Hello there!

Back for another PJO story!

Second chapter, things appear to be going smoothly.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own PJO, HOO, or any other amazing creations from Uncle Rick. I do, however, own a handful of characters that will appear in this story.

ON THE FIC!

Chapter II: Old Friendships

-X-

"Ouch, stop being so mean," Faye complained hissing when Nico placed an icepack on her leg.

"I'm mean? You're the one who set this whole thing up!" he rolled his eyes "No one in their right mind thinks that playing air-soft with no protections is a good idea, Ash!"

"I never said the idea was good, I only said it was fun!" she pursed her lips "Plus, you're not one to talk, King. I know how much danger you put yourself on a daily basis."

Nico silently finished disinfecting one of the cuts she had on her cheek and placed a band-aid over it. Afterward, he sat back on his heels and looked around. Faye's room wasn't big per se, but it was generous enough for a college dorm. He saw a chair trying to withstand the weight of what looked like half a closet, a desk littered with papers, and a bedside table with a silver photo cube on it.

He took it. Six pictures in total. A selfie of Faye and a little boy that looked a lot like her, grinning like crazy, cheeks stained purple, and standing in the middle of a grass field. Nico and Faye smirking at each other while standing in front of a golden pyramid. Faye with her hair down and an orange lilies crown, looking off into the distance.

Nico turned the cube. A picture of Faye and Annabeth pouring over what looked like complicated architectural schematics. Faye, Annabeth, and Percy making faces at the camera, the latter taking the picture. And finally, a photo of Faye and Annabeth sticking their tongues out at the camera and a peace sign in the middle that looked suspiciously like Piper's hand.

"You and Annabeth... you're close." Nico realized.

"It's amazing just how close we got in one semester." She mused "Yeah, we really are. Honestly can't see my life without her right now."

"That's... that's really good. She talks a lot about you in the group chat, you know?" Nico placed the cube down. "Says you're a good relief and a great partner. And if she had to choose three people to go to war with, you'd be among them. And even if she didn't choose you, you'd still find a way to be there."

"Really?" Faye smiled "She's too sweet. A great person, scarred by time."

"She is." Nico nodded "So, I have a question."

"What's up?" Faye scooted up to rest against the bedframe.

"How come you never told me you have a boyfriend?"

"How come you never told me you and Will were getting it?" she raised an eyebrow.

Nico flushed beet red. "It's... complicated."

"Hey, I'm here if you want to talk."

"You first."

"He and I... we were kind of always up against one another." she declared "We actually met when one of my study groups went over to his university to participate in a study of Humanities vs Biotech. He was part of the other group. We hit it off, we started talking, texting, and well, one thing led to another in a Halloween party that I remember absolutely nothing of, and... here we are."

"Is he cute?"

"Dorky but bomb. He showed me pictures of what he looked like in high school and damn if he didn't look like a nerd." she giggled "But he changed it up, made himself hotter, and honestly, I'm both proud and mad."

"Why?"

"Proud, 'cuz I get to go out, and when people look at him, I'm like, hells yea, that's my man!" she huffed "Mad because most the people that look are girls."

Nico laughed. "You jealous woman."

"That I am, and he knows it." she flipped her hair back "What about you? Tell me what's up between you and Will."

"It's... complicated."

"Nico, do you want me to try and explain my family's history to you?" Faye raised an eyebrow "I was born into complicated; I think I can handle it."

"Well... Will and I have always been pretty... close. I mean, he's a pain in the ass, and he's always trying to push me to exercise, and eat well and, 'No, Nico, you can't have McDonalds every day' and 'Stop, Nico, you need to get to the infirmary!'" Nico mocked in a more high-pitched voice.

"To be fair, that last time you were stabbed."

"Twas but a scratch!" Nico rolled his eyes "Anyway, because we're not so close physically anymore, with him away in med school and me dawdling along the country, we... text. And... Well, I can tell him things that I was too embarrassed to say to his face."

"Like what? 'Hey Will, I wanna sit on your-?"

"No!" Nico blushed "More like... Hey Will, you're a menace and you piss me off to no end, but I enjoy our conversations."

"Is that what you call flirting?" Faye raised an eyebrow.

"No, but... we talk and, sometimes with parties and stuff, I get a little more... deviated. So I... Well, oftentimes, I just insult him, and the usual banter returns, but... there has been a few times where we flirted. But that usually only happens when I'm way past my limit."

"Why do I get the feeling that you tried to sit on him?" Faye grinned.

"... I did. Sit on him, that is." Nico turned as red as the blanket on Faye's bed.

She shrieked and shuffled closer to him on the bed. "Ho-ly shit! Oh, I need to hear this! Tell me. Everything."

"Much like yourself, it was a Halloween party. I showed up as a surprise at the party someone was throwing in his frat house. I saw him getting hit on by this girl and I didn't like it, so I kind of... made a move? I don't know, what matters is that somehow, we ended the night with him sitting on his bed, and me on his lap, okay!"

"Holy..." Faye grinned "My dude, you are... not a virgin anymore!"

"Shut up..." he bit his lip and looked to the side "Anyway, morning came, I got the fuck out of there, and... three days later I responded to his texts as if nothing had happened."

"Oh, that's cold, King."

"I know. That's why I'm so... nervous about him coming. We're going to have to talk about it, and I... I don't know."

"Do you wanna do it again, or put it all behind your back?"

"I don't know."

"Nico, it should be rather easy. You like him. You got jealous when you saw someone flirt with him. You don't have to be scared to pursue a relationship with him. I'm pretty sure he feels the same way." Faye placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Can you... check? I know you're a master at reading people. When he arrives... can you tell me what you see?" He peered up at her, and Faye smiled.

"Of course, Nico." She ruffled his hair "You can count on me."

"Thanks, Faye..."

ยท

Several days passed and Faye got under everyone's skin. Percy, Jason, and Piper were already good friends, but by the end of the third day, Hazel and Faye already had a complicated handshake created, and Frank and she had already broken into the cafeteria to make everyone pancakes drenched in maple syrup.

It was Wednesday night, and everyone was already moving to their dorms. Faye was excited to meet the last member of the group. Annabeth had assured her that a battle of wits between her, him, and Faye would drive everyone up the wall, so she was thrilled to get to meet who could match Annabeth and her.

Nico arose from slumber at the four knocks on the dorm door. He glared at the darkness and groaned when he picked up his phone and saw 2 am. The four knocks resonated again, and he got up, groaning and cursing all the way. He opened the door and frowned.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you." his voice was deeper, smothering over him like a hot fire.

"I'm in my friend's dorm room, and I was sleeping until you rudely woke me up!" Nico glared at him.

"Fine, whatever, let me in, it's cold outside." He groaned.

"No! Why should I let you in? Find Annabeth or something!"

"Keep it down, man! I'm trying to surprise my girlfriend, do you mind?"

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, and she's sleeping inside that dorm room, mind letting me in?"

"Wha-holy shit. You're the secret boyfriend."

"Yeah, can I come in?" Nico pushed the door open and he entered.

"What the fuck, man? How come no one knows?"

"Because I've been keeping it quiet, to see how things go." He sighed "I don't want to lose her, so I figured keeping everyone's nose off our business was the easiest way. Is she in there?"

"Yeah, she is."

"Great, we'll talk in the morning, okay?" he winked, and left Nico in the dark, staring at the now-closed door.

"What the fuck did I just witness?"

A/N: Thank you for reading.

I hope you like it, and leave a review with your thoughts!

LoneeWolf :)