Leo was quickly becoming to his familiar role as the seventh wheel. It was a place he had been many times in the past; watching his friends slowly become boyfriend and girlfriend, he just hadn't expected in on such a large scale.
On the first day of his cruise he had met Jason and Piper who he had considered pretty cool. They were both awesome and really nice but had almost immediately started dating after they had snuck out one night and watched the stars on the deck of the boat. Then there was Percy and Annabeth who had already been together long before he met them and being anywhere around the two made Leo feel conspicuously single. Not that he minded being single - that is. He would just prefer to be in a happy relationship, with someone nice and sweet. Someone like Hazel.
Not that he was hitting on Hazel or anything but he had really liked her and for a moment he had forgotten about Calypso. Just for a moment, then Frank bumbled into their group. It wasn't that Leo didn't like Frank. It just became obvious from the moment Frank and Hazel were introduced that sparks were flying (literally, due to an accident that totally was not Leo's fault). And that had made Leo a bit jealous, he was ashamed to admit.
Just a little bit.
Leo had tried to forget about Hazel. He sort of did. Within a couple of days he had been introduced to the gorgeous, punk girl Thalia and Leo had developed a massive idolisation crush and constantly flirted with her. Then it turned out she was asexual, something that Jason told him one day, with a warning to stop hitting on his sister. Then he had met Khione who was really, really pretty but completely horrible and her brothers sort of worried Leo. Then he had met Reyna who was really attractive but he was sort of scared she would beat him up if he even talked to her. So Leo had given up on them and sort of just accepted he had rubbish taste in women. And men. People, really. Leo had never been good with organic life forms, as his mother had onced joked. Of course there had been Calypso but he didn't want to think about that.
So Leo had given up on finding his 'special someone' on the Argo II as so many other kids were doing. The number of couples on the Argo were already so numerous that he couldn't even count it on his hands. A few had even broken up already, a week into the voyage, which had created some very embarrassing situations.
To be completely honest the whole trip had been one embarrassing situation after another. Leo had managed to blow a couple of things already, plenty of fights had broken out (Leo had tried, unsuccessfully, to stay out of the rivalries) as well as a bunch of temper tantrums, runaways (very interesting on a ship) and problems. Leo felt like he was on a reality TV show and they were only a week in. He kept wanting to check for hidden cameras, the amount of drama that had happened
The only person who hadn't been taking part in this drama had been his mysterious roomate Nico DiAngelo. He had only properly talked to the kid a couple of times after he had tried to brain Leo with Hitchikers. Both times the boy had been cold, ending the conversation as quickly as possible to get away. Leo had a feeling Nico didn't really like him.
He hadn't actually seen Nico much, strangely enough. They were both in the Greek team for activities, the other two being Romans and Monsters but Nico only turned up for registration before disappearing for the rest of the day. He'd never seen the kid wearing the teams bright orange t-shirt, just a black t-shirt and the too-big aviator jacket he always wore. He was strange.
He didn't seem to be around the room much either. Leo spent most of the free time hanging about Jason and Percy's cabin with various people other people but Nico was never in the cabin when he got back. He sometimes heard the boy slip in late at night, way past curfew but he was usually gone before Leo woke up. It was like the kid was avoiding him, or Hazel who checked if Nico was in his room every night just before curfew. Leo always felt a pang of guilt when her face fell when he once again told her Nico wasn't there. He felt really bad for Hazel being stuck with Nico for a brother, she was such a friendly kind person while Nico, he had no idea what Nico was like but mysterious seemed to sum up what he knew.
"Oi, dreamer," Piper said snapping her fingers in front of Leo's vacant face. He jumped snapping back to the present. Everyone around him was staring at him expectantly. "Sorry, my mind was taking a trip to Australia. It was way better than this dump - thanks a bunch Piper," he rolled his eyes, a slight smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah. So if to so great there I'll take it you don't want to play truth or dare then," she replied sighing dramatically. Leo raised his eyebrows in mock horror, "Me? Leo, the master of dares? I could never turn down such a challenge! How dare you insult my honour!" Piper rolled her eyes and gave a half smile. "Okay, Leo's in as well. Anyone else want to play?" There was silence as everyone looked around expectantly. Finally Percy got up saying, "I'll skip the first round. Nature calls, Grover can take my place." He squeezed Annabeths hand as Grover, a skinny boy on crutches who had been sitting opposite him protested. Percy laughed at him jokingly and Grover thwacked him with the crutches as he walked past. The girl next to Grover, Juniper, giggled shyly and volunteered to join the game, glancing at Grover quickly. He smiled back at her, emphasizing how forever alone Leo was currently feeling.
"Is that everyone?" Asked Piper again looking around, "Tyson? No? What about you Ella? You wanna play?" The redhead shook her head jerkily and returned to her book. A soft voice from the door spoke up, "You're playing truth or dare? I'll join." Everyone's head turned to see who had spoken. Nico DiAngelo was leaning against the door, his dark hair falling across his face. Hazel quickly spoke, breaking the silence that had formed suddenly. "Yeah, sure! Come on, you can sit here," she said enthusiastically, shuffling away from Leo, towards Frank, to create room for the skinny, pale boy. As Nico went to sit down, ignoring the silence that had desended on the group like a fog.
Piper recovered from her shock and confusion and began organising the dares. No one had really seen or spoken to Nico at all on the cruise apart from Hazel (and Leo but no one knew about their conversation). He had become a sort of legend, much to Hazels obvious irritation, but now he was sitting among them, cross-legged in a circle, to play truth-or-dare and he was just a normal person. Everyone stared curiously at him as Nico concentrated on Piper talking.
"Jason, you're going first," stated Piper, reading his name off the scrap of crumpled paper she had just pulled out of the substitute hat, "Truth or dare?"
Ten minutes later Jason was sitting shirtless (Piper's idea but no one was complaining), Grover and Hazel had switched outfits, Frank had been forced to sing the whole of the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins to everyone in the room and Leo had been given a rather fabulous makeover by a very willing Silena Beauregard and her friends. Annabeth had admitted some pretty embarrassing facts about her relationship much to the amusement of everyone there. Pretty much the whole group was in hysterics apart from Nico who hadn't given more than a slight smile.
His turn was next though and Leo had some pretty devilish ideas. He could see it in a few others faces as well. They were going to get Nico embarressed and laughing if it killed them. When Nico chose dare to Pipers dramatic question Leo made eye contact with the redheaded Rachel sitting opposite him. They both grinned evilly and turned to the boy. "Dare, huh? Well, I have a few interesting ideas. What about making him wear his underwear on his head for the rest of the night? Including at dinner?" Leo asked in a conversational tone. Rachel tutted, "I don't know, didn't Percy have to do that a couple of nights ago? It would be a bit boring making everyone see the same thing again. I was thinking more along the fact that column over there really reminds me of a stripper pole." She pointed it out as horror dawned on Nicos face and he protested, "No. No way. Wait- Percy who?" Leo smiled sweetly at him, "What a wonderful idea, my friend. It's a shame that he doesn't want to; we weren't even going to make him strip all the way. It isn't very sportsman like. Could even be counted as cowardly I think." He sighed dramatically watching Nico frown and become angry. Everyone watched the teens internal struggle, stifling their laughter. It was only when Juniper snorted, very daintily, and tried to hide it that Nico got up, his face stony and his cheeks beginning to turn red.
"Fine. I'll do it. I won't be insulted by a painted whore anyway," he stormed as he slowly made his way to the column. Leo gasped in faux shock at Nicos comment as everyone cheered. The column was in the center of the room, in view of everyone - including the rather scary, hulking group of Monsters in their green tshirts who had looked up from their corner. Everyone watched Nico approach the column, followed by the wolf whistles and joke suggestive comments coming from the group.
Just as he reached the soon-to-be-strip-pole and stopped to shoot an icy glare back at the group, especially aimed at Leo who smiled innocently back, Percy entered. He was carrying a giant bottle of coca cola and several jumbo packets of snack food which he unceremoniously dumped on the coffee table next to the circle, to the sound of cheers - especially from Grover who dived for the Doritos. He dropped beside Annabeth, kissing her on the cheek while she swatted him away. He grinned at her, sloppily, before turning round to the with a grin on his face, "Nice makeup Leo and I'm liking the skirt Grover, really suits you. So what did I miss?" Thalia, who had been sitting opposite him leant back saying, "Shut up Jackson. Nico's about to give us all a show."
Percy laughed and turned to where everyone was staring; Nico. His laughter stopped abruptly and he stared in shock at the younger boy who was glaring back at him in horror. Any colour that had been in Nico's face drained away and he chocked out, "P-Percy. Percy Jackson," as if it were an insult. Leo looked between the two, confused as everyone else. Annabeth muttered a worried question to her boyfriend but he didn't reply. He was still staring at Nico. "Nico, I- I didn't realise you were on this ship," he stuttered out, as if he was struggling to find the words. Nico gave him a cold, evil glare and turned quickly to go; rushing past all the people staring at him and ignoring Hazel's questions. Leo looked after the boy, tempted to follow but instead he turned back to the group - all of them babbling questions at Percy who looked slightly shell-shocked. Nico DiAngelo was even more of an enigma than Leo had thought.