PheonixFire316 : I'm happy you enjoyed it. I'll gladly continue as long as you're interested.

Thanks for the favorite and such.


It's about a month until Nico di Angelo hears from his favorite son of Poseidon again. He'd spent the month distracting himself constantly to keep from thinking of the disastrous night where certain truths came out but nothing good came of them.

Of course Percy Jackson wasn't hitting on him. What on earth could he have expected to happen from meeting up in a bar after ten years of silence? Other than catching up there was nothing more he could hope for. Just because Percy spent a portion (a very brief portion) of those years pondering on the possibility of his sexuality doesn't mean much of anything. And who said he was even pondering his sexuality so much as just the idea of Nico…? But still…

Jackson was bound to mature lots with that much time. And mature people can rationally think about past friends and what if's without having to place significant meaning to the thoughts.

They actually met on accident this time, though. Nico wondered if Aphrodite wasn't having herself a grand ol' time scheming it. But, really, two half-bloods in NYC were pretty likely to find themselves in similar places eventually. They did have an age-old habit of sticking together, demigods did.

Although he noticed Percy first, there was no way he would actualize their accidental reunion. Instead, the lanky son of Hades shrunk away into the crowd while hugging his boxed leftovers to his chest, but that would have been far too easy.

"Nico? That you, buddy?" came the ever familiar and enthusiastic voice he'd been dreaming of on and off again for the past fifteen years or so.

Nico only stopped and turned around because it was sort of impossible for him not to. He'd lost all his practice of resisting the other demigod's charm.

"Percy," he greeted, faintly aware of the blush creeping onto his gaunt cheeks.

For what it was worth, Percy looked like shit. Or, well, as much as an attractive twenty-something demigod can look like shit in a non-apocalyptic sort of way. He had bags under his usually bright, but now dim green eyes and hair that stuck up in weird places like he'd not washed it for a few days. This did not, however, stop Nico from drinking him in. It seemed that even after all these years, the son of Poseidon still could affect the smaller demigod without even trying.

It was maddening.

"Hey," Percy practically whispered. "I'm really sorry about that night in the bar…I don't know what came over me."

Nico forced a very thin and unconvincing smile. Latent homosexual tension perhaps? he thought, feeling himself smirk a bit. Percy gave an apologetic smile back and glanced at the plastic bag in Nico's hand.

"You already ate? Damn. I was gonna see if I could buy you dinner as a proper apology."

Oh, thought Nico. That sounds dangerously close to date like conditions. In fact, Nico's first and only reaction was to assume that Percy was trying to dupe him in some way. His eyes darkened and he took a cautious step back, unintentionally shrouding himself in shadows.

"I don't want your pity, Jackson," he spat bitterly. And he almost immediately regretted his overreaction just from the look of confusion and hurt that flashed across the older man's face.

Trying to mend the situation, Nico slumped his shoulders and took a meek step back towards Percy and offered a pathetic face. He couldn't deny Percy, really. Even if it terrified him to place his trust in anyone other than himself.

"I'm sorry, Nico," Percy told him, genuine and sincere. His eyes were glistening as if this were something he lost sleep over, something he'd been hashing out in his mind on repeat because it was so important to him. "I guess I'm the same foot-in-mouth asshole I've always been, but I want to make it up to you, really. Rachel's been telling me that us demigods? We're all we've got, you know, each other, and—"

Nico sort of stopped listening after that. He felt a lot of things about this whole situation, mostly curious, but definitely cautious. Percy was a noble guy. Sure he would feel bad about abruptly abandoning the ominous son of Hades in a bar when things got a little too gay. Nico was above lying to himself anymore, so he was fully capable of admitting just how awkward things had become that night, but nothing further than that.

But he was also able to acknowledge it was not his fault. Not entirely anyway.

So he indulged and gave Percy a slightly genuine smile. He was still babbling on about demigods and destiny and shit. Nico could almost pretend they were flying around on Argo II or lost in the Labyrinth back when they were relevant heroes.

"Would it be stupid if I asked to buy you a drink?" Percy asked, his eyes flitting around nervously. Nico knew not to mistake this as romantic jitters, but more as Percy's way of asking for forgiveness.

"You really need to unwind more often, Jackson," he replied with a smirk. Percy finally met the younger man's eyes and full on grinned back at him.

"Yeah, I know."

Several drinks later, the two of them were jovial as ever, laughing freely. Something unsaid had fixed whatever boundaries had been crossed before. And Percy was wise enough this time to not bring up the topic that was more taboo than ever because of the destruction it had so easily created. No, they could do this without having to talk about Nico's old crush on Percy's annoying, know-it-all, fourteen-year-old counterpart.

Or his current crush on the annoying, know-it-all, almost-thirty-year-old man before him.

The night ended on a high note, the half-bloods still laughing and a little drunk, clasping each other in a platonic and almost pathetic hug. But promises to meet up the next weekend were made.

And so the pattern continued for several weeks, not just limited to bar appearances, but seeing each other at camp. Drinking alcohol from their magic goblets like mischievous teenagers while smirking at each other as if in on some grand secret.

They did go to dinner eventually, too. It was mostly uneventful evenings sprinkled with casual conversation and small talk, but the third time they went out for dinner, it was…well, different.

Percy asked for a table for a two. Nico followed him as Percy rehashed his latest monster encounter a few days prior and how Mrs. O'Leary intervened and got hellhound slobber on a bunch of unsuspecting victims riding the subway at three in the morning. The maître d' led them, unintentionally, to a secluded corner of the restaurant, and left them with menus as Percy continued his story.

Nico could listen to Percy's heroic antics forever, possibly. There was something very intriguing about hearing someone speak of themselves in a self-deprecating way that made them humble, but still with moments of pride to inflate their sense of importance. It was almost impossible to tell stories like Percy did. Not that Nico had ever tried. No, his stories were never quite as entertaining to tell as Percy's.

Which was when Percy asked a pretty innocent question.

"When's the last time you saw your dad?" he asked, eyes too busy scanning the menu hungrily to see Nico's go wide. They were treading on dangerous waters, but really, it wasn't like they had agreed to never speak of Nico's being gay ever again. But, gods, Nico was scared that Percy was only here because of some unspoken agreement that Nico's sexuality would never be brought up.

He was much too deeply invested in the goofy son of Poseidon to let it all fall to pieces now.

So, trying to mask his discomfort, he picked up a menu as well.

"Ah, that was probably when I ran back to the Underworld after a particularly bad breakup," he offered. If Percy wasn't such a seaweed brain, he might have noticed the slightest sound of begging in Nico's voice. Please don't ask about the breakup. Please just change topics.

However, Percy is as clueless as they come, so his eyes glanced up to watch Nico as he asked, "Bad breakup, huh?"

Well, Nico thought, here goes. It's not like Percy wasn't aware that Nico was gay. He knew. Did he? Or did he think it was just him? No, he'd asked if Nico had a boyfriend of partner before. He knew.

"Yeah it was practically a year ago," said the younger demigod, eyes trained on the dinner specials.

Percy bit his lip for a moment, considering this.

"So why haven't you talked to your dad since then?" he pondered, vague curiosity replaced with explicit interest.

Nico, trying not to freak out, opened and closed his menu a few times before Percy yanked it from him. Sea eyes met deep pools of black. The mini-staring contest ended when a waitress asked what the boys wanted to drink.

Percy ordered a bunch of food (of course), but Nico was hoping to use his menu as a shield again couldn't decide yet. He snatched the menu back from Percy and buried himself in the appetizers as if he were truly interested. The waitress left and Percy found himself staring at a big fat menu instead of his sunken eyed, dimpled friend.

"Stop being a baby, Nico," he said seriously. "I'm not gonna run out the door if you tell me about a past boyfriend. Or a current boyfriend. I freaked once, but I'm not going anywhere, OK?"

Nico peeked from above his menu briefly before scoffing obnoxiously.

"Yes, I'm the one who has a tendency to overreact about this," he muttered dryly. Percy heard it, but gave a sarcastic look instead of getting truly annoyed.

"You're hardly the same kid who was obsessed with Mythomagic. Can't you believe—trust that I'm hardly the same person as I was years ago, or even months ago?"

Nico kept himself hidden behind the menu for a few moments longer, then slapped it down onto the table between them.

"Well, the guy I was dating was mostly dating me to get to his recently deceased lover. My dad was pretty upset when he found this out, assuming I was jeopardizing the whole Underworld security and whatnot. So we've been on pretty awkward terms. You?"

All that and Nico barely stopped for a breath. Percy gaped at him, partially amazed that he shared so much so readily, but also surprised about the content of what was said.

"I, uh, haven't dated any guys who wanted to—"

"Shut up, Jackson," Nico teased with a playful glint in his otherwise unimpressed, dark eyes. "I meant with your dad. You talk to him recently?"

Percy, almost unwilling to change subjects, reluctantly talks about his last visit to his dad's place a couple months ago. Something about his stepmother wanting to turn him into flash fried kelp made him smirk, but he otherwise didn't seem too committed to this story. Which was definitely unusual for Percy.

The waitress passed by and Nico ordered something. Percy fiddled with his napkin, but didn't bring up whatever it was that bugged him enough to make him push his food around more than eat it.

Dinner was finished and Nico laid several bills on the table and stood up to stretch which revealed a large patch of his flat, moderately toned abdomen. He was positive Percy noticed this, but not certain whether it could be considered being checked out seeing as it was Percy.

"Can I ask probably the stupidest question ever?" Percy wondered aloud. Nico felt his heart seize a bit in fear. Stupid questions could also be detrimental questions. Dangling his arms behind his head while he finished his stretch, he watched Percy gulp and avert his eyes almost begrudgingly.

Huh.

"Go ahead, Aquaman," he breathed. But Percy was rendered silent.

Nico, sensing his old friend had lost all bravado deciding to give the only answers he could assume were being sought. Slipping on his aviator jacket, he gave Percy an expression that read only of sadness and impatience.

"Let me guess. How on earth did I end up gay? What do the gods think of it?"

But Percy only gave a small shake of the head.

"I wanted to know what it's like, actually," he said no louder than a whisper. This was obviously more difficult for Percy to say than Nico to answer, but only marginally so. Nico went stiff momentarily before leading Percy out of the restaurant, preferring the cool night air to calm him down.

"Oh," he said when they were walking side-by-side in no general direction. "You mean sex?"

Percy choked—on what Nico couldn't figure out—and ended up hunched over coughing.

"Gods, Nico," he breathed heavily. "I just meant in general. Dating men, liking men."

Nico, glad for the upper hand felt confident enough to walk backwards in front of the handsome and flustered demigod with dazzling eyes and superman hair. His smile was predatory and…proud even. He knew more than Percy Jackson about something. Granted, it wasn't really anything profound, but still.

"I have nothing to compare it to," Nico teased. "But I would assume it's similar to being with a woman on the surface. Certainly not in terms of sex, though."

Percy was openly blushing now. And fiddling with his right ear like it was irritating him.

It was positively adorable.

Perhaps it was the empowerment of having the upper hand in the situation, but Nico felt absolutely devious and dared to flash Percy his bedroom eyes.

The nervous son of Poseidon, red as a rose, rolled his eyes and gave Nico a hard shove in the chest. The men laughed, lightly, but the air around them was noticeably charged.

"You seem pretty smug, Ghost King," teased Percy.

"Of course I am. You look like a dainty schoolgirl right now."

Percy lunged at him with a jokingly murderous glare, but Nico was too fast and left Percy to stumble into empty air where he'd once been. Percy, grinning madly now reached out and successfully smacked Nico upside the head.

"Schoolgirl!" he exclaimed, obviously bothered by the name. "You're such a brat, you know that?"

Nico flicked his tongue out. "You're just jealous that I get more tail than you do."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you think? Dude, I am Percy Jackson. Saved the world more times that I can care to count."

"Twice," Nico amended. "And you weren't even the most important person in either instance."

"But you can't argue with the fact that I am Percy Jackson," Percy quipped, laughing.

Nico scowled half-heartedly. "You're such an egomaniac," he spat.

Percy just smiled. "See? You know it's true. I'm charming."

Deciding this was a good a time as any to cut the night short, Nico leaned forward to give a brief hug to his longtime friend only to find the older demigod stiff in his arms.

"I'm heading home," Nico laughed quietly. "Not trying to spread my gay cooties all over you."

But when he pulled away to observe Percy's face, test the waters to see if an apology was needed, he was met with dilated pupils and heavy lidded eyes.

"Percy, what—"

Which was when Percy leaned forward and kissed the son of Hades.