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There are too many people in their new house because it’s housewarming party, with Leo tending the barbeque, and Nico has to catch his breath, because no matter how he loves everyone they invited, it’s getting tiresome to make small-talk with Leo’s friends from university and even tolerating his own group from his major. He wanders into the kitchen where the music from outside is only a muffled tune, and refills his glass with the sweet, red wine Frank got for them. It tastes like sunshine on his tongue, hot and fruity, and makes Nico a bit more relaxed, enjoying it all: their new house, the sound of Rachel’s laugh from the living room, that he’s studying at college and actually loving it, well if he doesn’t counts his lovely but sometimes annoying peers, and that Leo is with him, in this house, and after everyone’s gone they will definitely initiate the new bed.
But he needs a little break because he is getting uncomfortable with all the people around them. He would knock on Hazel’s door but he knows that she is finally on her own with Frank, and while it’s not like he would intrude upon anything, because Hazel is just that old-fashioned and Frank is the best for her because he absolutely respects her choices. Still, they are most probably cuddling and talking out everything they need and how things will change with Hazel moving in with them, and it would be rude to run to Hazel right now. So he sighs, takes an another sip of the wine and then steps out to their living room, where Percy is telling some kind of funny story to a bunch of girls, who would definitely make a move on him if it weren’t for his engagement ring. Nico misses Annabeth, but she is buried under blueprints in her and Percy’s apartment in San Francisco and she Iris messaged them earlier with a promise to definitely check out the house a few months later when she will be less busy with schoolwork. Nico absolutely understands her, because she is doing the architecture and ancient Greek major at the same time and he also wants to start his second major in Latin next semester. He watches as some mortal girls laugh at something Percy said, and then he feels a breeze from the opened French windows and there is Leo, the light painting a halo into his hair, with a plate in his hands, and Nico is instantly feels better, calmer, focused, and he smiles, and as soon as Leo’s gaze finds him Leo is grinning back at him, stepping towards him.
‘I was looking for you’ he says, putting down the plate to the drawer next to them, and Nico knows that Leo sees that he is tired from the way Leo puts his fingers on Nico’s hip and draws him closer for an eskimo kiss. ‘Have you eaten anything tonight? I brought you a plate of the stuff we are making outside. The potatoes are heavenly, Piper made them.’
And this is love, Nico knows as he takes a French fry from the plate, that he lingers in the back of Leo thoughts, and Leo finds him with some gorgeous food after he had nothing but some cookies and crackers (the spices melt on his tongue and the potato is crispy outside and soft inside and his more or less empty stomach instantly wants more), Leo finds him when he needs some comfort, and Leo knows to not mention that he is uncomfortable with this many people around them, and Nico loves him for loving him.
‘I told you it’s good. ’ Leo says with insane amount of joy in his eyes. ‘And after you finish that all you have to taste Annabeth’s brownies if you haven’t done it yet. Mhmm.’
‘I will.’
Leo touches his hand with his fingers and knocks a little rhythm on the back of Nico’s free hand.
‘Grab your plate and come outside.’ he says then. ‘Piper said there was something she wanted to talk about with you, and… well, I’m there. And the fireworks are also there.’ And Nico nods, and with one hand he takes the plate and with the other he takes Leo’s hand, lacing together their fingers, because it’s love, it’s love, it’s love, and for the first time after a long period he do believes that they will be happy, that he will be happy, and lets Leo lead him to the garden.