So I read HOH last week and it was super fabulous. *spoiler alert* One of the parts that really stood out to me was the whole Nico gay scene. And I've been wanting to write fanfiction about it, so here this is. It's randomish, but if you are taking the time to read this thanks and I hope you enjoy. I case you didn't catch it in the summary, it is rated T and will have multiple chapters. Also, it isn't focused on a particular pairing, but canon pairing will be together. It's mostly Nico centric, but all the seven will make an appearance at some point. Guess that's all I have to say... Leaving a review would be very very much appreciated :)

Also, a gazillion thanks to stormfire76 for proof reading. Not only is she a fabulous proofreader, but she also happens to be the best fanfiction author I have ever read. If you like this at all, you should go check out her stories. Even if you don't like this, you should go read her stories. If you can read the English language, then you should go read her stories. I think you get the point.

Whoops, one last note. Fanfiction has decided to be totally weird with its spacing and not let me fix it. So I apologize, if the spacing looks weird that is why.

Nico hadn't been kidding when he told Jason he was leaving. Forever. He was an outcast; he didn't belong anywhere he went. Maybe Jason was right, maybe he should let someone in. But a part of him just couldn't. A part of him just wanted to keep running, away from Percy and the others, away from anyone who knew the truth about him. After what happened in Croatia, he didn't think he ever wanted to see any of them again. The embarrassment and shame weighed on him everyday. There was no way he could ever tell anyone.

Which was why he had to leave. He had done as he promised of course, shadow traveled all the way back to camp with Reyna and Hedge and the statue. Hopefully it would be enough to stop the war. If anyone could handle it, Reyna, almighty praetor of Rome, could. She certainly didn't need unstable outcast Nico Di Angelo to help her. As soon as he had deposited Hedge, Reyna, and the statue at their destination, he had slipped away in the confusion. Shadow traveled before anyone could notice his absence. They were probably wondering where he was, but they would get over it. He was never around anyway. After his first shadow travel away, he had immediately passed out. He wasn't sure how long it had been before he woke up in the corner of some alleyway. It was late when he woke up, but he was hungry and still had a bit of mortal money shoved in his jacket pocket. He found an all night diner not far off from where he was, grabbed a bite to eat, then gone back to the alleyway to sleep. When he woke up the second time, it was early morning, as far as he could gather from the sunlight. He quickly decided he was too close to Camp Half-Blood and shadow traveled on.

He wasn't sure how he ended up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Probably because he and Bianca had been there once. He always tended to end up places that reminded him of Bianca. He guessed it helped him think when he felt close to her. And that's what he needed to do, think and be alone. That's what he was doing when the hellhounds attacked, walking and thinking alone on some practically empty street somewhere outside of Las Vegas.

The snarl came out of nowhere. He stopped in his tracks, his sword appearing ready by his side. He quickly surveyed the area around him, trying to locate the source of danger. He didn't have to wait long. The large black monster jumped out from between a couple buildings, teeth bared and ready to attack. Fortunately, Nico was ready to attack too. He charged the beast, sword ready to jam into its neck. But before his sword could make contact, the hellhound dodged out of the way, kicking Nico into a wall with his hind legs. Nico picked himself up quickly. Before he could charge again, an unknown force slammed into him from behind, and a second hellhound, appearing from nowhere, pinned the son of Hades to the ground. His sword had been thrown out of his reach at some point, and the monster's claws dug into his arm painfully. Nico groaned, his thoughts muddled from his head slamming into the pavement. He never got a chance to think of a plan, because a dark figure dropped onto the hellhound, sinking a dagger into its neck. The monster exploded into golden dust, and Nico rolled to the side, picking up his sword. The figure, who Nico could now see at least resembled a tall and muscular human, ran at the second beast, a Celestial bronze dagger in each hand. The second hellhound had been turned to dust before Nico could even reach it. The figure turned towards Nico, and he could now see it was a boy, most likely a demigod.

The threat of monsters gone, Nico immediately turned his sword on the tall boy. "Who are you?"

The boy raised his hands in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you dude. I mean, I just saved your life."

Nico didn't let his guard down. "I could've handled myself. Are you a demigod? What camp are you from, and why aren't you there?"
"My name is David Lauden, son of Nemesis. And I don't really belong to either camp. I'm what you would call an outcast."
Nico felt his grip on his sword loosen a bit. "An outcast?"
"Yup," David responded easily. "Don't really belong nowhere."
"And why should I trust you?" Nico asked carefully.
David only shrugged. "Well, I don't really expect you to trust me. Most people take some time to warm up to us."
"Us?" Nico suddenly felt his grip on his sword tightening. He moved the blade closer to David and glanced to the side anxiously.
"Woah, don't worry dude." David seemed as relaxed as ever. "Us as in my friends. They're not here with me, I promise. No one is waiting to ambush you. And most of them couldn't hurt you if they wanted to."
"How many? Where are they?" Nico didn't trust this guy enough to feel reassured.
"Six. Including myself. Back at our base, an abandoned hotel a few blocks from here," David answered without hesitation.
Nico stared the older boy down for a second. David may have been bigger, but Nico had a rather intimidating air to him. Finally, he took a few steps back, lowering his sword to led it rest against his leg. "Fine then, David. Thank you for helping me. Now go away."
"Dude," David said gently, "you gotta pretty bad cut on your arm there. Look, why don't you come back with me to base and we can fix it up for you? And then we can get some food in you and you can use a bed for the night, because you look tired and hungry as hell."
Nico was aware of the ever present rumbling in his stomach and bags under his eyes, but that didn't change anything. He ran away to get away from people. "Thanks, but I don't do well with people. I'd rather take care of myself."
"Look, man," David said carefully, "I don't know what your running from, but my friends? They're all outcasts too. And whatever you did, I guarantee you they've done something just as bad."
"I'm not running from anyone!" Nico practically yelled, painful memories of the Argo II assaulting him. He didn't want to go back, have to face Percy, have to face Jason and what happened and Croatia.
"Okay, okay." David tried to calm him down. "Look, no questions, no judgement. Just food, medicine and sleep. You don't have to say anything."

Nico started at the open innocent look in David's eyes. His gut told him that this guy was sincere, but at the same time his instinct was to run away.

Finally, the growling in his stomach forced him to make a decision. "Fine. No questions, and I leave when I want to. And if any of your friends threaten me..." Nico let his threat hang in the air, and David nodded solemnly.

"Not a problem, dude. Are you gonna at least tell me your name?"
Nico hesitated, but at this point he didn't think his name was going to do much harm. "Nico. Nico Di Angelo."
"Well Nico Di Angelo, follow me."

David's "base" wasn't far off. David talked the whole few blocks there, and as promised, didn't ask any questions of Nico.
"The whole place is kind of a ghost town really. Pretty much every building down here is abandoned or boarded up or for sale. Our hotel was for sale at one point, but I don't think anyone really cares anymore. No one has been by in years. Think the street must've been cursed or something, but nothing's ever bothered us. Most of the furniture was gone when I got there a few years back, but the kitchens and bathrooms were still mostly intact. And there were some boxed up mattresses and other furniture down in the basement that we pulled up, pretty nice really. Patrick got some of the electricity going. Son of Vulcan, that kid, always tinkering. Don't quite get how he did it, but the lights we need go on, and the kitchen works enough, so I'm not going to question it."
Nico walked along silently the whole time, half listening. He was at least glad not to have to talk, even if it meant having to hear David drone on. He was too busy arguing with himself about his decision to follow the random demigod down deserted streets.
Jason told you to take a leap of faith.
He meant trust him, not every random person you meet.
You need to eat and sleep or you'll die!
You can't die if you've already been killed by a psycho demigod and his friends.
His inner turmoil was interrupted by David announcing, "We're here!"
I really am crazy, Nico thought, arguing with myself. But he brushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time to examine his own fragile mental health. He needed to stay alert.
David led him around the back of the abandoned hotel. The whole street looked like a ghost town, just as David had said. The hotel itself wasn't the best looking, only a few floors high and none of the outdoor lights working. It looked like no one had touched it in years.
"Come on, " David told him, "entrance is here." He led Nico to the metal door between the dumpsters, marked as "employees only." David turned the handle and the door opened without protest. "Leads straight to the kitchen." David told him, "Makes sense, because that's where the garbage would come from." The door opened into a dark hallway, which David stepped into, beckoning for Nico to follow. Nico hesitated. It could easily be a trap, and his battle instincts told him he should turn around now. But David had already saved his life, and honestly, Nico was done with his instincts. It's not like they had gotten him far in life anyway. Nico followed David down the hallway, which was short and opened into a kitchen, just as David had said. It looked like an average hotel kitchen, with rows of metal countertops and appliances, along with some empty spaces where Nico assumed furniture used to be.

A short girl with curly brown hair was already in the kitchen, hunched over a boiling pot on the stove. She spoke up as soon as she heard their footsteps entering. "David, you're back! Did you bring food? Libby is cranky as heck and craving pasta. I thought symptoms were supposed to lessen in the third trimester, but she's still going strong…" The girl abruptly trailed off when she turned around and noticed Nico. "Oh! We have a guest."

David nodded. "This is Nico Di Angelo. Saved him from some hellhounds a few blocks away and brought him here for food and rest. And to get his arm fixed up; he's got a nasty scratch."
The girl's eyes dropped to the bloody gash on his arm. "Ouch! Poor baby! Don't worry; Bea can fix that up for you, no problem at all. Hi, Nico, my name is Cassie." The girl stuck a hand out for him to shake.
Nico was already beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed and claustrophobic. He debated bolting now, but he couldn't resist the sight of the warm steam rising from the stove. He reluctantly shook the girl's hand.
"Nico doesn't like to talk much," David told her. "Except when he's got his sword pointed at you."
Cassie nodded as if she understood. "Why don't I call everyone, then? I'm sure they'll all want to meet Nico." Cassie cupped her hands around her mouth. "Meeting! We have a guest! Get your butts down here!" There was a series of grumbles in response. Cassie turned towards Nico again. "Come on into the dining room, Nico. Everyone's nice, I promise. Well, they're all nice at heart at least."
Nico followed Cassie and David into the next room. It looked like it was once a private dining room. The chandelier was lit up, and a large wooden table sat in the middle, with a mismatch of chairs surrounding it. At one end sat another girl who was playing cards with the blonde boy next to her. A red headed girl, who had just entered from one of the doorways, took a seat at the table. A tall blonde followed her, drop dead gorgeous except for a giant baby bump. "Did you buy me clothes, David?" the blond asked as she sat. "I swear nothing fits anymore."
David shook his head as he sat at the head of the table. Nico took the empty seat next to David, and Cassie pulled up a chair in between Nico and the red head. "I was too busy saving Nico over here."
The blond groaned. "Thanks a lot, squirt. Did you at least buy food?"
"I'll go tomorrow," David told her.
"I'll take that as a no," the blonde huffed.
"Everyone," spoke up Cassie, "this is Nico. David found him wandering around by himself. He's going to stay here for the night. Let's all go around and introduce ourselves, hmm?"
"Introduce ourselves?" questioned the blonde. "Should we tell him all our problems to him, then? Like some twisted support group?"
"Say whatever you want, Libby," Cassie said patiently. "Nico, my name is Cassie. I would tell you my age and godly parent, but honestly I don't know. I woke by a statue of the prophet Cassandra about a year ago, with no memory of anything; I took my name from the statue, because I really don't even know that. I was by myself and confused as heck when a monster attacked me, and David saved me. He assumed I was a demigod since a monster attacked me, and, you know, I could actually see the monster. He offered to point me towards one of the camps, but I didn't know anything about them or demigods or myself, so I stuck with David. I like to say I'm 16, because I am probably somewhere around there." She turned to Nico, "You want to introduce yourself?"
Nico shook his head, and David spoke up. "My name is David Lauden, my mother is Nemesis and I am 17 years old." He stopped then, indicating he wasn't going to say any more.
The blonde spoke up next. "My name is Libby and I'm an alcoholic."
"Libby." David groaned.
"Kidding, squirt, feel like I'm at an AA meeting here. Lets all be kind and share, shall we? Welcome to the outcast demigod support group," Libby said sarcastically.
"Libby," David sighed again.
"Fine, fine. My name is Libby, I am 17 years old, and I am a child of Aphrodite. I am not currently at camp because some little demon decided he was going to use my stomach as a breeding ground. So I hightailed it out of there before anyone could find out. And me and lil monster over here holed up with these freaks."
"Now, Libby, " said Cassie, "don't you talk that way about Cassie Jr."
"No, it's a boy," spoke up the redhead.
"Shut up!" Libby yelled at them. "I don't care what gender it is, and Cassie, you can name it whatever you want when it finally pops out because it is all yours and I want nothing to do with it."
Cassie turned to Nico, "Don't mind Libby; she's just moody."
Libby stuck her tongue out at Cassie.
Nico was beginning to realize what David said had been true; none of these people could hurt him if they wanted to. However, he was beginning to think a lot of them would try. He was already feeling uncomfortable, like he didn't belong here and he needed to leave. But he forced himself to sit and listen to the other teens.

"Hi Nico, my name is Patrick, son of Vulcan," the boy with the short blonde hair next to Libby spoke up. "I am 15 years old and I left Camp Jupiter because I can't kill things, and that's not really cool at a bloodthirsty Roman legion."
"Patrick's our pacifist little freak. 'Oh, I know it's about to bite your head off, but can't you see how sweet and innocent it is?'" Libby mocked.
Patrick ignored her, and the dirty blond girl at the end of the table spoke up. "My name is Bea and I am a daughter of Apollo. Oh, and I am 16 years old." She, like David, stopped there, and the red head took that as her cue to speak.
"Hello Nico, I'm Fallon, daughter of Mars. I am 15 years old and I left Camp Jupiter because I am a failure. By now they probably think I am dead."

"Great!" Cassie said. "So Nico, this is everybody. Everybody, Nico. I'm going to go finish cooking. Bea, would you mind bandaging Nico's arm?" The girl nodded. "Good. Nico, you can follow Bea." She turned to David. "Anything else, great leader?"
Libby cut in. "I'll help with food, Cassie, you can't cook for shit."

David nodded. "Sounds good. Call if you need anything, Bea."
"Will do, captain," Bea responded.
Libby spoke up, sarcastic once again. "Outcast demigod support group adjourned."