Well, I'm glad you guys stuck in through that. I didn't mean to make Jason so violent. But I suppose I'll just work with it.

I am NOT Rick Riordan, thus I own none of his properties (or talent).

I Can't Swim

But I Can Damn Well Argue.

~Nico's P.O.V.~

I dragged Percy into the shadows, and we were in my cabin.

"Nico, I can't see." After the brightness of the outdoors, the dimness of my cabin did seem much darker than it really was. I flipped the lights on, not helping much, but Percy stopped complaining.

"Percy . . ." I started, now hesitant. "What was that?"

"Me defending you, of course." He said plainly. I stared as he looked at the ground, knowing that wasn't what I was asking. "Alright, fine. Honestly, I don't know."

"Percy, you kissed me. Why?" I was starting to get bitter. "Did you kiss me out of pity? Or to prove your point?"

"No!" He yelped. "I'm not that kind of person." He continued softly. "I'm not sure why I did it. I just . . . something happened, you know . . ." He looked down. Feeling my cheeks heat as I recalled the memory, I told him to continue. "Well, after that, it seemed, like. . . I wanted to."

"No you didn't." I said automaticly. "You're not - you're not like me. Your straight."

"No, Nico, I don't know anymore." He looked at me intensely. I laughed without mirth, only to see he was still staring, as if trying to make me read his mind.

"Percy, you can't be serious." I said, taking a step back.

"I'm not sure. Don't get your hopes up. But please, just . . . don't give up, either." He whispered the last part, and I could barely stand in anger.

"Shut up!" I snapped. "You can't - you can't do that to Annabeth. Or me. You just can't." I looked at the ground. "We can pretend that never happened, and move on. I can be over you, and you won't hurt Anna-"

"I don't even like Annabeth!" Percy spuddered. "She's like a sister to me!"

"What?" I asked, increduous.

"Everyone expected us to get together. So we did. But I think of her like a close friend. She and I aren't like that."

"Then why don't you stop?" I asked, calming down.

"Because, everyone believes in us. We're the Golden couple."

". . . I don't care if you pick me," I lied. "but you can't keep up the lies forever."

"We were about to tell everyone, actually. This afternoon. But I think I missed it." Percy scratched the back of his head. My anger was pushed out, replaced by such a deep relief I sat on the bed behind me.

"Ow!" Squealed a female voice. Under me, I felt what seemed to be a foot.

"Ah!" Me and Percy said, and suddenly, before I could object, Percy stood in front of me, an arm pushing me back as the other brought out his sword.

"Wait! Stop!" The voice yelped. As my eyes finished adjusting, I saw a scared Hazel on the bed, under blankets. I grabbed Percy's arm as Hazel scolded. "This is my cabin you know." She fanned herself as she sat up.

"How long have you been there?" I gasped, absolutely horrified.

"Um, since before you guys were here. I was just drifting off, too."

My throat stopped working. Luckily, Percy was damn near reading my mind.

"And how much did you hear?" He asked.

"About all of it." She turned to me. "Your gay?"

I gaped at her, mouth opening and closing. Not her. Not the only other person to accept me.

She smiled at me and got up. Percy put his sword away hesitatently. Hazel wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my neck lazily. "It's completely okay. And unless you need to talk about anything," - She glared at Percy for a moment - "can I go back to sleep?"

I smiled at her. "Of course, Hazel. Goodnight. We won't bother you." Hazel nodded in gratitude and slipped back under the covers. She curled up into a ball, and I couldn't resist; I tucked her in and kissed her forehead. Percy made an 'aww' sound behind me, before I grabbed his arm and led him out of the cabin.

"And what was that?" I asked, looking at him again.

"That was me protecting you." He said, meeting my stare.

"I don't need protection." I guffawed.

"I know." He smiled at me, a shine in his bright eyes that made my heart thump and I had to turn away.

"I - I need to go talk to Jason."

"I'll go with you."

"No." I said a little stronger than I needed to. He flinched. "I mean, no. We don't need him starting anything else." I examined his face to see the bruise forming, then turned away, trying not to pay too close attention to his face.

But then he leaned forward and lightly caressed my cheek. I moved away, breath studdering. "Your cheeks bruising." He stated simply. "Does it hurt?" He reached forward again, and I let him this time.

"No. Well, dully. But it's nothing." I blabbled. He leaned in close, then suddenly his eyes flicked to mine, and his lips parted.

Damn. That look again.

He licked his lips and said, "I'm sorry again." then pushed me back into the ally between my cabin and the next and kissed me. My eyes fluttered shut as his tongue flicked against my lips. I parted my lips, curious, and let him taste me. I moaned quietly as he roamed, his hands on either side of me. A curious heat built as he pressed against me.

Then things were starting to stir again, so I pushed him away.

"I should talk to Jason." I said, not meeting his eyes.

"I did it again, didn't I?" He asked lowly. My eyes darted to him. He looked guilty. "Take advanage of you?"

"No, Percy. I just . . . I don't want to confuse you. Just . . . think, okay?"

With that, I walked away.

I found Jason in the training arena, his training dummy torn and pierced. I didn't ask questions as a approached. He gave me one look before lowering his eyes, then throwing a spear at the dummy. I watched as it went throught the head with perfect precision.

"I'm sorry, again. About your face." Jason said, flexing his shoulders.

"I've totally forgotten about that." I shrugged it off. "Can I explain now? Unless you're too busy."

"Not really." He gave me his full attention, squaring his shoulders, yet relaxing at the same time, somehow.

I explained everything, starting from when I woke up, to in the alley, leaving out any details he didn't need to know.

He nodded. "So, I do need to beat him up for you then?" Jason grunted. I felt the corner of my mouth tug upward.

"No, I think when it comes to it, I'd like to do it myself." He smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But I suppose it's not my move right now."

"That's not fair to you." Jason said, glaring at the ground. "He should have stopped it or started it then. He can't drag you on like that."

"He's not. And he and Annabeth aren't actually a thing, so he's not hurting her, either."

"But you don't really care about that, do you?" He gave me a calculating look, as if he could see the disappointment radiating off of me.

"I suppose not." I gave him a slight grin.

He didn't return it as he kicked the gravel under him. "Prehaps he's not hurting you by dragging you on. But he's giving you hope. And that's going to hurt worse." He looked me in the eyes, still as a statue. "And I know you. You'll break." He returned his glare to the ground. "And I'll have to pick up the pieces again."

Anger sparked in the pit of my stomach. "I never said you had to. You can waste your time with that by yourself. And you know nothing about me."

"I know your biggest secret." He said, casually. I refrained from flinching; prehaps I said the wrong thing.

I looked down at the ground. "Whatever. Just don't concern yourself with me. You have other people to care about."

"Of course I 'concern' myself with you." Jason scowled. "You're as much as my friend as the others. I don't want to see you hurt."

"That's not what you said just now." I said darkly. "You said you don't wanna have to help me again." I shook my head slightly, anger flaring.

He opened his mouth to protest, taking a step from and scruching his eyebrows, but I backed up into the shadows, letting them hug me and take me away.

I almost didn't even care that I wasn't sure where I was going.

Cliffy! Prehaps he'll go to the woods, or maybe he'll end up in Percy's cabin? Review to find out ;) ~TrampledRose