Butterflies

Chapter 11

Hey guys! I technically did update today. Because this is an update. Hehe. Sorry it's so late. I know some of you are probably asleep. But this one is really cute and I hope you like it! Also. I probably won't update for a few days because I need to come up with more of a gameplan for this story. Love ya! Ciao!
~O~
The quest spread among the campers like wildfire and almost everyone wanted to help. Nico suspected it was more the reason that they wanted the spirit back, than they actually wanted to help him. But he was starting to think the secondary love wasn't as bad as being ignored, and that enough people proved they cared for him to make him happy.

The second day of preparation included Nico going through most of the supplies and packing it to be as light and durable as possible. He didn't trust many people with his possessions, so he packed his own bag.

Around him, children of Aphrodite prepared the other bags with the instructions of Piper, who had not stopped moving since Nico had told her she could come. They were all sitting on the floor of the camp shop, pulling stuff from racks and neatly arranging it inside.

As Nico stuffed a third shirt into his pack(he was not going through a Hawaiian fiasco again), Percy came up behind him and slid to the ground next to him.

"Hey, Nico," Percy said, drawing Nico's attention.

He was started for a second, but gain his composure and asked, "Percy, what are you doing here?" Nico didn't look up from the shirt for a second, but fidgeted with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I-uh, I actually came here to apologize. Again." That caught Nico's attention. He glanced up at Percy and furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to explain. "You see," Percy began and rubbed the base of his neck. "I realized what an idiot I've been, now that you've informed me of the- feelings- you have."

"Had," Nico corrected with a sympathetic smile. Percy did not look too comfortable.

"Right! Sorry. Had. I meant that." He let out a nervous breath. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, Percy looked Nico straight in the eyes and said steadily, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for being so ignorant, all this time. I never once stopped to think about you, not really. And I knew you were my friend, and I thought I had seen you as very important, but I realize now that I may have ignored you. It's nothing that's your fault though!" he added quickly, like he was scared he was going to offend Nico. "It was me, I was scared of you, I guess. I was scared that you hated me."

Nico rolled his eyes. "But I didn't, though it was easier to pretend so than to tell you the truth."

Percy grinned, happy that his apology wasn't going completely south. "Yeah, I get that now. And I get why you might resent me a bit for the way I treated you."

Nico's gaze lowered and he furrowed his brow again. For a few moments, he said nothing. But then the truth finally showed itself to him. And he laughed a bit. "I don't know if that's quite it," he said with a chuckle. "I think I'm jealous of you, Percy. And my brain is trying to blame you for it."

Percy blinked his sea green eyes in confusion. "Me? You're jealous of me? Who would be jealous of the kid who got dumped in Tartarus and nearly killed in like- four battles?"

"The kid who was also dumped into Tartarus and nearly died in four battles as well. And the kid that saved two camps lives by nearly killing himself to move a statue," Nico said blandly, though he smiled a bit. "I am jealous of you for being the decorated hero in all this, I think."

The smile was gone on Percy's face, replaced with horror. "Oh my gods, Nico. I totally forgot that you went through Tartarus too."

He laughed a little and replied, "Exactly! That's what I mean!"