TW AND CW: mentions of violence, mature jokes, severe swearing

Austin and Kayla were sittting on the carpet in the Apollo cabin, clearly trying not to laugh.

"What's up?" I asked, walking inside.

"Anything you'd like to tell us, William?" asked Austin, smirking.

"Uh..." I said, thinking back to if I had done anything out of the ordinary today. "No?"

"Really?" said Kayla, with a raised eyebrow.

"Really."

"Alright," said Austin with a shrug. "Guess we can chat about your, *ahem*, close friend later."

I turned red. "He's not my boyfriend, Austin!"

Kayla turned to Austin, then to me. "We never said who. And we never said boyfriend."

My face couldn't have gotten any redder.

"You look like you're about to pass out," said one of the younger campers from across the cabin.

"Thank you for that very valid statement," I said, internally groaning.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," said Kayla, patting my arm. 

"And, by the way," added Austin. "He would totally go out with you. I've met like 20 kids at camp asking me if I could ask you out for them."

I blinked. "First of all, we're not even friends. We're close acquaintances. Second of all, 20? Really?"

"Maybe 17," said Austin with a shrug. "I dunno. But just talk to Nico."

"I have no choice," I said. "He's my literal patient."

"Which is why you invited him over for Netflix night?" said Kayla.

"How'd you find out abou-" I started, then stopped. "Nevermind. I learnt to stop asking a long time ago."

"So what's the plan for today?" asked Austin. "You told him what time, right?"

"No."

"Why the heck would you do that?"

"I panicked!" I said frantically. "I'm not a people person!"

"You are!" corrected Kayla. "You talk to everyone. Like- everyone."

"Not everyo-"

"What's their name?" asked Austin, pointing to one of the newest Apollo campers.

"Alex," I said instantly. "I met her last week, of course I remember her."

"Think about what you just said, Will," sighed Austin. "We, as your half-siblings understand that thinking may be a little hard and time-taking process for someone like you, bu-"

"Oh, shut up."

One of the little kids gasped. "He said a bad word!"

I blinked.

"You'll hear plenty more bad words in your lifetime, kids," said a voice from the doorway. "Mostly from me."

I turned to look up.

Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Nico," I said, waving.

He waved back, leaning against the doorframe.

"Go on, William," said Austin teasingly. "Nico, I'm sure William here wouldn't mind having a wonderful chat with you."

"William?" said Nico, with a raised eyebrow.

"Austin is crazy," I clarified.

"Ok." Nico put his hands in his pockets. "Well... Netflix?"

"Yup." I stood up and gestured for him to follow me to a secret door we had hidden in the corner of one of the beds.

I swing it open and stepped inside the secret room.

It was a beautifully lighted room with fairy lights strung all around it. Dried flowers decorated the walls. In the middle was a giant sofa. Leaning against it was a enormous collage of almost every Apollo camper.

*the reminisence*

"I expected something more mysterious," said Nico, glancing around. "But this works."

I nodded. "This wasn't my first choice either. I wanted a library. They wanted Netflix. I was outvoted."

"You wanted a library?"

"Medical library," I added. "Not all conditions are on Google. Especially when it's a magical injury. Like one time, I remember that one kid got stabbed with a magic blade right in the guts- but I won't tell you something as... gory as this."

"Please, continue," said Nico with a slight smile.

"Sorry, I don't want to vomit on the new TV," I said, sitting down on the sofa.

Nico took a seat next to me.

I picked up the remote and turned it on, switching to Netflix.

"Alright," I said. "What are we watching?"

As we chatted and scrolled to the Netflix shows and movies.

"Ooh!" said Nico, grabbing my arm to stop me from scrolling.

I admit, I got a little tingle where he touched.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas," he said.

"Well, we are getting close to Christmas," I agreed. "It's only a month."

Nico nodded. "Can we watch it? It's the best movie there ever was."

I blinked. "But when did you watch it? Weren't you living in a hotel for 80 years of your life?"

"Don't even," grumbled Nico. "I'm technically 87. It's 2010 and I still sorta think the president is Roosevelt."

"Wait- which Roosevelt?"

"FDR."

"Dang."

"Wait- wasn't the other Roosevelt older than FDR?" questioned Nico.

"I dunno," I said with a shrug. "I've never paid attention in history class."

"Wait- he was the teddy bear guy!" 

I nearly choked on air. "I'm sorry?"

"Teddy Roosevelt!" said Nico, looking very happy that he remembered the 'other Roosevelt'.

"You mean Theodore-"

"Same difference!"

I rolled my eyes playfully and turned on The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Kayla and Austin being Kayla and Austin interrupted the middle of the movie to give us what they liked to call "romantic popcorn". Specialty of the Aphrodite cabin.

I am proud to say neither of us trusted it enough to eat it.

When the movie was over, it was almost dinnertime.

"Alright," said Nico, getting up. "That was fun. But I gotta go. See ya."

He made his way to the secret door, when I called out, "Nico! Wait..."

He turned back. "What?"

I strode up to him and ruffled his hair. 

He glared at me. 

I snickered. "Ok, I'm a billion feet taller than you. It's just fun to do it. You know- just pat you on the head."

I swear I heard him mutter. "I hate Apollo kids," before walking out of the door.

I turned off the TV and walked out as well, seeing Kayla and Austin staring expectantly at me.

"Well?" demanded Kayla. "Did you two kiss?"

"No, Kayla!"

"Did you two have some other fun?" Austin inquired.

"AUSTIN!"

"Just asking."

"But...?" Kayla said. "How did it actually go?"

"We chatted a little and watched our movie," I said. "That's it, really."

"Aww..." sighed Austin. "I kinda wanted Solangelo to sail."

"For gods sake, Austin," I groaned. "We're friends! Nothing more!"

"But you totally have a crush on him," added Kayla.

I hesitated, long enough for Kayla and Austin to scream an "AHA!"

"I'm following Nico's philosophy," I grumbled, walking out of the door and towards the dining pavillion. "'Just ignore those bitches and go eat dinner, already.'"

Hope you guys enjoyed this long chapter :/

Anyways, thx for all the reads :)

- Jui W.