Almost a full year later, Camp Half-Blood had accepted Octivan into their midst.

Word had gotten around about what really happened, and slowly the campers accepted him.

His side fully healed, and he and Rachel stayed at Camp Half-Blood full time. With a little, ah, encouragement from the Mist, Rachel's father and mother were convinced that this was a fancy boarding school. Octivan stopped being rude (most of the time) and stayed with his distant siblings in the Apollo cabin. Sure, he got some dirty looks every once and awhile, and he was nobody's (besides Rachel) favorite person, but he was accepted.

In fact, he had just gotten through teaching an archery class. Octivan managed a shower before lunch, and followed his siblings towards the Dining Pavilion.

As Rachel was technically a mortal, she sat wherever she wanted. Which happened to be at the Apollo table next to Octivan.

Most of the time she was covered in Sharpie marks and paint splatters. Today was no exception.

He was abnormally quiet today, and Rachel was getting worried. Then he spoke up.

"You saved me, Rachel."

Rachel laughed.

"What, are you talking about the hellhound, all that time ago?" She asked lightheartedly.

He looked her right in the eye, and he was dead serious.

"In partial, yes. But I meant that day in the alley, and every day since. That day, I was ready to give up. I was ready to die. I thought nobody cared, so I didn't care either. I was taught to be cold and heartless, but you took me in and cared when nobody else did. When I was ready to give up, you pushed me on and gave me something to live for. You loved me when I was unlovable. You saved me, Rachel." Octivan said, then paused for breath. "I love you, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. I love you more than anything in this world."

Rachel wiped her eyes. Gods, he was so sappy sometimes. But she loved him even more for that.

"Oh Gods. I love you too, Octivan." She answered softly.

And they kissed, and the entire Apollo table stared at them in shock from the converstation they just happened to overhear.