No Flowery Softness

The arrow

After Nico let go of Percys' hand he noticed something, a woman was in the clearing as well as a man. The woman looked like a pretty girl, she had black hair and a surfer body and looked like Percy in girl form but just a  bit shorter. The man had a a bow and a fully loaded quiver across his back, hair black as night, but his eyes were the same color as Percy's. That's when Nico's composure slipped and Jason noticed.

"Nico what's wrong?" Jason said calmly, oblivious to my internal screaming.
"Aphrodite and Eros are across the field but DO NOT look." But of course he had to look and make eye contact.

Uh guys we have a problem." Jason said
"What...oh, but whose with Aphrodite?"said Percy
"Eros aka Cupid" Jason said while making sure Nico still breathing.
Aphrodite and Eros stopped right in front of Jason. Aphrodite looked very pleased to see them but Eros looked pleased to see Nico and Jason but there was an evil glint in Eros eye like a madman who put a gun to their heads and was asking them for a reason not to shoot, so Nico knew he was treading in thin ice.

"Hello heroes" Aphrodite greeted them kindly.
"Hello again boys. How's you're arm doing Nico?" Eros said coldly while the others looked on in confusion at what Eros had just said.
"It's doing fine" Nico mumbled feeling the dull pain return to his arm.
Jason noticed that Nico looked like he did in Croatia, scared like a cornered animal and he knew Eros would reveal Nicos' secret if he was tested.

"Nico you met Eros, when?" Hazel said the question that was on everyone's mind.

Jason decided it would be better for him to answer this question because Nico looked terrified.
"We had to face him to get the scepter, this is what happened in Croatia." Jason said sadly. Piper and the crew had their answer to what happened in Croatia now.

Eros looked happy about how this conversation was going which made Nico angry. Aphrodite looked on sadly because she knew what was going on and she didn't like it.

"Eros leave the boy alone, you already shot at him and got a confession of true love." Aphrodite said loud enough for the seven to hear.

The confusion on the sevens' faces was almost pathetically funny to watch, they believed that the son of Hades didn't know affection or desire. He knew suffering and longing because of his love towards Percy. It ripped him apart a little more each day because of the arrow embedded into his arm. But the crew wouldn't accept him, he remembered how much the days were persecuted during his time, he saw a man beaten in the streets while everyone ignored his screams. Nico didn't want that, he didn't want to see the disgust written across the faces of the people he considered his family.

"Everyone knows about Nicos crush on Annabeth though." Percy said. Eros looked like he was going to laugh at their naiviety.

"Nico doesn't have a crush on Annabeth though Percy," Eros stated.

"Who is it then?" Percy asked.

Eros looked at Nico with that glint in his eyes, Nico knew this wasn't going to end in his favor. He could feel the tears threatening to fall and one succeeded.

"Eros, please..." Nico begged .

"Love isn't a flowery softness Nico." Eros reminded him.

The others looked on in pity and curiosity. They realized this is why Nico is so sad all the time.

"Nico has a crush on," Eros and Jason looked at him sadly,"Percy."

All eyes were on Nico, who stood tears streaming uncontrollably down his face. He was staring at the ground, not wanting to see what emotions their faces held. Suddenly Hazel was hugging him.

"I still love you, no matter who you like." She whispered.

He looked up over her shoulder to see the others reactions. Jason looked relieved it didn't happened like their last visit. Everyone looked like they knew what a big deal this was because Nico grew up in fascist Italy. Percy looked like he was in shock.

"So, you don't like girls," Leo said, "I've always wanted a sassy gay friend!"

"Eros I'm over Percy now, you know that." Nico said.

"I knew you wouldn't do it do I did it for you." Eros said in Italian so the others wouldn't understand.

"Thank you, Eros." Nico said then the two gods vanished and left Nico to deal with the Argo II crew.