A/N: Hi everyone. I wrote this randomly when I was bored. It's basically Nico's contemplation on the three types of love, and then some elaboration on the third kind. Kristy is an OC that I made up for the sole purpose of this oneshot. She's a mortal who can see through the Mist, and she lives on Percy's street. That's all you need to know. Another thing, in this, Nico is living at Percy's house for…some… reason. Don't judge me, I was in Spanish class when I wrote this… Anyway, please enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Kristy who I don't really want to own… There's no point in continuing to own her after this, you guys can have her if you want.

Nico di Angelo had learned long ago that there were many meanings of the word "love".

There was family love-

"I love you, Nico."

"I love you too, Bianca. Be careful out there."

"I will."

-that never lasted very long.

Then there was friendly love-

"Percy, do you think Bianca really loved me?"

"Of course, Nico! She died for you, didn't she?"

"Would someone who loved me really do that?"

"I know I would."

-that was more dependable, in Nico's opinion.

And then there was that other love, the one that didn't really have a name-

"Kristy?"

"Yes, Nico?"
"Why are you still friends with me? After you've seen what I can do?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because… Because I love you."

-Nico liked that kind of love the best of all.

"Hello."

Kristy looked up from the book she was reading and smiled kindly at the two boys standing in front of her. The older boy, the one who'd spoken, was tall with sea-green eyes and shaggy black hair. His hand rested protectively on the shoulder of the younger boy, who also had messy dark hair, but was shorter with black eyes and more Italian features.

"Hi," Kristy said.

The older boy nudged his friend's shoulder, and the younger muttered, "Hey."

"I'm Percy," the older boy introduced himself. "And this is my cousin Nico."

"I'm Kristy," she replied.

"Listen, Kristy," Percy said. "You and Nico are about the same age and we live just down the block-" he pointed at an apartment building at the end of the street- "so I thought you two could be friends."

Nico stared at his feet and grumbled something about how friends were completely unnecessary and could often get you killed.

Kristy smiled. "Sure, I'd love to get to know you, Nico."

Percy grinned proudly and squeezed his cousin's shoulder. "I'll see you later, cousin."

"Whatever," Nico muttered. Percy chuckled and walked towards his apartment.

"Sorry about that," Nico said softly, still not looking up at her.

Kristy frowned. "About what?"

"About Percy," Nico explained. "He wants me to be more social."

Kristy reached out and tilted his head up to look at her. She smiled at him. "It's okay. I want to be your friend."

Nico nodded, blushing. "Thanks. Me too."

"Kristy, will you go out with me?"

Kristy looked up from her book and frowned. "What?"
Nico blushed and cleared his throat, forcing himself not to look away from her- she hated when he did that. "Will you go out with me?" he repeated. "On Saturday, maybe? Like, to the movies or something?"

Kristy smiled. "Don't you have to fight monsters that day?"

Nico smirked, suddenly very glad he'd told Kristy who he really was. "That's not really something I can plan…"

Kristy laughed. "Fair point. All right then. I'd love to go on a date with you, Nico."

The son of Hades grinned. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course."

"Kristy, get back!" Nico shouted, drawing his Stygian Iron sword.

Behind him, Kristy gasped. "Have you always had that with you?"

"Yeah!" He glanced back at her. "You can see it?!"

She nodded. A strange grin spread across Nico's face. "Cool!"

Kristy's eyes widened. "Nico, look out!"

The son of Hades spun around and slashed his sword across the throat of the hellhound approaching them.

"Do you do this every day?" Kristy asked, watching him in awe.

"Yeah, kinda!" Nico called back, stabbing the monster in the chest. The beast roared and swatted its giant paw, sending Nico flying backwards into a wall.

"Nico!" Kristy yelped.

"I'm fine!" he insisted, though his arm was hanging limply at his side. "Stay back, I don't want you to get hurt!"

Kristy obeyed, despite her fear for his own safety.

Nico stood shakily and pointed his sword at the ground. A crevice opened, revealing a fiery pit below, and an army of skeletons crawled out and dragged the hellhound back to the Underworld with them.

Nico smiled as the ground closed up again, then collapsed.

"Nico!" Kristy ran over to him and checked his pulse, seeing that he was just unconscious. Then she sighed. "There goes our movie date."

"So when are you gonna kiss her?"

Nico frowned at his cousin, almost sure that the pain in his recently broken arm was making him hear things. "What?"

"When are you going to kiss her?" Percy repeated.

"Who?!"

"Kristy," the son of Poseidon said, as if this were obvious.

Nico blushed. "We've only been on one date! And it didn't even count, 'cause we got attacked!"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Do you have any idea how many dates Annabeth and I have gone on that ended in a monster fight?"

"Well, yeah, but you're Percabeth," Nico protested. "We're… Nisty!"

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Are you making couple names for yourself? You really are in pain."

"Yes, yes I am," Nico agreed, gingerly touching his broken arm.

Percy stood and ruffled Nico's hair. "Get some rest, cousin. You can have some more ambrosia in an hour or so."

Nico nodded. "Thanks, Percy."

Percy forced a smile. "You're just lucky Kristy found me when she did."

Nico watched as his cousin left the room, and sighed. "I'm lucky to have Kristy in the first place."

"Kristy?"

Kristy looked up and reached out a hand to steady Nico. It had been his idea to sit in the highest branch of a 50 foot tall tree after he'd just gotten out of a cast, and she was even more sure now that it had been a bad idea. He looked even paler than usual and his hands were shaking slightly. His dark eyes no longer held that empty mysterious pool of black, but were staring at her with an almost unnatural (for Nico, anyway) look of uncertainty, and- was that fear?

"Yes, Nico?" she asked, frowning in concern.

The son of Hades hesitated, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. She put a hand on his good arm and smiled reassuringly, letting him know that she was listening to whatever he said.

"Why are you still friends with me?" he finally asked, his voice shaking. "After you've seen what I can do?"

Kristy wasn't sure if he was kidding or not. She assumed he was referring to the army of skeletons he'd summoned to fight the monster that had attacked them almost a week ago. Kristy hadn't questioned the power then, and she had no need to now. She understood that his dad was the Greek god of the dead, and naturally that meant he had some different talents. So why did Nico seem to think she'd assume otherwise?

"Because," she replied simply, unsure of how else to explain.

"Because why?" Nico demanded, turning to face her.

Kristy was shocked into silence. Nico was staring intensely at her, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. She reached out to take his hand, but he jumped up and sprung away from her, just barely managing to stay on the branch.

"Because… because I love you," Kristy said before he could fall off and kill himself.

Nico froze, gripping the tree trunk tightly. He swayed on his feet and Kristy quickly grabbed his arm and helped him sit down again. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Should we get out of the tree?"

Nico shook his head. "N-no, I'm fine. But… you really love me?"

Kristy nodded. "Of course. Why is that such a surprise?"

"I- I don't-" Nico stammered. "I don't know, but- but- but, no one's said that to me since…" his voice lowered and he seemed to fight to keep her gaze. "Since my sister died."

Kristy gasped. Nico had mentioned that he had an older sister- Bianca- but Kristy had never seen her in the many times she'd visited the apartment where Nico lived with Percy and his mom. She'd assumed Bianca was just never home, or lived with Nico's mom- a mortal that he never spoke about. But she'd never considered the possibility of Bianca being dead!

Kristy had so many questions, but she knew now wasn't the time to ask. Instead, she just took Nico in her arms and hugged him. She felt him tense, then finally relax and hug her back.

"I love you too, Kristy," he whispered.

By the time Percy found them in a tree in Central Park twenty minutes later, they had both experienced their first kiss… twice.

Nico di Angelo lay on Percy's couch, staring happily at the ceiling. He kept replaying his conversation with Kristy in his mind, trying to see exactly when everything had gone so right.

He thought about how she'd said she loved him, and how he'd said the same thing back. It was that other love that they shared, he was pretty sure- the one with no real name.

And he was absolutely sure that he liked that love the best of all.

A/N: There's that. Hope you liked it. Please review!