A/N: I just found out the House of Hades spoiler concerning Nico, and when I told my friend about it, they said, "Nico and Rachel have more in common than we thought!" So obviously I laughed for ten solid minutes and then had to write something about it. Do not read if you do not know/do not want to know about the House of Hades spoiler!
"It was-" Rachel broke off into another crippling fit of laughter, her sentence swallowed by the giggles that tumbled out as she gasped for breath. "The snort."
Nico furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean the snort?"
Rachel's eyes narrowed to search his face for any hint that he was joking. Finding none, she let out a small scoff. "I can't believe you never noticed the snort. You know that sound Percy makes when you make him uncomfortable and he tries too hard to laugh it off? That was the first thing that made me think he was cute."
Nico blinked. "You can't be serious."
His mouth curled into an almost disdainful frown. He took a breath as if to say something, froze, and exhaled all at once. Rachel's grin had tensed into an expression more fitting for a petulant child.
"You're so weird," Nico shook his head, exaggerating the motion to look heavy and dejected, though he knew Rachel would catch the jovial tone in his voice.
"Oh, shut up. You're as weird as I am, di Angelo. You liked him too."
Nico's eyebrows shot up. "I liked him for good reasons. I didn't go around with hearts in my eyes every time he snorted. Gods, Rachel, he sounds like a freaking horse when he snorts."
Rachel rolled her eyes and brought her hands to rest on her hips. Admittedly, most of her irritation was feigned. Another smile twitched at her lips even as she knit her eyebrows together to frown up at Nico. The demigod was beaming and scowling simultaneously in that horrible I'm-happy-but-I'm-also-the-son-of-Hades-so-don't-e xpect-me-to-show-it expression of his that always made her stomach clench and her heart swell. She had to dig her nails into her hips just to keep herself from rocking forward and kissing his big dumb face.
A small, bemused snort tore its way from Nico's throat and before Rachel had time to point out that his snorting was almost as cute as Percy's, Nico's arms were around her, pulling her into a firm hug. "You're the most ridiculous person I know."
Rachel laughed and balled her fists in Nico's shirt. "Clearly we both have a thing for ridiculous people."