"Come on Leo, we were meant to have left by now!" Nico growled from the sofa in the corner of Bunker 9.
"But – Just – Gah! – Oops – Nico! Help!" Leo sputtered from somewhere in the Bunker.
Nico jumped up and began his search of the bunker. It wasn't long before Nico found Leo with a shelf on top of him. Nico laughed and crossed his arms.
"Help me please." Leo said from under the shelf.
"What were you doing? How did you even..." Nico laughed again.
"I was climbing them for your information." Leo said indignantly as Nico held up the shelf.
"And why were you climbing it?" Nico sighed.
"To get these of course!" Leo said proudly as he got up a dusted off his dungarees.
Nico looked at him, "Get what?"
Leo rolled his eyes and picked up two woolly things... Jumpers? Oh no! Not Christmas jumpers!
Once Nico figured out what they were he started backing up, "Oh no! No, no, no!"
"C'mon Nico!" Leo begged. "Please? Look, I got them especially for us!"
Nico looked at the jumpers. It was easy to guess which one was his. It was black with two skeletal reindeer on it. Leo's was green with two mechanical robins.
"Fine." Nico gave in. Leo was giving him his 'but you loooooove me' look. "But I get to wear my jacket over it."
"Sure." Leo smiled, thinking Sally would probably make him take it off when they got to Percy's Christmas dinner party thing.
After that Leo took very short amount of time getting ready and within five minutes they were on their way.
The two were taking public transport as Leo didn't want to shadow travel and Nico didn't really think it was appropriate to arrive on the now fixed Festus. A giant golden, fire breathing, metal dragon landing in the middle of New York city? Not such a good idea. So there they were on the New York subway. Just two children of the gods, one from 1930's and both back from saving the world.
"How weird is it to think that five months ago we were flying on a giant ship in Greece saving the world?" Leo smiled.
"How weird is it to think that four months ago we weren't dating?" Nico replied.
"Are we gonna tell them?" Leo asked worriedly.
"I don't know... I don't really get on with them that well. Jason knows I'm gay, but he's the only one."
"Wait, how does Jason know you're gay? Before me?" Leo asked.
"After you guys saved me, when Percy and Annabeth were in Tartarus remember when Jason and I went on a quest? A mini one. To get the stupid spectre thing for raising the dead. Anyway, to get it we needed to face Cupid." Nico was really quiet now. "Stupid Cupid. He... Well he forced me to face love. To face who I am."
"Is it wrong that I'm glad he did?" Leo said as he snuggled into Nico's shoulder.
"No. It's a good thing. I just wish he hadn't done it the way he had. Though to be fair I probably wouldn't have admitted it otherwise." Nico sighed.
"So... Are we going to tell them?" Leo asked. "I think we should discuss the pros and then the cons."
"Well I've only come out once. It wasn't the best experience but Jason... He was really supportive. He's a good friend. I'm sure he'll be just as supportive – no – more supportive for you. He is your best friend after all." Nico replied.
"You're my best friend. You, Piper and Jason." Leo said. "And I think Hazel, Frank, Thalia, Annabeth and Percy will be just as supportive for you. Hazel is your sister and will be glad to know you're happy... You are happy right?"
"Of course I am Leo." Nico smiled. "Thalia will be happy that you're no longer hitting on her."
Leo groaned. "Don't ever mention that again. Ever." He laughed. "Annabeth and Percy will be happy that you're no longer that estranged emo death kid."
"Estranged emo death kid?" Nico said mock offended. Then he laughed. "Yeah you softened me right up." He pecked Leo on the lips quickly. "Frank will be happy that you definitely don't like Hazel like Sammy did."
"Demigod love lives are just so weird aren't they?" Leo laughed. "Piper..."
"Piper will love it. She is the daughter of the Love goddess. Besides, she gets a gay best friend. Isn't that every girl's dream or something?" Nico replied.
Leo rolled his eyes. "Ok then. Cons..." He took a deep breath. "What if someone... I don't know... Is homophobic?" Leo had a panicked look in his eyes.
"They won't be." Nico said but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more that he was Leo.
"But what if they are?" Leo whispered.
"Then we can go find ourselves better friends." Nico replied confidently. "And we'll still have Nyssa and Will and the Stolls – they all know. Hades the whole camp knows!"
"What if Piper says love doesn't work like that?" Leo whispered.
"She won't. She loves you. Cupid is love and he made sure I knew that love can exist anywhere. Even between two boys. Zephyrus, or Flavonius in Roman, fell in love with a man. He was turned into a flower but that's not the point. What I –" Nico refuted Leo furiously.
"Nico." Leo interrupted. "Calm."
Nico took a deep breath. "What if Hazel thinks it's wrong? She's from roughly the same time period as me! Two men being together... It just... Wasn't looked on very nicely. What if she still thinks like that?" Nico whispered quietly, making sure no one heard him talking about being from another time period.
"Nico. She's your sister. She'll never, ever, do something like that. If you can accept that you're gay then so can she." Leo replied sternly.
"Yeah but Leo I hated myself for the longest time. I thought – Well I just –" Nico replied helplessly.
"Nico. I love you." Leo said, taking hold of Nico's cold hand, warming it instantly.
"I love you too." Nico sighed, resting his head on Leo's shoulder. "So we're telling them huh?"
"Wh-wha-I-" Leo spluttered.
"Leo we've shot down every reason for not doing it. I think the whole point of this pros and cons thing was to determine –"
"Yeah ok!" Leo interrupted. "Ok. We're telling them."
"We're telling them." Nico repeated.
There was a moment of quiet where the two boys listened the rustle of the tube car, the quiet unintelligible sound coming from someone's headphones and the muttering of two women talking about Christmas presents and Turkeys.
"I'm scared." Leo whispered, dropping his head onto Nico's shoulder again.
"Me too." Nico replied, kissing the top of Leo's head.
"That's a pretty big con right? It should count for two." Leo said desperately.
"Leo." Nico said. "Even if it counted for two we'd still have more pros than cons."
The tube car pulled to a stop and some teenage boys – roughly Nico and Leo's age – got on the car.
"Haha, faggots." One with a large nose and greasy hair laughed when he saw Leo's head on Nico's shoulder and the two holding hands. His friends all laughed too.
Nico glared at them and Leo's hand gripped his harder.
"You small minded little shits." A girl stood up from where she had been sitting a few seats away from Leo, with a strong English accent. She too was their age, she had long crazy curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was very pale but had very red cheeks, causing quite a contrast. But a nice contrast.
"What did you say? Fatty?" The boy asked, his friends still grinning and sniggering.
"I said 'you small minded little shits'" She said slowly and patronisingly "And by the way, is being fat really the worst thing you can be? Not homophobic, racist, discriminative, vindictive or downright bloody minded?" She sounded really disgusted.
The boys looked really uncomfortable as she went off on them. Some passengers were smiling at the girl. Some were giving her, Nico and Leo dirty looks.
"You're just upset because no one would ever want to touch you. Ten out of ten, would not bang." He laughed.
"Dude." Nico growled getting up. "I think you've done and said enough. No one cares about what you have to say. You mean nothing to me, to my boyfriend" Nico still got a bit of a thrill every time he said that. "Or this girl." Nico looked at her and she nodded. "Just go sit down. You don't bother me, I won't bother you, get it?"
"Stay away from me, I don't want to catch anything." He sniggered. Both Nico and the girl gave him a 'What the Hades' look.
"Well he was sucktastic." Leo said from behind Nico and the girl. "Hi I'm Leo." He smiled at the girl.
She had really nice wild curly hair, at first he thought it was just dark brown but now it looked more indigo. Her brown eyes were big and her lashes were dark, making them seem bigger. Her nose was small and pointy but she had large cherry cheeks, the type that seemed to be constantly pinched by grandma's or whoever. Her wide angular jaw and full plump lips, her lower lip bigger than her upper lip. She had three freckles under her right eye that really seemed to complement her somehow. She had a few spots on her forehead and chin but other than that her face was relatively clear.
Her outfit was another story in itself. She wore a black vest with a burgundy wrap cardigan over it. Her burgundy jeans were waist highs and suited her well as she was very curvy. Instead of a belt she had a scarf wrapped around her waist. Her necklace had various things hanging from it such as a bauble, a feather, a string of beads, a piece of plastic popcorn, a cassette tape and a sock. No comment... She was wearing odd shoes too, one black boot, almost knee high. The other boot was yellow Doctor Martin's.
"And I'm Nico." Nico said as he sat back down next to Leo.
"Hey Leo and Nico. I'm Jenna. But please don't call me that. I hate my name but haven't come up with anything interesting yet." She introduced herself as she sat opposite the couple.
"That's... Cool. Have you thought of anything interesting yet?" Leo asked.
"Well I really like weird names. Crazy weird stuff like Bonidafica or Colabanya. But I really hate the name Bonnie – which is a possible nickname so... But Anya would be a nice nickname for Colabanya... But I'm not so sure about Colabanya." Jenna mused.
"Bonidafica." Leo said. "Colabanya."
"Do you like original stuff or do you like looking to mythology?" Nico asked.
"I wouldn't mind a recycled name as long as it was somewhat mystical." Jenna replied.
"I'll tell you when I think of something." Leo laughed.
He really liked this girl, she wasn't afraid to stick up for what she thought was right. She even had a life goal that seemed interesting for once. She reminded him a bit of Rachel, Camp Half-Blood's eternal maiden, mortal, oracle. Especially the hair.
"Thank you for defending us when those asshats –"
"No need to thank me. They had it coming. Those mothering mothers." Jenna said venomously.
Leo choked out a laugh, "Mothering mothers?"
"Oh right." She grinned lopsidedly. "In school I'm always trying not to swear so I ended up saying things like 'you mothering mother!' instead of swear words. After a while I ended up saying it all the time."
"I am so using that." Leo laughed.
"It's kinda bad using 'mother' as a swear word but that way I don't get in trouble." Jenna smiled.
There was a small moment of silent as the tube car slowed to a stop again.
"I think you should tell your friends. Also don't be scared, unless their anything like those duckers over there." Jenna said nonchalantly.
"Duckers, classic." Laughed Leo as Nico frowned.
"How did –" Nico began.
"I overheard you guys earlier. Not all of it but... From what it sounds like you guys have got some good friends. I think they'd be really supportive."
"Thank you." Leo said. "It actually really helps."
"It's just not... That easy." Nico sighed.
"Also no offense but... Um... How have they not guessed already? The way you two look at each other just makes it so obvious." Jenna asked. "Also, you guys are super cute around each other. Seriously adorable."
"Well my best friend Piper and her boyfriend Jason – also my best friend. Ya, I feel like I'm third wheeling all the time. Anyway they went to school together." Leo started.
"Our two friends Percy and Annabeth are in college and haven't been back since September. Before we were going out." Nico added.
"Thalia, Jason's brother and Annabeth's best friend, lives with her aunt and rarely sees us. She travels a lot and only sees us on special occasions." Leo continued.
"My sister Hazel and her boyfriend Frank live far away. San Francisco actually. They're up for the holidays." Nico finished.
"Oh! And we go to a boarding school. We haven't been out since... August?" Leo quickly added.
"Yep. Otherwise we probably would have seen Piper and Jason a lot more. Not that I know them that well." Nico sighed.
"That's not true. You get on with Jason quite well. Piper will love you when she gets to know you. You used to be so closed off before and with everything that had been going on –"
"Yeah yeah yeah." Nico sighed. "Sorry Jenna." Both boys looked at her sheepishly.
"No it's great." She said. "Well, not your discomfort but I want to be a counsellor when I'm older, or a therapist."
"No offense but I don't really feel like spilling my guts to a random stranger." Nico said.
"I wasn't suggesting that you should." Jenna smiled as the tube car rumbled to a stop. "This is my stop. I like you guys, here's my number if you ever want to meet up." She gave us a piece of paper and one more crooked grin, "And, even though it sounds like you don't know each other's friends amazingly well... I think they'll really like you. I do." And with that she got off the car.
"Well she's interesting." Nico managed.
"Unlike her name." Leo grinned.
"Really?" Nico laughed. "No, really?"
"It's why you love me." Leo sighed.
"I love you anyway." Nico smiled a small smile.
"So much has happened and we haven't even got to the party yet!" Leo sighed exasperated.
"This is going to be a really long day." Nico groaned.
"How are we going to tell them?" Leo asked.
"Huh?" Nico asked.
"I was just thinking that it would help if we planned out what we were going to say. And when." Leo mumbled.
"That's a brilliant idea." Nico grinned. "Unlike this sweater idea. If that doesn't tip them off I don't know what will."
Leo burst out laughing causing several passengers to give them odd looks. "Okay how about we do it before we give out presents?"
"Sure." Nico mused. "Especially considering what I got you." He mumbled under his breath.
"Should we do it early in the party so we don't get cold feet?"
"And then we can spend the party not hiding."
"You will not be freaky emo kid." Leo said fiercely.
"I was not freaky!" Nico growled.
"You kept creeping up on people scaring them. You stayed on your own. You gave everyone – especially me – dirty looks."
"Not Hazel." Nico grumbled.
"What I mean is that now you're so much more open. You have inside jokes with Nyssa. You got the whole dining pavilion to applaud you, especially the Stolls because of the prank you pulled on Will. You introduced us to way better music. You have spent the last few months at Camp Half-Blood. Four whole months Nico!"
"I guess you're right. It's been nice... To have friends. Though, you have been the reason for me staying so long." He mumbled the last part but Leo heard this time.
"We only started dating in October." Leo asked, confused for a moment.
"But I liked you in September." Nico mumbled blushing wildly.
He had gone with Leo to Camp Half-Blood in August and that's when they'd become friends. The others had all gone off to either New Rome or in Piper and Jason's case, school after a week of being at camp. Nico and Leo gotten to be good friends over the rest of August and eventually became best friends around September time. That's when Nico realised he liked Leo in a different way. At first it freaked him out because he thought he'd ruin their friendship. Leo was his first proper friend and he didn't want to do anything to ruin it. But more than that, Leo had gotten him to open up, gotten him to get integrated more into camp life. Soon enough he made friends there. And all of it was because of Leo.
Leo could literally feel his heart get lighter. Sure at first he and Nico hadn't gotten on well. Then after the war they became friends. By the time it was September they had become best friends and Leo feelings had started to change. It was the first time he had ever liked a guy like that, Hades it was the first time he ever liked anyone like that. He didn't want to do anything about it thought, Nico was the first person he'd ever felt truly connected too. They'd had similar experiences and their personalities complemented each other. He didn't want to ruin that. But also he didn't want Nico to go back to how he used to be. He was still very similar but more out there than before. More than that however, Nico was the first person Leo had ever really opened up about his mother to, about how he dealt with everything through humour. Nico helped him to not hide anymore.
"I liked you too." Leo smiled, eyes on Nico's.
"I loved you in November." Nico continued blushing.
After they'd started going out it wasn't awkward. Sure they'd never done anything like it but neither of them ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend before. So everything was new. But they were also best friends, so they were able to talk about almost everything. They both shared more about themselves than they had with anyone, ever. That's when Nico realised he was in love Leo. When he didn't even have to tell Leo what was wrong or that he was upset. When Leo could cheer him up by just entering the room. When he realised he could do the same to Leo.
"I loved you in November too. Still do." Leo but his lip to stop laughing.
"I still love you too." Nico rolled his eyes.
"So we're gonna do it before presents. Will that be before or after dinner do you reckon?" Leo wondered.
"It'll be before dinner." Nico said. "Dinner will be before presents. We can catch up, come out, eat dinner and then give and get presents."
Both of them took a deep breath. "Piece of cake." Leo squeaked.
"How will we tell them?" Nico asked.
"Um... I don't know. How do you... What will we..." Leo bit his lip.
"I guess we could... Um... Well –" Nico fumbled as the tube car rumbled to a stop.
"Wait what stop is our stop?" Leo asked.
"Um, *I'm British so I don't know subway stop names*" Nico replied.
"Shit! We need to get off!" Leo said loudly. Both boys jumped up and high tailed it out of the subway station.
"Nico!" Leo shouted as soon as they spilled onto the street.
"What? What's wrong?" Nico asked slightly worried.
"It's snowing!" Leo yelled as he ran around for a moment. Then he seemed to notice Nico was just standing there looking at Leo with a slightly amused expression. "What?" He asked innocently.
"You are adorable." Nico said simply then pulled Leo in for a deep kiss. He wrapped one arm around Leo's waist, the other still holding Leo's hand. Leo was surprised at first but then he grinned into the kiss. His free hand going around Nico shoulders. Soon he let go of Nico's hand to twist it into Nico's soft, black, shaggy hair. Nico's hand went to Leo's back between his shoulder blades.
"I think it should snow more." Leo said against Nico's lips.
"Honey, it's not the snow." Nico growled in Leo's ear.
"That was so gay." Leo gasped as he burst out laughing.
"What?" Nico frowned, his arms still wrapped around Leo's waist.
Leo stepped back out of Nico's hold and cocked his hip, one hand on his hip the other bent. "Honey, it's not the snow." He repeated sassily as he clicked his finger.
"Are you seriously stereotyping yourself?" Nico asked Leo incredulously.
"Honey, I'm just making a point." Leo carried on. Nico sighed and grabbed Leo's hand.
"Honey what's wrong?" Leo laughed as Nico dragged him towards Percy's apartment.
"Shut up Leo." Nico moaned as they went along.
"Oh honey, I love it when you moan like that." Leo said. That brought Nico up short.
"What?" He asked, face bright red.
"I..." The awkwardness of the situation dawned on Leo suddenly.
They had kissed (a lot) and moaned in pleasure while doing so, they'd never really commented on it. Sure Leo had practiced and found out what made Nico moan as had Nico to Leo. They knew what turned each other on. They knew lots... But they never really discussed it.
"Let's just keep going." Nico said.
"Yeah, we're going to be late." Leo agreed.
"Hi Sally, sorry we're late." Nico said breathless. Leo had raced him up to the eighteenth floor where the Jackson's lived. Leo was next his, breathing heavily.
"That's fine dear! Come in, you look... Why are you out of breath?" Sally asked slightly confused. She stood before them with her hair in a ponytail with a piece of tinsel used as a hair tie. She was wearing an apron that read May the fork be with you and both Nico and Leo had the sneaking suspicion that Percy had got his mother that apron.
"I won." Leo said breathlessly. "Oh hi Mrs. Jackson – or Blofis? I'm Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, etc, etc."
"Call me Sally, dear. I've heard a lot about you. Percy tells me everything." Sally smiled. "You sound like a very interesting young man."
"I am, I really am." Leo agreed.
"Really?" Nico asked Leo, exasperated. "Sally, you really shouldn't tell him things like that."
"It seems you have made a very good friend Nico." Sally smiled, secretly delighted that Nico had made a friend, especially with how close these two seemed.
Nico snorted. "I wouldn't exactly call him that." He said with a sly look at Leo, who also rolled his eyes.
"Anyway! We mustn't stand out here all night! Come in, come in!" Sally insisted. "Everyone is in the living room."
Nico and Leo headed toward the living room as Sally went into the kitchen.
"Ready?" Nico asked.
"They're gonna go crazy." Leo sighed.
"One, they are already crazy." Nico grinned "And two, you're even more so."
"That's why you love me." Leo said. The two looked at each other, their eyes showing their inner panic.
"I love you anyway." Nico smiled.
Leo took a deep breath as he pushed the door open. "S'up guys?"
"LEO!" Piper squealed as she leapt up from the sofa she had been lounging on to trap Leo in a death grip of a hug.
"Hey man!" Jason grinned as he wrapped his arms around both Leo and Piper causing them all to burst out laughing.
"Nico!" Hazel cried as she scrambled up from the floor to tackle Nico.
"Hey there little sis." Nico laughed as he hugged her back. Leo really has changed me. Nico thought. Before I would have just stood here, hugged her awkwardly
"Oh sweat Thamyris, I'm becoming human." He said so quietly as Hazel pulled back that only Leo heard, as he too was released from his 'hug *cough* death trap'
"It's a good thing." He whispered back.
"What no else wants to hug me?" Leo asked mockingly. Nico wanted to hug him but... Not yet. Instead Percy came over and swept both of them up into a mammoth hug.
"Percy... Wow... Can't breathe..." Leo croaked.
"Dying... Here... Percy..." Nico choked.
Percy released them with a sheepish look. "Sorry guys." He laughed.
"Hey Nico." Annabeth said and gave him a small, hesitant hug. He hugged her back to her surprise.
"Hey Annabeth, how you been coping with Kelp head here at college?" Nico asked.
"It has been surprisingly good actually." Annabeth laughed quietly. Nico nodded signally he didn't really have anything else to say. "Ugh, how are you flamio?" Annabeth asked as she pulled Leo in for a hug.
"I'm doing great! How about you? How are you coping with Kelp head here at college?" Leo asked as he squeezed Annabeth.
Annabeth pulled back. "Nico asked me the exact same thing."
"Huh." Leo said; his heart racing. "I guess we're all just surprised you guys have managed this long."
"Well it helps that no monsters can really get us into trouble in New Rome." Annabeth replied.
Annabeth, Percy and Piper sat back down as Jason gave Nico a one-armed hug that made Nico feel awkward and Hazel hugged Leo.
Hazel and Jason retook their places as Leo and Nico looked around, unsure of where to sit.
"Death breath!" Came a voice behind him. Nico groaned.
"Hey look, it's Lady Zap-a-lot." He replied.
"Shut up." Thalia grinned as she hugged Nico, completely ignoring Leo. "How are you doing sir Corpse-a-lot?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "Really? Stealing off me?"
"Shut up." He rolled his eyes as she gave him a glare and went to sit down without even looking at Leo; who simply rolled his eyes.
Piper and Jason were both surprised but relieved to see that apparently didn't seem to care... They were suspicious, they could feel that something was different about him.
"Hey guys I've got... Oh hi guys." Frank entered the room carefully holding glasses of juice in his arms. "When did you – whoa!"
Frank fell forward but Nico caught him and Leo took some drinks out of his hands.
"We got here a few minutes ago." Nico replied as he took the rest of the drinks out of Frank's hands. Both he and Leo started handing them out.
"Thanks guys." Frank said, sitting down next to Hazel.
"Welcome." Leo replied as he handed Frank his drink, smiling.
Both Hazel and Frank were shocked to see Leo act so nice around Frank. They didn't have the best relationship. Hazel was surprised that the awkwardness between them had disappeared altogether.
Nico and Leo took the last sofa; it was only big enough to seat two, making it a love seat.
After that Piper and Jason told of their school drama. The usual flirting and bullying that came with school. Bullies always seemed attracted to demigods, or maybe it was that demigods always stood up for people.
Annabeth and Percy had some funny college stories and their run ins with Octavian. They had also made friends with Gwen and Dakota, plus a few more.
Hazel and Frank talked about New Rome and all the change he had made. How working with Reyna was. That Hazel had been promoted – by Reyna – to centurion after Dakota followed Gwen to college.
Thalia had good story about the Hunters and Artemis. They found a monster in Texas and ended up chasing it all the way to Florida. There was something interesting that happened along the way but neither Leo nor Nico were paying enough attention.
"So Leo, how's camp? I'm sorry for leaving you there alone." Piper said.
"Alone?" Leo asked. "It's a camp with over a hundred kids. I couldn't be alone if I tried."
Jason rolled his eyes. "You know what she means."
"Do I?" Leo asked innocently.
"Leo's been hanging around with Nyssa and Will. Also the Stolls, I'm not sure who's the worst influence." Nico smirked as Leo threw him a glare.
"You were at camp?" Percy asked.
"Yeah he didn't leave." Leo sighed dramatically. "It's been horrible."
Nico gave him a glare and had the urge to stick his tongue out but didn't. He didn't know anyone here like that yet. He was close... ish, with them but... It was like there was an elephant in the room that only he could see. So he knew how and why it was awkward, and so did Leo, but no one else saw how their questions were off putting or hard to answer.
"You stayed there for four months?" Thalia asked surprised.
"Yeah... Why?" Nico asked, frowning, worry tightening in his stomach.
"Well, you usually don't stay for more than a week at most, let alone for four months!" Percy exclaimed.
"Well... I had more of a reason to." Nico said awkwardly. "Can we just..."
"You met somebody!" Annabeth figured out, grinning like crazy. "You're going out with somebody! You are dating someone. Or at least you like them a lot."
"Ooh tell us!" Hazel begged.
"Who is it?" Piper wondered.
"What cabin?" Percy mused.
Only Jason and Frank stayed quiet. Frank because he felt extremely awkward. Jason because he knew Nico was gay, and he also knew how Nico felt after meeting Cupid. Moreover he doubted Nico would be sharing such information considering the way he was acting now.
Nico and Leo shared a panicked glance, that to them, was thankfully missed.
"Just tell us Nico!" Annabeth grinned like crazy. She had feared that Nico liked her. Now she knew he liked – maybe loved – someone else.
"Come on Death Breath. Please?" Thalia asked. "I want to know who has managed to melt your heart!"
"No!" Nico snapped. "Please just, stop." He groaned as he dropped his face in his hands
"Leave him alone guys." Jason muttered.
"Anyway..." Leo coughed. "Nothing much has happened at camp. The Apollo cabin decided to –"
"Forced by the Aphrodite kids." Nico coughed.
"– let the other cabins – well individual people – to sing a song at the camp fire instead of them. They were only allowed to play back up if requested to."
"It was weird." Nico put in.
"Wait!" Hazel said. "Leo, you know who Nico's going out with. Don't you." She didn't phrase any of it like a question. She knew that Leo must know.
"Can we just drop it!" Nico moaned. "At least, for the moment."
Nico got up and went over to the snacks table. Hazel quickly followed suit and Leo could just hear an apology. Leo smiled as he watched Nico smile a tiny little smile, the type that Leo would usually tell a million bad jokes just to see it grow to. He loved the way Nico was with Hazel, it was really nice to see him around her. Leo knew how much he missed Bianca, it had taken a while but finally Nico opened up to him, told him everything and Leo had done the same back.
"Leo? Leo!" Jason's voice knocked him out of his reverie.
"Hmm?" Leo looked up.
Piper giggled, "Leo." She said rolling her eyes. "You alive in there?"
"Yes Beauty Queen." Leo smiled back as Frank went over to talk to Percy and Annabeth went to apologise to Nico too.
"Please tell me something interesting happened at camp. I hate to think of you there just... In Bunker 9 on your own all day." Piper said, eyes filled with concern.
"It's fine Pipes, it's not like when I was building my Argo II. Besides, lots of the Hephaestus come to the Bunker all the time, we're exploring, finding all these amazing blueprints and inventions around the place. It's seriously amazing! Besides as Nico said, I've made friends with Nyssa and Will and the Stolls and some others." Leo said, desperately trying to think of something. The truth was that he spent so much time with the Ghost King that he didn't do much else.
"And what's Nico been up to?" Jason asked. Leo tensed up straight away. "I'm not trying to get anything out of you Leo." He said calmly. "I just hope he's ok..."
Piper smiled at him. Eyes full of that 'aw you're so sweet!' gooy stuff. Leo knew that maybe sometime he might do that to Nico but right now... He didn't like it much.
"Nico's doing great. Absolutely fine." Leo muttered.
"I'm so sorry Nico!" Hazel squeaked as she came up behind Nico. "So, so sorry! I know it's your business and I shouldn't be sticking my nose in –"
"Hazel it's fine. I overreacted. Thing is... I..." Nico took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm just really not good at... telling people things... about me and stuff." He finally got out.
"I know Nico and I'm so sorry!" Hazel hugged him quickly.
"It's fine Hazel. Really. I will tell you... Things. Just later. I promise." Nico said. "Actually, promise me that you'll force this out of me later. I'm not sure I can do it without some sort of coercion, the gods know that's how I told–" Nico cut himself off.
"Told who, what?" Hazel asked.
"Just promise me please." He asked.
"Sure Nico." She nodded.
That's when Frank came over and Nico took the chance to slip away. He saw Leo having a conversation with Piper and Jason. Gods he really does belong here, Nico thought, He can talk to them so easily. As well as most of the others. Then there's me who can just barely talk to my own sister.
"Where do you think you're going?" Thalia's voice made him jump as he got to the door.
"Whoa Thalia!" Nico yelped. "I was just um..."
"Don't you dare skip out on this little party." Thalia said. "You think you're the only one? I'm here for Jason –"
"And you're best friend Annabeth and Percy – who you're good friends with too. Then there's Piper who you get on with really well."
"You would too if you gave them a chance." Thalia murmured.
"It's really not that easy." Nico sighed. "I've tried. Really I have. But I find it hard with living people."
"Why?" Thalia asked.
"Because what would I say?" He whispered.
"Well what do you say to your dead friends?" Thalia asked.
"I wouldn't call them friends per say..." Thalia gave him a hard look. "Well they usually call me 'lord' or 'master' –"
"I'm gonna stop you right there and say that no one will call you such names." Thalia began.
"Let me finish!" Nico stopped her from carrying on. "So they call me things like that so I tell them not to and that creates a conversation, from there things are easy. I do have some friends but I have no idea how I became friends with them, well I do, without –" Once again Nico stopped himself.
"Without... Who?" Thalia smiled.
"Not telling." Nico growled and then left them room. He really did wish they wouldn't force it out of him. He'd asked Hazel to because he thought she should know, but Thalia knew he felt awkward about these things. He knew it was probably hypocritical but...
He bumped into Sally as he stood in the hall.
"Hello Nico. Need some tea?" She asked. That's why Nico liked Sally, she didn't press anything. She just let it be.
"Yes please." Nico sighed gratefully.
"So Leo." Thalia said casually. Both Jason and Piper watched her not wanting Leo to say anything awkward.
"Yes?" Leo asked, completely normal and a small smile.
"I was just wondering about Nico." She said. That made Percy, Hazel, Annabeth and Frank fall silent.
"Gods can't you guys take the hint that he doesn't want to tell you! If he won't then I won't!" Leo growled. "Not unless he wants me to, ok?" Then he stormed out too leaving a shocked group of demigods in the living room.
"Do you need some tea too?" Sally asked as he peered into the kitchen, looking for Nico, who he'd seen storm out a minute before.
"Yes please." Leo smiled as he sat down next to Nico at the table. Sally crossed the kitchen and went about making some more tea.
"Are you ok?" Leo asked Nico worriedly.
"I'm fine. It's just too much at the moment, I'm sorry. I wish I –"
"No!" Leo said fiercely. "No Nico. It's not just you. I'm scared too. And Thalia..."
"Thalia." Nico growled.
"Here you go." Sally said putting the cup of tea down in front of him. "I hope you two feel better." She said with a smile and went back to cooking.
"I like her." Leo said. "She remind me of my mom."
"I don't really remember my mom." Nico said. "I was dipped in the lethe so I never can but... I like to think this is what my mother would be like. Sally is like a second mother to me."
"I'm glad." Leo smiled.
"To Thalia too. And Annabeth. And to anyone. She's the best. You can see where Percy gets it." Nico said.
Leo laughed, "Yeah I really can."
"Hello?" Said a new voice as a head popped around the kitchen door. "I've got the milk and extra crackers!"
"Oh Paul honey," Sally smiled at her husband. "Give it here. Thank you darling. You know Nico, and this is Leo."
"Hello there." He smiled at the two boys as he put his coat and bag on one of the chairs. "So what brings the two of you to the kitchen? You do know there's meant to be a party in the living room?"
"Yes we do know." Nico sighed. "It's just..."
"People ask a lot of questions." Leo sighed, glancing briefly at Nico. Nico caught his look and blushed, as did Leo.
"Ah, I see." Paul said. "Have you told them yet?" Eyebrow raised.
"Wha-how-huh?" Leo asked as Nico cast a glance at Sally who was humming to herself as she cooked.
Paul laughed, "You two keep looking at each other the same way Percy and Annabeth look at each other. Your friends may not see it but I do. Loud and clear." He chuckled again.
"Oh well..." Leo blushed even harder.
"Please don't tell yet... We... I... Well..." Nico fumbled again and internally curse himself.
"We don't know how to tell them." Leo sighed.
"Hmm... I see your problem." Paul nodded. "But just trust that, once it's out you'll feel like an enormous weight has been lifted. I've met each and every person in that room and I can honestly say that they will not judge you if that's what you're afraid of. I even think that Piper and Hazel will be exceptionally pleased." He smiled at them and then went to help Sally.
"Now that's an awesome father figure." Leo said.
"Tell me about it. Percy deserves it though." Nico sighed.
"Yeah he does. With his luck he really does need people like this to come home to." Leo agreed.
"Ready to go back in?" Nico breathed.
"Yeppers peppers." Leo chirped.
"Really?" Nico laughed as they got up.
"Yep, it's why you love me." Leo grinned.
"I love you anyway." Nico smiled. "Thank you for the tea Sally."
"And thank you Paul... It's nice to meet you." Leo smiled.
"Oh you're welcome dears." Sally smiled.
"It was a pleasure." Paul smiled too. "Good luck."
"And remember, our kitchen is always open." Sally laughed. Then came a knock at the front door. "I'll just go get that."
The three walked out of the kitchen, Sally toward the door and the boys toward the living room.
"Hey guys." Leo said awkwardly.
Seven heads looked up, some from the floor and some from the sofas. Everyone smiled which was nice.
"We had tea with your mom." Nico added.
"You mom and step-dad are awesome." Leo finished.
"I know." Percy smiled. Thalia opened her mouth and was about to say something when Sally came into the room behind Nico and Leo with someone.
"I'll just get the sugar, you wait in here. The kitchen is a mess! My son is has his friends over." Sally said as she walked in. Everyone turned to the new person to see a girl with crazy dark curly hair that looked indigo, brown eyes and scarf as a belt.
"Jenna?" Nico and Leo asked simultaneously.
"Oh hey guys!" Jenna smiled. "Fancy seeing you here."
"What are you doing here?" Leo asked.
"My dad needs sugar for whatever the heck he's making in the kitchen so my mum sent me to the neighbours!" She smiled crookedly.
"Then why did you get off a stop earlier than us?" Nico asked.
"I had to get last minute presents because I'm a terrible human being. Can I guess who is who?" She asked.
"Go for it." Nico grinned. All three turned to the bewildered seven seated in the room.
"OK... Hmm... Curly hair is... Hazel, your sister right?" She started.
"Yep." Nico grinned, popping the 'P.'
"Uh, Frank is the boy next to her, boyfriend girlfriend yes?"
"You know it." Leo smiled.
"Thalia's spikes over there next to blondie... Annabeth I think. So that means green eyes is Percy." Jenna deduced.
"You're good at this." Nico complemented.
"I know." Jenna grinned. "So that leaves Leo's best friends, Piper and Jason!"
"Correct on all accounts." Leo laughed.
"Well I usually am." Jenna said cockily.
"I'm sorry but, who are you?" Thalia asked.
"And how do you know these two?" Piper asked.
"Oh I met them on the tube – er – subway this morning. You Americans are so weird." She grumbled the last bit.
"You still seem to know an awful lot." Annabeth said wearily.
"Well we got into a
conversation about being gay and coming out and stuff. These guys were really worried about coming out." Jenna said.
"Jenna!" Leo blurted.
"What?" She asked. "Oh you haven't told them have you!?" She clamped her hands over her mouth.
"Told us what?" Percy demanded. The others had all figured it out but all looked as though they were in shock.
"We were actually about to." Leo started. "Nico and I..."
"We..." Nico cough. "I don't know how to say it..."
Both boys looked pleadingly at Jenna to explain. It was kind of chickening out but...
"Nico and Leo are gay and dating. They're super adorkable, on the subway they were holding hands and Leo had his head on Nico's shoulder and they were discussing the pros and cons of telling you guys – which is how I guessed who you are. You really suit your names – anyway. These guys got on and were being homophobic so I stood up for them and then they insulted me and Nico got up and was all like 'Hey! No cares, leave me, my boyfriend and this girl alone.' And then we started talking and NOW YOU KNOW!" She even sang the last part."And if you don't accept them then I'll be forced to kill you all and adopt this adorkable couple here." Jenna added.
"What is 'adorkable'?" Nico asked.
Jenna laughed, "Oh right. That's a mash up or 'dork' and 'adorable' because that what you two are. You guys are really different than on the tube, gods damn it! Subway!" She added.
There was a moment of silence and then...
"Hi guys! Sorry I'm so late! Sally just let me in... Why do I get the feeling I just walked into a really awkward moment." Rachel Elizabeth Dare stood in the door of the living room.
Sorry guys but I'm gonna leave it there because I AM EVIL! *coughs awkwardly* anywho...
I hope you guys like my GhostFire! Or whatever you call it.
Oh and Jenna, I semi-based her on someone I know and someone I made up. She may or may not have some me in there...
I will add one more chapter! Maybe two if you want an epilogue!
Oh and if you're wondering who Thamyris is, he was the first man to have loved another. I was thinking that if I did an epilogue, and if I decided that Leo and Nico adopt or somehow get hold of a child, they might name it Thamyris. But he didn't exactly have a happy story. He died because he challenged the muses to music contest and obviously lost. The other man was Hyacinth, who we all know. Or should know, both Apollo and Zephyrus and he died because of jealousy between Apollo and Zephyrus. So yeah... Those are my choices...
VALDANELGO FOREVER! Xxxxxx
ABNC (Adorable British Nose Club)