All's Fair In Love And War

That Was Monumentally Stupid

"What? No!" Phoebe exclaimed. I grudgingly accepted the rose from Nico, angrily not meeting his eyes.

Why couldn't he just let me go home?

"I'm sorry, Phoebe, but you have been eliminated. Please inform the house staff when you are ready to go. If it is not within an hour, we will be forced to remove you." Venus said in a sickly sweet tone.

The redhead snarled out several curses at her before storming out.

"And cut! That's the end of the episode, sir!" Grover called from behind the camera. He seemed pretty good at his job, but Cupid merely nodded and waved him off.

"You all may go." He told us.

I turned on my heel and walked out, my rose clenched in my fingers.

"Reyna, wait up!"

A hand grabbed my arm and I whirled, automatically shoving whoever it was back.

"Ow!" Annabeth complained as Nico stepped on her foot when he stumbled backwards.

The shove didn't deter him. "Reyna, we need to talk."

"Fine." I snapped. Nico carefully laid his hand on my shoulder and we dissolved into shadows.

I opened my eyes to see we were on a rooftop. The dark sky twinkled with stars, but the beauty couldn't deter me right now.

"What were you thinking?!"

Nico looked taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Nico, I don't want to be here!" I snarled.

"But you deserve a chance! You've never left that island since you came to it, let me give you a chance to leave it!"

"I don't want a chance to leave it!" I swiped angrily at tears that threatened to spill over. "I want to go back to it!"

Nico frowned. "Why?"

"It's my home, Nico! Why did you keep me here anyway? If it was for Leo, why didn't he just pick me."

"No, it was my pick. I-" Nico looked down, seeming to contemplate his answer. "I need someone I can just be friends with."

"Not very Roman of you." I muttered.

Nico heard me and sighed. "I'm not Roman, Reyna. I'm Greek. And it shouldn't matter. Everyone needs a friend."

"Not me."

"You sure about that?" I froze and turned.

"What in the name of Pluto does that mean, di Angelo?"

He smiled. "You seemed less tense the other day after our little outing. You do need friends, Reyna, you just won't admit it."

I glared at him, but he gave me this look that could only be described as adorable.

"Alright alright, fine. Just stop making that face!"

Nico grinned triumphantly at me and I turned away, crossing my arms.

"Does Mrs. Grumpy-Gills need a hug?" He asked teasingly.

"Try it and I'll stab you in the kidney."

"Okay, no hugs." I heard rather than saw the eyeroll he gave me.

"We should get back." Nico muttered after some time. We had ended up sitting next to each other looking up.

"Why?"

"Because the both of us have a curfew." He reminded me.

"Ugh. Fine."

Nico stood and held out his hand for me to take. I scrambled to my feet and twined my fingers with his quickly.

The shadows wrapped around us and we reappeared outside the girls' dorm room.

"Thanks Nico." I said after a semi-awkward silence.

"For what?" He frowned.

"For forcefully being my friend."

Nico laughed. "Well then you're welcome. And thank you as well."

"For?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what his answer would be.

"For being my friend. My normal, doesn't freak out about other peoples' status' friend."

"Is that a thing?"

He grinned. "It is now."

I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight Nico."

"Night RA-RA."

I socked him in the stomach. "Don't call me that."

"Noted." Nico wheezed, clutching his midsection.

I smirked at him before turning and opening the door, closing it quickly behind me.

"Out with your boyfriend again?" A sneering voice asked.

"Nope." I was not going to let Annabeth have any satisfaction today.

"Who were you talking to then? Did Nico smuggle you out to meet someone else?" Annabeth's voice had an accusatory tone to it.

"No. We just talked." I flopped onto my bed and closed my eyes.

"Sure.... 'Just talked.' No real words involved though, just tongue." Drew muttered.

"I'm not a slut, thanks. And even if we did something, which we didn't, I don't kiss and tell." I rolled over.

"Oh and Drew?" I heard her turn sharply, her heel making a weird sound on the tiles.

"You're one to talk."

"How did-" she stopped herself. "I don't know what you're referring to."

"Sure you don't." I muttered.

[A/N I only have 3 class periods tomorrow! WHAT?! XD]