Mistletoe and Gummy Bears

"So how long have you known this girl?" Percy asked, trying and failing to stick a needle through a piece of popcorn.

Nico snickered at his attempts. "Since Thanksgiving." He walked over and took the needle and the popcorn out of Percy's hands. "Why are you doing this again?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "We need to decorate the tree and Annabeth won't let me make the cookies."

"Considering what happened last year, that's probably a good thing."

Percy smacked Nico in the arm. "Shut up," he grumbled.

"Why don't you just go buy ornaments?"

"'Cause that's boring! Jeez, Nico, where's your sense of creativity?"

"My 'sense of creativity'? Is that even a thing?"

"Shut up."

Nico laughed. "Dude, just give up. You're not going to be able to do this. Plus, Grover will just eat all our decorations if we make them edible."

Percy sighed. "I guess you're right."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Um, Percy?"

"Yeah?" Percy answered, looking up at his best friend.

"Don't you need a tree before you get decorations?"

Percy groaned. "Shit. Annabeth's gonna murder me."

"Dude," Nico said, laughing. "You are so whipped."

Percy glared at him. "I'm not the only one." He picked up his car keys from the table. "Come on. We're going to get a tree."

"And some decent ornaments, I hope?"

"Hey, I have plenty of decent ornaments?"

Nico rolled his eyes and followed his friend out of the apartment. "Percy, red metal trains and plastic icicles do not count as decent ornaments."

Percy glared, but didn't answer. They made there way down the stairs (the elevator in Percy's apartment building froze every winter, and the manager was too cheap to get it fixed, so they just had to wait until it thawed out in the spring) and out to Percy's car.

Percy had started the car and was pulling out onto the street when Nico said, "Wait, what do you mean?"

"What do I what mean?" Percy asked without taking his eyes off the road.

Nico stared at him. "Look, I can use the 'English isn't my first language' excuse. What's yours?"

Percy was about to respond (or more likely to tell him to shut up) when Nico interrupted. "Wait, you can use that one, too. Your first language is Stupid."

Percy smacked him on the arm and Nico laughed. "Why am I friends with you again?" Percy asked, almost to himself.

"Because aside from your girlfriend I'm the only one who'll put up with you."

"Grover puts up with me!"

"Grover lives with you. He has to put up with you."

Percy's eyebrows drew together and he grumbled something that Nico couldn't quite make out.

"And don't avoid the question. What do you mean you're not the only one who's whipped?"

Percy looked at him, all the annoyance gone from his expression, and smirked. "Dude, you."

Nico gaped at him. "What?"

"That girl you never shut up about? The one you've known since Thanksgiving and see more than you see your best friend?"

"Thalia?"

"Yeah, her. You're totally in love with her."

Nico's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I am not in love with Thalia!" he spluttered.

Percy threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, you are, Nico. Trust me, as your best friend since first grade, you're completely and totally in love with her."

"And you've been watching too many romance movies with Annabeth," Nico responded, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm not in love with Thalia."

"You never shut up about her, you take every call you get from her, even at one in the morning, she got you to break your one year I'm-a-prude-and-never-drink phase…what would you call it?"

Nico huffed. "I like hanging out with her."

"Nico, you called me from a bar at two in the morning asking me to come pick you up because you were too drunk to drive yourself home. You puked in my car, for God's sake."

"And I remembered the next morning why I don't drink."

"Yeah, but you did drink because Thalia wanted you to. Face it, man, you're in love with a girl you've known for a month."

Nico turned his head to stare out the window and didn't answer.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Would you at least admit that you have a crush on her?"

"I'm not a fucking teenager, Percy."

"You like her. Maybe you don't love her, but you like her. You want to kiss her."

Nico blushed. He couldn't deny that he'd wanted to kiss Thalia since their second meeting. He almost had a few times, but he'd chickened out. The last time he'd kissed anyone was in high school.

"Ha!" Percy crowed in triumph, pointing at his friend's cheeks.

"Fine!," Nico snapped. "I've thought about kissing her."

Percy threw his head back and cackled.

"Eyes on the road!"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up, Grandma," he grumbled. "Invite her to the party."

"What?"

"Our Christmas party. Tomorrow. Invite Thalia. If you're lucky, I'll even put up some mistletoe."

Nico narrowed his eyes. "Don't you fucking dare."

Thalia clenched her fists as the radio launched into another version of Jingle Bells. As much as she loved Christmas music, by the time Christmas actually came around she was ready to throw the radio and all of its terribly sung Christmas carols out the window.

Thalia was in a bad mood, and the fact that she was in such a bad mood so close to Christmas was putting her in an even worse mood. Jason and Piper were visiting Piper's parents in San Francisco, Leo was going to a mechanic's convention in North Carolina, Rachel had somehow been talked into going to Austria with her parents, and even Nico had some party he had to go to. She was alone for Christmas.

She'd gone out and bought seven Christmas movies, four cans of hot cocoa, five bag of marshmallows, four cans of whipped cream, two tubs of vanilla ice cream, a bottle of vodka, and three bags of gummy bears – when she was eighteen she'd learned that if you put gummy bears in vodka they'd soak up the vodka, and now they were her go-to alcoholic snack – so she wasn't worried about having a bad Christmas necessarily. But she would have liked to share her cheesy Christmsa movies and hot chocolate and vodka-laced gummy bears (which were currently soaking in a bowl beside her on the counter) with someone.

And if that someone turned out to be Nico, well, that would just be better.

Thalia jumped at the sound of the doorbell ringing, then ran to answer it. If she was lucky, it would be Nico. She pulled the door open with a smile on her face, which fell slightly when she saw who it was.

Or rather, who it wasn't.

"Hey Thalia," Piper said cheerfully.

"Hi Piper," Thalia answered. She stepped back to let her sister-in-law through. "I thought you and Jason were leaving today."

Piper shrugged off her blue parka and hung it up, then made her way into the kitchen. "Our plane isn't until four. I wanted to come give you your presents before we left." She help up a plastic bag with three packages.

"Oh, that's okay. I can open them when you get back."

"We've got more waiting for you. This is just for Christmas morning. We were worried you wouldn't have any."

Thalia glared. "There are other people in the world who give me presents you know."

"Oh, that's right. That boy you met. What's his name? Nick?"

"Nico."

"Right. Has he asked you out yet?"

Good old Piper. Always to the point. That was why Thalia liked her.

Except now, that is.

Thalia really didn't want to talk about Nico with her sister-in-law, but Piper wasn't going to leave her alone. And Thalia really did need to vent.

"No."

Or just give one word answers until Piper stopped asking.

Piper grinned and hopped up on the counter. "Have you asked him out?"

"No."

This really wasn't helping Thalia's mood.

"Well why not? You obviously like him. You text me every day with some new thing that Nico did or something he said. You're like I was when I first met Jason."

"Piper, you were in high school when you met Jason. Every teenage girl does that."

"And you're acting like a teenage girl." Piper rolled her eyes. "Face it, Thalia, you want to kiss him."

Thalia sighed and leaned her head back. "He's Italian. His last name is literally 'of angels'. Of course I want to kiss him." He's gorgeous, Thalia thought, but had the good sense not to add.

Piper bounced on the counter, her grin stretching across her face. "So ask him out!"

Thalia crossed her arms. "You didn't come here to deliver presents, did you?"

"I came to help you get a love life. You've been single for almost ten months."

"Not everyone thinks that's such a bad thing."

"Thalia." Piper gave her a look. "You have an Italian guy who works in a jewelry store and isn't crazy. And he spends just about every minute possible with you. He likes you, Thalia! Why haven't you asked him out yet?"

"What do you mean 'he isn't crazy'? Have I ever had a crazy boyfriend?"

"Do you want a list?"

Thalia closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You've been spending way too much time with your sister."

Piper smacked Thalia's arm. "My sister lives in France, I haven't spent any time with her since July. And that's not the point! The point is…"

"Oh, just leave," Thalia interrupted. "If Nico wants to ask me out, then I'll say yes. Now you have a place to catch."

"That's not until…"

"Go."

Piper sighed and slid off the counter. "Fine. But remember what I said. You should ask him out."

Thalia had the strangest feeling that they were going in circles. "Good bye, Piper."

"Merry Christmas!" Piper called, and a moment later the door closed.

"Right," Thalia muttered to herself. "Merry Christmas."

Nico wasn't going to ask her out, and she knew it. He didn't even like her, not like that. He was too good for her. He was smart, he was funny, he even spoke two languages (which was sexy as hell). He was perfect. He was better than alcoholic gummy bears. And she was just Thalia.

He was never going to ask her out. And she could survive being just friends with him if that was all she got. Even if she really wanted to…

Her phone rang.

Thalia sighed and dug her phone out of her pocket. She answered without checking caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Thalia." Her face lit up. It was Nico.

"Hey, what's up?"

Nico swallowed. He was sitting in Percy's car while Percy looked for the least pathetic tree he could find. "Do you have plans tomorrow night?"

Thalia blinked. "I have a date with cheesy Christmas movies and vodka-laced gummy bears, but I could cancel. Why?"

There was a pause on the other end. Then, "Vodka-laced gummy bears?"

"Yup. They're really good."

"You like anything with alcohol." As soon as he'd said it, Nico slapped his hand to his face. Why was he so terrible at this?

But Thalia just laughed and agreed.

Nico grinned. "So if you can tear yourself away from your movies and gummy bears, my friend is having a Christmas party tomorrow night and we could probably fit one more."

"I'll let you know if I find anyone interested."

He laughed. She didn't notice the nervousness in his voice, and he wiped his hands on his jeans. "Do you want to come?"

Thalia grinned and leaned back against the counter. "What time?"

"Seven-ish. We'll probably eat dinner around eight."

"What's for dinner?"

"Pizza."

Thalia rolled her eyes, still grinning. After what she'd heard about Percy from Nico, she shouldn't have been surprised.

"Well if there's such fine cuisine, I guess I have to come."

Nico laughed again. Through the windshield he saw Percy struggling to get a small tree through the gate of the farm they'd found (after driving for an hour and a half and getting lost twice). "I have to go help Percy with the tree. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Five."

"Five."

"See you then. Have fun with your tree."

"Bye."

Thalia pressed the end button and stared at her phone. Then she pulled up a new message and texted Piper.

He invited me to a party. Does that count as asking me out?

A few minutes later her phone vibrated with Piper's response.

YES!

Thalia grinned.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered. "He actually did it."

"Percy!" Nico yelled from his place on the couch.

"What?" Percy called back. He was in the kitchen preparing bowls of chips.

"Get the door!"

"I'm busy!"

"It's your house, idiot."

Percy dropped the bag he was pouring into a bowl and walked to the door, grumbling. He pulled it open to reveal a girl he didn't know. She was wearing a red t-shirt with black jeans and a leather jacket. Her eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner. On her head she wore a Santa hat.

"I don't know you," Percy said. He turned around and called, "Hey Nico, there's a really hot, scary girl at the door. Is she Thalia?"

There was a thumping noise, and Nico came around the corner, grinning. "Hi," he said. "Nice hat."

The girl raised her hand in greeting. "Thanks. It's kinda cold out here," she said. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure This is Percy. Ignore him, he's an idiot."

"Must be why you two are friends." Thalia stepped through the doorway and into the kitchen. "You give really terrible directions, but the way. I spent half an hour looking for this plae."

Behind her, Percy laughed. "I can see why you two are friends," he remarked, chuckling. "Nico, help me bring food in."

Three hours later more people had arrived – Percy's girlfriend Annabeth, Percy's roommate Grover and his girlfriend Juniper, some people Percy worked with, some people Annabeth worked with, and other people who's connection to the four friends Thalia didn't know – and pizza had been eaten. At some point after dinner alcohol had been brought out, and the living room was full of the sound of drunken singing.

Nico and Thalia were sitting in the doorway watching the others. "Your friends are pretty cool," Thalia said, taking a sip from the bottle of hard lemonade next to her.

""I don't really know most of them," Nico responded. "Only Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Juniper."

"Where'd you meet them?"

"Percy and I went to school together. He, uh…" Nico chuckled. "He saved me from some bullies in third grade."

Thalia laughed. "You got bullied?"

"Hey, it was traumatizing. I had to see the guidance counselor every week for all of junior high."

"You just don't seem like someone who would get bullied. You're too…" she waved her hand up and down.

"Too what?"

"You know…like, scary. You're all tall, dark and creepy."

Nico laughed. "Yeah, well, I used to be a scrawny little kid who got beat up all the time."

Thalia lifted her hand and ruffled Nico's hair. "You're not scrawny anymore," she promised.

Grinning, Nico knocked her hand away from his hair. He looked back at the people in the living room, who had begun singing Jingle Bell Rock at the top of their lungs. "Percy was already friends with Annabeth and Grover moved here in tenth grade. After high school Annabeth went off to college, Grover joined an activist's group, and Percy got a job as a swim coach. Grover met Juniper at a Save-the-Trees rally or something. He moved back here after he realized that you can't really live out of hotels for your whole life." He shrugged. "They're crazy, but they're my friends. I'm not so good at making new ones."

Thalia nodded. "I remember."

They chatted through a few more renditions of Jingle Bell Rock, then Blue Christmas, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, and a few others that neither recognized and were probably made up, until the last of the party-goers who weren't staying the night had gone home. Finally Percy and Annabeth announced that they were going to bed (although neither Thalia nor Nico thought that they would actually sleep, at least not for a while) and Grover pulled Juniper into his own bedroom, probably to do the exact same thing as Percy and Annabeth.

"Nico," Thalia said when they were alone, still sitting in the doorway.

"Hmm?" He turned his head to look at her.

Thalia pointed at the ceiling, and Nico glanced up to see what she was pointing at. He leaned his head back and groaned when he realized what it was. "Oh, God. I told him not to put any up."

She laughed. "It's a tradition."

"Tradition be damned. I'm never speaking to him again."

"You know," Thalia set her bottle down beside her. "There's another tradition that has to do with mistletoe."

Nico picked up his head to look at her. She bit her lip, the first time he'd ever seen her less than confident. Was she serious?

Throwing caution to the wind (and deciding that he'd blame it on the alcohol if anything went wrong) he leaned forward, cupped her cheek, and kissed her.

A few seconds later he leaned back, panic growing in his stomach. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I…" he began.

She cut him off by laughing. "Nico, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't want you to."

He stared at her. "Oh," he finally squeaked.

She laughed again, and gave him another short kiss. When she pulled back, her eyes were sparkling. "Remember what I said about the movies and gummy bears yesterday?"

He blinked a few times before remembering what she was talking about. "The ones soaked in vodka?"

"I still have them at home. And all the ingredients for the best hot cocoa you've ever had."

Nico laughed and kissed her again. "Cheesy movies, hot chocolate, gummy bears, and alcohol? I'm in."

"And maybe some making out on the couch." Thalia stood up, brushed imaginary dust off of her pants, and held out her hand to help him up.

They began walking towards the door. In the kitchen, Thalia stumbled, and Nico just barely caught her. "Yeah, I think I'm driving."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "It's Christmas, stop being such an ass." She stuck her hand in her pocket, pulled out a small plastic bag, and offered it to him. "Gummy bear?"

I almost wrote what happened afterwords, but I decided to leave it up to your imagination.

I have never tried gummy bears soaked in vodka, but I really want to. I found the idea online, and apparently it works, because my friend has had them. I think it's an awesome idea. But anything involving gummy bears is amazing.

I love gummy bears. I actually asked all of my friends for them for Christmas.

I just uploaded a new chapter of White Rose, you should read it. I have a chapter of Along the Way finished, but it's saved on my computer so I can't upload it yet. I might have it up tomorrow, if I can get to the library.

Well, I hope you all have a great Christmas, and I might upload something next week, but I'm not sure.

Review, and go read White Rose! Merry Christmas!