Nico di Angelo

A few weeks later, I met Percy after swim practice and we went to the mall a few miles away. Because apparently Sally found out, not through me but through Chiron, that I've left camp.

So I'm moving in with the Jackson's and need things like clothes and school stuff.

I'm moving in with my borderline boyfriend.

It's still not official.

But besides the point, we were a few stores in to shopping. I had a few bags, and Percy got a call. He looked confused, though.

"Who is it?" I asked him as we wandered into American Eagle.

"Leo," he told me, answering the call. "hey, Leo, what's up?"

As I started to look at their Jean wall, Percy was talking to Leo and eventually he put the phone by his shoulder.

"Hey, Neeks," Percy said, earning my attention and I smiled at the nickname.

"Hm?"

"Leo's wondering if it's alright if him and Piper meet us here and hang out for a few hours." He explained. "I don't know if they know you're here or not, but I figured I'd ask. They're going crazy at camp."

"Isn't everyone?" I responded and he chuckled. "yeah, that's fine."

So they said they were on their way and I grabbed some jeans, a couple shirts, and went into a fitting room.

Percy made me model for him.

My fourth outfit, I walked out in black skinny jeans, combat boots, a plain shirt, flannel, and my beanie that I was already wearing.

"So?" I asked, doing a little spin for him and Percy smiled. He's cute.

Well, he's also hot. But he's a cutie.

"I like it." He told me, and I raised my eyebrows because he wasn't a fan of my last outfit.

"Oh, yeah?" I asked. "Why?"

Percy smirked.

"I mean, your ass looks great in them," the son of Poseidon assured me and I couldn't help but scoff. "Also, the flannel looks really good. And uh, I don't have to look down to talk to you now."

"Fuck you!"

He shrugged.

"The positions open."

•••

Leo Valdez

We got into American Eagle, which is where Percy said he was, and I learned immediately that he wasn't there alone.

Nico had also tagged along. And I mean, he was looking good as hell.

That ass in those jeans? It'd be a crime if he didn't buy them.

"You know, I've never thought of Nico as super attractive," Piper told me.

"Yeah?"

"But I think I've changed my mind." Piper told me. "He's straight, right? Jason was just... Well, he was just pissing Bianca off, right?"

I shrugged, but I knew.

I also talked to Jason after Nico came out to me and he told me the entire situation.

He's got a pretty hardcore crush. And everyone was so fucking close when they insisted that it was Annabeth. That he was in love with the daughter of Athena.

So close.

It was Percy.

And honestly, nobody can blame him because Percy's just likable. Both as a friend and romantically.

Percy said something to Nico, though, and I saw Piper's almost confused reaction. I think she got a weird vibe from them. Being Aphrodite's kid and all.

Nico just scoffed, and Percy said another thing and I couldn't hear what Nico said or what Percy said, but Nico's face turned a light shade of pink, which meant that we stayed at a distance, waiting for this to play out.

They said a few other thing back and forth before Nico chuckled and then they just... Fucking went for it.

Percy rolled his eyes, gave Nico a kiss, and Nico went back into a dressing room.

We gave it a solid 45 seconds before walking over, slightly panicked, but acting calm.

They kissed!

Percy isn't straight!

When the fuck did that happen?

"Hey! You went to the right place!" Percy remarked when he saw us walk over to him, and we both gave him a hug. He seemed to be doing alright, which was good. Better than he was at Camp Jupiter, for sure. He seemed stressed out of his fucking mind that day.

"We did!" Piper agreed and smiled. "Jason and Thalia are having a day before she leaves with the hunt again, so we figured we'd see what you were up to. You seem a lot better."

Percy nodded his head.

"Yeah, I mean, everyone is back from the dead, basically." The son of Poseidon figured, shrugging. "so that solves that part of everything. Plus, it's nice being home."

"I can imagine," I agreed as Nico came back out, said hi.

"Hey, you're alive!" Piper exclaimed, giving the son of Hades a hug. Who just nodded his head.

"You guys really need to have more faith in my survival skills," Nico insisted as we walked towards the register. He... He had a lot of stuff to buy. "I went through Tartarus alone, the streets of New York are a breeze."

"We know," I responded, shrugging. "But shit happens sometimes. Freak accidents and whatever else. But uh, why are you getting so much stuff?"

"Oh, I'm moving!" He told the two of us. "I don't really have any street clothes beyond what I'm wearing right now and then my ripped up Hawaiian shirt, so. I need clothes, and the Lotus Card doesn't have a limit, so."

Piper and I shared a confused look.

"You're moving?"

"Yeah," Nico confirmed. "I'm not allowed to be homeless for too long, apparently."

"How are you... Not allowed...?" Piper asked, confused.

"My mom is making him take the spare room at the apartment," Percy explained, which made a lot more sense. "Once she found out he walked away from camp, she said he had two weeks before he was moving in with us. Two weeks was yesterday, Mom went in and registered him for school this morning."

"She did what?" Nico questioned and Percy chuckled.

"Well she got your papers from Chiron," Percy told the son of Hades. "Altered the date of birth on them so you're not 80 years old in the school system, and brought them to the school and registered you for your sophomore year."

Nico gave him a blank look.

"I have no idea what that means."

"10th grade," Percy clarified. "There's 12 grades, you're in the 10th one. Your sophomore year. I'm in 11th grade, my junior year."

"Oh, okay, cool," Nico said and shrugged. "is there anywhere special you guys want to go? The only place I probably couldn't find something is a women's lingerie store, so."

Piper and I shared a look, because we might have joked about asking in the car.

"Hm?" He asked.

"Could we shop on Times Square?"

Percy gave me a look as if I didn't know what I was asking for.

"Are... Are you sure about that, Leo?"

"Yeah!" I insisted. "we talked about it on the way here, neither of us have ever been."

"I haven't, either," Nico agreed. "We might as well, there's shops there, too. It's right along 6th, too, which has a bunch of shops. Take the subway, it can't be that bad."

"Times Square is always bad," Percy insisted. "But since you guys haven't gone before, I guess we can all go. We can drop off what you already have on the way there, too, since we'd need to connect anyways."

The three of us just lit up as Percy led us around Manhattan, and his apartment...

I love Sally.

We got to the apartment, and Sally said hi, gave us hugs, introduced herself, and then told us there were some cookies on the table if we were interested.

I wanted to be adopted by her.

We made it Times Square, though, and it was beautiful. But beautiful in that way that only a city can be. Maybe memorizing? That's it.

There were so many people, it was insane.

Tragically, though, walking around Times Square, Nico and Percy never held hands.

I was hoping they would. It'd be cute.

They seem to be a good pair.

I hope they start dating.

Because if they don't, it'd be a damn shame.