"You know, boyfriends are like house." Was the first sentence that left my lips as I sat down at the lunch table in the cafeteria. Piper looked at me strangely, and Reyna nearly spit out her coke. Annabeth looked curious, and Rachel and Hazel giggled at my dead serious face. "What do you mean Nico? I don't think I'm following you."

I laughed and took my spot at the table. It often happened that my thoughts confused my friends, but most of the time Annabeth still managed to follow me. I cleared my throat.

"Well, look at it like this. You choose a house you really like to live in. but some houses turn out to be something you're not looking for. Other houses seem nice at first but turn out to have problems you can't get rid of so you have to move somewhere else. Some houses you think are the ones you want to stay in forever, but that dream can be crushed by some things like rent or other expenses. But in the end, you will find a house you want to die in, and eventually will. It's the same with boyfriends. Just not in, but with."

Annabeth looked at me like I had just uncovered the secret of immortality. The others looked more like a bunch of fish gasping for water. I continued: "Sometimes, you know you can't stay in house, but you still go back to it time and time again. Or you don't want to return to it but somehow you keep stumbling upon it without wanting to. I don't know, but I got distracted during media, so I have no idea how this idea formed in my head."

"What you see here, ladies and gentlemen, is the rare Nico Di Angelo in desperate need of a boyfriend. This species seems aggressive, but is a sweetheart and completely harmless. Don't let the emo exterior fool you." I turned around to see Jason, my nephew, standing behind us, food tray in hand. Leo was behind him, shaking with laughter. Percy was trying not to let the laughter slip past his lips.

Then, my eyes fell upon the guy standing behind my three friends. He was, to say the least, incredibly attractive. Blue eyes with golden sparks, blonde waves that were carelessly brushed away from the face, either out of frustration or habit.

Of course. Of fucking course, today of all days a cute guy had to show up. The day that even talking to my friends left me tight-throated. When the idea of talking to a stranger send dizzying amounts of worry through my mind. I already felt the air reached my lungs with more difficulty.

"Oh, guys, this is Will. He's with me on the football (soccer) team, and I thought I'd invite him to eat lunch with us. Will this our gang of somehow relatives, or friends/partners. The emo kid over there is Nico, as Jason said before. This over here with the air of mischief around him is Leo. Jason is the blonde superman next to you. He's my cousin and so is Nico. Then, the girl with the brown curls is Hazel, Nico's half-sister, and therefore also my cousin. The girl with the blonde curls is my girlfriend Annabeth. Piper is the one with the feather. We're still missing two, Frank and Calypso, but Calypso, Leo's girlfriend, is ill, and I frankly have no idea where Frank is. Have a seat." Percy easily introduced us to Will, but when he invited the blonde to sit down in the spot next to me I snapped my gaze to the green eyed boy, glaring at him whilst trying to get the message across that I absolutely couldn't handle it right now. Of course, he didn't get it.

"Hey, I'm Will, and you're Nico right." I nodded, not looking away from my spaghetti. I twirled my fork through the sauce, no longer hungry.

"Excuse me, I have to go." I stood up, abandoning my tray of food. The courtyard was packed, and I made my way quickly through the crowd. Maybe tomorrow I'd be able to talk to him and befriend him. Just give me one day, to feel less useless.

--

Tomorrow did come. After I'd explained to Will why I had been so rude to him, he forgave me. In a short while we became better friends than most of my other friends. Okay, maybe my feelings weren't completely platonic.

--

It was another bad day. I didn't even attempt to make it to lunch. Instead I left the school grounds, and headed straight to the park. I sank down on a bench looking out over the lake.

Not long after I heard footsteps behind me. "Do you want an apple?" it was Will. Of course it was Will. He always made sure I was okay. "Nah, I'm not hungry. Thanks." I wasn't just thanking him for the offer, but for being my friend. For just sitting there, next to me, just keeping me company. His arm rested on my shoulder, offering a sense of comfort with the simple hug.

"You're welcome. And Nico, sometimes a house invites you in, and wants you to stay no matter what okay."

It was as if he knew. Knew what I was feeling. I raised my head ever so slightly, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I know, maybe I want to stay there."

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