A/N: I literally googled Blue drinks for this because I wanted a second Percy chapter. It begins where the previous part ended!

'I told Dionysus I was in love with you.'

Percy raised his eyebrows and put his hand on the banister. 'Can I say that the entire thing is a little weird to me? That you get therapy from Mr. D, I mean.'

I shrugged. 'I had a hunch you thought so.'

'You know...'

'You don't really like him and vice versa.'

'That.'

In thought, we walked down the fire escape. 'He helps me very well, though,' I said when we got down the stairs.

'I know. How did he react?'

I snickered. 'He tried not to judge me. He tried so hard not to judge me, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't fatom anyone seeing you that way, I think.'

'I mean, that goes both ways.'

'Thought so. He found it weird that it was you, but I think he did get why someone would fall in love with the idea of you. Handsome hero who saved the world and all.'

'I for one don't get it, but go on.'

'Annabeth loves you very much.'

'Yeah, she does.' We strolled further. I assumed Percy knew where we had to go.

'And not undeserved. You are a pretty good dude, Percy. No homo.'

He laughed. 'If you say so.' He sighed and kicked a stone away. 'Anyway.'

'Yeah, anyway.'

'Anyway… Have some blue water.'

I looked at the can he had given me before. It said it was blue water. 'The person who made this is a dork,' I said, while I opened it. 'And so are the people who drink it.' Percy looked at me while I took a big sip. 'Wise words, Nico.'

'I thought so too.'

Percy rolled his eyes. 'Eh... I want to say, you look better.'

'I feel better, too. Considering everything that happened.'

'Glad one of us is getting better.'

'Maybe you should try therapy too,' I spat out. Percy looked at me like I was crazy, until I specified: 'Not with Dionysus! Of course not, I mean with a demigod therapist. The office is in New York. Will and I sent flyers a little while ago, didn't you get one?'

'I did get that flyer.' Percy shrugged. 'I have always had a lot of support, so I thought it wasn't necessary.'

'I had support before I began therapy too. Will, and Reyna, and Hazel, and you, and more people. Still, I needed help. Professional help.'

'Ah.' There was a pause. 'I know I could be helped by it. I am just too chicken to actually go.' Percy took a sip of his water. We took a turn around the corner.

'Do you really think you are more chicken then I?'

'Obviously I am more chicken than you.'

'No.'

'Yes.'

'No.' I shook my head. 'Just, no.'

He sighed. 'How not?'

'Literally everything you do shows you aren't chicken. You took on the prophecy, fought the Giants, cuss out the gods every other sentence, and… eh… and Geryon, and stuff.'

Percy took a sip of blue water. 'Why specifically Geryon?'

'I don't know. It was the first thing that came to mind.'

I looked at Percy. He took a deep breath. 'It wasn't, wasn't it?'

'Perhaps, but I didn't want to bring the mood down.'

Percy kicked a stone ahead of him. 'Did you and Dionysus talk about Tartarus, too?'

'Yes.'

Percy hunched over his shoulders. 'I think I already knew so. You seem much, much happier since you went to the Underworld with Dionysus that one time. Eh, it leaked out.'

'I knew it did.' I wanted to put my hands in my pockets, but I was holding a can, which made it difficult. 'I talked with Elder Gods there. Dionysus thinks they now protect me against other mental maladies.' I shrugged. 'It's a little weird, but if it works, it works. I mean, I also feel like the magic world owes me something to make up for all the trauma.'

Percy smiled for a second, before it faded again. He seemed miles away with his thoughts.

'I still have nightmares,' Percy croaked. He clenched his fist around the can in his hand. 'I see Tartarus and…' he grimaced. 'And all that was there. Annabeth has it too. Oh, Nico, at least we had each other, at least!'

I looked at the ground. 'Percy, that does not make it any better. Not at all,' I muttered. 'Tartarus was horrible for me, okay? And I could not imagine it would be any better for you and Annabeth just because you were together.'

'Hm.' He swallowed. I looked up again. He looked pained, as if he could see it all in front of him right now. He put a hand over his mouth.

'Percy…'

'It's…'

'No, sorry, Percy. Sorry.' I looked at the ground.

Percy took a deep breath. 'I know I should get help,' he said, a little stifled. 'I know I should.' He shook his head and bit his lip. 'Until I can get myself to do it, let's just get milkshakes, okay?'

'What?' My heart is still hammering from how you reacted, dude. 'Eh…'

'Birthday snack.'

'I just had cake…'

'So what?'

'I mean… so what?'

He gave me a tiny smile that was almost sincere.

It was actually sincere once we got to the McDonalds' near his house (Sadly, we couldn't get to Denny's). Percy bought milkshakes for both of us.

He sighed while he took a sip. 'It sounds like your life wasn't easy, Neeks. I hope milkshakes can make it a little better.'

'Percy, you're life wasn't a cakewalk either.'

'It tends to slide off of me.'

'Nah.'

'Who knows.'

I took a teeny tiny sip. 'I am right about another thing, being that these this taste like garbage.'

'You take that back.'

'No.' I grinned and narrowed my eyes. 'I won't. Next time, we'll go to not-McDonald's, anywhere else really, so you can taste a real milkshake.'

Percy rolled his eyes. 'Deal.'

A/N: Yeah I had to google the word 'banister,' so what?

Also, I dislike 'Mr. D,' so I have changed it to Dionysus and Dionysus only. I might have previously said this.