How Could Cupid? (Nico Di Angelo)

How Could Cupid?

"Percy! Wha- what's wrong?" Nico stammered as Percy stumbled lazily into the Hades cabin, eyes wide, looking completely startled. 

A light blush was also crawling across Percy's cheeks as he glanced at Nico, and Nico felt himself go red as well. 

Percy's eyes lit up when he saw Nico, reminding him of the way a girl in his fourth grade class used to look at him, who had later confessed her crush to which Nico could not reciprocate. 

The look on Percy's face was so shocked, so heartfelt, that one might even describe it as... lovestruck. 

Nico shook his head to clear that thought from his mind, and he grabbed onto Percy's arm to steady him. "Percy?" Nico asked again, after he didn't answer.

"Nico," Percy said breathlessly, in almost the exact same way Nico had heard him call Annabeth "wise girl." 

That thought made Nico blush darker, if that was even possible. "Thank the gods." Percy continued. "I'm so glad you're here."

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. 

This was not how Percy usually talked, especially not to Nico.

"I don't know how I got here." Percy said, beginning to sound disoriented, as if his words were floating. "I must've..." Percy trailed off, scratching his head and sitting down quickly on one of the beds. Nico quickly followed and sat down next to him.

"Percy, are you okay?" Nico asked, because he couldn't really think of anything better to say. Percy glanced back up at Nico, and his eyes glittered longingly again. 

Nico's intense blush returned. "Do I need to get help?" Nico continued, trying desperately to avoid eye contact with Percy. 

It's not like Nico had never noticed Percy's eyes before. 

Shiny, exuberant verdant eyes that glowed in soft yellow light. Percy squinted them slightly in sunlight, and they widened when Annabeth walked in the room, especially when she smiled at him. 

Nico felt that gnawing feeling in his stomach again, the one he always felt when he thought about Annabeth.

"No, I'm fine." Percy replied. "Actually, I'm not." He changed his mind. 

Now Nico was just confused. He had never been in a situation like this before, where somebody had come to him for help. He didn't know how to react. 

Percy suddenly reached out and interlocked his fingers with Nico's. Nico flinched, but didn't move away. 

By now, Nico's face felt like it was on fire. That wasn't normal, was it? It's perfectly normal for two friends to hold hands. 

But the way Percy's fingers slid between his knuckles so naturally, the feeling of Percy's warm skin against his own sent Nico into a hazy daze of weariness. 

"Nico, I need your help," Percy said, but Nico barely heard it because his ears were blocking out sound, his head was somewhere else. 

Percy squeezed a little bit harder on Nico's hand, and it was enough to make Nico want to jump up and run away. But he didn't. 

Nico realized he needed to respond, and he tried uselessly to find words.

"Uh- ye- yeah. What did- do you need help with?" Nico muttered, still refusing to look into Percy's eyes. 

Nico feared if he started, he might never stop. 

Nico silently cursed himself for being so flustered. Percy breathed out heavily, as if he was about to tell Nico his biggest secret.

"Nico, I need to tell you something." Percy said. All Nico could do was nod slightly, staring at an old yellow stain on the bed they were sitting on, trying not to think about the fact that they were still holding hands. 

"Do you know..." Percy paused. "How Odysseus feels about Penelope?" Percy asked suddenly. The question took Nico so off-guard he almost laughed. 

Of course he did, what a ridiculous question to ask. 

"And... how Aphrodite feels about Adonis?" Percy continued. "And Eros about Psyche?" Nico nodded, wondering where this was going. 

"Nico, that's the way I feel about you."

- 

Nico let out a noise that sounded like a short laugh combined with a useless sputter, as if Percy was joking, although it would be a pretty cruel joke, even for Percy. 

Nico finally let himself look into Percy's eyes, and he realized immediately by Percy's pleading green eyes, that he was completely sincere. 

Nico felt his stomach drop as he let go of Percy's hand. There was a whirlwind happening in Nico's head, so many thoughts, unsaid words, silent wishes, that he couldn't make out even one of them. 

Then, through all the confusion, all the weariness and the churning, uncomfortable feeling, there was a flicker of hope in the back of Nico's mind. 

One tiny flame, enough to start a forest fire. 

An inferno filled desire, filled with the longing Nico had been craving even since he was a young child, and that hope burst in his mind, his whole head setting aflame. 

Nico felt the corners of his mouth turn up. 

"Percy-" Nico started to say something that he had not pre planned in his head, but Percy interrupted him.

"And I don't want this situation to come between us." Percy said. Nico felt his flame flicker and hesitate to continue burning.

"What?" Nico asked, his slight smile dropping. "What do you mean? What situation?"

"You know. Cupid." Percy said, raising his eyebrows as if Nico should know exactly what he's talking about. 

"But it's okay, Nico." Percy sensed Nico's confusion and hesitation. "I know what I'm doing. I love you." Percy said. 

Nico began to piece the situation together in his mind, and he felt his flame burn out.

"Wha- you-" Nico stuttered, backing up as Percy attempted to grab his hand. 

"You were with Cupid? Did he-" Nico swallowed helplessly. "Percy, did he shoot you?" He asked. Percy gave a blank stare. 

"Percy," Nico said again, placing his hand on Percy's arm, which seemed to get him listening. "Did Cupid shoot you with one of his arrows?" Nico asked again. 

He wanted desperately for Percy to say no, for him to say it was all a misunderstanding and that he did really feel the way for Nico that Nico feels for Percy.

"Yes." Percy breathed out. Nico couldn't help it. 

A tear fell from his eye. 

He couldn't even remember tearing up in the first place. Nico reached up and rubbed his eye on his sleeve hastily. 

"Oh, no." Nico said, standing up immediately. "We need to get you to Chiron." 

Nico refused to look at Percy, his eyes burning, tears threatening to fall again.

"Why?" Percy asked blankly. "I'm fine, Nico."

Nico shook his head, still avoiding eye contact. 

"No, you're not."