Empty Closets

Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A Tale of Two Departures (POVs Switch)

(Nico's POV)

I just got out of the hospital a few minutes ago, and once I get into the back seat of a red car, the first thing I do is cry.

Apparently, I'm not good at being a silent crier because Percy, who's sitting next to me in the back, grabs my hand. Then he unbuckles my seat belt and lays me on his lap so I can look up at him. He runs his fingers through his my hair as I continue to cry.

The ride back to camp feels like hours are passing. Every minute drags on longer than the last. And I cry the whole way home.

Once we arrive, I sit back up and walk out of the car, Percy following behind me. As we walk through the entrance of Camp Half Blood, I see things have changed. I've counted 4 rainbow flags and 2 flags with pink, purple, and blue on them as I make my way to the center of camp. I can already see more in the distance.

"Great sight, isn't it?" Percy says. I turn around and see him smiling from ear to ear. "The flags are put up when someone from that cabin comes out as gay or bi. Like Drew from the Aphrodite cabin."

I look around at the cabins until I see a pink, purple, and blue flag on the Poseidon cabin.

"Is that for you?" I ask.

Percy nods. Then he adds, "I'm so glad that we can be open with our relationship."

We hug for a few seconds, and then he says the best thing I've ever heard in my two lives.

"I love you, Nico."

I smile and pull him in for a long kiss. As we kiss, cheers are heard all around us. We break apart and find everyone crowding around the center of camp.

Dionysus appears from the crowd and holds up one hand. Everyone stops cheering.

"Nico," he says. "Welcome back to Camp Half Blood."

I shake his outstretched hand.

"Thanks."

"You need to come see me outside of my office in three hours."

"Sure. Is there a problem?"

Dionysus starts walking back through the crowd. "You'll know when we converse. I'll be expecting you at 4."

(Percy's POV)

"I thought you were supposed to get Nico's things for him?"

Leo and I were walking away from the bonfire. Nico had gone off to talk to Dionysus.

"I was," Leo responds, "but then Dionysus told me to hold off because he needs space for Annabeth's things." He claps his hand over his mouth as soon as he finishes the sentence.

"Leo...?"

He pulls me over behind a tree near the forest.

"Ok, I'll tell you, but you can NOT say anything to ANYONE!" he says.

"Well, no one knows about you and Calypso so that shouldn't be a problem," I tell him.

Ignoring what I said, Leo talks. "When Calypso and I were coming back from the tool shed, we overheard someone talking on the deck with Dionysus."

I roll my eyes and smirk when he says, "coming back from the tool shed." Then I ask, "Do you remember what he was saying?"

Leo nods. "But that's not the worst part. I peeked my head to see who it was, and it was Annabeth's dad!"