"Go out damn it! You've been working non stop for three days!" Jason called through the basement door. It had been about six months since Leo moved in with the rest of the demigods of the prophecy, since the battle with Gaia they had been pretty much inseparable, except for Leo, who spent most of his time hiding out in the basement and hissing at the sunlight.

"But I'm almost done!"

"You said that yesterday, c'mon man go get us some coffee or something."

"If I ignore you will you go away?"

"Nope."

"Fine."

Leo got up and almost fell back down from dizziness, come to think of it, he probably needed that coffee. He put on his army fatigue jacket and strolled out of the front door, the sun made him do a double take and that's saying something considering this was upstate New York, in February.

I'm feeling particularly like a preppy white girl today. Leo thought to himself, so he decided Starbucks was his best bet. He walked down a back street to the little coffee shop hidden from the view of most, he liked this one, it was the only place without people to go to when he was banished from his beloved basement. He walked in and took a deep breath, the air smelled like coffee (duh) and...Cigarette smoke. Leo looked up curiously to see the source of the smoke. The barista was laying down on the counter, cigarette in hand, Leo hadn't seen this one before and he was 100% sure because damn son, he was hot. He was kinda pale and annoyed looking, he had this shoulder length black hair and eyes to match, he was sort of scrawny but he had this look that said you didn't want to mess with him. The barista acknowledged Leo with heavy eyes and asked with a sigh.

"Can I help you?"

"Um, yeah...What's your specials?" Leo asked cautiously.

The barista lifted his arm and lazily pointed to a board above him. Leo glanced at the board and laughed out loud at what was written.

Your barista is:

1: Hella fucking gay.

2: Desperately single.

For your drink today I recommend:

You give me your number.

Leo glanced back at the barista with a smirk. "Are you...Asking me out?"

The barista took a long drag of his cigarette before replying, without looking up he said.

"Depends, you rejecting me?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. "I guess not..."

"Good." The barista replied. "I'm Nico by the way."

Leo stood there awkwardly. "So what now?"

Finally, Nico glanced up at Leo as he spoke. "Now I'm gonna take you home, and if you're lucky I'll take your number." He laughed.

Leo stared back in awe at his forwardness, but he went along with whatever game Nico was playing.

He liked this game.