Sunshine and Secrets

Watermelon Chapstick

TRIGGER WARNING!

Nico's POV

"Where have you been?" Hazel demanded as soon as I entered the cabin. It was still pretty early, But Hazel was an early bird, so I wasn't surprised when she was already dressed and sipping a mug of coffee. 

"I was in the strawberry fields" I answered absent-mindedly "Do we have a coffee machine?"

Hazel gave me a look like 'really? '  I shrugged and pulled off my jacket, throwing it onto my bunk. She sighed.

"Frank dropped it off. They have a coffee machine in the Ares cabin."

"Really?"

"Yeah,  courtesy of Nyssa."

"Sick."

I walked over to her and stole the mug out of her hands, taking a sip. Hazel just rolled her eyes. I gave the mug back to her and collapsed on my bunk. There was an awkward silence, and eventually, Hazel turned around and took a sip of her coffee. She spun back around so fast it splashed on the cabin floor.

"NICO WHAT THE FRICK!"

"Why is everyone always yelling?" I groaned, hiding my face in a pillow. "Why can't we all just be chill? Like chameleons. Or cats. I like cats."

Hazel ignored me. "WATERMELON." That was all she said. I sat up and looked at her questioningly. She rushed outside without explanation and dumped her coffee in the grass, then grabbed an old napkin off the floor and pressed it to the rim of the mug. 

"Explain." She demanded, tossing the napkin in my lap. There was a pale pink spot where she had pressed it to the mug.

"Your...lipstick?" I asked, puzzled.

"Not lipstick," She snatched the napkin back. "Chapstick. But I'm wearing peppermint chapstick, and this is watermelon. You have no sense of self-preservation, therefore you don't use chapstick which means..."

I groaned, realizing where this was going.

"Who is she?" Hazel demanded. I sighed.

"I don't see why it matters-"

"Gods Nico, you can't go around getting a girlfriend and not telling me!"

I winced.

"She's not my girlfriend," I muttered, which wasn't exactly a lie. She wasn't my girlfriend. There was no "she" to begin with.

"So you're just kissing random girls now?" Hazel demanded. "Who. Is. She?"

Will chose that perfect moment to come in with breakfast. 

"Neeks! I brought you french toast! I know we had strawberries earlier and everything, but-Oh, hi Hazel!"

I think I passed away right there. I blushed a dark red and hid my head in my hands. Hazel looked back and forth between Will and me, before grabbing her water bottle and pouring it into a plastic cup on the nightstand.

"Water?" She offered Will.

"Sure. Hydration is important after all, right Nico?" Gods he was so innocent. If I hadn't died before, I was definitely dead now. Will took the cup from Hazel and gulped it down. Hazel took the cup back and her eyes widened.

"Uh, Hazel? You okay?" Will asked.

"Watermelon..." She muttered. "W-Watermelon. WATERMELON! NICO YOU F-"

"Woah, woah, woah." Will cut her off. "Let's not say anything we might regret. What is even happening?" His face was half worry, half relief, like it was a good thing he stopped her when he did. And, I realized in horror, it probably was.

"Chameleons. Chameleons and cats." I muttered to myself, trying not to cry. 

"Nico? Are...are you okay?" Hazel asked, obviously trying her best to stay calm. I shot to my feet, suddenly feeling angry.

"You know what Hazel? No. No, I'm not okay. Why would I be okay? You just almost called me a fag. The only reason you didn't call me a fag is because the guy I happened to have feelings for came in and stopped you from calling me a fag. Also, Will, why watermelon? Of all the possible flavors. Why not something discreet like peppermint or coconut? Like don't get me wrong, watermelon tastes amazing, but it makes it real easy to figure out who's lips have been on mine, as this situation demonstrates." I collapsed onto my bunk, out of breath. Will and Hazel were speechless.

"Nico, I didn't-I wasn't-" Hazel stuttered. She sighed. "I would never call you...that. I was going to say 'Nico you fruit stick'."

I gave her a puzzled look, and she pulled a small plastic package out of her back pocket. She ripped open the package to reveal a short strip of strawberry fruit leather.

"See?" she said, holding out the leather, "Fruit stick."

"I'm confused," Will said. Hazel ignored him.

"I don't care who you kiss, I'm just peeved that you didn't tell me! And even more peeved that you didn't tell me it was Will!" She pouted.

A slow smile spread across my face and I found myself laughing. Hard. I fell over, clutching my stomach, tears streaming from my eyes.

"I'm still confused," Will said.

I sat up, wheezing.

"Hazel, y-you're too precious." I managed, before bursting into another fit of giggles. I could just barely hear Will over my own laughter.

"I love his laugh." He whispered to Hazel.

"Me too." She said contently.

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