Well...no' she thought, and when she remained silent, Nico sighed.
"Anyone ever been smart enough to tell you she can control people by saying whatever the hell she wants? I assumed you'd be smart enough to figure it out from there." He said, and suddenly it dawned upon Sasha. Drew was manipulating the relationship. 'But...does that mean that he never liked her?'
"Oh." She said simply.
"Did you seriously have such little faith in me to believe that I would actually willingly date that stupid, shallow, irrelevant bitch?"
He asked, his tone harsh, and Sasha didn't dare turn to look at him.
"And every time she treated you like shit, do you really think that made me like her any more?! Not even the gods know how much I absolutely loathe that girl!" He exclaimed, and out of the corner of her eyes Sasha saw him realize what he'd said he'd accidentally said aloud, and he turned to grab her fallen sword and held it out to her. She took it and turned to look at him, but he had his head down and wouldn't turn to look up at her. They sparred for a couple more hours in silence, and Sasha defeated him every time.

-
By lunch time the next day, it was old news that Nico and Drew had split up and Drew was already dating someone else. It was some guy in the Hecate cabin, and all Sasha knew of him was that his name was Stefan. At breakfast, Percy had singled him out as a curly haired blonde with orange eyes and a cheeky smile. His eyes were originally startling to Sasha, but Annabeth said that Hecate's eyes always changed to the most bizarre colors, and her children's looks betrayed what color her eyes had been when she'd sired the child. That explained one girl that caught Sasha looking over and winked at her with magenta eyes. Nico seemed to be avoiding Sasha again (what else was new) and Sasha found herself hanging out with Jonathan as he and his brother, a sandy haired Garrett, challenged each other to see who was the better archer. Garrett won, and none too soon did Leo and Nico show up to mock their friend for his defeat. Eventually Garrett left, and it was just the four of them. They walked over to the beach, joking and laughing, as the sun set. Sasha sat in the sand with the three boys and watched as the sky was painted with brilliant shades of orange, pink, fiery reds, brilliant purples and yellow directly surrounding the sun.
"Okay," Jonathan said, clapping his hands together and staring evilly at his friends, "truth or dare."
"Ha ha! Yes. Okay, I'll ask first." Leo said, and Nico rolled his eyes, lying on his back and placing his hands under his head.
"I refuse to partake in this game, so it's just going to be you three."
"Wimp" Jonathan teased, and Nico shrugged.
"Fine, whatever. Who cares whether he plays or not. I just need to ask Sasha" Leo said, turning to smile mischievously at Sasha, who shifted nervously where she sat.
"Uh, I suddenly have the oddest feeling that I shouldn't play either." She said, and Jonathan snickered.
"Ohh no, you're not backing out like your stupid boyfriend." Leo scolded, and Sasha raised an eyebrow at Nico, who was glaring murderously at the son of Hephaestus. 'What is going on!?'
"Alright, fine," Sasha said, fully aware that she was simply saving herself time by not resisting. When Leo wanted something, hell, everybody get out of his way. The curly haired boy smiled triumphantly at Sasha, whom immediately regretted agreeing. 'It's not too late to drown him' she thought, but dismissed the thought right away, remembering what had happened the last time.
"Truth or dare." Jonathan said.
"Truth."
"Has Nico asked you out yet?" Leo practically jumped out of the sand asking the question, and Sasha was silently awed momentarily before shaking her head, much to the displeasure of Leo and Jonathan.
"Damn you man, you said by the end of this week!" Leo said, glaring at the Son of Hades.
"Leo, there are some times, like now, when you need to learn that even if someone would die for you, if you don't know when to shut the hell up, they will kill you." Nico said, and Sasha refused to look at any of three boys, instead staring out over the pitch-black horizon.
"Ha! Told you Leo, pay up." Jonathan said, and Leo rolled his eyes.
"You two seriously bet whether I'd ask her or not?" Nico asked, and Sasha rolled her eyes.
"Yes," Leo hissed, "and now I owe this idiot over here my allowance for the next month, all because I had faith in you. Thanks a lot, Nico."
"Hey guys, what's going on over there?" Jonathan asked, pointing towards camp. Sasha heard distant shouting, and light suddenly flared up all around camp. A figure was running up to them, and as it neared, Sasha was able to identify Percy.
"Jonathan, Nico, Leo, go meet Chiron at the Big House, it's urgent."
Jonathan flicked his wrist and suddenly wielded a bow and a sheath of arrows wrapped around his arm. Leo reached into his toolbelt and pulled out a huge hammer, and Nico unsheathed one of his infamous black blades. Sasha stared at her brother.
"What about me?"
Percy gave her a worried glance then shook his head.
"You go back to the cabin and stay as far away from the Big House as possible."
"But—"
"Sasha. I'm not asking you if you want to." He said, his voice filled with authority, and Sasha raised an eyebrow.
"Ryan'll be there too, if it makes you feel any better." He said, and she rolled her eyes.
"How is that supposed to make me feel any—"
"Oh gods above," Percy sighed, agitated, "Nico, you, Jonathan, and Leo, tell Chiron I'll meet you there. Since, apparently, Sasha will need an escort to make sure she goes and stays at the cabin." Percy said, and Nico nodded, the three boys disappearing off towards the Big House.
"I do not need an escort." Sasha hissed as Percy grabbed her elbow and began steering her toward cabin three.
"Based on your expression, I kind of think you do."
"I'm not a kid"
"You're acting like one."
"Am not."
"Are too"
"Am not"
Percy raised an eyebrow at her, and Sasha slouched, defeated. He took her to the cabin and watched as she climbed the steps, then closed the door behind her. Sasha went to go sit on her bed and heard a lock tick, and she widened her eyes.
"Percy!" She hissed, falling back on the bed. 'Well there goes that idea,' She looked around, 'and where's Ryan?' She sighed and turned to reach for her book. Somehow, however, she imagined it wouldn't be able to distract her. Obviously something was going on, and Sasha desperately wanted to know what it was. She gazed around the cabin until her eyes rested on the fountain in the corner. Ryan, at that moment, came out of the bathroom, his hair wet from a shower.
"So Percy locked you in here too?"
"Yeah. Idiot." Sasha mumbled, turning to look at the fountain.
"Are we going to IM the meeting?" Ryan asked, and Sasha nodded, turning to smile impishly at her twin.
"Well what else did you expect we do?"

A.N. Have I ever told you guys how much I love you? Every time someone reviews, or follows, or faves, it makes me feel so fuzzy and warm inside. So thank you guys, so much. You have absolutely no idea how much you mean to me. Thank you!