Nico's POV.

'Perce; truth or dare?' Nik asked.

'Truth.' Percy said.

'Who's more kissable; Nico or me?' Nik asked.

Both were, of course, very terrible options.

Percy's eyes slid back and forth between me and Nik. 'I'd say Nico.'

'Then I dare you to kiss Nico. On the lips; lest I forget.' Nik said.

'You can't do that.' Percy said.

'I will pay any price, Pipes.' Nik said.

Piper smirked. 'Bow to me and say that "I'm the strongest" five times.'

Nik knelt at her feet and bowed. 'I'm the strongest. I'm the strongest. I'm the strongest—'

'I mean You are the strongest.' Piper said.

'Thanks for admitting it.' Nik said.

'Say "Piper McLean is the strongest"!' Piper ordered.

Nik groaned. 'Piper McLean was the strongest. Piper McLean was the strongest. Piper McLean was the strongest. Piper McLean was the strongest. Piper McLean was the strongest.'

'Seriously?' Piper asked.

'It's a past tense.' Nik said, getting up. 'Do it; Fishman.'

'I've changed my mind.' Percy said. 'You're more kissable than Nico.'

'Excuse me?' I asked.

'You're changing your mind because he's a he?' Nik asked. 'For shame.'

'I don't know, okay?' Percy said. 'It's either kiss Nico and feel all weird or get demonitized by kissing you.'

'Meaning you have to kiss both of us.' I blurted.

Will gave me a look like; How dare you?

'I mean,' I said, only making things worse. 'since you can't decide and all.'

'We made brownies!' Hazel said, carrying a tray. Mrs. Jackson came with another tray.

'Why does mom have to show up at the worst times?' Percy muttered.

'It's either the cave or the cliff,' Leo said. 'Or the cave and the cliff.'

'What did we miss?' Mrs. Jackson asked.

'Percy's at an impasse.' Annabeth said. 'To be right, wrong, or trial and error.'

'What does that mean?' Leo said.

'No explaining it to him.' Me and Nik said.

'Uhh,' Percy said. 'Enie menie miney— no.'

The choice landed on Nik.

'I have an idea.' Nik said. 'Rock, paper, scissors?'

'Whoever loses doesn't kiss Percy.' Will said. 'Nico; please lose.'

'I don't want Percy.' Nik said. 'Neeks, please win.'

'You know you're terrible at losing.' Leo said.

'Exactly!' Nik groaned. 'Dad, please let me lose.'

We finally played and it was a tie.

'So since none of us lose,' I said. 'both of us win?'

'It's another impasse.' Nik said, as if she knew what that meant. 'No one wins or loses; which is the same as both of us winning and losing.'

'I'll go with losing.' I said.

'But you didn't lose.' Annabeth said. 'And you didn't win either.'

'I want to win.' Nik said. Then she looked like she regretted opening her mouth.

'So since Nico wants to lose and Nik wants to win, Nik wins?' Frank asked.

'Nik didn't win even though she didn't lose.' Annabeth said. 'Meaning she somehow lost.'

'For Zeus' sake.' Percy cursed. Then he kissed me and Nik.

Percy took a huge bite out of his brownie. 'Now I feel completely demonitized.'

'So you're handing out your turn?' Nik asked.

'It means I feel like killing somebody.' Percy said.

'That's murderous.' Frank said.

'A-ha!' Percy said.