Heyo this is my first story on here so let's start out with some - BANG! - Solangelo! At the beach! Who doesn't love that, right? Also, some other demigods -who in this story, are not actually demigods so I altered their back stories a little- so if Nico and Will aren't your favs, it's all cool.

Enjoy

~ Dylan

The van passed over yet another speed-bump and Nico was thrown against the hard wall he was leaning back on. He grumbled and tried to peer out the front window between Jason, Piper, and Reyna's heads. A green sea lapped against golden sand and there wasn't a cloud in the sky he could see, before the van went over another bump and he was thrown onto his hands and bare knees. He sat against the side again and rubbed his now sore knees, scowling at the swim trunks he was wearing. How did I get talked into this? Nico thought to himself as Jason parked the car and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He turned around to Nico and had an apologetic look as he said, "Sorry for the bumpy ride. And that you had to sit back there."

Nico looked at his blonde friend and shrugged with a simple, "Its fine."

"Ready, di Angelo?" Reyna asked turning around to look at him too. Her usual ponytail was changed out for her brunette locks hanging freely around her face. Though today was their "hero's-day-off", as their ridiculous summer camp called it, her expression wasn't completely carefree. But it was probably happier than Nico's. The trip had been completely optional and was a reward for campers who completed "quests" or special activities. But from how eager Ron - the camp's head man - had seemed, Nico didn't think he would have just let him not go.

"The sea awaits, Nico," Piper said with a smile, as she glanced at Jason who had put sunscreen on his nose and now was smudged all over his glasses. Nico smirked at his friends and stood up. He was ready as he ever would be for the day at the beach that seemed more and more of a bad idea by the minute.

Jason hopped out and opened the van's back doors. Moving to the side so Nico could clamber out, his tall friend gathered the stuff they had brought. "Here, can you carry this for me?" Jason asked, handing Nico the large beach umbrella. Nico gladly took it and opened it over his head, casting a cool shadow over himself. Piper took her surfboard, Jason keeping his own beneath his arm, and Reyna took the towels to carry.

Nico cast his gaze past the trio and once again peered at the ocean. It wasn't a very busy day at the beach, which Nico found strange – but what did he know about beaches besides that he didn't want to be at one?

His gaze traveled to the people who were already there as he and friends headed to the beach. Someone was in the ocean but Nico couldn't tell what they looked like. He saw a girl on the beach with wavy, blonde hair, building a sandcastle though. He was admiring how well it was built when the person who had been swimming snuck up behind her and scared her into falling in it. "Valdez!" she yelled after him. Another girl came up to her, this one with cinnamon colored hair, and shook her head after the boy. They both started laughing, though, when the boy was taken by surprise by a wave because he was laughing too hard to have noticed it coming.

Nico smirked at the teen group. He had the strangest feeling that he must know them from somewhere, they seemed so familiar. Maybe that's because my friends are just as ridiculous, he thought to himself with a glance towards Jason, sunscreen still smeared across his face and glasses. The blonde probably wasn't used to eye-wear, granted as he had only found out he needed glasses recently.

Jason pointed to a spot on the beach. "Wanna go set up somewhere over there while the girls change, Nico?"

"Sure," he said heading that way with Jason, while Piper and Reyna headed to the women's changing rooms.

Piper said, "See you soon," with a kiss on the cheek for Jason, before adding, "Then I can annihilate you on the waves." Piper and Jason were the relationship in the group and Reyna and Nico were just the awkward third-wheels whenever affection between the other two happened. Nico didn't care much though; he and Reyna had been through a lot together and were like brother and sister. They shared a knowing look at the other two's teasing and Reyna rolled her eyes jokingly.

"See ya Pipes," Jason said as he and Nico walked towards the sea.

As the boys walked through the hot sand, they passed the lifeguards' high chair. At the top sat a boy not much older than Nico, whose hair was a shiny black, and his eyes the same color of the sea he watched. Nico's heart thudded to an almost abrupt halt as he recognized the teen above him. He pulled the beach umbrella down closer to his head, trying to hide from the watchful eyes above. Does it have to be him? Why me? Why me, on all days? Nico grumbled in his head, begging the gods above that Percy Jackson didn't see him.

He and Percy had once been close. Nico had idolized the older boy, and admired his adventurous spirit. When Nico and his sister Bianca's foster home had first let them come to Camp Graeca, Percy had welcomed them and made Nico personally feel at home. But then, one night a few older kids, including Percy and Bianca, snuck out of their cabins and went on a hunt to explore an old junkyard nearby the camp. They had been searching amongst the scrap metal when all of a sudden a huge pile of scrap started to fall, and beneath it stood Percy. But Bianca had pushed Percy out of the way and was instead buried beneath the metal. Percy came back that morning with tears streaming down his face and he told Nico what had happened, and that his sister was dead.

Nico didn't blame Percy now, but shortly after that night he had run away, full of anger and sadness. He did return eventually and Percy had tried to befriend him again; Nico had been trapped in a horrible, dark place for a long time though, and it didn't help that at the time, Nico had had a crush on Jackson. Now, he didn't know what to feel. What he did know was that he would just avoid the whole awkwardness and remain unseen.

"Hey I'll go get some food, you can get in the water if you want – we'll be in soon," Jason said, snapping Nico's attention away from his troubled thoughts. Jason looked him up and down, and said with a smirk, "That is, if you're willing to let go of your umbrella, little vampire,"

"Are you willing to get stabbed with this umbrella, Jason Grace?" Nico said darkly. He hated nicknames, especially ones that were based off his appearance. Yes, he was a semi-pale Latino boy, who happened to have shaggy black hair and dark eyes. Yes, he wore black and had an even blacker sense of humor – but that did not imply that you could call him 'Death Boy'.

Jason just smiled at his peeved friend and said, "Calm down feisty pants," before adding with a small gesture, "You could at least take off your hoodie, we are at the beach," before walking away.

Don't remind me, Nico thought to himself, as he laid back on the sand beneath the umbrella, waiting for Reyna to bring the towels. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the peaceful sounds of the waves and of people frolicking in them, probably not wearing enough sunscreen and giving themselves skin cancer. So peaceful.

The frolicking got quieter and was replaced with stifled snickers. Nico was about to open his eyes to inspect the suspicious sounds when, with a sharp cackle and a shocked exclamation of, "Don't", sea water was dumped on him.

He leapt into the air, strings of curses flying from his mouth, some in languages he hadn't used in ages. He wiped his eyes on his sopping sleeve to try to see his attackers. There before him stood the boy who had ruined the sandcastle; behind him stood the dark-skinned girl with cinnamon hair, who looked mortified. Nico guessed she had been the one to warn against the assault, but still had done nothing to prevent it. He glared at the duo.

"What the hell?" Nico spat at them.

"What?" the boy asked innocently.

"Why did you find it necessary to do that?" Nico said icily.

"Well, it looked like you were either dead, or you had just returned from the pits of hell, dude," The boy said, having a hard time finishing his remark because he had started laughing halfway through it.

"I doubt you've really seen hell boy, but would you like to?" Nico spat back.

"Oh my goodness, guys! Stop it! Stop saying that word!" the girl suddenly burst.

"What?" Nico said, her outburst momentarily halting his anger which was replaced by confusion.

"Don't 'what' me! You with all your bad words – and both of you, saying that word again and again!" she said, leveling a glare at both boys.

"I'm still lost here, what word?" Nico said, raising a brow.

"You know… H-E -double hockey sticks?" she said in a hushed voice.

"Oh. Um okay… Sorry, I just… I'm not Cristian so…" Nico trailed awkwardly, reaching a hand up to push back his still soaking mop of hair off his forehead. He didn't usually have to filter stuff like that because he just didn't have a christian friends.

"Neither is she," the other boy shrugged, having apparently lost his fire for messing with Nico. "Hazel's just sensitive to stuff like that. I'm pretty sure she's an old lady trapped in a teen's body."

Hazel rolled her eyes at the comment. "Sorry for the whole water thing by the way. Leo's just like that. I'm pretty sure he's a toddler trapped in a teen's body," she said, mocking her friend.

I smirked at the pair, and introduced myself, "Nico. Now, it's been nice meeting you two but, I'd like to go back to looking like the dead now."

Leo smirked back and said, "Okay Nico, and remember, if you need anything," he paused and pulled out a whistle and with an impish grin said, "just blow," and with that he blew the whistle as hard as he could, and screamed, "OMIGOD HEEELLLP!" and ran away, dragging Hazel with him.

Nico stared after them, wondering why on earth would he do that, when all of a sudden, there behind him a familiar voice said, "Who needs rescuing?"

Nico turned around to find a pair of sea green eyes widen with shock and mumbled, "No, I'd just prefer to die here," as he began to plot the murder of a certain devil named Leo.

Ha ha what do you mean there wasn't any Solangelo? Ha heh heh... Okay I'm sorry! I know there wasn't any in this chapter, but I started writing this with Solangelo in mind, so trust me this time when I say IT IS COMING. Also, hoped you enjoyed this and am totally looking forward to your constructive criticism and wonderful suggestions! I am also unsure how often I will be able to update, but I will strive for every weekend! I also portrayed Hazel like that because of how she really is old fashioned in the books and I imagine swearing still irks her. Also, if you were wondering where Annabeth went off to (the sandcastle architect), you'll see in the next chapter.

~ Dylan