Dead in Love (Nico x Reader)

Birthdays

  Is it just me or do birthdays suck when your boyfriend's gone? Sure, friends are great, but it's not the same without someone to wake you up with flowers and a kiss. I'm venting because Nico had some last-minute business to attend to at Camp Jupiter. Camp Jupiter happens to be across the country. Great timing. Still, as I said, friends are great, but it's weird if they kiss you. Maybe not for Leo because he flirts with everyone, relationship or not. It's even worse if he's your best friend, but you just gotta tolerate it.

  Lucky me, I still got morning kisses on my birthday, courtesy of Bad Boy Supreme aka Leo Valdez.

  "GOOOOOOOD MORNING!!" Leo yelled, flinging open Cabin 3's door. He spun across the floor and planted a juicy kiss on my cheek and slammed a vase of daisies on my bedside table. I wiped the slobber off my cheek as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

  "Yep," I yawned "It's the morning isn't it"

  "So, (Y/N), It's your birthday!" Leo plopped down on my bed. I nodded. "And Nico's gone," he continued. His voice was about 10 decibels louder than it needed to be at 8 am. He continued before I could respond. "So today, I will be your substitute boyfriend since ol' Ghosty is gone."

  "Sounds like a treat," I swung my legs off my bed. I dragged myself to my wardrobe and picked out a bikini and a plain sundress to go over it. Leo hovered over me the whole time, dramatically preening over everything.

  "Back off for like 10 minutes so I can get ready, please," I said, waving him off.

  "Fiiiiiine," he moped over to an empty bed and flung himself on it. I stifled a giggle and disappeared into the bathroom. Friends were more than enough when the friends happen to be Leo.

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  More than an hour later, Leo and I emerged from the cabin laughing about some dumb joke He made. We made our way to the beach where everyone else was supposed to meet us. As soon as we were in sight, Percy dashed over and crushed me in a hug.

  "Happy birthday!!" he cheered, swinging me around in his arms. I had to take a moment to catch my breath before responding.

  "Thanks, Percy," I said, still trying to gulp air back into my lungs. Once we made it to the beach, I was mobbed by everyone else (Annabeth, Piper, Hazel, Jason, Frank, and any other CHB friends in or out of the books). Hazel and Leo turned out to be amazing cooking partners and had made a delicious breakfast of all my favorite foods. Blue pancakes were Percy's contribution. We devoured all of it, making jokes, teasing each other, and doing other cute friend group things.

  By 12:30 I decided it was time to swim. I slipped off my dress and shoes, keeping my hat on because it looked cute and summery. Leo whipped out some complicated camera and demanded pictures on the classic swan and flamingo floaties. We piled on, posing and laughing, but there were pauses that should've been filled by Nico.

  Sure, Leo Valdez is a great substitute boyfriend, but he has an actual girlfriend. In most of the pictures, everyone had a significant other to pose with. It left me to wedge myself in where ever. It was so weird to feel like the 3rd wheel again. By weird I mean it felt lonely. It almost felt like I didn't have a boyfriend and I was back to my unlovable self. Great birthday, am I right?

  The day moved on. It was still cheerful despite the missing boy. We had dinner, which was another testament to the skills of my friends. A classic American Barbque with Greek twists. The sun was setting by the time we finished all the food we could. The natural progression of the night where everyone paired off as the light dimmed was happening. Girls tucked under the arms of their boy and whispering together. It was adorable. On any other day, I would've been all over it. Any day I was with my boy.

  I slid the dock and swam out to a rock not far offshore. If I was gonna be alone, I might as well embrace it. I sat back and watched the sky fade from pinks and reds and oranges to purples and blues. The moon came out too soon. Its winking reflection in the water reminded me of Nico. More specifically, the lack of Nico. He loved to be out at night. I know I'm being kind of dramatic about him not being here, but it hurts like being stabbed with one of cupid's arrows. I felt a tear slide down my cheek. I let it. I'm being a baby about it, but I miss him. I think you get it.

  "(Y/N)!" someone called from the shore.

  "Be back in a second," I yelled back over my shoulder.

  "(Y/N), HOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW!" They called again.

  "Give me like 2 seconds," I yelled. Apparently, 2 seconds was too long for whoever it was because I heard someone jump in the water and start swimming toward me. I didn't bother to go help the person, I was in a mopey mood. I turned around when I heard the person heave themselves into my rock. Now take a guess, who it was.

Nico

Di

Angelo.

  "NICO!" I screamed and tackled him. We fell back into the ocean, but I'm a daughter of Posiden so no biggy. We resurfaced seconds later everyone on shore was laughing and Nico was spluttering. I was completely dry, but I couldn't say the same for him. I pulled him easily onto the rock. He was fully clothed, with his dark hair forming a curtain over his eyes. I pushed it out of his face for him, beaming like the sun.

  "Why in the name of Posiden did you have to push me back into the cursed ocean?" Nico shook his wet shirt. He didn't even vaguely sound mad.

  "When did you get back?" I said, ignoring his question, "Also, take your shirt off before you get sick."

  Nico raised an eyebrow, "I got back literally a minute ago and you already want me to undress?"

"I mean, yes, or you could get sick and then I'd have to nurse you back to health." I shrugged. Nico pulled off his sopping black shirt, and I heard someone, probably Leo, whistle loudly from shore. someone else, probably Percy, yelled something about keeping it PG. We ignored both.

  "I missed you," I whispered to Nico as I settled against his perfectly toned half-naked body. He pulled me closer to his chest.

  "I missed you too," he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver through my body.

  "And Happy birthday, mia regina," He put his head on my shoulder.

  I leaned to the side so I could get a good look at his face, "Look at me." Nico complied, so I leaned in and kissed him. More whistling and a few cheers echoed from shore along with some aggressive comments from Percy.

  "DON'T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE, DI ANGELO," Percy yelled.

  I broke our kiss and yelled back, "Cool it, Jackson, let me have my moment." I turned back and kissed Nico on his nose. Eventually, the people on shore left for the night and it was just Nico and me.

  "We should head back before the harpies find us," Nico whispered. I nodded and removed myself from his lap.

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  Nico walked me to my cabin like the gentleman he was. He hugged me close.

  "Ti amo, mia regina, turn around for me," Nico said, I complied and he slide a necklace around my neck, "Happy birthday," he whispered in my ear. His cold fingers sent a shiver down my spine as he clasped the necklace. I took it in my hand to look at it. It was a delicate silver wing. I turned around, beaming, and saw a mirrored version around his neck.

  "I love it, Nico," I hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I better get inside before Percy kills you." Nico nodded, kissed my cheek, and left without another word.  We didn't like to say goodbye, it felt like bad luck to both of us.

Birthdays are a lot better with boyfriends.