Will's POV

'Dare.' I said.

'I dare you to change to chorus of Girls Like You to suit—' Nik thought for a second. 'sinners like you.'

'Wow.' I said. 'That's the easiest dare you've given all day. Is the Mistress of Evil becoming a saint?'

'Just do it, Lucifer.' Nik said.

'Is it the song by Maroon 5 or Michael Jackson?'

'Maroon 5.' Nico said. 'Michael Jackson sang The Girl Is Mine.'

Of course he was going to call me out.

'What was the chorus?' I asked.

'Girls like you run 'round with guys like me—'

'Ok.' I interrupted. 'I remember.'

Truly, it was very easy to change.

'Boys like you run round with guys like me

Till sundown when I come through

I need a boys like you yeah yeah

Boys like you like fun, yeah, me too

What I want when I come through

I need a boys like you, yeah yeah.'

Nik clapped. 'Make some noise for Solace Jackson.'

'Whatever.' I said. 'Nico; truth or dare?'

'Which one will most likely kill me?' Death Boy asked.

'Truth.' I lied.

'Dare.' Nico said.

'I dare you to say ten things you'd never say to me… in Italian.'

'Is it too late to change my mind?'

'The sentence is clear.' Nik said. 'No looking back.'

Nico rolled his eyes. 'Three.'

'Seven.' I said.

'Four.' Nico said.

'How about five?'

'Fifty-fifty 'cause it's risky.' Nik said.

'Speaking of risky,' I continued. 'Percy; you are to translate whatever he says.'

'I don't know anything in Italian.' Percy complained.

'That makes two of us.' I said. 'Nico; speak.'

Nico looked at me very seriously. 'Just five; right?'

'Yes.' I assured him.

Nico closed his eyes and exhaled (probably getting into Italian mode). 'Sono stato fortunato ad averti incontrato.'

Percy looked like he didn't want to say "What the Hades?" . 'Okay. That's a lot.'

'Can you translate it or not?' I asked.

'I would like to phone a friend.' Percy said.

'If you had a phone at all; you could put that through Google Translate.' Nik said.

'Master Cheater,' Percy said. 'What do you think that means?'

Nik thought about it. 'I took Spanish before I dropped out; and I know enough Latin. Fotunato means fortune, right? And if we string that together with it being part of the puzzle called What Nico Wouldn't Say; we would get something romantic like… "I was fortunate to have met you".'

'Nik, you have just become a billionaire.' Nico said.

'So she's correct?' I asked. 'You said you were fortunate to have met me?'

Nico blushed. 'Yes.'

'Aww.' Hazel, Annabeth and Piper said.

'Do you want me to walk away?' Nico asked.

'No way.' Thalia said. 'This just started.'

'Sei bello oggi.' Nico said.

'Any hints?' Percy asked.

'You remember Beauty and The Beast?' Nik asked. 'The girl's name was Belle. Belle; beauty.'

'So I can say bello means handsome.' Percy said. 'String it together like Maleficent said; he said you look handsome today.'

We all (with the obvious exception of Nico) clapped.

'I'm getting good at this.' Percy said. 'Annanbetha; sei belle oggi.'

'Dude.' Nik said. 'Not in front of the minorities.'

'Should I also point out that Italian is the language of death?' Nico said.

'It's also the third most romantic language of the world.' Piper said slyly.

'Ooh.' Annabeth, Hazel, Thalia and Calypso cooed.

'Go on.' I said.

'Sei la cosa migliore che mi sia successa.' Nico said.

'Now you just want to kill me.' Percy muttered.

'Nik?' Nico called.

'I've got nothing.' Nik said.

'Then you don't have to know what that means.' Nico said to me. Then he coughed, 'Grazie a dio.'

'Not so fast, believer.' I said. 'I have a question for you.'

'What?' Nico asked.

'How do you say"every time you say something Percy can't translate, you'll have to kiss me while singing that K-I-S-S-I-N-G song" in Italian?" I asked

'I'm not Google Translate.' Nico said.

I gave him a hard look.

Nico sighed. 'Ogni volta che dico qualcosa che Percy non riesce a tradurre, dovrò baciarmi mentre tutti gli altri cantano quella stupida canzone.'

'Even better than Google Translate.' Nik lauded.

'So you know what you're supposed to do,' I said. 'Now that you put it in your language.'

'Later.' Nico begged. 'Please.'

'What's the matter?' Thalia teased. 'Afraid Percy's going to get jealous?'

'Stai zitto.' Nico muttered.

'Gimme some of that.' Nik and Thalia fist bumped.

'Can we finish this?' Nico asked.

'Fine.' I said.

Nico looked Percy in the eye-y-y.

'Will Solace; sei molto, molto meglio di Percy. Anche se sei solo leggermente meno bello di lui.' Nico said with a slight rapid fire.

'He said you're way better than me.' Percy said with fear in his eyes. 'though I'm only slightly handsomer.'

'How did you get that?' Annabeth asked.

'Stringing it.' Percy replied.

'Nico,' I called. 'That was… unlike you.'

Nico faced me again. 'Qualcosa di ancora più diverso da me,' He was definitely in full Italian mode now. 'Ti amo.'

The room went silent for a while; for obvious reasons.

'I took seventh grade French,' I said finally. 'So; Je t'aime aussi.'

'Abbastanza vicino.' Nico said.

For the first time in never; Nico kissed me in public.

'Nico and Liam sitting on a tree,

K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

First comes love

Then possible marriage

And an adopted kid

In a baby carriage.'