The campfire crackled merrily, casting flickering shadows on the faces of the demigods. As Will strummed a tune on his lyre, Nico sat brooding with a scowl, refusing to contribute to the jovial atmosphere. Will nudged him playfully.

"Come on, Nico," he coaxed, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Humor never dies, you know! Spill your best joke. Don't be a shadow-hoarding miser."

Nico scoffed, but a smirk tugged at his lips. He rose, drawing everyone's attention with a silent command. The fire crackled louder, as if anticipating his words.

"Alright, everyone gather round," he announced, his voice surprisingly clear and confident. "This one's a real knee-slapper."

Anticipation hung heavy in the air. Nico, the king of brooding silence, was telling a joke? This was unheard of. All eyes were glued to him.

Then, he pointed directly at Percy, who sat wide-eyed and confused next to Annabeth. "You," Nico declared, his voice booming, "you're my type."

Silence. An awkward, deafening silence. Percy blinked, his mouth agape. Annabeth raised an eyebrow, searching for hidden meaning. Jason choked on his marshmallow. Piper looked like she might faint.

Then, something extraordinary happened. Percy, oblivious to the joke and overwhelmed by the sudden attention, puffed out his chest and grinned broadly.

"Me? Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, thinks I'm his type? Ha! I knew it! I am irresistible!" He flexed his arm for emphasis, sending his campmates into a state of stunned silence.

The tension remained unbroken. Nico, on the other hand, had the audacity to sit down casually, a faint smirk still playing on his lips.

A few seconds stretched into an eternity. Suddenly, the silence shattered. Will, who had been holding his breath, burst into a fit of laughter. Tears streamed down his face, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Slowly, the laughter spread. First it was a hesitant chuckle from Hazel, then a snort from Leo, and finally, an eruption of guffaws from the entire camp. Percy, however, quickly realized his blunder. His grin faltered, replaced by a grimace of embarrassment.

"Wait," he sputtered, cheeks burning like embers. "Was that...a joke?"

The laughter doubled. Nico shrugged, feigning innocence. "Maybe. Maybe not. Up to your interpretation, Seaweed Brain."

The rest of the night was filled with playful jabs and teasing remarks directed at Percy, who remained flustered but good-natured. He learned a valuable lesson that night: even the shadows held humor, and sometimes, the funniest jokes were the ones from a little gay boy.

Later, beneath the starlit sky, Will and Nico sat apart from the crowd, their laughter echoing in the silence.

"Percy's face!!!" Will wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes. "Priceless!"

"I KNOW!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!!" The ground shook below them. A mini earthquake.

"See? Even your own dad agrees with me!" Nico shouted to Percy.