Disclaimer: With the exception of my own plots/OC's, etc.; Rick Riordan owns the rest (quotes, characters, etc.).

Warnings: hot!Leo, shy!Nico, Percy/Jason bromance

.: We Skate :.

In Camp-Half Blood it was Winter, and since the Big Lake was frozen (Hera's heavens know what happened to the nymphs), the demigods decided to skate.

Yes, it was five months since the Gaea War. But that didn't mean no fun for the campers.

Will Solace, a blond from the Apollo cabin suggested it to Percy, knowing perfectly well the news will spread like wildfire.

Leo Valdez . . . a boy who came back from the dead (long story) declined the offer to join, afraid he might melt the ice. "Next time if we do a slumber party, I'm all in," he had joked.

Nearly everyone else came, even Dionysus, who grumbled in his usual manner, "Someone has to be here to babysit you brats."

Will was quite excited, not only to skate but see a particular person . . . As he put on his golden skates (a gift from his dad), he saw Piper and Jason awkwardly talking.

Jason kept slipping down on the ice, while Piper encouraged him to 'slide slowly'.

"Not so good on the ice?" Percy taunted childishly to the son of Jupiter.

He and Annabeth were skating towards the other couple.

Jason glared at the older boy. "Well, at least I can sing!"

"Oh, yeah? Tonight, let's have a karaoke challenge!" Percy dared, causing Annabeth to sigh at her boyfriend.

Once Will put on his footwear, he gracefully slid out to the arguing sons of Poseidon and Jupiter. "Hey, have you guys seen Nico?"

"He's sick," Percy informed, doing a slide backwards, showing out his moves.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Is that what he told you?"

Will was all too deflated to listen. "But . . . I thought everyone was going to be here."

"Except for the Hypnos cabin, Leo, and a few others," Piper pointed out.

The Healer pouted. "I told Death Boy he should get fresh air!"

"Really?" Percy's eyes widened. "Aw, man, no wonder why Nico doesn't want to come. Obviously he likes you."

Will blushed at the statement. "H-How would you -?"

"Any idiot could see it," Piper burst out.

"Even Percy," Jason added.

"Hey!" Percy protested. "I'm just saying, Will, if you want to date Nico, don't make him jealous."

"How am I making Nico jealous?" The demigod in question was flummoxed by this whole conversation. He just wanted to know where Nico was!

"You invited Death Boy!"

Will stared at the green-eyed boy. Annabeth slapped her forehead. Even Piper sighed in exasperation. "Now wonder why you call him Seaweed Brain, Annabeth."

Nico wasn't sure why Leo Valdez was visiting him in the Hades cabin. When he asked why, Leo had explained mysteriously, "To convince you."

Now both demigods were sitting on Nico's bed (don't take it the wrong way).

Nico didn't know what the conversation was about until Leo mentioned the skating at the Big Lake.

"Come on, Nico," Leo said with urgency in his voice. "The Big Lake is filled with fun and ice! Why don't you want to go?"

Nico shot a look at the Latino. "Why should I go?"

Leo adopted to his most highest voice, and a doe-eyed look. "Will Solace! Oh, Will, what do I do? I'm hiding behind my brooding cloud, when all I just ever want to do is kiss your sunny, sweet lips."

"I do NOT sound like that!"

Enjoying himself with a way-off Nico impression, the son of Hephaestus ignored him, continuing on. "Oh gods! No! If I show my undying love to the son of Apollo, what will he say? W-Will he reject me? Not accept me for who I am? Worst part is, what if he has a crush on someone else?"

Nico didn't want to admit that what the fire-bender mostly said was true. He sighed as Leo added, "Is my life really this tragic? Oh, Will, save me! Hold me into your perfectly muscled arms!"

"I'm really flattered," a voice mused from the Hades cabin door, "that you consider me strong."

Nico hastily stood up, falling right back down since his feet were tangled in the sheets of the bed. It was almost comical, yet the Healer rushed to the Italian's side immediately.

"Nico, are you okay? Did you sprain your ankle?"

"All he sprained was his pride," Leo quipped, but stopped with the glare from the other brunette. "Fine, I know when I'm not needed." He headed out of the cabin, whistling something that suspiciously sounded like the song 'Moves Like Jagger'.

Will tugged the sheets off of the bed, pulling the cuff of Nico's bottom jeans up and began inspecting. "Hey, why didn't you go to the Lake today?"

"I-I doubt anybody would want me there."

Will checked Nico's pulse, commenting, "Are you okay? Your heart rate is speeding up."

Nico tugged away from Will's grip, ignoring the wounded look that was given. "I'm fine."

"Nico, people want you here. Why do you always think they don't?"

The son of Hades swallowed. "I'm sorry. It's just . . . ever since I was younger; I never really fit in anywhere, because of who I was. This is new, and - it's just hard."

Will nodded understandably. "My mother . . . at first, she wondered how I could possible know. But she accepted me for who I am. You just need people to help. You have Percy, Jason, Annabeth, Piper . . . everyone here who accepts you. And, personally, you have me." He nudged the brunette with his shoulder. "Now grab your skates and let's head over to our friends."

"Hey, Will!" Jason greeted cheerfully to the Healer advancing towards him. He glanced at Nico, who was sitting on the bench putting on his skates. "How did you convince him?"

Will winked. "Maybe I'm a special case."

"Um, Will?" the Italian called. "Could you help me?"

"Of course." Will slid over to Nico. "What seems to be the problem?"

Nico's cheeks turned pink adorably. "How do you skate?"

The blond smiled. "I'll show you - just hold my hands."

"O-okay -" Nico did so, nearly falling.

Will held onto the younger demigod's waist. "I'll catch you," he promised. "Every single time."

Even though it probably meant in skating, Nico felt the words make his heart clench painfully. In other terms, it was very romantic. But Nico knew that Will was unattainable, at least in his mind.

Why, he thought, is love so complicated?

A/N: Yes, Nico, that is such an excellent question. Why is love so complicated? Easy - to make an interesting twist in people's lives. To make people interact and experience a lot of hell, yet a bit of heaven. (No, that's not an innuendo, I swear).

Anyway, I know that Percy shouldn't be that good of a skater - haha - but maybe he does really well on the ice.

Basically, I got the main points:

- Will is awesome at skating

- Nico is bad at skating

I really wanted to publish this story on 20/04/2016. Best day of my life, in my opinion. But oh well, the twenty-second is not that bad.