The Wants of a Young Demigod Heart (Nico di Angelo, Leo Valdez x OC)

Back to New York

Author's Note: I decided to do two chapters in one this time! Enjoy!

Nico POV

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Oh. My. Gods. Chey is now dressed in a Greek style dress. The white fabric goes all the was down to her knees and there is a golden belt where her sword is hanging. The dress isn't very low cut, but it has very thin sleeves. Then her hair has been brushed to perfection, letting what used to be a kinky mess in a ponytail flow down her back in tight curls.

"I can't believe this!!" Chey yells shrilly.

"You look great!" Abigail tries to smile.

Chey's face turns murderous. "I look like a princess. I don't want to look like a princess!"

"It's not so bad," Merrily coaxes. "You can change!"

"Don't you remember?" Chey scowls. "I don't have any clothes! I gave my bag to Ryan!"

"Right." Merrily chews her bottom lip. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"I already said a prayer to Hecate, asking her to cover your new outfit when you go back," Leo offers. "I think it worked, so let's bring Kenzi back and then we'll see about it."

Chey leads Kenzi back into the barn. Hecate apparently did her job, because Connie didn't seem to notice a thing. Chey smiled broadly again and she looked even prettier now that she had Aphrodite's blessing.

Well she looked perfectly pretty until we left the barn.

"Ugh!" she scowls. "Abigail, your mom is a nutcase!"

"Careful," I warn. "Gods are pretty testy."

"You be careful," Merrily admonishes. "You can't go around calling gods testy."

"Watch me," I frown. The walk back to Festus is a stony silence, save for Chey sighing while readjusting her huge sash. I still can't help but think she's pretty, even though I have a girlfriend. Why isn't Leo or Ryan affected? Like why me? Haven't the gods punished me enough? Honestly....

We decide (read: Chey told us) to stay in New Jersey for the night and we could leave for New York tomorrow. Leo said that we're going to have to stop in town for some supplies.

As we're going to bed, I vaguely see Merrily trying to kiss me, but I accidentally-on purpose turn my head. I don't know why. Why don't I want to kiss her. I kiss Merrily on the cheek and lay awake. Not that I want to sleep anyway. The longer I'm away from camp, the worse the nightmares get.

So I decide I'm not going to sleep tonight and walk over to a nearby tree. Which already has someone under it.

"Can't sleep?" Leo asks me casually.

"What are you doing up?" I frown at him.

"I can't sleep," Leo grins. "See, usually when someone says "can't sleep" in that tone—"

"I get it, I get it!" I say quickly. "Why can't you sleep?"

"As if someone as hot as me needs to sleep!" is Leo's reply. I groan. If this is what I gotta be up with all night, I think I'll take Tartarus dreams.

"Dude, stop grinning," I scowl. "It's weirding me out."

"That's the point," Leo grins.

"Yeah, but it's not natural," I reply.

"To be this hot? Yeah, I know."

"Not that—"

"My awesome personality?"