NicoXReader SHORT STORIES GALORE

Pretty

You sighed loudly as you tried to flatten your poofy (h/c) hair. The party you were going to tonight was at the Aphrodite Cabin, so you felt you should at least try to appear nice... Even if it didn't work well. After straightening your hair, you put on some mascara and eyeliner and laughed at how different you looked already.
"Hey, (y/n)" a voice called from your doorway, making you jump in surprise.
"Oo-oh! Hey, Nico!" You spread out your arms and twirled, the red fabric of your short dress swirling around you. "You like it? Piper lent the dress to me and I found some make up... You okay?" You stopped twirling and walked over to him quickly. His dark eyes had bags under them (as usual) and his hair was an absolute mess. But he usually was happy to see you- he even hugged you sometimes- now he seemed dazed.
"Yeah, I'm good. You look really pretty, (y/n)" he smiled up at you and your heart fluttered.
"You're not too bad yourself. But I'm guessing your not going to the Aphrodite party? Didn't Piper invite you?" You asked him as you both walked out of the (g/p) Cabin. The setting sun was blinding in a wonderful way, making your hair shine and your (e/c) eyes sparkle.
"Piper invited me. I just don't want to go. I don't really like parties... Or people... Or Aphrodite spawn." Nico spoke in a dead monotone with his head hanging down, hair falling in his face. You gasped and punched his arm lightly, making him grin.
"It's not nice to call them Aphrodite Spawn" you glared at him. "You should come anyway. I'll be lonely." You shrugged and blushed.
"I'm sure you'll be fine. No mere mortal, God, or demigod could resist you. Even without all that makeup and hairspray... You're really pretty, (y/n). I meant it." Nico said the first part with a hard edge but his voice eventually soften to a whisper.
You were blushing furiously by then, so you hung your head down as well. "Umm... Thanks?" You said uncertainly. He had never said something so straightforward to you before but it was incredibly flattering.
Nico gave a shrill laugh and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe I just said that. Alright then, have fun at your party. I'm sure Leo will love that dress... It's red." He finally looked you in the eye as he waved goodbye. You but you lip as he walked away, his sneakers scuffing the ground and his hands in the pockets of his black jacket.
Within a second, your mind was made up.

"Nico! Hey, stop! Stop walking!" You called to him. But he seemed to speed up.
You groaned and face palmed yourself. "Nico di Angelo! Stop moving your legs. Or I will brake them," you yelled as you jogged up to him. Finally he stopped walking as you stood next to him. He peered at you suspiciously with his chocolatey brown eyes and your heart melted.
"Did you need something? I'm walking here," he stated and waved at the ground. You rolled your eyes and looped your arm through his.
"You wouldn't mind some company on your walk would you?" You asked cheerily.
"I've told you a million bigillion times, (y/n)! I don't like people. Especially happy people that follow me around like a puppy!" He snatched his arm away and scowled at you menacingly.
You blushed and bit your lip again.
"I'm sorry, Nico. I-I didn't mean to make you angry. I'll j-just wanted to talk with you," you tried, tried to sniff quietly so he didn't notice.
"Are you crying?" He asked incredulously. So he did notice. Shoot.
"Crying? Me? Pffft!" You laughed but your voice cracked and a tear leaked out. Shoot. Shoot. Double shoot. "I'm not crying!" You smiled.
"Uh huh. You're just sweating profusely, right?" Nico smiled too.
"That sounds better than crying, doesn't it?" You asked, and began wiping your eyes.
"I'm sorry, (y/n). I shouldn't have said that, I just... I'm not used to having my own umm," Nico flushed and shrugged. "Friend?" He was so obviously at a loss you had to laugh.
"Hey! This is difficult, okay? I'm no good at talking to girls!" Nico looked at his feet and blushed some more.
"Nico, I'm sorry. It's only a little bit funny. But it's alright," you were still crying a little mixed with your giggles, so you could barely talk.

Nico's POV
She was hiccuping, and laughing, and crying so he had no clue what was wrong with her.The makeup she had just put one was running down her face and it created small works of art on her (s/c) face. He reached out and brushed her cheek, figuring she wouldn't want that gunk streaming down her face like that. He didn't realize that she absolutely froze or that he was staring intently at her.
He snapped out of his daze when a voice coughed behind him.
"Excuse me, (y/n), is this guy bugging you?" A boys voice said gruffly. Nico shut his eyes tightly and slumped his shoulders in defeat.
"Oh hi, Cayden! No, Nico isn't bugging me. We were just laughing at a little inside joke and I forgot I had make up on, silly me," (y/n) laughed at her lie and he opened one eyes to look at her. He cheeks were pulled into one of her signature smiles and she was wiping away the rest of the make up with her hands. Her (e/c) eyes met his for a second, then darted back to the tall, brown haired Ares kid behind him.
"Well that's good," Nico felt himself being lifted up by the jacket and set aside. He inwardly screamed at himself for not eating enough food.
"See you around, Death Breath," Cayden chuckled at his stupid rhyme and (y/n) looked up at him in disbelief as he put his muscled arm around her bare shoulders.
"Excuse me? Get your arm off of me this instant!" She screeched and Nico winced.
"Jeez, (l/n)! Calm down! Let's just go on in and dance, yeah?" Cayden threw up his arms and grinned.
"No thank you, Slot. I'd prefer it if you didn't call me by my last name too, if you don't mind. You can go find a different girl to fling your meat on because it's not gonna be me!" (Y/n) huffed, grabbed Nico's arm and pulled him along with her. Then she stopped and turned around, walking back over to Cayden.
"I'm just going to apologize in advance," she yelled at him. "I'm sorry for hurting you. Nico is a wonderful young man and god's damm you if you ever get to hang out with him!" She then punched him in the nose and walked back to Nico, who was gaping at her like a fish.
As she stomped over to him, he couldn't help but compare her to a Greek goddess- strong willed and beautiful, intelligent and kind. Why couldn't everyone be like her?
"Hello? Were you listening to me?" (Y/n) asked as she rolled her eyes.
"Hmm? Sorry," Nico smiled at her and she rose her eyebrows.
"I said, lets go for that walk now, alright?" She smiled again and Nico's chest fluttered with anticipation.
"Yep, lets go on a walk," he agreed and held out his arm, but before (y/n) could take it, he gave an, oh!, and swept off his leather jacket, wrapping it around her cold shoulders.
"Thank you, Nico. I'm sorry for yelling so much and acting weird," she whispered and covered her face with her hands.
He put both hands on her arms to stop her. "No. Thank you for yelling and acting weird. No one else would do that for me, (y/n). It was pretty... Awesome," he grinned at her. Her mesmerizing (e/c) eyes bore into his as she leaned in close to him until they were inches apart.
"Every time you smile, I'm going to kiss you, starting now," she whispered. Nico's eyes grew big and his eyebrows shot up. But he smiled, and it was the smallest smile probably ever, but she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. He wasn't sure what to do at first but he figured it out just as the kiss ended.
She sighed and looked up at him happily.
"Thanks for calling me pretty," she said and Nico blushed.
"No prob, Bob," he whispered. He wasn't sure if (y/n) was serious about the whole "kiss you every time you smile" deal, so naturally, he smiled the biggest, cutest, happIest smile he could muster. (Y/n) leaned in again and crushed his lips with hers, pulling him down to her level.