Here it is, part two! Sorry this is a day late- I couldn't get to my profile on this site at all, kept saying the server was down, so sorry about the delay! I'm really sorry if this is terrible- my inability to cope with deadlines once again reared its ugly head and I ended up writing this in a massive rush on Christmas eve and only had time for one proof read, so apologies if it's awful! I'll try harder on part three! :)

Hope you enjoy!

Christmas Day

"Do I seriously have to wear this?"

Leo turned his face away from the window and grinned. "Come on, you look adorable!"

Nico glowered and tugged on the hem of his dark green sweater, tracing the outline of one of the white skeletal reindeer with his thumb. Apparently Leo's idea of a good Christmas present for the Grinch-like son of Hades was to have some friends in the Athena cabin knit them embarrassing matching jumpers and force him to be seen in public wearing it. How romantic. Not.

His impish boyfriend just grinned at him, his shoulders rocking with the motion of the train. In his red sweater (decorated with mechanical robins) and green scarf, with his pointy ears poking out from his uncombed curls, he looked like he'd just run away from Santa's workshop. Clearly the North Pole's security was getting a little lax.

Nico groaned, pulling his sweater up over his head and hiding away in the darkness of his woolen cocoon. He heard Leo laughing, but his mind was preoccupied with more troubling matters.

In ten minutes, they'd be arriving in New York. In thirty, they'd be at Sally Jackson's apartment along with the rest of their friends, reunited for Christmas. Hazel would be there. So would Frank, Reyna, Jason and Piper.

And of course, Percy and Annabeth.

All of them together for Christmas lunch. His first crush. His first crush's mom and step-dad. His first crush's girlfriend and best friends. All of them in a room together. With Nico's sister. And with his current boyfriend. His current boyfriend that he hadn't actually told anyone about yet.

Don't panic… It'll be fine.

It'll be fine.

It's aaaaallll fine.

Fine.

FINE.

"Nico?"

Harsh daylight broke through his thoughts as Leo yanked his jumper down past his face, leaving the Ghost King startled and blinking like a rabbit in the headlights.

"Nico, are you hyperventilating?"

"…No," he said stiffly, biting his lip and concentrating on slowing his breathing to a more human velocity.

Leo smiled, but Nico could've sworn he saw terror flicker in his eyes. Before he could mention it, a voice on the intercom announced that they were about to arrive at the station, and the mechanic reached out and took Nico's trembling hand.

"Come on, Casper," he said lightly, pulling him upright. "The folks'll be waiting!"

A twenty minute trudge through the snow-clad streets and three flights of stairs later, the two demigods were standing at the door to the Jacksons' apartment. Light streamed out from under the door, and the sound of cheerful voices and laughter echoed through the hall.

Leo took a deep breath and turned his head towards Nico, giving him an encouraging smile. "You ready?"

It took all of Nico's willpower to grimace and nod his head slightly. Leo reached out and pressed the doorbell. A small, musical ring sounded inside the apartment. Nico looked down at his feet as he inhaled deeply, bracing himself. He caught sight of his ridiculous jumper behind his aviator jacket, and Leo's matching one. Without missing a beat he unzipped the coat and thrust it into Leo's hands, pulling his sweater over his head and squashing it into his bag. Leo raised his eyebrow, but either he didn't want to make a fuss or he was also secretly grateful that they didn't match because he didn't comment as he handed the jacket back to Nico, now standing clad only in a thin black t-shirt. He barely managed to shrug his jacket back onto his shoulders before the door opened and they were greeted by the beaming faces of Hazel and Piper.

Nico barely had time to say hello before his sister practically floored him with a tackle hug, knocking the air from his lungs before he could protest. Piper grinned at them and stepped forward, enveloping Leo in a tight embrace. He laughed fondly as she ruffled his hair.

"Long time, no see, Beauty Queen!" he said cheerfully, returning the hug.

Piper laughed, pulling away and straightening his collar. "Missed you, too, Repair Boy. How's camp life been treating you?"

Leo shrugged. "Ah, you know- same old, same old!" his eyes involuntarily flickered over to Nico. He snapped them back and silently cursed himself, hoping Piper didn't notice.

She raised her eyebrow suspiciously.

Damn it, of course she noticed.

"So, everyone else here already?" Leo said quickly before she could question the look. She smiled and nodded, stepping aside and waving them in just as Nico managed to break free of his sister's bear hug.

Leo smiled and crossed the threshold. He could feel Piper's kaleidoscopic eyes boring into him, but he didn't look back. He didn't have time to think about her. He could feel another gaze on his back, and his mind was occupied imagining the look in the Ghost King's eyes.

For about an hour, everything was fine.

Leo was greeted by the mouthwatering scent of roasting turkey. Laughter drifted through the warm air, mingling with the soft sound of Christmas carols on the radio.

For about an hour, he didn't have a chance to worry about Nico.

No sooner had he set foot in the living room than Jason had him in a headlock, laughing and ruffling his hair. Percy grinned and gave him a fist bump, and Frank slapped his back so hard it propelled him forward a few steps. Annabeth hugged Nico and planted a sisterly kiss on Leo's forehead, offering them both glasses of lemonade. Paul Blofis shook Leo's hand, and Sally pulled him and Nico into a warm hug before smiling and disappearing back into the kitchen.

Leo let himself relax as he settled into lively conversation with his friends, letting Jason and Piper tell him tales about their travels around the country. He chuckled as Hazel gushed about how Frank had been making changes in New Rome in his first year as Praetor, ignoring the burly guy's embarrassed mumbling. He brightened and let his engineering mind run wild as Annabeth showed him her designs from her first year as an architecture major at the college of New Rome. He couldn't help smiling as he listened to them. It had been over a year since the prophecy of seven had come to pass, and their great quest had come to an end, but for his friends the adventures continued.

He was having a great time until Jason asked the dreaded question.

"Well, enough about us- what's new with you?"

"Um…" Leo floundered, tapping his fingers against the armrest, glancing up to where Nico sat on the opposite couch. The son of Hades had his face turned downwards, looking down at his slim hands wrapped around his half-empty glass. He glanced up at Leo through his eyelashes, but immediately lowered his gaze again.

He didn't make a sound. He didn't even give the slightest nod of encouragement.

Instead, he clenched his fists.

Leo felt him tense up. He pulled his head away from the son of Hades' cool chest and looked up at him, frowning. "What's the matter?"

He felt Nico's hands drop to his sides. His eyes wondered down to the Italian's clenched fists, tracing his fingers across his white knuckles. He frowned and picked up one of his cold hands, carefully massaging his palms and separating his rigid fingers.

"You've got to stop doing this, Nico," he said softly, tutting as he worked the younger boy's fingers loose and saw red marks where Nico's fingernails had bitten the skin. "If you're going to clench your fists all the time you should at least cut your nails or something…"

He looked back up, cocking his head to the side and reaching up to stroke his Ghost King's cheek. "What is it, Nico?"

He didn't get an answer. He frowned and followed his dark eyes to the other side of the room. The heavy clock on the wall ticked away, the hands creeping ever closer to midnight. Christmas Eve was almost over.

Nico sighed and looked down, meeting Leo's gaze. "What are we going to tell everyone?"

Leo bit his lip and shrugged. "I guess that depends."

"On what?"

"What do you want them to know?"

Nico groaned. "I don't know…"

"They're going to find out eventually…" Leo said gently, glancing over at the picture on mantlepiece.

It was taken fourteen months ago, at the victory celebration after Gaia was defeated. The whole gang- the seven of the prophecy, along with Nico and Reyna, even Coach Hedge had made an appearance. Everyone was smiling- bruised, battered and exhausted, but happy nonetheless. It was the last time they'd all been together in over a year. Hazel and Frank had duties in New Rome, Annabeth had gone to college and Percy followed, and Piper had gone to tour the states with her dad, taking Jason with her. With Hedge busy with his newborn and Reyna back to her work as Praetor, in the end Nico and Leo were the only ones left.

That was so long ago…

"I guess you're right," Nico said quietly, following the mechanic's gaze. "Everyone here already knows- and Piper and Jason are back here next summer anyway…"

Leo looked back up at him, offering a shy half-smile. "Maybe we should just tell them."

Nico met his gaze and smiled timidly, his fingers clenching nervously, nipping the skin of his palms. "Maybe we should…"

Leo smiled and leaned up to kiss the Ghost King's cheek tenderly, sliding his hand behind his pale neck and tapping his fingers restlessly against his cold skin.

"It'll be fine. They're our friends, they'll understand. Okay?"

Nico smiled, hoping the Latino couldn't see the fear in his eyes. "Okay."

Nico's eyes were turned down, but Leo could see the fear glinting in their depths. He wanted to reassure him- to get up, stride across the room and hold his hand, kiss his forehead, anything to dispel that cold fear that hung over him like a cloud.

"Leo?" Jason urged quietly, raising his eyebrow. Everyone was looking at him. He'd never stayed this quiet before.

Leo cast one last look at the boy on the other side of the room, hoping to offer some kind of silent reassurance. Just the smallest surge of courage to get them both through this. There was no point in putting it off. No one would judge them.

It'll be fine.

The son of Hephaestus smiled and shrugged. "Ah, you know me. Built some stuff, talked to Festus. Quiet year."

Fear was a funny thing.

"Hey, Nico."

Nico froze, his back to the door and his hands wrist-deep in dishwater. After a long, awkward Christmas lunch, sat next to Leo with their knees touching and Piper's scrutinizing gaze on them as they bat away questions about the past year at camp, Nico had hastily volunteered to clean dishes as an excuse to escape to another room. Unfortunately, Jason had decided to follow him.

Nico glanced over his shoulder, trying to keep his voice level as he returned to scrubbing dishes. "Jason."

He turned his face back down to the sink, quietly hoping that Jason would pick up on his tone and leave. He heard the son of Jupiter shift about uncomfortably, but he stayed where he was. Shame.

"Nico," Jason said quietly, leaning against the doorway and glancing out to make sure no one was listening. Satisfied that they were alone, he took a few steps towards Nico and slid his hands into his pockets self-consciously. "Nico, is something going on with you and Leo?"

Nico almost dropped the platter in his hand. He cursed quietly, his fingers once again clenching into fists beneath the water, his knuckles white and his nails reopening the half-moon scabs in his palms. He winced as the soapy water burned in the cuts, but he didn't remove them from the sink.

Might as well tell them…

"No!" he protested, gritting his teeth against the stinging in his hands. He took a deep breath and lifted them from the sink, resting them on the side as the water dripped back into the basin.

Jason raised his hands submissively, but kept his eyes on the Ghost King's face. "Look, Nico, I'm not here to antagonize you or force you to say anything you don't want to say. I'm not here to rat you out either- I haven't told anyone about Percy and I don't intend to. I just…" He dropped his hands and sighed, looping his thumbs through the belt loops on his jeans. "Nico, you know you can trust us, don't you?"

Nico wanted to listen to him. He really, really wanted to believe him.

"Nico?"

"Nico, where are you going?"

"Nico!"

Nico heard his voice, but he sounded miles away. He saw the blur of faces, people coming to see what the commotion was. He felt someone grab his sleeve, but he yanked it away, forging on. He reached the door and jerked it open, barreling out of the apartment and down the stairs as fast as he could, the shouts of his friends muffled by the pounding of his heart in his ears.

Running. He was running away.

He was always running.

The moon had risen over Camp Half-Blood. The raucous cheers of the victory party had long since subsided. Now there was only deafening silence, draped over the cabins like a blanket as the inhabitants slept off one of the wildest nights in the history of Half-Blood Hill.

Only the sound of footsteps on the crackling bed of autumn leaves broke the calm. Hurried footsteps, ploughing and crunching through the fallen foliage.

The son of Hades forged ahead, not looking back as he powered up the steep incline of Half-Blood Hill. Away from the strawberry fields. Away from the dim glow of the oil lamps in the pavilion. Away from everything. From everyone.

He reached the crest of the hill and looked down the grassy slope to the highway, snaking away into the distance.

He paused to catch his breath, standing still as a light autumn breeze ruffled his hair. He stared out at the winding road beneath him.

He could follow that road. He could walk along it. Walk, run, shadow-travel. He wasn't sure where it would take him, but he didn't care. The only place he wanted to be was away. Away from the strawberry fields. Away from the oil lamps and the pavilion. Away from everything, and everyone.

Away from Hazel. Away from Jason and Frank and Annabeth.

Away from Percy.

He'd once told Jason that he was going to leave. Once the war was over and the prophecy complete, he would leave and never come back. He'd promised, and he intended to keep his promise.

He took a long, deep breath, and took his first step into the unknown.

"Nico!"

He raised his head, frowning. He thought he'd heard…

"Nico!"

"Nico!"

He froze in his tracks, blinking in the light of sun on freshly fallen snow. He felt his head clear and his senses sharpen, and he turned hesitantly to the voice.

Leo stood behind him, his cheeks red and his chest heaving, his fast breaths escaping his mouth in puffs of frozen vapour. When he finally caught Nico's attention he smiled awkwardly, holding out the bundled up green sweater in his hand.

"That was quite an exit."

Nico stared at the garment, frowning.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Put it on, idiot- you'll freeze out here."

The pale boy realized with a jolt that he'd run outside without so much as grabbing his jacket. He shivered as a chill wind nipped at his nose and caused his exposed arms to break out in goose bumps. He reluctantly took jumper, scowling.

"You couldn't have just grabbed my aviator, huh?" he said drily, tugging the ridiculous thing over his head. He tried not to show his relief at the warmth it provided.

Leo bit his lip and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry- it was the first thing that came to hand. You took off pretty quickly, I didn't have a chance to consider the style options."

Nico blushed, dropping his gaze to the slow-clad ground and knotting his fists in the soft wool of his sleeves. He knew Leo wanted him to tell him why he'd run away, and he knew that he owed him an explanation. He just wasn't sure what he could say that wouldn't offend him- how could he tell this sweet, gentle guy that he was too scared and ashamed to tell their friends they were together?

"I'm scared too, you know."

Nico blinked, taken aback. He looked up and his breath caught.

Leo's mouth was pulled into a forced smile, but his fiery brown eyes were wide and panic-stricken. With one hand he was tugging nervously on the hem of his sweater, and the other was rubbing the back of his neck the way he did when he was uneasy. He looked smaller, somehow. Vulnerable.

He caught Nico's surprised look and grinned sheepishly. "Come on, man, up 'till a few months ago I was chasing after every pretty girl that so much as smiled in my direction, did you think being with you was going to be an easy transition? I mean don't get me wrong, it helped that it was you and that I really cared about you but… well, it was tough."

He dropped his hand and shrugged apprehensively. "I'm glad that we could make it work between us- honestly, I never even began to think you'd like me too! I'm happy that I'm with you, but…" he shook his head slightly and offered a sad smile. "To be honest- and please excuse my French- I'm pretty fucking terrified as well."

Nico smiled, a short bark of laughter escaping his lips. Leo cocked his head to the side and watched him curiously.

The son of Hades took a step forward, stretching out his arms and wrapping them around Leo's waist, pulling him close into an embrace. He felt the mechanic's warm arms drape around his shoulders and his face press into the crook of his neck. He tightened his grip, pressing his cheek against his lover's unruly curls.

"Yeah… I'm pretty fucking terrified, too," he glanced up past Leo's head to the looming apartment building, sighing. "They're probably worried about us…"

Leo chuckled, lifting his head and pulling back to look Nico in the eye. Suddenly his face broke into a flirtatious smile.

Nico flinched, taken aback by the sudden smolder. "What?"

Leo waggled his eyebrow ridiculously, gesturing to the wintry street around them. "I'm just thinking… New York at Christmas, streets all lined with snow, just the two of us- seems too good an opportunity to waste, don't you think?"

Nico felt his cheeks tingle with warmth. He bit back a giggle and raised his eyebrow, nodding towards the apartment. "What about the others?"

The son of Hephaestus grinned, taking his hand and tugging him down the street. "I think we can let them worry about us a little longer!"

"Nico!"

Nico whipped around to the voice.

On the crest of the hill, where he himself been standing only moments before, Leo Valdez stood silhouetted against the faraway glow of the rising sun. He was breathing quickly and his hair was disheveled. He'd been running.

The Latino frowned, raising his hand to sweep a few anarchic ringlets out of his eyes. "Where're you going?"

Nico scowled at him, turning back to the road. "Away."

"Why?"

The Italian paused, somewhat taken aback by the question. He turned his head back to the son of Hephaestus and frowned suspiciously. "Why do you care?"

The mechanic had the nerve to give him a withering look. "As usual, your sunny disposition shines forth."

Nico turned fully round to face him, glowering menacingly. "I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm, Valdez- how about you say what you came to say and leave me alone?"

Leo raised one amused eyebrow, which made Nico want to punch him in his elfish face. "Maybe I came just to be sarcastic?"

It was Nico's turn to smile contemptuously. "Even you're not that annoying."

Leo adopted the face of a kicked puppy. "I try very hard to be annoying, actually."

Even Nico couldn't stop and involuntary lip quirk at that. "Keep up the good work."

The Latino chuckled earthily. "I intend to. Which is exactly why you need to stop this stupid running-away-forever thing you've got going on."

Nico frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Leo rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his army jacket pockets. "I need someone to practice on if everyone else is leaving."

"What do you mean 'leaving'?" Nico asked.

Leo sighed, turning his head slightly back towards camp. "Well, job done and all that. Hazel and Frank are back off to Camp Jupiter tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure Percy and Annabeth'll be following suit soon, Annabeth seems pretty set on going to college."

Nico flinched involuntarily at the mention of the son of Poseidon. He composed himself and tried to listen to what Leo was saying.

"Hedge has his family now, Tyson's off back to his job at Poseidon's workshop. I'm pretty sure I heard Pipes say something about going travelling with her dad and you just know she's going to invite Jason along," he paused and shrugged, turning back to meet Nico's gaze. "Basically, if you go too I'm going to spend at least the next year going slowly insane in the solitude of Bunker Nine and probably wind up talking to coffee mugs. Or, I dunno, joining Tumblr or something."

Nico smirked, but turned back to continue his descent. "Well, I don't think you'll be any better off with creepy old me around."

He was half way down the hill when he heard Leo's voice call to him.

"I don't think you're that bad!"

It wasn't much of a compliment. It wasn't exactly an insult either- if anything, it was just an honest opinion. Brutally honest. More honest than anything anyone else said to him.

He didn't know if it was anger, curiosity or even a strange kind of happiness that made him turn back, but somehow he found himself walking a few steps back up the hill, looking up into the mechanic's rich brown eyes.

"Why should I stay?" he asked slowly, meeting the older boy's warm eyes with an icy gaze.

To his surprise, Leo just smiled and shrugged, turning on his heel to walk back to camp and calling over his shoulder.

"I don't know- could be fun!"

Nico just stared at his retreating back in a state of indignant shock.

Clearly the son of Hephaestus expected him to just turn right around and follow him back to camp. The smug little prig had quite some nerve.

Well, Nico wasn't going to give in just like that. He snarled and turned back to the road, striding out into the world and disappearing into the shadows of the hill.

Precisely five seconds later he emerged from the gloom and trudged sullenly back up the slope, muttering angrily.

"Stupid Valdez."

They were at least half an hour from any landmarks, possibly longer since the transport systems were minimal at Christmas, but neither of them could bring themselves to care.

They wandered main roads and back streets alike, holding hands and laughing at nothing in particular. Leo threw snowballs and kicked over drifts, creating mini blizzards as he went. Nico retaliated as best he could; giggling so hard he ended up the victim of another attack of hiccups. In the end Leo had to kiss him breathless to get rid of them- not that either of them minded, of course.

They ended up in a small park a few blocks from the apartment. They were the only people in sight- clearly no one else was in the mood to brave the elements when they could be in front of the TV with food and presents. Maybe it was just as well- Nico was much more fun when he wasn't worried about being observed.

By the time the sun was setting below the horizon, the initially pristine park space was covered in snow angels, shabby igloos and wonky snowmen. Both Leo and Nico's sweaters were soaked through, but Nico didn't care as long as he had the Latino's warm arms close by.

As the sky darkened, the couple strolled hand in hand through the tranquil streets back to the apartment. Nico couldn't help gawping as the Christmas lights were switched on, staring in awe at the bright colours illuminating the sky. Leo smiled at him fondly- it was adorable when Nico's inner 1930s kid came out.

They reached Percy's building and stood at the entrance, gathering themselves. Leo took a deep breath and turned to Nico, smiling.

"You ready?"

Nico smiled back and nodded, gripping his hand tighter. "As I'll ever be."

Leo nodded, nervous but smiling. He gave Nico's hand one more reassuring squeeze, and together they began their ascent to the third floor.

Sally Jackson heard the knock on the door and sprang up to answer it, feeling the eyes of everyone else in the living room follow her out into the corridor.

She turned the latch and opened the door, breathing out a sigh of relief.

Leo and Nico stood on the welcome mat, clothes dripping and hair powdered with snow. Nico was blushing, looking down at his feet with an expression half way between remorse and embarrassment. Leo met her eyes and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry for running off," he said sincerely. "Hope we didn't make you all worry too much…"

Sally looked between them, from Leo's matted curls to Nico's sodden sweater, her eyes eventually falling to their intertwined hands. She smiled warmly, and stood aside.

"Come in and dry off, both of you. The Muppet Christmas Carol's about to start on TV," she said tenderly, patting Nico's shoulder as he crossed the threshold. "Who wants cocoa?"

Ta-dah!

Hope it wasn't too unbearable! I'll try and do better for New Year's Eve :)

Merry Christmas, my loves!