This story is dedicated to my friend Jessica, who mentioned to me how a lot of fics with Nico and Leo as the main characters depict them as a couple. Here's to the friendship of Nico and Leo, something I hope the House of Hades will highlight greatly. Enjoy!

Surges of Hope

Nico knew he never would want to go back, and when he found himself succumbed by the darkness for the second time of his life, his heart began to race. It was not normal darkness—it was eerie, spine-chilling, and dangerous. The dim glow from his sword only allowed him to see a foot ahead of him, which was better than before, where he could barely see three inches in front of his face. The low growls of pestering hellhounds could be heard to his left. The soft pitter-patter sound of footsteps—like large spiders creeping their way through the abyss—was off to his right. He could sense unidentified monsters in front and behind him, but could not tell what they were or exactly pin-point their location. Normally, being the son of Hades, Nico had a great sense of direction in the Underworld; however, in Tartarus, his natural abilities were stripped of him.

Suddenly, laughter—evil, maniacal laughter—seemed to come from all ends of the pit. It was as if Nico was at the center of a large amphitheater, and a thousand monsters had gathered in the stands to laugh and jeer at the boy's obvious terror. Nico spun around in all directions, trying to swipe his sword at a non-existent creature. Then, the laughter invaded Nico's head, and he began to hear it in his mind. He dropped his sword, clamped his palms over his ears, and collapsed to his knees.

"No, no, stop," Nico pleaded. His eyes were squeezed shut.

But the laughter never stopped—

Nico gasped and sat up in bed. With wide eyes, he wildly looked around the room, trying to get his bearings. His heart started to slow to a normal beat when he realized he was in Percy's room on the Argo II. After Nico was rescued and his two best friends fell into Tartarus, the remaining demigods of the prophecy allowed Nico to bunk in Percy's room during son of Poseidon's absence. None of them questioned if Percy would like this decision or not—the kid obviously saw Nico as a little brother. He would not mind at all.

Nico shuddered at the thought of Tartarus. It was just a dream, he reminded himself. All demigods get nightmares. This is normal.

Unfortunately, two of Nico's best friends were living that nightmare at this very moment. His heart drooped when he remembered Percy's face before he and Annabeth fell into the pit. Only moments before, all the demigods were happy to rescue Annabeth. She had just defeated Arachne, who was her mother's most powerful nemesis—they were supposed to be celebrating! Instead, it ended up being Nico's worst nightmare.

Nico wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead and clambered out of bed. He was still in a pair of oversized plaid pajama pants and white t-shirt—courtesy of Percy's wardrobe—but did not care that he looked like a slob. He didn't actually think anyone would be awake at this hour to see him. He stumbled out into the hallway and made his way to the mess hall. Maybe a glass of water would help calm his mind.

Nico was surprised to see the lights to the mess hall on. At first he thought maybe someone had accidently forgot to turn them off—those thoughts were proven false when he heard a string of Spanish curses being muttered under someone's breath. Nico faltered outside the door. The last thing he wanted to do was socialize. He swallowed his pride and entered the mess hall anyway.

Leo Valdez was hunched over Archimedes' scrolls, which were sprawled out on the table before him. He was writing notes down in a notebook as he examined the ancient blueprints. His hair was wild and unkempt, his clothes wrinkled, a look of pure frustration plastered on his face. Bags were under his eyes, suggesting he had not slept in days. Leo grumbled to himself, angrily scrawling something in his notebook; he didn't notice Nico's appearance.

The son of Hades poured himself a glass of water. He was almost glad Leo had yet to say something. Lately, Nico couldn't find the heart to keep a conversation going. The demigods tried casually conversing with him, but nothing they said would get Nico interested in speaking. Piper and Hazel, the stubborn girls they were, tried the hardest, but when it was clear Nico would speak of nothing but business, they eventually gave up. Jason and Frank often looked at Nico with pity, something the son of Hades despised. Sure, he was only fourteen and had gone through great turmoil, like losing the only family he had and being captured by giants, but that did not mean Nico was helpless. He was pessimistic, sad, and desperately wanted to be with close friends, but Nico di Angelo could take care of himself.

Nico turned to take the water upstairs when Leo's head shot up. He narrowed his eyes at him, clearly confused as to when he entered the mess hall. Leo gave him a half-hearted smile. Nico couldn't help but see it was forced.

"Hey," said Leo. Nico nodded his head in recognition and awkwardly stood a few feet back. What was he supposed to say? Leo was Nico's total opposite—he was optimistic, loud, and obnoxious, something Nico only used to be. Even during his frustration, Leo seemed hopeful; if he wasn't, he would have given up on those scrolls hours ago.

"What are you doing up?" asked Leo, clearly wanting to kill the silence. Nico shrugged his shoulders.

"Couldn't sleep," he replied vaguely.

Leo nodded like he understood—did he? Nico would never in his life believe Leo understood anything about him. Little did he know, the son of Hephaestus was about to prove him wrong.

"I get nightmares a lot too," Leo admitted. "I guess it's a demigod thing, but it still sucks. I try not to sleep much."

Curiosity got the best of him. Nico gently sat his glass on the table and stood across from Leo. He peered at the upside down scrolls and the notebook. He saw scribbles of notes on the open sheet of paper, some in Spanish and some in Ancient Greek. By this, Nico could tell Leo's thoughts must be scattered.

"Have you found anything?"

Leo frowned. Nico had only known the demigod for a few days, but during that time he learned that Leo frowning was something rare. He figured the kid was always smirking and up to no good. Nico did not need to be Leo's best friend in order to know that seeing him frustrated and in anguish was probably new.

"No," Leo said. "These scrolls are really complex. I thought I could easily upgrade my warship in a couple of days; turns out, this might take a couple weeks."

Nico remained silent.

"This would go by faster if I had someone to help," Leo continued glumly. "But the only other person who may have understood these scrolls is—well, not here."

Annabeth, Leo was trying to say. She would know what to do. Unfortunately, she was with Percy in the deepest pits of the Underworld, fending for her life on a broken ankle. Besides Leo, Annabeth was the only other person on the ship who could remotely understand how the Argo II worked. If the ship broke down, or—in this case—if Leo wanted to upgrade it with new weaponry, the son of Hephaestus was now on his own.

"Maybe I can help."

Leo scrunched his eyebrows at the suggestion. Nico didn't know what overcame him to make such a crazy proposition, but he found himself looking earnestly at his friend. He was being honest. Even though he had zero experience with machinery or warships, for that matter, Nico was willing to help. He nervously bit his lip, hoping Leo would not laugh at him.

But Leo did not laugh. Instead, he gave the son of Hades a smile. It was not forced this time, but a true, grateful grin.

"Yeah!" he said eagerly. "I mean, I don't expect you to know anything about mechanics, but you can catch on. You're probably smart—well, not Athena smart. But—"

"I'm sure I'll figure it out," Nico said, interrupting him before he could talk his ear off.

Leo was about to say something but suddenly yawned. He stretched his arms out and rubbed his bloodshot eyes.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," Nico suggested. "You look exhausted."

"Nah," Leo said dismissively. "We've got some friends in hell, two camps at war, and Dirt Face on the rise—there's no time for sleep."

"You look like you're about to keel over," Nico pointed out. Leo just laughed.

"Hey," he said in defense, "shouldn't you also be in bed?"

Nico sheepishly looked at his bare feet. "I told you—I couldn't sleep."

"What are your nightmares about?"

Nico's head shot up. He didn't think Leo would actually be curious about what was troubling him. At first, Nico was going to shrug off the question and disappear to his room. But, looking at the disheveled teenager, Nico felt—what was it?—safe. It was as if he could tell Leo is innermost secrets and not be concerned one bit about him spilling the beans. Maybe he could even relate to him.

Don't be crazy, Nico thought. You can't relate with anyone.

Before he knew it, Nico was talking.

"Tartarus," he said. "That's what they're normally about. Sometimes I dream about my sister, Bianca, or sometimes about my mom. They are never good."

Leo nodded. "I often get nightmares about my mom, too. She died when I was younger, and I'm still not comfortable with that thought."

"My mother is also gone," Nico said hesitantly. He didn't know this about Leo, and this piece of information through him off a bit. "I don't think you ever get used to the thought that they're gone—forever."

"What about your sister?" Leo asked innocently. "I didn't know you had another sister other than Hazel. Where is she?"

Nico felt his chest tighten. "She's—gone," he choked out. "When I first learned I was a demigod, Percy, Bianca, and a couple of other kids went out on a quest to rescue Annabeth and the goddess Artemis from a titan. Bianca never returned."

Leo pursed his lips. He didn't try to say I'm so sorry for your loss like the rest of them. He didn't try to comfort him in anyway. He just gave Nico a look that clearly said I understand, and that was enough comfort the son of Hades ever needed. Maybe Nico and Leo were more alike than they were different.

"My mom died in a fire," Leo said. He extended his hand and let a small flame dance about his palm. He stared at the flickering flame with unfocused eyes. "Some days I beat myself up real hard for it. Other times I tell myself it was not my fault. But you can never tell when I'm feeling down, unless you catch me like this late at night." Leo glanced at Nico, but neither boy was worried that the other would frown upon their stories. They suddenly felt like they could confide in each other in a way they couldn't with their friends. Leo never even spoke like this to Jason or Piper, and Nico wasn't close with anyone else to get the chance.

"But," Leo continued, closing his palm and extinguishing the flame, "I figured out that focusing on good memories help a lot. My mom used to take me to her workshop as she worked. She liked to tell me stories—about her parents and about her life as a kid—and she would play music that we both enjoyed. It is simple things like those memories that make me feel better." Leo shrugged shyly and smiled. "Man, was that cheesy." He shook his head in laughter.

Leo was surprised when he saw a faint hint of a smile on Nico's face. Nico became absorbed in his own memories of his sister, and suddenly he knew what Leo meant.

"My sister took care of me," Nico said. "She liked to keep me close to her and would rarely let me out of her sight. She was also a story teller—any book she could get her hands on, she would read to me. I liked those times with her."

Leo grinned at Nico. He liked how much the introverted demigod was opening up to him. Nico was the last person on the ship Leo thought he would be able to relate with. Nico looked like all he needed was a friend; the only familiar face on the ship was Hazel, and she had only met him after the Second Titan War. With Percy and Annabeth gone, Nico didn't have anyone else to talk with who knew him from the start.

Leo suddenly had an idea.

"Come on," he said, shoving the scrolls and notebook off to the side.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked.

"Closing up shop," Leo replied. He stretched his back and walked to the mess hall door. He waved Nico over.

"Where are we going?"

Leo flashed one of his infamous grins—something Nico knew he only did when he either had a crazy idea or was simply up to no good. Nico was not sure how comfortable he felt now.

"I think we both could use some fun," Leo announced. "Follow me."

An hour later, the top deck of the Argo II was set up. Now-empty boxes littered the far end of the deck, their contents at the other end near the head of Festus. Leo grinned wildly as he got into position.

"Wait," Nico said nervously. He fiddled with his thumbs. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Of course!" Leo shouted excitedly. I am the supreme commander of this warship! I wouldn't bring anything other than necessary weapons that could endanger us onboard my baby. This is one-hundred percent fool-proof."

Nico looked at his friend with doubt. Leo sighed.

"All right. It's more like ninety eight percent. But come on! This is totally safe." Leo nudged his friend. "Live a little!"

Nico stared at the fireworks set up across the deck. Leo stood next to them, ready to set them off. A rush of adrenaline surged through Nico. This certainly did look fun. At times like this, Nico was reminded that he was only fourteen, just barely a teenager. After Bianca's death, Nico was forced to grow up way too quickly. He became detached to people and too mature for his age. Leo was probably right—he needed to let himself have fun for once.

Nico came to his conclusion. "Let 'em loose."

Leo grinned like a madman. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Flame on!"

Leo lit a long line of fireworks with his hands. Once the fuse began to shorten, he sprinted to Nico's side, away from the danger of being blown up. The moment he reached his new friend, a loud boom! went off as each individual firework rocketed high above them. A mixture of colors and shapes illuminated the sky in utter beauty. Leo and Nico craned their necks as circles of blue, green, orange, red, purple, and yellow lit up the sky in a wonderful display. Nico and Leo looked at each other, both boys wearing a huge grin on their faces.

The doors to the upper deck flew open. The other demigods rushed up the stairs, weapons ready and armor loosely hanging off them. They stopped when they saw the sky light up like a painted canvas. They were suddenly mesmerized and in a trance.

The fireworks stopped, and Leo and Nico turned to their friends. They looked at the boys in complete awe.

"Where in Hades did you get fireworks?" Piper demanded, breaking the silence.

Leo grinned. "I smuggled them aboard before we set off for Camp Jupiter. I figured we'd need them after a hard day of working and going on quests. I thought tonight would be a good night to let them loose."

"And you decided to do this at three in the morning?" Jason said, raising an eyebrow.

"Any time is firework time, Sparky," Leo said smugly. He placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Besides, my man Nico here was having a rough night. Come to think of it, we've all been having rough nights. We've been on each other's cases and getting mad at each other ever since Percy and Annabeth fell. I figured—hey, what the heck? Maybe setting off some fireworks is what we needed."

The demigods stared at Leo. Everything he said was true: they hadn't been working together. Ever since Percy and Annabeth's trip into Tartarus, the demigods had been at each other's throats. Nico and Jason often clashed for leadership. Leo and Frank argued a lot and had a hidden rivalry over a certain daughter of Pluto. Piper and Hazel tried to keep the peace, but they also had to make sure Coach Hedge –who was still beating himself up over the fates of their friends—didn't do anything impulsive because of it. No one was getting along, and Leo, out of all the inhabitants aboard the Argo II, was the first to admit they needed a break.

No one expected that out of him.

"So," Leo continued, "are we gonna stand here and argue for the billionth time, or can I light up another set of fireworks?"

One by one, the demigods sat their weapons on the deck and peeled off their armor. Coach Hedge, who stumbled up from his room in time to hear Leo's little speech, plopped down on his butt, ready for a show. The demigods followed his lead.

"All right!" Leo pumped his fists into the air. Nico, for the first time in ages, let out a small laugh. He felt his muscles relax and something well up inside him—relief. He felt like he could laugh and cry at the same time.

Leo lit up the next set of fireworks and ran back to his friends. They all sat in a clustered group, eagerly waiting for the light show. Jason draped his arms across Piper's shoulders. She leaned against his chest. Frank's arms were wrapped protectively around Hazel, the daughter of Pluto sitting in his lap. For once, Leo didn't feel jealous at the couple. This time, he looked at Nico, his new best friend. The son of Hades smiled in anticipation.

And the fireworks went off. The demigods and satyr stared at the fireworks in complete happiness. One by one, each demigod and the satyr forgot his or her worries. The quest, the gods, Gaea, Tartarus, and the impending war between camps were suddenly wiped from their minds. Tonight was the night where the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter aboard the massive warship came together as a whole. For these few minutes, they were not segregated as Romans and Greeks, but together as demigods and a satyr. They were not separated or distinguished by the color of their shirts—purple vs. orange—but by the Olympians vs. the Giants. They suddenly knew their purpose—it was not to fight among themselves, but against the real enemy: Gaea.

With this thought, the inhabitants aboard the Argo II surged with hope. If something as simple as fireworks could bring them together, maybe uniting the rest of the two camps would be easier than they initially thought. Once Romans and Greeks were united, they knew they were one step ahead than the enemy in the Giant War. These fireworks, this small little moment shared by the Argo II, gave everyone hope.

Nico nudged Leo.

"I—uh, just wanted to say thanks," the son of Hades stammered. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I never really confided in anyone like that before."

"Hey, no problem," Leo said. "I'm glad we could get to know each other."

Leo threw a small lick of fire at another line of fireworks, setting off the next batch. Nico sighed, notably tired. After his talk with Leo and the fireworks, Nico knew he wouldn't be plagued by dreams for the rest of the night. He felt good about that.

In fact, all the demigods slept better that night.