Short Stories

Valdangelo

VALDANGELO
The seven were in a time of peace. At least they thought they were. Hazel and Frank had gone back to Camp Jupiter. Piper was with her dad this summer. Jason, Leo, Nico, Calypso, Percy, and Annabeth didn't have anywhere they wanted to go. Together they stayed at CHB.
Let me explain to you that Leo and Calypso were on Happy the Dragon flying around the world. Leo told amazing stories about Camp Half-Blood and the heroes that occupied it. He missed his friends and Calypso persuaded him to bring them there.
Leo, Percy, and Nico were hanging out at the edge of the woods. With the demigods getting restless, they were starting to fight with each other. At the moment, Percy was holding Nico back from sending Leo straight to Tartarus. Okay, let me back up:
"So, Percy, huh?" Leo teased. Nico turned so they wouldn't see his face.
"No," he muttered.
"You know I could see that happening. You and Percy-"
"Leo, stop," Nico said, not turning around. Percy was starting to blush.
"It's an interesting thought," Leo continued. Nico turned around, his face beet red. The ground cracked open and skeletons filed out, ready to attack Leo. Percy sprung into action which brings us to present day.
"Just...let me..." Nico struggled against Percy's strength. Percy pushed him over, sending Nico crashing to the ground. Leo laughed, helping him up. The skeletons had disappeared but the redness in Nico's face was as bright as ever.
"Don't...do that..." He muttered and leaned on the tree behind him, "Besides, I like someone else now." And Leo gasped dramatically.
"Tell us," he said in a silly high pitched voice.
Nico looked nervous. He glanced at Percy who walked away to look for Annabeth. Nico opened his mouth but no sound came out. Finally he said, "Why do you care?" And ran off. Ok... Leo went to find Calypso. He brought into Bunker Nine and they didn't come out until a day later... Jason was still missing and no one had a clue where Annabeth was.
"What were you guys..." Nico started.
"Nothing new," Leo grinned and Calypso swatted his arm playfully. Nico did too but he wasn't kidding.
"So what do you think Annabæ and Jason are doing?" He asked, attempting to change the subject.
"You think they're together?" Percy walked up. Leo shrugged.
"Did you just call her Annabæ?" Calypso asked, a look of disgust on her face.
"That's what I call her even though she doesn't like it," Percy said, staring into space with a goofy grin.
"Well Jason calls her that too..." Leo muttered. Percy whipped around.
"What?!" He shouted. Leo glanced at Nico who was staring at him. When Nico realized, he turned, his face red.
"I'm sure it's okay, Percy. Annabeth would never do that to you. You guys were... Meant to be," Nico forced a smile, willing himself not to look at Leo. From the corner of his eye, he could see Leo looking at him suspiciously. Finally he turned to Calypso, whispering something in her ear that made her smile and he ran down to the cabins.
When Leo entered the Zeus cabin, he was surprised at his reaction when he saw Annabeth and Jason doing stuff that was totally not legal. When did she start breaking the 'no girl and boy shall be alone in a cabin together' rule? Because this was the reason why that rule was put into play. He screamed and then Jason screamed and then Annabeth screamed. Campers gathered around the cabin. Annabeth realized her position on the bed and stood up immediately. She straightened her hair and walked out with her head low, bumping into a disoriented Percy.
That night, Leo heard a lot of commotion going on in the Posiedon cabin. Between Percy and Jason yelling at each other and Annabeth begging them to stop and crying so loudly, Leo couldn't sleep at all. He didn't really care about harpies eating him right now and went outside to take a walk.
He looked up at the moon. It illuminated the entire camp. Suddenly someone slammed into him and Leo hit the ground with an oof and a thud.
"Sorry" Nico said and backed up. Leo struggled to stand.
"Thanks for helping me up, man."
"Sorry," Nico repeated and ran off. What's up with him? Leo thought and decided walking around wasn't going to help him. So he headed back to the Hephaestus cabin and fell into a restless sleep.
Nico woke up to the sound of something shattering. He bolted straight up, startled. An army of skeleton soldiers climbed out of the ground, ready to fight. His muscles relaxed as he looked at a frightened Leo.
"What're you doing in here?" He demanded, his voice hoarse.
"Cleaning this pigsty," Leo replied. Shards of a vase were all around the room.
"I dropped the decor." Nico bit back a smile.
"You know bribing me won't work. I won't tell you who I like. I never will. You can't make me," Nico claimed.
"Mm hmm," Leo rolled his eyes jokingly and started to pick up the big pieces on the floor.
That's when Nico realized he was in his underwear and pulled on sweat pants and a skull t-shirt. He didn't notice, until he stepped on it, the scattered pieces of the vase by his bed. He yelped at the sudden pain in his feet and started falling forwards. Leo caught him, their faces inches apart. "Sometimes I hate you, Valdez," Nico said. Leo grinned and dragged Nico to the infirmary.
As Will pulled out the pieces in his foot, Nico squeezed Leo's arm, it hurt so much. His eyes were shut tight as if it would blind the pain. Of course, it didn't work and Nico wouldn't be able to walk for a while. Finally it was over and Will gave Nico's hand a squeeze and walked out of the room, smiling to himself.
"It's Will, isn't it? The guy you like?" Leo whispered. Nico let go of his arm, even though his feet still hurt a lot. Nico didn't know what to say to him.
"Yeah," he lied, "Yeah I like Will." Leo sat back, satisfied, nodding with a stupid grin on his face.
Nico couldn't hold back his smile. But it wasn't Will he was thinking about.
"Stop it," he muttered and looked away, his face heating up.
Months went by and things like this started happening a lot more. Annabeth and Jason had been kicked out of CHB and moved to Camp Jupiter, having their own problems with Reyna. Calypso and Percy spent a lot of time looking at the stars at night. They would cry together almost all the time, Percy about Annabeth, Calypso about her sister Zoë. Leo and Nico hung out a lot too, joking around, talking about "boy stuff."
One day, Nico and Leo were talking by the woods. Nico cracked a smile, Leo punching his arm playfully. Calypso and Percy were sprinting towards them, smiles taking up their faces. Will followed not too far behind.
"Leo! Leo I-I'm..." Calypso panted, "I'm pregnant." It hit Leo like a bomb. He was so dizzy he leaned against a tree.
"But you're, like, eighteen off Ogygia. How-how..." He attempted to stand and miserably failed. Nico held him up. Beads of sweat formed on his brow. He couldn't be a dad. He was just a teenager. Calypso patted her stomach and giggled.
"I know! It's so great, isn't it?" She smiled.
"And it's definitely Leo's?" Nico asked skeptically, looking between Percy and Calypso. Calypso didn't say anything, continuing to stare at her stomach.
"Calypso?" Yellow spots danced in Leo's eyes. He leaned heavily on Nico, who stumbled, but held the weight.
"Leo's going down," Leo called and sank into Nico's arms. He blacked out and Nico quickly handed him over to Will who took care of him in the infirmary.
When Leo woke up, Will was looking down at him.
"Get away from me," he screamed and threw a punch at Will. He dodged it but stepped a bit farther away. Leo looked at the fist attached to his arm. What was that for?
"Sorry," he said, examining his hand.
He had visitors all day. Nico came first. When Leo told him what happened, he failed to hide his smile. What was so great about hitting his boyfriend? Percy came and Leo didn't even look at him. He didn't know how to act when Calypso came in. She had a tiny little lump. How long was he out?
"A month," Calypso answered.
"Oh, cool," Leo muttered, "So what's the kid's name?" He asked, angry.
"Percy the second or...?" Calypso looked hurt but he didn't care.
He stood... For two seconds before landing on Calypso.
"I'm fine!" He yelled and staggered out of the infirmary. He was going to see Nico, when he heard two voices inside the cabin.
"-could beat you in a second."
"Nico, he can't even stand up, I think I'm gonna be okay."
"Just... watch out, alright?" Silence. "Alright?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Is it yours?"
"What?"
"The baby? Is it yours?" More silence. But this time longer. It felt like a thousand years before what Leo guessed was Percy answered.
"I don't know. Maybe it is. But I don't remember... Oh gods," Percy said and Leo heard footsteps getting louder. He ran to Bunker Nine, letting the tears fall silently.
Nico had a feeling Leo heard a bit of that. He knew where he'd be and, try as he might, he couldn't open the door to Bunker Nine silently. Leo was staring at his shirt, which was ripped off his bare chest. Oh no... Nico thought and focused on some weird device on the other side of the room. From the corner of his eye, he saw Leo wipe his face hastily and turn to face Nico.
"What're- what're you doing here?" Leo asked, his nose all stuffy from crying. He sniffled.
Nico looked at his face, trying to read the expression, but his eyes kept flickering to Leo's chest. Oh no... He thought again. The floor was beautiful...
"Just wanted to see if you were okay. I heard you escaped the infirmary. Will never lets me leave until after five days, always," he said.
"I know. I'm with you all the time," Leo said. Nico looked up, which was a huge mistake. At his attempt to stare at Leo's face, his eyes wandered to the tiny little muscles traveling down Leo's arms. Oh no...
"Can you put your shirt back on?" Nico blurted out. Leo took one last look at the plain white T and pulled it over his head.
Just as he did so, Calypso burst into the room.
"Leo I-" she stopped when she noticed Nico there. He felt his face grow in temperature. Oh no...
"Get out!" Leo yelled, his body going aflame. Calypso jumped about ten feet and slammed the door behind her. Leo turned all flesh again, panting, trying to hold in his sobs.
Nico and Leo ended up two hot messes in Bunker Nine crying over their miserable lives, reflecting back to the good 'ol days.
They returned to camp with tearstained faces. Both had never shown themselves in this kind of distress, but Leo's girlfriend was having a baby that might not be his and Nico was having problems of his own. They walked right up to Calypso and Will and said at the same time, "I don't understa- ove you." I said they said it at the same time. I never said it would harmonize. But Calypso and Will: "What?" Calypso and Will then pulled a Valdangelo, "I don't lo- nderstand." Leo and Nico: "What?!"
"Leo, I don't love you. I can't love you. Not if- not if you love him. Percy... Percy was destined to come to Ogygia. I loved him way before I even knew you. Please, you have to understand. This," Calypso pointed at her stomach, "Is not yours. It's Percy's. Don't ask, okay? It just... Happened." Leo's eyes stung.
"Nico, we're- how could you not- I-I-I don't get it," Will stuttered.
"Wait who's 'him?'" Leo asked suddenly. Calypso pointed an accusing finger at Nico who held up his hands innocently.
"Look, Will, I like someone else, okay? I never liked you like that in the first place. It's all a misunderstanding," Nico claimed.
"But you said..." Then Leo realized, "Oh, I think I know where this is going..." Calypso rolled her eyes and walked away, bumping her shoulder into Leo's. He staggered back but then stood tall.
Suddenly, Nico had brought the two of them into a shadow world. Leo couldn't see but felt around in the little dark box. Finally, his eyes adjusted to the non-light and he could just see a faint outline of Nico's head.
"If it's not Will, then who?" Silence.
"Come on, Neeks. If you tell me, I could help you." Nothing.
"Nico." Nico shifted uncomfortably.
"I thought it'd be easier in the dark," he muttered.
"Thought what'd be easier?" Leo asked, already knowing the answer.
The truth? Nico was scared. Scared Leo wouldn't feel the same. Scared he would be ousted. Scared that if he didn't do it right, nothing would be the same. Scared if it didn't work out, they wouldn't be friends.
"Who. Do. You. Like?" Leo repeated, putting space between the words, making it the longest, most torturous sentence of the planet. After forever, Nico opened his mouth.
"You." There was no response from the silhouette of Leo. Finally, Leo talked.
"Nico you know I can't just say-" he was cut off by Nico's lips against his. He couldn't stop himself.
"Yes," Leo breathed. He buried his head in Nico's shoulder. Nico remembered how to breathe and they returned to CHB. Calypso literally kicked Leo's butt. Will looked like he was going to stab Leo multiple times in his sleep, but Nico knew him better than that. Will only wanted Nico happy. And he was.
Years later, the little descendant of Posiedon, Eddy, was running around freely at CHB. Annabeth and Jason were happy-ish and visited sometimes. Calypso and Percy were born for each other. Will had found a girl😏. But the best part was Leo. He was never happier and every time he looked at the son of Hades he was reminded of the awesome boyfriend he had. Nico loved Leo just as much. They were made for each other and, after all these years, had finally found each other. And they would never be separated, ever, again. Or so they thought....