After the turmoil, they'd dismissed their classes and both heroes headed to the forge. Nico insisted on getting the dents in Percy's armor fixed.
"Seriously, how did you even survive this long? Taking care of your gear is part of the basics, you moron."
"Annabeth," the son of Poseidon shrugged.
"Right." Nico looked away. "That explains it."
Neither of them spoke until Percy couldn't take it anymore.
"You got pretty good with the sword." The display of Nico's skills had been indeed impressive. Long gone were the days when Nico's breastplate was six sizes too big, and his helmet would use every opportunity to slide over his face.
"It's called training Jackson." Nico rolled his eyes but seemed pleased by his words. "You just have to do it every day."
"You, my friend, need a hobby." Percy reached over and ruffled the boy's hair in a way he knew Nico couldn't quite bring himself to hate - a rare privilege.
"I have a hobby." He finally batted his hand off.
"Brooding isn't a hobby," Percy kept on teasing. The banter between them felt lighthearted and safe.
"There it is."
"There is what?"
"There is the thing you do where you put such little brainpower into what you're saying that it shocks people into silence."
"Oi!"
"You're impossible!" Nico huffed when Percy shoved him in the ribs.
"It's kind of fun doing the impossible." Percy smirked satisfied when Nico's weird mood changed back to normal. "Hold on a sec, you got something on your face." He motioned to the younger's cheek.
Nico wiped over it. Of course, he'd chosen the wrong side.
"Wait, let me -"
Suddenly Percy was incredibly close. He was right there.
"Can I?"
Nico didn't know what Percy was asking for, but his brain went, anything.
Percy's callous fingers brushed over his skin, rough and gentle and so freaking perfect. He could have cried. Tilting his head he granted him more access. Their eyes met and everything almost changed. The blood in Nico's ears roared, his breath heavy while his heart sped up in a way their previous fight would never manage - you had to be deaf not to hear it. Percy was looking at him. It was a look that made Nico hot and cold. His gaze kept straying to his lips and he didn't have anything clever left to say. For just a moment Nico indulged in the warmth spreading from Percy's palm. His chest constricted painfully. It wasn't fair. He leaned further into the touch. There was no hope. It didn't mean anything, even though it did. It had to.
Of all the mistakes I've made you're my favorite, the son of Hades thought before his world faded to black. Something just hit his right temple.