"For me, the only difference is that I have to fight monsters somewhere the norms can't see." Nika sighed. "It gets kinda tiring, actually. I mean, some days I love my job, but some days I just hate how many secrets I have to keep."

"Well, I had my apartment warded to make it safe for more than one demigod to live in," Dawn replied. "I had to, you know, with Kevin and all... You're welcome to crash with me whenever you like. The landlord is nice enough to look the other way when odd things happen."

Nika chuckled. "Better be careful, I might take you up on that sometime," she said, only half-joking.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it," Dawn pointed out. "Just, you know, advance warning from time to time, just in case I don't forsee myself to stock up on bandages and such. At least until Kevin moves in, chances are he's a healer."

"That won't be a problem," Nika said with a shrug. "I carry around a small hospital in my trunk most of the time." She grinned. "Job hazards and all."

"At least you're prepared," Dawn replied. "Well, like I said, you're welcome to crash at my place, I can at least offer the couch and a decent breakfast."

"Awesome. I'll try to give you warning if I'm going to stay over."

Nika was silent for a few moments before she dunked her head under the water and swam lazily half-way across the lake. "What's your favorite part of the outside world?"

"...My mother's house," Dawn said after a moment. "I get to be myself without having to deal with my brothers, and my mom never questioned my need for music. She just indulged me and never commented when I accidentally slipped into Greek once or twice." She grinned. "After I started going to camp, my mom let me set up a small archery range, out behind our house. I think I scared off all the wildlife, the first couple times I used it."

Nika nodded her understanding. "That sounds nice," she admitted, treading water in the deep part of the hot spring. "What's it like? To know normal humans."

"Not all that different, actually," Dawn replied. "I mean, you've got to be careful not to speak ancient Greek around them, and they tend to notice when weird things happen, but otherwise... They really don't know any better. They assume you're normal too."

Nika frowned a little, but she didn't say anything for several moments. "Sounds kind of nice, I guess." She dunked under the water again before swimming back over towards the side.

"I will admit that the paranoia started to get to me after a while," Dawn said. "Sometimes it's nice to come back and be around people who don't notice at all if you speak ancient Greek and things like that." When Nika got back over to the side, Dawn moved around behind her. "Hold still. You still look really tense." Gently, she started to massage Nika's shoulders. "I might not be a healer, but I learned how to give a good massage, at least."

Nika shivered, not used to letting anyone behind her, but held still. "Damn straight," she muttered. "If you're not offended, I might ask you to do this once in a while and pay you for it. I could never let anyone get behind me and not try to kill them."

"You don't need to pay me for it," Dawn protested as she worked on a particularly bad spot at the base of Nika's neck. After a moment, the tight knot under her fingers relaxed. "I just kind of figured that a massage would feel good after our insane quest. I don't mind doing this once in a while."

Nika shivered and groaned softly. "I would definitely appreciate that." She relaxed almost fully, her eyes closing.

"I'm guessing nobody's ever given you a proper massage before," Dawn commented as she worked on a few more tense muscles in Nika's shoulders. "Well, let me know next time you need another one."

"No, I couldn't ever let anyone get behind me without wanting to shoot them." Nika shivered. "You better stop offering me things or you're never going to get rid of me."

Dawn just rolled her eyes.

"That's kind of what friends do," she pointed out. She paused for a second. "Though people do tell me I'm too nice."

"You can be, but you're a good person so it evens out." Nika smiled a little.

"Which is something, at least," Dawn replied. Slowly, she stopped the massage as her hands started to cramp up a bit. "Alright, that's it for now. Feel any better?"

"Much, thanks." Nika turned around again, putting her back against the wall. She let out a content sigh.

"I knew there was a reason I loved this place."

After a few moments, Dawn sighed.

"We're going to have to head back, soon," she said. "You know people still have questions they want to ask and good things like that."

"I know. But a little time away was worth it." Nika sighed quietly. "Maybe we'll get lucky and we can fend everyone off after a day or two."

"We can't possibly be that lucky," Dawn retorted. She was about to say something else, but a vision interrupted her. She saw a pair of doors opening to a grand chamber, with twelve figures around a central fire. She blinked away the vision and groaned slightly. She didn't want to have to leave camp again until September.

"What? What did you see?" Nika frowned a little, looking at her.