"So, which one should I wear?"

"Ugh," Piper groaned, her choppy brown hair falling onto Nico's white sheets like an ink stain. She was sprawled onto his bed, gazing boringly at the ceiling painted black. "Nico, I love you, but—"

The brown-eyed boy set his hands firmly on his hips. "Excuse me, but this was your idea in the first place." He scowled reproachingly at his best friend, taking his eyes off his reflection in the mirror.

"Fine." she sighed, drawing out the syllable, finally getting onto her feet. "I like this outfit." she said, setting her hands on Nico's small shoulders. He shot her a nasty look, a death glare he was famous for. "Seriously, Piper? Or are you just saying that to get it over with?"

"Hey, you're the one who wants to impress Percy at the party, not me!"

Impossibly rosy shades of red erupted on Nico's blanched skin, and his eyes went wide as his irrational blush and fluster took hold of him. "I-I'm not dressing up for h-him!" he protested, but his nervous demeanour proving Piper all but wrong.

His friend's greenish blue eyes narrowed in amusing suspicion, which made Nico clutch the hem of his shirt nervously. "Hm-hm," Piper hummed, not quite convinced. "So, you're telling me you're only taking time to pick your party clothes for yourself?"

"Indeed." Nico replied highly, regaining his composure as his eyes lingered on the mirror.

Piper scrunched up her nose. "Who says 'indeed' anymore? You're such a dork!" She threw a pillow on him to accentuate her argument.

"If you say so." he said, only half-listening.

Nico was too busy contemplating himself in the mirror, scrutinising every flaw he could find in the reflection, who did not look like himself at all. He was wearing a short-sleeved black dress shirt that looked closer than a casual button-up shirt than what the item of clothing was supposed to look like. But it's not like he really minded. Red accents adorned the boring black of his top, and he was just wearing skinny black jeans under it, which turned just a dark shade of grey after being thrown in the wash so many times.

He had decided that if he didn't like what he was wearing in the end, which happened pretty often due to his constant overthinking, he would just wear his favourite dark brown bomber jacket over his shirt.

It was only when he noticed Piper creeping up from behind him that he was finally snapped back to the present. "But seriously, Nico. Are you sure you still want to go to the party? I mean, after what happened last time, you have every right to blame me for it—"

"Piper," Nico interrupted.

Her turquoise eyes glittered inquisitively.

"It's okay. Besides, Percy and I... we're on speaking terms now. It's forgotten." He smiled.

But Piper still felt like her friend wasn't telling her the whole truth. But he didn't want to pressure him. Nico didn't show his true colours to everyone he met, and she was already honoured to be one of the people he did show who he was inside.

Yet it was no secret Nico was the most mysterious person she had ever met. He never told anyone everything. And despite her constant digging, she only found herself with dead ends.

"I'm coming with you, you know that right?" she said. Leo's parties could get quite... out of hand.

Nico rolled his eyes, showing the briefest sign of humanity. "Fine, then get dressed already. Percy said he was going to pick me up at 7 sharp."

Piper glanced at the clock. It was already 6:37PM.

"Right."

She took her bags and got into Nico's bathroom. She looked around at the grey marble walls. Sometimes she was still shocked about how she wasn't the only one with loaded parents. 

A few minutes later, she came out of the bathroom wearing a slim emerald green dress that went mid-thigh. She had also decided to wear dark pink stilettos just so she could show them off to Annabeth later, who could barely walk in three-inch heels. 

Piper expected a greeting from Nico, but the boy was too busy fussing over his phone, his cheeks flushed as he excitedly typed away. She didn't even have to ask to know it was Percy.

Gods, since that treacherous night, Nico couldn't seem to take his eyes off him. And she knew she couldn't blame him.

It was only until Nico's phone vibrated with a notification— from Percy no doubt— that he noticed Piper waiting for him. He leaped off the bed and shot her a grin; a rare sight. "Percy's outside." She smiled back, but worry was already twisting in her stomach as he shot out of the door and ran down the stairs with exceptional energy and stamina.

What have I got myself into? she thought to herself as she followed him.

*   *   *

The di Angelo house liked dim lightings, and that was basically everything he knew about Nico's family. Parked outside, he was absentmindedly minding his own business until he heard two sets of footsteps coming in his direction.

Percy wasn't prepared at all for what gift the gods would bestow upon him.

He was just scrolling mindlessly on his Instagram feed until he heard a soft tap on the window. He took a glance outside and felt immediately underdressed.

Nico had opened the shotgun seat door of his dark blue BMW, which let a fresh gust of wind in that Percy absolutely needed.

As soon as Nico bent down to enter the car and greet him, the wind was knocked out of his lungs.

Nico di Angelo was looking absolutely delicious.

He was wearing a casual black button-up shirt adorned in red under a dark brown bomber jacket that complemented his beautiful eyes. The stark contrast of the dark colours on his ivory white skin made skeletal butterflies flutter in his stomach. Tight ripped grey jeans hugged his legs, smoothing his subtle curves off and showing a little of his pale skin. The silver necklace around his neck glinted under the moonlight. Hooked on the thin chain was a small fang carved out of glittery obsidian. Percy smiled wistfully.

Nico's blackish brown hair was ruffled as usual, as if he had just rolled out of bed, which Percy assumed he had. A rosy tint bloomed on his cheeks as he gave him a shy smile, which made his heart leap. Also, the first two upper buttons of his dress shirt were unbuttoned, which wasn't a great help to his focus.

Percy shook his head. "Nico... you look..." he gulped. "Beautiful."

His casual flirt made blood rush up to Nico's pretty face, and Percy smiled internally. Making Nico blush was an easy thing, but that didn't mean he didn't take pride from doing it all the time. Gods, Nico was going to be the death of him.

He hadn't noticed a tall brunette entering into the car as well, settling right in the middle of the three passenger seats, which meant she had the view of everything that was happening up front.

Percy swallowed. "Hi, Piper."

The girl rolled her kaleidoscope green-blue eyes as she smiled, bending forward to hold Nico's wrist. For some reason, his stomach constricted with a sort of emotion he wasn't used to feeling.

"So, what did Leo plan for this crazy party of his again?" she asked, a devilish grin adorning her graceful lips.

It was his turn to roll his eyes halfheartedly. "He told me he invited a new friend of his." he said, starting the car. He slammed on the accelerator as he drove out of Nico's lane. "Ooh, what's his name?" Piper asked, her wolf-like smirk getting even wider. 

Percy chuckled. "It could be a she or a they, you know." 

Piper raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay, his name is Buford." he said.

She shrugged and leaned back onto her seat. "Don't know, don't care." She strapped her seatbelt on and whipped out her phone, which casted a soft greenish glow in the car.

Music was playing very softly in the car as they continued riding in a peaceful silence.

Percy knew they needed to relax before their ears would split with the loud music Leo would most definitely play. He wouldn't even be surprised if the neighbours complained again or if the police knocked on their door. The green-eyed boy blinked before focusing back on the road again. He wanted to talk to Nico, but with Piper here, he couldn't.

He allowed himself a furtive glance to Nico again, just to take in the breathtaking beauty of it all.

The dark-haired boy was leaning onto the tinted window, staring out the glass through heavy-lidded eyes. His coffee brown eyes seemed violet in the night shade. His hair seemed to flow.

Percy wondered what the poor soul was thinking about.

But frankly, Nico didn't really know what he was thinking about.

He often found his mind wandering back to Percy. He had already stolen glances in the rearview mirror, and the only thing he had accomplished from that was turning impossibly red.

Percy was wearing a nice grey shirt that showed off his toned upper body nicely, and a black leather jacket over it. Dark blue ripped jeans traced his legs as well, and in the soft lighting of the car, his raven black hair had a slightly bluish tint to it. Nico smiled unintentionally.

He felt a little overdressed, but honestly, just seeing Percy like that made up for it.

*   *   *

"Hey guys! Nice of you to come, there's still plenty of drinks!"

Leo grinned impishly as he opened the door to his house, which was big enough to accommodate a lot of people since his mother owned a garage shop. Inside, the dim lighting cast a warm glow around, but what hit Nico the most was the scent of alcohol seeming to roll off the teenagers inside like waves.

He cringed slightly and felt his stomach churn. He had turned a ghostly shade of white as Piper gripped his shoulder steadily. He glanced at her and saw her smile reassuringly. And like that, his worries were gone.

"It's okay, Nico. If you want to, we can go now." she whispered, only for him to hear. Nico felt a chill run down his spine like a trickle of ice cold water as he remembered the way his parents had screamed when the police had called them the night his world ended. He recalled salvaging the broken car, and taking a whiff of the awful smell of bitter acid alcohol. He closed his eyes tightly. Whoever did this, he had thought, whoever had brought death upon his sister and her friend would have hell to pay.

He shivered. "I'm fine, Piper." he said softly, wearing an unconvincing smile. She didn't seem satisfied, but she was nice enough to let the subject drop.

Percy stepped forwards in all his glory. "No problem, man."

Leo grinned, looking as elfish as ever. Stepping aside, he let the three of them enter his modest house, and Nico had to bite his lip to refrain from letting panic seize him. As soon as Piper set a foot inside,  she ran off to join her girlfriend Annabeth beside the staircase.

Traitor, Nico thought to himself, smiling a little. Percy turned around to see him, his green eyes gleaming like a cat's under the faint glow overhead. "What are you on smiling about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, something Nico had never been able to do before, no matter how hard he tried.

"Can't I smile just because I feel like it?" he replied with not even the slightest trace of hesitance, which made the green-eyed boy's heart leap. As he said those words, Nico's grin became even wider, which showed his slightly longer fang-looking front left incisor, which Percy found impossibly endearing.

His heart started racing. "Would you care for a drink?" he inquired, grinning. Nico's smile was contagious, he had found out.

Nico's glass brown eyes glittered mischievously, any trace of his past doubt now gone. "Of course." He brought his elbow jokingly, which Percy wrapped with his own, smirking in the slightest. Leading them towards the drink stand, Nico had the time to observe his surroundings.

Despite his first thoughts, parties weren't as bad as he had first believed them to be. Fast-paced music blasted from the speakers, but instead of making him feel sick, he felt his chest beat like a bass drum, and suddenly, he got the impossible urge to move to the rhythm. 

"Hey, you okay?" Percy asked, snapping Nico back from the midst of his thoughts. He stuttered. "Uh, yeah— I-I'm fine."

The corner of Percy's mouth twitched. "Well here. First time drinking, huh?" he said, handing Nico a glass of a funky-smelling liquid.

"Uh, yeah." Nico responded uncomfortably, not so sure if coming here had been a good plan after all. He had just wished to have more time to Percy, and now he was wondering at what cost it would be. He pointed at his red cup. "Isn't this illegal?" he inquired.

Percy grinned. "Oh, just live for once, Nico."

Nico rolled his eyes and took a sip of whatever alcohol was contained inside his solo cup. It left a weird aftertaste in his mouth, but it wasn't as unpleasant as it's smell. But soon enough, a sort of warmth spread through his body, coursing in his veins to his fingertips. As he swallowed more and more, he was suddenly feeling so much more alive, so much energy closing around him, asking him to just give up a little more. Before he knew it, he had emptied half of his cup already.

"Hey, hey. Slow down!" Percy said a little breathlessly. Nico grinned, emotions sparking to life inside him, igniting a fire inside his heart. Percy had sipped from his own cup and was slowly drowning in ecstasy as well, bliss fluttering in his stomach.

"Could I have this dance?" he asked, smiling, never looking more like the Cheshire Cat. Nico smiled, drowning himself slowly in Percy as well. He took his hand and nodded as Percy lead him to the dance floor, his eyelashes encasing his shadowy eyes.

Nico already felt the ground swirling beneath him as he clutched at Percy. "Wait," the black-haired teenager said before taking off his jacket and attaching it around his waist.

The younger boy stumbled. "H-how am I supposed to this thing?" he whispered, gripping on Percy's strong arms, which were conveniently the closest things to him to get ahold of. He smiled, watching him through half-lidded eyes. "Don't think, Nico. Just feel. Feel the music. Feel me."

Nico blushed as Percy started to move to the beat, guiding Nico's steps as well. But Nico wasn't paying attention to the beat. He was gazing into Percy's abyssopelagic green eyes, the turquoise flecks gleaming blue in the dark. He was holding onto Percy's arms, his sun-kissed skin searing a pleasant warmth on contact with his. He could smell the scent of him, a salty mix of sea water and a sweet acidulous tang.

Their jean-clasped legs often brushed against each other, and suddenly, they were in a whole other world, with only them, and nothing else but them.

They had forgotten about the music, about the beat. Nico and Percy were dancing to their own rhythm, the rhythm of their hearts racing, of their breath quickening. They had left the world behind, and now it was just them, foreheads touching.

Nico reached up and put his hand tentatively on the place in between Percy's chest and shoulder. Even from there, he could feel the lively pulse of his heart, and the red on his cheeks darkened.

Percy's skin was so hot against his, and he could see his sweaty bangs plastered on his forehead, falling into his eyes beautifully. Nico was suddenly aware of how close they were when Percy took hold of the hand he had already put on him and moved it onto the place where his heart was.

"Feel my heart beating." Percy whispered, his voice ragged and deep. His green eyes seemed so, so dark and so, so clouded. But Nico did. He felt the quick, strong beat under his fingers, under Percy's shirt.

Fuck, he thought. They were close enough to kiss, but he retreated slightly, his heart hammering against his ribcage. How had they gotten in this situation? Was it the alcohol? The music? Or simply them?

In a million years, Nico would have never thought he would have been in this situation, his crush's face only a few centimeters from his. He would have never thought that he would feel Percy's warm breath blowing on his face again.

But here he was.

Nico closed his eyes, the sound around him drowning out in his ears.

If only I was brave enough to love him.

✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.☆.*｡･ﾟ✫*.･:*

hi!
sorry for the wait, and for this chapter!
am i going to fast?? is the story too fast paced??
correct any of my grammatical errors!
stay safe, stay home <3

- deniiial