Every night Leo would be working on something in Bunker 9. He always found something to do, which left Nico dumbfounded.
How could he always think of something to make? He thought as he watched Leo's hands move deftly and turn scraps of metal into inventions that were downright excessive.
Who needs a microwave that can play showtunes? Nico thought as Leo finished his invention. He was starting to think Leo was just testing the boundaries of ridiculousness with his inventions. However, Nico also found them pretty cool, as impractical as they were. And he always found himself watching the son of Hephaestus.
Nico used to keep his distance from camp. No matter what he did, he was sure that no one wanted him there. And he didn't mind the Underworld, much. He had made friends there, and he found it rather when he visited Bunker 9 for the first time and saw Leo working on an invention, he started to visit more and more. Something about watching Leo's eyes light up as his hands turned what seemed like worthless pieces of scrap metal into really cool inventions got Nico interested. Since he'd mostly visit at night, he'd rarely have to associate with the other members of the Hephaestus cabin, though sometimes they would be there finishing up a little project of their own when Nico would visit, and the most they'd do in that case is give a polite wave, which Nico was thankful for.
It's not that he didn't like them, but he wasn't as comfortable with them as he was Leo. Which brought Nico to another thing he liked about Leo: his personality. At first Nico found Leo outrageously annoying and dumb with his jokes, but after a while, he slowly grew on him. What Nico found annoying became rather charming and his jokes were endearing. Leo had actually made him laugh a few times.
"Something on your mind?" Leo asked as Nico watched him work on his current invention, which at the moment looked like a mess of metal. Nico immediately looked from his hands to his face, and he blushed a bit when he met Leo's brown eyes.
"N-no…" He mumbled. Though Nico actually liked Leo, he didn't want to show it. He knew Leo would only take advantage of the situation and tease him about it and probably get a big head.
Though I'm not really a prize. Nico huffed. He never felt like he was adequate enough for anyone. Especially not someone with such a bright, outgoing personality like Leo, even if Leo was kinda stupid. What did Nico really have to offer to him?
"You're frowning. You should stop that. No frowns in Bunker 9. Only happy faces. Unless, ya know, something blows up in your face. Then you have a right to frown." Leo grinned when Nico let out a little laugh, and Nico immediately stopped, his face now completely red.
Days with Leo usually went like that. Nico was actually happy that Leo had enough of an interest in him to actually look up from his invention and stop his work for a bit, and even talked to him and tried to make him feel better, not that he ever said anything about it. He thought the idiot was too nice for his own good.
"You have a nice laugh. You should do it more."
"I don't think so," Nico looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Well I do. And while you're in my workspace it's what I say that counts," Leo kept grinning, and Nico was starting to get upset with that stupid grin.
"G-Gods, you're so weird!"
"Yeah, I'm the weird one."
"Yeah. You are."
"Well, if you haven't noticed Nico, we're all weird."
"Not as weird as you!"
Leo gasped, trying to make his reaction as grand and dramatic as possible.
"I am offended, Nico di Angelo! How dare you call me, Leo Valdez, the weirdest of them all!" Leo almost could have pulled it off if Nico's are-you-kidding expression didn't make him abruptly laugh loudly. Nico's heart skipped a beat when he realized he was the one that made Leo laugh. For the first time Nico had really made Leo laugh.
"Not going for it, huh? That's fine." Leo started to look back at the scrap metal, and smiled a bit when Nico got closer.
Nico's face was so hot he thought that the heat was coming from Leo because he was really getting into his invention again. But he didn't care. He wanted to be closer to Leo. He honestly thought Leo was a great person, and that was probably the best interaction they've had since Nico had started visiting Bunker 9. And at that point, Nico was starting to feel good about himself. He actually felt confident in himself for once, like he was actually good enough for the guy he had grown to like so much. Maybe he was just being swept away by the mood, but he also knew that Leo was too much of a dork to understand Nico's feelings without Nico making a move, so Nico made his first move with his newfound confidence to back him up. Nico didn't want to lose his chance with Leo just because he was too inhibited, and now was as good a time as any.
He kissed Leo's cheek, and Leo froze. Nico was close enough to feel Leo's body heating up, and looked down at what Leo was inventing. The scrap of metal had a ton of wires sticking out now, and Nico slowly grew more and more anxious, realizing what he had just done.
What if Leo doesn't want to talk to him anymore? What if he starts to hate him?
What if he thinks I'm gross?
Nico looked down, his eyes wide, and waited for the son of Hephaestus to say something. Anything. But they stood in silence. For what felt like an eternity, Leo did not move or say anything, which was absolutely terrifying. Leo never stood still and never stayed silent, and him doing the two together was absolutely unheard of.
Finally, Leo moved. He gently placed his invention on the table. Nico gulped, waiting for Leo to say something. He didn't know which he dreaded more: Leo getting angry, or Leo gently turning him down. Both ideas made his heart ache.
However, Leo did neither of those. Leo quickly pecked Nico on the lips, and smiled warmly when he pulled away. Nico was in shock. He froze. He had been prepared for all negative reactions and rejections from Leo, but not Leo actually accepting his feelings.
It must have been obvious to Leo that Nico did not know what to do, because he held Nico's hand, and Nico instinctively squeezed it.
Leo and he looked each other in the eyes and Leo grinned, making Nico look away as he blushed furiously.
"Y-you're so dumb…" He muttered.
Leo, of course, laughed in response. As much as Nico hated how embarrassing the situation was, he was extremely happy with the outcome.
Because now he had a really stupid boyfriend.