Percy's POVWe laughed from the backseat of Paul's car. We were all on our way to the beach, Paul, my Mom, Nico, and I. It was the end of the summer, we had just gotten out of camp. We were going to the beach for the last time before school started. Nico was spending so much time with us, I'm surprised myMom hasn't asked to adopt him yet. She even enrolled him in middle school as her own son. He was going to a public middle school and i was going to a public high school. He even moved in with us, because he had no where else to go. Hades gave him money every month, kind of like child support, and Nico insisted that it go to my mom for rent and food. Nico and I shared a room, and we even got bunk beds. We had grown close over the last few months, because we were the outcasts at camp.
I felt Nico bump my knee, and when I looked over at him, he pointed at my Mom and Paul holding hands across the front seats. I gave him a look and he knew exactly what i meant. We weren't used to the lovey-dovey stuff. He snorted, his long black hair flying everywhere. My heart ached. Annabeth and I always used to hold hands. It was normal since she was my girlfriend, but we were fighting. Annabeth wanted to move to Olympus for the remodeling. When she told her mom. Athena this, she offered the chance for Annabeth to become immortal. Annabeth actually considered it. When she told me she might do it, my heart shattered. I had turned down immortality for her, and she considered it?
Nico must've caught onto my distraught expression, because he asked, "Perce, you okay?" I turned toward him and nodded. "Just thinking is all.", I told him. He knew what I was talking about, because he reached out, and squeezed my shoulder, giving me a apologetic smile. Nico had been there after Annabeth left, and comforted me. I turned my head away from Nico, toward the window, and let the tears fall silently as i watched the scenery roll by. Soon, i realized we were at the beach. i wiped my tears and got ready for a fun time with my family.
Nico's POV
Percy looked away from me and I knew he was going to cry. I felt terrible for bringing Annabeth up, even if i didn't mean to. I knew the whole story. I was Percy's shoulder to cry on. He knew i would never tell anyone that he cried. He trusted me and i wasn't going to let that go. I trusted Percy a lot to. He knew some pretty gruesome things about me. He knew that even though I was almost 15, I had never kissed a girl. He didn't know why though, and i never planned to tell him, that I was gay. I could never ruin our brother-like relationship by telling him that. He would reject me. The only one who knew, besides me, was Bianca. I had straight-up summoned her when I realized, but that had been a couple years ago. I was sure she was the only one who would accept me.
I was lost in thought until i saw Percy move. He wiped his cheeks with his hands, unaware that he was being watched. That was when i realized that the car was coming to a stop, and there was a beautiful cabin, encrusted with sea-shells. When we came to a complete stop, Percy looked at me, and smiled, seeming genuinely happy, but I knew Percy well enough to know his eyes held sadness, and the only reason he wore the hoodie in the 90 degree weather was to hide the scars that lined his body.
We hopped out of the car and each of us grabbed a bag from the trunk. I had a backpack, and Percy had a duffel-bag. We had both agreed that packing together saved room, so all of our clothes were in the duffel, and our personal stuff was in the backpack, including the laptop, which we both agreed was worth the risk to have. We walked into the cabin and i inhaled sharply. It smelt...like Percy. I smiled, because it was on o my favorite scents. Percy must've noticed, because he chuckled. "You like it?" he asked. "Yea, it smells nice." I replied calmly.
He took my hand and led me upstairs to unpack. I felt the familiar jolt when our skin collided, and knew. It was normal. I had been feeling it for years, but I knew, just then, it was that jolt. That spark. hat was what set every atom in my body on fire . It was that, the tiniest of things, that told me, Nico Di Angelo, that i was in love with Perseus Jackson. Son of the Sea God.