Disclaimer: Me. PhoenyxWarrior. Owner of PJO. Rick Riordan. Owner of HP. J.K. Rowling. Me no own either.

~All Because of Blackjack (3) : Real~

000 Nico 000

My mouth is stuffed with food, usually this alone can distract me from anything and everything. Usually.

However, right now, I can barely taste the fries in my mouth. Why? Because this is the first time I've ever seen Alisa... happy. It's always been depressed or serious or sarcastic, once half-happy but never truly, completely happy. I feel warm even though it's colder than usual.

I want her to be happy. I want to never let her face more of the horrors this world had to offer. I want her to smile like that forever.

Shit. I want her.

No, that's not it. I love her.

I should've known. Why else would I have done all those things for her? The moment I saw her walk through the door those years ago, when I realized I dreamed of her in the Lotus Hotel. I should've known the moment I saw her star-eyes.

Well, I know now, and that's all that counts.

As I swallow my food, I can feel my face rearrange itself to a grin. Not a sarcastic grin, but a grin that was just as happy and excited as Alisa looked.

Her eyes flash to me and I feel myself freeze, for a miniscule second, our eyes are interlocked. She looks away the same time I do, her hair blocking her eyes while I look down and bite into my burger to do something.

We sit, eating in silence. I spot something small on the side of my milkshake. I pick it up and throw it in front of me.

"Think fast, Starshine." I say as the small object flies between us.

She looks up and catches it right between her teeth. The cherry's devoured as she talks between chewing, "What was that for, Hellboy?"

"You done eating?" I ask her.

"Hold on." she devours the rest of her burger and gulps down a milkshake. "Okay, I'm good now. What?"

"I wanna show you something." I say, taking her hand and leaving a roll of bills on the table.

"Um... okay." she says, half walking half being dragged by me.

000 Alisa 000

Nico drags me to a small bundle of trees at the edge of town, "We're going in there?"

"Yeah." He turns to look at me, "Why, you scared Starshine? Don't worry, I'll protect you."

That stops the retort that was coming cold. It sounded way too much like how this... this... thing between me and Hellboy started.

"I could take care of you."

I'm swimming in the past and I barely notice that we stop until Nico calls out to me.

"Sta~arshine! You sleepwalking or something?"

My daze comes to an end with Nico's cheekily grinning face right in front of me.

"Come on!" He says excitedly and walks into the middle of a small mostly shaded clearing. "Stand in the circle!"

I follow him and stand in front of him in a small two and a half foot radius circle.

He looks me in the eye, smiles a softer, less joking smile, "Watch."

He closes his eyes and the earth trembles, a weak one, but strong enough to be felt beneath the soles of a once blind person.

The world transforms to white.

Clouds of sparkling white butterflies fly away from the field surrounding the ring. As they fluttered to the sky, the first to touch the sunlight that didn't reach the ground burst into a colorful rainbow-butterfly.

I stare up in wonder at the beautiful creatures.

I barely notice Nico leaning closer until his lips brush my ear and his hair tickles my face.

I, however, notice the husky roughness of his whisper, soft emotion coming through. A line I didn't expect to hear. Not after everything.

But, it was real. Completely real. No lies, no sympathy, no pity. A moment where I could believe everything would be alright. Because Nico was speaking right from (and I know this sounds cheesy) his heart.

"I love you, Alisa."

A/N: Short? Yes. Why? Hello~o, perfect cut-off right in front of you! Now, let's rinse and repeat my usual A/N's... Sorry for the lateness! REVIEW!

And to divert from the norm... Among the Blessed is almost finished! Ahhhhh! (And now you have no more details about that. Bleh~)