"What is the deal with you, Nico?" Reyna nudged his arm with her elbow for what seemed like the hundredth time in five minutes.
"Nothing," Nico responded, moving his hands off of the table and onto his lap. "It's just that I hardly got any sleep last night. I was out for two days, after all."
"Well, you're being really spacey," Jason said. "Are you sure? We can tell Dr. Chase or some-"
"No, absolutely not," Nico blurted, not hesitantly at all. He didn't want to deal with the people who didn't put an effort in putting themselves in their patients' situations. "I'm fine, really."
"If you say so," Leo replied, reluctance lining his tone. "Does Percy have anything to do with it?"
At the split moment those words were spoken, Nico's cheeks flushed bright red. "No! No, no, no, of course not! Why would you think that?"
The three friends shared a knowing look before Nico buried his face in his hands.
"Yep, he sure likes him alright," Reyna concluded as she looked back down at her food.
Nico didn't even try to deny it. His friends knew too much. How they did, he had no idea. Was he as oblivious as his friends proposed him to be? Probably. Did he like how they knew things about him before he knew them himself? Absolutely not.
He felt arms snake around his waist once again, and a hard object resting on the top of his head, followed by a, "Good morning, sweetheart." Nico felt even more heat rush into his face.
"Don't call me that," he said.
"Aww, why not?" Percy asked, hugging Nico closer to him.
"Because," Nico replied.
"C'mon, di Angelo, you know you like it." Nico could hear the smirk in his voice.
"What gave you that notion?" Nico scoffed. "I hate pet names."
"Well, then that sucks for you, because I have a lot of them," Percy responded, nuzzling his nose into Nico's midnight mane.
"Ey, Jackson, can you not grind up on our friend?" Reyna asked. "He looks like he's about to spontaneously combust."
"I am not!" Nico shouted.
Percy chuckled and pressed a kiss on the top of Nico's head before walking away to get breakfast. Nico embarrassedly covered his flushed face with his hands, the warmth in his cheeks feeling like his face was on fire.
"So, 'sweetheart', huh?" asked Piper, who placed her tray next to Jason, who looked shocked and uncomfortable, and sat down at the table. "Since when did Jackson use pet names?"
"I-I don't know," Nico stuttered.
"Jeez, Neeks, you look like you have a sunburn all over your face," Piper laughed. "Are you okay?"
"He's fine," Reyna told her. "He just has the L-word."
"Oh, does he now?" Piper grinned cheekily.
"What L-word?" Jason asked.
"You know, four letters," Piper hinted. "Starts with L, ends with E."
"Lice?"
"No!" Reyna swatted him from across the table, which made Leo snicker. "Love."
"He has love?"
"No, Jason, he's in love."
"Who's in love?" Percy asked, setting his tray next to Nico's and sitting with them.
"No one," Piper grinned.
"C'mon, you can tell me," Percy whined.
"It's not important," Nico told him.
"You too?" Percy pouted. "I thought you liked me."
"I do," said Nico, which caused everyone at the table, excluding himself and Percy, to snicker knowingly. "Oh, shut up."
"You walked into that one, di Angelo," Piper smirked.
"I'm sorry that I like people, then?"
"No, it's not that, Nico," Reyna laughed. "You two love each other, and it's so obvious."
"Well..." Percy pretended to stretch and swung his arm around Nico. "No arguments there. How about you di Angelo? Do you love me? I have no complaints if you do, you know."
Nico swatted his arm away. "Shut up, Percy."
"Love you too."
Nico froze, feeling heat flowing in his face once more.
"Damn it, Percy!" Nico folded his arms on the table and put his head into the gap in attempt to hide his blush, his forehead resting on the cold material of the table. "You can't just stay stuff like that!"
"I just said that I love you," Percy grinned, pleased with Nico's reaction.
All of Nico's friends watched him amusedly. He currently looked like a clump of midnight hair, splayed across the table and his folded arms.
"What?" Percy asked, completely acknowledging that he was the reason Nico was so flustered. "I can't say that I love you?"
Nico hummed in embarrassment, burrowing his head deeper into the safe haven that was his arms.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you-"
"Stop!" Nico whined, moving one of his arms and playfully pushing Percy away from him.
Percy, in response, took Nico's hand and placed a kiss on each one of his fingers, which earned catcalls from everyone at the table.
"Well, I knew that he liked him," Piper commented. "But I didn't know that he liked him that much."
"Well, I kissed him already," Percy bragged. "Three times."
Nico's head shot up from the table. "That was supposed to be a secret!"
"Oh, sorry, was it?" Percy asked. "'M sorry, Neeks."
"It's okay," Nico sighed.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on for a sec," Jason interrupted. "You kissed? Like, on the lips?"
"Yep," Percy grinned triumphantly.
"When?!"
"Last night," said Nico, in a defeated tone. "If you don't wanna hang out with me anymore, that's okay, I understand."
"No, I'm not saying that," Jason objected. "It's only... Why?"
"Well..." Nico scratched the back of his head. "I..."
This was the moment Reyna had been waiting for. The moment where Nico admitted that she was right.
"You guys were right, I like him."
"I freaking knew it, you little shit!" Reyna cheered.
"Yeah, yeah, Reyna," Nico said. "I was wrong, you were right. Get over yourself. Jesus Christ."
Percy raveled his arm around Nico's waist. Nico leaned his head on Percy's shoulder.
"Guys, Dr. Chiron is coming," Piper warned.
Percy revoked his arm from around Nico quickly and Nico lifted his head from Percy's shoulder, beginning to eat some of his now-lukewarm breakfast. Their anxieties had escalated in a matter of moments. They were certain that a nurse saw them or something and reported it to Dr. Chiron. Now they were in for it.
"Mr. di Angelo," said Dr. Chiron, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Nico turned around, slightly startled, to face the bespectacled man, whom was seated in his wheelchair.
"Yes, Dr. Chiron?" Nico hoped his voice didn't sound anxious or shaky.
"Good news, Nico," Dr. Chiron grinned. "Your state has improved impeccably in the matter of weeks since you arrived. We see your condition has improved, as you are eating and your suicidal tendencies have decreased remarkably."
"So you're saying...?"
"You will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow afternoon. You are free to spend the rest of the day packing your belongings."