Understanding?

Leo leaned back in his chair; his energy drained after a relentless day of chasing clueless dwarfs. Those fucking Monsters had managed to tie up Piper and Hedge, catch Leo off guard, and even tied up poor Jason like a damn piñata. He had finally, managed to snatch back his tool belt. The mere thought of all the repairs awaiting him was enough to make his head spin.

eyeing Buford, the lazy table that was dozing off beside him, must be nice, he thought, catching some Z's while he was drowning in a sea of repairs.

Leo looked at the Nike statue. The one that's supposed to represent victory and all that jazz. Instead of offering any guidance, it just sat there, staring into his soul, it was as if it were mocking him.

Fed up, Leo pushed himself away from his desk making his way to above deck, hoping to get a bit of fresh air and clear his head.

There, half-dozing against the mast, was Nico. Leo couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Nico, seemingly on the verge of nodding off. It was rare to see the usual grumpy son of Hades looking so relaxed. The moon cast a gentle glow on Nico's pale features, making Leo feel like his insides had caught fire. He couldn't help but think he was beautiful, He quickly tried to brush that thought away hoping to forget it.

He approached him cautiously, not wanting to startle him out of his peaceful state, Leo called out with a teasing grin, "Hey, Ghost King! Taking a power nap, huh? I thought only Hephaestus kids were allowed to sleep on the job."

Nico's eyes flickered open, and a small smile formed on his lips. Wow, Leo thought, there it is again, it was the cutest smile ever. He wanted to keep being the reason behind Nico's happiness.

"Well, I could use some rest after all the excitement today," Nico replied simply.

Leo laughed, igniting an unfamiliar warmth within him. It was refreshing to see this side of Nico, and Leo found himself wanting to know everything there was to know about him. Leaning against the railing beside him, Leo let the cool breeze envelop them.

"Yeah, being thrown across the ship like a ragdoll must've hurt," Leo said, a touch of concern in his voice. Nico rolled his eyes, a mixture of annoyance and amusement in his expression.

"You've no idea; my head's still throbbing!" He let out a small groan as he rubbed the back of his neck in pain.

Noticing Nico's discomfort, Leo suggests "You know, you might feel better if you slept in a bed." Nico gave him a look that clearly said, "Look who's talking" Leo laughed "I know, I know but seriously why don't you sleep in Percy's room?"

Even the mention of Percy's name sent shivers down Nico's spine, and the thought of being in Percy's room again made him cringe. "Because it's not mine, it's his. And just so you know, I'm not sleeping in the sick bay either," Nico retorted, despising the feeling of being treated like a sick person.

Leo's eyes darted back and forth as he thought of a solution. "You can sleep in my room," he proposed. Nico furrowed his brow. "If I didn't want to sleep in his room, what makes you think I want to sleep in yours?" Leo burst out laughing as if it were the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. "Well, it's not even really my room. I practically live in the engine room. Plus, maybe it'll get Piper off my back."

"Um, thank you," Nico said, feeling a bit confused as to why Leo was so willing to give up his room. Leo playfully imitated Nico's awkward pause. "Um, you're welcome."

Things remained quiet for a while, which surprised Nico. Leo wasn't the type to let things stay silent, but Nico found comfort in the absence of words. Sometimes, silence makes things easier. Nico believed people often spoke without really saying anything at all. He supposed that was why he spent so much time with ghosts. They had ample time to reflect on the mistakes made and the unspoken words.

Now, they could offer advice and guidance to the living. He recalled the advice Bianca had given him, telling him that he needed to realize he couldn't keep being mad at Percy, for it was Bianca he was truly angry with.

Bianca had only died once, yet it felt as if he had lost her thousands of times. Every memory of her or his mother served as a painful reminder of their absence. His inability to let go of grudges was his fatal flaw, and the more he fought to bring her back, the further he drifted from the person he once was, consumed by grief.

Gone was the boy who had loved playing Mythomagic, the one who had wished to be a swashbuckling pirate. The reality of living that fantasy was far less magical than he had hoped. Even in the afterlife, some souls clung to regrets and vengeance, held onto lost loves they would never see again. This emotional weight consumed them in both life and death.

Nico didn't want to end up like them, clinging to unattainable goals. He had come to accept that Bianca was gone. But it had taken time, it involved pushing people away and causing hurt to those he cared about. Now, the difficult part was allowing people back in. Nico wasn't even sure he was ready for that, but he had to try, didn't he? He took in the peaceful atmosphere and listened to the gentle rocking of the boat. The salty ocean breeze filled his lungs, it felt liberating, as the quietness always was. Just having Leo's presence, even without conversation, brought him happiness.

Nobody ever really seemed to want to be around him, often dismissing him as the "creepy son of Hades". What made it worse was that he had allowed people to believe that he leaned into it even.

It was just easier to be alone and feared than to let himself believe that someone could care enough to try and understand him. So, he ran, and he kept running, never staying in one place for too long because nothing and no one had ever truly felt like home to him.

Then, a realization struck him. He didn't have to let Leo believe that. Looking at the flame-wielding demigod, Nico noticed Leo's contemplative expression as he fiddled with wires in his hands, a habit Nico had now recognized.

Maybe he could try opening up to Leo? It was a daunting thought, but they had started to build a bond of sorts. Also, they shared the fact that they both lost who mattered most to them. It was a start; something more than he had ever had before, it was hope.

Leo's eyes met Nico's gaze, and Leo let out a small sigh, breaking the silence before asking, "Nico, can I ask you something?" His voice trembled with nervous energy. Nico nodded, wondering why Leo was so nervous when he was usually so confident.