I hope you like it! ^.^ R&R

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That weekend, Percy scanned the bleachers at the meet. He didn't see Nico anywhere. After practice, Percy caught Nico just as he was stepping down from the

bleachers onto the concrete. At 6'4", Percy was at least six inches taller, and when Nico looked up at him, they both froze in place. Nico's intense, dark

eyes were made even more dramatic with eyeliner, and there was something guarded yet aggressive about his expression.

Percy wanted him.

He was mysterious, and so far not a great conversationalist, and seemed to have no interest in Percy whatsoever. But he was pinging all over Percy's radar in an undeniable way. Percy wanted him. Percy wanted to get him hot and make him come. Percy had been the one to approach, but he wanted Nico to talk first. So he didn't say anything, taking the opportunity to notice details. Nico wore three necklaces, had five silver earrings in each ear, had four silver rings on his left hand and three on his right, and had "seven p.m." written in black ink on the back of his right hand, near six black rubber bracelets.

Finally, Nico raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"What's at seven?" Percy asked.

Nico frowned, like he had no idea what Percy was talking about. His expression cleared somewhat, but he still looked off-balance when he said,

"I'm meeting some people at the Burger Stop."

Percy nodded. "Can I come?"

Nico's eyes widened. He seemed to struggle with several responses, but he finally asked,

"Why?"

Percy wasn't usually this bold. He wasn't usually this into someone he didn't know, either. He wanted guys all of the time, but he was interested in Nico in some weird, primal way. He was interested in who Nico was and what Nico did and how Nico's life worked and whether Nico could like him back.

"I like the Burger Stop."

"It's almost seven now," Nico said.

Percy grinned. "So let's go."

Nico's gaze didn't drop, but he asked, "Shouldn't you get dressed first?"

Percy couldn't stop smiling. He was trying to flirt, and it might actually have started working.

"If I go into the locker room, you'll disappear."

Nico shrugged. "You know where I'll be going."

It was working. Percy couldn't believe it, but he didn't want to question it.

"Then maybe after I get dressed, I'll stop by."

Nico shrugged again. "It's up to you," he said, and started to walk on.

"Wait." Percy said it too suddenly, and Nico gave him a suspicious look.

"Which Burger Stop?"

"The one on Caesar," Nico said.

Percy relaxed. "Okay."

Nico walked away.

Percy watched him go. Percy didn't know which people Nico intended to meet, or how many of them, or for what purpose. He didn't know if they'd like him or laugh at him. He just hoped that they weren't going to get in the way of his new quest to be the first swimmer on the team to have a goth boyfriend.

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Nico didn't know what the hell to do now. Percy had approached him, again. And flirted with him. Why? Percy had invited himself to hang out with Nico. Why?

Did Percy want to be friends with him? That didn't make sense. He'd deliberately been unfriendly the last time they'd talked, so that Percy wouldn't come near him again, so that he'd be safe to crush from afar. He had a million fantasies, but he had no idea what he was supposed to do with Percy in reality. Did Percy want to do him? Percy was a very fit, very handsome athlete. Nico was pale and skinny and lacked some social skills. Percy couldn't possibly want him.

Although, what would be the point of flirting with him, then? Nico walked into the Burger Stop, going to the back to sit across the table from Ethan and Katie. Ethan said hi. Katie offered him her soda. Nico didn't know what to say. Should he warn them that Percy was coming? Should he not bring it up and hope that if Percy showed up, he could make it a nonissue? Should he get them to leave before Percy arrived? Should he make an escape, himself?

"What is wrong with you?" Katie asked. "Stop fidgeting."

Nico stopped twisting his rings and met her eyes. He could trust her, maybe, to play it casual and not make fun of him. He explained, as briefly as possible, too tense to pause for breath.

"I have a crush on this guy and he's on his way here to meet me and hang out but we've only talked twice so I don't know if he's interested."

"What?" Ethan asked.

"We'll be cool," Katie said calmly, like it was no big deal.

"What?" Ethan asked again, puzzled.

Katie ate one of Ethan's fries. "Some guy's meeting Nico here. They're trying to hook up."

"Oh," Ethan said. "Whatever." He went back to drawing a complex tangle of snakes on his arm.

"It's not Rico, is it?" Katie asked.

"What?" Nico asked. Then he realized what she meant.

"No. God, no."

He'd made out with Rico once, but he'd been drunk and horny and lonely and stupid. She nodded, eating more fries, seeming to dismiss the subject. Her casual disinterest in the subject gave him enough room to say,

"It's Percy Jackson."

He knew that she was deliberately giving him space and not pushing, and he appreciated it, but it was still nice to see her eyes widen in quick shock. She choked a little, and Ethan glanced up at that, to make sure she was okay, before going back to the snakes. Nico tried not to smile while she took a throat-clearing sip of soda.

Katie couldn't pretend to take things in stride anymore.

"The swimmer?" she asked. "The tall green-eyed guy?"

"Yeah." Nico had to smile, now. It felt great to mention Percy to someone. He'd been fixating on the idea of Percy in his head for so long, actually talking about the guy was startlingly freeing. Katie adjusted her bracelets, studying him.

"He's a swimmer. Swimmers are…"

"Joiners?" he suggested, getting ready for an argument. "Jocks?"

"Yeah," she said, "they are, but I was going to say, swimmers are hot. How'd you meet Percy Jackson?"

Ethan looked up. "Who's Percy Jackson?"

"That is," Katie said, looking at something behind Nico. "Damn, he's tall."

Nico tensed, fighting the urge to look over his shoulder. Had Percy seen him? Was Percy heading in his direction? Was-

"Hey."

One long, lean, denim-clad thigh entered Nico's field of view.

"Mind if I join you?"

Nico forced himself to stay cool. He could interact with Percy without shouting, "I'm obsessed with you!" Clearing his throat, he feigned a casual tone, glancing briefly in Percy's general direction.

"There's room."

"Hey," Percy said, taking the seat directly beside Nico. "I'm Percy."

"I'm Katie," Katie said. "This is Ethan. We were just about to go, actually, and-"

"We were?" Ethan asked, looking up, confused.

"It was great to meet you, though," she said to Percy as if Ethan hadn't spoken, standing up and pulling on Ethan's elbow to bring him to his feet.

"See you later," she said to Nico with a smile, and picked up her bag, walking away and tugging Ethan along.

Nico hoped that something really bad would happen to her in the parking lot.

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