Nico walked ten rows up the bleachers, ten steps over, and sat. The school's indoor pool was deserted, and he enjoyed the solitude as he withdrew his sketch pad from his backpack. Rummaging in the bottom of his bag for a pencil, he heard the door to the boys' locker room slam open. Deliberately ignoring the noise of the swim team, Nico flipped his book open to a fresh page and began to draw.

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The humidity, the smell of chlorine, the echoing shouts and splash of water - - Percy was at home. He stretched slightly, shaking his muscles loose.

"Hey, Jackson." Will Solace elbowed him, nodding towards the bleachers. "Looks like the goth boy is back."

Percy had noticed Nico immediately. The guy was there every day. Percy didn't know why; Nico was just there, drawing or writing or whatever it was that he did, every time that they came to practice. He did look pretty goth, too. He dressed in all black, with heavy black boots and silver jewelry. He didn't have even a hint of a tan. His dyed black hair was close-cropped, with long, redstreaked bangs. Percy saw him around sometimes, but they'd never spoken to each other. Personally, Percy thought that Nico was kind of hot, but that wasn't Will's business. Will already thought that he had crappy taste in guys.

"Maybe he likes swimming," Percy said. That didn't seem likely, and Will gave him a look. "Maybe this is just somewhere he can hang out without being bothered."

"Maybe he's a freak," Will suggested.

"Maybe you're a freak," Percy suggested. "He's not bothering anybody, so shut up."

Will grinned. "Crush much?"

There was no way to respond to that without inviting more harassment, so Percy just pushed Will into the pool.

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Nico had been in the bleachers for every practice, all season. He hadn't missed one, and he was never late. He only left after all of the guys had gone back into the locker room to change. While they swam, he sketched. Usually he drew Percy Jackson. Percy's strong jaw and high cheekbones itched to be adored, but Nico couldn't get over those incredible green eyes. They were a bright, clear green with long, lush, rust-tipped lashes. Nico hadn't been given many chances to get all that

physically close to Percy, but he'd managed to be just close enough just often enough to become mesmerized by those eyes. Percy's dark hair was shaved down to peach fuzz. He let it grow out between seasons, but while he was swimming he got rid of it. Nico respected the fact that Percy's commitment to the sport was stronger than his

vanity. Nico didn't stare at the swimmers. He kept his gaze on his sketchbook, for the most part, raising his eyes to look through the fall of his long, redstreaked

bangs, keeping his head down so that he couldn't be accused of watching. He didn't watch the swim team as a whole; he watched Percy. He watched Percy swim like a fish and kick everybody else's ass. Nico smiled as Percy, with his usual technique, touched the wall over a body length before everyone else.

Percy hauled himself out of the pool, vaguely listening to the coach's post-practice instructions, keeping one eye on Nico. Ever since he'd noticed Nico hanging around the bleachers, he'd been more aware of Nico's presence around campus. They'd crossed paths at the library recently, and even though Nico had seemed entirely oblivious to his presence, he'd watched Nico a lot longer and with a lot more attention than was probably normal. Seeing Nico around the pool with this kind of regularity made Percy curious. He wondered why Nico hung out there. There had to be a reason. Nico wasn't there on days that the team didn't practice; Percy had come by

twice to check. He wasn't friends with anyone on the team; Percy had discreetly asked, and Will had indiscreetly asked, and no one really even knew the guy. Percy kind of thought that he'd like to get to know the guy.

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The team was heading back into the locker room. Nico spent an extra second defining the water droplets cascading from Percy's back as he climbed out of the pool, then closed his sketchpad and, oh, shit. Now what? Nico eased his sketchpad back into his backpack, dropping his pencil inside, as Percy Jackson himself strolled up the stands with a casual smile. Nico zipped his bag shut, rising to his feet. Percy wore only a bathing suit, and that left a lot of naked skin available to Nico's gaze. His long body was lean and firm, his pecs defined and his abs tight. Nico had no idea how Percy could feel that comfortable walking around that naked, but apparently he was

used to it. Percy stopped on the stairs, leaning back against the handrail, keeping a polite distance.

"Hey. You a swim fan?"

Nico brought his bag over his shoulder, committed to keeping, "No, but I'm stalking you," out of the conversation.

"It's not bad," he said.

Percy grinned. "Yeah? Yeah, it's okay."

Nico tried not to smile. He failed, though, and when he gave in and smiled back, Percy's smile increased.

"You coming to the meet this weekend?" Percy asked.

"No." There was no way that his friends would accept that. Getting caught at a swim meet? No way.

Percy's smiled dimmed. "It wouldn't suck," he said. "We're going to win."

"No kidding," Nico said.

Percy laughed. "You have that much confidence in us?"

"I've seen you swim." He meant Percy specifically, but he didn't have to say it.

"Well, thanks." That smile was back. "I'm Percy," he said, offering his hand, stepping forward. "Jackson."

"Nico," Nico said, and shook his hand. "Di Angelo."

"Maybe I'll see you around," Percy said.

"Yeah," Nico said, taking his hand back. "Maybe."

Percy gave him a casual smile and jogged down the stairs. That bathing suit was cut so low, Nico had no idea how Percy's dick stayed tucked inside it. He never tugged on it, either, so apparently he wasn't at all self-conscious about having his entire body on display. That night, Nico's dreams were filled with the scent of chlorine as he gazed into green eyes and licked drops of water from Percy's gorgeous, naked body.

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