Blue Cupcakes

Smoke from the fire rises high into the air, filling the area with the scent of the feast. The thin wisps are barely visible against the black sky. Few campers are gathered around a single table. Most of the demigods at Camp Half-Blood weren't year-round campers. So, those remaining have formed a type of bond.

Nevertheless, I sat further away from the others, opting to sit at the end of the table. I left a few inches of space between me and the others. However, Percy Jackson took this opportunity to sit across from me. He and Annabeth had decided to visit New York during their winter break. I wondered why they would still be on break this late into January, but the thought wasn't worth much of my attention, so I let it be.

"Do you ever get lonely here?" Percy prods. "I mean, like when most people leave at the end of the summer."

I push a stray blueberry around with my fork and look up at him. "Not really. I mean, there are still people here." I motion toward the rest of the table.

Percy nods, acknowledging them. "You seem quite acquainted." I scoff.

"Why are you two here anyway?" I turn my attention back to the blueberry. "Not that I don't want you here; I don't mind, really. No, I like having you guys here. I just." I stop mid sentence. Please, just get a grip. Percy smiles.

"Everyone was just at Camp Jupiter for Christmas, so why come back here?"

"She and I stayed with my mom and Paul for a bit. Technically, we were supposed to leave today, but I wanted to give you something." I raise my eyebrows, curiosity winning over apathy, as Percy reaches for something behind him.
He brings his hand above the table again and presents a small box. I look at the box, then up at him. I'm not going to lie; I'm a bit confused until he smiles yet again. He looks so proud of himself. Typical.

"Happy Birthday," he grins.

"You remembered?" I bring the box closer to me and fiddle with the lid.

"Of course I did. We're friends and that's what friends are for."

Friends. The thought makes me grin.

"Giving each other gifts?" I ask.

"Among other things." This makes me smile. "Don't open it just yet, okay? Wait a bit."

"Thanks Percy."

"No problem," he says as he leans in and locks eyes with Annabeth."Um, we'd better get going though. We're already a few hours behind, and we'll miss our flight if we stay much longer."

I nod, and he and Annabeth stand up. He steps around the table and gives me a side- hug, which isn't nearly as awkward or uncomfortable as I would have expected. The two wave and exchange farewells with the campers and staff. And with that, they're gone. It feels a lot quieter without Percy in front of me. Maybe a little empty too.

But then there's Will. He had been sitting a few places down, previously next to Annabeth. As the fellow campers finished up their meals, he surprised me by tapping me on the shoulder.

"Yeah, Will?" I ask.

Will's never been one to properly articulate his thoughts. This is apparent when he simply says, "Follow me." Nevertheless, I stand up. He leads me away from the table and toward the Apollo Cabin.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just grabbing something before we head to the beach."

"Okay, for starters, it's January, so why? Also, curfew is in thirty minutes. I don't know about you, but Dionysus doesn't like me enough to vouch for me in front of a harpy."

"I got permission from Chiron; don't worry. Also you're Mr. D's favorite, and you know it." Will puts a hand out behind him, so I stop in place. He quickly darts to the cabin door and reemerges a few seconds later with a blanket and a small box.

"And we're stargazing. You'll love it."

The walk to the beach is relatively short and surprisingly warm given the time of year. I suppose it has something to do with the camp's barrier. Once we reach our destination, Will lays the blanket on the sand, and we sit, facing the ocean.

He takes out the box he was holding, and inside are two small necklaces. One has a sun pendant on it, while the other has a moon. I reach for the moon necklace and put it over Will's head, then fasten the sun necklace around my neck.

"Cute," I say, admiring the charm. "Thank you, Will."

"I'm glad you like them," he says. I can hear the smile in his voice despite the dark surroundings. The moon is the only thing illuminating the scene, and its silver light makes Will's features look almost godly.

"What's that?" Will gestures to a box sitting next to me. It's the one Percy gave me.

"A gift from Percy. I don't know what's in it though." I shrug, reaching for it.

"Well, open it," Will prompts. I do. A laugh escapes my lips when I see what's inside.

It's a small, blue cupcake with my name written in frosting. I take it out of the box.

"Why is it blue?" Will asks, and I laugh again, quieter this time.

"Percy's mom made it. Blue food is kind of her thing." Memories of Percy and me at his apartment flood my mind. The shock in his voice when he discovered my lack of knowledge about the wonders of blue food. I was surprised that he remembered my birthday. But the fact that he remembered that interaction too is heartwarming, to say the least.

I take a bite out of the cupcake, and it's heavenly. I offer some to Will, and soon the whole thing is gone. Will lies down, pulling me with him. I rest my head on his chest as he reaches a hand out to the sky. He runs his fingers through my hair as he draws invisible lines between the stars. He whispers their names and the stories behind the constellations. His voice and the gentle waves are the only sounds in this still moment. They make me feel whole.

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(I wrote this at 10:45, hoping to finish it before midnight. It's technically only 11:56 so I am victorious)

Hope you enjoyed this Nico di Angelo one shot in honor of his birthday!

Thanks for reading! Love you <3