Nico sat down on the couch, feeling how stiff it was but not complaining.

Percy, Nico, Annabeth and Will had taken a couples' trip to some airbnb along the beachside of California. There were lots of trees, wild animals and most importantly, distance from any other human being in the state. Basically a paradise, in Nico's opinion.

The couch Nico sat on was a rough, navy blue couch, wide enough for Percy to sit next to him on the other end. They left the door open, considering how few people would even be around. The air was full of heat from the sunny day, and the wind bristled by, touching their bare legs as they sat around in the empty leaving room together, all 4 of them.

It was Percy's idea in the first place to come here, and the other 3 demigods gratefully agreed since Chiron was allowing it. There were very few monsters in this area, so it wasn't much of a worry safety-wise. It was just a break from all the hustling that they all were in desperate need of.

Nico was wearing shorts and a regular black t-shirt, barefoot and all as they sat talking in the living room. They were making jokes and making small-talk, Will sitting at the other end of the room. Nico frowned at that when Will first sat down. He didn't say anything, but he felt like him and Will were drifting apart sometimes. Maybe it was all in his head, but it worried and saddened him.

After a few moments of quiet, Nico froze. No one noticed for a moment until his breathing hitched. He stared at the coffee table in-between himself and Will, realizing that Percy was the one in direct contact with himself.

"Percy..." Nico muttered urgently. "That better not be a snake slithering by my foot."

Annabeth covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. She looked down, noticing it was a harmless little critter. Will's eyes widened, realizing how deathly afraid Nico was. He tried to reach over, but Nico squeaked afraid that any movement would set the snake off, so Will settled back down and tried to reassure him with his eyes. It didn't work.

Percy, on the other hand, looked like a deer caught in headlights. He was in trouble now, wasn't he?

Nico started breathing quickly as the snake slowly moved curiously up his leg. "W-Will!"

Will nodded, "It's okay, babe. Percy will move it."

Nico glanced at Percy for a split second, but was afraid to take his eyes off the snake any longer.

Percy grimaced, "Yeah... I guess I will."

The snake was around Nico's ankle and calf now, swirling up his leg like a spring. Nico was almost hyper-ventilating.

"It can't hurt you," Annabeth assured. She was still smiling, but was able to hide the fact that she was about to laugh before.

"It's an evil fucking monster!" Nico argued.

"Calm down, love," Will responded, "Percy's getting it. Percy."

Percy sighed, slowly inching forward and leaning down. Nico felt like he couldn't breathe.

"D-don't fucking scare it," Nico warned.

The son of Poseidon nodded, "I'm good with animals, remember?"

"No!" Nico cried. In that moment, he couldn't think about anything but the distance between that snake and his own vital organs.

Nico held his breath as Percy put his hand by the snake's face, and it started slithering up Percy's arm.

After a moment, Nico's leg was free. Still staring at it, Nico slowly inched off of the couch and barricaded to Will's side, gripping him in a tight hug and burying his face in Will's chest.

"This is your fault, Jackson!" Nico pointed at Percy, not even looking his way.

Percy rolled his eyes, smiling, "Yeah, yeah. This one's friendly."

Nico glanced at the open door, "Throw it outside!"

Will put his arms around Nico's shoulders, reassuring him. Nico felt like he was about to cry, but knew better than to actually let tears roll down his cheeks in front of people. He squeezed Will close, still scared that the snake was in their general vicinity.

Percy slowly got up and let the snake fall off his arm in the weeds outside.

"I am never coming here again," Nico declared.

Percy chuckled, walking back in, "Next time let's go to the foresty mountains."

"No!"