Nico

When Chiron was done giving us the safety lecture to pass on to the rest of the campers, he let us go back to our meals at the Mess. All of the other campers had finished their food and were heading back to their daily activities.

But rather than go back to his food, Leo started walking down to the Forges.

"Leo," I called after him. "You're food is at the Mess. You might want to go finish eating it."

He wasn't fazed by the comment. "I've got something else I have to deal with. I'll be back in a minute."

I didn't like the sound of that. I really didn't like how vague Leo wsa being. I certainly didn't like how nervous and fidgety he'd been before Chiron let us go.

Basically, I was less than happy with Leo's behavior. Plus, I was curious of what couldn't wait until he finished eating his grilled cheese sandwich.

I eyed the Mess, which wasn't far away. Then I turned back to watch Leo fading in the distance.

I wasn't even hungry, and I'd eaten most of my sandwich anyway. If Will got mad, I could just explain that Leo was being shifty again, and with everything going on, Will should be able to understand my worries.

I decided to follow Leo to the Forges, and I wasn't disappointed when I arrived.

I got there a few seconds after Leo to find all of the hephaestus campers huddled outside the doors. A few of them were peeking inside, whispering to the others.

"What are you guys doing?" Leo questioned to his half siblings.

"Henry's in there," answered Harley. "I told you, she's making something!"

This caught Leo's interest, and he moved through the crowd to get a closer look. Inside, I sighed and wondered why I was dismayed to think Henry was talented with metal work.

The clattering that the Forges usually emitted ground to a halt, and the campers backed away from the doors. They talked amongst themselves, eager and full of aw.

From behind the doors, Henry emerged, and took a step back when she saw the mass of campers outside the doors. All of their attention was on her, and I could see she was uncomfortable under their eyes.

Proudly, Leo puffed out his chest. "Well guys, I think it's safe to say we have another member joining Hephaestus cabin."

...........................

All of the Hephaestus campers cheered, forming a small pit in Nico's stomach. Yet, the smile on Henry's face was unparalleled. The idea of her being a child of the forges truly pleased her.

But it didn't seem right to me. Something about her was too off to place. She wasn't a typical camper if I ever saw one.

Nothing about her radiated Hephaestus cabin or forging metal. Or the desire to make automaton and keep random tools on her.

What I wanted to know was what she'd made, and if it was even good. Maybe she'd made a hunk of metal and the Hephaestus campers were cheering her on for nothing.

Still, Henry seemed overjoyed at the idea of being a daughter of the Forge God. Like she'd finally found the family she'd always wanted. Like she could finally stop feeling so alone.

I needed to talk to her, to say something. Seeing her so delighted made my thoughts harder to remember.

Then, I remembered what Piper told me, and I knew what I needed to speak to Henry about. I felt incredibly uncomfortable all over again. I knew I had to deal with it before things got weird.

Swallowing my dread and discomfort, I called out, "Henry!"

The campers around her let her pass, and she shyly walked over to me. "What's up?" she asked.

Rather than dance around it, I couldn't help but be outright. "Piper said you like me."

Henry was not at all phased. She waited for me to say more, and when I didn't she said, "Yeah?" Confused.

"You know I'm with Will, right?" I emphasized. "We're together. We're dating. So ... you liking me is kind of weird. Plus ... I'm gay."

This befuddled Henry even further. "So ... because you're gay ... you don't want to be friends with me?"

At friends, all the dread and anxiety drained from me. I felt relieved. Piper's talk with Henry was just a simple miscommunication. She didn't really have a crush on him.

"No," I started, sort of awkward. "I ... I just wanted you to know. You know, in case you weren't comfortable with that kind of ... thing."

"Well, we are Greek demigods," she said. "And in Greek mythology, lots of the gods are either not straight all the time, or not straight at all. I'd hope that demigods would be okay with that kind of stuff."

"Oh, they are," I assured, still internally screaming and feeling like my skin was crawling. "I just wasn't sure. With you, I mean."

Henry eyed him with precision and scepticism. She took a moment for herself, registering every little thing I did. Then, the blush was sucked out of her face, and her pupils widened.

"Wait ..." she gulped. "Did you think ... I ... liked you? Like, when Piper asked my who I liked, is that what she meant?"

"No," I lied, terribly. My voice raised itself an octave and everything.

"Oh my gods, you did," she tremored. She backed away from him, full of the anxiety I thought I got rid of. "You thought I liked you that way. Oh my gods, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"No, Henry. It's not your fault," he reassured her. "It was just a misunderstanding. It's fine."

But Henry wasn't fine. She was as pale as she was when he found her. Somehow, she appeared to be getting smaller, with hollowed cheeks once more.

She muttered to herself, and she shook her head almost violently. "I-I have to go." Fast as lightning, she sprinted off towards the rest of the camp, engulfed in fear.

In my hope to alleviate my own fear and anxiety, I transferred it all of Henry.

So, for me, it was safe to assume that any relationship I could have had with Henry was officially dead. Yay me.

........................

Going back to the Mess, I saw that Henry wasn't there. She was probably avoiding me, and would continue to do so for the rest of her time in Camp Half-Blood.

I knew I screwed up, and I shouldn't have jumped the gun before getting my facts straight. But ... I didn't think I would be able to talk to her unless we got that "thing" cleared up. I guess I was right, but only sort of. Now, we wouldn't be talking at all.

As soon as I went to the Mess, Will spotted me and approached me with a lecture ready. But ... upon seeing my face, he dropped what he was about to say immediately.

He forgot the world around us, and pulled me in for a warm hug. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have liked it. Yet, normal was a setting on a washing machine. Not us.