My Better Half [Nico x Percy]

Chapter 4

Nico's P.O.V

"Nico, a-are you.." Hazel hesitated. "Uhm.. nevermind. I'm just jumping to conclusions.." she sighed, rubbing her temples. 

"I think you meant to ask me if I'm gay" I said surprisingly calmly. 

Hazel is my sister.  I think she deserves to know and I trust her. Her hands froze mid air as her eyes widened. 

"Yes, I'm gay, Haze" I said softly. 

"You are?" she mumbled in disbelief. I nodded as I smiled slightly to reassure her.

"You're not shitting me?" she squeaked. I laughed, shaking my head. "No, Haze. I'm honestly, truly gay" I looked her in the eyes as hers searched mine once again, not for an answer but this time for any signs of this whole thing being a prank. She must have not found any hints because her face paled after a few moments.

"Who else knows?" she asked. 

"Jason" I shrugged. 

"Since.. since when?" she asked, still in a slight daze. "What do you mean? Since when did he know or since when was I gay?" I chuckled at my little sister. 

"Both" 

"Well, Jason found out when we visited Cupid in Croatia.. As for when I started being gay.. I'm not sure. I've started realising that I was gay when.. when.." I felt a lump form in my throat. I couldn't bring myself to say that I was in love with Percy.

"When you fell in love with Percy?" she prompted, speaking soft as a mouse. Now, it was my turn to be surprised. 

"H-how did you know?" I asked, wide-eyed. 

"Nico, anyone can see the hurt in your eyes when you look at Annabeth and Percy. I've always thought you were into Annabeth but.. You weren't into her, you were jealous of her. It makes sense now" She smiled.

"Please don't tell anyone else. I don't want to break the friendship with Percy nor Annabeth. Please" I pleaded. I was soon engulfed into a hug. 

"Nico, you're my brother. I repect you way too much to say something you're not ready for. I'll keep my mouth sealed until you think it's time" she said. 

This was another one of my moments where I feel so happy to be blessed with such wonderful people. I hugged her back. "Thank you" I whispered, not trusting my voice in case it cracked. we pulled away and finished eating our breakfast.

***

"I'm guessing you told Hazel?" a voice asked me suddenly, while I was getting ready for a sword practice. I turned around to face the owner and I saw Jason leaning against the entrance of the practice arena. I beamed for the first time in a very long time.

"Yeah. Felt good to tell her" I grinned. 

"Mind if I be your practice dummy for today?" he chuckled. 

"Bring it on, lightning boy" I felt a spark of confidence; something I had lost, once I had started liking Percy. 

Jason and I have been practicing for hours and I don't know if it's because of my boost of confidence or if Jason had become really unfit over the course of time but I was only breathing slightly heavier than usual while Jason looked like he could just about start snoring right then and there.

"Dude, get some rest. I think I pushed you too hard" I chuckled. He just shook his head lazily but didn't disagree on getting a rest. In fact, he was gone in a blink of an eye. But as soon as Jason left, a new face was to be seen in the arena.

"Hey, Nico" Percy smiled. I nodded in acknowledgment as I felt my face heat up. 

"Practicing?" Again, I nodded. After a long, awkward pause I broke the ice. 

"Vuoi uscire con me?" I mumbled, mainly to myself. 

Percy must have heard and taken it the wrong way, because he didn't look too good.

"Look, Nico. I don't know what I did wrong for you to insult me all the time in a foreign language but could you please stop?" he snapped. An insult? Please, how could will you go out with me be a fucking insult?! 

"It's not an insult!" I mumbled. I was shy in front of him. 

"Then tell me what it means!" he was shouting now. 

"I can't!" I shouted back. 

"Aren't I your friend? Aren't friends supposed to tell each other everything? Why do you keep avoiding me?!" he yelled. 

"Well, why do you have such gorgeous green eyes that when I look into them my heart beats faster?!" I yelled back. 

Before I could stop myself, I grabbed the collar of Percy's shirt (seeing as he is half a head taller than me) and pulled him towards me, crashing my lips onto his. They moved in sync fast and hungrily, as if we've both been waiting for this very moment. 

But suddenly, my mind started to process the things that were happening this very moment and I pulled away as quickly as I had pulled him to me. 

"No, no, no, no" I mumble repeatedly. Before Percy could say anything, I ran out. I ran into the woods, as far as my feet would carry me.

I had to leave. Percy knows now. He's going to think I'm disgusting. Once I felt that I was far away enough, I slid down to my butt as I leaned against a tree. My breathing was jagged and my mind was hazy. Did I really just kiss Percy Jackson? I buried my head into my knees and sobbed. 

After a while though, I decided I needed a break. I closed my eyes and imagined my father's palace. Dark walls covering the entire thing with fire blazing  around it and spirits floating around. 

When I opened my eyes again, I stumbled. It was as if my whole energy was sucked right out of my body. I had shadow-travelled to my dad's palace. In the middle of the room stood my dad's black throne and Hades himself sat in it, looking quite surprised to see me.

I fell to my knees as I sobbed.

"Dad"