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Holy crap I can't believe I'm posting this. This is for TeamEthanMorgan, who believes in me enough to convince me to post this. I've only read PJO & HoO a couple of times, so my characters may be OOC. Please don't hate on me for that.

No, I don't own these two or any characters that may make an appearance in this story. Just a fan. That is all. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED.

~Percy~

Now, I'm not stupid – I'm not particularly smart, but definitely not stupid. So, when Nico began to spend just a little bit too much time with Will, I could put two and two together.

"Are they…together?" I asked Annabeth one night while we were leaving dinner – I was being nice, walking her to her cabin. She just groaned at my words and gave me a sharp glare with those intense gray eyes of hers.

"Of course they are. I think. This happens to be one of the few things I'm not sure about," she said with a shrug. I had to groan at this attitude of hers – she had been like this ever since I fully registered what Nico had said to me that day. "I don't get why you're so hung up on this," she said, trying to sound nicer than she actually intended. I just shrugged and left her at her cabin with a quick kiss on her cheek and heading to my own.

She was right of course – I didn't get why I was so hung on this either. So what if Nico had liked me? He doesn't anymore. By the looks of it, he likes Will.

I stopped walking as i felt a flash of heat zip through me and I swear I could smell burning earth at that thought. What the Hades was that? And why did it keep happening?

"Percy!" I turned around to see Annabeth striding towards me, a frown on her face and her eyes wary. "We should talk…"

~Nico~

I was sitting with Will outside of my cabin – yes, they built me a cabin, which was stupid, but whatever, they didn't listen to me anyways. Will had an arm around me, and it was nice of course because he was nice, but it just… didn't feel right.

I could tell that he was looking at me, but I just kept staring straight ahead. I couldn't look at him.

Why?

Oh, that's right – I can freaking feel when Jackson is near.

Ugh, I hate this.

It had started after the war – after everything really; I had told him how I used to have a crush on him, and as I was walking away, it was like I had been hit by a wave of seawater. And now, whenever he thought of him or whenever he was in the proximity, I would feel like I was being soaked and I could only smell the freakin' salty sea, no matter where I was.

It was beginning to be a problem for me.

"Nico?"

"Yeah?" I asked, realizing Will had been talking to me.

"Listen…"

~Narrator POV~

It hurt Annabeth to do this, but by the look on Percy's face, he didn't quite get it.

"What?"

"Percy… I love you. You know I do. But I can't take this… obsession of yours anymore. When you get over all of this, let me know." She kissed his cheek and walked off, leaving Percy there to feel like he was burning and all he could smell was the burning earthy smell again.

Nico was having a similar situation.

"I like you." Nico blinked at Will and tried to smile.

"I like you too."

"Yeah I know, but you are just…distracted. When you get past this, I would like to…be with you. Okay?"

"Oh… kay." Will kissed him then, a brief press of lips on lips and then he was gone. Nico sat there, tasting saltwater on his lips before he groaned and fell onto the steps of his cabin.

"You okay?" He opened one eye at Percy and then closed it.

"Go away Jackson."

"I will… after we talk." Nico just groaned again, feeling as if his clothes were soaked, clinging to him and all he could smell was salt water still; it was even stronger with Percy there.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Then why do I feel like I'm burning and keep smelling smoldering, burning… earth?" Nico sat up and stared at him, trying to tell if he was just being his usual idiotic self.

Nope, Percy was serious now. More so than he had ever seen him, even during the war.

"Fine. Let's go inside and talk." Percy just nodded and helped Nico up, where they held on to each other's hands for a brief moment too long before they let go and went into the dark, warm cabin.

Nico sat down on a long low couch, watching Percy as he took in the room – it was dark, yes, but also somehow inviting – Percy could feel himself feeling comfortable here, which was something he never felt when he was in any part of the Underworld.

Percy sat down next to him and they just stared at each other before Nico sighed.

"I feel it too."

"Feel what?"

"Well, unlike you and your…burning? Yeah, burning. I feel like I'm being submerged in water and all I can smell is seawater. Because of you."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Ugh, Percy, don't make this more awkward than it has to be."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you naturally stupid or just ignorant?"

"Nico."

"What? Why don't you leave me alone and go talk to Annabeth?" he muttered, running his fingers through his tangled mess of black hair.

"She broke up with me," Percy said quietly, making Nico look up at him now.

"She did?"

"Why?"

"Uh… I… don't know. Why are you sitting here talking to me instead of with Will?"

"He broke up with me. I think. I'm not even sure we were together actually."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Nico just shrugged.

"It's fine." They sat in silence, each just smelling a deep burning or salty air before they looked at each other.

"Why is this happening?"

"No idea."

Percy groaned and looked at Nico before scooting just a tad closer to the paler teen.

"It started after you told me…that."

"Oh," he said, nodding. "Yeah, mine did too."

"Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know." Percy sighed and leaned his head back on the couch. Nico watched him for a moment before he scooted closer, sitting up on his knees to look Percy in the face. Percy just kept his eyes closed, his breathing deep and even. Nico just leaned a little closer, the smell fading a bit the closer he got.

"Percy?"

"Yeah Nico?"

"Can I try something?"

"I guess."

"Don't move."

"Okay."

Nico kissed him. Percy stiffened under the cold lips and the cold hands that held onto his face, but he didn't move away.

There was something… pleasant about this kiss. It made him feel like he was on fire again, but it a way he could get used to. When Nico pulled away, there was nothing but cold air around him now.

"I was drowning, and I loved it," he panted, his head on Percy's shoulder, and Percy knew what he meant. He had been burning and he had loved it too.

"What's this mean?"

"I don't know."

So I'm thinking this is gonna be a oneshot, unless people wanna see more? I left it open-ended just in case…

If you read this far, thank you. I hope you liked it and that it didn't suck terribly.

See ya'll next time (I guess?)

-JustMe133