Hate to Love (Valdangelo)

Crush

Despite the anger coursing thought him, Leo put his hand on Nico's shoulder and tried to calm him down. He was surprised how quickly the Italian calmed.

"Jason," Leo looked at his best friend in the eye. "If I were you, I would–"

He got cut off when Hazel, Frank, and Piper ran up the steps. Annabeth and Percy appeared seconds later.

"Is everything okay?" Hazel asked, worry coating her voice. "I heard Nico screaming death threats...?" She trailed off near the end, unsure of what was really going on.

Nico was still staring at Jason in a threatening way, so it was up to Leo to answer.

Only, he had no idea what he was going to say. What, he was just supposed to tell them Jason walked in on them making out, and teased them bad enough that Nico freaked out? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

He had to think of something, though.

"Jason knows who Nico likes, and he was basically teasing him in a big brother kind of way." Leo went with the partial truth.

And it did more harm than good.

Percy perked up and wiggled his eyebrows at Nico.

"Ooh!" he cooed in a sing-song voice. "Nico has a cruuuuush!" Nico's blush intensified.

"Leo!" Nico hissed through his teeth. "Why would you–?" Leo gave him an "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen" kind of look just as Hazel squealed.

"Who is she? Do we know her?" she asked, and Nico's blush darkened even more.

"Uh..." he said. "I don't think you would." Nico conveniently forgot to, or chose not to, correct her or give any hint that she was wrong.

Piper was staring intently at Nico. Leo figured she must know.

Damn that child of Aphrodite intuition...

Her gaze flickered to Leo for a second, to his hand that he still had on Nico's shoulder. He lifted his hand.

"Just tell us her name! Please?" Hazel asked sweetly, obviously excited that her brother had a crush.

If only she knew.

Leo looked at Nico's uncomfortable frame, and tried to think of something to do.

"Come on guys," he began, finding something to say. "Quit asking him questions like that. Can't you see he's uncomfortable?"

Frank nodded. "He looks like he could faint," His head tilted to the side slightly. "Or puke."

"Or kill us all." Percy added. "I mean, come on, he's Nico." Nico wouldn't actually kill them, Leo thought. You don't understand him like I do because you don't hang around him as often as I do. "And he was about to kill Jason for teasing him, so..."

The rest nodded. Jason stood up straight and, along with Percy and Annabeth, walked downstairs. Frank looked like he was about to turn away, but when he noticed Hazel was still watching Nico expectantly, he stopped. He touched Hazel's shoulder.

"Haze, I think we should just leave him be for now." he said, and she nodded. She grabbed his hand and walked below deck with him.

Piper was still there. She opened her mouth to say something, but Annabeth poked her head up.

"Piper? Come on. We shouldn't keep bothering him like that."

"Okay. But we will be talking later, di Angelo. You too, Repair Boy." Piper's gaze never left the two boys. She quickly spun to face the stairs, and walked down them.

Nico walked to the railing, placing his hands on the bar. Leo followed his example.

Leo looked out at the sunset. The sky was a collage of pinks, oranges, yellows, and the occasional purple.

For a couple minutes after everyone left, they stayed at the railing. The sun was almost gone, and if one were to look off the other side of the ship, they would see a dark blue sky.

"So," Nico began, keeping his gaze on the setting sun. "What are we now, exactly?"

Leo grinned and wrapped his arm around the pale Italian's skinny waist. "I wouldn't mind calling you my boyfriend."

Pink dusted Nico's cheeks and he leaned his head on Leo's shoulder. Leo put his gaze back out to the sun.

He felt Nico's gaze on the side of his head, and he turned to face the pale Italian.

Nico leaned forward and pecked Leo on the lips, yawned, then started walking to the stairs.

"I'm tired," he said. "I'm going to sleep. You should too. Goodnight, Bad-Boy Supreme." Leo could hear the smile in Nico's voice as he waved his hand over his shoulder. Leo ran up to him and hugged his waist from behind.

"Goodnight, Nicito." Leo whispered in Nico's ear. He kissed Nico's cheek and pushed him toward the stairs. Leo moved his hands to Nico's shoulders, still guiding him down the stairs.

"But first you're going to eat something. You're skinny as hell."

Nico groaned and trudged forward. Leo chuckled.

He walked with his hands in the crooks of Nico's neck, in what he hoped was a comforting gesture, making smile circles on the back of Nico's neck with his thumbs.

He heard voices coming from the dining room, and his hands moved further down to Nico's shoulders.

The rest of the group was discussing night watch. Leo pushed Nico into a seat and gave him a plate. He stood behind Nico with one hand on the back of the chair.

"Eat." he commanded. Gnocchi filled the plate, and Nico ate. Hazel was grinning from ear to ear, and the rest of the crew seemed surprised that Leo didn't need to shove the fork down Nico's throat to get him to eat. Again.

"How did you...?" Percy started to ask.

"It's a gift." Leo said, and Jason gave him a knowing look. Leo also noticed Piper slightly narrowing her eyes at Leo, silently reminding him that they needed to talk. Soon.