"A son of Apollo should know better than to smoke."

I took a last puff of the cancerous stick before dropping it on the cement and crushing the remains to ashes. The sun was playing peek-a-boo behind tumultuous stormy-grey clouds today. It was a rather quiet back-road we were taking with few cars and therefore little noise with the exception of the occasional crunch of frozen grass beneath our feet. "I do. Doesn't mean I can't sin too. Even the gods make mistakes," I sighed out, looking everywhere but at his most-likely-disappointed face. "Why should demigods be any less susceptible to them?" I love smoking. And I'm conflicted, because I love my little brother too. I've been fooling myself thinking that he's gonna be OK, that I have it "under control". That smoking when he isn't around has fixed the problem. I want to believe that so bad. My lungs want to believe it. But I can't kid myself.

He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. "You make too much sense," he grumbled out. I think he sensed that something's up. He kept silent the whole rest of the way until we reached the day care center. I hold open the bright red door for my vertically challenged friend, but he shakes his head and shuffles his feet. "I'm just gonna wait out here," he says, a small smile on his face.

I'm not sure what this means. So I just nod and enter, and walk up to the registry like I always do. Samantha, the receptionist, smiles a tight smile at me, letting me know it's been a long day. I send a small wave to her as I sign my name and head down the long and brightly-coloured hallway. At the end the cutest little blonde-haired boy is playing with some Thomas the Engine toy table with a bunch of other (and not nearly as adorable) kids. He has the most uniquely green and huge anime-eyes I've ever seen, and the perfect curved little nose and small-toothed smile that so far is the only thing that can melt my heart into a puddle in my soul.

Those green eyes find mine and his smile widens until he's laughing and I've got him upside-down and tickling him to death while he shrieks and giggles and we're causing such a commotion, but I don't care. "Put me down!" he manages through laughs, and I find myself smiling without realizing as I set him down and hug him. He hugs back with his tiny little arms and I pull away to look seriously into his beautiful eyes. "I brought a friend with me today. He's waiting outside."

His eyes widened even more and he looked down the hall where the door was. "Who, Son?" he whispers with incredulity lacing his voice. He says that because my stepdad says it. And my stepdad says it to make me feel like I'm definitely part of the family, no question about it. It's a little difficult though. Everything feels strange, if I think about it too much. Because Mom left forever ago, after marrying Garret and having Joel with him. And Dad- well of course he couldn't stay. As is apparently common in situations similar to mine. But you can't blame the guy. And he doesn't ignore me or anything. We talk sometimes. I guess.

I stand and take his hand to lead him out. "You'll have to see for yourself," I whisper back at him. I set him on the desk and he has a small conversation with Samantha while I sign again, and then we're out the door.

Nico was standing by the door, facing us as we walked out, jet-black hair waving softly in the wind. He looked so stern standing there in the cold, grey surroundings, and as a Son of Hades it seemed so fitting. I was kinda scared of him then. And curious at the same time. I thought maybe Joel would be scared too, but he was more solemnly aware of this person's newness in relation to him. He lifted his free hand to bite his thumb nail as he does when he's nervous.

Nico smiled warmly and bent down to Joel's level. "Hey there," he whispered, holding out a hand. "I'm Nico. I'll be seeing you a lot now."

My stomach did flips.

"My name is Joel," Joel said with enthusiasm, getting over his shyness. He smiled back a wide, eye-squinting smile and held Nico's hand rather than shook it.

I hoisted Joel up over my head to rest on my shoulders, enjoying the grip of his fingers in my hair. Nico wasn't going to walk all the way home with us, but Joel had a fun time singing for him and talking to him and Nico seemed OK with him.

The next fifteen minutes were amazing.