"Really?" Leo asked Nico. "What?" He protested, eating his chicken nuggets. They were in the mess hall. Everybody else had left except piper, who claimed she had to "clean up". Nico knew that the plates were magical and therefore didn't need cleaning, but was glad for the extra company. Leo was... Different. Not tall and handsome like Percy but more like a really cute puppy. Like, adorable. Bouncy and happy, energetic, not half bad looking either. Nico stopped eating for a second and blinked. Leo didn't seem to notice, he was too busy attacking his tamales and glancing at a tablet. Nico shook himself a little and looked around the room, studying the plates, tables, anything but Leo. Piper was smirking from the doorway. Why was she here again? Nothing's to clean up, and Nico didn't really think that the daughter of Aphrodite was really THAT enthusiastic about labor. Wait a second... Daughter of Aphrodite... Nico turned bright red as the realization dawned on him. He glared at Piper, and she winked and left. He sighed and went back to his chicken nuggets, just in time to see Leo make a grab for one. Nico grabbed his wrist as quick as lightning, surprising Leo. "Wow, Nicky, I didn't think you were paying attention," Leo said, smirking as usual. Nico just have him his best death stare. Leo wasn't even fazed. Or maybe it was his big brown eyes that stopped Nico from really trying. They stayed like that for a bit, just long enough to make it awkward. Leo started fidgeting a little. "So, uh, ya mind letting me go? I mean I know I'm super hot but I need my hands." Nico stared for another moment, then let go. Leo started fidgeting uncomfortably. "A- anyways, I found the perfect tree to use for the levers. Its the strongest I could find, and I could make a few spares," Leo told him, pointing to the tablet, which was showing a map. Nico nodded. "And?" He asked. Leo looked around nervously. "Well I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me, since we both always get stuck staying on the ship." Nico's heart raced a little faster. Gods, why did he have to act so cute? Nico managed to reconstruct his poker face. "Sure. How're we gonna get it down?" He asked. Leo was still nervously looking around. He finally looked back at Nico. "Yeah, well I haven't really figured that bit out yet, but i figure the son of Death and a firebender shouldn't have a problem with one tree " Nico smiled. They had killed so many monsters and done so many insane things, chopping down a tree with a friend seemed too normal. "How hard can it be?" He asked, standing up. "When do we land to go get this thing?" "A few minutes. Go tell everyone, I'm gonna have to go put us down," Leo told him, leaving his plate and jogging to the deck. Nico turned around and went out the other door to go tell everyone and came face to face with Piper when he rounded the corner. "Soooooooo?" She asked, a knowing look in her eyes. "Soooo what?" Nico asked, trying to push past her. She casually moved just enough to block the hallway. "So Leo huh?" She asked with a smirk. Nico scowled at her, but that didn't prevent his face from getting red. "No idea what you're talking about," he told her, trying to push past her again. "I think you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about," she said, blocking him again. "That kinda sounded like a date." "What? The tree? No! If I was gonna take him on a date we'd go to like an ice cream shop or som-" Nico stopped, horrified. Piper's smirk got wider. "Ice cream shop huh? I'll keep that in mind," Piper said, finally stepping to the side to let Nico pass. He stormed past her, to angry at his own slip-up for another smart ass remark. He didn't want to take Leo on a date, they were just friends, Leo doesn't even like people like him, he was really confused and nervous and maybe just a little bit hopeful and just a gay teenage emotional wreck. He was good for fighting monsters and saving the world, but when it came to relationships he was at a loss.