Nico enters the bar, glances around, and sits down. He asks for a beer. The bartender brings it to him.

'Percy will never like me.' Nico thinks. 'I am completely alone.' And then he drinks.

Leo is up late, sitting in his room and tinkering around with some things when Nico stumbles in. Leo glances over at him and frowns.

"What are you doing here Nic-" but he's cut off by Nico grabbing him and pulling him close. His breath smells of liquor.

"Nico!" Leo exclaims, his heart pumping a bit faster.

"What?" Nico slurs, staring into Leo's eyes.

"What-what are you doing?" Leo says,

Although he thinks he knows. Nico smiles a sloppy smile.

"I'm about to kiss you silly." He laughs. Leo's heart flutters.

"Nico, you're drunk, don't do this-" but he's cut off by Nico's lips on his. All thoughts of protest are erased from Leo's mind, and he begins to kiss back, wrapping his arms around Nico and pulling the son of Hades closer.

"I love you Percy." Nico murmurs against Leo's lips and his heart sinks. He pulls away.

"I'm not Percy." Nico stares at him, eyes unfocused.

"I know." He says.

"Then why'd you say, and I quote, 'I love you Percy'?" Leo says, looking up at Nico, hurt in his eyes. The boy looks confused.

"I didn't. I said I love you Leo...didn't i?"

Leo shakes his head. "No, you didn't."

The younger boy reaches out and embraces Leo in a hug.

"That's what I meant." He says, his voice muffled by Leo's shoulder. "I'm drunk, I don't know what I'm saying." He says, looking at Leo." Leo chuckles.

"Whatever you say Ghost King." Nico smiles again, a lopsided, drunken smile, but a smile. And then the son of Hephaestus kisses him again.

Nico sits up, rubbing his eyes. He looks around and realizes that he is NOT in his room. Then Leo walks out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel on. When he notices that Nico is awake, he blushes.

"G-good morning." He stutters.

"What am I doing here? And why am I shirtless? And why do I have a pounding headache?" Nico asks several questions.

"You came in here last night, drunk." Leo says, looking away.

"But why am I shirtless?" Leo shrugs. Nico stands up.

"Why. Am. I. Shirtless."

"I don't know." But even Leo knows it's unconvincing.

"Why am I shirtless?!" Nico exclaims, slamming Leo against the wall. Leo blushes and looks down.

"When you came in here last night...you...you..."

"I what?" Nico asks, his voice still angry, but slightly gentler. Slightly.

"You kissed me. And I may have kissed back." Leo's cheeks turn dark red, as do Nico's. It becomes even more awkward when Nico notices Leo's towel on the floor. He lets him go and turns away. Leo grabs his towel and wraps it around his waist again. He grabs a pair of jeans off the ground and walks back into the bathroom, puts them on, then comes back out.

"Why didn't you put on a shirt?" Nico asks, his voice quiet.

"I don't have any." Leo replies.

"Were you not wearing one last night?" Leo nods. That's when Nico notices the charred part on the bed and blushes.

"Oh."

"Yeah. So I'm guessing, that since you were, you know, drunk, you don't actually feel that way and I can forget about it?" Leo asks, sounding defeated. Nico feels a pang of guilt in his chest, but also feels a stronger feeling. It takes him a moment to realize what it is. It's affection.

"What ever gave you that idea?" He asks, smirking. He swiftly leans in and presses his cold lips to Leo's. Leo smiles and kisses back. Shadows and flame, united as one.