Nico yawned, the skull alarm clock on his bedside table chattering, marking nine 'o' clock or possibly another crisis in the Underworld. He wasn't actually sure what the clock did, because it had no actual clock face.
Sighing, he rolled out of bed and stretched, reaching his arms up.
Then, crunching his neck and spine, he bent down and grabbed each leg, touched his toes, the back of his knees, without bending his legs.
This went on, him stretching every muscle in his body and contorting his back and arms. Then, he threw on a fresh T-shirt, swished some mouthwash while pulling on socks and shoes.
This was the routine every morning and night, and as of yet, no one knew.
It was thing Bianca did, when they still lived with their mother, gymnastic classes. Nico was always enthusiastic, but too young to join the classes. Bianca would come home, still buzzing with energy and teach her clumsy little brother how to do the splits, or a handstand or a forwards roll. And although, when they were in public and he would try flipping down the street (it never worked, Bianca always had to catch him as he fell... But then, that's what siblings are for) or somewhere where people could see, no-one ever told him it was girly. Not even in the hotel.
(He guessed that was one bad point of this time. Everyone was so much more judgemental.)
Then the explosion happened, and it was the end to all childhood dreams.
Three weeks later...
"Nico!" Percy roared. They were just outside of Camp Half-Blood fending yet another attack of monsters. It had seemed like there were only fifty or so, campers going up the hill, swinging their swords.
But then another fifty dropped from the trees and things got a bit more complicated after that.
Nico slashed his sword through one, and looked over at Percy, who twirled his hand in the universal gesture of 'Turn around'
Nico twisted, to face the chest of a massive hairy slobbering Minotaur/Cyclops/thing with a good old-fashioned mace which was swung alarmingly fast at his face.
Nico sprang back, automatically, and rolled into a back hand-spring, avoiding the weapon with grace.
Then a golden knife stabbed it through the chest, and Will was standing behind it as it fell, Will brusquely pushing it to the side and looked with interest at Nico.
"What was that?" he asked. Nico glanced around and most of the battle had slowed, campers looking at him with mild shock and curiosity.
Nico looked back up at Will in embarrassment, and before the son of Apollo could press another further, he disappeared.
It was found out later, that he felt so awkward, he had just shadow-travelled to China. Then spent a couple of hours looking at pandas before coming home. The battle was fine without him.
But when he did come home, he was crowded by campers, boys and girls alike, asking for lessons, 'How long have you been doing it?' and 'Wow you're amazing!'
Maybe this generation wasn't as judgemental as he thought.
(and well, it did help when he had 'alone time' with Will)