III

"Oh."

Nico's hands were shaking. He tried to get it under control, but that was like trying to hold back the ocean with a teaspoon. Unfortunately, that wasn't even the biggest thing Nico had lost control over in recent days.

Percy knew. Nico knew Percy knew. He'd seen it in his sea-green eyes before Nico panicked and fled into the shadows. The Son of Poseidon had been looking for him ever since, but Nico had used his not insignificant talents at hiding in order to stay under Percy's radar (though there had been a few close calls. Percy had always had an annoying knack for being able to sniff him out better than anyone else). It was probably stupid of him, but as soon as he realized that Percy was in the know now too, Nico had freaked. He'd been skeptical of Annabeth's plan from the start, but the temptation had been too much to resist right up until the armor around his heart failed him.

And now, Percy knew.

That brought the total of Demigods who knew his secret up to three. Two of which had topped his 'Must Never Know the Truth' list, and the third a virtual stranger who watched as he was humiliated and stripped bare of his defenses by the God of Love. Everything considered, it probably wouldn't surprise anyone that Nico was feeling more and more like he was losing what little control he had over his life.

This was probably why he'd decided to seek out one of the most important people in his life, the last one who's opinion he actually gave a damn about, who didn't already know his secret. He was sick of everyone finding out through forces outside of his control. At the very least, she deserved to hear it from him, in his words. He wanted control over that much, at the very least.

Now, though, he couldn't bring himself to look Hazel in the eyes, even though he knew she was staring at him with a stunned expression. His hands were shaking, and he could feel the dead stirring under his feet, despite his best efforts to keep them at bay. Hazel and Frank likely wouldn't appreciate an army of skeletons destroying their kitchen because he couldn't keep his emotions under control.

"Oh." Hazel repeated, a little numbly. She slid back into her chair, blinking at her brother in a dazed sort of way. Nico's hands shook harder, and the skeletons got harder to suppress.

"I… I just thought maybe you should know." Nico told his sister, though his eyes were focused on the dragon centerpiece on the dining table.

"You…" Hazel took a deep breath and leaned forward again. There was a slight pause for a moment before she reached forward and took Nico's hand in her own, grasping it firmly. "I don't…"

"It's okay, Hazel." Nico reassured his sister as he tried to pull his hand away. "Look, I have to go now, so-!" Nico's escape attempt was thwarted when Hazel held him firm though, stubbornness flashing in her eyes as her grip tightened.

"Stay!" Hazel commanded, giving him a firm look that surprised Nico a little. He'd always known his sister was strong- stronger then he could ever be- but she didn't often talk back to him. Shoulders tense, Nico studied Hazel's face carefully- the way her brows were not crinkled, the lip she was now worrying between her teeth, the way her eyes kept jumping from their joined hands to his face- as he waited for her to speak again.

Inhaling deeply, Hazel steeled herself, her grip on his hand loosening ever so slightly, so her grip wasn't so painful, but it still didn't allow for an easy escape.

"I don't know anything about… about things like that." Hazel finally admitted, blushing slightly as she looked at Nico. "But I know you're my brother. And I know that's not going to change, no matter who you like. And… I'm really happy. That you trust me enough to tell me this." Hearing those words made Nico feel like someone had just taken lead weights had just been stripped from his soul.

Hazel didn't lie to him. She didn't tell him that the way he felt was normal, or that no one would care if he was gay and that everyone would accept him if he told the truth. She didn't even say that it didn't weird her out. Because he was different, and it confused her as much as it confused him. But the fact that they were family was more important to her. And that meant she wouldn't reject him, or turn him away even if he was a freak.

Hazel's free hand came up to rest on Nico's cheek, and the Son of Hades was suddenly painfully aware of the fact that he was crying. Chocking back a sob, Nico leaned forward to bury his head in Hazel's shoulder, and Hazel responded by wrapping her arms around her brother's gaunt form and pressing a kiss into his dark hair.

The children of the underworld sat like that for nearly an hour, neither saying a word as Nico cried and Hazel comforted him the best she could. His younger sister smelled of the earth and bone, the faint, cold scent of their father's realm which was comforting in a rather perverse sort of way. In that moment, the rest of the world didn't matter to Nico Di Angelo.

That was the first time since the death of Bianca that Nico didn't feel completely alone.