More Than Myself 6

Chapter 6

The next day, Nico found a very disheartening surprise in the middle of a conversation with Percy Jackson. Hazel had warned him that the blonde was going to visit Camp Half-Blood, but seeing her in person still caught Nico a little off-guard. He didn't hate Annabeth, or the fact that she came to visit. But now Nico just felt that all of his efforts had been tossed out the window. Being with the girls for the short amount of time had left Nico a little hopeful, and that was also after hearing similar things from two children of Aphrodite. Nico had foolishly begun to hope that he could get somewhere with Percy.

But now?

Now, Nico didn't think there was a point. Even if Percy were bisexual, there was no way that he would choose Nico over Annabeth. There was just too much history between the two of them. How could Nico even compare to someone like Annabeth? If she snapped her fingers, Percy would surely be back at her side in a heartbeat. There was nothing to stop him anymore, not with him being able to cope better with his PTSD. Just Nico's luck, he managed to push his crush back to his ex-girlfriend.

While they were talking, Percy caught sight of Nico. His eyes flickered over Annabeth's shoulder and a smile crept onto his lips. As he smiled, the green-eyed demigod waved over at the son of Hades. Annabeth turned around to look as well, waving at the brown-eyed boy when she saw him. Nico stared at them for a few moments before he just shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off, not bothering to stop when he heard Percy call out his name.

What was the point? Right now, the best thing Nico could do was minimize the pain. He should have never let himself get so close to Percy. But even more importantly, Nico should have never came back to camp. He had the right idea when he left. It was easier to be away from Percy.

“Hey, where are you going?” Percy called out, jogging up to the grumpy younger boy.

Nico came to a halt, letting out a loud sigh. He turned around with a dull look and blinked at the tall form of his crush. “I didn't want to interrupt, since you haven't seen Annabeth in a few months.” He nodded over at the blonde, who smiled at him. She couldn't hear them from where she was, but none of that really mattered. “You should get back to her.”

Percy cocked his head to the side, reminding Nico of a small puppy. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine.” Nico tried to leave, but Percy caught him by the shoulder and spun him around. “What do you want, Percy?” He grumbled.

“What's your problem today?”

“You are.” Nico narrowed his gaze, smacking Percy's hand away from him.

Percy let out a sigh. “Are you going to go back to being defensive? I thought we were past that.” Percy put his hand back on Nico's shoulder. “You should sit with me at campfire tonight.”

Nico cringed. “I'd rather not have to be right next to you when you attempt to pull off something that could barely pass as singing.”

“It's the thought that counts,” Percy grinned.

Nico let out a sigh. “I don't know.” He glanced at Annabeth again. “I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”

“I guess.” Percy rubbed the back of his neck and turned to wave at Annabeth. When he looked back at Nico, he had a small smile on his lips. A fist tightened around Nico's heart. “But you should still sit with me.” He grinned and elbowed Nico playfully. “We can make s'mores.”

“If I agree, am I free to go?” Nico grumbled.

Percy pouted, though Nico could tell he was not being serious with it. He chuckled when Nico rolled his eyes. As Nico went to leave again, Percy rubbed the back of his neck. “When did you decide wearing tight jeans was your style?”

Nico blinked and turned around. Percy's eyes shot up to his face, a faint blush now on his cheeks. Nico's brow furrowed. “I don't know,” he said slowly. “Some of the girls talked me into wearing them.”

Percy grinned a little. “They look like death traps.”

Nico glanced down at himself with a sigh. “They are a hassle.”

Percy elbowed him gently. “Trying to impress someone?”

Nico just gave Percy a disbelieving look. “You have no idea,” he muttered.

Percy finally let out a sigh and glanced over at Annabeth. “Well, I should probably get back.” His brow furrowed as he looked Nico over. “I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. And I'll see you at campfire right, if I don't see you before then?”

“Wouldn't miss it.”

Nico let out a long breath as soon as Percy's back was turned. He watched Percy for a moment, his lips slowly falling into a frown as he watched the son of Poseidon jog back to Annabeth. He had no chance, and he was an idiot to ever think that he did.

The son of Hades had been about to go to breakfast, but he had long since lost his appetite. Instead, Nico just circled around to go back to his cabin. He could have just turned around, but then Annabeth would probably get suspicious. Not Percy, because there was no hope of him ever catching on to something until it hit him upside the head like that brick and Jason.

Unfortunately, Nico had not reached the end of his surprises for the day.

When he stepped into his cabin, Nico found two figures looking around the place. They were a little too tall to be campers, though. Nico flipped on the light, immediately letting out a string of curses in Italian.

“You know, your father has the exact same reaction whenever I see him,” Aphrodite greeted him, running a hand down the comforter of Nico's bed. She made a face as she looked the place over. “You should consider brightening this place up, dear.”

“Because I have so many people just coming into my cabin,” Nico mumbled sarcastically. His eyes fell on Cupid, who just tossed one of Nico's books over his shoulder. The god was just making a mess by looking through Nico's things. “Can I help either of you?”

After making a face at the décor again, Aphrodite turned to Nico and opened her arms enthusiastically, like she actually wanted to hug him. Nico just blinked at the goddess. He would rather hug Leo Valdez and listen to him rant about mechanics for the rest of the day than indulge Aphrodite in a hug.

She seemed to get the hint. Her hair changed from blonde to black, while her eyes shifted to a green color. Nico narrowed his eyes. Were they a sea-green color? He felt his blood begin to boil. However, when she actually had the audacity to let her face take on a more defined and masculine quality, Nico had enough. Some flowers that Hazel had given him wilted by his bed and the shadows shifted closer to Nico, tightening around his form.

“You truly have poor hosting skills, Nico,” Cupid chuckled, tossing another book over his shoulder, which Nico caught.

Nico narrowed his eyes at the god. “I don't believe I invited either of you into my cabin. What are you doing here?”

Aphrodite still had her arms open, determined as ever, but her face had changed again. Her eyes were now far from green, though she did keep the black hair. “I just wanted to come by and see how things were going. I just thought that we could help you to-”

“No,” Nico replied flatly. “I don't want your help.”

Aphrodite blinked at him. “I must have misheard you, dear, but I thought that you said that you-”

“You heard correctly.” The son of Hades crossed his arms. “You both have done enough in my life, so I don't want your help.” Nico's dark eyes flickered over to where Cupid stood. “You outed me to Jason, against my will.”

“And now you have the confidence to talk about your sexuality to your friends,” Cupid reminded him.

Nico's brow furrowed. “It doesn't make it better. You're both bullies, no matter how you look at it.” He pointed at his door. “Now, if you don't mind, I'd like it if you both left.”

Aphrodite moved forward to place her hand on Nico's shoulder, but the boy quickly stepped away. “Nico, dear, you're as cute as a button, but you don't know the first thing when it comes to using sex appeal. If you let us help you, Percy could always-”

“No.” Nico's jaw tightened. “Why can't you understand that I don't want your help. If Percy and I are meant to be, we'll happen on our own.”

Cupid grinned at him. “So you do think that you are meant to be.”

Nico slowly shook his head. “No. I think he will always end up with Annabeth, and there is nothing I could ever do to change that.”

Aphrodite lightly waved a hand through the air. “And where is the epic romance in that? It would be so predictable if the big hero ended up with the girl that was right in front of him, the one that had been with him since the beginning.” The goddess sat down on the edge of Nico's bed. “It's been done to death...” Her lips tilted up. “No pun intended on your part.”

Nico fought the urge to roll his eyes. Why was this so hard to understand? Not everyone wanted something from the gods. Yes, Nico wanted Percy very badly, he always had, but there was no way that he would turn to Aphrodite or Cupid for help.

He clenched his fist, unable to look at up at them. “It wouldn't be real,” Nico whispered. They both blinked at him before glancing at each other in confusion. “It wouldn't feel real if either of you got involved.”

Cupid snorted, rolling his eyes. “Don't be ridiculous, we embody love.”

“Yet I don't think either of you truly comprehend what it means for mortals.” Tears threatened to spill out, but Nico clenched his jaw and held them in. He would not give either of these gods the satisfaction of seeing him cry. “It's all just a game to you, all of you. Our lives are nothing but a source of entertainment. And that's fine, whatever, but don't pretend that you actually give a shit about our lives.”

Aphrodite looked surprised, to say the least. She blinked at Cupid, who just shrugged. Finally, the goddess laughed and ran a hand through her hair. “And you think that you know better than either of us?” She shook her head sadly. “What would you know about true love? I mean, look at your parentage? The best example you have is kidnapping a woman with some fruit and holding her prisoner for several months out of the year.”

“Like any of the things that you've done is any better,” Nico shot back before he could stop himself. A fire sparked through Aphrodite's eyes, but Nico really didn't care. Let her smite him, Nico really didn't care at this point. “You've bullied and hurt people all throughout history, ruining their lives without a second thought. At least my father is the most loyal out of all of you that are supposed to be married.”

Cupid cocked his head to the side. “So, what, you'd rather have his help?”

Nico shook his head. “No, I turned him down as well.” The boy pursed his lips and looked up with a hardness in his gaze. “If I can't get Percy on my own, then I don't deserve him.” He glared at Cupid. “I don't want your help, I don't want you shooting Percy with an arrow. It wouldn't feel real.”

Aphrodite took a few steps forward, circling Nico. “I don't think you fully realize what you are saying. We wouldn't be implanting feelings, we would just help nurture feelings that are already there.” She smiled a little, her hair turning a light brown. “You're right, there is no love in making people fall in love, but sometimes there are people that need a little nudge.” She leaned in closer. “And let's face it, Percy Jackson isn't exactly the sharpest one out there. He would be stumbling around, trying to figure out his feelings, for ages. Do you really want to wait that long?”

Without missing a beat, Nico nodded. “I'd wait an eternity for Percy.”

----------------------

Annabeth's visit had been a surprise to Percy. A pleasant one, but a surprise nevertheless. After they had talked for an hour or two, Annabeth had gone off to find Malcolm to drop off some things she had been working on. It was a bit of a relief when they parted ways, though. They had talked and Annabeth was happy to see that Percy was coping better, but then she had dropped the bombshell on him.

She seemed like she wanted to get back together. She had asked him if he saw a future for them now. Which would have normally been fine, but Percy wasn't so sure anymore. He loved Annabeth, perhaps he always would, but Percy knew that she wanted to go back to California. The son of Poseidon enjoyed Camp Jupiter, but this would always be home for him. It was where his mother was, as well as where he had grown up. This was where Percy's journey had begun.

Perhaps it would be better to go to Camp Jupiter, though. While Percy did enjoy his time there, and he did enjoy his short time as praetor, Percy realized that he hated politics. And that was where the giant difference between the two camps was. But even Percy had to admit that the chances of him having a normal life were higher at Camp Jupiter. After all, it was what he and Annabeth had talked about doing. Yet here he was, hesitating.

So, when she had asked, Percy had told Annabeth that he needed time to think. She had understood and told Percy to take his time. However, Percy had the feeling that she wanted an answer by the time she left at the end of the weekend.

And then there was the matter with Nico.

After Annabeth had gone off to her old cabin, Percy had gone to look for the son of Hades. Unsuccessfully. None of the other campers were helpful in locating the son of Hades, they never were. That was the problem with looking for Nico, the boy didn't really make friends with the other campers, so they didn't keep up with him. However, not even Jason had seen him.

Percy let out a sigh. Everything was confusing with Nico at the moment. For some reason, Percy was starting to notice all these small details about the younger boy, things that sometimes included not so family friendly things. Like those jeans that Nico had been wearing. It was starting to make Percy's head hurt. Nico was supposed to be like a little brother to him, but these thoughts were most definitely not brotherly thoughts.

Percy did not actually find Nico until campfire.

The boy had not shown up to dinner, which was a little concerning. But it also bothered Percy that Nico did not come sit by him. Instead, the son of Hades just stood off to the side, close to some kids from the Hecate cabin. When he caught Nico's eye, Percy waved at him and motioned to the spot beside him. Nico just stared back at him for a moment before shoving his hands into his pockets and stepping under a nearby tree. Percy huffed and shoved a marshmallow onto a stick he held in his hand.

Mitchell walked over to where Nico stood, dragging Will right behind him. The two said something to Nico, which made the son of Hades glare. Will glanced over at Percy, grinning and giving him a thumbs up when he saw Percy staring. Percy frowned to himself. What were they talking about?

Jason plopped down next to Percy. “Problems in your paradise?”

Percy blinked. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Just that you and Nico have seemed close, now you seem hurt that he's not at your side.”

Holding his marshmallow over the campfire, Percy let out a grunt. “It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything, he's perfectly capable of spending time with whoever he likes.”

After Will and Mitchell walked off, Lou Ellen handed Nico a s'more with a soft smile. However, Cecil, a boy from the Hermes cabin was with her. It seemed casual at first, but then the son of Hermes grinned and winked at the pale demigod. Nico's cheeks flared up as he bit into his s'more. Lou giggled as Cecil took a step closer to the raven haired demigod beside him.

“Yeah, looks that way,” Jason chuckled.

Percy blinked and looked down when he felt something hot and gooey in his hands. His face burned as he realized that he had snapped the graham crackers for his s'more in half and now had chocolate and melted marshmallow covering his palms. “Shut up, Grace,” he muttered as he glared at the blond beside him.

Jason just grinned and elbowed the green-eyed boy beside him. “Is someone jealous?”

“No, shut up.” Percy let out a huff as he wiped off his hands. “Why would Nico like Cecil anyways? He's not super great with a sword, he just gets into trouble.”

“Oh yeah, Nico needs a guy that can really handle a sword.”

Percy's eyes narrowed at Jason. “You know what I mean!”

“Not really.” Jason shrugged. “Sounds like you'd rather he date someone like you.”

Grunting, Percy glanced back over at Nico. Percy had found out that Jason already knew about Nico a few days ago. It had stung that Nico had told Jason first, but then he had found out how it had happened. If Percy could get his hands on Cupid's neck, he might actually strangle a god.

When Cecil tried to put his arm around Nico, Percy was up and walking over before he even realized what he was doing. Nico's eyes widened in surprise as Percy jerked his arm and pulled him away from the campfire.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Nico fumbled, trying to tug his arm away.

Percy finally released him, looking down at his feet. “I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

Nico let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, what is it?”

“Well, first, why were you avoiding me at the campfire?”

“Really?” Nico sighed. “I wasn't avoiding-”

“Cut the crap, Nico. I might be a little dense, but I'm not that dense.” He frowned at the son of Hades. “What's wrong? You've been acting weird all day.”

Nico looked slightly hurt, which made Percy wonder if he had said something wrong. He had a habit of doing things like that, so it wouldn't be surprising. But after Nico had trusted Percy with his sexuality, the son of Poseidon really didn't want say anything offensive around the boy, so he tried to watch what he said.

“I've just had a lot on my mind,” Nico whispered. He rubbed the back of his neck without looking up. “Besides, you were busy with Annabeth. I just figured she might want to talk with you some more at campfire, so I didn't want to intrude.”

Percy gave the younger boy a lopsided smile. “You could never intrude.”

“You say that now, but just wait until something awkward happens.” At first, Percy thought that Nico was being serious, but then a small smile appeared on the pale boy's lips. “Most straight boys would freak out if the gay kid walked in on them naked.”

A soft smile touched at Percy's lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I think I'm comfortable enough with my masculinity to not get upset over something like that.” He shrugged. “It wouldn't really bother me if you saw me naked.”

Nico's face turned a bright red. He cleared his throat and chuckled, trying not to look at Percy. “Even if the gay kid had a crush on you?”

Percy just blinked. “Um, well, like I said, I wouldn't care if you saw me like that.” He grinned at the younger boy. “I think I'm comfortable enough around you.” The son of Poseidon tilted his head to the side. “But why does that matter?”

“Uh, no reason.” Nico chewed on his lip, still not looking up at Percy. “Just forget it.”

Crossing his arms, Percy glanced up at the sky. “I mean, Jason's seen me naked. He's not gay, but I've been naked in front of other guys.”

Nico choked and started to cough. Percy's eyebrows shot up as he patted Nico on the back. When he finally calmed down, Nico stood up straight and just stared up at the son of Poseidon. Percy fidgeted a little under the gaze. The only thing that really bothered Percy about Nico was how unreadable the younger boy was.

Letting out a sigh, Nico shook his head. “I don't think I will understand this.”

Percy stared for a moment and then blinked. “Understand what?”

For a long time, Nico just stared at Percy without saying anything. But when he finally did, a strong sadness filled his eyes. “I'm sorry,” the son of Hades whispered before he reached up and grabbed the collar of Percy's shirt.

“Wha-”

Percy was cut off when Nico pulled him down and slammed their lips together. The son of Poseidon's eyes immediately shot open wide, caught off-guard by Nico's sudden action. He stood there, frozen, with Nico's cold lips pressed against his. When Percy reached up and touched Nico's shoulder, though, the boy quickly shot away from him with panic in his eyes.

“I'm sorry,” Nico whispered. He took a step back. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. Percy, I...”

Nico slowly stepped backwards, right into the shadows of one of the cabins. Percy might have been still stunned, but he still knew what was about to happen. Acting quickly, Percy shot forward and grabbed the boy's wrist before he could shadow travel away.

“Let me go!” Nico demanded.

Percy did as he was told, though he now stood between the boy and the cabin. “Don't run.” He let out a sigh when he saw that Nico was eyeing the shadows again. “I told you that you being gay didn't bother me.”

“But I just kissed you.” Nico looked up at him with a fire in his eyes. Why was he angry?

“I know.” Percy smiled a little. “I'm not going to get mad at you over something like that, Nico.”

Taking in a deep breath, Nico stared down at his feet. “I guess I should just tell you the rest then.” He pursed his lips. “I've liked you for a long time, Percy.”

It should have been surprising, but it wasn't. Percy royally sucked at picking up on these things, but something in the back of his mind told him that he should have known all along. The signs were probably there, all he would have to do was look back at them.

As Nico drew in on himself, Percy reached out and touched the boy's arm. “Nico, hey,” the son of Poseidon said softly, “it's okay. Really, it's fine.”

Wrapping his arms around himself, Nico finally looked up into Percy's sea-green eyes. “You're not supposed to be okay with this. It would have been easier if you had hated me.”

Percy couldn't help but grin. “I don't think so.” He threw his arm around the boy's shoulders. “Besides, you're stuck with me.”

“Just not the way I want,” Nico mumbled.

Percy's smile fell. He pulled away, but stayed within two feet of the other boy. “Just... I need some time to think, okay?” He rubbed the back of his head. “Annabeth's wanting to give us a second chance. Um, you're just not the kid that I met several years ago.” His eyes roamed down Nico's forms. “Definitely not the same boy from back then.”

Nico gave him an odd look. “What are you talking about, Percy?”

“Maybe I'm just confused.” Percy shook his head. “It's just that...I've really appreciated the time you've spent with me lately. I don't want to lose that, no matter what happens.” The corner of his lips tilted up into a weak smile. “Give me until the weekend is over, okay?”

Nico continued to look at Percy like he had grown a second head, but he didn't look angry anymore. Letting out a sigh, the boy nodded. “Okay, fine.”

Percy beamed at the pale demigod. “Great.”

-------------------

While Nico had no idea what Percy had been talking about, the son of Hades gave his crush the time he had asked for. Though, in all honesty, Nico did avoid Percy a little for the next few days. He did see Percy some, and even spent some time with the son of Poseidon. But Nico was very certain that he knew where all of this would lead.

It would just be too much to hope for that Percy might actually like him back, even if that was kind of what it sounded like. Percy had sounded confused when they had talked at campfire a few nights ago, which only managed to confuse Nico. This wasn't supposed to be how things went.

But what if...

No, Nico couldn't afford to think like that. Either Percy would get back together with Annabeth, or he would stay at Camp Half-Blood and be without her. Nico, however, would never be anything more than a friend to Percy. Even if Percy was bisexual, there were so many other guys at camp that the son of Poseidon would go for. Nico was... Well, he was Nico. He didn't see how anyone could find him appealing to look at, let alone be in a relationship with.

And now it was Saturday, the day before Annabeth left. The blonde expected an answer from Percy by tonight. Nico had seen Percy once so far today, and had barely said two words to the older demigod at that time. He just couldn't look at Percy right now, not when he knew that he stood on the precipice of having Percy run off to Camp Jupiter.

There was always the option of going to Camp Jupiter himself and be closer to Hazel, but that would be far too painful for Nico if Percy and Annabeth were going to be together there. But perhaps that would make being at Camp Half-Blood easier, a weight would be taken off of his chest.

Well, more of one.

It had been terrifying when he had kissed Percy, Nico had instantly grown fearful that Percy would punch him or something. But he didn't, much to Nico's surprise. He had been calm and understanding. Nico had gone to Percy's cabin to watch a movie two nights ago, which had been even more of a headache.

It was a relief that Percy had accepted that Nico had a crush on him, but then Percy had to make it painful for Nico. The green-eyed idiot had sat down right next to Nico on his couch, not even caring that their arms and legs were touching. They had talked for a few hours after the movie, mostly about Tartarus, and Percy had laid down on the bed with his arm resting over Nico's stomach. It was confusing, to say the least.

Percy had convinced Nico to meet up with him before dinner, so the son of Hades decided to head over to the Poseidon cabin.

However, when he spotted Percy and Annabeth, Nico wished that he had just stayed in his cabin.

--------------------

“It's nice being back at camp,” Annabeth mused as they arrived in front of the Poseidon cabin.

Percy had met up with the blonde earlier today, and the two had just walked around camp for a while. Percy knew what she expected to hear from him before the night was over, but he honestly wasn't entirely sure what he wanted right now.

On one hand, he could have Annabeth again. Percy was happy again for the first time in months. Yes, he still had nightmares, but he was able to deal with them better. But the two of them could finally have that life they talked about in New Rome. True, it would suck being away from his mom and Paul, as well as the majority of his friends, but he was growing up. And Annabeth had always been there for him. This was the girl that he held up the sky for, the girl that he fell into Tartarus for. Wasn't it time that they had their happy ending?

But then there was Nico. The son of Hades had hit him like a whirlwind upon his sudden return to camp. And, while Percy had never really thought about a guy like that before, he could most certainly agree that Nico was attractive now. The son of Hades had grown into his body and his dark features, though it was most certainly nice to see that Nico was now willing to open up.

Percy couldn't explain it, though. Why couldn't he talk to Annabeth about Tartarus anymore, but he could do it with Nico? He had actually been in Tartarus with Annabeth. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to scare her anymore. And Nico was used to making people nervous already, so perhaps that was why Percy had sought him out.

“Would you ever think about just coming back here?” Percy finally asked, glancing at the blonde.

A soft smile crept onto Annabeth's lips as she looked around at all the cabins. “I grew up here, this place will always be my home, but sometimes we just need to move on, Seaweed Brain.” Her gray eyes settled onto Percy's face. “What about you? Do you think you could ever leave this place behind?”

And there it was, the question that Percy was expected to answer.

“I don't know,” Percy whispered. He had a hard time looking his ex-girlfriend in the eye, looking down at his sandals instead.

Annabeth let out a sigh. “What about us? Do you...see a future for us?”

The answer was no different. “I don't know.” Why did things like this have to suck? It just made Percy feel like the bad guy. Either way, Percy was just going to let someone down. This really wasn't helping his emotional state. “I'm sorry.”

“It's okay,” Annabeth said calmly. She gave him a smile. “What about me?”

Sea-green eyes finally shifted up to the blonde's face. “You know that you will always have a place in my heart, nothing will ever change that.” His lips tilted up. “We've been through too much to be anything less than friends.”

“Good.” Annabeth punched his arms. She let out a sigh and placed her hands on her hips. “It's kind of sucked not having you to talk to the past few months.”

“Same.” Percy pulled her in for a short hug. “I've missed you, Wise Girl.”

To Percy's surprise, Annabeth cupped his face and leaned up to give him a brief kiss. The son of Poseidon blinked in surprise, his hands just kind of hovering awkwardly. After a moment, Percy placed his hands on Annabeth's waist and kissed her back.

It was something that he needed to know. The real test.

And, pulling back, Percy had his answer. He stared down into those gray eyes. After a moment, he let out a chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, that was a surprise.”

“Sorry.” Annabeth stepped back and cleared her throat. “I just wanted to see something.”

“By kissing me?”

Annabeth gave a small nod. “You didn't kiss me like you used to. Something felt different, like your heart wasn't really in it.”

Percy blinked. “Annabeth, I-”

“Will always love me, I know.” The daughter of Athena smiled and patted Percy on the chest. “But I think you've moved on, like I have moved on from here.” She fixed his hair, still smiling. “I don't think I am what you want any more.”

It was true, Percy had felt it. Something had just felt different, not right. And she was right. The familiarity was still there, and Percy did still care about her. But he wasn't entirely certain that the two were meant to be together anymore. They had grown apart. For better or worse, Percy couldn't say.

“Thanks...for understanding, I mean.” Percy's lips tilted up into a soft smile. Reaching out, he pulled the blonde into another hug. “I'll miss you, Wise Girl.”

“I'll miss you, too, Seaweed Brain.” She pulled back and swatted his chest. “Take care of yourself, and make sure you Iris message me at least once a week.”

“Yeah,” Percy chuckled. “I will, don't worry.”

With a final smile, Annabeth headed off to meet her brothers and sister for dinner. He was about to head that way himself, until he noticed the very boy that he was supposed to meet. Percy opened his mouth to call out to Nico, but then he took in the raw emotion on the son of Hades's face.

Now, Percy had met Nico when he was a ten year old boy that loved Mythomagic and would not shut up. So, Percy had just never been scared of Nico, because the son of Hades would always be that kid to him. However, right now, Nico terrified him.

Nico truly was Hades's son. The way the younger demigod's eyes fell over his eyes made it look like there were no eyes at all, but instead hollow sockets. Slowly, grass and flowers began to wilt and die around the son of Hades.

Gulping, Percy took a few steps towards the shorter boy. “Nico, hey. Is everything-”

Percy had to jump, letting out a small yelp, when the earth cracked beneath his feet. Nico tightened his fist and the earth sealed back up tight. Looking up, Percy finally caught sight of the fire that blazed in Nico's eyes.

The pale boy's lips curled into a snarl. “Wait, you said.” Nico let out a cold chuckle. “Wait for what exactly? Wait for you to just go around and kiss your ex-girlfriend.” He smacked Percy's hand away when the green-eyed boy tried to reach out for him. “Don't touch me! What, you want both? No, that's not how it works.”

The son of Poseidon's eyes shot open wide. “What? No! That's not what-”

“Shut up!” Nico hissed. “You're probably no better than the gods, not even caring that they play with people's emotions.”

Percy was so stunned that he didn't even notice Nico backing up. It wasn't until the boy started to merge into the shadows that Percy reacted. “Nico, wait!” He called out, trying to make a lunge for the boy, but only landing on his face.

Rolling onto his back, Percy let out a groan. He had forgotten how frustrating things were before he and Annabeth had started to date. Covering his face, Percy let out another groan. Why did Nico have to run so much? Was that just his initial response to everything? If he could have just let Percy explain, they probably wouldn't be in this mess.

He had wanted to tell Nico that he wasn't going to go to California. Percy wanted to stay here at Camp Half-Blood, which meant that he wanted to keep seeing Nico like he had been. It was definitely an option that Percy wanted to explore.

But all of that required Nico to not have disappeared. There was no telling when Nico would even show up to camp. Letting out a sigh, Percy climbed to his feet. The best thing he could do was to inform Hazel to let him know if Nico showed up, perhaps even convince the boy to come back here. If they could just talk, Percy could explain everything.

--------------------------

It took a few hours, but Nico eventually cooled off. Though, the boy kept pacing around the open field that he had wound up in. “So stupid,” Nico whispered to himself as he sat down in the grass.

He had no right to act like that. Percy was not his, and now he probably never would be. Percy probably didn't even want to look at him, since Nico had pretty much just compared him to someone like Zeus. He had overreacted, big time. Why did he have to be so stupid?

Out of nowhere, a shadow fell over Nico. He was about to reach for his sword, when a set of wings spread out across the shadow on the ground. Nico let out a heavy sigh and ripped up some grass. He really was not in the mood for this.

“What do you want?” Nico growled.

“Relax,” Cupid said calmly, “I'm not here to torment you. If anything, I'm here to help.”

“Really?” Nico arched an eyebrow at the god. “I have a hard time imagining you even being capable of such a thing.”

Cupid retracted his wings, walking slowly around until he stood in front of Nico. “Well, if you don't want to hear my news about young Perseus and his dear, sweet Annabeth...”

Rolling his eyes, Nico pulled his legs up to his chest. “What, you're here to tell me that they are back together now? Thanks, I figured as much on my own.” He really just wanted to be alone right now. “I'm sure Percy doesn't even want to be my friend now.”

“Oh, I wouldn't say that.” A grin crept onto the god's lips. “Annabeth is actually packing to leave for California, without Percy.” Cupid's grin grew when Nico looked up in surprise. “Ah, so you are interested in my news. As it so happens, your dearest Percy told Annabeth that he doesn't see a future with her.” Cupid placed his hands on his hips, his grin now more than cocky. “I do believe that he may have taken an interest in someone else, though that person seems to have run off.”

Nico's brow furrowed. “This isn't funny.”

Cupid's grin fell. The god let out a sigh and slowly rubbed his palms together thoughtfully. “Nico, I do fear that your paranoia will be the end of you. I think we've both agreed that you've suffered enough in your life that nothing I could really do could make your life worse than what has already happened to you.” He let out a sigh and pursed his lips as he looked down at the demigod. “Is it really so hard that something good could happen to you?”

Nico snorted. “Without some godly intervention?”

“Well, I haven't done anything and neither has my mother. At most, I've just come here to tell you that you should go back, so we all don't have to cringe as you wallow in your self-pity for the next few months.”

For a moment, Nico just sat there. This couldn't be real, could it. Eventually, though, Nico got up with a sigh. “How do I know this isn't just some sick game for all of you to enjoy up on Olympus?”

“There's that paranoia again,” Cupid sighed. With a grin, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

The next thing Nico knew, he was standing back at Camp Half-Blood, right in front of Percy's cabin. Glancing around, Nico let out a sigh. What was the worst that could happen, right? Percy probably already hated him anyways. Cupid was wrong, there was no way that Percy could ever-

Nico froze when the door opened.

Percy stood there now, blinking in surprise at the sight of Nico at his door. “Nico, you're back.” He glanced back into his cabin, probably at his clock. “That was fast.” Yep, definitely at the clock.

Nico let out a sigh. “I'm really sorry.”

“Nico, listen,” Percy interrupted him, “about the kiss...” He let out a heavy sigh. “It just kind of happened, but it didn't mean anything. We were just-”

“I shouldn't have said what I said,” Nico quickly added. He bit down on his lip. “I don't think you're like any of the gods, you're too nice to be like them. And you never cheated on Annabeth, so I shouldn't... I'm sorry.” Nico fumbled with his hands, no longer sure what to add. “But if you want to go back to Annabeth, I completely understand. It would be fine, really.”

Percy just smiled at him.

“I mean, I get it. You've known her since you first arrived at camp, you've been through so much together. And how could someone like me ever hope to compete with someone like Annabeth? She's smart and pretty, and I'm just me.” Nico probably should have shut up, but his mouth just wouldn't close. “But I shouldn't have yelled or said any of those things. I overreacted and-”

“I think I'm falling for you.”

Nico froze, his mouth hanging open. He blinked a few times at Percy, unsure if he had heard that correctly. “I'm sorry, what?”

Percy smiled at him. “I want to explore this.” He motioned between them. “I like this and I like the time we've been spending together.”

Nico covered his face, mostly so that Percy wouldn't see how red his face was starting to turn. This had to be a dream, there was just no way that it was real. Someone like Percy could never like someone like him, it just didn't make sense.

Nico's body tensed when he felt Percy's hands on his. Slowly, the son of Poseidon removed Nico's hands from his face and leaned forward. Nico's face lit up again when Percy kissed him on the cheek.

“Movie?” Percy chuckled.

Later that night, Nico had practically fallen asleep on Percy's bed. The two had talked for a long time, but now they were tangled up underneath the covers, Percy's arms wound tightly around the shorter boy. With a frown, Nico rolled over to face Percy and lifted the green-eyed demigod's shirt.

While he did very much enjoy the sight of Percy's torso, it wasn't what he was looking for.

Percy chuckled softly, his hands rubbing gently at Nico's back. “What are you doing?” He asked as Nico checked the center of his chest.

Without missing a beat, Nico replied with, “I'm looking for any arrow marks.”

Percy's brow furrowed as the smile fell from his face. He pulled the boy tighter and placed a quick kiss to his forehead. “Do you seriously think that I need to be shot by Cupid to have feelings for you?”

“Maybe,” Nico whispered.

Tilting Nico's head up, Percy leaned down and pressed their lips together. Nico let out a sigh as the son of Poseidon's hands pulled him closer. His head began to spin, because he was not used to this. How would Nico ever get used to kissing Percy Jackson, the very thing that he had been crushing on since he fell into all of this?

With a smile, Percy pulled back. “I promise you that nobody has shot me with a love arrow, nor have I been visited by Aphrodite. Though, Piper did tell me not to screw up when I saw her earlier.” He let out a sigh as he stared down into Nico's dark eyes. “This is new to me, and perhaps a little strange. But I want this. I want you.”

Nico rested his head against Percy's chest, wrapping his arms around the older demigod's neck. He would never get used to hearing that come out of Percy's mouth. “I want you, too,” the pale demigod whispered.

Closing his eyes, Percy slowly leaned back in for another kiss. This one was deeper, though Percy still kept it innocent. Their lips melded together perfectly, while Nico tangled his his hands in Percy's black locks. Percy was so warm, like life practically radiated from his body. Meanwhile, Percy had commented on how he liked the cool feel to Nico's skin, like they canceled each other's body temperature out.

The feel of Percy's lips against his was intoxicating, something that Nico had only ever dreamed about. Yet here he was, in Percy's bed and kissing the son of Poseidon. Was this what the future held for him? If so, perhaps Nico didn't need to feel so bitter. Perhaps good things could happen to him.

And when Percy pulled back, Nico realized this was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to be able to roll over every morning and see Percy's face, be able to wake up to those sea-green eyes. Percy smiled down at him and kissed him again.