Chapter 2

Percy grabbed Nico's waist and realized that there wasn't enough time to drag him to the surface. Instead he focused on creating a bubble around them. He pulled Nico into his arms as the air socket formed. The two boys soon rested on the bottom of the ocean with their protective bubble and nothing, but darkness surrounding them. Nico coughed, water spouting from his mouth and gasped for breath. He felt two strong arms wrapped around him, warm and dry against his cold wet skin. "P-Percy?"

"I got you." Percy smiled. "I thought I'd have to do mouth to mouth." He pushed the wet black hair out of Nico's eyes. Nico jerked away, blushing again. Percy grabbed his arm to keep him from moving too far away. "Careful. Don't fall out of the bubble. I know it's not too big, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances."

Nico nodded and tried to put as much distance between himself and Percy without falling out of the bubble. Percy glanced at the bubble wall and opened his mouth as if to say something, but a large fish burst through and landed in Nico's lap. Nico cried out in surprise. Percy grabbed the fish, the back of his hand brushing Nico's upper thigh, and tossed it back into the water. "It's just a fish, Sunburn. It's not like they'd bit you… Well, not with me here anyway." Nico bit his lip trying not to blush (and failing). "It just startled me and stop calling me that!"

"Why? Does it bother you?" Percy smirked at Nico.

"Yes!" Nico snapped.

Percy smiled at him. "No, Sunburn. I won't stop until you tell me why you're so… sunburnt. I mean, you're not scared of the water…" Nico scowled and looked away. "I can't."

Percy made a persassy face. "Then Sunburn sticks."

"No, Percy, I really can't tell you." Nico said, pleadingly. Percy gave him a concerned look. "Whatever's bugging you, you can tell me." Nico shook his head, unwanted tears threatening his eyes. Percy looked thoughtful. "Hey, I wanna show you something." Nico looked at him. "What?"

"Follow me…" Percy smirked at him. "…Sunburn." Keeping Nico close, Percy led the way through the water to a hidden trench in the ocean floor. All that could be seen was a few feet into the trench, but then blackness took over. "It reminds me of you." Percy said, sitting with his legs hanging over the edge. Nico sat next to him. "Why? Cause it's a dark depressing crack of death?" he said slightly bitterly.

"No. Because t's full of hidden secrets. I've barely had time to actually come down here and find out the secrets, just like with you."

Nico chewed his lip, looking away from Percy, the unwanted blush rising to his cheeks. What Percy had said had touched him deeply. Percy glanced at Nico for a reaction. Nico was unsure how to express the feelings surging in his chest so he just kept chewing his lip, not daring to glance at Percy. Percy stayed silent afraid that he scared Nico. The son of Hades didn't seem like someone who would like all the sentimental garbage that he'd just let come spewing out of his mouth.

"Thank you, Percy." Nico said finally, turning to meet Percy's sea green gaze. "It…it means a lot."

Percy smiled. "No problem." He placed his hand on Nico's bare shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Nico tensed as Percy touched him, his teeth finding his bottom lip again. Percy dropped his hand to his lap and stared at his feet hanging over the edge of a sheer drop into nothingness.

"Percy." Nico said, then stopped, biting his lip hard. Why had he spoken? He couldn't tell him.

"Yeah?" Percy glanced at Nico. The boy wanted to tell him something, but he couldn't figure out what. Percy studied the other boy's face, waiting for him to say something.

"I…um." Nico's brain went into over drive. "You know how I've never tried to get with a girl?"

Percy frowned. "You haven't?" He thought about it a moment. "No… I guess you haven't."

"Well…do you know why?" Nico said, hoping Percy wasn't too dense to get what he was trying to say. Percy, unfortunately for Nico, was very thick and couldn't see what he was getting at. "Because… you're… a … introvert?"

Nico smacked himself on the forehead. "I'm gay, Percy!"

Percy had no reaction other than his eyes widening slightly. "Oh." Nico scowled, his cheeks still bright scarlet and looked away. "So… that's why you're sunburnt?"

Nico's scowl deepened. "Well, I have a crush on someone. A straight someone."

"Straight… someone.." Percy turned his head toward Nico. "Who?"

Nico bit his bit, refusing to look at Percy. Percy leaned forward, trying to peer around Nico's head to meet his gaze. Nico turned his body away from Percy, his lower lip starting to hurt from biting, tears threatening his eyes again. Percy nudged Nico with his shoulder. "Hey, if you really don't want to talk about it, we can head back up to the surface." Nico nodded slowly though he liked being alone with Percy where no one could disturb them.

Percy smiled. "We'll do that then." He grabbed Nico around the waist. "Sorry about the ear popping…" The bubble and the two boys suddenly jetted up at astonishing speed toward the surface. Nico gasped and clung to Percy. Percy watched Nico's face as his ears popped. When they broke the surface, Percy spotted Drosia circling the spot where'd they'd gone under. He smiled. "Drosia likes you. She hardly likes anyone. Congrats."

"Cool." Nico rubbed his temples then realized he was still holding onto Percy and made to let go. Percy refused to let Nico go. "Dude, you can't swim, remember?" He wrapped his arms around Nico and tugged them toward the hippocampus. Nico blushed again, silently cursing Cupid and Aphrodite. And Percy for making them take off most of their clothes. Percy shoved Nico onto Drosia's back and climbed on behind him. Nico clung to Drosia's neck, trying to ignore Percy behind him, his cheeks still their now-trademark scarlet. Drosia swam as close to the shore as she could and stopped, waiting for the boys to jump off. Nico looked down at the water, wondering how deep it was. Percy jumped off Drosia's back and turned around. "Jump."

Nico closed his eyes tight and jumped. Percy snagged him right as he hit the water and brought them close enough to shore to stand. Percy smiled at the water when he saw the moon and the stars reflected in the glossy surface. Nico gasped. "It's… beautiful!"

Percy smiled. "Hey, Sunbu- I mean Nico, watch this." Percy dove under the water then reappeared with his hair wet. With a big grin, he shook his head, spraying Nico with water.

"Hey!" Nico yelled flinching away, but grinning. A smile lit up Percy's face and he sent a small wave at Nico. The Ghost King gasped and curled into a ball as the wave crashed on him.

"Gay Pride!"

Percy glanced toward the shore and saw Clarise standing there with her arms crossed. Nico got to his feet, frowning and blushing, and pushed the wet hair back from his forehead.

"Shut it, Clarise!" Percy yelled at the godly pain in the butt.

"Make me, Jackson!" She yelled back.

Percy moved his arm back, forming a wave to go and take out the girl. The wave hit Clarise and sent her into a dizzy swirl of water and sand. Nico laughed at this spectacle. When the water returned to the ocean, Clarise remained on the shore, coughing and spluttering up water. Nico held his sides which were starting to hurt from laughing so hard.

"You'll pay for that, Jackson!" Clarise yelled when she could breath again. She stumbled back to her cabin, away from Percy and the water.

"Sure I will… I'm so scared." Percy pretended to shake in fear then laughed, falling backwards and summerdging himself in the water. Nico wiped a tear from his eye and gasped for breath. Percy stayed under water for a long time. When he did resurface, he was laughing. Nico made his way over to him still snickering. "That… was… awesome!" he gasped.

Percy couldn't stop grinning. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Nico suddenly felt a surge of emotion that he couldn't contain. He wrapped his arms around Percy's neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. Percy made a noise in his throat, but Nico didn't care, his cheeks burning scarlet. When he finally pulled away, he met Percy's amazing sea green gaze. "And you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Percy froze, staring at a spot just over Nico's shoulder. After a minute or two, he blinked and met Nico's gaze. Trying to appear nonchalant, Percy mumbled; "Your sunburn is back." He gave Nico a small smile and reached out to touch the bright red on Nico's face. Nico shuddered at Percy's touch. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He closed his eyes, tears starting to run down his cheeks.

"Nico… don't cry." Percy wiped one of the tears away. "It's OK."

Nico raised his hand and placed it over Percy's that rested on his face. A light pink covered Percy's face as he considered something. Nico looked up at him, wishing he would stop crying and blushing, but he couldn't. "Percy," he whispered. "Say something."

Percy leaned forward slowly and brushed his lips lightly against Nico's. When he pulled back, he muttered; "Something."

Nico let out a shaky laugh. "Really, Percy?"

Percy nodded with a tight-lipped smile. Then, he looked down at the half-naked Ghost King. "You know… You're not the only one…"

Nico sniffed and wiped his hand across his wet red cheeks which only made them wetter. "What?"

Percy bit the inside of his cheek. "I found out I was bi when I was eleven."

Nico's breath caught in his throat. He looked up at Percy in surprise and a little bit of hope. Percy played with his Camp Half-Blood necklace, waiting for Nico's reply.

"But… why… you always seemed straight." Nico said.

"Because I have a girlfriend? That was kind of the point."

Nico bit his lip and nodded, blushing.

"I'm not as brave as you, Nico. I guess… I just have more opinions." Percy scratched the back of his neck then stood up. "I'm sorry. It's late… I'll… I'll see you tomorrow, Nico." He began to wade out of the water.

Nico stared at the ground. "I'm… I'm not brave, Percy. I was scared to tell you how I felt. And you won't see me tomorrow. I'm leaving and I don't think I'll be back."

Percy stopped and turned around. His voice cracked as he spoke. "Why?"

"Oh, let's think! Because of you, Percy!"

"Nico…" Percy bit the inside of his cheek. "I don't… I don't want you to leave…"

"I just… I can't stay here, Percy. Not while you and Annabeth…" He didn't finish.

Percy took a deep breath, considering what had to be done to get Nico to stay. "I don't… I don't want to hurt Annabeth, Nico… But, I- I wanna be with you." He sat down in the shallows. Nico looked down at him in shock. "But, Percy…"

Percy inched closer to him. "I don't know what I'm going to do about Annabeth. I like her… But I like you more."

Nico jerked back, his cheeks burning. "Really, Percy?"

Percy blushed. "Yeah…"

Nico didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt like doing both at once. He reached out slowly and touched Percy's arm. Percy licked his lips, his eyes darting from Nico's dark irises down to his lips and back up again. Nico smiled. "I'm not going to stop you, Percy."

Percy leaned closer, pressing his lips to Nico's. His hand slid up and rested on the other boy's shoulder then neck and finally began to play with the hair at Nico's neck, drawing him closer. Nico made a moaning noise in the back of his throat and moved closer so he was now sitting on Percy's waist with a leg against each hip. He loved the feel of it all; Percy's fingers in his hair and his soft salty lips against Nico's. Nico wrapped his arms around Percy's neck, deepening the kiss. Percy ran his tongue over Nico's lips in a question. He smiled into the kiss. God, how long he'd wanted this.

"Seaweed Brain?" a familiar voice squeaked from the shore.

Nico pulled away with a start and fell off Percy into the shallows. Annabeth stood on the shore, her grey eyes blazing. Percy cursed as he turned to face his angry girlfriend with a blush that covered his entire face. Nico scrambled to his feet to, wondering if he should make a run for it.

"Annabeth… I-"

"WHAT THE HADES WAS THAT?! WERE YOU JUST- JUST KISSING-" She spat the word out. "-NICO?!"

"Annabeth… I-" Percy took a step toward the angry girl, but then thought better of it. He had no doubt she was capable of killing him when she was this mad. Nico felt slightly sick. He backed away. Annabeth glared at the, with cold grey eyes. "No. We're through." She snapped and stormed up the beach, disappearing behind a cabin.

Percy fell to his knees, sending up a spray of water. He clenched his fists in his hair and didn't move. For what felt like the thousandth time that day, Nico felt tears sting his eyes. "I'm sorry, Percy." He said and ran back to his cabin, slamming the door and falling onto his bed.