Be My Light
By: Crychick12345

A/N: Hey there you guys! I just wanted to say thank ya'll so, so, so much for checking out this new fan fiction. This is one of my favorite Percy Jackson pairings and I just hope you enjoy reading. Please leave a comment after you read. I always appreciate those. Once again thank you for reading and I hope ya'll have a great, super, awesome day! :D

Summary: After spending time in the dark depths of Tartarus, Nico has a new found fear; being alone. Usually one of his sanctuaries, loneliness now takes him back to those days in that pit. The only thing that can fight away his fears is the light, but when the lights flicker out and the flames die, Nico has to find a new to overcome his fear. A new light named Leo Valdez.

Pairing: Leo Valdez/Nico di Angelo

Rating: Mature

The tightness in Leo's chest was nearly constricting causing his breath to slip out in gasps. Sliding his slim arms over his chest, Leo rolled his shoulders back, fatigue flooding his form. Roaming the dark halls of the Argo II was a normal occurrence for Leo or it had become one over time. Usually it was something that Leo took with pride- trekking through the levels of his ship right before bedtime when everyone else was asleep and he was alone making sure that everything and everyone was alright as he got ready to clock out. It was definitely his pride to know that everyone knew and trusted him enough to keep them safe. Although this was his honor, today Leo felt different about his duty. He was just ready to get it done and over with. Long days equal long nights- something that Leo wasn't fond of.

Rounding the mess hall Leo glanced over through the doorway, his gaze coasting through the chairs and tables with a dull sense of awareness. He run his fingers over the outer doorway before storming passed, not taking as much time as need. He fumbled to a stop as his gaze was drawn to a flicker of light in the corner- a moth to a flame.

Clinging to the doorway he stared at the small form gathered in the last row of tables, noting the small candle on the table that laced through the darkness in blinding white trestles. Leo glanced at the boy as his face dipped and nearly hitting the table before jerking back up. Nico di Angelo had always been a curiosity of Leo. He didn't understand the boy and he wasn't sure if he wanted to, but right now his attention was completely captivated by the other.

He took in the younger boy's body: his hair, his face, his clothes. Nico seemed to look the same as always- the same black jeans, the same aviator jacket, the same black t-shirt, and the same black boots. Although his clothes never changed his face did. The dark circles under the son of Hades' eyes seemed to deepen, taking on a pure ebony color. His face was bland, jaw slack as his dark brown orbs were mystified by the orange, fluttering creature before him. His cheeks were burning red, heated by the flame in the chilling night air. With his sleeves rolled up Leo could also see the red expanding across the ivory skin along the younger's arms and wrists. Nico had an exotic look- one might even go as far to call him beautiful (that one being Jason on some off occasion). Leo couldn't tell if that was true or not, but he would definitely feel no guilt about calling Nico cute. Even with his darkened demeanor and even darker appearance Leo found him to be kind of edgy although he could also looked like a puppy that had fallen into black paint when he was upset. Leo had only seen Nico close to tears once in his life and he never wanted to see it again. Even when he was crying he was pretty, but on the contrary it broke Leo's heart. He wasn't close to Nico and doubted he ever would be. Saying that, his heart still shattered a little when he saw the boy with tears gleaming over his eyes and dulling his pupils, face red and blotchy, chest moving erratically as he gasped for breath. He was such a sad sight. A kitten that had been kicked around to many times.

Seeing the boy now, Leo couldn't tell he was the same kid. Now Nico's eyes were set tenderly, but with an edge of sternness. His lips were set in thin line, pale and tense as he stared on. Leo etched around the side of the mess hall door, feeling like an intruder rather than a friend or even acquaintance of Nico. He watched silently as the boy placed his head in his hands for a moment, whipping his eyes wildly as though he had been crying.

"I know you're there, Leo. Don't act like you're not." The voice was edged with cruelty, but mostly sadness. Nico's voice came out like a croak, his speech still weak from time in Tartarus. A wave of chills washed up Leo's back, expanding from the center of his spine and rolling through his shoulders and chest at the very sound.

"Yeah, I was never a good actor. There goes my career in Hollywood." Leo muttered his cheerful exchange uncertainly. To be honest he didn't know if it was alright to joke with Nico. The kid just seemed so serious and sullen all the time- he was constantly under that dark cloud of hatred and anger, "I was just making sure you're alright."

"Fine. Perfectly fine," The venom seeped from his words and poisoning the air, stinging Leo like a stab of liquid fire into his veins.

"Yeah, sorry. I shouldn't be snooping around or anything, but-"

"It's alright…I'm fine." Nico nodded weakly as though he was replying to a question rather than stating a fact. Leo watched him with a muddled expression, the gears in his head turning as question after question now bombarded him. He couldn't help himself from asking.

"So…uh…What are you doing in here by yourself anyways? That is if you don't mind me asking," The words fumbled out of Leo's mouth, falling from his lips in a jumble, disorganized form of self-consciousness. He didn't know what it was about Nico that made him act like this, but the boy's temperamental exterior and even harsher core caused the son of Hephaestus to lose any ounce of self-worth he actually held. Whether they be just making normal conversation or actually talking to each other, Nico caused Leo to have a strange reaction- a scientific phenomenon between the two of them. Leo knew what was really causing it though. He had one explanation and one explanation alone: he felt something for the other. He wasn't sure how deep it was or how pure it was, but it was just a dirty little secret all his own. Maybe it was because of the son of Hades' looks. Perhaps it was just because the other boy was shrouded in mystery. Either way, the feelings were definitely not mutual. Knowing this, Leo still felt the slight discomfort when Nico came too close, if their bodies somehow found themselves pressed together while heading to the Argo's deck, or the younger held his gaze for too long. His feelings bothered him to no end, but it was clear to him that the emotions he felt for the Goth cutie were not going away any time soon. He would just have to deal with it and force it away when he could.

Having said all that, Leo told himself that the emotions meant nothing even though they refused to let him rest. He knew that the feelings were not very strong, but…come on, it's Hazel's younger brother. Leo wasn't prepared for things to get weird between all three of them if the secret got out that he could even tolerate Nico in a sexual kind of romantic way.

"I don't know….," Nico trailed off as he pushed the candle away from him with a sigh, breath coming out in a hot cloud. His skin seemed to boil as the warmth from the light ghosted him, leaving small burn indents in his flesh, "I just…..I don't want to sleep right now."

"Well, someone is going to be pretty cranky in the morning," Leo slurred sarcastically as he stepped into the room, fumbling his way towards Nico's mess hall table and collapsing down beside the boy. Leo's heart clenched as Nico moved away and put a generous amount of distance between the two of them. It was clear that his company was unwanted, although he couldn't bring himself to get up and leave.

"Fuc-," Nico started before cutting off his own string of words with a deep outtake of breath, "Forget it. Just go, Leo. I don't want to deal with you right now."

Leo's heart pounded in his chest like a kick drum, beating against his rib cage and threatening to burst through. He was use to people getting a little maddened with him. Who wouldn't with all his outbursts, random jabs at comedy, and over hyper activeness? He had heard it from Jason, from Frank, from Percy, Annabeth, Piper, and even Hazel, but the way Nico said it was different than the way the others forced it out. Instead of letting it out gently or spouting it out in a flashing surge of anger Nico said it certainly, almost as if that opinion wouldn't change if Leo did calm down.

"Sorry….I'm sorry, but I just don't think I can do that. You see, I'm supposed to be checking over the ship for the night and I can't do that if someone is still up. Nico, I don't know why you're still up or why you don't want to go to sleep, but you really need to. It would be better for the both of us if you just run along." Leo peered down at the boy as he crinkled his noise in a disgusted manner.

"I'm not a child. Get that through your head right now. Stop treating me like one." The words broke out amid pastel chapped lips in a hiss. His eyes flickered with anger as he boarded up at Leo, daring the boy to speak against his claim.

"Fine then. I won't treat you like that again," Leo murmured as he slid closer to Nico and nearly knocking the boy from the seat, "I do have a question though: Why are you really in here? I know you like the dark and all, but I didn't expected you to-"

"You don't know anything! Just shut up, Leo!"

The son of Hephaestus reeled back from the other boy as he didn't anticipate the violent reply. Once again another roll of questions revolved forward as Leo dawdled deeper into Nico's own mind.

"Hey don't chew my head off. I just want to talk to you. We don't talk much you know?" Leo raised his hands defensively as Nico's anger began to faded and transformed into a seething pool of fury locked away beneath the surface.

"What do you want to talk about then?" The harshness returned to his voice automatically, filling the son of Hades' throat with a rough sensation. To his best guess, Nico figured he had strep throat or something along those lines.

"Just fire a question then." Leo cried exasperatedly, raising his arms and motioning towards Nico.

"Fine. I'll ask you a question. What do you think love is?" Nico's words echoed through the darkened mess hall like a cry for help, garbled and lost within a façade of false optimism.

"What is love?" Leo inquired back questioningly as his eyes refused to meet the other boy's burning orbs of black. The question worried him and brought upon a wave of heat through his body, but he knew he would have to answer regardless. Without an ounce of absurdity or humor he replied, "Love is like crystal meth: once you get addicted you can't live with it and you can't live without it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The other spat back.

"Well, let me put it this way. Love has its own meaning to everyone. You have to give it one yourself before you can understand it, but if you want to know my definition of love than here it is: Love is not hearts and rose and candy. It's not glitter, it's not spice. It's not little notes that you send your boyfriend or girlfriend throughout the day," Leo glanced over at Nico for a moment, waiting as though he was looking for a reply. The small smile that curved up Nico's face gave Leo the encouragement to continue, "Love is something blinding. Something that burns when you touch it, but warms your heart at the same time. It's an untamed force that slams into you all at once- like being hit in the stomach with a baseball bat. It's not something that you can hold. It's not something that you can bottle up or it destroys you and the more you try to understand it, it confuses you. Love is not something that you describe. It's just something that you have to feel…..Or it could just be me hogging the TV remote all the time. Yep, me and that remote are pretty much hitched."

Leo waited patiently for the other boy to speak. Nico snorted at the entire concept before replying to the lecture, "You're wrong you know."

The striking words cut Leo off blatantly. Nico shifted in his seat, eyes fixated on the flame as though his own seething gaze would cause the burning fire to spread, engulfing everything in its path, "Love is weakness."

The mess hall faded back into silence as the venom fueled words leaked into the air, pollution it with his foul attitude and intense rejection of such ideas. Leo smirked to himself as a chill shifted up his spine, ghosting his body and mind with an icy spike that erupted into a gushing roar of warmth. He didn't understand why the words had shifted such a drastic change in his form and mental state, but Leo didn't mind. The warmth was good for him and, just the fact that it was caused by Nico, gave him a fuzzy feeling in his heart.

"I really want to pick you apart, you know that?" The soft words were plastered gingerly to lower part of Nico's ear as Leo bent downward, dragging warm lips ever so slightly against the other boy's neck.

"Stop," Nico snapped as he reeled back away from Leo, "I don't like it when anyone gets to close."

"You've been hurt a lot, haven't you?" Leo asked softly as he glanced down at the boy with sympathy for the first time. Now that he thought back to it, he had never said that to anyone. Absolutely no one, but for some reason he thought Nico deserved it. For once the boys needed something….no, he needed someone to pay attention to him and treat him as though he was worth it. Just looking into Nico's eyes would give anyone a window into his pain. You could blatantly see how broken the boy was, like shattered glass, but no one seemed to notice it or acknowledge the fact.

Nico's eyes sparked like roaring orbs of fire burning into Leo as he glared. The look of hatred extended across his face, consuming any form of sanity that he had left. With a slam, Nico jerked upwards, shoving his chair away with harshness as he whirled around, storming through the room with a sense of anxiety.

Leo watched him go for a moment before giving a sigh of resignation, "Nico, stop."

There was no reply as Nico surged forwards, blocking out all form of speech that escaped Leo's lips as he planted his hands over his ears.

"Nico!" Leo tried again. His face was burning now, heating up with a sense of panic and longing. He didn't know what he wanted out of this, but he didn't want Nico to leave. He just wanted to talk to the boy. Listening to Nico, just hearing him made Leo feel safe, like even with this looming prophecy everything was going to be alright. He liked picking apart Nico's sentences and words, listening to every syllable separately, holding on to every form of pronunciation, and hearing that beautiful edge of Italian accent that was sometimes blatantly obvious in Nico's speech.

Without even realizing it Leo was on his feet, grabbing Nico's arm harshly and jerking him back. A small cry escaped the other's lips as he surged around viciously, glaring with accusation as he moved closer. The son of Hades was already in a defensive stance, ready to attack if something went wrong.

"Nico, will you just talk to me for once? Stop blocking me out and listen. You do this to everyone who tries to help you. Whether it be Hazel, Jason, or Percy- you look at them all like they're just there to bother you or something! Just tell me what's wrong. Tell me what's bothering you. Yell it at me. Scream it at me. Do anything, but just don't leave, alright?" Leo looked at him gently, eyes glazing over as his heart pounded again, the counter effect of just being near Nico.

"I don't think I can do that. Please just leave me alone. I really don't need to spill my guts out to someone who doesn't care about me." Nico cried out as he reeled backwards, tearing his arm out of Leo's firm grasp. He had to admit that for a skinny, elf like kid Leo was tough. Strong and stern when he wanted or need to be. It was an admirable quality.

"I do care!" The protest came vividly from Leo's lips like the jagged lashing of a whip, stinging across Nico's skin as it warped through the air.

"Then prove it! Do something to prove it if you do! I bet you can't show me anyway that you actually do fucking car-" At that moment Nico felt like he was playing with fire. Leo jumped him quickly, a shove to the chest moving him back as he bumped into the mess hall wall. Without a shred of hesitation Leo pressed his lips to Nico's own.

Leo's lips were soft and sweet, not exactly passionate, but still amazing. A tender chill fumbled its way up the son of Hades' back, shaking him to the very core. Every sense seemed to be coming in like a vivid strike of lightning, being more defined and hitting him harder than before. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the taste- the transmission of it all was coming in loud and clear. The scent of Leo's cologne was fluttering up his noise, spicy and deep, nearly consuming him in the delicious fragrance that was the boy himself. Leo's lips were sugary themselves, tasting like a sweetened dessert. Nico's guess was that it was due to the Jell-O that Leo had been eating all day, cup clasped over his mouth as he walked about the ship. The sweetened cherry taste lingered on his lips like a coating, giving Nico an extra sliver of pleasure.

Although Nico yearned for more he waited for Leo to continue instead of bringing it forth himself.

This completely threw Leo for a loop. He couldn't determine what was causing the other boy to wait, but he didn't like it. If Nico was unsure about this whole thing then the son of Hephaestus definitely didn't want to do it. He was terrified about the skinny, sweet, beautiful boy running away from him. And yes, he was officially calling Nico di Angelo beautiful and anyone with eyes could see that.

Pulling away from his crush, Leo looked down at Nico with a sigh, their lip dragging apart with a smacking sound as the kiss ended. The expression on Nico's face told it all: He was completely and utter star struck.

"See, I do care," Leo asked uncertainly, looking down at the son of Hades as though he was made of glass- so fragile that he might shatter with the slightest touch. "You alright?"

"Once again," Nico started as he licked his lips seductively. It wasn't an intentional form to cause sexual tension for Leo, but to be honest it forced his stomach to bubble, his bones and strength becoming mush all at once. He watched Nico muse up his hair with one hand before continuing, "I'm fine. Perfectly fine."

"I thought that…..I didn't know if this… felt alright to you. I mean you didn't really kiss me back or wrap your arms around me our anything. I just didn't know. You make me really bad at this stuff," Leo muttered as his cheeks flared up, red creeping across his face and down his tan throat.

"I make you really bad at this stuff?!" The noise that escaped Nico's throat was a cross between a laugh and a cough. Suddenly, all the optimism in his voice faded into a striking seriousness, "Leo, I actually have something to tell you, alright?"

"Um…sure. I guess you can tell me anything."

"I hope I can," Nico's throat became dry as cotton while he spoke, not sure how Leo would react to the news- whether he would make a big deal out of it or just blow it off, "To honest, that was my first kiss."

"Really?" Leo raised a curious eyebrow at the boy, "I wonder what else I could do tonight that would be your first."

Nico ran his tongue tightly over his teeth as his mouth felt disgusted now, rejecting the taste of Leo in his own throat, "You know I don't like this side of you. The whole sarcastic, I don't care about anything, but jokes form of Leo Valdez just makes me want to throw up. I know that's part of who you are and I do like it sometimes, but when I'm about to pour my heart out to you it kind of dampens the mood."

Leo's face paled as he looked down, a shadow running across his form as though it was a wave of his own guilt, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to."

"It alright. Everything about is alright." Nico mustered up before the blush exploded across his face, staining the ivory skin crimson. Leo noticed and automatically found a way to react.

"Well," Leo gently intertwined his fingers into Nico's own, although it took a few tries and awkward glanced between the two to actually get the nervous hands together, "Do you think we should get to bed?"

"I….I guess," Nico's body suddenly went tense, his form convulsing softly, "To tell you the complete truth that why I was in here."

"What?"

"I was sitting in here because…..I'm kind of afraid to be alone. I don't think I can do this by myself anymore. Everywhere I go now; it's just another reminder of what I had to do alone. The silence, the dark, the loneliness- I use to love it, but now all it does is take me back to my days in that bronze jar and in….Tartarus. I can't stand to not have a light anymore. I'm afraid that if I am left in the dark to long that when I open my eyes again I'll just be back in that awful place again. And I'll be alone again," Nico's voice was lowered almost inaudible in the darkness.

There was a gulp of air that flooded Leo's lungs, one that was trying to give him the strength to reply to that new form of information. He wasn't sure if he was willing to take a risk so quickly. Everyone had heard the classic love story where the two fell in love at first sight and automatically dipped into a romantic, intimate relationship. This was not any Cinderella story. Leo had never fallen in love with Nico at first sight. Matter of fact, Leo didn't even like Nico when they first met. He detested the boy's darkened, stark attitude, but over time it became something he loved. He had fallen in love with Nico di Angelo over time and now he was debating whether he should allow it to become intimate over time, too.

"Maybe…Maybe you don't have to be alone." Leo drew another deep breath as the cold air stung his lungs, smoldering the seething heat that burned him from the inside out. Gingerly pulling the son of Hades (who looked at him questioningly) out of the mess hall Leo prayed that he was doing the right thing. He wanted to make Nico happy. He wanted to make sure Nico would be alright throughout the night. He wanted Nico to trust him and him alone.

Leo rubbed the small of Nico's back softly, running rough, callused fingers along the unmarred skin. He absolutely hated his hands. No mattered anyway he looked at them they were ugly. His fingernails were cracked and splintered, calluses rising up on his skin, and his palms battered and bruised. The lingering smell of oil had long seeped into his skin along with the black blotches that sometimes refused to leave. Working with machines and mechanics had left Leo with nimble, torn, tattered hands and he was terrified that somehow his roughness would rub off on Nico. He liked the way Nico looked- his skin beautiful and smooth, untouched and pure, although Nico himself wasn't anywhere near that level of stainlessness.

Leo's breath caught in his throat as Nico began to shuffle, moving his head tenderly from the crook of Leo's neck and rolling to the right. Even with his renewed position Nico was still on top of Leo, legs intertwined with the repair boy's own, one hand holding tightly to the son of Hephaestus' own. It was definitely a different feeling- knowing that Nico was lying on top of him, their skin touching as both of their chests were bare. They hadn't really done anything, but when Leo decided to come sleep with Nico so he wouldn't be alone he was surprised to find that the boy slept shirtless. Although he didn't really mind it.

"I think I love you Nico di Angelo." Leo whispered lightly into the boy's fluff of black hair, rubbing his face gently against the top of the son of Hades' head.

"I'm not asleep you know." Leo's throat clotted as he gasped for air, not ready for Nico to respond.

Nico himself relished in the fact that he could make Leo act like so. He trailed a gentle finger over the boy's blushing cheeks, brushing a single finger over Leo's nose, "You know what, that's fine. Perfectly fine. You see, I have another secret."

"Really?"

"Yeah," A wicked, yet playful smile laced across Nico's lips, "Ti amo, Leo Valdez. I love you, too."