When Nico had begun recounting his evening, tears threaten to show themselves in his eyes. Percy held his hands as he told the whole story, and did his best not to interrupt (though a few times he did coo out an "it's okay" and loving or curious other remarks). The story went like this:

Nico had a photo of him and Percy cuddling on his nightstand, taken with a polaroid he was gifted from his sister Hazel over Winter Solstice. Hazel was to arrive at Camp Half-Blood, but came a day early, to find the photo--taken with the camera she had gifted him--displayed openly in the Hades cabin. Hazel was shocked--it wasn't that she's homophobic, she'd say, because she doesn't judge others for their choices, just that her brother "is better than that." To say the least, when Nico entered after a long sparring session with Jason Grace, Hazel was in tears and Nico was furious. She yelled at him, smashed the camera, and drew attention because the cabin door was open the whole time.

Nico kind of knew that would be the reaction, but nonetheless it hurt his feelings. He told her to calm down, that he was in love, that if she was his sister then she would support him no matter what, but Hazel didn't much care for it. When he noticed people watching, he realized everyone around Camp would now know his little thing he has with Percy, and his business was aired for public opinion. That's when he shadow-traveled away, leaving an ignorant Hazel to grumble by herself as she swept up the camera her brother once loved.

Percy squeezed Nico's hands, "I'll buy you a new camera."

Nico sighed, cracking a soft smile and shaking his head, "I appreciate it, Percy, but it wasn't just that I liked it. It was from Hazel. It was the…" He started to choke up, unsure if he wanted to continue as he was always used to bottling this type of stuff away, but he persisted. "It was the first gift a sister had gotten me since that Hades action figure from Bianca."

When Nico said his sister's name--Bianca--he faltered and silent tears starting spilling out. He tried wiping them away but he wanted to cry, and be comforted by his boyfriend. Percy pulled him into an affirming hug, "It's okay, I understand, Neeks."

It was nice for Nico to know.

---

Nico didn't want anyone to know he's gay, so when him and the raven-haired sea prince got together, almost no one knew.

Percy spread out the curtains of his cabin sometime in the afternoon. Nico was trying to fall asleep still after an emotional night, and a bit of doing-the-do if you catch the drift. When the curtains open, Nico immediately wiggled and hissed.

"Ughhhhh Perce what the fuckkkkk?" he groaned, the gleaming rays from Helios pounding against his soft eyelids. "What time is it?"

"Almost lunch," Percy pulled the blankets off his boyfriend. "Come on, you gotta eat, my king."

King. Nico thought, loving that pet name. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and sighed. "I don't want to go. Word's probably got out by now."

Percy grabbed Nico's hand, gently pulling the shorter boy to his feet, "So what? Who cares if they know, Neeks? I want the whole world to know how much I'm in love with you." He pulled Nico in close to his chest, kissing his nose gently and holding him close with a lop-sided smile.

Nico always looked like a god to him. He'd never say it aloud, in case he offended Aphrodite, but Nico could have endless photos taken of him or portraits painted of him or memories made of him but nothing compared to looking at him with your own eyes, right in front of you. His cheekbones were something Percy always loved looking at, having a thing for them he guessed. They just fit his face so gently, his soft thin but plush lips, his dark eyes that were a stark contrast to his almost surreal skin, his bushy eyebrows that were a rough add to his mysterious yet dominant persona. Percy would never admit it, but Nico was in command, even in bed. He'd kneel at Nico's toes just for a chance to kiss his knuckles if he had to, or if Nico even so slightly just wanted him to.

Nico sighed, leaning up and planting a slow kiss on Percy's lips, "I know, mi amor, I love you too. But I don't want everyone in my business. I just… It's been hard."

Percy nodded, continuing the kiss as little pecks against Nico's neck and earlobe, "Baby, you can't run forever."

Nico sighed, slightly distracted by the show of affection, but he let Percy continue. "I'm not trying to run. But what if people don't like that I'm gay, like Hazel? I just got on everyone's good side in this camp, I don't want to scare them off again."

Percy lowered his head slightly as he planted kiss after kiss, spreading out across Nico's throat. When he heard a soft, low moan that was muffled by closed lips, he knew he'd brushed Nico's sweet spot. "Percy-" Nico warned, but was cut off by Percy finding it dead-on and utterly abusing it. He moaned out loud, not one to be quiet during events like this, and slid his hand up into Percy's hair to keep him there.

"Ah, hey, wait~" Nico's breath hitched, "Percy~"

The son of Hades smiled slightly into it, his other hand coming to Percy's shoulder. Percy sucked and nibbled the area until Nico grabbed Percy's hand and put it against his stomach. Percy glanced up.

"Keep touching me," Nico urged, wanting this to go further. Percy slightly pushed Nico back onto his bed, finishing on his sweet spot until he was satisfied with his boyfriend's noises. When he was, he starting kissing and leaving soft love bites all the way down to Nico's collarbone, which drove Nico crazy. He loved the trail, this kind of attention, that Percy was implementing.

"Moan more," Percy ordered, and Nico obliged, letting him think he was in charge.

"Percy~" Nico let out, little noises escaping his lips that Percy loved so much like little shadows that would escape from under his shoes when he walked. "Percy, I want more," Nico suddenly admitted.

He had to admit, he wasn't used to this. Romantic sexual relations. He didn't know what to say or do. He threw out his usual appeal, image, what he'd do to enchant his boyfriend, and decided maybe it was better to let Percy actually lead this time.

He loved sex, but when it meant something, he was a beginner.

"Um, Perce?" he quietly mumbled. "I'm still getting used to this whole 'let people be intimate with you' thing, and…"

Percy could sense what Nico was trying to say. "We can stop if you're not ready."

Nico wanted to disagree, but he nodded. Maybe he should work on it before diving right in? "Sure, I guess. Sorry."

"It's okay," Percy assured, pecking Nico's nose and putting his hands on his boyfriend's cheeks. "Lunch sounds good, let's go eat."

…

When they got to the dining pavilion, all eyes took a peak at the two. Nico was trying to play it off like nothing happened, wearing his usual sulking expression and standing at a distance from Percy as they walked. Percy, however, was beaming with relief, but also strained by worry. Now he didn't have to hide his relationship anymore, like he never wanted to in the first place, but he was worried if the gossip and chatter would stress his lover out.

Nico hesitantly parted from Percy, leaving to sit at the Hades cabin. Hazel was across from him. He sat slowly eyeing her. When she glanced up at him, her calm face fell to one of frustration. He considered asking if it was okay if he could sit here, but he realized that this was his table, in his camp, and he had every right to be the one upset in this situation. He looked away with his chin raised, and waved his hand for a McDonald's happy meal to appear in front of him.

When he reached for it, Hazel quickly snatched it away, and poured it out onto the ground, "F*ggots don't deserve to eat." In her mind, Nico was choosing some hellish way of living, and she wouldn't support him in "destroying" what little bit of his own wellbeing Nico had begun caring for. Even if it meant bullying him into the decision she believed right for her brother.

Nico was shocked. He eyed her. He wanted to rage, but then he noticed others at different tables had stopped talking to watch the scene unfold. Now, he wanted to run away. He looked around the crowd, and made eye contact with Percy.

Percy didn't see what happened, so he stared back confused. 'Are you okay?' he mouthed, noticing the sudden tension Nico was fostering.

Nico looked back to Hazel, "What the fuck, sis?"

Hazel set the empty fast food box back on the table, "I'm looking out for you. Don't throw your life away, Nico!"

Nico didn't know what to say, or even do. He decided maybe he should just try to de-escalate the situation, get the dozens of eyes to turn off of them.

He put his hand on the table, "Calm down, Hazel. We can talk about this like civil people, you know."

Hazel rolled her eyes, "What you're doing isn't civil, it's unnatural!"

Nico swallowed. "Come on, Hazel, who's it hurting?"

"It's self-harm!" she shouted.

At that, Nico's voice caught in his throat. What the fuck did she just say? He felt a wave of anxiety hit him as he remembered when he'd been caught for actually self-harming in the past. Not good memories. Something he left behind, that he didn't want to be reminded of, nor accused of continuing.

It was at this that Percy stood. He immediately walked over, almost jogging. "Hazel, shut the fuck up," he said angrily. Nico was surprised, but didn't stop him. Percy snatched Nico by the rest and pulled him away, out of the dining area and to the Poseidon cabin. He sat Nico down, where a wave of pressure decided it needed to be cried out, overtaking an overwhelmed son of Hades with falling tears.

Percy held Nico close, "Hey, it's okay. I know, I know."

But the words of comfort did nothing for Nico, who now itched with bad memories and negative energy. Percy noticed some shadows around them flickering and twitching, which made him even more concerned.

"Nico?" Percy mumbled. "Baby, what do you need?"

Nico shook his head, "I just can't believe she said that. I don't do it anymore!"

Nico's arguments were senseless to him, but he felt the need to clarify. He took Percy's hand and put it against his hip, where Nico would always do it, "See, feel? Nothing but scars."

"I know, babe," Percy assured, nodding. "You don't need to prove it to anyone."

Nico never cut his wrists. Ever. But he'd cut and burned his hips. When he started, he noticed everyone always asked to see his wrists, and that his wrists were more exposed than where the waistband of his underwear covered. He did it there so that no one would notice and no one would ask questions. He turned mental and emotional pain into physical pain, and at times, he didn't even regret it--even when the scars turned into permanent marks. He'd been caught before, and it always became a spectacle for anyone who knew, to make it about them--I don't know how to help you, and Aren't we enough for you?, and This is so selfish, how could you do this? And what followed was always mistreats--You can't have your own room, you'll kill yourself, and Show me your hip, I want to see if you've relapsed yet. He hated it, all of the times he was blamed for being hurt and feeling alone. He absolutely loathed the desperation that came from it, either. He just wanted to disappear before--he'd never kill himself, he'd just continue on with a different life in the Underworld, and being the son of Hades he'd already seen what it would be like. He just wanted to feel better, in any way he could figure out how.

Now, here his sister was, saying that loving the boy of his dreams was the same thing, and he's crying about it.

How invisible he felt.