Hello again! It's been a while, but I'm back! Yay, Valdangelo! :3

I don't like this one as much as some of my others- the writing bothers me a bit for some reason. But hey, I tried! Maybe I'll go back and revise it sometime.

Angst followed by extreme fluff, enjoy! :D

Once again: NOT my characters, NOT my settings. I WISH I was Rick Riordan so I could torture the souls of a thousand fangirls with cruelly brilliant character development! *Ah, what a lovely life he must have*

For Once

He was running, running faster than he'd ever run before. His breath erupted from his mouth in ragged bursts that tore through his dry throat and made him gasp in pain. His lungs burned and his stomach knotted. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to stop, but the piercing cries of the creatures urged him forward. He could feel their putrid breath on his neck, their claws scratching at his back, teeth snapping at his heels. So close.

Even over the pounding of his heart in his ears, he could hear laughing voices and the barks and snarls of the creatures. The sounds clawed at his ears, filling him with a terror unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He felt bile rising in his throat as he pushed himself ever onwards, fear lending him strength he never knew he possessed.

Unfortunately, it still wasn't enough.

His stomach lurched and his heart stopped as he felt the muscles on his left side cease up. His foot slipped out from beneath him and he collapsed to the vile skin that formed the ground. Tartarus itself.

He'd barely been down a second before the monsters were on him. They surrounded him, biting and clawing and mauling as he desperately tried to bat them off. They filled his vision, their teeth worrying at his body, their vicious claws leaving bloody tracks in his skin. They grabbed at his limbs and torso, and began to drag him back the way they'd come, back further to the dark heart of Tartarus.

It was dark. He was alone. He was scared and tired and in pain, lost forever.

He screamed.

When Nico woke up, he was still screaming. His sheets clung to his sweaty skin and his throat was horse and raw. He could still feel sharp teeth rending his skin and hear their snarls echoing through his mind.

He stopped screaming as he felt something else touch him. But this time it wasn't painful or unpleasant- it felt warm and soft, safe.

He looked down to see tanned arms wrapped around his chest protectively. He turned his head and found Leo's wide eyes staring at him, concerned.

"Nico?" he asked softly, as if he was scared of the answer. "You okay?"

For a moment Nico panicked. He wasn't used to waking up to find someone else there- he certainly wasn't used to people seeing him at his most vulnerable. When he had nightmares, he kept it to himself.

But the moment passed. Without a second thought he turned over so he was facing Leo and wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face in his chest. Leo tightened his grip and held him close, resting his chin on the top of Nico's head lovingly and stroking his hair.

For once, Nico allowed himself to cry. Leo didn't complain as warm tears trickled onto his bare chest, not loosening his grip on the pale boy for a second.

They didn't move, lying perfectly still with their limbs tangled together beneath the sheets, completely silent other than Nico's gasps and sobs until he could cry no more. When his eyes had dried and his throat was too hoarse to continue, he pulled his head away from Leo's chest and closed his eyes. Leo looked at him tenderly, raising his hand to stroke his cheek.

"You think you can sleep again?"

Nico shuddered and shook his head. He heard snapping jaws and cruel laughter taunting him. He'd rather stay awake all night than risk dreaming again.

Leo read his mind and smiled, kissing the top of his head. "Don't worry about it- I'll keep you awake."

Despite his unease, Nico found himself raising an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Leo gave him a withering look. "With coffee and videogames, you pervert. Not everything I say is intended as sexual innuendo!"

Nico felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Since when?"

Leo grinned at sat up, pulling Nico up with him. "Hey, even I know better than to hit on someone when they're traumatised. Now, how about that coffee?"

"Leo, get that damn blanket away from me!"

Nico swatted the Latino away grumpily. Leo pouted, holding the fluffiest blanket Nico had ever seen in his life.

"But you need a blanket- you're in shock!"

"No, I'm not in freaking shock!" Nico protested, shoving Leo away while trying not to spill his fifth cup of coffee.

Leo ignored him and dropped the blanket over his head. "Well, I say you're in shock- and I'm older than you!"

Nico scowled. "By barely a year! Eleven months, tops!"

Leo winked. "And don't you forget it. Now take your shock blanket and shush."

"What is this even meant to do?" Nico grumbled.

"I don't know- but I saw it on TV, so it must be true!"

Nico rolled his eyes. "When you say 'on TV', do you mean a legitimate medical program or just one of those weird British sitcoms you watch all the time?"

Leo looked offended. "Neither! It was on Sherlock."

"Since when do you watch Sherlock?"

"Since I started dating a moody guy who shares certain personality traits with a high-functioning sociopath- I need to get my research from somewhere."

Nico glared at him. "You get your dating advice from a fictional British TV detective?"

"Consulting detective," Leo corrected. "And it's not just TV- there's books, too!"

"And you've read the books?"

"…That's not the point!"

"Checkmate."

Nico watched amused as Leo's brow furrowed and he stared at the chess board. His eyes flickered across the pieces looking for an out- as usual finding none. He pouted and crossed his arms.

"I never liked chess, anyway."

Nico laughed as Leo swept the pieces into the bag.

Leo glowered at him. "Hey, if this was Mario Kart, you'd be the one moping and complaining right now."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

"Dammit, Nico, you're from the thirties- you're not supposed to be good at videogames!"

Nico laughed as Leo drove into yet another banana skin and skidded off the track. "Yeah, and you're a teenager from the 21st century- you're supposed to be good at them!"

"Oh, hilarious- get back in the race, Bowser, you stupid reptile!" he shouted, gesticulating wildly with the Wii remote. "You're a freaking seven-foot turtle-lizard with fire breath and you can't even survive one green shell!"

Nico winced. "Maybe you shouldn't be playing with heavy characters? There's no real point in them if you're not going to ram anyone."

Leo dropped the remote and threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "Great, now you know more about the game than me!"

Nico smirked. "I'm a fast learner," he said as he drove across the finish line and the whistle blew.

Leo crossed his arms and glared. "It's a stupid game anyway…"

Nico laughed and put down the remote, sliding closer to Leo on the couch. "Quit being a sore loser, Valdez- it doesn't suit you."

He lifted his leg and rested it on the couch on Leo's other side. Straddling him, he leaned down and planted a slow kiss on the mechanic's lips. He felt warm hands slide up and rest on his waist, fingertips tracing patterns on his skin. He shivered at the contact.

He could feel Leo smile. "Well, you're feeling better- I should lose at Mario Kart more often!"

"Yeah, like that's possible," Nico teased, trailing cold kisses down the older boy's neck and making him tremble longingly. He felt arms tighten around him and hot breath on the side of his face as soft lips kissed his cold skin gently. Nico's hands rested against Leo's warm chest, he could feel his heart pounding beneath his palms. The feeling set his stomach fluttering.

For once, he wasn't afraid.

He raised his head from Leo's shoulder and kissed him hungrily, running his hands over his scorching skin and letting his doubts and fears melt in the heat.

"Nico…" Leo gasped between kisses as Nico's icy hands slid down to his waist. "You sure you're… okay with this? Now, I mean?"

Nico smiled against his lips as he hooked his fingers through the belt loops on his jeans. "Positive."

He felt Leo grin as he pulled him closer. "Well, your wish is my command…"

Nico's breath caught as the Latino's hands crept further up his spine beneath his shirt, tracing small circles on his back with his thumbs. "Leo…"

He felt Leo's fingers slow to halt on his skin expectantly.

Nico nuzzled into him, his lips resting on his collar bone as he whispered against his skin. "Thanks for being here…"

Leo smiled and nipped his neck affectionately. "Hey, I'll always be here. Until you get sick of me, that is."

Nico grinned and kissed his way back up Leo's neck to his lips. "Don't hold your breath…"

"Nico?"

Hazel knocked gently on the door of the Hades cabin. "Guess what? I'm back for the weekend! Perks of dating a Praetor, lots of vacation time. It's a nice day; you want to go down to the beach? Get out in the open for once? Percy and Annabeth are already down there, and we can ask Leo to come!"

Silence.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Come on, you can't hide yourself away indoors all the time!"

No response. Frowning, Hazel turned the knob and opened the door carefully, poking her head into the cabin.

Leo smiled at her from the bed. Nico was fast asleep, sprawled out beneath the covers with his head resting on Leo's stomach and his quiet, even breaths puffing out softly from between his pale, slightly parted lips.

"He needs a few more minutes," he said cheerfully, stroking Nico's ruffled hair.

Hazel blushed, but she smiled and nodded. "Hey, Leo?"

He smiled jauntily. "Yeah?"

She grinned. "Thanks for taking care of him. You know, while I've been gone."

He chuckled and looked down at Nico's sleeping face. For once, he looked almost peaceful.

"Beach sounds great, Hazel."

D'awwwww! :3 These guys will be the cute, fluffy death of me!

Hope you liked it! :D