Note: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus or their characters. This is my first fanfic so please rate and review. Constructive criticism is welcome. Rated M for language, sexual content in later chapters, and the use of drugs/alcohol.

It's been only three days since the seven demigods of the Great Prophecy stop Gaea and her forces. Nico has still yet to tell Percy, or anyone else, about his sexuality and his feelings. Percy has continued his relationship with Annabeth and they have grown closer than ever since their trip to Tartarus together. The celebrations were just ending at the camp and Nico knew it was time for him to go. The Romans and Greeks slept among each other at both camps and he felt twice as unwelcome at both places.

He woke up in the Hades cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Aside from his half-sister Hazel, who is still asleep, he is totally alone. He looks at his watch and sees that it is still quite early in the morning. His plan was to be gone before anyone else woke up so he didn't have to deal with questions or goodbyes. He gathered his few belongings; his three-foot long Stygian Iron sword, and his pitch black battle armor. It had remained here since the building was completed. He would've preferred having it down in the Underworld, but Percy, Chiron, and Annabeth, among other campers, had convinced him to leave it here as a reminder that he was still welcome. That never stopped him from staying in the Underworld however. He walked outside to have a shower before he went into the Underworld where such luxuries are nonexistent. He stepped out of the shower and got dressed in his typical all black outfit. His sword hung at his side and his armor over his clothes. After a second thought, he chose to leave it. He wouldn't be needing it any time soon. He began walking towards the forest to find a nice dark shadow to travel through.

"Nico? Is that you?" a voice said off to his right.

He stopped and looked, something he regretted doing as he did it.

"Where are you going, man?" Percy asked, walking towards Nico, who had resumed the trek to the forest.

"Hey! Nico!" Percy was now running to catch him before he disappeared.

Finally, Nico stopped and turned. "What do you want, Percy? Why are you even out here so early in the morning?" he snapped. It came out much harsher than he had wanted it to, almost as if he were mad at Percy's very existence.

"I couldn't sleep so I figured I might as well come down and practice my swordsmanship some more. What are you doing up so early?" That's when Percy noticed Nico's sword and the drawstring bag with his other things. "You aren't leaving, are you?"

"Of course I am. I may have helped save the world, twice, but that still doesn't mean I'm any more welcome here than I was three years ago when I realized I was a child of Hades." Nico sounded almost depressed as he said it, but he knew it was true. Children of Hades never exactly fit in anywhere. The radiated an aura of death the just pushed others away.

"What?! Of course you're welcome here. I don't think anyone would disagree. This is your home, you know that, right?" Percy capped Riptide and took off his armor. He hated when Nico talked as if nobody cared for him. "Everyone here is your family."

"Don't lie Percy, we both know that's not true. I've heard what people have said about me. That I'm a freak, even by demigod standards. I radiate death, Percy, and nobody wants to be around that." Nico could feel himself choking up a bit, but kept himself under control.

"That's not true, Nico. I don't think that about you. Annabeth doesn't, and neither does Chiron or Jason or Leo or Piper or Frank or Hazel. You've saved my life a few times, you helped me defeat Kronos. If you hadn't mentioned bathing in the Styx I would be dead right now. We all would be. You're a hero Nico, and a damn good one." Percy said, reaching out to rest a hand on Nico's shoulder.

Nico brushed the hand away and didn't say a word. Instead he turned around and walked away from Percy. He kept walking, ignoring Percy, till he found a shadow big enough for him. Just as he stepped into it to go to the Underworld, he felt Percy's hand on his shoulder. When they arrived in the Underworld, Nico was furious at Percy.

"Why did you do that, Percy? Why? Do you know how many people are going to be worrying about you when they wake up and you're missing?" Nico was almost screaming in his face, but Percy barely flinched.

"I did it because I couldn't live with myself knowing that you would be down here alone again for who knows how long," Percy shouted back.

"Why do you suddenly care that I'm alone? You couldn't have given two shits every other time I came down here." Nico shouted, almost collapsing from exhaustion. The shadow travel had taken more out of him then he had expected, and the yelling was more than he could handle. He could feel himself shaking and before he could take a step he fainted.

Percy caught him just as he fell. He had plenty of energy so he carried Nico till he found a good spot where they could rest. It was a small area on the edge of the Styx. While Nico rested on the ground, Percy sat on a chunk of obsidian and reminisced of the last time they were here, when he had taken a swim to become almost invincible.

After a while Nico came around while Percy was giving him some ambrosia and nectar.

"I was starting to worry. You've been passed out for a few hours." Percy said, putting the food of the gods away.

"What? That's impossible. I've shadow traveled plenty of times and was perfectly fine." Nico said, trying to sit up. He got a little light-headed but managed to lean his back against a rock.

"I don't know. All I know is that it was like 5:30 when we left the camp and now it's nearly 9:30," Percy said.

"That's strange. It must be because I was carrying extra baggage that I don't need." Nico gave Percy a pretty nasty look that could've turned Medusa herself to stone.

"Look, I'm sorry I followed you down here. I should've just left you to your own. But I need to talk to you about something important. Normally I would talk to Chiron or Annabeth or Grover, but I need to talk to another guy demigod about this. I feel it's something I should talk to you about before I say anything to anyone else." Percy shifted so he was shoulder to shoulder with Nico and rested his hand on Nico's lap. Nico felt a rush; despite what he had told Jason after their encounter with Cupid, the feelings he had for Percy never left. They were simply suppressed.

"Why would you want to tell me anything so important before you told Chiron? Or even your own girlfriend?" Nico left Percy's hand on his lap. It felt reassuring; like somebody actually cared about him.

"Because, Nico, it's… kinda… a little bit about… well, you." Percy moved his hand from Nico's lap and rested it on his hand. Not holding hands, exactly, but fairly close to it.

"Well, um… talk away then," Nico said. It was the first time Percy had heard Nico speak with so much affection in his voice. But it was also the first time anyone had shown any care for him since Bianca died.

"Well where do I start?" Percy said, smiling a bit.