NOTE: Posted With Permission

Warning: This is rated 'M' for a reason, I don't make light of the rating system, and it gets progressively more mature as these go on.

Summary: Nico never allowed himself to touch, only to be touched, it was better that way. Percy/Nico

Chapter Fourteen: Hormones, or, Evidence

Nico and Percy stood together for their millionth picture, this time Percy was able to sneak in a kiss before his mother and Persephone (the two women had decidedly liked each other at first glance) snapped their cameras. Hades and Paul stood off to the side, one with pride showing only in his eyes, the rest of his face as solemn as if this were a funeral procession, and the other exuberantly smiling from ear to ear. Hades was about two heads taller than Paul, but then again Hades seemed to dwarf everyone else around him, but he liked the small, bookish man more than he thought he would have.

"Cigar?" Paul asked, holding up the long, expensive cigarillo.

"Don't mind if I do," Hades smirked and took the offered smokeable, Paul cut it for him and then held up a lighter, the dark man inhaled deeply, the sweet, smoky flavor washed into his mouth and out of his nostrils almost instantaneously and he sighed relief as grey clouds puffed from his nose.

"Come on, now one with everybody!" Sally said, motioning for all six teenagers to get together for a picture, and as a group photo it was only their fifty-thousandth.

"Oh dear, I don't know you but you're lovely," Persephone said to Juniper. "Scoot in next to the tall, what was your name dear, Grover? Yes," She pushed them together. "Hades, baby, come take a picture with the kids, Paul you too!"

"And leave those toxic things over there." Sally called behind her. Paul and Hades slunk over to the group; their freshly lit cigars snuffed out and stuck in jacket pockets. Paul stood behind Percy and Grover and Hades stood beside Nico and Annabeth, the two shortest in the group at the front. "Great, now one, two, th—Grover, honey, don't stick your tongue out, Percy, pull your finger out of your nose." Sally rolled her eyes. "Let's try again. One, two—Paul, really? Bunny ears? I didn't hear your name called for the graduation today. Okay, one, two, three, say cheese." She snapped the picture of all their smiling faces and thought it came out rather well.

"Alright, now one with the moms," Paul smiled, Annabeth perked up.

"Hold on!" She said and she was racing across the field to where her mother was quietly talking to her father. "Hey, Mom, come take a picture with us," Athena opened her mouth as if she were going to say no, and then she received a pointed look from her ex-husband.

"Sure, sweetie," She said with a smile and she let the excited girl lead her away. When she and Annabeth made it back to the photo op session the recent graduates had captured the cameras somehow and now their parents were the ones being assaulted with pictures.

"Oh, hi, Athena," Sally smiled and shook the woman's hands just as Percy took a shot. "Perseus! Camera!" Sally laughed and her son handed her the device. "Alright, everyone, back together." With a groaning protest the group gathered again and she handed Paul the camera. Again the graduates stood together, and Annabeth noticed a small, dark haired woman standing beside Grover. She was of Hispanic origin, her skin a tawny golden brown and her hair beautiful tresses of curls, she was of indeterminable age, she could have been thirty or she could have been one hundred, but she had a timid sort of beauty to her.

"Mrs. Underwood," She smiled.

"It's Gutierrez, dear. Underwood was Grover's father's last name," Ms. Gutierrez said. "And you can just call me Julia," Her smile brightened up the darkening atmosphere as the storm around them drew in closer. Then there was Juniper's mother, a dark haired woman of striking beauty, she was as quiet as Juniper, and seemed to just sit in the background with her arm around her daughter. The woman was like a vase of flowers, pretty, but just there.

"Okay, everyone smile," Paul said, and after quite a bit more picture taking, the graduates going around and finding other friends to pull into quick photos, they finally made their way back into the school to retrieve their real diplomas, the papers handed out as they marched only being representations of them. Nico found himself in line behind the people whose last names started with 'D' and he laughed because the 'di' in his name meant 'of' it wasn't actually the first letter of his last name. But English dictated that it was such, and that's where he had to be.

The smile slipped off of his face as he saw Percy slip out of the room, following behind his near mirror image, Triton. He was about to step away to see what was going on but the tired looking woman handing out the real diplomas said, "Next. Name please?" In a nasally voice that sounded eerily like Fran Dresher. "Name, please?" She asked again.

"D—Di Angelo," Nico said, tearing his eyes away from the doorway. She rifled through a few of the papers in front of her and again Nico's mind drifted away.

Percy on the other hand was following behind Triton with the promise that he would be able to get a few well needed words in edgewise. Triton smiled in front of him as they made their way outside, and into the parking lot. Standing there next to a beautiful crème colored Lincoln town car was Poseidon, and even though it was nearly pitch black outside he was wearing a pair of dark tinted sunglasses, and an even darker pin-striped suit. In the car there were two other boys, both of them younger than Percy, but both of them had the same dark hair, he could see that from where he stood. "Perseus," Poseidon smiled as he came closer, then Triton punched Percy hard on the arm and walked to the car, leaning against it. "Easy now, Tony," He said with his greasy smile now directed at Triton.

"Dad—"

"So you do know who I am, good, for a while there I thought you'd forgotten." The smile melted off of Poseidon's face and he sighed, taking off his dark sunglasses and his sea-green eyes stared back at Percy. "I know you hate me." Triton chuckled and Poseidon shot him a glare at which the boy quieted.

"You do?" Percy asked. "I think you're just saying that, Dad. You're really very good at making other people believe stuff, it's like a gift."

"One you inherited from me," Poseidon said. "You'll find that you come from a line of great liars Perseus, and even greater truth tellers, so when I tell you that I wanted to talk to you, you have to believe me." The tall man sighed, he was a man to rival Hades' height, and he had a much more built frame than that gaunt man. "Your mother kept you away from me, Percy; she didn't want you around me."

"Even if she did I can understand why," Percy glared acidicly. "And then the way he treated Nico this morning, I'm glad you didn't raise me, if I had turned out like Triton I might hate myself." Poseidon's hand wrapped around his taller son's shoulder before the boy was off of the car.

"Easy," The older man said. "Percy," Poseidon gave a placating smile. "I just think you're being gay so suddenly is strange, you never showed any signs of it before."

"Dad, I'm—"

"I'm just saying it is a documented find in some fish that there are—"

"Dad I'm not a fish," Percy continued to glare. "And I'm not gay."

"You're not…" Poseidon considered that. "So you were just testing the waters with that di Angelo kid, well, I mean as long as we've gotten that out of the way—"

"No, I really like Nico, but I'm not just attracted to guys, I still like women. I don't know why that's so hard for you to understand." Percy sighed. "It sounds easy when I say it out loud, so I thought maybe you'd get it, but inside it's still pretty unclear, the fact is: whoever I'm with you need to like, regardless of if they're a guy or a girl." Percy said. "You're my Dad, or at least you're supposed to be. Why don't you try acting like that, you're out here blaming my Mom for not ever coming to visit, and you're just trying to bullshit me into falling into you suddenly worming your way back into my life."

"Watch your mouth, faggot." Triton glared.

"Enough, out of both you." Poseidon said, and he sighed heavily. "Alright, Percy, bullshit aside you're right. Look, when you were born I didn't want to be a father, hell, when Triton was born I didn't want to be a father either, and then I did something stupid and married your mother after I left his, then you were born and I ran back to her." He smiled sardonically here and shook his long curly hair. "I'm a lot of things Percy, but I've always been more comfortable around the sea and all the fish in the ocean than I have around my own family."

"You're not doing such a great job of making amends." Percy said.

"I'm not trying to make amends, Percy. You're never going to truly forgive me for the absence in your life, and I'll never be able to be the Dad you want, the one who shows you how to catch or makes it to your first game every season, sure, I work a lot, but I have a lot of free time too, and unlike you Triton and my other boys understand that I need time away, you need too much of me, and I can't give you that."

Percy smiled. "My Mom taught me how to play catch," Percy said. "And the stuff she didn't know we went out and found people who did, I can't say I needed you, but she did, and you're right, I probably won't ever forgive you, and I don't think I'll ever like Triton," He continued to smile as he looked at Triton, the boy sneering at him. "But that's just because he's a dick, not because he's my brother."

"I could apologize for that too," Poseidon shrugged. "I've never made a big show of caring much for gays."

"I get the feeling you kind of hate them," Percy said and Poseidon chuckled.

"Hate is a strong word," He said. "I can tolerate them."

"Not well enough, you tried to pay Nico off to break-up with me."

"It would have been for the best," Poseidon said. "You say you still like girls, son, and you're too young to be so committed to one person. You should never fall in love with your first piece of ass," It had been close to a closing moment for them, and whereas Percy hadn't forgiven Poseidon he had almost given the old man a hug because true he was an old fucker but he was his father as well, and he had almost said that even if they didn't see eye to eye they could still try to get to know one another.

"Don't talk about Nico like that," He said hatefully. "Like he's just something I'm after till I'm tired of sleeping with him. He loves me."

"Well, that just means you're good at what you do," Poseidon said with a small smile. "Something else you got from your old man, the women we sleep with do tend to fall in love, I guess the same might be true for the men." Triton gave a large grin and a small chuckle.

"And what if I loved him too?" Percy asked, immediately the mood turned sour and Poseidon gave him a hard stare.

"You love him, Percy?" His Dad asked. "You're seventeen; you don't know what love is, or what it feels like."

"Stop me if I'm wrong," Percy said. "But neither do you, jumping from one woman to the next as soon as she's having your baby, running out to the middle of the ocean when your kids need you, when your family needs you, tell me something Triton, you're two years older than me, how often do you see him?" Triton glared at Percy but he didn't answer. "How often do you see him, Triton?"

"That's none of your damn business," Triton glared.

"Answer him, boy." Poseidon growled.

"I'm off to school most of the time," Triton said. "But he's home when I come back on break most of the time,"

"Alright," Percy said. "Should I ask the kids in the car?"

"Percy—" Poseidon said.

"Do they even have the same moms?"

"You've made your point, son. But still, you're too young to know what love is."

"Is it when you wake up in the morning thinking you've got the most beautiful person in the world beside you, or, maybe, when you're sitting there by yourself and every thought in your head is taken up by that person, when I'm standing there with Nico and I've got my arms around him and everything in the world feels right even with a Dad who's never around?" Percy asked. "Is that what love feels like Dad?" Poseidon was quiet, and even Triton's grin had fallen off. "Look, you're right, you're my father, I can never change that. I won't cut you out of my life but I don't want to talk to you or any of your kids until you at least pretend to understand that this is my life, and I'll live it how I want to. If I decide maybe I want to date one guy in my life, and I fall for him then you should support me." He turned around as if to walk away and then turned back to Triton. "Oh, and a big fuck you to you, don't ever talk to my boyfriend again." He walked away, shaking. Never had he ever spoken to his father like that, and it didn't feel good. There was no closure there, in being angry, but he felt better for it. Quickly he made his way back into the school, passing by Rachel and Mina who were talking very quietly at the door, Rachel didn't even look up when he passed and Percy felt a pang of guilt for the blonde girl she was most likely breaking up with. When he found Nico, who was talking with Grover, Juniper and Annabeth outside of Dionysus' room he took no time, in pulling Nico into a kiss, surprising the young Italian teen who was soon laughing into their locked lips.

"Percy!" He chuckled but Percy pressed his lips fervently harder and Nico couldn't help the small moan that passed between his lips.

"I love you." Percy said and at that same moment he realized Annabeth was standing right beside Nico, but he couldn't take back what he had just said. The girl made no outward movement, but her eyes tightened slightly and Percy knew he had hurt her again. But Nico threw his arms around Percy's neck and nearly leapt into his arms.

"You said it!" He celebrated by kissing Percy again and the older brunet pulled back. "I love you too!"

"Don't ever let anyone ever tell you otherwise, Nico. If you see my brother again, punch that fucker in the face." The younger teen's eyes widened, as did their friends. Percy never talked like that unless he was either extremely drunk or extremely angry, or, on rare occasions, both.

"Percy…" Nico said.

"Come on, let's go out to eat," Percy sighed, closing his eyes.

"You guys should wait on Rachel," Annabeth said. "Mom is going to take me out," She smiled then and began divvying out hugs, first to Grover, then to Juniper, Nico, and finally Percy. "I love you," She said looking him in the eyes. "All of you," She continued with a glance over her shoulder. Percy hugged her again.

"Don't talk like we're never going to see you again," He said. "We're going to be in California so much you get tired of us."

"I can only hope," Then Athena and Dr. Chase came into the building and she stepped back from him, placing a hand on his cheek and then she began to walk away.

"Annabeth," Percy said, grabbing her by the wrist, she turned around. "you're such a wonderful, brilliant, spectacular person, try not to make those Californian boys feel inadequate." She smiled widely, tears coming slowly to her eyes. "Just remember you were my first love, okay? So when I act stupid and do things you and Nico both hate, 'cause I know I will, you guys'll remember I'm just a dumb guy, okay?"

"You're far from dumb, Percy," Annabeth said, still smiling. "But I'm sure Nico'll be able to handle it, me? Well you're not my problem anymore." Then she winked and turned quickly, something strange happened next, Athena smiled. She smiled a very real, gorgeous sort of grin at the sign of her daughter and when she did her face came alive, it was as if the teens were seeing her for the first time and they all had to take a breath of air. Athena hugged Annabeth closely and the girl held herself together, but inside they all knew she was crying tears of joy.

When the Chases were gone Nico said, "What did you and Triton talk about? I was worried about you." Percy just smiled and kissed the top of Nico's head.

"We came to an understanding," He said.

"An understanding?"

"Yeah, an understanding that I love you and that my Dad needs to get over it." The smaller brunet hugged him again and Percy was nearly crushed from his strength, he knew Nico was a lot stronger than he let on but that made the taller of them laugh. Suddenly he felt better, as if the whole incident hadn't happened with his father. He smiled and said, "You're going to start coming to the gym with me and Grover,"

"Wait." Nico pushed away from Percy, an angry scowl set to his face that the older brunet always thought was more of a pout. "You just said you loved me, and now you're calling me fat?"

"Bad move, Perce," Grover said, barely suppressing a laugh.

"What? No! I mean you've got some good arm strength, I think you'd like working out." Nico rolled his eyes and a grin took over his face.

"Would you shower with me in the locker room?"

"They try to keep that sort of thing to a minimum, Neeks," Grover said matter-of-factly. "And by "they" I mean you two and by "keep to a minimum" I mean make sure it doesn't happen 'cause I'd really prefer that you weren't making the beasts with two backs while I was in the shower right beside you."

"Then we won't shower next to Grover," Percy laughed.

"Ugh. That was the worst experience of my life," Rachel Elizabeth Dare said as she stopped right behind them. "She won't stop crying, I kept apologizing, eventually she said she was okay, but that she had never felt this way about someone before." She sighed. "That girl is nothing like her sister. I told her that I was just her first, and that she was a beautiful girl and she was going to find someone truly spectacular and all that jazz. Then she kissed me again and told me I wasn't just her first time being with anyone like that but that I was her first love too."

"Eerie," Nico said. "Something really similar to that just happened over here," Rachel fixed him with a look.

"Well, whatever, now I'm starving, when did break-ups get to be such hungry work?" Percy smiled and clapped her on the shoulder.

"That's the same thing I wanted to know," He laughed.

"Let's go," Grover said. "Before my stomach starts trying to eat itself." Together they all made their way to their cars, parents had already been informed that they would be back in later than normal, though the only one who really had a curfew was Juniper, she was allowed to be out to eleven tonight, which was fine because Nico was in the mood to get home, and not to sleep. With his lack of boyfriend last night and this morning he found himself craving Percy, he tried not to think about it too much because if he did it would lead him to the thought that if he couldn't go a day without sex there was something wrong, because he always thought something was wrong when there wasn't, in fact, anything wrong at all. Like when he thought they were having too much sex, which wasn't the case he had just been feeling a lot of hormones thanks to the personal connection he and Percy had shared beyond words, and maybe now he was doing the same because he couldn't get his damn thoughts to stop. Stop. Percy's butt looked cute, Nico thought, and for a moment he could imagine it without the jeans clinging so sinfully to it. No, stop. Oh, God, Percy was looking at him like he was crazy. God, what kind of face was he making? It must have been hilarious because Percy was smiling at him now. Okay, stop thinking. Stop—.

"Nico," Percy laughed. "Stop thinking so hard, babe." Nico blushed.

"I'm sorry," He said.

"What were you thinking about man? You looked like you were about to explode," Grover said with a chuckle.

"You don't want to know," Nico admitted. "Let's just go eat."

"Must've been Percy," Rachel, Juniper, and Grover all said at one time and Nico's face reddened again.

"Shut up, all of you." He growled and then ducked into Percy's car, he had hardly even noticed they had made it to the parking lot, let alone the fact that they were next to the vehicles. He slammed the door just as the laughter began. Percy ducked into the driver's seat and flashed him a smile.

"You were thinking about me." He smiled.

"I never said that," Nico huffed.

"You were staring at my butt," Percy laughed.

"It's my butt, I'm allowed to stare at it."

"Ooh, territorial," Percy smiled, "Now you're pouting,"

"I am not pouting!" The younger teen crossed his arms and sat further down in the seat, his lower lip sticking out slightly. Percy reached across the car and gripped Nico's hand.

"You're right, it's your butt, you can look whenever you want, hell cope a feel, now poke your bottom lip back in or I'll suck on it." Nico was nearly pink and he refused to look over the dash at his boyfriend. "Hey," Nico still refused to look. "Hey," Percy said again and grabbed Nico's chin, making the boy turn to see his profile while he stared at the road ahead. "I love you." His eyes flitted over for a moment and then back to the drive.

"I love you too," Nico flushed.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense, what were you thinking about?"

"What do you think I was thinking about Percy?" Nico deadpanned. "I was having a hard time not jumping you in the hallway."

"My ego thanks you," Percy smiled. "I guess that means we're spending the night at your house tonight then?"

Nico sighed, "I wish you wouldn't have said that."

"Why?"

"Because I won't be able to think about anything else the whole time we're eating with our friends," Nico sighed again. "Damn you, you did this to me."

"You enjoy it." Percy laughed and he moved his hand over into Nico's lap. "Maybe we can make a stop?"

"In the car, Percy? Come on, really?" Nico asked disbelievingly.

"The backseat is big enough," The older teen smiled widely.

"We're going to smell like sex,"

"That wasn't a no,"

Nico had to stop himself but then he still spoke without thinking, "I...we won't be too long, right? I don't want them to get suspicious." Here Percy laughed again.

"You don't want our friends to know we're having sex? You're a bit late on that one, Grover and I will probably high five later as I tell him how you can't keep your hands off of me."

"Percy Jackson don't you dare!" Nico exclaimed, scowling.

"What? You don't tell Grover and Rachel everything?" Percy asked, chancing a look over at Nico.

"No—never!"

"Oh, well, damn. I guess I should stop doing it then." Nico slapped Percy's arm. "What? Rachel asks about it, Grover I just like to freak out."

"I cannot believe you Percy!" Nico said, trying not to laugh, he didn't know whether to be embarrassed, upset, or amused.

"These are our good friends Nico! We don't keep secrets from these people!" The driver said with a chuckle, then he groped Nico. "Come on, I was just kidding anyway, we'll pull over here," Signaling he turned off onto a dark and deserted street, where he drove for a little while longer until he found an empty lot to park in. "You're bad about getting me in the mood, you know that?"

"You asked what I was thinking about," Nico said, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. "Should we really do this in your car?"

"Nico, if you think the car is the weirdest place we're ever going to do it then you're adorable." Percy smirked. "I have many plans for us in the future. Outside kind of plans. Plans where we might get caught." Nico blushed and Percy smiled deviously. "Come on, it'll be fun to be adventurous." Turning off the car he reached over and kissed the slim Italian boy. "Think I'm kidding, open the dash." Nico did and to his surprise it was full of prophylactics, when the older teen saw the surprise cross his face he chuckled again. "We were starting to run low, I went out and bought my own."

"Ribbed?" Nico asked, holding up the pack of condoms. "What does that even mean? It sounds painful."

"Grab that lube and get in the back, you'll find out." The shorter teen grabbed the small bottle of lubrication and read it as the front of it looked rather interesting.

"Warming gel? Oh, God, Percy—"

"Don't say that, I haven't even touched you yet." Then he crushed their lips together and smirked into the kiss. "Backseat, now." Quickly Nico nodded and unbuckled his seatbelt, moving into the back, laughing at his obedience Percy put the e-brake on and followed Nico, pushing him into the seat and straddling the boy's legs.

"I—maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Nico said.

"It was your idea," Percy said with a grin. "Besides, you're always second guessing yourself, if we stop now I can guarantee we'll be doing it in the restaurant bathroom." Nico opened his mouth to vehemently say that they would do no such thing when Percy kissed him again. "You can't be this hard and think it'll just go away." He said grabbing him through his dress pants, and when Nico didn't volunteer any argument Percy smiled. "Like I thought, now, off with the clothes, chop, chop."

"Say please."

"Please." The taller brunet laughed and Nico came out of his shirt, throwing it into the way back, then did the same with his pants. "Yeah," Percy said trailing his fingers along the raised hem of the boy's underwear. "This was a good idea."

"You say that every time." Nico smiled.

"And I will until it stops being a good idea," Percy replied, an idea passed through his mind. "Stay right there." Then his torso was in the front of the car while he was still partially on top of the smaller teen. He returned from the front with a camera.

"What—! Percy, no!"

"I just want a reminder," Percy smiled, leaning back on the boy. "For me?"

"Percy, no!" Nico laughed. "What if someone sees them?"

"It's digital, Nico. I'll develop them myself on my computer I'm not going to take 'em to freaking Wal-Mart, or something." Percy laughed. "Just a few?" Nico didn't say anything and that let Percy know he had won. "Great, think of it as a graduation gift," He said with a grin. "Smile for me," The flash wasn't nearly as bright as Nico thought it was going to be, and soon Percy's hand was on his chest as another picture was taken.

"You promise no one's going to see these?" Nico asked as he was turned around and pushed against the door.

"Nobody but me," Percy smiled and he leaned in and kissed the boy on the lips. "Arch your back. Like that, God you're sexy Nico." The younger teen felt his underwear being pulled down, and Percy's lips were on his shoulder, he nipped at the flesh there and Nico was pulled against his chest as his shorts were pulled the rest of the way down, there was another flash in front of his face and Nico couldn't help the blush on his cheeks. Alright, yes, he craved Percy, but he had somehow forgotten in the twelve hours he had gone without him that the boy was near obsessed with this sort of thing. He found the older teen's fingers to be probing and a thin sheen of sweat began to gather on his forehead, he was fogging up the glass and he was leaving a print of his face, body and hands behind. When those fingers hit his prostate he melted into a fit of moans and the camera's flash became just another one of the lights exploding behind his eyes.

He felt Percy's lips on his and Nico clawed at the shirt still clinging to his boyfriend's shoulders. "Off," he said commandingly. "Take it off,"

"Yes sir," Percy smiled, handing him the camera, and as he pulled off his shirt where Nico took the initiative to snap a few of his own shots.

"Pants too, we better hurry or they'll start calling us." They kissed and Nico took another picture. Percy nodded.

"You think it's okay to just go for it then?" He asked, pressing himself against Nico's entrance.

"Yeah, do it." The older teen nodded and pulled on the condom, coating himself in the lubrication. "Take a breath," He said and then slowly he connected them as one.

When they were through they quickly pulled their clothes from the way back and dressed, barely able to keep their hands off of each other, gnashing kisses were subsequent for every article of clothing that was pulled on. Percy's phone rang.

"Shit." He said and made his way to the front of the car. "Shit," He cursed again. "It's Rachel."

"Here, I'll answer it." Nico came to the front of the vehicle and Percy handed him the phone. "Hey, Rach?"

"Don't you 'Hey, Rach' me, where are you guys?" Rachel asked.

"We ran out of gas, we're being towed to the station right now." Nico lied, and he did so convincingly, Percy looked surprised by the ease with which it came to the young man.

"Yeah? Well, what do you want from here and we'll order it for you."

"Just get me some chicken tenders," Nico replied. "Percy?"

"Cheeseburger and some fries," Percy smiled. "And maybe a side of you to go,"

"Percy wants a cheeseburger and fries," Nico said, trying to hide a grin as Percy kissed his neck. "we're on the way now, he's paying the guy."

"Okay, you guys be careful."

"We will, we'll see you in a few minutes," Then he hung up.

"I'm impressed," Percy said.

"Don't be, I hate lying." Nico replied. "But if I told her what we were really doing she would have killed us."

"Rachel's not a cockblock, she would have understood," Percy smiled, "my gym bag's in the back, if you don't want to smell like sweat and sex then I suggest you put on some of that cologne in there." Nico nodded and reached into the back as Percy rolled the windows down, letting the car air out. He turned the engine over and pulled out of the lot, Percy chuckled.

"What?" Nico asked.

"I was just wondering what you would do if you had to go longer than a night without me," Nico glared at him. "I'm just saying."

"I'd rather not find out," Nico replied.

"Yeah," Percy laughed. "Me neither."