First Valentine's Day

Oh Shit.

Warning: "s***" used frequently.

Nico sat alone at the Hades table for dinner in the Pavilion. Usually Will sat with him or he went to the Apollo table, but Will was working at the infirmary tonight. As Nico picked at his food, his mind drifted from thought to thought, eventually drifting to how much he missed the son of Apollo.

Wait, Nico suddenly jerked, I miss him?

Oh, right, well I guess that does come with dating someone. Nico still couldn't wrap his head around it. He was dating Will Solace, child of the sun god. Him, the son of Hades – the creepy, weird, dark Prince of the Underworld was dating the happy, peppy son of Apollo. It sounded strange, but seeing them together, actually looking at them, they couldn't look any more perfect. It was a recent development, though they had been inseparable since the war and Nico's mandated 3 days in the infirmary. They basically flirted with each other and were a giant blushing mess until Piper had a serious talk with Nico while Jason and Percy teased and pushed Will to ask Nico out. Eventually it happened after lots of blushing and flustered stuttering, but the moment his friends burst into applause and cheers, Nico grabbed Will's hand and shadow-traveled them both out of there.

A small smile tugged at Nico's lips as he remembered how angry Will had been after that, and then how he ended up falling asleep next to Nico in his cabin.

"NICO!"

The shout ripped Nico from his memories back to the present. Jason and Percy slid into the seats across from Nico and he, out of habit, scowled at them, asking, "What do you idiots want?"

"Is that any way to speak to your big bros? Tsk, tsk, Nico, have more respect." Percy's shit-eating grin earned Nico's Death Glare™.

"Shut up, Perce. Anyway, we came to ask what you're doing tomorrow? What are your plans for you and Will?" Jason looked genuinely interested in this, though Nico had no idea why.

Nico rolled his eyes, "Why would I have plans? And why would I tell you?"

Jason and Percy glanced worriedly at each other, then turned back and said, "Um, Neeks. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. You know, day of love, typically celebrated with your significant other?"

Nico blinked at them. Then it registered. Oh. Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit. Only three thoughts were coming to mind as his panic rose: I have a boyfriend. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Oh shit.

His eyes widened and he nearly began hyperventilating as he said, "Oh shit that's a thing crap what do I do??? I've never done this before! Does Will know? Oh of course he knows, what am I saying SHIT what do I do, I have no plans, no experience, SH—"

"Hey calm down!" Jason reached across and put his hands on Nico's shoulders to settle him back in his seat, as he was nearly jumping out of it. "Don't worry bro, we got you. We can help you plan something."

"Why didn't you guys tell me earlier?!"

"Um, well, guess we didn't think about it," Percy smiled sheepishly.

"Ugh, what are you guys doing?"

"Well," Jason started, "Pipes and I are going to hang out all day. I'm taking her out to chill in the city and do whatever she wants to. For dinner, I'm taking her somewhere fancy. Then later I thought about flying her up on the roof of the Big House to stargaze."

"Annabeth and I are going to the city too. I want her to see all the cool architecture stuff that she can never get enough of. And also so we can feel normal, you know? Later we'll go to the beach for a walk, maybe go in the ocean since I can keep us dry, and just, you know, be a couple." Percy said this like it was obvious that Nico knew how to "be a couple".

"Ugh, guys I don't know how to be couply and romantic! Give me an idea!" Nico exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Okay," Jason said, "well it's your guys' first Valentine's day together. You've got to show him how much you like him and care about him. Make it a big deal."

Percy smirked like he did when he had a crazy plan. "Like with fireworks! Or some big huge explosion or surprise that showers hearts and rainbows everywhere. I think Will would like a big surprise."

"Um, that's seems excessive? I don't know about that." Normally, Nico would think Percy's a big idiot, but he really had no idea what was expected of him. Should it be big? Small? Fancy?

"Maybe you should ask Piper. She'll know what you should do," Jason suggested.

Nico jumped from his seat and, without a word to his "bros", marched straight to the Aphrodite table. Piper looked up as he approached, glanced behind him at Jason, and got up to meet Nico and pull him to the side.

"You need help with Valentine's day plans for Will?" Of course, she knew.

"Please," was all Nico could say.

For the rest of the night, Nico sat with Piper, planning out what he would do, things he needed, every detail. He had to make it perfect for Will.