Chapter 7

When Nico awoke, the first thing he noticed was Percy's strong arms around him. He smiled and watched the Sea Prince as he slept. Percy stayed asleep for a long time. At first, he dreamed of Nico and all the good things, but then the dream darkened. What if his father had said no? What if Hades had reacted differently? What if they changed their minds? Percy began to toss and turn, sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Percy?" Nico said. "Percy!"

Percy jerked up, smacking his head against Nico's. He looked around frantically, for a moment not knowing where he was. Nico rubbed his head where it had banged against Percy's. "Percy, it's OK. You're fine."

"What- what happened?" Percy was breathing hard. He glanced at Nico's concerned gaze and felt bad for worrying him.

"Percy, what's wrong?" Nico asked, taking his hand.

"I- bad dream. Sorry." Percy shook his head to clear it. It was easy since Nico was touching him. Everything was easier when Nico was around.

Nico climbed onto Percy's lap. "Are you sure?" He said, looking into Percy's eyes, concerned. "You can tell me."

"It's just a nightmare. I'm fine." Percy bit the inside of his cheek and stared at Nico.

Nico kissed him, his fingers in Percy's hair pulling him close. Then pulled away slightly. "Better?" He asked.

"Very." Percy smiled. Then his stomach rumbled embarrassingly loud.

Nico laughed. "Hungry?"

Percy blushed. "Kind of…very. You?"

Nico nodded and got to his feet. "Ready to shadow travel?"

Percy bit back a groan. "Sure just… Let me put a shirt on…"

Nico smirked. "If you must."

Percy pulled on a shirt then turned to him. "As much as I love you in my clothes…you're gonna need your own."

Nico looked down at himself and blushed when he realized he was still wearing Percy's shirt. "um, maybe we'll stop at my cabin first."

"Yeah…" Percy wrapped his arms around Nico. "Just get it over with…"

Nico shadow traveled to his cabin and Percy felt like he was going to throw up.

"Sorry." Nico said, hurriedly pulling off Percy's shirt and his jacket, grabbing one of his own shirts, and pulling it on. "Ready?"

Percy took a deep breath. "Yep."

They left the Hades cabin and headed for dining pavilion. Percy looked tense. Despite what he knew about Annabeth… What if she did tell everyone? They reached the pavilion and pretty much the entire camp was there eating breakfast. Nico tensed not liking being stared at by people. They always stared at him when he wasn't looking then looked away when he met their gaze. He felt the distrust heavy on his skin. Very few people at camp like him, so few he could count them on one hand; Percy, Grover, Tyson, and the Stoll brothers. Percy saw Tyson sitting at his table. When the Cyclops spotted him, he stood up and shouted; "Brother! Where were you yesterday?!" and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug. Nico smirked slightly at the sight of the great Percy Jackson crushed by his baby brother.

"Tyson… Can't… Breath." Percy gasped.

Tyson released Percy and patted him on the back, making him stumble forward. When he regained his balance, he noticed everyone starring and snickering. Then, Clarise stood and walked up to him.

"Well, well, well…look who finally came out of the closet." She tusked. "I should have expected you to be gay." Percy's face flushed red. "But you know…your 'love'," Clarise finger quoted the word love. "for Annabeth always made me think differently."

Nico froze and looked at Percy, his heart racing. What small part of him that thought their secret was safe vanished. Percy stared back at Clarise. He wanted to hit her, but he couldn't move. Nico couldn't bare it. He stepped toward them, his mouth opening without permission. "Leave him alone, Clarise!"

Clarise laughed. "Oh look…Jackson's boyfriend here to save him." She laughed again. "Whatcha gonna do, shrimp?"

Nico's cheeks flushed. Boyfriend? Was that what he and Percy were now? He clenched his fists and glared up at Clarise, not caring she was a good two heads taller than him. "I said," Nico said, his voice deadly quiet. "Leave him alone."

Clarise smirked down at him and poked him in the forehead hard enough to knock him back a step. "You and what army?"

Nico snarled. The ground shook and a crack slit in the pavilion floor between them. Skeleton hands started clawing their way out of it. The air around them seemed to darken and grow colder. The other campers gasped and backed away. Percy however stepped forward and placed his hand on the angry boy's shoulder, gasping a little at the zap of power he got from the touch. "Nico…don't. She's not worth it."

With a great effort, Nico released control and the skeletons and crack vanished into the ground. Percy dropped his hand and shoved past Clarise. Nico and Tyson followed him. Power was still zinging through Nico's body. He was shaking slightly with the strength of it. Percy sat at his table and made room for Nico, but Tyson sat in his place. Nico stood awkwardly behind him.

"I'm sorry, Percy." He mumbled.

"It's not your fault." Percy said, staring at the table.

"Yes, it is." Nico said looking at the ground.

"No. It's my choice, Nico. Now sit down." Percy motioned to the other side of the table. Nico sat down still not looking at him.

Tyson leaned towards Percy and asked. "What does gay mean?"

"It… It means I like Nico…" Percy didn't feel like eating anymore.

"I like Nico too… Does that mean I'm gay?" Tyson asked, staring at Percy.

Nico blushed and bit his lower lip.

"No…" Percy tried to think of the best way to explain it. "I like Nico like…I use to like Annabeth."

Nico winced at that. Percy glanced at him apologetically, but he shrugged in response. Tyson look at Percy like there was something wrong with him. "But… But what about Annabeth?"

"Annabeth and I…we broke up, Tyson. I'm with Nico now." The young cyclops still looked confused.

Nico slid his hand over the table and gripped Percy's. Tyson glanced between the two boys and seemed to understand. "But you and Annabeth…you're still friends, right?" He was overly worried about their friendship.

"I don't know, Tyson…" Percy rubbed his thumb over the back of Nico's hand and bit the inside of his cheek.

Nico sensed people watching them and couldn't help blushing. "Percy…" he said quietly.

Percy felt as uncomfortable as Nico looked. "Let's go back to the cave." He whispered. Nico nodded and stood up. "I'll…talk to you later, Tyson." Percy said then hurried away with Nico.

"Do you want me to shadow travel us?" Nico asked.

Percy flinched. "I'd rather swim…"

"OK," Nico said. "Just remember I can't."

Percy smiled. "We'll work on that later. How about I meet you there?"

"OK," Nico said and shadow traveled.

Percy walked to the seashore and sat with his toes in the water. He never considered what would happen when everyone found out. Well, he never thought they would find out. Percy's chest clinched at the way Clarise had embarrassed both him and Nico. He should've let her drown. He shouldn't have stood there like an idiot and let her beat him down like that. Footsteps sounded behind him and Percy tensed. He relaxed slightly when he saw that it was Grover. The satyr plopped down next to him with a sigh.

"Percy?" he splashed his hooves into the water, leaned back, and looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"Is it true? What Clarise said?"

Percy refused to meet Grover's gaze and nodded.

"How'd Clarise know?"

"She saw Nico and I in the lake two nights ago…kissing."

"Percy, man…you know if you ever need anything…anything at all, like someone to whip Clarise's butt, just let me know, OK?" Grover put his hand on Percy's shoulder and moved to stand.

"Wait, Grover, could you…help Tyson? He seems confused about all this." Percy turned to Grover for the first time since they started talking. "Please?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."

Grover smiled. "No problem. I'll see you later, Percy." Grover headed back toward camp. Percy watched him for a moment then waded into the water.