Jason

Poor Nico. Trying to make it seem like he hates Percy when, in reality, all he wants to do is be a cheesy ass boyfriend.

Percy

He's gotten hotter since I last saw him, what the hell. This isn't okay. I didn't deem this to be okay.

Yeah, shut up. I'm bisexual, deal with it. I like Nico, and it's going to be the death of me after breaking up with Annabeth literally 10 minutes ago after she called me, bitching and moaning over some stupid thing. I just don't care anymore. All she does is complain about things that actually aren't that bad.

So we finally broke up.

And now I have high hopes. But between being terrified to come out and being terrified of rejection, it'll never happen unless Nico is gay or something and a miracle happens.

But I've gotten used to it, and I made sure you couldn't tell that my stomach was going to explode because of those stupid butterflies.

I got what I normally get, a double cheeseburger basket with a water, and went to sit next to them. Just sitting next to Nico. Who uh...

There was something off about him today.

He wasn't hating on me. He wasn't being nice. But he wasn't giving me the normal glares or stare downs or the remarks.

At first, as I talked to Jason, he was silent. Jason told me he was catching Nico up, he wasn't saying at camp, either.

"Got it." I remarked, as that made more sense now. I just didn't think they'd really click as friends. But maybe they did, I don't know. "So what's wrong with you?"

"What?" Nico asked, as if something wasn't bugging him. I knew him better than to believe that. Something was up. "I don't always have a problem, Jackson."

"No, you normally do." I reminded him. "At least, you do around me. Where's the glares and the annoyed comments you always make?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh my gods."

"Yeah!"

Jason's phone started to ring and he stepped outside.

I guess I've just figured that Nico is always going to hate me. That won't change. I can't do anything to change it. I've tried. It doesn't work.

So I might as well just embrace it. Accept it for what it is.

"But what if I'm not annoyed?" The son of Hades asked me. "Like what would you do if I didn't hate you?"

I actually thought about this question, mind you. I took it seriously.

"Well," I started. "I mean, it depends. Am I just okay or am I the greatest person ever? It depends on how much you've warmed up to me and forgiven me."

He gave me a weird look.

"Forgive you?" He questioned, thinking that sounded off. "What for?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know," I explained. "I mean, to be honest, I could've tried a little harder to be there after you left the first time and you came back to just like keep you there or something. Nothing like... I don't know."

For me liking you. You'll hate me when you find out.

If you ever find out.

Nodding his head, he thought this through for a minute.

"Well then," the son of Hades started. "Probably a good time to clarify that I don't actually hate you."

"You don't?"

Shit what do I do with my life? I just accepted him hating me.

He laughed a little and shook his head, humored at my reaction. And I really liked his laugh. It was quiet and soft.

"No," he told me. "I just have problems and sometimes they make me grumpy. And by problems I mean like I'm an orphaned children, not like other, bad stuff. I never got into the self harm or anything."

His jaw dropped and he almost looked jealous.

"Lucky!"

For a second, I didn't realise what he meant. And then it clicked that I talked about self harm.

Of course, I freaked out.

"What do you..." I started, confused as hell and scared. "Percy, why?"

"Oh, no!" He went back on what he said. "I don't do that anymore. I was a lot younger. Before camp and maybe my first summer? That was like when I dropped it. It was family stuff with my mom's ex husband. He was an asshole and he always made me feel like crap. I don't... Do that shit anymore.'

I've also never talked about it before.

Grover never caught me. He never found out.

It was really just my mom and Gabe that knew. And Gabe encouraged me to kill myself and cut a main artery. So it was just my mom who cared. Who brought me in to be put on meds I still take. But that's okay. It's better than not taking it and suddenly trying to kill myself.

"You hesitated." He informed me.

"Yeah," I admitted. "I don't talk about it."

He said that seemed reasonable and we didn't say much until Jason came in, telling us us had to get to camp. Leo was being stupid and got stuck somewhere.

So it was down to just us.

The two of us and my emotions getting in the way of things.

"Anyways," Nico remarked after Jason rushed out of the cafe. "You have a sister now? And didn't tell me?"

"Yeah," I said, completely blanking that I should've told my friends about that. "Don't worry. I haven't told anyone yet. I mean, they got out of the hospital yesterday. Do you want to see her? I have to pick her up on my way home anyways. Both Paul and Mom worked today."

He gave me this look like he was honored to be asked such a thing.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." I assured him. "It's not like you have to get back to Camp, right?"

"I suppose."

I paid for the food before we headed out and I picked up Susan from Paul's brother's place. They had a nice place, too. An actual house.

By the time we got back to my place, it was about 2 in the afternoon and Susan was hungry. So I fed her, changed her, and then laid her down for a nap. She sleeps a lot. She's only a week old. Well, more than that. 9 days.

Once she was asleep, I joined Nico on the couch. Flopping down next to him, I realized how tired I was.

I also haven't slept in three days so Mom and Paul could get some.

Not thinking about what I was actually doing, I rested my head on Nico's shoulder. Which was, surprisingly, very comfy. Especially considering how skinny he still is.

He's a lot better than he was a year ago, yeah. But he's still underweight. He's like 5'3", but he can't be more than 120 pounds.

Oh yeah, Nico's short. It just makes him even cuter and more adorable.

"What are you—" the son of Hades remarked. "You invite me over to fall asleep? What the hell, Percy."

"I'm tired." I complained.

"Too bad." He told me. "Get up."

I sighed as a joke and sat up.

"Fine," I remarked. "I'll be right back."

Heading to the bathroom, I took out my phone and texted Grover. Telling him that a miracle happened— Nico doesn't hate me anymore.

Me: Dude!!! I ran into Nico and Jason at the cafe and a miracle happened!
Grover: ??? What ???
Me: Nico doesn't hate me!
Grover: SERIOUSLY?!?!
Grover: DUDE
Grover: NOW'S YOUR CHANCE
Me: for what?
Grover: ._.
Grover: To ask him out like you've wanted to forever
Me: What? Dude that's...
Me: no. I'm straight. Remember?
Grover: yeah, okay. You keep telling yourself that. You like him, you can't lie to me. Just like you had a crush on him when you lost your memory. I'm not stupid, Percy. Even Tyson knew.
Me: Where do you even get the idea from?
Grover: Percy, you freak out every time Nico goes missing. But if anyone else is gone, you could care less. You care about him. Accept it. Go ask him out..
Me: Okay
Me: even if any of what you were saying is true, Grover
Me: He's straight
Me: and that would make things weird

My phone started to ring. Grover.

"If you're going to chew me out," I started off. "Don't even start. I'm not doing it."

"Why not?"

"Because he's straighter than a fucking line, that's why."

"Oh, really?" My best friend questioned. "Because I don't think so."

"And why is that?"

Grover called Jason over and put his phone on speaker so I could hear both of them. And so they could both hear me.

"He won't believe me." Grover told the son of Jupiter. "Tell him, man."

"Tell me what?" I asked as I peeked my head out of the door, seeing Nico making a snack for himself in the kitchen. He's probably a good cook. Being Italian and all.

"Nico isn't straight." Jason informed me. "Don't tell him I told you this. Trust me, he'll kill me. You guys were in Tartarus and the two of us were sent to get something and we had a run in with Cupid. And he was kind of an asshole and tortured Nico into admitting that he's gay. I offered to help him tell everyone, just on the ship. And he freaked out. He really doesn't... He doesn't want people knowing. You were sort of the exception."

"Why me?" I questioned, knowing that made no sense. He hated me when this all would've started. I was starting to realize that I liked him.

But either way, it made no sense. If Nico's gay, whatever. I'm bi, so it's not like I have any rhyme or reason to bash on him about it.

"I mean, it just doesn't make sense." I reasoned with them.

"No, it really doesn't." Jason agreed to that statement. "He acts like he hates you and like he wants nothing to do with you. But when we had that run in with Cupid, I mean it just killed him. He didn't want to say anything. And I don't get why he acts like he hates you. You never seemed to care so I'm guessing there's a reason. But um..."

Jason paused for a minute, which made me really nervous. I could see Nico in the kitchen, and he seemed to peaceful. So at home and comfortable with what he was doing. With where he was.

"Nico has a crush on you." The son of Jupiter told me. "Like, hardcore."