Chapter Text
The Festus Express was headed to California.
Trying to find a reasonably fast way between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter had not been easy. There were some routes through the Labyrinth, but they were unreliable. Mortal transportation could be problematic.
Leo, once he’d gotten some breathing space, had a bright idea. He and the Hephaestus cabin created a type of barge that Festus could tow. It was spacious, large enough to comfortably carry up to twenty demigods, there were ballistae on the sides in case of emergencies, it had a backup gliding system in case Festus had to detach, and, of course, there was a meal and beverage service.
Leo had taken it on its maiden voyage alone just four days ago, a test flight from Camp Half-Blood to Camp Jupiter with only Percy and Annabeth as passengers/backup in case of trouble. The trip had gone smoothly, as had his return trip with twenty Romans in tow. Now, they were headed back with representatives from almost every cabin at Camp Half-Blood, as well as a few satyrs, including Grover Underwood. The trip was about eight hours, longer than a commercial flight, but the seats were comfortable, the interior was roomy enough to walk around in, and the Hephaestus cabin had rigged the barge with in-flight entertainment.
“He turned his dragon into public transportation,” said Nico, looking out the forward window to where Leo and Calypso sat on Festus.
Will Solace chuckled. “That’s Leo for you.”
Nico shook his head and looked back at the interior of the barge. Clovis was snoozing in his chair, and he appeared to have affected Ellis Wakefield and Butch Walker, who were both snoring alongside him. Cecil, Lou Ellen and Billie Ng from Demeter were playing a card game. Nico pitied Billie; playing against a witch and a Hermes child had to be an exercise in frustration. Grover was attempting to broker peace between Damien White and Chiara Benvenuti, who were apparently “off” again. Other campers were sitting around eating, reading, or quietly talking.
“What’s Chiara calling Damien now?” Will asked.
“Let’s just say she doesn’t think much of Damien’s face, ancestry, and probable sexual preferences.” Nico smirked at his boyfriend. “How many drachma do you want to wager that they’ll be making out before we reach Camp Jupiter?”
“Not taking that bet.”
“Smart boy.”
Nico looked out the window again, nerves stirring in his stomach. What with one thing and another (aka The Whole Apollo Situation, which seemed to be fairly stable at the moment; Apollo and wild child Meg McCaffrey were currently recuperating from their latest adventures at Camp Half-Blood), he hadn’t gotten a chance to visit Hazel since the war with Gaea. They talked regularly, but he felt like his relationship with Will was something he should tell her about in person. He didn’t know how she’d react, and it scared him.
“It’ll be fine, Nico. She loves you,” Will murmured, sensitive as always to Nico’s moods.
“I wish you weren’t so . . . empathic.” Belying his words, Nico leaned into Will a little, savoring his warmth.
Nico still wasn’t big on public displays of affection, something Will took in stride. The two of them hadn’t gone beyond fairly chaste expressions of affection in private, for that matter. Nico had gotten over a lot of his aversion to being touched, at least with those he was closest to, but he wasn’t ready for anything like a sexual relationship. Not yet.
“It’s fine,” Will had assured him more than once. “I’m happy to take it slow, too. I had to grow up fast after Michael’s death; I’m not in a race to get anywhere. We’re us, right?”
Us. Nico still loved the thought of that. He and Will didn’t always have the easiest relationship, but they were making it work. Will put up with Nico’s dark moods; Nico put up with Will’s incessant cheerfulness. They teased and bickered to the point that Lou Ellen once threw up her hands in despair, saying, “You two may be boyfriends, but you’re still such boys!” Translated from Lou Ellen-speak, she had a point. It was true that there was something almost competitive in the way they interacted.
But there was a gentler side to their relationship as well. Nico was learning to let Will in when he fell into an emotional pit. They’d developed a kind of silent language when things got especially bad. There was a quiet place not far from the lake where they would go and sit together. Sometimes, Nico would talk; sometimes, he would cry; and sometimes, they would simply sit quietly together. Nico refused to describe anything he did as “cuddling,” but there were times when he felt the need to be closer than usual to his boyfriend, who happily obliged, and if a curious onlooker happened to think they were cuddling, well, it was all in the perception, wasn’t it?
It bothered Nico that Will took on so much of the emotional burden of their relationship. The only time Nico had gotten to do anything similar for him was when Will broke down in his cabin after Austin and Kayla were kidnapped. Emotional support just wasn’t his forte. He wanted something he could stab. He had defended Will physically a few times, but he still felt that Will did a lot more for him.
And here was Will being there for him again. Nico set aside his issues with PDAs and took Will’s hand.
After about another hour, Leo’s voice came over the PA system. “Passengers, this is El Capitan Leo speaking. We are coming in for a landing at Camp Jupiter, so if Butch would be so kind as to take the controls in the barge, we can hopefully set you down with a minimum of casualties. Adios!”
Will had shaken Butch awake a few minutes earlier, and the big Iris camper was ready when Festus disconnected from the barge. Down on the field that had been designated as their landing area, a couple of Romans waved red flags, and Butch skillfully glided the barge to a stop between them.
***
Piper held Jason’s hand tightly, excited to see her friends from Camp Half-Blood again. The day before, she’d pretty much shoved Percy out of the way so she could hug – no, envelop – Annabeth. According to Percy, their squeals had probably confused every dolphin and porpoise from California to Alaska. While Annabeth was her closest friend, though, Piper was still looking forward to seeing the other Greeks that had come from the camp. Especially Nico. He’d called her a few times to ask for advice about his relationship with Will, and she couldn’t wait to see the two of them together. The Festus Express doors opened, people started coming out, and . . .
“Oh, my gods,” Piper blurted. “Is that Nico?”
Jason, who’d been joshing with Percy, executed a perfect triple-take. “Whoa!”
The son of Hades had changed dramatically between the last time she’d seen him and now. He’d been just starting to get healthy last fall. And now . . .
He’d added at least two inches, possibly three, to his height. He was still slim, but his frame had filled out with lean muscle. His facial structure had matured. His skin was an actual color. His shoulder-length hair was thick and glossy. He was, in a word, hot.
“Nico! Li’l bro!” called Jason. Nico spotted him and smiled. Not a huge smile, but he was obviously happy to see them. When Jason approached, it was Nico who initiated a hug.
Piper settled for hugging Will first. “He looks so good!” she whispered in the healer’s ear.
“Don’t tell anyone. I want to keep him for myself,” Will whispered back.
When it was Piper’s turn to hug Nico, his face softened further. “Thanks for all the advice, Piper.”
“Anytime.” She realized Nico had almost caught up to her in height. She pulled back and looked at him. “Nico, you look . . . wow!” She couldn’t help herself and ran her fingers through his hair. “Hey, are you conditioning?”
Nico started to look a little hunted. “Well, it’s impossible to brush it if I don’t, so . . .” He pushed her hands away, blushing. “Stop that.”
“Sorry. It’s just – you’ve turned into a hunk!”
Will burst into laughter, and Nico’s blush deepened. Jason slung an arm around Will’s shoulders.
“You know, Will, as Nico’s self-designated overprotective big brother figure, it would normally be my duty to give you the ol’ shovel speech about now. You’re familiar with the shovel speech, right?”
Will rolled his eyes. “Something along the lines of, ‘You hurt him, no one will ever find your body,’ right?”
“That’s the one. However, seeing as, one, Nico has a little sister who’ll probably be sticking her spatha in your face at some point; two, you seem to be really good for him, judging by how he looks; and three, my girlfriend gave me a shovel speech of her own about what she’d do if I threatened you, we’ll just put that one in abeyance for now, okay?”
“Excellent idea. Fistbump?”
“Fistbump.” Jason and Will bonked their knuckles together.
“Hey, speaking of Hazel, where is she?” Nico asked.
“Probably just getting off the practice field,” said Jason. “You guys were a little earlier than we expected. She’ll be here soon, I’m sure. She’s been so excited about you coming here.”
As if to punctuate this, a voice called, “Nico!” Hazel pushed her way through the crowd.
Nico’s face lit up, and it was a beautiful thing. He scooped his sister into a hug, lifting her off the ground.
“I’ve missed you, little sister,” Piper heard him say. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t visit until now.”
“Oh, I’ve missed you, too.” Hazel was sniffling a little as Nico set her down. “Wow, you look good! You’ve grown.”
“So have you.” Nico dropped a kiss on Hazel’s forehead. The Underworld siblings appeared to have grown almost the same amount, and their respective heights weren’t much different than they had been before.
They were still quite a contrast. Nico’s complexion wasn’t dead white anymore, but he was still pale compared to Hazel. Her rich, warm tones made him seem stripped of color, especially his eyes, which reminded Piper of something you might see in a black-and-white manga. Somehow, though, they didn’t seem as cold as they had before.
“Ah, Hazel, did you meet Will Solace last summer?” Nico asked, and Piper heard the undertone of nervousness in his voice. She knew Nico was worried about how Hazel would react to their relationship. Personally, Piper was sure he had nothing to worry about. “He’s the head of the Apollo cabin.”
Hazel shook Will’s hand with a smile. “Didn’t meet you personally, but Nico’s mentioned you, and any friend of Nico’s is a friend of mine. I know you impressed some of our healers here, too.”
“Whatever Nico said about me bullying him back to good health, it’s an absolute truth,” said Will, giving Hazel his sunniest smile. “This guy’s impossible, you know that?”
“I’m glad he’s got someone to look after him,” she said with a pointed look at her brother.
Nico gave Will a dirty look. “He’s annoying, but he occasionally has a point. Hey, speaking of annoying, where’s Frank?”
Hazel elbowed him. “He has praetor stuff to do. You’ll see him soon enough.”
“Do you have some time to catch up?” Nico asked.
“Of course I do. Wanna walk?”
“That’d be great.” Nico waved to his friends. “Hazel and I will see you guys at dinner, okay?”
“Later, Nico.” Will rubbed his hands together. “So, who wants to show me to the medical facilities here?”
***
Hazel and Nico wandered, Hazel chatting about her centurion duties, Nico telling her about some of the things that had happened at Camp Half-Blood over the course of the past year. Soon, Nico realized they were headed for New Rome and pulled Hazel off-course.
“Let’s not go up past the Pomeranian Line just yet, okay?” said Nico. “I have something for you that could make it, um, problematic.”
“Ooh, presents!”
Nico laid down the duffel he’d been carrying and opened it. From it, he removed a sword and scabbard, which he presented to Hazel.
“Nico . . .” Hazel took the sword, eyes wide and mouth open. “It’s beautiful!”
It was a Stygian iron spatha, its hilt wrapped in Imperial gold wire, and the symbol of Pluto, also Imperial gold, set into the blade near the hilt. Hazel pulled it from its scabbard and tested its heft and balance.
“I had it made for you in the Underworld. I thought you should have a sword worthy of a child of Pluto. If it feels right to you, of course.”
Hazel’s golden eyes glittered. “It does. It feels . . . like it’s part of my arm, you know?”
Nico nodded, pleased with his gift’s reception. “Then it’s yours.”
“Thank you. So much.” Hazel sheathed the sword. “I can’t wait to use it in combat. Er, war games, you know?”
“Of course.”
They continued walking. Nico’s stomach was churning. He knew he had to tell her; he just didn’t know how. “How are you and Frank doing?” he finally asked.
“We’re fine. We don’t get a lot of time together, with his duties and mine, but we try to have a date once a week, at least. He’s very much a gentleman.” Her lips twisted a little. “I have a feeling Reyna has said a few words to him about our age difference and taking things slowly.”
“Good for her,” Nico muttered.
Hazel punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t you get started, too. You know what we need to do? We need to find you someone special.”
This was it, then. Nico braced himself and said, “Ah, Hazel? There actually is someone special . . .”
Hazel’s mouth and eyes widened to truly comical proportions. “There is? Do tell! Is she anyone I’ve met?”
She. Part of Nico’s brain frantically searched for a way out of this conversation. Part of it desperately hoped for a monster attack. But he knew this conversation had to happen sooner or later.
He took a deep breath and plunged right in. “I, uh, actually just introduced you two.” Hazel’s brow wrinkled in puzzlement, as if she were replaying the last half-hour and searching for female faces. “Hazel . . . Will Solace and I aren’t just friends. He’s – he’s my boyfriend.”
“Oh!” Hazel squeaked. She didn’t look repulsed or disgusted, but she did look very, very surprised. “Oh. Oh, my.” She turned sideways to Nico, fanning her face with her hand.
It wasn’t the worst reaction she could’ve had, but it certainly wasn’t what Nico had hoped for when he dared to hope.
“Please, Hazel, I know it’s – it’s not something we were raised with, but I can’t help how I feel. I had a crush on Percy for the longest time, but I got over that, and Will’s – he’s such a good person. I know you’ll love him if you give him a chance. He’s helped me so much, I can’t even tell you how much I’ve healed because of him.” She still wasn’t looking at him, and Nico’s voice broke. “Don’t be angry, please. I know you may not approve, but you’re my sister, and – and I don’t want to lose you, too. Just give me a chance to explain . . .”
He wasn’t watching Hazel’s face, so Nico didn’t see when shock started to fade, and then concern and understanding flooded her eyes.
“Oh, Nico,” she breathed. “Nico, you will never lose me, ever.” She took his face in her hands. One tear spilled out of his eye, and she wiped it away with her thumb. “Don’t cry, please. I’m sorry. I was surprised, but even if I didn’t approve, nothing could make me stop loving you. You’re my big brother. You always will be.”
Nico let go of the sob he’d been holding back and gathered her close. “I’ve been so scared of telling you.”
Hazel hugged him back, hard. “Well, you’re a dummy, because you never have to be scared of telling me anything, ever.” She pulled back, taking his shoulders. “I know it wasn’t what we were raised with. I was raised with a lot of ideas I know now are wrong. They told me the color of my skin made me worth less than white people. And a Negro girl with a Chinese boy? Nobody would’ve approved of that. There are lots of things about these modern days I don’t understand, but not all of them are bad. What I do know is that you look better and happier than I’ve ever seen you, and if this boy is responsible for even a little of that? I could never disapprove.”
Nico touched his forehead to hers. “I love you, sorellina. And I know you’ll love Will.”
“My horizons have gotten a little broadened here, you know,” Hazel said wryly. “I thought my two male archery instructors just bickered like an old married couple, and then I found out they actually are an old married couple.” They both laughed. “However, I will be a little upset if it turns out I’m the last one to know.”
“Uh, actually . . .”
Hazel slapped him upside the head. “Nico!”
“Sorry! I just wanted to tell you in person, not over an Iris-message. If it’s any help, Frank doesn’t know, either.”
She shook her head. “Oh, what am I going to do with you? Well, I’ll look on the bright side: This gives me a chance to get back at you for that ‘flower boy’ crack.”
“Oh, gods,” moaned Nico.
“Seriously, though.” Hazel took his hands. “I get why you were worried about telling me. And I’m sorry I scared you at first. I was just really surprised, that’s all.”
Nico shook his head. “No need to apologize.”
Hazel took his arm again, and they started making their way back down to the camp. “So, now you have to tell me all about how you two met and got together.”
They talked until Hazel had to meet with her cohort before dinner. Nico found Will touring the medical facilities. Will spotted him and looked at question at him. Nico nodded and smiled. Will gave him the thumbs-up.
And later, at dinner, Hazel sat down directly across from Nico and Will.
“So, Will,” she said. “What are your intentions toward my brother?”
***
Unfortunately, Will wasn’t the only one getting grilled on their love life. At the first opportunity, Jason pulled Nico aside for some “guy talk.”
“So, how are you and Will doing?” the older boy asked.
Oh, gods, thought Nico. Well, there was no avoiding it. “Fine. He annoys me sometimes, I annoy him sometimes. How are you and Piper?”
“Us? We’re great. She’s great. Her dad’s great. Everything’s, uh . . .”
“Great?” Nico suggested.
“. . . Yeah, that.” Jason smiled a touch too brightly. Nico was getting a very strange feeling about this conversation. “So, um, what do you two, uh, do?”
Nico shrugged. “Stuff. We hang out, go on canoe rides, he tries to get me to sing at the campfire, I watch movies and listen to music with the Apollo cabin. That kind of thing.”
“Good. That sounds like fun.”
“It is.”
Jason cleared his throat. “Uh, Nico, how far have you and Will, y’know, gone?”
“Just to New York City. His sister Mia played Anita in her school’s production of West Side Story, and Will asked me if I wanted to go with him. I thought the two of us and Austin and Kayla were going to go as a group, but no, he wanted it to be a date, like, have dinner first and all. Austin and Kayla went another night. It was fun. Mia’s an amazing dancer and singer.”
“Well. That’s, um, good.” Jason scratched the back of his neck and adjusted his glasses. “What I was meaning to ask was, well, what you and Will have done, like, physically.”
“Well, I tried to teach him swordplay, if that’s what you mean. It didn’t go well.”
Jason stumbled over his own feet.
“And, you know, at camp, there are always things like Capture the Flag and Harley’s infamous Three-Legged Death Race. Will and I are always together for that.”
“Yeah, that’s, um, good.” Jason cleared his throat. “What I mean is . . . what I’m trying to ask . . .”
Nico gave him a look of honest puzzlement. “What is it, Jason?”
“Are you two, um . . .” Jason made some vague shapes with his hands. “Are you doing anything, er, below the waist?”
“Just the Three-Legged Death Race. Being tied together always makes it so hard.”
“Nico!” Jason looked like he was about to tear his hair out. “Nico, I’m trying to ask . . .” The light of realization went on in the son of Jupiter’s eyes. “. . . if you’re totally putting me on here.”
That got Jason Nico’s best attempt at puppy-dog eyes. “Putting you on? I don’t understand. Non parlo Inglese.”
Jason deflated. “Nico, you little Italian turd.”
Nico patted him on the cheek. “It’s your fault for trying to Talk me, Grace.” He walked away, throwing a, “By the way, I’m absolutely telling Piper about this conversation,” over his shoulder.
The next few days were filled with Camp Jupiter activities. Reyna set aside some time to get caught up with her friends, especially Nico, but she and Frank were almost always busy. On the upside, that meant that all she could do to Will was give him a stony look and a crushing handshake. The Greek demigods got to participate in the War Games. The Romans insisted on distributing the Seven (and Nico) among the cohorts, although they did leave Percy in the Fifth, since he was still an official member. Needless to say, everyone ended up soaked and muddy.
At the end of the week, Frank said there was a special presentation he wanted to make to the Seven, and Nico and Will were invited along, as well as Coach Hedge’s family and, of course, Calypso. They piled into a couple of SUVs and headed for the marina.
“I know the so-called Roman Navy was a disappointment to you, Percy,” said Frank, understating matters in an egregious manner. “We’ve decided to invest a little more in our coastal defenses. Right now, we only have the one boat, but we’re planning on more.”
“And without further ado,” said Hazel, leading them around someone’s luxury yacht, “may I present to you the Pax II!”
It wasn’t anything like the Greek triremes, but it was far from a leaky rowboat. The Pax II was a sleek cutter of the type the Coast Guard used. Only the ballistae on deck and the SPQR and eagle painted on the prow gave it away as a Roman vessel. It was new and shiny and looked like it was built for speed.
Percy certainly liked it. “Now, that’s a boat!”
“We were hoping you’d christen it.” Hazel produced a bottle of blue Jones Soda with a linen napkin wrapped around its neck and offered it to Percy.
“I’d be honored.” Percy took the bottle, lined up for a good swing, and broke it over the bow of the boat. Everyone cheered.
“Man, we need to take it for a spin!” was Leo’s opinion, one which everyone was not-so-figuratively on board with.
“I thought you’d say that,” said Hazel, “which is why Frank and I had it stocked with everything we’ll need for a picnic.”
“Is this for everyone, or just Earth’s mightiest heroes?” Will asked.
“Definitely everyone.” Hazel waved an arm at the group. “Time to board!”
“Hey, if we’re the Avengers, I call Iron Man!” yelled Leo as he stampeded up the gangplank.
Jason went right after him. “Yeah, I can see that. After all, Robert Downey, Jr. is pretty SHORT!”
“You’re paying for that, Grace! Just ‘cause that traitor Nico outgrew me . . .”
Nico smirked at his boyfriend and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Will took it. “We shall.”
***
Leo piloted the boat toward Angel Island while the rest tried to figure out which of the Avengers was who. It was generally agreed upon that Jason had to be Thor, which led to much discussion of who should be Captain America.
“Hey, if you’re looking for a guy who disappeared around World War II and reappeared in modern times . . .” Will hooked a thumb at Nico.
Nico was not having it. “One, I’m Italian by birth. Two, I refuse. Next!”
Percy ended up getting the role. Frank lobbied hard for Hawkeye.
“But, Frank, you can turn into huge things,” Piper protested. “I mean, doesn’t that make you more of-”
“I am NOT the Hulk. I’m an archer. I call Hawkeye.”
Percy gestured at Will. “But we’ve got another archer here, so . . .”
Will waved him off. “Please. Frank is a much better archer than I am. I’ll be some unnamed medic for SHIELD.”
Piper (“Beautiful, deadly, can talk even Loki around”) got Black Widow, and Hazel was proclaimed Scarlet Witch (“ ‘Cause, duh!”). Annabeth presented a conundrum.
“She’s more on the planning end,” said Frank. “Maybe she can be our Nick Fury.”
Annabeth blinked at him. “I am literally the physical opposite of Samuel L. Jackson.”
“Yeah, and Frank’s Chinese-Canadian and about a foot taller than Jeremy Renner. We’re talking types, not physical resemblance,” Jason pointed out.
Annabeth’s expression said he had a fair point, and she’d grudgingly take the role. “So, what about Nico?”
“Nico isn’t playing,” said the son of Hades, leaning against the railing and watching the water.
“Eh, it’s easy enough,” said Will. “Moody, prone to disappearing, you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry . . .” He made a “come on” gesture.
The whole boat burst into laughter. Nico did not.
“I am NOT the Hulk!” he protested, but he was outvoted. Hedge was declared to be Coulson, and the matter was settled.
When the boat reached Angel Island, the group offloaded and hiked to a likely-looking picnic spot. Chef Leo broke out his grill and started making tacos, and soon enough, everyone was eating and chatting. Little Chuck toddled around, being far too cute, as Mellie drifted contentedly behind him. Once Calypso finished her tacos, she pulled out the lute/guitar Leo had made for her in his second attempt at instrument crafting. She had an eclectic playlist composed of Ancient Greek folk songs, Latin music and Jason Mraz. Will harmonized with her on “Lucky,” throwing gooey looks at Nico, who tried very hard not to be charmed.
Piper caught Nico’s eye and winked, and it was only then that he realized he’d been idly playing with the curls at the back of Will’s neck since he’d finished his food. The son of Hades blushed, but didn’t take his hand away.
“I can’t believe this will be our last summer as campers,” Annabeth was saying. “It’s the end of an era!”
Piper threw her arms around her best friend. “I’m going to miss you!”
Percy pouted. “What about me?”
“Whatever.” Piper continued to cuddle with Annabeth.
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Nico. “I’m sure we’ll all meet up at the next apocalypse.”
Will tipped his head toward his boyfriend. “This is why I call him Mr. Sunshine.”
“You called me that all of once. It didn’t go well.”
“So I ended up with a zombie in my bed . . .”
The others laughed, and Piper and Jason started telling a story about a hilarious misunderstanding they’d had.
It was strange, Nico thought as he listened, how normal it all felt. The other couples didn’t seem to see anything different in Will and Nico. Since they had started their relationship, Nico had slowly become used to the fact that no one at Camp Half-Blood saw anything scandalous about gay couples. He knew it wasn’t always so easy in the world at large; he and Will had attracted a few angry looks, and even some hateful words, in New York City. On the other hand, the jerk at McDonald’s who’d called them names had promptly been smacked down by a grandmother.
Relaxing, he let himself lean against Will, and he thought this sunny afternoon with friends might just be the happiest he’d been since childhood.
That, of course, was when all hell broke loose.
A shimmering image of Butch appeared in the midst of them. His eyes were wide, and he was breathing hard.
“Get your asses back here!” he barked. “Camp Jupiter is under attack!”