Apollo couldn't take his eyes off the breathtaking creature that was standing in front of the bathroom. Nico was wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt that accentuate his well defined body, a black vest, black boots and a black pair of lose trousers that hugged his ass perfectly (Look at the picture of the chapter in my wattpad page please. I am horrible at describing clothes, so I am truly sorry if the description was crap). di Angelo was the perfect image of the hot mysterious bad boy of school, the one you are always afraid to get close to but can't stop yourself from lusting after. However, the God had to smiled at how the delicate blush of embarrassment, brought by being the center of someone's attention, broke that illusion "I'm ready to go" the son of Hades announced looking at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing. The demigod couldn't believe that he had dressed up nicely for Apollo, he even chose from the new clothes that he had bought with his half-sister Melirone. Nico was so focused on scolding himself that he didn't notice that the God had snapped them to another place, until he noticed the noisier environment "Where are we?".
"Why don't you look for yourself?" replied Apollo with a blinding smile.
Confused di Angelo did what the God told him to do, only to enter in a state of pure happiness and surprise "We are in a Mythomagic convention!" exclaimed the demigod joyfully. Even though he had told Percy that he was so over this 'childish' game, the truth was that the son of Hades was obsessed with it "You brought me to a Mythomagic convention for our first date... I was expecting dinner in the Eiffel Tour or watch a play on the Colon theater, something very romantic and godly extravagant " Apollo began to get worried with his decision of bringing his loved one here. He could have gave Angel anything and everything, but he chose to do something small because the God thought that the demigod would have appreciate it more. Maybe he was wrong... "If you keep on doing stuff like this, you are in an excellent path to gain my affection!"... or maybe not.
Apollo smile when he noticed that Nico was so excited that he didn't noticed what he had just said, that the demigod's words only made the God's hope grew nor lessen. He looks stunning, thought to himself Apollo, Running around the place with that big smile. Hi eyes shining, not dull by pain anymore, as if he was a child in Christmas. And I was the one that did that to him, not anyone else. Just like he was able to make me smile, a true one not the ones I put for show, so much more in less than a day than I did in a decade.
"Angel!" Apollo called out for him. I stopped breathing when he immediately turned around on his heels and flashed me a huge smile full of gratitude.
"Yes, Apollo?" the demigod's cheerful tone was like bells for the God's ears. But the blond frowned when he noticed that di Angelo stopped smiling and blushed embarrassed by his behavior, evading everyone's gazes by looking at his feet.
"Stopped doing that" the God demanded and hated how the son of Hades flinched. He surely misunderstood me, concluded Apollo in his head "There is nothing to be ashamed of" the God took Nico's chin and forced him to look at his blue eyes "Completely the opposite Angel. You should be proud of how beautiful you look right now, shinning with the love and adoration you feel for this game. Do you know how many people would like to feel a passion like that for something? If anyone insults you because of it, they are just jealous because you have something they don't".
The son of Hades was shocked by the words of Apollo, no one had ever told him something as sweet as the God just did. But what surprised Nico the most was that he believed those words, he was sure that they were honest and didn't have any other motive behind them.
Of course Apollo didn't lie, he is the God of the truth after all! scolded to himself di Angelo. Remember what you decided to do: have fun without caring if Apollo liked you behavior or not, the demigod reminded himself.
And Apollo really liked it when you are smiling and having fun, the traitorous voice talked again.
"I'll do my best to remember that" Nico said, as soon as he found his voice. The God nodded happily by the answer and he intertwined his fingers with di Angelo, before dragging him around the convention.
Damn it! I am acting as a teenage girl with a crush, walking behind Apollo like a lost puppy and blushing all along, the son of Hades screamed into his head.
But you are happy! the traitorous voice replied You haven't smiled this much since Bianca died. He is making you enjoy life again and you adore the butterfly sensation he is making you feel.
Shut up! the demigod demanded to the traitorous voice.
"Look Angel there is going to be a Mythomagic tournament" Apollo's voice brought Nico back from his thoughts.
"Really?! What class level is it?" di Angelo asked to his date.
"A class, isn't that the highest? Like professional level?" inquired the God, with no false curiosity like he normally fake with his other dates. Apollo didn't have to act interested because he wanted to know everything about the son of Hades.
"Yes, it is" answered Nico with longing eyes looking at the trophy.
Of course the God noticed that "Would like to enter Angel?".
"To enter an A class tournament I must have already won a B class one or two C class" replied unhappily di Angelo.
"Angel did you forget that I am a God?" Apollo snapped his fingers and announced cockily "Ready! Nico di Angelo is already listed as the winner of a B class tournament".
"You can't do that! I didn't win that tournament!" exclaimed the demigod angrily "If I bring home that trophy would be because I won it fairly, not because you gave it to me" Nico took a deep breath feeling suddenly guilty "I know that you just want to make me happy and give me what I want, but as I already said... it wouldn't be fair for the rest and I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I would do If I won it".
Hearing the little speech of his loved one, Apollo feel more in love with him. Normally all his lovers would greedily take everything he gave them and ask for more, they only care about his powers. But not Nico... he just wanted to enjoy the good time they were having and nothing more "Then win it Angel. I am sure that you are capable of doing it. I won't help you at all, you've got my word".
"Do you swear on the river styx?" Nico questioned, making Apollo feel bad.
I'll make sure that one of this days Angel won't need my vow to trust me, the God promised himself. "I swear on the river styx ".
"Ok, I'll enter then" decided di Angelo.
At the end the son of Hades won the tournament, playing with both of his decks, and took the winning photo with his date by his side (Do you still truly believe that you don't like Apollo?, the traitorous voice mocked Nico. Shut up! I only used his deck and took the photo with him as a thank you. Because without him I wouldn't have been able to participate, di Angelo replied din his head). Then they had dinner in a restaurant over there and laughed together at the shared stories. Apollo told his loved one about Olympus's craziest moments and Nico told the God about the Underworld's funniest moments. After Apollo won a fluffy teddy of Hades's helmet to di Angelo, in a position of archery. Also he bought to the son of Hades the complete Moon's deck, that the God had seen the demigod check a few times but didn't buy because it was very expensive. Finally Apollo snapped them in front of the cabin thirteen to say good bye.
"Apollo" the demigod started with a blush and a small smile "I had a really good time today, better than in a long time. So I just wanted to tell you thank you for everything".
"As you already said today Angel, I just want to make you happy. And not only during this seven dates, but for the rest of your life" the God replied with a smile of his own, but this one was bigger than Nico's and expressed all his hopes.
All the expectations that Apollo had been waiting for were reached, even surpassed. But from all the things he could have imagined happening, the next thing that di Angelo did was not one of them. Nico stood on his tiptoe and pecked the God's lips before rushing inside the cabin.
Yes! Apollo screamed into his head as he snapped himself to his palace.
"How did it go?" asked his twin sister that was waiting for him.
"It was perfect Arti, perfect" replied with a huge smile the blond God.