I apologize for the ridiculously long delay... I was having trouble focusing on this story with the idea for my next one in my head. So I broke down and wrote the first 3 chapters of it. It's called A Glimpse In Mortality, it's a Percy/Apollo story. :-) Anyway, without further adieu here's the new chapter...

Important thing to note... This will be yaoi (boy-boy). Don't like? You do not have to read.

Disclaimer- I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus series. (One can dream though) All rights go to the proper parties.

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Percy POV

Dinner was just as busy as I had predicted. The seven of us found a table and spent the next three hours talking with a steady stream of people. We didn't have to move tables even once, everyone else came to us. That was one of my favorite things about New Rome. You could move tables whenever you felt like it. I would never be able to sit with my friends at Camp Half-Blood.

I couldn't stop my eyes from darting across the table to Nico. I knew that he wasn't exactly what anyone would call a fan of large groups but he seemed so much happier and more comfortable then I had ever seen him before. He usually didn't speak to anyone and if he did, it was only people that were in our circle of friends. I saw him talking and smiling at people who even I didn't know. I couldn't help but smile at the progress that he had made in the last few weeks. He was so much more open than he had been in the past.

I tilted my head as I saw him laugh at something one of the Romans said. I hadn't seen him acting this happy and carefree since Bianca died. I was curious as to what had brought on this change...

I decided that I needed to ask him. I could sit around all day trying to figure out what the son of Hades saw thinking about but I would never know for sure unless I asked. I saw his gaze shift to me and I smiled at him. Nico immediately blushed and looked away. I started chuckling to myself. I couldn't help but take pride in the fact that I could make the stoic son of the underworld blush.

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Eventually dinner came to an end and we had to leave. The Roman's asked us to stay for a while but the seven of us agreed that Chiron would be nervous enough, having not heard from us in almost two weeks. The plus side of leaving late at night rather than waiting to leave in the morning was that we were able to leave without the ceremony that we otherwise would have had to endure.

We watched as New Rome disappeared into the gathering darkness. I had my arms wrapped around the son of Hades. Nico was leaning back against my chest as we stared over the railing of the ship. He had one hand on the railing and his other hand covering one of mine. I rested my chin on his shoulder and I heard him sigh in contentment.

I was amazed just how much had changed in the last twenty-four hours. Only the day before, he refused to even let me speak to him. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Nico had been willing to take me back. I had expected him to be furious at me for even trying. Instead he completely forgave me and was allowing me to hold him like I had wanted to for so long. It still felt like some sort of wonderful dream.

I tightened my arms around the beautiful boy and placed a soft kiss on his neck. I could feel the unsteady beat of his heart against my lips. I smiled at the reaction and kissed him again. Nico shivered in my arms and turned his face to mine. I felt myself being drawn into his dark eyes as he pulled my head down for a kiss.

Our lips touched and it felt like I was being swept away by the tide. The feeling of his cool lips pressing against mine had me trying to hold in a moan. Nico's body fit against mine perfectly, like we had been made just for each other. Whenever he was in my arms, it felt like the two of us were the only people there. Unfortunately, that wasn't always the case...

I heard someone clear their throat and I broke the kiss to see Piper smiling us while Hazel fanned herself. I felt the blood rush to my face. I had forgotten that Hazel had been born in the 20's. As if it wasn't awkward enough that the two of us had been making out in front of his sister, she had been raised with far more reserved ideas about PDA than someone in our time. I pulled back but kept one arm around Nico's shoulders. The son of Hades seemed just as embarrassed as I was.

I knew that I should say something but my brain did not want to cooperate. I coughed, "Um... It's getting late. We should... you know, go to bed." I nearly grimaced at my own pathetic excuse for a sentence. It seemed that Nico had the ability to render my brain completely useless.

I saw Hazel raise one eyebrow as she glared at me, "Your own beds right?" The way she said it made it very clear that there was only one right answer to her question.

I felt my face brighten even more at the innuendo, "Of course our own beds."

Nico laughed. He squeezed my hand and went to stand next to his sister.

"You didn't sleep in your bed last night..." I watched as Jason smiled and came to stand by us.

Hazel's jaw dropped, "What?!"

I felt myself pale as she turned a glare on me, "That's not true! Well, actually, it is true... but it's not what he's making in sound like. We didn't..."

Jason winked at me, "What didn't you do? I'm just saying that the two of you slept together." Piper started to laugh at me.

I turned and glared at the golden boy as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. "You're making it sound like we...you know."

"What are you talking about? Are you saying that you didn't sleep with Nico?" Jason gave me his best innocent look and I had to hold myself back from hitting him. I saw Nico crack a smile.

Before I could even answer, Hazel took a step towards me, "You did what!"

I raised my hands and stepped back from the furious daughter of Pluto. "I swear it's not like he's making it sound! We just fell asleep!"

Jason laughed, "So you admit that you slept with him."

I felt my face reach a new level of red, "Nothing happened!"

Hazel took a step closer to me and drew her sword. I knew that I could disarm her in combat but the look she was giving me made me unwilling to risk it. "Nothing better happen or I swear Jackson; I will curse you."

I nodded in acceptance and she lowered her sword. It wasn't until she stepped back that I realized Jason, Nico, and Piper were all laughing at me. I even heard Frank and Ryan join in.

Nico stepped forward and pulled his sister into a hug, "Don't worry Hazel, I will be fine. Besides, we both know I could take him." I felt my mouth fall open and Nico winked at me.

I dropped my head in my hands and tried not to die of embarrassment.

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Nico POV

I may have been highly uncomfortable with the jokes Jason had made up about Percy and me but I forgave him. He didn't mean to embarrass me. Plus the look on Percy's face was kind of priceless...

I lay on my bed and though about the day. So much had happened in such a small time frame. It amazed me that only twenty-four hours previous I had been dead set on avoiding the son of the sea god and not letting him speak up sooner. If we were already back at camp... I shivered at the thought.

If Percy hadn't burst into my room I would have avoided him for the duration of the quest. Once we had gotten back to camp, I had no doubt that I would have packed my bags and left. I would have lost my chance with Percy because I was scared that he would reject again. Instead, I found out that he loves me...

Percy loves me...

I felt my heart swell at the thought. I had never experienced a moment as full of joy as that one. Hearing him tell Hazel that he loved me had been the most amazing moment of my life. I felt a smile creep across my face at the thought.

I could never have imagined that my greatest wish would come true. A love I had resigned to always being unrequited was finally returned. I loved Percy with all of my soul, and he loved me back. There was no greater feeling in the world. I knew that there was no going back. I would never again sit on the sidelines and support Percy from the shadows. He loved me and that was all that mattered.

I found myself far too excited to sleep. I sat up and looked at my alarm clock. It was 2:00 am. I bit my lip and wondered what I was going to do.

I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to go and talk to Percy. It didn't matter to me if we had already spent the entire day together. Nothing made me happier than spending time with my sea prince. I bit my lip and got out of bed. I changed my clothes and tried to convince myself that it was a bad idea.

I knew that it was a bad idea. Hazel would be angry at him. Jason would be making jokes. Percy was probably already asleep. But I really wanted to see him.

I was about to open my door when I had a gut feeling that someone was in the hallway. Like most demigods, I had learned to trust my instincts. I called the shadows to me and used them to feel outside my door. Sure enough I could tell that there was someone sitting on the floor between Percy's room and my own.

I sensed the guard's spirit and tried not to laugh. Hazel had clearly asked Frank to make sure neither of us did anything stupid. I smiled at the thoughtful nature that went into the decision. Not just Hazel's sisterly love for me, but how much Frank cares for my sister as well. He would do anything for her.

I liked the Canadian. He was good to her. Maybe not good enough to deserve her but still, he treated her well. No one would ever be good enough for my sister.

However as much as I appreciated the thought behind it though, I was still annoyed. Fortunately for me, I could travel other ways. I smiled and stepped into the nearest shadow.