• solangelo •

NICO

'Ooh, last names! You're starting to sound like Hades, di Angelo!' Jason teased, ruffling Nico's hair to annoy him.

Nico slapped Jason's hand away, making sure Will was out of hearing distance.
'Will doesn't know, you idiots,' he hissed through clenched teeth.

Percy raised his eyebrows, looking seriously at Nico and saying, 'Well maybe he should, Nico! I mean, you probably don't care what I say anyway because –'

'Dude, don't do it,' Jason interrupted, looking exasperated.

'Because I'm not your type!' Percy finished, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jason covered his face with his hands, seemingly sick of hearing that.
'Nico, Percy will not shut up about that, it's almost as if Annabeth has disappeared from his tiny brain,' he complained.

'I can't tell Will,' Nico mumbled, chewing his lip.

'You told me,' Percy pointed out, sounding unsure.

Nico frowned, looking away from them.
'That's different. I... I'm over you, and...'

'And you're only just beginning to like Will,' Jason finished.

Nico felt so tortured. Falling for another boy who wouldn't like him in the long run was bad enough, but when you add on Percy and Jason knowing, everything seemed too... overwhelming.
Being gay was a whole new level of grim; after all, defeating real monsters may have been difficult, but it was a lot easier than gathering courage and defeating your inner demons.

'I don't expect guys like you to understand,' Nico mumbled, stepping back, 'but I constantly feel alienated, and Will makes me feel normal. I don't want him to leave.'

Percy opened his mouth to talk again, but Jason shook his head.
'Perce, you go ahead; I'll be five minutes.'

Percy seemed to understand that Jason was serious, so he nodded, patting Nico's shoulder once before walking away.

Once it was just Nico and Jason, Nico felt a little less uncomfortable. Maybe it was because Jason had been the first to know about Nico's feelings for Percy, or maybe because Nico felt awkward knowing that Percy knew, but whatever the reason, it seemed easier to talk to Jason alone.

'Nico... what do you mean, like us?'

Nico's expression darkened, and he smiled mockingly – but he wasn't mocking Jason or Percy, he was mocking himself.
'I mean that people just like you guys,' he said cryptically. 'People don't like me.'

'Not this again,' Will's voice suddenly said, and he slung his arm around Nico. 'di Angelo, you've gotta stop being so ridiculous; you're perfectly likable.'

Jason smirked smugly, walking off and waving over his shoulder.

'What was that all about?' Will asked, sounding incredulous. 'They think you're getting tanner?'

'Umm, I don't know why...' Nico muttered, trying to hide his red cheeks.

'Why are you red?' Will asked obliviously.

'Why are you annoying?' Nico shot back, not knowing how to answer.

'I... What?'

Nico smirked.
'I thought that would shut you up.'

'Am I annoying you?' Will asked, seeming worried.

'What?' Nico made a face.

Will completely ignored him.
'I am, aren't I?'