Should've Said NO
By PrincipessaBel

Chapter 11 : Should've Said No To Mythomagic (Nico & Leo)

=====================================***(Nico)***=====================================

We three headed out to the House of Hades, as Father had dubbed it. I hope Demeter is not there or I'll be forced to eat cereals again. Yuck.

I yawned secretly, then tried to rub off the sleep in my eyes.

"So, Nico, tell me, my son, how did you know that Athanasia here is a goddess?" Father asked with his usual strict tone.

"She- I felt her godly presence, Father. Her immortality stood out among my fellow demigods." I replied. I hope he won't let Persephone punish me by turning me to a dandelion again. Uhhh.

"Hm. I see. You've been such a celebrity, dear niece. Tyche and Ares' making a fortune on your misfortunes down the mortal side."

Atha raised an eyebrow, "What did that-" She stopped talking when father gave her a glare but I swore it wasn't a glare he always gives me. "I mean, what did Ares do?" She said sweetly. I frowned, what exactly is their closeness level?

"He apparently asked Hephaestus to let him direct a show. . . about you being in the Camp." Father informed her. I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to say anything offensive.

Father had once told me he sent me and Bianca to the Westover Hall for us to learn. . . proper manners. That's rule number one I had to obey. Always speak with respect, especially with Madam Persephone.

"I could care less. I'm famous up there, anyways." She shrugged non-chalantly. I noticed that she's a bit shaking from the temperature here. I noticed she's just wearing a tee shirt and her jeans. I removed my jacket and placed it on her shoulders. I hope father wouldn't-

"What are you doing, Nico?" He asked me. More like ordered me to tell him.

"Father, she's freezing down here-" I started but Atha cut me mid-sentence.

She gotta stop that. "Thanks Nico, don't be too harsh, Uncle. Nico's a nice boy. Aren't you? Aren't you?" She teased me - and as me, being so stupidly easy to blush, I did. She laughed again but I didn't say anything.

"Oh, whatever you say." Father continued walking and we both followed suit.

We arrived in the House of Hades where Atha gripped my jacket a little bit so hard. "I-I-Isn't there a h-h-h-heater down here? I-I-It's so cold h-here without the d-d-dress Apollo g-gave me." She chattered with much difficulty. I'm fine with it, actually. Even with a tee shirt, I can stay here for as long as I can.

Father opened the House and there was Persephone, sitting at one of the stairs that lead to the second floor. "My dear sister! Oh how unexpected!" She wailed. I secretly rolled my eyes at her antics. "I saw that, di Angelo." She threatened, pointing an accusing finger at me with her terrifying yet ridiculously long black nails.

"My dear, simmer down, Nico, you know what to do." Father said and I nodded, dashing quickly up to the second floor to where my room is.

The House of Hades isn't something a person will ever come in but it's home for a child of Hades. This was a room built for all children of Hades because there's a black king-sized bed (which I'm getting tired of using), a jar of Pomegranate seeds, some nectar and ambrosia and a space for training.

I sat down the side of my bed and reached under my pillow for the Ipod Nano Hazel gave me. I put in the headphones in my head and clicked in some of my favorites. Classical music. I let myself relax as the music soothe my nerves and lie down the black bed.

I closed my eyes and as I was slipping off to sleep. . .

"NICO! OPEN THIIIIS~"

"Urgh." I sat up groggily, hearing Atha pound the door restlessly. She kept screaming "Open this door~". I stood up and opened the door.

"Hi! Persephone said-" She stopped talking and looked at my room. I could see sparks in her blue eyes. "OH MY GODS! NICO YOUR ROOM IS SO COOOL~!"

"What? How cool is black? It's all-"

She looked at me, eyebrow raised and her right hand was on her hip. "Tell me, how would you like to stay in a room full of white things? And books? Uh! This room is definitely a good trade for mine!" Atha clasped her hands together and danced around the obsidian furniture in my room, admiring every curve and line there is.

Did I heard her right? She had a room that is all white? "Are you a patient in the mental hospital?" I blurted out.

"I dunno~ Anyway, Persephone wants us four to her garden and talk?"

"Oh yay!" I said in sarcasm. I walked out the door then turned back to my room to see Atha staring at a certain box on top of the bedside table.

"Nico, what's that box?" She asked while pointing at the brown dusty box.

I sighed and said, "Mythomagic cards. A dumb old game-"

Her eyes widened and stared at me, then the box, and then back at me. "You play Mythomagic?" She said in disbelief, "Oh, you got to duel with me, Nico! Let's play!"

It was my time to stare at her in disbelief. SHE PLAYS? "Y-You play Mythomagic?!"

"Apollo brought me cards of it around the early nineties. . Then I fell inlove with the game. But not much plays it anymore. That's why you should play with meeee~" She wailed. I admit, she looks cute right now.

"You just said Perse- Madam Persephone wants to talk with us. Come on, we'll play later." I said, ushering her out my room.

"Awww. . ." She cried silently as we both went down to the palace gardens. "Niiicoooo. Promise me you'll play it with me once on camp? Please?"

I sighed again, can I say no? "Oh, alright. I'll bring it tomorrow at camp. After this conversation with Father and Persephone. Which I think is going to be a great disaster."

=====================================***(Leo)***====================================

I thought about the things confusing me last night. About Atha and Calypso. Which one of them do I really like better? I didn't actually expected this to happen.

Should I finish up the Argo II and go back to Ogygia?

Or should I just stay here and relax with Atha?

Morning came, the camp was not as busy as it seems, I went to the Bunker 9 to try and continue my project but I immediately lose focus whenever I try to do something. "I really am hot." I joked to myself as I get out of Bunker 9. Perhaps I should try walking around the lake? Just to think about stuff more, that probably is the best answer.

"AHHHH! Buuuurn~ You're gonna die Frank!" I heard someone scream from the lake.

Burn?

Frank's gonna die?

OH HIS FIRE STICK!

Panic surged through me while running fast to go there in time. I hope nothing bad happens. "Don't worry Frank!" I started to say, "I'll save yo-" I stopped when I saw Atha, Nico, Percy, Frank, Hazel, Jason, Piper and Annabeth all sitting around in a red checkered picnic blanket.

Percy, Nico, Atha and Frank were holding card I didn't recognize. "Uhm. No one's burning?" I asked.

Nico laughed at me, for the first time, and said, "No one, Leo. We're playing Mythomagic." The son of Hades explained, "And Atha here just used fire charges on Frank's plant shield." I nodded when I realized that Atha's head was comfortably resting on Nico's lap as she was lying down the blanket. She laughed victoriously, high-fiving with Nico.

She was also wearing the same jacket Nico always use.

I feel all boiling up inside, I just don't know why.

Is this jealousy already?

Last night, she was with Jason.

And now with Nico?

AND SERIOUSLY IN FRONT OF ME?!

"I told you Frank, it wasn't a good shield." Percy exclaimed, making everyone laugh.

"Oh, Seaweed Brian." Annabeth commented.

Frank looked so guilty and tried to move the blame away from him, "We never knew they had a Hephaestus card! And Persephone's card is strong, I know it! She is in person, isn't she, Nico?"

Nico froze and his smile faded. Everyone looked at each other, looking for clues of what might've prompted Nico to stop. Atha sat up and linked her arms with him. "Don't worry Nico, we'll still win!" She teased Percy and Frank with a mischievous smile on her face. "No matter how Persephone is strong, we have the Zeus and Poseidon cards!"

Percy paled and looked at his cards. I noticed Nico regained his cool and smiled gently at Atha.

My face is heating up and I know I'm about to-

"Thanks, Ana." I heard him say.

ANA? So he thinks he's much closer to her, huh? Alright, that is the last straw, di Angelo, you are not going to get- "ATHA." I blurted out unintentionally due to my weird temper. The so-called jealousy?

"What?" She asked innocently, clueless even.

"You said last night you like me. . . And now you flirt with Nico? What is this, are we playing 'In-your-face'?" I spat at her as she collected herself and stood up to my level.

She started explaining, "Leo, I am not fli-" But I cut her mid-sentence. I don't care if everyone sees this, who is she to do this to me?!

"Oh yeah? What's with the lying position you have? The high-five? The jacket? The 'Thanks Ana?!' Isn't that flirti-?" I stopped as she slapped me with sense. What am I doing?

I glared at her but I was filled in guilt when I saw her tears stream down her face. What? "Leo, I am not flirting with Nico. The way I'm lying down the blanket and on his lap is none of your business. This jacket?" Atha removed it, gripped it hard, her knuckles turning white. "Nico let me borrow this earlier because it was freezing out. And the 'Thanks, Ana'? I asked him to call me that because I felt like I wanted truce with him. I now knew what Nico went through and I don't ever want to add up to his burdens. Happy now?!"

I stood there like a loser who got bullied by a girl. Then I asked, "I thought you like me?"

"I do." She said in a soft voice. I am well aware that everyone has their eyes on us. "I just don't think you like me back. ."

What? How can I not like her back? She's so perfect. Every guy would like her. She's like an angel who fell from the sky.

"I know you love this Calypso girl. I saw her. . In my dreams. She's beautiful, a hundred times more than me. She told me she's a goddess and I know I'm a mere mortal. What can I do against her? You love her, Leo, that's as clear as crystal. But you liking me back? It's like I'm waiting a chance on finding a diamond in the rough." No, I wanted to tell her. You're wrong, Atha. I can't say anything, my feet feels wobbly and my tongue felt like I've ate sand. My heart felt a hundred pounds worse. Seeing her cry because of me isn't my plan.

"I wanted to steer out of your way and just-" I hugged her tight, not knowing where my courage came from.

"You're wrong. You're so wrong." I whispered to her ear. She gasped and she tried to escape my embrace. "Atha, I like you. . . So much. I just felt jealous the way Nico was much closer to you than to me. I'm so sorry."

Nico patted my shoulder and gave me a thumbs up with a smile.

"Leo. ."

I let go of her and wiped her tears. "Shush. Don't cry, now, Atha."

"You sounded like a father." She joked.

I laughed a bit, shaking my head. How can she smile at a serious time like this?

"You've been holding back aren't you?" Atha inquired.

"Holding back? Holding back what?" W-What is she exactly talking about? Don't tell me she knows something about. . you know.

"Your jealousy. Because I have. The way you speak of this Calypso like she's the whole world of you." She looked away sadly.

I thought about it.

Which of them?

Calypso, the one who was the first one to love me back but I cannot go back to?

Or Athanasia, the one who's with in my reach and can totally joke around even the saddest moment?

I took in a deep breath and made a decision I wish I probably won't regret.

" This would sound so lovesick of me, knowing we just met three days ago, but. . . Will you go out with me, Atha?"


Author's Note:

I have only one thing to say: KYAAAAA!

Well, not only one thing. Another one I could say is that: I could only hope that Nico and Leo isn't that OOC. Because that's be so bad for my plot. I am so sorry guys.

Plus, if this gets to be in AU when the Blood of Olympus goes out... Then I had to re-write it all over again..

AH, BUT BLOOD OF OLYMPUS IS FOR NEXT YEAR SO WE'LL WORRY NEXT YEAR! :D

And still, the pictures are not yet downloaded. Sorry my readers :((


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