Shake it off

Chapter 21

"How did it happen?" Percy asked in a courteous voice. It was gentle and patient.

"Sh-she," his breath caught in his throat as he remembered blood when he found her. It wasn't everywhere, but it felt like it was. Why was she laying there? How could anyone do that?! What was wrong with people?! Her eyes were still wide and open and he couldn't stop thinking about the little things on her body. Her necklace, her hands. Blood. A puddle of the stuff on the ground. "I can't," Nico barely got out as he tried to pull himself back into reality. "I just-I'm sorry, b-but,"

Percy had parked the car on the side of the road so he could turn around and look at Nico, who hadn't noticed time skipping. "Are you-"

"I DONT WANT TO FUCKING TALK ABOUT IT!" Nico yelled, his nails digging into his palms. Leo stirred, but didn't wake. He breathed in air as if he had been drowning a second ago, in which that was how it felt.

--

"Hey dork, time to wake up." Percy rubbed Leo's head as he roused to sleep. Nico watched as Leo opened his eyes, lashes batting a few times before he shot up quickly as if someone had shocked him with a wire.

"Fuck, are we there?!" He looked so terrified Nico legitimately felt bad for him.

Percy put the car in park and leaned over to kiss his boyfriend's jaw. Nico's heart clenched brutally. "Nope, we need food first. We're about twenty minutes away."

Leo sighed in relief, his head pushed onto the dashboard, his arms acting as a pillow. "Jesus thank god. I'm so not ready right now."

"You don't believe in God." Nico deadpanned.

Percy laughed a little. Nico could understand how Leo could fall in love with him. He had that jet black straight hair, and green piercing eyes. He didn't have freckles, his skin was clear and soft. His hair whipped upwards, messy and unkempt. His eyes were green and seemed to glow into the the sun like the ocean on a cold day. He was attractive, but not Nico's type.

Percy's hand reached out and rubbed Leo's curls, "You dork." The younger boy looked up at his boyfriend with loving, appreciative eyes and a small smile. His hair was slightly splayed onto the dashboard. He hummed in approval. Nico's heart twisted. They looked so happy. He was happy for them. Completely and absolutely smitten with his best friend, and jealous of Percy Jackson, but happy for them. They deserved happiness. And Nico would get over this eventually. He knew it needed some time, and he knew that eventually he would fall out of love with Leo Valdez. Thank the benevolent God. It almost made Nico smile through his repairing heartache. Except it was hard for him to smile in the first place.

Leo let out a soft sigh. "Guys, I don't wanna go into this stupid Mickey D's. I'm already scared shitless." he played with the hem of Percy's jacket, which was leant to him once it started snowing again. "Can't someone get me some fries and a Mcflurry?" Leo must have been pretty confident that they would actually do it, because he tucked his head into his arms and started dozing off.

"What a fucking brat." Nico spat, charitably flipping Percy off when he gawked at him.

Percy turned his attention back to his lover. "Hey, if we order that for you, you're gonna gain so many calories."

"And I'll lose 'em all if you nail me hard enough, so go." Leo sighed and snuggled deeper into Percy's jacket.

Percy flushed deep red and quickly walked out of the car to get the food for the three.

Nico wasn't the most flexible person, but it wasn't much of a feat crawling into the drivers seat, reaching into Leo's pocket, and stealing a cigarette. "Fuckwad." Nico said to Leo and he lit it and put the rest into Leo's pocket.

"Ruuude." Leo goaded sleepily.

Nico pressed his forehead to the wheel and sighed. "Obviously." he complied. He breathed in the toxins, breathing out his frustrations.

"I'm terrified." Leo said out of nowhere. His words were still slightly mumbled, but it seemed he had nearly given up on actually sleeping. "The first time I've ever seen my dad, I should be excited or happy, or something. I'm just terrified."

Nico didn't even feel a little shocked. He could understand him being terrified. Meeting your father for the first time? Yes, a scary feat. Nico remembered his own father, but only from when he was little. Its not that he was a bad father necessarily. The only bad part was when he split and never came back.

"I think its normal to feel that way."

Leo sat up. He drummed his finger on the window anxiously. "I wanna make him happy." he admitted. "I really really want him to look at me and say, "That's my son and he's fucking awesome. I'm so proud." or some shit. I'm just scared he'll be really disappointed in how I turned out. The thing is that I don't want to care.  I shouldn't. Like yeah I still am really angry at him. I don't know how I'll hold back once I see him. I don't want to want him to like me ya know?"

Nico nodded and bit his lip. This was obviously normal too, and he could definitely relate on a different spectrum. "If your dad doesn't like you then he literally doesn't matter." Nico decided to take a chance and openly say what he wanted. "Honestly if your dad doesn't like you then he's just wrong. He doesn't get to pick and choose. You're his son and he bucked out when things were at the worst. You're a great person, Leo. And he should be proud no matter what."

Leo gave him the brightest smile that made Nico's heart beat like a racehorse. "Thank you, Nico."