The Beginnings of an Olympian

17 | Here Comes The Sun

A/N: Ok, this should be my last A/N for this story. I might have hinted at subplots/secondary plots but not followed through. Honestly, I just wanted to finish this story and got impatient. I might go back in and make it longer and expand on some things, but just go with it if I don't. Sorry if you thought something would happen but it didn't.

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He was in shock for a minute but only a minute. Then a wide, Cheshire Cat smile appeared. He was grinning ear to ear. "I have a brother!" he exclaimed, bringing me into a bone-crushing hug full of excitement and joy and brotherly love.

1st Person | Will's POV
(Text within parentheses below are side thoughts. Italics within the text below are thoughts not spoken out loud.)
1465 words

I exited the Big House, relieved that Percy wasn't going to smite his half-brother. I also felt a little guilty for not trusting Percy. I mean, I was the one who tried to convince Alex that Percy was a good guy! And it turns out he was trying to keep Alex away from more trouble on Olympus. He didn't even know the kid but was doing what he could to protect him. I mean, it was scary and intimidating and his glare sent shivers down my spine, but it was all done dispassionately. He wasn't being intense because he was angry or anything; in fact, he didn't express many emotions during the whole ordeal at first.

I was standing on the porch as everyone approached.

"Hey, Will!" Jason greeted. "We're meeting in the rec room, right?"

"Yeah," I responded, "but Percy asked us to wait outside until he comes out."

"Why?" inquired Piper, though I suspected she knew.

"He's talking to someone right now," I said vaguely, not wanting to reveal what was happening between Alex and Percy. They all accepted my answer, knowing I wouldn't elaborate further. Nico came up to me and took my hand. We sat down on the front steps together, and he leaned against me, head on my shoulder. I couldn't help but smile at him.

Nico used to be so guarded and closed off and distant from people. I mean, he still kinda is, but now he has certain friends (or his amazing significant other, hello!) to confide in. We'd only been dating for a few weeks and hadn't told many yet. I told some of my siblings, Piper figured it out, Jason never said anything but the smirks he gave us said everything, and Annabeth knew before she died because nothing got past her. It was a little embarrassing how Percy found out. I mean, at first he was completely oblivious that Nico and I were hanging out so much, then he was too preoccupied to notice (justifiably so since he was handling the aftermath of the war and then he became a god and then Annabeth died), and then he saw the hickey on my neck and figured out I was seeing someone. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Of course, Percy already knew I was bi and accepted me when few others did. That's kinda how we became such good friends. He was always there to support me or even stand up for me (and tease me about my crushes). But I hadn't dated many others and I've never gone and gotten myself a hickey before! But with Nico it was so different, a good different, an exciting different. At first, Nico had a hard time being openly gay. All the brainwashing stigma in the early 1900s was ingrained into his head, but eventually (thank the gods) he got past those fears. I couldn't believe he was the one to ask me out for our first real date! We'd hung out a lot (a lot, a lot), but until he asked, it was never anything serious.