"Nico?" Percy whispered as he knocked on the slightly open door to the other's cabin and pushed it open, walking into darkness. He tripped over something just inside the door so he switched on the lights and looked around, spying the younger boy by the fountain in there, leaning heavily on the stone.

"Percy!" the boy cheered, throwing his hands into the air. Percy took notice of the flushed cheeks, big grin and bottle in the younger's hands, mostly empty now which explained the jovial mood. He walked over to Nico and sank down next to him, taking the bottle from the other earning another cheer. "Yeah, share with me!" Nico giggled and cupped the older boy's cheek.

"I've never seen you so happy."

"You've never seen me with a bottle of happy before, silly!"

"You mean I've never seen you drunk."

"You're ruining the mood. Share or give me my bottle back."

"You don't need anymore."

"Give it back," Nico pouted before throwing himself at the bottle, Percy lifted the bottle out of his reach so the younger ended up essentially straddling the older boy. The flush on his cheek seemed to darken as he looked at Percy from that position before pressing forward and pushing his lips against the other's, moaning as they connected. He hummed as he dropped his head onto the other's shoulder and let his eyes flutter closed, Percy sat frozen as he looked unseeing at the opposite wall.

"Nico?" he asked quietly making the other boy look up at him innocently. A look of recognition flashed across Nico's face and he seemed to realise what he had just done.

"Percy," he whispered in fear before scrambling backwards away from him, apologising repeatedly as he moved towards the door. As soon as he felt the door hit his back, he stood and ran out of the cabin, stumbling slightly as he headed toward the woods that surrounded the cabins. Percy put the bottle down and followed after the other teen. He had longer legs so it didn't take too long for him to catch up to the crying boy.

"You didn't shadow away from me," he stated as he pulled the younger boy into his arms.

"Hard to do when drunk, don't tend to end up where I wanted to, of course if you didn't follow I would have been exactly where I wanted to be."

"Where?"

"Away from you, from what I did."

"You know, this isn't the best way to deal with her death, getting drunk."

"I'm not trying to deal with Bianca's death," he spat out disgusted as he moved back and glowered at the older teen with furrowed brows and tear tracks marring his cheeks.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise!"

"Why were you drinking?"

"Because I failed her. The last thing I promised her before she died and I failed her and I'm too scared to go through with what I promised her that I would. I was drinking to try and forget that every single day I am failing her because I am too scared to do otherwise. I was drinking because for the short amount of time I can get, I feel happy for the first time in years because at least at that I am not failing."

"I really doubt you are failing her Nico."

"How would you know, you killed her?" Nico snapped before dropping his head to the floor as more tears formed. "I-sorry," Nico sobbed before dropping down to the floor.

"I don't care," he stated simply before picking up the teen. Nico wrapped his arms around Percy's neck while Percy wrapped the boy's legs around his own waist, carrying the teen. "Let's take you back to your cabin for some sleep Nico. I am sure that no matter what she is doing, she is watching you and is so proud. I think she can forgive a little bit of fear, no matter what you promised her you would do. Everyone gets scared Nico, I think you are pretty amazingly strong, even if you are sometimes scared."

"You're perfect Percy."

"I'm really not Nico."

"Will- will you stay with me tonight Percy?"

"Of course, anytime Nico." The rest of the walk back to Hades' cabin was silent with the younger boy clutching at Percy as hard as he could, willing him not to let go. When they got back, Percy climbed into the bed with Nico and led the other down before laying down next to him and pulling him back into his chest.

"How was your day anyway?"

"Annabeth left me."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We both knew it wasn't working, we both knew why but I can't say that I wanted to admit why though. She told me what I had to hear."

"You came here?"

"Of course, where else would I go"

"To someone you actually like."

"I do like you Neeks." Percy rolled onto his back, pulling the other teen onto his chest and resting his hand on the younger's lower back. "That was half of the problem," he muttered.

"What?" Nico quizzed as he pulled back to look at the other.

"Nothing. I was just talking to myself." The younger boy dropped his head back down and nuzzled the boy's chest, silently blaming the alcohol even though he knew he would have burnt through it by now with how quick the demigod's were able to metabolise mortal alcohol.

"I like you too Percy. Thank you for staying but this cannot be comfortable for you."

"You'd be surprised, you're like my own personal heater. No matter how cold your skin is, you make me warm. I- that sounds weird."

"A bit, but you warm me up too." Nico pressed his lips to the boy's clothed shoulder and hummed when he felt it returned into his hair. "I'm sorry for kissing you earlier."

"I was just a little surprised is all. I didn't mind it though."

"Anyone would think that you liked me as more than a friend."

"Well, Annabeth certainly knew that was the case." Nico pushed himself up and down the bed, taking the blankets with him as he sat down by Percy's feet with brow furrowed in panic.

"No, no, no, you don't get to lie to me like that!"

"I'm not Nico."

"NO!" he shouted before backing away from the bed entirely and wrapping himself in the blankets.

"Nico, I'm not going to try anything, you asked me to stay but I will leave if you want. I wasn't exactly eager to admit to being gay."

"You can't like me though. I'm nothing."

"You're perfect to me, absolutely everything."

"But I promised Bianca, she is the only one who knows I'm gay, you can't lie to me. Do not try and trick me into thinking that I am something special!"

"Nico, I didn't know that you were gay, I just knew that I liked you the way that I should've liked Annabeth since she was the one I was in a relationship with. She realised I would rather sit and do nothing with you than spend any time with her on a 'date'. I think that you are exceptionally special and I know that Annabeth believes that you are special, purely because of the fact that I care about you."

"But- I promised."

"Promised what?"

"I promised her that I would tell you."

"Tell me what Neeks?"

"That I love you. You were never meant to like me back though. That was never part of our deal. I promised that I would tell you but she never said anything about your liking me back. That wasn't something that she said would happen."

"Nico," he whispered as he neared the boy slowly to prevent himself from scaring the younger, "there is nothing saying that anything is going to happen between us, I'm not going to make you do anything that you don't want to do. It is all down to you if anything occurs, or not. If we become anything or if we just ignore that anything was said. If you want me to stay with you for the night, or if you want me to leave. Every decision is in your hands, your choice."

"St-stay with me."

"Okay, come back to bed with me then," he whispered while offering a hand out to the other and smiling as it was accepted. Percy moved onto the bed and tucked himself into the corner against the wall while waiting for Nico to untangle the blankets and lay down next to him.

"Is it all my decision?"

"Yes, if you want it to be."

"So, if I ask you to kiss me?"

"I would just have to oblige, is that an official request then?" Nico swallowed deeply while looking into the bright eyes of the other before nodding hesitantly and shutting his own eyes as Percy leaned in and connected them. He felt a hesitant tongue lick the seam of his lips so he parted them and hummed when he felt the tongue begin to explore his mouth with growing confidence. He sucked on the muscle making Percy respond with a moan before pulling back and resting their foreheads together as they lay panting. "Yeah, far better with you."

"What? Far better kissing a male than a female, or far better kissing… me?"

"Both. Definitely both. Always both."

"Both is good."

"Both is fucking awesome." Nico smiled gently and fit himself perfectly against the older boy, pressing their bodies together, all the way down to their feet. "I am sorry I ruined your promise to her."

"Don-don't be. I- it's all good. I thought we just determined that much." Percy lifted his chin to rest it in the younger boy's hair and let out a contented sigh while tangling his fingers into the black tresses.

"Okay, I'm glad. Go to sleep gorgeous. Get some rest."

"Percy?" The older boy hummed to show he was listening. "Promise me that this is real and you'll still be here in the morning."

"I don't plan on leaving any time soon Nico, promise."