NICO
Nico paced back and forth in his cabin. He ran a hand through his shaggy black hair, and exhaled deeply.
"What is it?" Hazel asked, quirking an eyebrow as she looked up from her Horses Monthly magazine.
"I don't know what to do."
Hazel set down her magazine and got up from her cot. "About what?"
Nico only sighed. He plopped down on his cot, laid back, and covered his face with his hands.
"I really want to ask your advice for something, but there's something else I need to tell you first."
Hazel gently sat beside him on his cot and looked down at her sibling. "And? You know you can tell me anything, Nico."
Nico uncovered his face to look at the ceiling. "Yeah, I know... It's just, it's a really big secret of mine."
"You know I'm not loose-lipped."
Nico sat up and looked her in the eye with dead seriousness.
"I'm going to tell you, but you have to swear on the Styx you'll never tell a soul until I'm ready for everyone else to know. Okay?"
Hazel looked a little shocked. "This is that big of a deal?"
"Promise me, Hazel."
She nodded. "Okay, okay, I swear on the river Styx that I'll never tell anyone your secret until you're ready to announce it. Will you tell me now? The suspense is killing me."
Nico looked down and took a deep breath, hoping this was a good choice. Was he really about to do this?
He gathered up his courage, looked her in the eye, and spoke the next words with the most utter solemnity he could manage.
"I'm gay."
Hazel only looked confused. He was now questioning whether he should've told her.
"Um... you're happy? Is this a joke Nico? You usually don't kid around like this..."
He stood up and began pacing again whilst burying his face in his hands and swearing.
Shit! She doesn't know what that means! How could she not know what that means?!
He cursed his existence. Now he'd have to completely dissect the whole concept, explain it bit by bit, and wait for her reaction, all of which would be torturous and painstakingly embarrassing every step of the way.
"Are you okay Nico?" She asked cautiously.
He uncovered his face and stopped pacing.
"I'm fine," he lied. "You... You don't know what that word means?" His voice wavered as he looked to her.
"Gay?"
"Yes, yes! Don't say it!" He said quickly, turning bright red with embarrassment.
She looked completely puzzled. "I thought it meant happy..."
"No," he replied with frustration, "well, it did, but not nowadays. It means something else now."
Hazel spoke tentatively, "well... What does it mean now?"
Nico clawed at his face. He exhaled sharply and sat down next to her, trying to stay calm.
This was going to be the death of him.
"Hazel..." He began, looking anywhere but her eyes. "Gay means... it talks about... shit..."
He sighed and covered his face again. "I can't do this."
Hazel placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yes you can. Whatever it is you know I'll still love you the same. Tell me Nico."
"Hazel..." He whimpered.
"You can do it. Tell me."
He looked up at her with teary eyes and released his words all in one breath.
"Gay means a guy who's attracted to other guys. I'm gay. I like guys."
He sobbed and replaced his hands on his face, muttering various curse words into his palms.
Hazel was taken aback. She stared off toward a corner, trying to process what he had said.
"I... I didn't know it could work like that... I guess... I guess I just never thought about things that way..." she trailed off.
"That's because you're from the fucking forties. Being gay wasn't very popular back then, that's why I never told anyone."
Hazel looked down at her brother, hiding his face in his hands in shame, completely distraught.
"Nico..." she said softly.
"Do you still love me?" He muttered into his hands.
Hazel melted right then and there. "Oh Nico, of course I do! Nothing could ever change that!"
He peeked up at her from his tear-soaked hands cautiously.
"...really?"
"Yes really." She answered, drawing him into a tight hug. After a few moments in her arms he finally cracked a smile, even if it was small.
She pulled away, but kept her arms on his shoulders as she regarded him with a loving smile.
"So, what was it that you wanted to ask me?"
He smiled too. "Relationship advice. Well, sorta."
"Shoot," she replied.
A hand reached up to the back of his neck as he tried to figure out how to put it.
"I... I had a crush on Percy, and a big one at that, and for a really long time too. The other day I told him and Annabeth about it... and that I was over it now, since he has her and all..."
Hazel spoke quietly. "Are you really over him?"
He sighed. "I don't know. I thought I was... but... I still get nervous around him, and I still think about him... I think I just told him that because I knew it'd never happen, so I thought might as well just get it over with."
"Do you... do you like anyone else?" Hazel asked gently.
"I kinda thought about Will, Will Solace from Apollo. But, I'm pretty sure he's not gay. Even if he was he wouldn't like me. He gets mad at me a lot, says I'm 'dark and brooding' and whatnot."
"I just... I just don't know what to do about Percy. I don't know whether I'm still in love with him. I'm afraid I might be."
Nico flopped down on to his bed, arms spread out. "Gods..." He murmured.
Hazel smiled as she thought on what advice to give him.