Sugar glider ( Percy Jackson x Nico Di Angelo )

Chapter two ( jealousy, jealousy )

Nico's pov

Nico wasn't jealous.

Nope.

Never.

Jealous? He didn't even know the meaning of the word.

But as he watched Jason wrap his arms around Leo's waist and bend down to kiss his neck, he felt a twisting sensation in his stomach.

He hated romance.

Romance was gross.

And obviously it was a scheme for companies to make more money and profit off of rings and chocolate and stupid cards.

But hell, was it cute.

Even when Percy and Annabeth had been together and he'd felt a different kind of jealousy, it was cute.

And though he sorta thought it was all bullshit, he also kinda thought it was sweet.

To chose someone out of the billions of people on earth to be yours.

His thoughts where interrupted by Jason groaning.

"Percy still isn't here, and it's been ten minutes" he scratched his neck and glared down at his watch.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Jace, respectfully, chill. He doesn't have to be on the dot".

Jason scowled but nodded and rested his head on Leo's shoulder.

Piper looked up from her book and beamed at something behind Nico.

"Speaking of the devil"! She got up and hugged Percy who laughed and awkwardly patted her back.

Nico and his eyes connected, and he mouthed a silent "help me" and Nico snorted.

"No way in hell" Nico mouthed back.

Percy pouted, just as Piper let go.

"Nice to see you, my man! Kinda thought you where never gonna get outta bed, but seems you've pleasantly surprised us" Leo said flashing a smile.

Percy laughed.

"Glad to hear it".

He sat down with a plop next to Nico, criss crossing his legs and holding his head in his hands.

He smiled at Nico, which made butterflies dance around in his stomach and his face heat up.

No.

Nico scowled at him in return, which earned a pout from Percy, which was annoyingly worse than the smile.

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late" came Annabeth's voice from behind Nico as she emerged from the trees.

He watched Percy for a reaction, but he remained placid.

Piper and Annabeth rolled out the picnic blanket, along with the food in the basket.

Croissants, breakfast pastries, toast, scrambled eggs, and loads of other things that made Nico's stomach grumble.

Literally.

Leo look at him, his eyebrows floating up to his hairline.

"Was that your stomach, or a bear"? Leo asked with a snicker.

"A bear, and I pray that it eats you and your boyfriend alive".

Leo just smiles. "Jason and I would have a beautiful life in a stomach together", he replies shrugging.

Nico rolls his eyes as he imagines Leo and Jason in rocking chairs next to a warm fireplace holding hands, just in a digestive system.

He shuddered.

He plucked a handful of grapes, snagged a croissant, and a small serving of scrambled eggs and set them on a bright green paper plate.

He sat and ate and listened to the conversation around him, catching different voices speak different words inside different conversations.

"... and oh my gods she's so..."

"... im so sigma..."

"... dude seriously?..."

But he didn't hear Percy's voice at all.

Strange.

He usually did.

He glanced over at Percy, who's plate was empty sitting in his lap.

His face was turned up to the sun, and his eyelids where shut closed, and a small smile played on his lips.

"Earth to Percy" Nico joked, then grimaced at how awkward and forced he sounded.

"Hm"? Percy's eyelids snapped open and his sea green eyes met Nico's.

"What were you doing"? Nico's eyes flited away from Percy's quickly, then back again.

Percy smiled.

"Dunno. Just like the sun, I guess. It's warm" he replied shrugging.

"Poetic" Leo commented.

Percy rolled his eyes. "I don't recall asking you to add your opinion".

Leo snorted.

"Whoops! Sorry, my bad Percy. I should totally wait to make sure I have your permission to join your conversation. Please, carry on".

Percy scoffed then turned to Nico again, with that warm smile.

"So rude, isn't he"? Percy rolled his eyes, still holding his dimpled smile.

"S- yeah. So rude" Nico said, looking away quickly.

"I agee with Percy, though. The weather's rather nice for late September" Jason said, obviously trying to diffuse whatever arguments where about to start.

"Oh!! Speaking of", Piper said excitedly, "what are we all being for Halloween"?

"Leo's and I are being men in black" Jason said proudly.

"I mostly wanted that just to see Jason in a suit" Leo said nonchalantly.

"I'm being Chappell Roan", Piper said excitedly. "In her liberty statue costume".

"Who's Chappell Roan"? Jason asked.

Percy gasped, and clutched his chest over his heart. Wounded.

"Jason Grace, you are my best friend, and you don't know who Chappell Roan is? Shame" he said, doing that annoying pout thing again.

Leo glared up at his boyfriend.

"Jason you dolt, I showed you some of her music the other night".

"Ohhh her! Oh I was busy" Jason said, smirking down and Leo and bending down to give him a peck on the forehead.

"Gross, you guys" Percy muttered, shielding his eyes.

"Homophobia"! Leo shouted, pointing at Percy acussingly.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Me. Homophobic. Nice one".

Piper gasped.

"What are you implying there, Jackson"? She asked playfully, batting her eyelashes at him and poking him in the chest with her index finger.

Percy's face went tomato red.

"I-I just meant because you guys are all... you know... I just meant I wouldn't... I..."

"He just means he's supportive", Annabeth chimed in.

Percy nodded. "Yeah. What she said".

Nico glanced at Percy, who's fists where clenched and his body more tense then before.

Percy looked back at him and gave him an easygoing smile, but he wasn't fooling anyone.