Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

NICO DI ANGELO

Jason took a minute to process that. "Wait- I mean-"
Nico couldn't help but laugh. "Trust me, it's cool. I'm way over him. I hated myself for if for years. Percy and I have- a rough past, I guess. I was ashamed of liking him. I wasn't necessarily ashamed of being gay. I just didn't think I deserved love from anyone."

Nico heard someone laugh. Jason raised his head quickly.
Nico's heart suddenly dropped. He could recognise that horrible, evil laugh anywhere. He turned to see Octavian standing right behind him.

"Woah," Octavian sneered. "After everything I was right. Well, I didn't expect you to sink that low, Jason. However, I'm not surprised."
"Oh, shut up Octavian," Nico said.
"I'm sure your friends would be happy to hear this,"
"Don't even think about it," Jason warned.
"They wouldn't believe you," Nico shrugged, even though he was panicking inside.
"They'd believe you, though," Octavian laughed again.

"I don't-"
Octavian held up his phone, playing the voice recording. "As soon as I heard you talking, I knew to record. They'll believe this. I wonder how Percy would feel about you having a crush on him-"
"Well, I don't anymore and delete that. Now."
"Nah,"

Jason had already stood up, fists clenched. "Then it's two against one."
"Three," Octavian corrected. "Against two. Gwendolyn, Dakota?"
Gwen and Dakota both stepped out of the classroom. Nico had never felt angrier.
"I thought you were sorry," he said to Gwendolyn.

Gwen looked over to Dakota. "I was. I am."
"Just keep them distracted-" Octavian said.
"Recount time!" Dakota smiled. "Four. Against one."
Nico glanced back to Jason, who still looked panicked. Octavian knew. Dakota knew. Gwendolyn knew.

"What?!" Octavian said.
"It's been long enough," Gwen crossed her arms. "I mean, can't you grow up? We've been friends since elementary. Me, you and Dakota. Don't you remember who else? Reyna? Jacob? Bobby? Jason. They were our friends. They left because of you. Hey, Jason, Nico. Storytime. Octavian has asked me out multiple times this week. I think that's worse than being gay."

Nico turned to Jason again. "You were friends with them."
"I was always closer to Reyna, but yeah. The seven of us were best friends. Until freshman year."
While Nico had his back turned, Octavian took off. His friends not taking his side wasn't going to stop him. Meaning he still had the voice recording.

That was until the three people Nico least expected to see stopped him. They must've heard what was going on. Sherman punched Octavian. Drew snapped the phone out of his hand and threw it on the ground. Damien stomped on it quite a few times.

Nico and Jason both stared at the three of them. Octavian was on the floor.
"Ah, well that's one way to sort it," Dakota said.
"Thanks?" Nico muttered. "But what just happened?"
Damien shrugged. "I don't know. I wanted an excuse to punch Octavian. Oh wait, I haven't yet, hey Octavian-"

Octavian quickly got up and walked off with his smashed phone. Gwen laughed.
"But-" Jason muttered. Nico knew how confused he must've been. Heck, Nico was just as confused.
"We were your friends, Grace," Sherman said. "Reyna's, too. Even though we were uhm- not great to her. Plus beating up Octavian is fun."
"Thank you. I think." Jason said.

Sherman and Damien both walked off together. Nico could only hope they wouldn't tell anyone.
"Come on, Dakota. We better go get lunch," Gwen said.

"Hey, Gwen?" Jason looked over to her. "Now that you two clearly aren't friends with Octavian, try make up with Jacob and Bobby. You both deserve better friends."
Dakota smiled. "What about you and Reyna?"
"We'll always be your friends. But we have our own friends, too. But please don't tell them what just happened." Jason looked away.
"Of course, man," Dakota patted his shoulder. "I can tell Sherman and Damien the same."

They walked away together, talking and laughing. Nico had never seen them laugh when they were with Octavian.
That left only Drew, Jason and Nico.
"Uhm," Nico mumbled. "Right- I have that thing right now that I have to- uhm- ciao. I forget how to speak English." He quickly went back down to the rest of his friends.

Reyna sighed. "No success?"
"Sucess," Nico smiled.
"Then where is he?" Frank asked.
"Oh- uhm- he's," Nico tried to think of a lie, but was there any point in lying? "He's just talking to Drew."
Leo slammed his hands on the table, the anger in his eyes somewhat intimidating. "Who would've guessed?!"

That was when Nico realised. Number one, it was Leo Valdez. Number two, it was more than a crush.

———

Word Count: 1467

———

A/N: another bad chapter. Going back to school=chapter quality 📉

I have three tests tomorrow ugh. Our Irish teacher only went through the work today and is giving us the test tomorrow. I'M SO BAD AT IRISH?? Like SO BAD.

Anyway I was rereading parts of the Hidden Oracle and realised how much I love Sherman and Damien (book version) so I was like hmm yes time for more asshole characters to not be so bad ❤️❤️

Anyway Gwen, Dakota, Reyna, Jason, Jacob, Bobby and Octavian friend group supremacy. Cause if you think about it (in the books) it's super sad.

Tyrant's Tomb spoilers: only Gwen is left. Reyna is alive, but left for the hunters of Artemis. OUCH.