Hey guys! :D
So, fluffy Valdangelo one-shot, and the topic for today is Nico's laugh! This should be fun :3
In all honesty, I'm not sure I'm entirely happy with how this one turned out. I don't know, I don't think it's written as nicely as it could have been, this might just be me overthinking things but I think it seems a bit stunted. (Wow, way to sell your story, Hellz!)
Still, if even one person enjoys it I'll consider it a success! And who knows, maybe I'll rewrite it sometime :) Enjoy!
Yadda yadda, characters aren't mine, I'm not Uncle Rick, blah blah you all know this.
On with the show!
Master of Wit
"I have never heard you laugh."
Nico looked up from the TV with a frown. "What?"
Leo regarded him from the other end of the couch. He was leaning against the armrest, eating a bag of Doritos with his feet in Nico's lap. He chewed thoughtfully as he looked the son of Hades up and down.
"I've never heard you laugh. Like, ever. I've seen you smile, and I can tell you're trying not to laugh whenever Castiel says something funny," he said, gesturing to the TV as the Supernatural end credits rolled. "But you've never actually laughed."
Nico scowled and turned his attention back to the screen, even though there was nothing to see now aside from piracy warnings. "So?"
Leo chuckled. "So, what's it like? Do you chuckle, guffaw, giggle? Do you have one of those weird silent laughs where it's basically just quick breathing with a lot of shoulder movement? I'm intrigued, man! Come on, show me your laugh!"
Nico blushed. "No!"
Leo pouted disappointedly. "Aw, why not?"
Nico hurriedly got up to change the disk, not meeting Leo's puppy dog eyes. "I… I don't like people hearing me laugh, okay?"
Leo grinned mischievously. "Now I definitely want to hear it!"
"Too bad," Nico said firmly, turning round to glare at his impish boyfriend with his hands on his hips.
Leo's grin only widened. He pushed the Doritos aside and hopped to his feet, his eyes flashing with determination. "Challenge accepted!"
Nico rolled his eyes. "Leo, not again-"
The son of Hephaestus ignored him completely. "Mark my words, Nico di Angelo- by this time tomorrow, I will have made you laugh! No man, woman or child can resist my wit! When I'm finished with you, your sides shall be splitting and you'll be on the floor gasping for breath and begging for more!"
Nico raised an eyebrow. "That sounded kinkier than it should have…"
Leo nodded in agreement. "Yes, I did not think that through. No matter! Tomorrow, the mirth assault begins. Brace yourself;" he said theatrically, meeting Nico's confused gaze with complete seriousness. "There's a hurricane of hilarity heading your way, my friend."
He spun on his heel and swept dramatically (and a little camply) out of the Hades cabin, leaving Nico staring after him in bewilderment.
"Off to a strong start, I see."
Nico barely looked up as Leo flopped down beside him, his trench coat rustling and his eyes peeking out from behind the cardboard Misha Collins mask.
"Shut up, assbutt," Leo grunted through the mask.
Nico glanced at him sideways and sighed heavily. "Have to say, I was expecting better from the Master of Wit. The way you were carrying on I was expecting a vortex of sass. I figured you'd co-write your jokes with Joss Whedon or something."
"I don't understand that reference," Leo said, completely deadpan.
Nico stared at him and raised his eyebrow. "Quotes aren't going to get you anywhere, Valdez. Don't you think you're embarrassing yourself a bit?"
Leo sighed and took off the mask. "Yeah, I guess you're right… I apologise, I didn't put as much effort into this as I should have."
He pulled a small foil-wrapped package out of his coat pocket and offered it to Nico.
"Please accept this sandwich as a gesture of solidarity."
Nico shook his head and turned his attention back to his book. "Unbelievable."
"Knock, knock!"
Nico groaned. "I'm not doing this anymore!"
"Knock, knock!" Leo insisted, walking behind Nico with a spring in his step.
The son of Hades sighed heavily. "Who's there?"
"Dismay."
"Dismay who?"
"Dismay be a bad joke, but I think it's funny!"
Nico glared at him. "Shows what you know."
Leo pouted. "Come on, chill out! So I'm having a good time, sue me!"
Nico forged ahead without looking at him. Leo sighed. "Why did the chicken cross the road?"
"I will take no further part in this," Nico said firmly.
"To get to the miserable ghoul's house."
Nico frowned. "I don't get it."
"Knock, knock!"
Curiosity got the better of him. "Who's there?"
"The chicken."
Nico spent the rest of the day gritting his teeth as Leo assaulted him with the lamest collection of puns, pick-up lines and gags he'd ever heard. It made it very hard to concentrate on his sword training with the impish mechanic hovering over his shoulder whispering groan-inducing quips into his ear. Nico was at least grateful that he couldn't understand them all- some of them made no sense to him whatsoever, he figured they must have been either too modern or extremely kinky. He didn't have much experience with either.
He could tell Leo was getting frustrated as well. The guy had even resorted to good old-fashioned slapstick by late afternoon- tripping on rocks, 'accidentally' hitting himself with an assortment of weapons and setting himself on fire multiple times. Nico had to admire his determination, but he didn't smile. He remained stony faced against the barrage, and he could see Leo starting to get ticked off.
They sat with the rest of their friends around the campfire after dinner, Nico scowling while everyone around him talked and joked. He barely noticed how quiet Leo was keeping.
His scowl deepened as Percy made a sarcastic wisecrack- he'd heard enough of those to last him a lifetime today. He was mulling over the pros and cons of snapping when he felt something thud lightly against his head.
"…Leo?"
Leo looked up from his toasted marshmallow innocently. "Yes?"
Nico picked up the object that had bounced off his head and into his lap. "Did you just throw a flashlight at me?"
Leo shrugged. "Maybe."
Nico stared at the key-ring torch in confusion. "Why?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No."
Leo reached over and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder gently, meeting his gaze steadily. "Because you need to lighten up."
Everyone around them inhaled sharply, falling silent as they stared wide-eyed, waiting for Nico to explode.
Nico stared at Leo with eyes like daggers, struggling for anything to say that could truly express his rage. He felt his anger bubbling over, calling to mind all the terrible gags and crude double entendres he'd been forced to endure all day. All because of Leo. Stupid, ridiculous, absurd Leo…
He felt his scowl dissolve. He felt the tension in his shoulders loosen.
Nico? What're you doing? Stop it…
He laughed.
Leo grinned in triumph as Nico's high-pitched laugh rang out over the shocked silence. It was light and childish, and he wrapped his arms around his stomach as he doubled over gasping for breath between giggles.
The other demigods shifted about uncomfortably. Watching Nico- son of Hades, Ghost King, the boy who wandered the Fields of Asphodel and survived Tartarus- laughing and smiling like a little kid at Christmas was a deeply bizarre experience.
Eventually Percy cleared his throat, muttered something about checking on Blackjack and stood, pulling Annabeth with him. The rest of the group peeled off one by one, sneaking away while the hysterical boy was still preoccupied.
"…Holy Hephaestus," Leo said slowly as Nico reached the end of his giggling fit, gulping in air by the mouthful. "That was adorable!"
Nico glared up at him. "Shut up, Val-hic!"
His eyes widened and he clamped his hands over his mouth, his cheeks colouring in embarrassment. Leo's grin spread across his face and his eyes sparkled.
"Oh my gods, you've got hiccups!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly.
"No I- hic!- don't!" Nico protested, crossing his arms tightly and scowling at the fire, red-faced.
Leo laughed and shuffled towards him, wrapping his arm round his shoulders tenderly. "Aw, c'mon, I'm just winding you up. Don't take it so seriously! Didn't my gesture with the flashlight mean anything to you?"
Nico felt another giggle escape his lips, but it was interrupted by another hiccup. Leo chuckled and stood up, pulling the son of Hades with him.
"Come on, Chuckles- let's get you a glass of water."
Nico glowered, but allowed Leo to take his hand and lead him away. "Don't get cocky, Da Vinci- this was a one-time thing."
Leo pouted, nudging him teasingly with his shoulder. "Aw, but you're so cute when you laugh!"
Nico tried to look menacing, but another hiccup ruined the effect. "Well, tough."
He felt a tug on his hand as Leo stopped walking. Before he knew it the mechanic had both his hands around his waist, spinning him around and pulling him close so their chests were pressed together. Before he could so much as complain he felt warm lips press against his own, suppressing his protests before he could even voice them. He felt all the blood rush to his face- he must be red as a tomato by now- and he felt his heart pound. Every time Leo kissed him he was surprised it didn't just leap right out of his chest.
Leo pulled away and grinned. "How're the hiccups?"
Nico blinked several times, his hands resting awkwardly on the Latino's chest as he struggled to form a coherent sentence. "…Gone, actually."
Leo chuckled and kissed his cheek playfully. "Thought that'd do it! Come on, let's get you back to your cabin- I need to start writing some new jokes."
Nico groaned as his impish boyfriend led him away, leaning his head on his shoulder. "Give it up, moron, I'm never laughing again- it's too much effort!"
The son of Hephaestus just smiled, amused. "Lazybones. Mark my words, Casper- I will make you laugh again!"
Nico smirked against his shoulder and tightened his grip on his hand. "No chance."
Walking back that night, hand-in-hand, Leo had no idea what a monumental task making the stubborn boy laugh again would be- if anything the pale boy kept a tighter lid on his emotions than ever before after that night at the campfire.
Days and weeks passed, Leo's jokes fell flat and his puns were met with groans or stony silence, each getting a worse response than the last. But still he tried- he was determined to hear that adorable laugh again.
But as time passed and his smiles were met with scowls, even he started to lose hope. For a while he worried that the boy would never so much as chuckle again.
That was until he found out the Ghost King was ticklish.
Now everyone knows who the son of Hades spent the night with when he comes to breakfast with the hiccups.
Ta-dah! Explosion of fluff!
Hope you enjoyed it- even though I kind of want to scrap this whole story XD