ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ʙɪᴛᴇꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴄᴀʙᴇᴛʜ/ꜱᴏʟᴀɴɢᴇʟᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ

ʟᴠ ɴɪᴄᴏ | ᴘᴏᴄᴏ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴄᴏ

"I'm gonna be pissed if Will misses the Cha Cha Slide."

Annabeth starts on her third sub. "I thought you'd be more pissed if he missed your toast, but I mean, go off," she says. It's a wonder that she's so relaxed after what just happened to her. Nico wishes he could just not care like that.

Nico digs around in his pocket and retrieves his speech. Unlike Thalia, he put in the effort to type his up in the dyslexia-friendly font, and he even practiced it in front of a mirror a few times.

He's still nervous beyond belief. He's definitely not about to go off-script.

"So, who's giving the maid of honor speech?" Nico asks.

Annabeth winces. "Hopefully not me. Maybe I'll pass it off to Rachel. Speaking of, where is she?"

"I'm not sure," says Nico. "She said she was going for a walk a couple of minutes ago. I think she feels kind of weird about not being able to predict the whole Cerberus thing."

"Ah." Annabeth traces the rim of her glass with her finger.

There's a record-scratching sound and Nico's attention is pulled to the center of the light-up disco floor, where Leo has Hazel under a purple spotlight. "Alright, you single ladies!" He waves Hazel's bridal bouquet around in the air.

Nico is confused.

Annabeth throws up a peace sign and disappears under her Yankees cap.

"All the single ladies!" Leo sings at the top of his lungs.

From across the room, Calypso throws her head back and groans.

"So, uh," Hazel says into the microphone. "I guess it's tradition to throw the bouquet to everyone... what did you say this was for, Leo?"

"Whoever catches this bad boy is getting hitched next!" Leo shouts.

"Oh," says Hazel. "You go ahead and throw it, Flower Boy."

"Hazel! I'm honored!" He winds his arm back and throws the bouquet with all his strength.

Poor Baby Jason is going to have a hard time playing catch with his dad because this thing flies all the way to the back of the room, away from the group of women participating in the game.

It knocks Annabeth's sub off the table and finally comes to a stop right in front of Nico.

Annabeth reappears. "That was close. Congrats, buddy."

Nico picks up the bouquet and winds up to throw it back so Leo can try again.

"There are no givebacks! The bouquet doesn't lie!" Leo shouts.

Nico takes his stupid flowers and sits back down.

Piper skips up to the DJ booth and yells something, yet Nico still can't hear her over how loud the music is. "Shoot, Piper's probably requesting the 'Cha Cha Slide.'  I gotta find Will." He feels kind of bad leaving Annabeth all alone, but it's for the greater good. Besides, she can handle it. She hasn't even had a real drink yet, just a few glasses of water.

"Forgetting something?" Annabeth asks.

Nico reluctantly grabs the flowers and sneaks into the kitchen, where Percy, Will, and Sally are all talking in hushed voices. Will's face is red and his eyes are wide.

"Are you sure though?" he asks. "I mean, I'm flattered, but-"

Nico clears his throat.

"Nico!" Will shouts. "Uh, we were just-"