When MYTHS Become Real

We walked for what seemed like forever but it was hard to tell time down in the Underworld and the scenery didn't change one bit as we walked. I thought that I was in shape from spending all my time swimming, but boy was I wrong. My feet felt like they were totally made of blisters, and my legs were nothing but jelly. Even my shoulders were sore from carrying my backpack. I groaned and wiped the nasty sweat off of my forehead, really wishing that there was some water somewhere close by.
"You okay?"
Nico's cool voice made me jump. I'd been trying so hard to ignore him, which he made pretty easy by moving so silently. I hadn't even noticed when he stepped up beside me. My face flushed a bright scarlet that matched my hair and I averted my eyes away from him. "Uh... sure... I mean, yeah, fine. I'm good."
"Need a break?"
I yanked my hair off my shoulders and tied it in a knot at the nape of my neck. "Nope. I'm fine." I wasn't going to humiliate myself anymore in front of this guy, even if he didn't even remember me.
"Yeah, well, I'm tired, and I'm used to being down here all the time. Besides, I know how weird it is in the Underworld. Let's take a break."
I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Okay, yeah. I guess I could rest my feet for a bit."
"Cool."
I slipped my backpack off my shoulders and let my head roll back to release some of the tension in my neck. I fished my water bottle out of the hiking pack and squeezed it tightly in my fist until a fine sheen of ice formed on the water's surface. I was about to take a big swig when I noticed what Nico was at work doing. He had a large canvas tent set out on the ground and was already putting the last pole through the hooks for it to hold the tent up. My face flamed and the bottle in my hand turned to solid ice.
"There you are," Kaya's annoyed voice said, sounding annoyed. "Thanks for letting me know you were stopping before I got too far ahead of you."
Nico laughed. "Sorry, my fault."
Kaya eyed the neon orange tent with a smirk playing on her full pink lips. "Wow, Nico, if I didn't know any better I'd say that you planned for us to have a little slumber party."
Nico's pitch black eyes widened for a minute and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his aviator jacket. He looked away from either of us and Kaya burst out laughing hysterically. They seemed to fit so easily together and I couldn't help the little bit of jealousy that sparked inside of me. When the hell did I become the third wheel on my own freaking quest?!
I let out a huff and threw the bottle into my bag with a little more force than necessary and plopped down onto the yellowed grass. People that seemed like mindless ghosts moved aimlessly by but I didn't pay them any attention at all, especially since we'd been walking by them all day. After a year of acknowledging the mythological world I'd become a little jaded to the weird. If we didn't find the stupid river, and Mnemosyne, soon, I'd go as brainless as the rest of the people here.
I was a little more aware of my surroundings now so I wasn't surprised when Nico sat down next to me. "Hey, Naida, the tent's ready. Why don't you come on in and take a nap? Kaya's already passed out."
I blushed crimson, remembering my last quest with Nico and waking up in Mnemosyne's prison with Nico's arms wrapped around me. "I'm fine."
He frowned and cocked his head to the side to study me. "C'mon, Naida. You look exhausted. Come get some sleep. Sal won't bite you, if you're worried about the snake."
"That's actually not it," I replied. And it was true; I hadn't worried about Kaya or her stomach snake since Bisbee. "I've just got a lot on my mind."
"Wanna talk about it?"
I blinked slowly and let out a long breath. True was, I didn't want to talk to Nico, but I couldn't keep silent or the stress would eat away at my sanity. "I'm just worried about Camp. Everyone's forgetting and if I don't fix this, they're all vulnerable. Mnemosyne's pissed at me and she's taking it out on everyone else, innocent children who happen to have gods for parents. And I'm the one that has to stop this? I'm no good at this crap. Plus I'm freaking out about Annabeth and I really hope that my brother got her back to Camp safely. Percy has to focus on her but I'm pretty sure that he's worrying about me, too. And I hate when I come across as weak."
Nico put his arm around me in an almost protective manner. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Look, I know that I'm not really a match for Percy Jackson but I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. And I know for a fact that he's going to take care of Annabeth. You just worry about you and finishing this quest."
I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth. He was right, I knew that, but at that moment I just wanted to lean into him and relax, like we did over the summer on the beach. I pulled away from him and shot him a quick smile. "Thanks, Nico. I'll try"
I let out a huge yawn and Nico nudged me. "Let's go. You need some sleep and so do I."
He grabbed my hand and tugged me up. I slipped my fingers from his and followed him into the tent. It was roomier inside than out with three small cots already set up. Like Nico had said, Kaya and her snake, Sal, were already sound asleep. Nico gave me a smile before he settled on the cot closest to her. Again, that green-eyed monster flared up but I ignored it.
Gods, love sucks.

Notes

first of all, i am SO sorry this took so long. I had most of this chapter already written when my computer started spazzing and my hard drive wiped EVERYTHING >:( grrr. anywhere, here's the newest chapter :)
a million thank you's to: tmcar1 and The_Bright_One and Thalia grace