"You ready to taste dirt, Jackson?"

"If by 'dirt,' you mean victory, bring it on."

"By 'dirt,' I mean dirt, cause you're finished, maggot."

"Finished listening to you-"

"OH MY GODS, WOULD ONE OF YOU JUST PLAY A CARD?" Annabeth cries.

Juliette sighs dramatically.

"Fine. Uno!"

She slaps down a red 7 and stands with her hands up like a gymnast.

"OOOOOHHHH!" She cheers with a smirk. "How about that, Jackson? Do you speak Spanish? I said UNO!" She waves the lone card in his face. "Uno, like 'one,' as in 'one card.' How does that feel, Jackson?"

Annabeth groans and buries her face in her hands. Sally drains her wine glass. Paul refills it without blinking.

Percy's eyes are wide. Betrayed. Tortured. He reaches a trembling hand towards the deck.

Juliette smirks. This is it. His fingertips brush the top card.

And he flips his middle finger up as he slaps down a Draw 4.

Julie's jaw drops. Percy cups his ear. "Oh? Oh, what was that, Aster? You said Uno? More like CINCO-"

He pauses and glances at Annabeth in question. She nods.

"Yeah, CINCO! Draw up-oh, wait, don't even bother! Because-UNO!" He brandishes his last card. Juliette's face is stone. "And now? BAM!"

The last card in his hand hits the discard.

He stands, fists pumping the air like he's taking a victory lap in a wrestling ring. Juliette is silent, face impassive. Her final card is held delicately between shaking, brittle fingers.

"How could you do this..." She whispers brokenly.

Percy's smirk is mean, toothy, ruthless. "All is fair in love and card games, birthday girl. Maybe when you're my age, you'll be as wise and capable as me." He sighs wistfully.

"Oh my gods, I hate you both." Annabeth whines.

"Mhm, I think this game is going in the 'banned' bin." Sally mutters as she sweeps the cards into a neater pile.

Percy squawks his disagreement. "What?! No! Why, Uno's great?!"

Annabeth rolls her eyes. "You two are way too intense. This was Sorry! all over again."

"It's the name, why wouldn't you say it?!"

"You don't have to say it every time you do anything!"

"Well, you're gonna flip out when you hear about Yahtzee!"

"You clearly don't know how to play Yahtzee."

Sally drains her glass again. Paul leaves to open another bottle.

"Guys," Julie interrupts with a pout. "It's my birthday. I'm supposed to be the one who gets to be annoying today."

"You're annoying every day. Wouldn't it be more special if you took a break from it instead?"

"You're being pretty mean for a guy who sleeps two feet from my haircutting scissors." Julie glares.

"I think Annabeth would be the one more upset if you cut off all my hair."

"Yes, please don't. It's 50% of what I like about him."

"Wait, what?"

"Kids, dinner!" Paul calls from the kitchen. The three of them hop up off the couch in a heartbeat. Sally moves to follow, but teeters forward when she reaches her feet. Percy leaps out to catch her as she bursts into giggles.

"I might have had too much of that wine." Sally laughs.

Percy snorts. "Hang on, we'll get you to the table." He rolls his eyes fondly and leads his mother to her chair like she's a wounded soldier on the battlefield.

Annabeth and Juliette follow, chattering.

"-so, I tried to tell them that a column there would be too heavy for the foundation, but trying to get a god to understand the laws of physics is impossible, so I just said that I ran out."

"Ran out...of columns?"

"Yeah."

"And that worked?"

"Without question."

"Huh." Julie plops down at the table right as Paul rounds the corner with a steaming tray of spinach enchiladas.

"Okay, I made them this time, so don't be surprised if they aren't as good as they usually are." He announces sheepishly.

"Ah, come on, Paul! You're a great cook!" Percy protests.

"I'm sure they turned out just fine, dear." Sally says with a smile.

Juliette leans in and takes a long, satisfied whiff. "Smells like love and sunshine." She sighs happily.

Paul chuckles and begins serving everyone at the table, Annabeth passing him plates one by one. "So, Julie, feel any older?"

"No. Birthdays never really feel different from usual days."

Sally frowns. "Really? They don't feel more special?"

Juliette shrugs with a grin. "I mean, I'm about to eat enchiladas, so that's special!"

Sally's frown remains.

"It's just because she refuses to ever do anything for them." Percy cuts in exasperatedly. "She has, like, a million friends now and didn't invite any of them."

"And what about it?"

"You have to invite people to things! People want to celebrate you."

Julie takes an aggressive bite of enchilada.

Sally leans forward in interest. "Who are these million friends?" She hiccups halfway through the question.

"Just some mortal girls from school." Julie waves dismissively.

"'Some,' she says. That gang follows you everywhere. You walk around school like you've got a secret service." Percy snarks.

Annabeth laughs at the irritated glare Julie shoots him. "You could have invited friends from camp too, you know. I know Drew and Rachel would have wanted to come."

Julie huffs. "Rachel's on vacation, and Drew isn't a friend, she's my sister. That's different. Plus, we have a whole bit where we pretend to hate each other, and if Lacy finds out it's a lie, she's gonna rat on us to Chiron for paying Cabin 9 to cut our bunk into twins."

"That's such a good idea." mutters Percy.

"I know, right?"

"Okay, well, what about Nico?" Annabeth challenges. Julie snorts.

"You think Nico di Angelo's gonna pick up an Iris message? Like, ever? He shows up exclusively when it's most dramatic. He's Italian."

"Is that offensive? That feels offensive." Paul asks worriedly. Julie shrugs.

"Besides," Percy wiggles his eyebrows at her from across the table. "Loverboy already sent her a gift this morning."

"He's not my loverboy, Percy."

"The guy brings you magic flowers. From the Underworld."

"Yeah. Platonically."

Percy looks at Annabeth in bewilderment. She hides her snickers behind a bite of food.

Juliette groans. "You guys are so annoying. And the flowers are technically from Persephone anyway. She's the one growing them, after all."

"The goddess Persephone?" asks Sally in surprise.

"Why is the queen of the Underworld sending you flowers?" Paul adds.

Julie freezes mid bite, her face flushing. Ever since their interaction before the Battle of Manhattan, Persephone's been visiting her dreams periodically, hoping for updates on Juliette's "tether." The goddess has yet to actually explain what a "tether" is to Julie, so she's felt no guilt in reporting that she has no updates to give.

The thought sours in Julie's stomach. She sets her fork down.

"Julie?" Sally's soft voice calls from her left. The woman is frowning in concern, her blue eyes trained on her stepdaughter's face.

Juliette swallows down the wave of anxiety and feels a slight prickle as the scales she'd unconsciously summoned melt back into her skin. The rest of the table glance at each other worriedly. Julie forces a smile back onto her face.

"Sorry! Just got full. All good." She laughs, picking up her barely touched plate. "I'm gonna go wash this; be right back."

Making her escape into the kitchen, Julie releases a tight breath. She scrapes her plate and sets it down into the sink, turning on the water. She watches the sauce swirl down the drain.

After the battle, Percy had cornered Juliette and made her explain what she knows about the son of Zeus to him and Chiron. She'd given them an abbreviated version, something in her instincts telling her to keep the explanation short and to the point, and the old centaur had donned an expression afterwards that was somehow equal parts horrified and intrigued. He'd sworn them both to secrecy on the spot. Something about the situation unsettled him, and she and Percy know better than to ignore their mentor's worries.

Still, that doesn't stop her from stopping in her tracks every time she sees a flash of golden hair on the streets. He'd said he'll find her. She'd told him how. All she has to do is stay in one place.

Assuming he's still alive.

Julie shakes the thought from her mind and reaches out for the dish soap. She does a double take at her submerged plate in the sink.

The water in the basin is frozen.

Dread settles in her stomach as the frost creeps up the stream of water to the faucet. The pipes groan.

She hears Percy stop mid sentence in the other room. "Jules?"

Apple green eyes are glued to the icy mess in the sink.

What in Hades?

A chair scoots out from the table around the corner. "Is something weird with the pipes?" Percy sounds confused. Julie turns to respond and comes face to face with the most beautiful woman she's ever seen.

Hair as black as the Styx cascades across bare, snow pale shoulders. The woman's skin is flawless, sharp cheekbones cradling chilling amber eyes. A white chiton hooks together at her collarbone with a snowflake shaped broach the same glittering silver as the tiara of ice resting atop her head. Her lips are pale, almost blue, but lush and unmarred and tilted upwards into a small, teasing smirk.

"So, you're the demigod who has my mistress in such a tizzy."

Julie blinks. What?

"You're much prettier than I expected you to be, you being a Heartbreak and all." The woman observes with a tilt of her head.

Juliette stammers. "I-thank you?"

She is very confused. Turning from the sink to face the woman, who is clearly a goddess now that Julie remembers how to string thoughts together, she subtly slides a finger against the arrow shaped charm on her bracelet. The goddess raises an eyebrow at her.

"Darling, you know that weapon is made of ice, right?" She chuckles.

Oh. Right.

Julie lets out a frustrated huff and blows the bangs from her face. "I'm sorry, who are you-"

"Jules?" Percy's footsteps start to approach the kitchen, and the goddess sighs dramatically.

"These human dwellings are far too small. Why don't we have this conversation somewhere more comfortable?"

Before Juliette can protest, the goddess waves a hand, and a cold gust of air surges through the apartment. Now, this is the first time she's ever travelled by wind, and she desperately hopes it's the last. Julie feels like her organs get left behind in Manhattan as her mind sweeps away as a part of the breeze. The sensation is dizzying and disorienting, but ends before she really starts to process it.

Her socked feet slam down onto an ice cold floor. She realizes half a second too late that it actually is ice. By that point, she's already slid painfully onto her butt.

The goddess lets out a short burst of melodic laughter. "Do mind your step, little dove. This palace is perilous in places."

"Gee, thanks. I'm so glad you warned me or I might have slipped." Julie mutters, getting up from where she'd already fallen. She rubs her sore tailbone and fixes an irritated glower on her kidnapper. "So, again, who are you?"

"I am Khione...Goddess of Snow and Ice." Khione says the words slowly, like she's speaking to a small child. Julie can't blame her because her only reply is a confused blink. Khione huffs and crosses her arms. "Honestly, mortals have no respect for winter anymore. This is all because of that slacking upstart Jack Frost."

"So, you're, what...not a fan of Jack Frost?"

"Am I a fan of pathetic little deities who take credit for my hard work without lifting a snowdrift all season? No, not particularly." rants Khione. She paces irritably for good measure. "But, that's gods for you. You'd think the Western feminist movement would have put some extra respect on the names of goddesses, but no."

Julie nods in confused sympathy. "I hear that."

There's a moment of silence as Khione stews in her anger. Julie shivers and clears her throat awkwardly.

"So, uh...did you need something, or...?"

"Oh, yes," Khione seems to remember that kidnapping teenagers from their homes to chat in a palace made of ice without their jacket usually requires an explanation. "I wish to make you an offer on behalf of my mistress."

Julie turns to study her surroundings. Yup. Just a room made of ice. There's a stairwell behind Khione that might possibly lead to a balcony or a roof, but right now, there's no windows nearby to jump out of. If this goes badly, flying out of here is going to be difficult. Especially not even knowing where in the country she is.

"Um, okay. And, who is your mistress?"

Khione's smile turns chilling.

"Let us discuss our present situation first," The goddess deflects. She steps forward and looks Juliette up and down. The demigod shivers again. "You have heard the Prophecy of Seven, have you not?"

Juliette's blood runs cold.

Rachel Dare had been the Oracle for less than five minutes when the next Great Prophecy had come spilling from her in a barrage of green smoke and foreboding warnings. Seven demigods would be gathered. Seven demigods to save the world again from some unknown danger. Apollo had brushed the prediction off, claiming it would probably be one for future generations to handle.

If Khione is implying what Julie thinks she is, that is not what this "mistress" believes.

"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,

To storm or fire, the world must fall.

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bare arms to the Doors of Death."

Khione recites the prophecy in a breathless tone. She sounds excited, giddy. Julie's ears start to buzz with fear. Please, no.

"This prophecy will come to pass," Khione smirks. "The Doors of Death are being chained as we speak."

The fit of Juliette's skirt feels too tight. It's becoming hard to breathe. She bites her lip to keep a clear head.

"My mistress has watched you," The goddess continues, raising an ice cold hand to brush Juliette's hair from her shoulder. The girl tries not to flinch. "She admires your strength. Your courage. To defend Olympus when none of the gods have ever had your interests at heart...such loyalty cannot be easily ignored. Although," Khione sighs. "The Olympians find a way to manage it, don't they?"

A pang of heartache strikes Juliette's chest. It must show on her face, because the goddess hums in sympathy.

"Aphrodite has always been one for pettiness," She remarks with a flick of black hair. "I remember a lover of hers, Theimath. He was a handsome mortal. Funny." Brown eyes soften and turn away from Juliette. The goddess' demeanor is tenser now. More brittle.

"He lived in the north. And, when the two of us met, he made plans to escape Aphrodite's clutches to be with me in my palace. We considered eloping together. To where she couldn't find us. To where no gods could ever find us..." Khione's voice trails off, thick with grief. Julie's every muscle is shivering. She can feel the temperature dropping even further. "Your mother has never been humble when scorned. I could not save him. Nor could I save the child her broken heart left behind."

Juliette looks down. Anger stirs within her. Indignation and pain for this unnamed, unknown sibling of hers. "I'm sorry." She whispers. She's not sure if it's directed at Khione, Theimath, or the child, but it feels necessary to say.

Khione surveys her thoughtfully. "That is kind, but you've nothing to apologize for. The act was not yours. And you have suffered just the same."

Bouncing on her toes to generate heat, Julie asks shakily, "What is it you want from me?"

The goddess stares at her for a moment before answering. "Your mother is going to betray you."

Julie stops shivering.

"She will never take your side. She will never offer you aid." Khione says harshly. "Your existence was created to ease Aphrodite's momentary heartache. To create a vessel to store it. With just your birth, you fulfilled your usefulness to her. She will never consider you one of her brood."

The pink nail polish Julie put on this morning looks shocking against the paleness of her fingers. She tries to focus on it. To block out the words being hissed at her. The truth in them.

"What's your point?" She asks.

"My point, little dove, is this:" Khione lifts Juliette's face with the crook of her finger. Green eyes meet amber. "You are going to die a lonely death. Forsaken by all those you hoped to love you. Because that is what Heartbreak Children are fated. Short, cruel lives that know nothing but pain and negligence. Unless," Her breath is oddly warm against Juliette's skin. She smells like peppermint. "You forge a new path for yourself. My mistress offers you a chance at that. A chance to weave your own tapestry."

Juliette's fingers are going numb from the cold. She can barely feel her nose anymore. There's fear in her chest to keep her alert, though. "This is sounding a lot like a recruitment speech." She mutters. Khione's eyes light with amusement.

"I suppose you could call it that." She muses. The goddess drops Juliette's face and takes a step back. It becomes a little easier to breathe. "Of course, my mistress is a patient woman. She does not expect you to agree within a single conversation. I will send you back to your dwelling safely regardless of your response."

"What am I responding to exactly?"

Khione smirks at her. "Oh, come now. You know what I'm offering you. There's going to be a war, little dove. It's imperative you understand which is the just side."

"You want me to betray Olympus."

"Is it betrayal if Olympus abandoned you first?"

"Fair point. Still no."

Khione chuckles. The sound reminds Julie of when icicles shatter on the pavement in spring. "I do not expect you to see sense in this moment, child. Just be aware, as of today, you are as much Aphrodite's puppet as your beloved is Hera's."

Julie frowns in confusion, but Khione raises a palm, and the wind starts to pick up. Juliette feels her mind begin to slip from her body once again. As she blows away with the breeze, the goddess finishes her offer.

"Burn me an offering if you ever feel like cutting your strings."

In the blink of an eye, Juliette is back in the kitchen. She's standing just where she had been, her back to the sink and her hand outstretched as if to shield herself. The only indication she'd gone anywhere is the dusting of snow on her clothes and the panicked expressions on her family's faces.

"Julie, oh thank the gods!" Sally throws her arms around her stepdaughter.

Percy and Annabeth whip around and deflate in relief. Paul comes running to join the hug, but recoils. "Why are you so cold?!" He exclaims.

Immediately, Annabeth darts out of the room and returns with the throw blanket off the sofa. "What happened? Percy said you just vanished! And the pipes are all frozen?"

Juliette blinks at them, Khione's voice still echoing in her mind. She looks around at the half rinsed plate still frozen to the sink.

'There's going to be a war, little dove,'

A shiver of terror runs through her. Julie looks up at her family, and her eyes fall on the hand Percy's set against Annabeth's waist. They're so casual now. So easy. So much more in love every single day.

They're supposed to be getting their happy ending.

"Just my mom," She blurts out. Everyone's eyebrows raise in surprise. Juliette runs with the excuse. "Wanted to wish me a happy 15th. She sent a snow nymph to collect me."

"A happy 15th?" Percy sounds befuddled. "She couldn't put that in a greeting card?"

Sally elbows her son gently. She beams at Juliette, and guilt starts to swim in the girl's gut. "That's fantastic, sweetheart! You deserve it after everything you've done for her." She smiles.

Juliette tries to return it. "Yeah. It was...nice to see someone recognizes me."

That's not bitterness in her tone. It's not. Even if it is, that doesn't make her a traitor.

"Anyway, I think it's time for cake!" Julie deflects the subject.

Paul lights up. "I got the one you like from that bakery in Queens! Percy, grab it from the freezer, will you?"

As the lighthearted chatter from earlier starts back up, Julie tries to relax. The blanket is helping with the shivers. The background buzz of her family's voices are helping with the chill. But, anxiety is still trickling through her veins.

And the suspicious grey eyes on her back aren't helping.

"Are you naturally this bad, or does it take practice?" Nico asks flatly.

Julie pushes his wooden practice sword away from her neck with a huff. "Well, there's no need to be mean."

"I disagree."

"Look, I'm out of practice, okay? Plus, you made me run ten miles this morning. I'm tired! Can we calm it down a bit, Drill Sergeant di Angelo?"

Rolling his eyes, Nico reaches down a hand to help her up. It's a random Saturday evening in the middle of October, so most of the year-rounders are taking a well earned nap between activities and dinner. Not Juliette, though. No, Juliette's busy getting her ass handed to her in the arena. Repeatedly.

"Land a single blow, and I'll let you stop." promises Nico.

Julie frowns at him. "You say that like I haven't been trying..."

"This is you trying?"

"You're going to make me cry, oh my gods."

"Cry later," He orders, getting back into stance. "Right now, defend."

"Defend?!"

A high pitched yelp erupts from Julie as Nico swings his sword abruptly towards her head. She clumsily meets his strike with her own weapon, and the force of the collision sends tremors up her forearm. He doesn't let up, each strike coming faster as he approaches, forcing her to back away towards the edge of the arena.

"Fix your footwork." He hisses at her.

"What?" Julie looks down to see what he means and watches as he hooks a foot behind hers and pulls. Her feet leave the sand, and suddenly she's staring at the sky. The impact sends her into a coughing fit as Nico's irritated glare appears over her.

"This is pathetic." He states.

Julie flushes and starts to defend herself, but another voice interrupts from the arena entrance.

"Yeah, you're wasting your time there, Neeks." calls Percy as he approaches.

With a gasp of delight, Julie shoots to her feet and runs to pounce on the boy, slinging her arms around his shoulders. He laughs and returns her hug. "I didn't know you were visiting! It's been weeks!" She exclaims.

"Yeah, Annabeth wanted to ask Malcom something, so we both decided to come down." explains Percy. They separate, and he turns back to Nico, who is looking down at his wooden practice sword awkwardly. "But, seriously dude, I've seen ten year olds beat her during lessons. You're barking up the wrong tree here."

"That is not true!"

"Matthew?"

"Okay, well...he's an Ares camper so that's like a freebee. Plus, that's one ten year old, not ten year olds plural!"

"Jules, he's four feet tall."

"You're about to be six feet under, if you don't shut up."

"Anyway," Percy switches gears, looking back at Nico. The son of Hades has been watching the interaction silently, his expression carefully blank. "If you're looking for an actual challenge, I could blow off some steam." He smirks.

Nico hesitates.

"Aw, come on, we've never sparred before! Plus, I've seen you fight. You're probably the only one other than Clarisse that could keep up."

The compliment turns Nico's cheeks red. "I...I guess." He relents. Juliette lets out an audible sigh of relief, and he cuts his eyes at her. "Don't get excited. We aren't done here."

She pouts.

Pulling the practice sword from her grip, Percy immediately drops into stance. Juliette backs away to observe as Nico narrows his eyes and tightens his grip on his own weapon. The two of them are silent and still, observing every breath the other takes, every twitch of fingers.

Percy moves first. He slams his sword into Nico's with enough strength to send the smaller boy skidding backwards through the sand. Nico recovers quickly and dodges the next strike, swinging around to aim his own at Percy's shoulders. The fight becomes almost too fast to follow, the both of them moving like whirlwinds across the arena floor. Juliette's jaw is on the ground.

Other campers have started to gather in the lower seats to watch the two Big Three kids duke it out. Nico might not be particularly popular in camp, but no one can deny his power, and Percy hasn't taken this long to finish a spar in months. Everyone's eyes bounce between the two demigods in awe.

Eventually, Nico makes a mistake. Percy feints one way, and it takes him a split second too long to realize it. Nico takes a wooden sword to the chest and is on the ground in a cloud of dust a moment later.

The crowd erupts into applause, and both boys startle. They'd apparently been so zeroed in on the fight, they hadn't noticed the growing numbers in the stands. Julie claps and whistles as the spectators wander off to whatever they were doing before getting distracted. She hops off the bleachers and approaches as Percy reaches a hand down to haul Nico to his feet.

"That was awesome!" She cheers. "Also, I'm pretty sure you just won Travis like twenty drachmas, Percy. He's gonna be happy with you for a while."

Percy snorts and grins at Nico. "That was awesome."

With a huff, Nico shrugs. "That was a dumb mistake."

"Maybe, but that was the longest fight I've had in forever. You're amazing, Nico."

Red seeps up from the collar of Nico's black shirt. He looks at Percy with wide eyes, mouth dropping open in surprise. Percy beams at him.

Then, Nico looks down at where their hands are still connected and jumps back like he's been burned. Fear flits across his face.

Julie moves to voice her concern, but he's already backing away towards a shadow. "I gotta-" He stutters before diving backwards and melting into nothing.

Percy and Julie stare at the shadows in confusion.

"Did I say something wrong?" mutters Percy. Insecurity trickles from him and brushes Julie's arm. She turns and shakes her head.

"No, you didn't. He's just...Nico." With a sigh, Julie picks up the discarded practice sword and hands it to Percy. "Will you put this up for me? I'm gonna go see if he's still in the area."

Eyes trained sadly on where the boy had disappeared, he nods and accepts the sword. Julie squeezes his shoulder on her way past and heads out of the arena. She jogs a bit out of the way and lets her transformation take over before lifting into the air.

She flaps her wings until she's hovering high over the camp. Pegasi swerve around her irritably, giving her the same dirty look Sally gives other drivers when she yells at them to "Pick a lane, moron!" Honing in on her handy sixth sense, Julie focuses on a presence near the edge of the barrier. It's cool to the touch and feels the way that dark blue looks. She brushes against it, and images of red cattle and Stygian iron manifest in her mind.

Julie heads in the direction of the presence, eventually setting down beside a shallow creek on the far outskirts of camp. Nico looks up briefly when she lands, but quickly sets his eyes back on the babbling water. "Go away."

Julie flops down, melting into her human form. "Can we skip this part?" She asks with a roll of her eyes. "If you really wanted to be alone, you'd go somewhere harder to find."

Nico grunts irritably, but doesn't argue.

Rocking back to lay on the rocks instead, Julie puts her arms behind her head. "So, can I ask what's wrong?"

Nico plucks up a pebble and tosses it in the creek.

"Because that was a weird interaction. Even for you. Are you mad at Percy for something?"

The next rock bounces off a stone in the middle of the flow. Julie scowls.

"You don't have to talk about it, but it might help if you do. Isn't that what you told me, Mr. Don't Shut Yourself Away?"

He glances at her blankly and goes back to throwing rocks.

She cringes with hesitation before her next thought. "Is this about Bianca?" She asks quietly.

Nico pauses mid throw. He takes a deep breath, exhales, and then continues the motion and tosses the pebble into the water. "No."

Well, she's out of ideas.

"You're infuriating." Julie complains, rubbing at her eyes in frustration. "Seriously, being your BFFFL is so stressful. You love to disappear randomly. And you always have this terrified look on your face like someone's trying to murder you. Actually, I've seen someone try to murder you, and you looked less scared then."

Another rock hits the water. This one skips a bit.

"You did the same thing after the Battle. And when Percy and Annabeth showed up while we were at the archery range. And when Percy came home while you were visiting after my birthday."

Nico's hand stalls on the next pebble. He hesitates. Unblinking. Waiting. Julie feels conflicting emotions hit her. Fear, like before, and...desperation? Impatience?

"You clearly are upset with him. I'd say it's about what happened with Hades, but you didn't seem all that off with Percy until after he and..."

Oh.

Nico's still leaning over his selected pebble, rolling it between his fingers on the ground. Juliette studies him.

"Until he and Annabeth started dating." She finishes. He doesn't react to her words visibly, but a cloud of misery starts to emanate from him, both from her own powers and his natural aura.

Annabeth once made a passing comment about thinking Nico has a crush on her. Julie remembers being baffled by the notion because the two of them have so rarely interacted. Percy had outright laughed, insisting Nico is so obviously in love with Juliette that it couldn't be possible. She figures that theory is a bit more founded, but it had never felt true to her either. Julie's now realizing why.

She has a period of only a few seconds to formulate her response. Nico's bad with people and self deprecating. Any wrong move or tone that she makes could be make or break for their friendship. Not to mention the whole being born in the 30s thing. She needs to be careful.

"You know he, like, never washes his sheets, right?" Julie wrinkles her nose in disgust and sits up. "And I have watched him cry for an hour trying to look up if swallowing his gum on accident was going to kill him."

Nico's lips twitch, but he doesn't move. The fear in his aura doesn't budge.

"You are actually way out of his league. Honestly, so is Annabeth. I do not see what you guys do in him. But, maybe once you walk in on somebody pooping enough times, you just lose all capacity for finding them even objectively attractive." snorts Julie. His aura is still strong, but it wavers. She keeps talking.

"Personally, I'm more into the serious type. Malcom's kinda cute." She muses.

He glances at her with an incredulous expression.

Julie drops her jaw in offense. "Don't you give me that look! I'm into blondes, sue me! Maybe it's the glasses..." She hums in thought as he goes back to throwing pebbles. Another blonde boy crosses her mind, and she smiles softly.

Yeah. It's the glasses.

Julie lifts up her legs and swings them back down, using the momentum to sit up beside Nico. He tenses when she turns to look at him head on.

"So, what, is it the whole 'Hero of Olympus' thing? Because I can promise you that's only his personality like 3% of the time. The other 97%, he's an idiot."

Nico finally looks over at her. His eyebrows are knitted together, confusion evident in every muscle of his face. He shakes his head. "What are you doing?" He asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you acting like this is...normal?" His voice sounds accusatory, but scared.

Julie sighs. "Nico, it's not 1940 anymore. What you're feeling isn't wrong."

"Of course it's wrong."

"It really isn't." She argues gently. "No love is wrong. My mom and I may have our differences, but she's still pretty good at what she does. Besides, half my siblings are gay. It's nothing new."

Nico's eyes are stormy. He looks back down at the creek. "That's different."

"Why?"

"They're Aphrodite kids."

"Their partners aren't."

"It doesn't matter!" He snaps. Julie shuts her mouth and purses her lips as he rounds on her. "He got my sister killed. He has a girlfriend. He's happy whether I'm in his life or not." He spits. "It is wrong."

Juliette stares at him, sadness aching in her chest. He looks bitter. Defeated. If he were anyone else, she'd wrap him in a hug, but she knows that'll just make it worse for him. Instead, she sighs and looks at the creek herself.

"It isn't wrong, Nico. You don't have to agree with me, but I won't let you speak about love that way. I definitely won't let you speak about yourself that way." She mutters. He doesn't react. "We can change the subject if you want, but...if you ever feel like talking about it, you know I'm here, right?"

Hesitation. Then, a slight nod.

Julie exhales. "Good. Okay. Thanks." She clears her throat and picks up a pebble herself. "So, you would not believe what Ellie said during cheer the other day. I think I was about five seconds from calling in a divine favor just to see her eat shit during her tumbling because-"

As she tells her story, the two of them get into an unspoken competition in who can throw a pebble furthest down the creek. Nico wins, but Julie puts up a good fight. They hang out side by side until the sun goes down, Julie talking and Nico listening. She doesn't notice the soft looks of gratitude he sends her each time she starts up a new topic after finishing a story. She does notice when he grips her hand briefly outside of Cabin 10, giving it a firm squeeze before releasing her and disappearing into the shadows for the night. She notices, and she smiles.