Chapter 13: When all you know is sea and the sky, everything on land is something to look at.

A/N: A heart full of gratitude goes out to ViscountessAberowen for her continued help! I couldn't do it without you!

Also, note to readers: I have almost finished storyboarding this and...it's gonna wind up being longer than 45 chapters. How much longer? TBD. Hope you stick around for all of it (especially since I'm toying with the idea of a sequel if all goes according to plan and I have the time). Thank you for all of your comments, kudos, and whatnot! Without further ado, happy reading!

Nico hadn't slept peacefully in twenty-three days. Laying in bed, the son of Hades alternated between staring at the ceiling or tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position. More often than not, he'd give up and walk the campgrounds, avoiding the harpies as if he were born to it.

For almost a month, he had maintained a perfect record of avoiding Will. Avoiding any camper, really: Clovis when he had tried to visit him in his dreams, Austin when they were supposed to meet up to talk about the book they were reading. He had even avoided the arena to help campers with their swordsmanship and training. Instead, he'd shown up to his "appointments" with Dionysus. The two would sit in silence until, growing more and more surly, Dionysus would dismiss him and remind Nico that if the boy wished to move forward, he had to put in the work himself. Chiron had yet to corner the son of Hades, not that the centaur hadn't tried-he had, multiple times, in fact. But, like the harpies, the camp leader was easily evaded.

So, it was a surprise to Nico when, sitting in the damp sand on the shore of the lake with his back against an overturned canoe waiting for the sun to rise, a familiar voice laced with worry and weariness spoke to him.

"You're a tough one to track down, Sunshine."

Nico jerked his head quickly to the side as Will sat down on the upturned bottom of the canoe, noting how he kept a respectable distance.

"Please don't call me that."

Will's face, already worn, fell slightly. "Sorry. Old habits."

Shrugging, Nico turned to look back over the water. "It's fine." When the other boy didn't speak, Nico asked, "What do you want?"

Will rubbed his eyes, although out of exasperation or weariness, Nico couldn't tell. "You look exhausted. You haven't been at meals. No one's seen you. I'm worried about you."

"You don't have to be anymore."

Sighing in frustration, Will moved closer. "It doesn't matter that we're not together, Nico. I still care about you. My wanting you to be well doesn't stop just because you dumped me. Just because you don't care about me-"

"I do care about you. Is that what you think? That I don't care?" Nico quickly got to his feet and glared at the other demigod. "Did you even listen to what I said?"

Will's face hardened. "Yeah, I listened, Nico."

"Then you would know that I do care about you," Nico shot back. "Just because we can't be together- just because I don't- don't-" Nico's chest began to tighten, and his breathing quickened.

"Don't what, Nico? Don't love me?"

Nico snarled in frustration and turned away, shoulders shaking. He put his hands on his hips, trying his hardest to get his emotions under control. When he spoke again, his voice was tight and, he was appalled to hear, broke over his words. "I'm sorry, Will. You don't know how sorry I am. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just…." The words shriveled in Nico's throat. His heart thudded violently in his chest, and he could barely breathe. An overwhelming sense of fear clawed its way up his throat. Disgust sat like a toad in his stomach. He hated- he loathed every single inch of himself.

Gods, I can't do this anymore!

"Nico, what're you-"

I'm just so tired. I'm tired of everything.

"Breathe, Nico. I need you to take a deep breath and calm down."

Why can't it just stop? I just. Want it. To stop. I don't want to be here anymore!

"Nico! Stop!"

Nico wrenched his eyes open. The world was awash in greyscale, and the chittering of shadows flowed over him. Will's voice was muted, and his face, Nico was alarmed to see, bled together- a blur of features that were once familiar to him. All around him, shapes faded into one another, a macabre painter's palette of whites and grays and blacks.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Nothing but whispering chatter, words refusing to form on his tongue. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and he sank up to his waist. From the slight feeling remaining in his extremities, he realized it was freezing- but even those unpleasant sensations faded in and out like the radio waves on a broken radio.

The panic set in then. Nico reached toward Will and heard as if underwater the son of Apollo screaming for help. The other demigod stretched his arm toward Nico, but Will's arm passed through him as if the son of Hades was made of smoke.

Nico was aware of nothing in the agonizing moments- the seconds and minutes and hours- that followed. Nothing but the crying, whispering screams of the dead as he almost joined them. When he later awoke in the infirmary, it was to the hushed tones of conversation.

"Mr. di Angelo cannot stay here. He is not well." Chiron's kindly voice was full of concern. "He will join his father sooner rather than later if he carries on in the manner in which he has been."

Coach Hedge waved a hand in the air. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you guys don't understand. Sending him away? That's just gonna make everything worse. You haven't felt what he feels. You don't know him like I do. So I'm telling you- call Reyna. Maybe he can travel with the Hunters for a while."

"My darling half-sister would never allow it. Not for an unknown and extended period of time." Mr. D's dry voice cut through the conversation with an airy lack of empathy. "It's plain as day Camp isn't the place for him. Neither is gallivanting with those uppity Hunters."

"Perhaps," Chiron's voice sounded doubtful. "Perhaps he can go to New Rome? There are facilities there that could-"

"Yes. Because no one will notice the Ambassador of Pluto in New Rome." Dionysus' voice rang with acerbic sarcasm. "His privacy absolutely won't be violated by those gossiping lares."

Chiron stamped his hooves impatiently. "He needs more help than we can provide here. If he runs- if he leaves…."

The camp leader trailed off. Each occupant of the room knew that, were Nico to leave, no one would see him in the living flesh again.

Coach Hedge cleared his throat. "Whatta 'bout that house? The net one? Where Valdez is?"

Nico struggled to open his eyes. Although the light that streamed through the window hurt and his eyes streamed from the brightness, he was able to focus on the assembled three. Relief rushed through him as he realized color had returned and, although sleep obscured finer details from his eyes, nothing washed together into forgetfulness and obscurity. The trio did not notice him studying them.

Dionysus held a can of Diet Coke and looked at the silvery tab on top. "The House of Nets could be a solution."

Chiron nodded in agreement. "With two ex-hunters and an ex-goddess there who are...familiar with unusual circumstances, it might be a good fit." The clip-clop of hooves as Chiron shifted his weight echoed in the empty infirmary. "What made you think of it, Gleeson?"

Coach Hedge wrung his baseball cap in his hands, eyebrows drawn down into a worried scowl. "Like I said, I know this kid. I've seen a lot. A lot of what the kid has gone through. What he's felt. And, well, the only time I think he's felt comfort...before the defeat of Gaea was on the Argo. With Valdez. I think they became friends on the ship."

Dionysus glared at the satyr. "Mr. di Angelo has not mentioned Hephaestus' brat."

Coach Hedge shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "All I know is what I felt. And...I think it's a safe bet that the kid here will be okay with Valdez."

Dionysus studied the satyr closely before nodding. He glanced at Chiron, his face falling back into a bored expression. "Very well. Make the arrangements. I'm late for pinochle." Mr. D brought his hand up and snapped his fingers, fading away and leaving only the smell of sour grapes in his wake. Chiron and Coach Hedge took their leave without glancing at Nico, who watched them go through the door.

It was several days before Nico was well enough to leave the bed. Visitors trickled in here and there. Clovis from Hypnos, Coach Hedge, and Mellie. An Iris message from Hazel and Frank. A letter from Piper. Even Austin came by and dropped off a book for him to read. Will was absent, and Nico could not decide if he was relieved or disappointed.

The Wednesday he was to leave for the House of Nets arrived without fanfare. He stood on the precipice of camp, Thalia's pine tree behind him, a small suitcase in hand. He waited for the Gray Sisters' Taxi, shoulders hunched and feeling like yesterday's unwanted trash. Chiron looked down gently at him, a sympathetic tinge to his smile.

"Just a change of scenery, Nico. Perhaps you can use this time to focus on getting better."

"You can't send me away. I need to figure out the prophecy."

Chiron's voice was gentle and soft as he spoke. "But you have to be alive to figure out the prophecy, Mr. di Angelo." His hooves clopped nervously as he bid Nico goodbye. "Good luck."

But as Nico closed the cab door behind him and wrapped the black chain around his waist, he felt as if he were saying a final goodbye to the camp and that chapter of his life.

Nico finished telling Leo about his last weeks at camp- what had led to him coming to stay at the Waystation. Once finished, the pair of demigods sat in silence, Festus circling closer to the ground in front of their residence.

"So...you almost turned into a ghost?"

Nico's hands around Leo's waist tightened momentarily before relaxing. "Yeah." The other boy's breath was warm against Leo's ear. "I didn't...yeah."

"Dude, that's...are you okay now? Like, I know you're not okay, but...is there anything I can do to help?"

Leo felt Nico shrug. As Festus landed, he asked the question that had been on his mind since they had taken flight.

"Why did you break up with Will?" Leo slid off of the bronze dragon and reached up to help Nico down without a second thought. Nico's startled face as he grasped Leo's hand and allowed himself to be assisted smoothed into a worried frown. He opened his mouth in what Leo hoped was an answer before the large entrance opened. Lit and Livia stood in the doorway, relief sweeping over the son of Demeter's features.

"You guys took forever to get back." Nico dropped Leo's hand and took a step back, bumping against Festus. Lit raised an eyebrow but continued as if he hadn't seen a thing. "I'm leaving. I'll be back in a month. I've decided I'm going to stay in New Rome for a while. See what their pachyderm program entails. Maybe do some training with Livia and see what the Romans can do."

Leo grinned and held out a hand. "I thought we'd never be rid of you, man. I know you've been upset playing second fiddle to me. I'm so proud of you-broadening your horizons and finding someplace else to shine."

Smirking, Lit grabbed Leo's hand. "Don't do anything too dangerous while I'm gone- I won't be here to rescue you."

"Pfff. Yeah right, dude." Leo jerked his head in the direction of Festus and dropped Lit's hand. "Help us unload groceries before you go? Ten minutes can't hurt."

Lit sighed and glanced over to Nico. The son of Hades stood pressed against Festus, face impassive. "You okay, Nico?"

The other demigod nodded jerkily. Leo frowned, worry clenching at his stomach.

"Why don't you go up to the rooms, Nico? I'll come up once I make Lit help me."

Nico's eyes flashed over to Lit, who, to his credit, didn't react to anything that was happening. The son of Hades nodded and moved toward the door, hesitating before looking back over his shoulder. "See you in a month, Lit. Safe travels."

Lityerses inclined his head and waved goodbye before crossing over to Festus. Lit waited for Leo to open the dragon's side compartment before grabbing several bags of groceries. He made his way back inside telling Livia to 'stay put' as Leo grabbed the rest and compressed Festus.

"Did you guys have a lover's spat or something?"

Leo almost dropped the bag containing the eggs. "What?! No- why would you even say that?"

Lit shrugged. "I'm not blind you know. I see the way you've been looking at him. And you're not being fake happy."

Scowling, Leo asked, "So what? You're suddenly an expert on reading people? Doctor Corn Husker?"

Smiling crookedly, the son of Demeter shook his head. "Nah. It's just kind of easy to see. You seem to fake being happy a lot- it's alright to not be happy 100% of the time. And it's nice seeing you be real. It's been happening a lot the last few days. Ever since Nico came here."

Lit didn't share anymore as the pair entered the Waystation and crossed through the grand hall into the kitchen. They put away the groceries in silence, folding the reusable grocery bags and placing them on the far end of the counter.

Lit sighed. "I've already said bye to all the others. Don't get into too much trouble before I get back." Lit began to turn away but paused and, with no small amount of kindness, told Leo, "For what it's worth, Nico looks at you the same way."

Without another word, Lit spun on his heel and crossed the grand hall. After the entrance shut behind him, Leo grumbled half-heartedly, "It's only been a few days."

Shaking his head, Leo hurried across the hall and up the stairs, knocking on Nico's door. There was no answer. Leo sighed and crossed to his own room, opening the door and entering before realizing he was not alone.

Nico sat on Leo's bunk, heels resting on the wooden frame and knees pulled into his chest. One hand lazily tracing circles over the top of the red comforter.

Leo grabbed his chair and turned it so that the back was toward Nico. When he sat down, he rested his arms on the back of the chair and brought his chin down on top of them. He waited patiently, allowing Nico to take his time. After several minutes, Nico took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Do you ever wonder what your mom would say about you? If she knew you now, knew who you were?"

Leo frowned, not expecting the line of questioning. "Ah...sometimes? I mean, I'm pretty sure she'd be happy with what I'm doing. She'd be upset with the state of my room sometimes, but...I think she'd be happy. Eh. Probably. She'd be more upset that I'm not in school. But she followed her own path, and I know she'd be okay with me following my own. As long as I was doing something."

Nico looked past Leo to the wall behind him, eyes glancing over the blueprints pinned to the wall without really seeing them. "I don't know if my mother would be proud of me. I don't know if she'd even still call me her son. If she knew." Nico cleared his throat, but his voice still came out raw. "She was a strong and proud woman, my mother. She valued family above everything else- defied Hades' wish for her to bring us to the Underworld to protect us because she couldn't abandon her family. But," Nico closed his eyes. "I always wonder if she would feel that same way if she knew about me. About the way I am."

When Nico opened his eyes, they were glassy and dark with emotion. "And I'll never know." His voice broke with anger and frustration and no small amount of despair, but he continued. "I'll never know if she would accept me for who I am. Or if- if she would reject me. It wasn't- loving someone of the same-it, it just wasn't accepted. It wasn't normal. That type of behavior could get a person jailed if they were caught."

Nico fell silent, and Leo could see his shoulders shaking as he tried to regain his composure.

"What about Bianca?"

A bitter laugh escaped Nico's mouth. "What about her?" Nico sighed. "I know she needed to do her own thing. I know Bianca was tired of being in charge. But she left and got herself killed. And so... I'll never know. It's another mystery."

Leo doubled down. "What about Hazel then? She lived close to the same time- I mean, she and my bisabuelo...well, I think they'd understand what it's like to not be accepted. And that was still when people were sent away for their feelings. Right? She's still alive. She accepts you."

Nico's lips turned up softly and ever so slightly. "Hazel's just...she couldn't hate anybody."

"So what? She doesn't count or something?"

Nico didn't respond, and Leo didn't push. Instead, he addressed what they had initially come up to talk about.

"So, why did you break up with Will?"

Nico shifted slightly and put both arms around his knees, pulling them in more tightly to his chest. Silence fell heavily between the two, tension growing until Nico spoke in a small and muted voice.

"Will told me he loved me."

Leo could feel the confusion settle across his face. "Isn't that a good thing, though?"

"I...I don't love him back."

"Oh. Well," Leo reached up to scratch the back of his head in uncertainty. "I guess that would put a damper on things."

"I don't love him. But I should."

Frowning, Leo asked, "Why?"

When Nico looked to Leo, fear and desperation oozed from the demigod. "Because I'm me."

At Leo's continued confusion, Nico pushed forward, the temperature in the room beginning to drop. "I'm not going to get another chance, Leo. With anyone. I thought I was so lucky, you know? Someone actually noticed me. Someone wanted to be with me. It was so great at first. For the first time, I felt like I belonged somewhere- like people didn't hate me. I mean…"

Nico stood up from the bed and began to pace the floor in front of Leo, arms crossed with hands cupping elbows. Leo could begin to see his breath misting in the air. "He was everything I'm not, and we went together so well. And it wasn't until Jason died that I...I fully realized I didn't care about him in that way. But I should. And I wanted to so badly. I kept waiting to feel those feelings for him. But they never came."

Nico stopped pacing and switched to Italian, speaking so quickly Leo couldn't even begin to try to make out individual words. He faced away from Leo and toward the door but the son of Hephaestus could see Nico's fists clench by his sides.

"But...is that so bad? I mean, if he wasn't the one for you, I know it sucks, but-"

"But what?!" Nico spun back toward Leo. The temperature in the room was absolutely frigid now and shadows began to climb up the walls. Leo shivered and eyed the rising darkness but held his tongue as Nico continued, eyes wild and dark. "He's the only one who's ever loved me! What if no one ever does again? What if I'm alone the rest of my life? I threw it all away. Maybe I just didn't wait long enough. Maybe I could love him if I just gave myself a bit more time. I don't-"

This time, Leo stood up and cut Nico off. "No. Nico, you can't force yourself to love someone. And it's better to let them go once you know that so that they can find someone who will."

Leo sighed and ran a hand over his face.

When did life become so complicated? Give me a set of tools and a project any day.

"Nico, you'll find someone. I know you will."

Nico fell back onto the bed, all fight going out of the demigod. "No. I won't."

Leo hesitated before moving to sit beside the son of Hades. "Why do you think that?"

Nico glared at the floor. "Because I'm me."

"That's not an answer."

"I...I loved Percy for years." The disgust in Nico's voice made Leo wince. "I kept hoping that if I was good enough, he'd finally look at me the way he looks at Annabeth. But I had to grow up and accept that he just... he'll never see me like that. I told him he wasn't my type, but...he is. He was. He's brave and kind and, well, sometimes he acts like a moron, but he's smart. And loyal."

Leo swallowed heavily and asked a question to which he wasn't sure he wanted an answer. "Do you...do you still love him?"

Nico smiled bitterly and shook his head. "That, at least, I know for sure. I think there'll always be a part of me that cares about him fondly, but…" he shook his head again. "No. I don't love him."

Leo looked over to the other demigod. "Nico... Percy's just one person. You can't base the entire possibility of finding someone to love and who loves you back just because one person didn't love you back."

Nico's face fell, and he spoke so softly Leo couldn't hear him.

"What?"

Nico squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Shadows languidly slid across the floor toward the two demigods. "It's not just one person."

Leo felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. "Oh."

Taking a deep breath, the son of Hades continued. "During the war with Gaea, there was...there was someone I started to have feelings for. But…"

Leo's heartbeat picked up, and he bit his lip. "But…?"

Nico shook his head. "It was complicated. He- he didn't feel the same way about me."

Leo's stomach plummeted with a disappointment he had only just begun to understand. He never talked to me about it so... "You talked to him about it? He said that?"

It was probably Jason. Of course, it would be Jason. Brave? Check. Kind? Check. A loyal and smart but sometimes dumb hero? Check, check, check. Makes sense- Jason and Piper were figuring out their stuff during the war. Maybe that's what happened in Split. Jason figured out how Nico felt and had to let him down.

"I tried. I mean, I tried to tell him how I was starting to feel but...I guess the timing was off. And, before I had another chance, he already had feelings for someone else. And then we went our separate ways. Reyna and I got the Athena Parthenos to camp. I kept hoping that maybe after the war, I could talk to him about it if we both survived. But I couldn't. He...he left. And it hurt so much, and it felt like every horrible feeling that I had felt before with Percy." The shadows nipped at Leo and Nico's feet like curious dogs before stilling. "But then there was Will. Standing there wanting me. And, it was so easy to, to-"

Leo thought back to the conversation the pair had had the previous night. "To not feel the bad stuff, right? To distract yourself?"

Nico nodded. "I didn't mean to. But it felt so good to be wanted. It just happened so fast. And...I didn't want to be alone. I was selfish."

Leo shrugged. "It's not selfish wanting to be happy." Nico didn't respond, so Leo asked, "When did you very first realize you might not have feelings for Will?"

Hunching his shoulders, Nico seemed to shrink in on himself. "Last September."

"Oh." That long ago?

"Yeah."

"What happened in September to make you realize you didn't like Will?"

Nico glanced quickly at Leo and then away. "I got a letter."

"A letter?" Nico nodded but didn't explain further. "Oookay. So, what happened then? Did you finally tell the other guy you liked him?"

Shaking his head, Nico stated, "He was already with someone. So, I just tried harder with Will. And, I thought it would work. We were happy. I mean, when Apollo came to camp and everything- it seemed like we would be alright."

"Ah."

It probably is Jason. He and Piper officially got together after the end of the war, didn't they?Was that in September? Although...maybe Frank? When did he and Hazel officially get together? Leo shook his head. Probably not Frank... can't really picture the two of them together.

Nico began to trace circles on the comforter again. "It got harder and harder to keep trying. Especially with the prophecy."

"The prophecy?"

Nodding, Nico added, "The one Rachel gave us once Python was defeated. She...well, some of it's clear, and some of it isn't."

Frowning, Leo asked, "What does that have to do with Will?"

"Will argued that the prophecy can't be about me. Or my dreams."

"I'm guessing you have a pretty strong feeling that it is about you? What was the prophecy?"

Nico scowled. "It doesn't matter. I'm not anywhere close to solving it. But there are a couple lines that make it pretty clear it is about me. And, it doesn't sound like I'm going to get a happy ending."

"Oh."

How many times am I going to say oh in this conversation? Gods above, I feel dumb.

"Will and I argued a lot about it. He didn't want me working on it- 'Leave it to someone else, Nico! You have to take care of yourself.' But, I can't ignore it! No matter how bad it is." The shadows seemed to twitch with a nervous energy. Leo looked down at them and moved his foot slightly closer to Nico's and away from the shadows. "We started arguing a lot- usually about the prophecy. It got to the point where I felt like I had to avoid him if I wanted to work on the prophecy. And, eventually, it came to a head. We were fighting, and I asked him why he cared so damn much about me working on the prophecy. He told me he loved me. I told him I didn't love him. And that was that."

Nico's voice dropped off, and he and Leo sat in silence.

"That's... that's rough, man."

Nico nodded. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I still really care about Will. And I hated myself for what I did to him. I couldn't bear to see him around camp. Every time I saw him, I was reminded that I was the reason he was so unhappy. I had led him on. I just...I feel so wrong. All the time. Everything I do- everything about me- is wrong."

Nico curled up on himself once more, knees hugged tightly to his chest. The air had become glacial and the shadows were dark ice beginning to creep over the son of Hades. It wasn't until Nico spoke again that Leo realized the other boy had begun to softly cry. "I wish I wasn't me."

Without hesitation, Leo reached out to the other demigod and began to rub a gentle circle on the boy's back. "I'm really glad you're you, Nico. Do you want my opinion?"

Underneath Leo's hands, he felt Nico shrug. It wasn't a no. "Should you have broken up with Will sooner? Maybe. I'll give you that. But... you're figuring things out, Nico. Not a single one of us handles it with grace. We're going to make mistakes, and we're going to hurt people along the way. But, you didn't mean to hurt Will. You weren't doing it maliciously. I really think you should consider forgiving yourself."

Nico's thin shoulders shook silently but the shadows halted in their steady track to engulf the demigod and the temperature held at freezing.

"As for finding someone? I mean, I know you're old and everything," Leo stated, trying to lighten the mood. "But you still have a lot of life ahead of you. And you are 'good enough' now. You always have been. If I were you, I would stop focusing on what you 'should' do and just focus on the here and now. De ilusión también se vive. My mom used to tell me that life isn't always about getting what you want, but...hopes and dreams are what keep us going, okay?"

Leo shifted until he sat closer to Nico and put his arm around the son of Hades' shoulder, giving him a light shake. "As for all the other stuff? I...I can't say that I know exactly how you feel because I'm not you. But, Nico," Leo swallowed heavily, the sharp sting of tears pricking behind his eyes. "I know what it's like to hate yourself. To wish that you were anyone else. Or no one else. That you just... didn't exist. After my mom died, I hated myself more than anything. I felt wrong. It was because I was who I am that she died. I caused her death."

Leo took a deep breath. "I think that's why I stayed with Teresa so long. Why I didn't make sure she couldn't find me when I ran away. I thought I deserved everything she did to me. Sometimes I still think I deserve the bad things that happen to me. But I know that's not true- it only feels that way on the bad days. You'll figure that out one day too, Nico. And if it means you are stuck with me at the Waystation for-freaking-ever, then así será. I'll tell you every day you're not disgusting or wrong, and I am happy you are here. I'll remind you anytime you need it, okay Ghost Boy?"

Nico's shoulders shook more violently, and he brought his hands up to cover his face. He nodded once, sharply. The shadows receded, falling away as if they had never been, and the air slowly began to warm. The pair of boys sat in silence, Leo's arm still wrapped around Nico's shoulders and Nico not moving away. It was several minutes before Nico was able to get his breathing and emotions under control. Then, wiping a hand across his face, Nico looked over to the son of Hephaestus.

Nico's face had the pinched look of misery, and the skin of his cheeks was tinged pink from the stinging salt of his tears, but his eyes were no longer dark and desperate. A quiet peacefulness seemed to settle across his face, and Nico gazed at Leo with soft eyes. A single tear tracked down Nico's cheek, and Leo gently ran his thumb over the skin, wiping it away. He was acutely aware of his heart beating against his ribs, and a sudden warmth stole up his neck. It seemed to Leo as if the whole room was filled with anticipation. Nico's dark eyes stared back at him, the son of Hades remaining still. Leo's gaze flicked down to Nico's lips and back up. Realizing his hand still cupped Nico's face, Leo licked his lips and moved closer, letting his eyes close.

A sharp rap sounded on the door, followed by Emmie's voice ringing out, "Leo! Dinner's ready. Have you seen Nico? He's not in his room."

Leo and Nico sprang apart, the tension in the room dissipating as reality set back in. Nico stood near the desk while Leo sprawled on the floor where he had fallen off the bed. "Uh, that's cuz he's in here with me! We'll be down in just a minute!"

"Better hurry- it's Jambalaya tonight!" Leo listened as Emmie's footsteps faded and turned his attention to Nico, whose face was impossible to read. "So...dinner?"

Nico nodded and crossed the room to help Leo to his feet. If his hand lingered longer than necessary, Leo wrote it off as enjoying the growing friendship with the other boy.

Nico dropped his hand and walked out of the room, not looking back to see if Leo followed.

"I see the way you've been looking at him. For what it's worth, Nico looks at you the same way."

Leo groaned and wondered, not for the last time, why everything had to be so complicated.

"When all you know is sea and the sky, everything on land is something to look at." ~Cassandra Hartt