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

I Can't Swim

And I'm Too Pissed To Try

~Nico's P.O.V.~

For two days after the Capture The Flag, I was congratulated by everyone. Hazel insisted we keep the flag where others can see it, so I put it outside. Also for that time frame, Percy and Jason have avoided me. Percy also broke up with Annabeth officially. The whole camp was shocked. Except me.

Finally, on the third day, I bumped into Julian on the way to breakfast.

"Nico, there you are." He said in a low voice. I scowled and went to move away. Julian blocked my path. "I need to talk to you."

"There's nothing to say." I deadpanned, pushing past him.

"Nico, please." He put his hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged him off and turned around. "Not here. Not now." I continued toward my table.

He didn't disturb me again till after breakfast, where he met me at my cabin door.

"How about here?" He said, staring me in the eye.

I stopped in my tracks, weary. After the events during the game, I didn't feel like being alone with him. I started fidgetting with my hands.

He rolled his eyes. "Not in the cabin, then. Out here." He proceeded to make himself comfortable, sitting and leaning on the railing. I found I had no other choice then to hear him out.

He began. "I'll admit, Nico, you are good looking, and yes, I am gay," I flinched slightly at the word. "but I don't have that sort of interest for you."

"Mm-hmm. so then what was that stunt you pulled at the Game? And what you said during the make-over?"

"I saw you flinch. I figured you either weren't used to body contact, or you didn't like it."

"Both." I mumbled.

"So I tried to verbally support you, for doing all that for my friends. And the Game, I was just going to put you in the jail. I had no intention to come onto you. But when your protective friends jumped in, I thought I'd have a bit of fun." He gave me a mischeivious smirk, then wiped it away. "But I realized I had messed with your feelings, as well, to which I also had no intention. I didn't realize you and those boys already had a lot of drama without me."

I blushed. "And how much drama do you think is going on?"

Julian's eyes gleamed, and he leaned forward. "Well, I was thinking about it, and I came up with this; Jason is your ex-lover, who you had to break it off with, due to the fact that he liked it too rough, and it was mutual, of course, but he was always very protective of you. Then, maybe, you met Percy after all that, or you then started to realize you had feelings for the son of Poseidon, who had secretly lusted for you since he met you, and when he finally worked up the courage to confront you, you became nervous and accepted, so he dumped his girlfriend, but Jason is still trying to protect you and loves you, so he is acting like a wedge, keeping you apart in hopes you go back to him. Right?"

All color had drained from my face, and I was utterly horrified. "Dear gods. No."

"Oh." Julian looked down. "Well, then, that's all I got."

". . . At least I know where you get your dramatic flare from." I said shakily, to which he smiled.

"Hmm." He agreed. "So, can you tell me, to satisfy my curiousity?"

"Well, it is really complicated, but in a nutshell . . ." I gave a sixty second recap, to which he nodded.

"Okay. That's not what I had in mind."

"Obviously. And me and Jason, well, we aren't attracted to each other." I said, brushing that option off.

"Alright." He started to stand up, then hesitated. "So, no hard feelings?"

"No, Julian. We're good."

"And you'll keep me updated, right? We can be gay-friends."

"What?"

"Gay-friends. If you need to talk about something involving your sexuality, you can always come to me, and vice versa."

"O-okay."

He smiled and stood. "Alright then. Till next time, Nico di Angelo." And he walked off.

Then another demigod came over to me.