I sit bolt upright in bed, covered in sweat.
I don't remember what happened in the dream, or what it was about, but I think it had something to do with Annabeth. All my dreams do.
It's been four days since Annabeth told me the truth, and it's been killing me. I've spent a lot of time in the arena, doing sword practice, as I always use that time to relieve some stress.
Nico's been helping me. He gets me up in the morning. He gets me a meal if I miss it. He basically helps me through the day. I keep asking him why he does it, but he looks at Jason and says it doesn't matter. Scratch what I said before, I really don't get Nico.
I get changed in a hurry and leave the room. Only a few campers are awake because it's so early, but I can see Jason talking to Piper outside the Aphrodite cabin, so I walk over to them.
"Hi, Percy." Piper says as I get near enough to talk to them.
"Hi. Jason, can I have a word?"
"Yeah, sure." We walk in the direction of the canteen to get breakfast.
"Why is Nico doing all this for me?" I say as we get out of Piper's earshot.
"And back again." He says, turning around hastily.
"Jason!" I grab his shoulder and block him.
"dude, he'll tell you in his own time!"
"he'll never tell me, that's why I'm asking."
"my lips are sealed, sorry bro."
"so you do know?" I mutter to myself, "hey, Piper!" she'd been standing outside the Aphrodite cabin, studying her dagger as she waited for Jason. I signal for her to come over and she does.
"yeah, what?"
"can you still use charmspeak."
"yes, but I don't like to, it's unethical."
"yes, very unethical. Not to be used under any circumstances." Jason trys to break free of my grasp, but I'm quite strong considering I've done nothing but cry for the past four days.
"jason's been keeping a secret. From you, from me, from all of us."
"jason? You said you told me eveything." Piper looks hurt and I feel a stab of guilt, but it goes away just as quickly.
"it's not really my secret to t-"
"jason, what's this secret you've been keeping?" Piper says in her charmspeak voice.
"it's Nico's secret." He says, shaking his head struggling to keep his mouth shut, "cupid, croatia, can't tell, mustn't tell-"
"Jason, what's Nico's secret?"
"can't tell, pain of death- hehasagaycrushonpercy" at which point, he slaps his mouth so hard it leaves a mark. I loosen my grip on Jason and see Nico walking down the steps from the canteen, a tray with my breakfast in his hands.
I run to him. I decide I won't tell him I know, not just for jason's sake (he's the son of Zeus, I think he can handle himself) but also to see if it makes more sense. Plus, it was my fault and I figure is he found out I knew, he'd probably turn the camp into a crater full of rubble and fried strawberies.
"hi, Nico"
"Percy, what are you doing up?"
"Nico, im fine, you don't have to look after me anymore."
"okay, are you sure?"
"yes, I'm sure." I can't believe how friendly he's being, "and Nico, why were you helping m in the first place?"
"you're my friend, Percy, does there have to be a reason?"
"I guess not," I take the breakfast with a "thank you" and walk down the hill, smiling. I finally get it.
I throw some of my food into the fire for Aphrodite. She said she'd make my love life more interesting. I thought she'd finished, but she's only just begun.
