A/N: I think I should – and want to – describe the appearance of my original characters a bit more detailed.

The character Ray was inspired by Grover from The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters (ugh – worst adaption of a book I've ever seen). Tall, brown skin, short, slightly curly black hair, always joking and cheerful, but instead of a goatee with a thin beard along the jawline all the way around his face. I imagine he would have brown eyes, darker than Nico's.

Mel is supposed to look intimidating, strong, earrings, bald head, a beard along the jawline as well but less thin than Ray's, broad shoulders, piercing blue-grey eyes, deep bass voice. He'd look as if he was a gang member and would beat up anyone if he wanted to, but would have the kindest personality once you'd get to know him. Quite similar to Frank.

Li would have short cut black hair, with an undercut, like the cliché punk. No piercings, though. I haven't really thought about her eye colour, but I guess something along the lines of blue or grey would suit her as well. She would wear simple, singled-coloured shirts or tanktops, grey or green cargo pants, and probably combat boots. A quite military look, mixing with her job.

Also, Li really dislikes her name (Caroline), that's why she's reduced it to Li.

Disclaimer: Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus are the intellectual property of Rick Riordan. The plot, however, and of course the original characters, are mine.

I was lost in thoughts when I walked home this morning. Most people would have characterised Nico di Angelo as a lunatic and called the police. But what he had said made sense. I had always seen things other people hadn't seen, and for a while, when I was younger, my parents had suspected that I'd secretly take drugs or something like that. That had been the moment when I had stopped telling people about the things I saw. They wouldn't believe me if I told them that the person they were talking to was far from human. They didn't want to know that the friendly stray dog they were petting had poisonous spikes on his tail and the shape of a lion. And so I had kept my mouth shut about the things I'd seen. I'd never told anybody, not even my two best friends, whom I told everything that bothered me. But the words of Nico di Angelo had – on condition that he wasn't a lunatic – made sense.

And he was surely impressive. At least six feet tall, muscular, long but well-cut black hair, the slightest hint of a beard at his chin, and dark, brown eyes that could be piercing as well as look vulnerable. Strong arms, good looks, the epitome of handsome. Plus a good choice in fashion. I was sure, if he'd come out, he'd have plenty of men asking him out. He was totally my type, but my heart burnt for another one.

What the hell, I would probably never see him again.

Closing the door of my apartment behind me, I noticed the coats that hung at the coat rack. Apparently, Ray and Mel were already home. I wouldn't have to share my apartment with two other guys, just like I wouldn't have to work at the security firm, work at all, or live in an apartment in New York. My family was, like, the richest family in wherever-the-mansion-they-were-currently-living-in-stood. My father and mother could have paid for all my expenses during my whole lifetime. But that wasn't the life I wanted. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and in my case, the 'price' would be to be the heir to Christopher Lewis & Partners Enterprises. And if there was one thing I didn't want, then it was to lead dad's company. He'd much rather have a son anyway. And besides, Ray and Mel were my best friends, and I enjoyed living with them.

'Li! You come just in time for breakfast – or dinner, given that you're probably going to bed afterwards. How's your shift been?' Mel's bass voice sounded through the corridor. 'Boring as always, I guess?' I smirked. 'Actually, no' I responded. 'Somebody had got lost and ended up on the factory's grounds. Poor guy. Guess I scared the living crap outta him, what with the gun and all.' I didn't like lying to my friends, but telling that the guy had been running around with a sword and convinced me that the ancient myths were true… let's just say, bad idea. 'I showed him the way out. Oh, and I gave him my number and address.' Mel didn't respond, he knew about my habit of deciding whether somebody was trustworthy or not within seconds. It was how I had met him and Ray.

Maybe it's time to introduce my friends. So first, there's Mel, full name Melvyn Wilson (don't ever call him Melvyn if you're attached to your limbs). He looks really badass, with a bald head, muscular arms, a beard, and his earrings, but I ensure you, he's the kindest person you'll ever meet. Unless you call him Melvyn. He's working at a book store (not a comic book store – he isn't the nerd you'd think he is), and he could easily afford an apartment as well, like me or Ray could, but he says he prefers to stay with us. Oh, and maybe I should mention the fact that I'm badly crushing on him.

Then there's Ray, actually Raymond Miller, but he dislikes his surname a lot. He's African American, and he's one of the tallest persons I've ever met, at least seven foot. Although he despises physical training, he's very muscular. I guess it's because he's the cliché gentleman, who insists on carrying old ladies' groceries up the stairs and such stuff. Two years ago, when I met him, he's been badly down, struggling with his feelings and sexuality, but since he's accepted who he is, he shows his true self, always cheerful and jokey. He works as an editor at a big publishing company, and he's usually totally obsessed with the novels he's supervising. At the moment, it's some novel called Trials of Apollo, which is rather funny, since it's about the very same Greek gods and myths which I learned are real today.

While I ate (I must have forgotten to mention that Mel makes the most delicious breakfast you'll never be allowed to enjoy), I celebrated the fact that from next week, the night shifts would be over for another month. I loved them, and I loved being alone at night and having time to think, but it limited the time I got to spend with Mel and Ray to approximately one hour per day, before either I went to bed or they went to work.

I didn't see Nico the next week, or the next month. In fact, I didn't seem him for two and a half months, and I was, like, 97% convinced that I'd never see him again. Hopefully, the guy would find – or had – someone to confide in. I had seen how dealing with confusing feelings could almost break people when I'd met Ray, and I had seen the shock in the guy's eyes when he'd let it slip that he was gay. The idea of crushing on someone taken was familiar to me, but I couldn't imagine how it'd be to be in love with someone who was, like, forever taken since he wasn't attracted to your gender. It had to be even more painful, that much I figured.

I was coming back from work after sunset, and found a sleeping figure on the doorstep. After mistaking the person for a bunch of clothes at first, I found that it was Nico di Angelo. But he had changed since the day I'd caught him sneaking around with a sword. Said sword was still with him, but he had lost weight, and if his face was anything to go by, he'd been crying and was sleep-deprived, what probably explained why he was sleeping on my doorstep. Unsure what to do, I looked at the sleeping young man, contemplating whether or not I should wake him up, when he woke up by himself.

'Ugh' he groaned. 'Never sleep on doorsteps again.' He sounded like he had way too much experience in sleeping on doorsteps. I cleared my throat to alert him of my presence, and he flinched, his hand rushing towards the hilt of his sword, but I caught his arm just in time to prevent him from beheading me. The look in his eyes was neither the cold, determined, nor the vulnerable look he'd sported when I had met him last time. It was the look of a hunted animal, glancing here and there, always aware and on guard.

'Wow. Wouldn't have thought I'd see you again' I said. He nodded absent-mindedly, his gaze still flickering around everywhere, as if he was scanning the area for potential enemies. 'Since you camped at my doorstep, I figure you'd like to come inside?' I asked.

'Now, tell me, what's bothering you?' I demanded as I placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of Nico. 'Mel and Ray should come back in one hour or so, if you'd like to, you can have dinner with us.' I have always been the mother-hen kind of person. How could I not invite him for dinner? I wondered if he had anybody to look out for him.

'Now, spill it, what's wrong?'

Nico shrugged. 'Guess I just needed someone who doesn't look at me like I had a disease or something.' The grimace on his face told me that he was struggling whether he should tell me or not. In the end, the urge to tell seemed to win.

'You see, I got a new roommate a few weeks ago. I got this place where I'm living with a friend of mine, when I'm actually studying instead of running errands for dad, and we got a new roommate. My friend knows, he's got a boyfriend himself, and we were totally happy before this other guy moved in. It wasn't as if we had much of a choice, no one else wanted this guy in their dorm, for a reason. Anyway, since he moved in, he's constantly bullying us, calling us names, spilling all the homophobic crap, and… I just broke, I guess. I snapped at him and ran away before he could do or say anything. And since then, I've just been wandering around for… don't know, a week? Two?'

Before I could remember the fact that he didn't like physical contact, I was patting his back. He didn't seem to mind, or he simply didn't notice it. 'Do you have, like, another place to stay? Last time we met you've mentioned a few best friends…' Nico shook his head. 'I don't really want to bother them with my problems, and besides… some of them don't know… it, and I'm not really ready to tell anyone…' His voice cracked. He looked at me with this brown eyes in his pale face. 'I don't even know why I trust you with this. Never been a people person before.'

'What do you intend to do, then?' I asked. 'I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to quit studying because of a spoiled brat who can't keep his mouth shut. You could just tell the college about his behaviour and they'd kick him out of your dorm. You don't have to say whether you are gay or not, all that matters is that he's insulting you and your friend.' But Nico shook his head again. 'I couldn't deny it if anybody asked me' he muttered. 'Are you sure you don't want to confide in your friends?' I demanded. No success. 'Too far away from college anyway.'

'Or' I thought out loud, 'you could stay here. We can set up an extra bed for you, and I'm sure Mel and Ray wouldn't mind. You don't have to come out to them, though they certainly wouldn't mind. Ray has, by the way, gone through the same problems as you.' Before I thought about it, I was already planning every detail in my head when Nico's voice interrupted my thoughts.

'You do know that you're virtually offering a stranger to stay at your place for an undetermined time span, without asking the people who live with you, despite the fact that said stranger could turn out to be a gangster or something and murder you in your sleep? Not that I intend to do so, but just seems… naive?'

I shrugged. 'That's me. It's a matter of seconds. If somebody seems to be trustworthy, well, then I trust them. If not, they have little to no chance of ever gaining my trust. Believe me, I have ten years of practice in judging people. Ever since I went to middle school, I had to decide whether people liked me, or if they were after my family's money.' Nico laughed drily. 'So I fall into the "trustworthy"-category? That's a first. Usually, people are scared of me.'

I turned around to scrutinize him. 'Why would people be scared of you? Besides the fact that you really rock the punk-style, with the skull ring and everything.' Nico snorted. 'Son of Hades. Do I need to say more? My father is an outcast on Olympus. People flinch when they see me slip out of the shadows, they flinch when they realise that I'm there. They shiver when they see me raising the dead, and they are scared out of their minds when they see what else I can do. Summon hellhounds. Manipulate dreams. Sense death. They think I bring death, and sometimes, I agree with them. Most of the people important to me died. I'm bad luck.' He laughed that dry laugh again. 'Now you see whom you just invited to stay.'

'Actually, it doesn't change anything.'

I went to find the spare blankets and the manual of how to turn the second couch into a bed, but a firm grip on my wrist held me back.

'I never said I would stay.'

I flinched at the cold undertone in Nico's voice. 'Is that a no?' I asked, turning around to face the – what did he call it? Demigod.

'No. I mean, yes. I mean – ugh! Why are humans so complicated?' He sighed. 'No, it's not a no. Yes, I am staying. If it's not too much trouble for you and if you're really okay with it…' he trailed off.

'Don't worry, it's fine. Now, help me find the spare blankets, would you?'