No Point of View

Several weeks had passed since Leo had seen Ash. Nico found it oddly satisfying that Leo was still able to continue beaming on at his life. He had found it even more amusing, however, when Leo had started jumping all over the place, hopping around and snapping his fingers over and over.

The moment Nico realized that Leo had finally succumbed to the stress, his dry lips cracked into a smile. Together, the pair had been getting along just fine. Nico didn't exacter prefer Leo to solitary, but he found it better than being with a whole group or someone like Percy.

But understand they didn't actually get along that well.

They merely didn't get along badly either.

"Hey?"

"What's up, dude?" Leo grinned at him and stretched his arms behind his head. They sunk into his brown curls.

"Would you mind telling me that story again…?"

Leo looked up to the blue sky and clouds. He smiled. "Yeah, sure… but you better listen this time."

Nico turned his head to him. "…? I was—"

Leo interrupted him easily, and Nico shut up. His grin grew. The winds blew. It got quiet.

Time stopped for a minute or two. Nico found himself waiting on end for Leo to speak a single other word. And when Leo didn't, he scowled. "What did you interrupt me for if—"

"Sh... bro... I'm about to tell it."

Nico lowered his head and slid his pale cold hands into the tight pockets of his jeans. Inferiority was easy coming into his brain.

It got quiet again. The breeze slid into the gap of space between them and into the cracks of trees. The two continued walking.

Leo finally said a word, multiples of them really. Nico looked up then.

"Here's the story... of Arabella Nell."