The Story Of Nico

This is the story of a girlWho cried a river and drowned the whole worldAnd while she looked so sad in photographsI absolutely love herWhen she smiles

"Does he ever smile? I've never seen anything more then a smirk from the Son of Hades." It was one of the girls behind me and Nico, just her voice was annoying, high-pitched and frilly, but her words were worse. Of course my boy smiled…not very often, but he does.

Of course my boyfriend, Nico Di Angelo son of Hades, never takes notice of these things. The not very subtle hits that he doesn't fit in or belong at camp, but I know he hears them. I also know he hears that I never speak up against them…but he hears me rant about them too, when it's just us two.

Before we got together and the rest of the camp found out (thanks to the Hermes cabin), the hints for him to leave were more often and even less subtle. I'd find him crying in the woods, or in his cabin and do what I could to comfort him. Back then I fought them too…the bullying has long since stopped but we get the teasing hard.

Normal couple, that's what we are, a normal couple…ish. We hold hands at the campfire, go down to the beach together where I give him an air-bubble to breathe underwater with me, and we make-out in the shadows. Taking both our personalities into our relationship.

We take lots of pictures like a normal couple too, and he smiles. It's a sad smile though. Lips turned up slightly, but eyes dead. That's one thing that made me fall in love with him. His dead eyes. As ironic as it sounds, their beautiful. I do love when he smiles, though it happens more right after I kiss him gently then any other time.

Now how many days in a yearShe woke up with hopeBut she only found tearsAnd I can be so insincereMaking her promises never for realIt became common for me to wake up with Nico in a huddle in bed with me, he was always careful not to wake me when he got in, and never touched me until I woke and put an arm around him. Nico would then practically fly into my chest and a few seconds later I'd feel his tears. I'd try to calm him, but it never worked. Finally I'd whisper softly in his ear, "I love you."

Smiling happily with tears still staining his cheeks and eyes he'd answer, "I love you too, Perce."

"Forever." That was the only thing that would get Nico to laugh, saying that we'd be together forever, because we both knew that it wouldn't for real.

That was what had happened that morning, but now we were heading to lunch holding hands tightly. Walking in silence that was never awkward, because nothing needed to be said.

As long as she stands there waitingWearing the holes in the soles of her shoesNow how many days disappearWhen you look in the mirrorSo how do you choose

I tried to get him to let me buy him more shoes, but he always said no.

"They have character." He'd say. "What you call hole, Perce, I call character and personality. There shoes have been through a lot with me, and it wouldn't be right to just dump them."

I'd laugh openly whenever he kicked his shoes off and his feet were covered in dirt because of the holes. He'd glare before flashing me with one of his rare smiles.

One of the reasons we were bullied so much was because Nico had gotten me into wearing make-up. Yep, big hero Percy Jackson wears make-up now. I always went for the more natural look, cover up, light blush, a little eyeliner and mascara. Nico was more of an extremist with heavy eyeliner, dark eye shadow, black lipstick, and lots of mascara. You could always tell when we'd kissed, because I'd have his lipstick on my lips.

It had become something we always did together, putting on make-up. If he hadn't already he'd sneak over to my cabin and we'd do our make-up at a table I had put in there. Normally he'd come over early and we'd just be finishing at breakfast time…there was a lot of kissing in there. But that was one time that nobody could take away from us, because most people didn't know that we did it together. It was our time, and that was why I wore the make-up…to have that time with him.

Your clothes never wear as well the next dayAnd your hair never falls in quite the same wayYou never seem to run out of things to say

One thing that can be both a curse and a blessing is the fact that Nico is bipolar. One day he's wearing brand new clothes (like yesterday) and today he decided that they weren't his style and didn't fit right. Or his hair will be black for a week, then I'll wake up and find that he dyed it white in the middle of the night. We never run out of things to talk about, though he did most of the talking (which surprises most of the camp whenever I tell them).

Now how many lovers would stayJust to put up with this shitday after dayNow how did we wind up this wayWatching our mouths for the words that we sayAs long as we stand here waitingWearing the clothes or the soles that we chooseNow how do we get there todayWhen we're walking too far for the price of our shoes

We fight a lot, but with in a few hours I come running back to him. Being careful of what comes out (it would never do to say I love you right after a fight) while begging him to take me back. Though I'm never sure why, I'm always the one down on knees wanting to be let back in. I guess he has better stamina or something.

Now since coming out, I've turned into the classic gay man. Make-up, shopping, actually caring about what I look like. Luckily Nico was okay with my "still getting used to it" thing and would help with it. We went shopping about weekly now. Although we normally didn't buy anything, it was good to find out the fashion trends and what didn't work for me. After going to several stores trying to find cheep shoes (which takes hours!), we'll give up and go to Hot Topic for Nico to shop. It was fun, but I never thought I'd be the kind of guy to shop at Hot Topic…they have cute stuff…for Nico.

This is the story of a girlWhose pretty face she hid from the worldAnd while she looks so sad in photographsI absolutely love herThis is the story of a - girlWho cried a river and drowned the whole worldAnd while she looked so sad in photographsI absolutely love herWhen she smilesWhen she smiles!

Today Nico broke all the unspoken rules. He turned to face the girls (who were giggling and talking nonsense about Nico), flashed them a smiling that was normally hidden from everyone but me, and batted his eyes in the "I want something, Percy." way (when directed at me, to everybody else it was the "You've got it all wrong" bat), and said in his high, sexy voice that took them by surprise, "I'm pretty when I smile, which is why only Percy ever sees it. I don't care what everybody else thinks."

I laughed openly at the dumbstruck look on the girls faces. It was like they thought he was mute or something and he'd just started yelling instead of his calm tone. Surprising to all of us there (but Nico) he joined in my laughter. Black lips parting perfectly to let the tinkling sound of his laugh out. It always sounded like the laughter of an angel that was raised in Hades and was told that he was never to laugh…at least to me.

Still laughing he grabbed my hand and practically skipped to the Dining Hall, dragging me with him. Once at the entrance we stopped and he smiled brightly at me, "Did you see the look on their faces?"

"Unforgettable, my demon!" I answered, still chuckling.

"I love you, Perce." It was the first time that he said it first and my answer came easily,

"I love you too."