Archive of Our Own

Thirteen year old Nico thought that Percy was his soulmate. Fourteen year old Nico was positive he was going to spend the rest of his life with Percy. Sixteen year old Nico would have done anything for just one night with Percy in any capacity. Twenty one year old Nico was ready to kick Percy out of bed so he could get a proper five hours of sleep.

When he envisioned spending the rest of his life with Percy, it hadn't been as platonic band mates, and he hadn't expected having to share a bed with Percy so they could stay under budget on short trips. He hadn’t expected the soul destroying crush to give away to the easy kind of friendship that years of familiarity creates. He also hadn’t expected to want to kill Percy for keeping him up.

Not more than a minute had passed since the last time Percy shifted to send a message. Nico was beginning to pray to whatever gods had forsaken him that Percy had finally fallen asleep.

Sure enough as soon as he completed his prayer there was a quiet buzz, and Percy’s arm shifted, moving the whole flimsy bed as he reached for his phone.

Nico, who was not known for his self control, kicked Percy.

“Ow! What was that for?” Percy shifted and Nico turned to glare at percy. Which was ineffective because the room was dark.

“Say goodnight already!” Nico fought the urge to kick Percy again, he could envision Percy’s confused look in the dark and it was enough to make Nico want to kick him.

“Goodnight Nico? Why’d you have to kick me if all you wanted was- Ow!”

“Say goodnight to Annabeth! I’m trying to sleep and your texting is keeping-fuck!” A pillow sailed out of the darkness and whacked Nico in the chest.

“Sorry man, I was aiming for Percy.” Came Jason’s voice out of the darkness, “But also you. Both of you shut up.”

Another pillow came sailing out of nowhere and Nico could hear Percy groan as it whacked him full in the chest.

“Nice one Hazel.” Came Leo’s voice.

“Alright that’s it.” Jason’s feet thudded as he got off the couch. “Percy we’re swapping.”

“The fuck we are! Leo kicks in his sleep!” Percy nestled deeper into the bed.

“Nico will kick you awake.” Nico grumbled as Percy tried to use him as a human shield.

“You guys! Stop being ridiculous. Percy, you can have the cot.” Hazel’s feet didn’t thud onto the floor, but he could hear her shuffle over to the bed cautiously. “Come on, but you really should say bye to Annabeth. We have a long day tomorrow.”

“Ugh fine whatever,” the bed shifted as Percy stood up and walked over to the cot. Hazel slipped into the bed next to Nico. Without needing light for it he reached out a fist and felt the tap of her fist against his.

Nico finally sank into sleep. He may not have PERCY JACKSON scribbled across his arm like his fourteen year old self wanted. But at some point between sixteen and nineteen, that stopped being his dream, he was fulfilling a different kind of dream.

As he expected he didn't get enough sleep so the next morning when yet were meeting with the fast talking agent from the record label he could barely keep up. Percy of course had no trouble.

When they needed to suck up to people they sent Jason, when they needed their own interests listened to, they sent Percy.

“Nope, we’re not doing a Christmas album-” Nico tuned out at that, nodding along whenever Percy looked to him for support. The five of them sat ranged around the small desk, and the only one who looked like they were paying attention was Jason, who was probably just trying to make sure Percy didn’t burn any bridges.

After twenty minutes of Percy being Percy, the record label rep just frowned at them, “Fine, please tell me that when you perform at the Grammys you’re wearing tuxes. I heard rehearsals were going great-”

“Nope, we’re wearing suits.” Percy shrugged, “we already have suits. Tuxes would be a whole big thing-”

“Is Hazel going to wear-” he sounded hopeful.

“A suit!” Hazel chimed in, “we’re a band, we’re a unit I have a suit picked out.”

At the rep’s horrified face Hazel grinned wider, “I’m actually thinking of wearing it instead of the dress Calypso got for me for the red carpet part-”

“Speaking of Grammys, we really should be going-” Nico stood up, edging towards the door.

“Please tell me you’re at least considering making a video for I Wish I Could Meet You Soon” the agent asked as they stood up and walked towards the door.

“No.” They replied in tandem, Leo grinning widely as they did.

Their flight from Boston to New York is too short to sleep on. They don’t even bother leaving the airport for their layover, instead they found Annabeth and Piper at the gate. The flight from New York to L.A. is a little daunting, but at least Nico found a way to recuperate from lack of sleep. Frank isn’t hard to pick out of the crowd. He towers over everyone now, and he just waved as they make their way out of LAX.

As soon as they cut through security, they’re swamped with Paparazzi. Their aviators- now their symbol, thanks Leo- protects them well enough from the flashes of camera. Percy surrenders his shades to protect Annabeth as Frank wrapped his coat around Hazel’s shoulders, but they’re getting used to the attention.

“Hey guys. It’s vine time.” Leo said as they sat in the back seat of the van Percy was driving, whipping out his phone as he did so.

“Do we have to?” Nico asked, but Leo was already recording.

“DEMI FUN FACT TIME. If you lined us up by height Hazel would be at one end and Frank would be at the other. Fun fact!” Leo recorded a panoramic shot of the backseat of the van, ending the vine with a shot of Nico rolling his eyes.

“I’m captioning that Demi Fam.” Leo’s fingers flew over the screen, before uploading it.

“Is that what we’re being called now?” Nico grinned, “Wait is Calypso taller than you?”

“When she’s wearing heels she is.” Leo grinned at Nico, “but man oh man those heels.”

“Gross! There are small impressionable young adults in the car!” Percy shouted from the driver’s seat.

“He’s either talking about Frank and me or Nico. Either way I’m offended.”

“That’s the title of the fourth album.” Jason pointed at Hazel with his arm wrapped around Piper, “that right there.”

“Frank and Me or Nico?” Leo asked, “Or ‘Either way I’m offended.’”

“I thought the next album was going to be ‘Piper’s our lawyer now and our contract sucks less because of it.’” Piper winked at Leo, “you know, due to the contractual obligations I’m going to put in it.”

“You’re a defense lawyer,” Nico shot in, hating how much he loved van banter.

“I’ll defend you all from the world-”

Piper was cut off from the groans of the rest of the group as she chuckled into Jason’s arm.

The subject changed six times by the time they managed to get to Calypso’s house in the hills, but the Paparazzi hadn’t stopped following them. They stopped at the gates that swung open to let the van drive through.

The paparazzi were still shooting photos as Calypso ran out of her front doors and towards the van. Leo flung open the doors while they were still moving, which Percy responded to by swearing and stomping on the brakes. They all slammed forward in tandem but Leo who was already half way up the walk.

“It’s been four days since they saw each other-” Frank said, mostly in disgust as Nico wanted to point out that it’s only been a week since Frank saw Hazel, yet he hadn’t let go of her once since they left LAX.

The paparazzi snapped photos of Calypso leaping into Leo’s arms and Leo responding enthusiastically. Nico rolled his eyes again and slammed the door shut so Percy could drive the few feet to the front.

Frank was nice enough to grab Leo’s bag as they all stepped out of the car. By the time they stood in front of her, Calypso was nervously throwing her hair over her shoulder as she smiled at everyone, thankfully on her own two feet although her hand was still clutching Leo’s.

“How was the charity show in Boston?” She asked cheerfully.

“It was great- thanks again for letting us stay here before the Grammys.” The ever wonderful diplomat Jason leaned in for a hug, and Calypso continued the trend, hugging every last one of them as they each awkwardly offered thanks. Calypso hugged Percy and Annabeth at the same time before wrapping Nico in her arms. Nico tried not to wince at the nicety. He hated hugs but Calypso was ‘Demi Fam’ and if he didn’t hug her the paparazzi would eat that up. Soulmateless Nico Rejecting Newest Member of the Fam!

“Welcome to Ogygia!” She stood back, and gestured towards the door, “come on in!”

Nico trailed in after all the couples, the signs that Leo had made Ogygia his second home where everywhere. Scorch marks on otherwise pristine furniture, dubious snack foods in the pantry and the car in the garage was half dissected. Other than that the place screamed wealth and power- in the same way his apartment in New York did. He doubted the couch in the living room had ever been sat in before Leo came flaming into Calypso’s life. Not that she seemed to mind having the overactive engineer on her hands.

Calypso was such a gracious host that there was a housewife in the 50’s who was shimmering with pride. They were each shown to rooms that were already set up for them, with mints on the pillows and fluffy towels in the bathroom. Leo had argued that they wouldn’t want to stay in a hotel just before the awards because the Paparazzi would have an easy time of camping outside their doors. But staying in Calypso’s home was comparable to a full service hotel. She even had servants although he wasn’t sure if they existed because he hadn’t seen them in person. There was no way that she’d set up everything, then made a three course meal that made Nico see heaven, and keep the house spotless.

“Seriously though, my compliments to the chef-” Leo groaned from the floor in front of the high backed chair Calypso was sitting in and currently rubbing his stomach with her feet.

“So there is a chef right-” Percy looked around, “you do have servants right you’re not just crazy awesome at all this stuff-ow! What is it with the Percy abuse?” He rubbed his side where Annabeth had elbowed him.

“I cooked all the food but I had servants for the other stuff.” Calypso nudged Leo in the side, “I like feeding people- it’s fun.

“You’re a really good chef,” Nico was the only one other than Calypso sitting upright in his chair, because he was also the only one who had manners. The rest of them were slowly collapsing into each other like putty.

“Okay it’s betting time. How many times tomorrow do you think someone’s going to ask about Nico not finding his soulmate-”

“Ten! I’m putting fifty bucks on ten times!” Percy made an aborted attempt to dig out his wallet. “Realsies I have fifty on ten-”

“I’m going to go with twenty, they’ve gotten really annoying plus the whole Fam will be in residence-” Leo was playing with the friendship bracelet on Calypso’s leg, which made them the most adorably gross couple in the room.

“Can we not with the fam thing?” Nico wanted to slouch into his chair and die of embarrassment.

“I think all the reporters will know why we’re there- to win awards and look good doing it. I’m going to go with zero-”

“Glad to be taking money from you Grace-”

“Alright that’s enough,” Hazel stood up from her couch, “we’re all on team Nico here-”

“Thank you-”

“And we should be betting on how many times Nico gives someone a death glare for daring to speak to him-” Leo interjected.

“And we should probably go to bed! We have a long day tomorrow,” Hazel tugged on Frank’s arm, “Dinner was lovely Calypso.”

They all grumbled thanks as they struggled out of their various seats, heading towards the sprawling rooms.

Nico was thankful for the end to the betting, it was becoming painfully obvious how much of a 9th wheel he was. He hadn’t cared as much when Leo was sad and alone as well. Leo had been much louder about being sad and alone then Nico. Now as the only one who wasn’t in a relationship, his casual indifference smacked a lot more of sad depressing loneliness.

Which it definitely wasn’t. he thought defiantly as he curled into a ball under the thick covers.

“Do you remember Will Solace?” Percy asked around noon, the scattered remains of In & Out on the kitchen island.

A memory lept into his head from when he was thirteen and awkward. Sitting at the edge of the fire and watching Percy lead the campers in camp songs. His mind filled with awkward and embarrassing song lyrics that would never get transferred to paper as an older kid from another cabin sat next to him. His blonde hair was bright in the firelight as he tried to start a conversation. Shocked and a little terrified, Nico glared at him until he went away. Or at least tried to, the kid sat there for the rest of the evening.

“Vaguely?” Nico supplied.

Jason sucked in a deep breath.

“What?” Nico asked, looking between Jason and Percy- who was frowning slightly.

“Will Solace was in love with you.” Jason finally said, scrunching his nose slightly as he said it, “I spent half a summer trying to get you to notice him.”

Nico had the sudden memory of being left in a canoe with a golden haired boy who didn’t stop talking as they rowed around the lake for an hour. Nico was pretty positive he had spent the whole time thinking about Percy’s hair. How Nico hadn’t died from post crush embarrassment was a surprise to everyone involved, especially Nico.

“Yeah okay?” Nico supplied, while shrugging, “and?”

“And-” Jason started but Percy held up his hand.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s in the past now, but Will just got a residency at an hospital in Manhattan. I’m going to call him and tell him he can stay at our place until he finds an affordable place.” Percy walked away, dialing as he did so. Leaving Nico alone with a slightly concerned looking Jason.

“What?” Nico sighed more than asked, and Jason just shook his head before frowning again. “Please Jason, just say whatever is on your mind.”

“It just really sucks for Will, he um, he really wanted to be your friend,” Jason shrugged.

“Wasn’t he closer to your age?” Nico tried to remember, but only hazy details came back. He had multiple friendship bracelets on one arm. Nico had sullenly compared it to the one Jason had given him on the first day of camp.

“Yeah, but you were-” Jason scrunched his nose again, searching for the words, “-such an angsty little shit. No offense.”

“None taken,” Nico glared.

“You were all ‘waaah no one will ever want to be friends with me or love me waaaah’ and there was a kid who was dying to get to know you, that whole crew was dying to get to know you- Lou Ellen and-” Jason paused but Nico had no idea what he was talking about, “sometimes I think that you being alone in a cabin with us was the best thing that ever happened to the three of us- the seeds that became a lifelong friendship. It was also probably the worst thing that ever happened to you.”

“How could it- we’re up for three Grammys!” Nico gestured to his phone where he’d been reviewing the other nominations, “we’re actually a favorite to win one of them too!”

“Yeah but, when is the last time you talked to a friend who wasn’t in the fam?” Nico really hated the ‘fam’ thing.

“When was the last time-”

“Dude I texted Reyna this morning to tell her that-”

“Ugh fine, I get it.” Nico glared at Jason but Jason just looked more concerned than insulted. “I wouldn’t worry about it. The best thing that ever happened to me far outweighs how nervous I was around other people when I was thirteen.”

“Hey beautiful,” Piper swept into the room wearing a silk robe, and Nico almost rolled his eyes until she continued, “And Jason.”

“Someday, Nico’s eyes are going to roll out of his head,” Jason wrapped an arm around Piper’s waist and pressed a kiss to her jaw, “is this what you’re wearing? Because I like it.”

“No, Calypso got me a dress- some big name designer. She got us all dresses- it’s dress city in there, what are we talking about here?” Piper ran a hand through Jason’s hair and Nico felt a familiar twinge of jealousy. Not that he wanted to be running his fingers through Jason’s hair, but generally he wouldn’t hate running his fingers through someone’s hair.

“Will Solace, from camp, got a residency in New York. Percy is letting him stay at the townhouse.” Jason leaned back so Piper could steal some fries. She’d been the only one who liked them.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, everyone always talked about the tiny kid Will Solace had a crush on, was that-” she gestured towards Nico with a fry.

“Apparently.” Nico supplied, “Alright now that we’ve discussed a summer eight years ago in stunning depth, I’m going to go get into my suit.”

“Joke all you want but you were the Percy to that kid’s Nico!” Jason shouted after him, Nico held up his middle finger as he walked away.

The limo ride to the Grammys felt more like the limo ride to prom- not that Nico would know, he spent his prom at home watching horror movies. Leo and Percy kept snapping selfies, and there was a last minute makeup emergency as Calypso discovered a hickey high up on her thigh, where her dress slit started. Piper and Annabeth helped her as Leo looked smug and Hazel looked horrified.

They managed to get down the carpet without any great disasters either. The women all looked fantastic, as their outfits had been handpicked by Calypso. The men looked alright, it was hard to stand out in a suit. They had followed Calypso’s directions to a T (gotten hair cuts the week before and didn’t scuff up their suits after putting them on) which meant they were slightly more pretty than usual. Every few feet they were asked to do an interview, where Jason would loudly start talking about something else whenever soulmates were brought up. Each couple posed for photos (more like prom) and then the “band fam” took a huge picture together by photobombing Calypso who burst into laughter.

They sat down and politely witnessed the start to the Grammys, letting cameras get close to their face while they politely pretended not to notice. Then came the hard part. They were all rushed backstage, seat fillers dropping into their chairs as they walked away. Backstage was a madhouse, but most of them thrived in madhouses. They quickly changed into their concert outfits, which they’d purposefully made easy for Hazel so she wouldn’t be the only one changing her clothes backstage. Hazel’s suit- which was her usual A-Line skirt under a white button up shirt and a black suit coat- meant that she only had to change her tie just like the rest of them.

Their own instruments were in the Brooklyn Townhouse on the other side of the country, but the instruments laid out for them were state of the art, covered in the color scheme of the show. The Grand Piano worthy of it’s name should’ve been a pleasure to play, but he missed his keyboard that he’d gotten as a I-support-your-life-decisions present from his dad.

“Ready to go to your marks?” A woman with a headset asked them, “you have two minutes-”

“Yeah, okay, we’re almost ready,” Percy spun around to face the rest of the band.

“Band huddle?” Leo estatically leaned forward, the rest of them following suit more out of habit then desire.

“Okay, you guys. We’re about to play two songs at the grammys, but let’s remember we’re only doing this for our fans-”

“Woo fans!” Hazel and Leo said in tandem, before fist bumping each other.

“Yeah, and the people we’re playing for are a bunch of hacks and con artists with autotune equipment-”

“Except for the artists that we respect-” Jason interjected.

“Holy shit is Adele here?” Percy looked around for a second, “holy shit you guys I’m about to sing for Adele.”

“Weren’t you just trying to stop our nerves-” Nico’s fingers pinched the bridge of his nose, as Leo chuckled.

“Okay right, don’t be nervous. Adele probably isn’t here anyways.” Percy shrugged like he believed it, but Nico grinned anyways. Which was probably what Percy was going for.

“Um, Demi?” The lady asked, and Percy held up a finger, still leaning forward and gazing intently at the rest of the band.

“We’re the classiest, prettiest and bestest band in the world, and we’re about to own this shit.” He stuck his hand in, and the rest of them put their hands on top, “one, two, three, go us!”

They did it every night before stepping out on the stage, and every night it only temporarily held back the wave of nausea and fear that swelled within Nico. They stood behind the curtain as the lady made a sweeping motion towards the stage. Just as they had leaned forward together, they all pulled on the Aviators at the same time. The stage was dark as they moved to their marks and settled at their instruments. Nico fought the urge to let his fingers play across the keys a moment early, just a quick chord to get a feel for it. They’d spent most of last week rehearsing, he knew the instrument as well as he knew any other piano he’d played in the past.

On another part of the stage, some actor was introducing them, and within a second, the light shined down on him.

Terror swelled up, as the spotlight focused on Nico and only Nico, but he breathed and let let his fingers press down on the keys anyways.

Just like every night, the terror dissolved instantly. He knew this. The piano was an extension of him, and without even thinking too hard about it, his fingers played across the keys. They altered the intro to the song just for the show, for a moment Nico played alone, the hook to Sorrow Becomes My Best Friend echoed alone in the hall.

Percy stepped out of the darkness behind him and the spotlight split, as Percy started to sing, if Adele was there, she’d be impressed. Nico glanced up at Percy who was stroking the edge of the piano as he stepped across the stage, giving Nico’s teenage angst the kind of life that lived on for centuries. The spotlight split again as he stepped past Hazel, who started hitting the bass in time with the rhythm. Percy kept walking, the spotlight splitting again as it hit Leo and Jason, right on cue to jump in and round out the first chorus.

Nico could’ve played the song in his sleep, but he kept his eyes on his piano, his eyes only flicking up to the rest of the band for quick moments. Jason was entirely focused on his guitar, his fingers flying across the strings like he was born with it in his hands. Leo was grinning out at the audience- doing multiple things at once as per usual. His eyes flitted over to Hazel, who was smiling at her drums, her eyes lifting up to meet his, and her smile widened.

Nico couldn’t help but smile back before looking back down at his piano. With the terror gone, he could admit that playing the Grammys was a little awe-inspiring.

He schooled his face back to his usual poker/grimace that Jason teased at every opportunity.

Nico looked back at Percy to follow his cue, Percy had moved back to his usual spot, in the center of the stage between Leo and Hazel, not in front or behind them. Glancing over to him, Nico could see hints of why he’d fallen so hard, there was the voice, which was indescribably beautiful, even when most of their songs required him to be gravely, there was the hair and the fingers that couldn’t help but run through it, and then of course that face.

Nico shook his head, grinning again as he looked down at his piano, but then there were those corny jokes, the inability to take anything seriously coupled with the strong hatred of authority that reared it’s head in odd ways, the weird obsession with the color blue, and also the undeniable fact that Percy wasn’t Nico’s type. At least, not anymore.

He pulled his hands off the keyboard at his cue, the combination of Piano, Bass and Guitar dropped so Hazel could play the drum heavy intro to Are We? as Percy didn’t miss a beat, his voice going from sad yet optimistic, to optimistically terrified. The hundreds of covers Nico had heard since they released it couldn’t quite pin it down. The anxiety of not knowing, versus the desire to stay forever ignorant.

But Percy’s voice wasn’t alone, a melodic and beautiful voice had joined in from somewhere else on the stage, and Nico’s eyes flitted over to Calypso. She had a full wardrobe change from the long red dress she’d worn on the carpet, a green dress that made her look like a princess. Her friendship bracelet clad ankle peaked out of the high slit as she walked towards them, her voice was in perfect harmony with Percy but her eyes were on Leo. She and Percy did a little half dance, more like a synchronized sway, that they’d practiced while holding In And Out burgers that morning.

Nico was happy that Are We? won out over Going to Make you Regret Leaving Me even though the most “anti-soulmate” band was in fact, playing two songs about soulmates. This night wasn’t a half baked revenge towards an absentee parent who wouldn’t care. It was celebration of their band, and the one award they were probably going to win.

The song drew to a close, and Calypso stepped away, towards her own edge of the stage, as the darkness fell on them again, a man appeared out of nowhere and sat next to Nico, seamlessly jumping into play Freshly Fallen Snow, Calypso’s latest hit full of vague- but pretty- metaphors. The first time Leo played it for them, he’d leaned in and said “do you wanna know what this song is about?” And Nico decided instantaneously that no, no he did not.

They were rushed off the stage and given their old ties back, it was easy enough to switch as they wandered through the maze that led them back to their seats. After a few minutes Calypso joined them, the green dress replaced with a blue one as she slid into her seat next to Leo.

The unrelenting tide of awards were slowly but surely presented, as the ceremony shifted to the rock section, where they were up for best song and best album. They were also up for best song of the year, but Nico knew that it was more of a general nod towards their music, they weren’t actually going to win. Calypso only had an nomination for Best Record for Freshly Fallen Snow which, when he found out Leo just grinned wider, he had leaned forward to tell Nico something, but Nico had just shoved his face away.

They were positive they were going to win Rock Song of the Year, Sorrow Becomes my Best Friend had been at the top of the rock charts for almost six months after slowly working it’s way up the numbers.

So when another band’s name was announced, they all sat there in shock.

“Polite clapping, polite clapping” Jason muttered almost instantaneously after, Nico was happy he always looked angry because he was pissed but no one would accuse him of being mad at the results. They’d practiced the polite clapping over their burgers as well, so the rest of them began to clap with gentle smiles and nods. Hazel was the only one who was sincere.

It was few moments before the cameras abandoned them to find future losers, and Percy had enough tact (probably because Annabeth was gripping his leg) to wait until they were gone to lean forward and say “Psh, these awards are for hacks anyways.”

Nico nodded, frowning as Calypso made a snarky response.

It didn’t matter, there was always next year.

If there was a pool at a party, Percy was going to get into the pool. It was inevitable. Like pet people wandering off to find the animals at parties, or vegans announcing they were vegans. It did not bode well that the fancy party they’d been invited to had a giant pool in the back, and Percy’s self control had already been lowered from trying to pretend like he wasn’t an asshole all night.

Nico could see Annabeth gripping Percy’s arm like that would stop him from getting into the huge infinity pool. Nico shifted on the lawn chair he’d taken over, moving The Two Grammys between his legs as he did so.

“There you are,” a voice said behind him, causing Nico to freeze in confusion. He shifted in his seat to turn and look at the man approaching him.

“Dad?” Out of habit, his mind skittered back to the last time he saw his father. He’d shown up at one of their concerts on their summer tour- no wait, he’d seen his father at Christmas time. He’d shown up for dinner on a tuesday a week before Christmas, and given Hazel and him their yearly presents. He’d even gotten one for Frank.

“I heard you might be here,” hi father gracefully fold himself onto the lawn chair next to nico’s, his cold dark eyes glittering as they searched the crowd.”and your sister-”

“She's inside,” Nico pointed vaguely over his shoulder towards the house, or the mansion rather. His father didn’t move from the lawn chair, he continued to stare at Nico with a thoughtful look on his face.

“Your mother would be very proud of you Nico,” Nico sucked in a breath, not sure what to say. The last time his Father had brought up his mother was the night Hazel’s mother left them.

“Would she?” Nico asked, dying to ask a million questions. His father was a slowly moving turtle when it came to talking, you couldn’t ask him questions, you had to let him go at his own pace.

“When I was a young man, I was in Brussels for work, when I went to board my plane back to New York, there was another plane flying to Rome at the same time. For some reason it felt important to go to Rome, so I went. I walked out of the airport and into a cab and requested the closest bar with the best music. I walked in and she was sitting at the piano, playing some song that she’d written- I never did get her to record that one- she looked up and smiled. And at that moment I was happier than I’d ever been in my entire life.” Nico tried to remember his mom at the piano. There was one photo of the four of them sitting at a piano, his mom’s hands wrapped around his chubby baby arms, helping him play as Bianca laughed and his father smiled over them.

“Dad-”

“I never thought I would meet my soulmate, but I never quite managed to have a life before she came along. I just worked and worked and worked. She lived her life. She’d traveled the world and made long lasting friends. She’d been in Rome a week and was already known to be the best piano player in the city.” Hades reached forward and patted Nico’s hand, “I’m just glad you’re more like your mother than me.”

“I don’t feel like it,” Nico frowned down at his father’s hand, “I feel like all I do is work.”

“Your work is very different from mine, you travel the world- or at least the United States so far- with your closest friends and your little sister. You’ve become more acclaimed as a pianist then your mother- she always wanted to play Madison Square Garden, and I always told her that pianists don’t play Madison Square Garden, yet I have a ticket to see the greatest Pianist in the States play there next week.” Nico’s heart caught in his throat.

“You’re coming to see us next week?”

“I figured it was about time that I saw you perform. It’s been awhile hasn’t it? I’ve been meaning to go to one of your concerts for years now. I saw you perform with that Jackson boy and Jupiter’s son with Hazel. But I had a lot on my mind then.” It’d been their first gig that they’d gotten because of notoriety and not because they begged the venue to let them play. Hazel was days away from turning seventeen and needed a chaperone in the bar. Hades had spent the whole time arguing with whoever on the phone. “And I had arrived late to the show in Nashville. I do frequently listen to your music while relaxing. I do love the one where you sing about corporate greed.”

Nico smiled at that, the grin overriding the lump in his throat for just a moment.

“Ah yes, there’s your mother’s smile. I saw it earlier tonight when you were playing. I wish I saw it more often.” Hades patted Nico’s hands before standing up. “Congratulations again on your awards, from what I hear they’re quite substantial. I’ll go find your sister now.”

As quickly as he appeared, he was gone, leaving Nico with a small smile at the edge of the pool.

A loud splash had him turning to see Percy in the pool, suit and all with Jason shouting at him from the edge. He smiled wider before schooling his expression down to go make fun of Percy, who was now swimming in circles leisurely.

He may not have many friends, but the ones he had were good.

Hey he texted Reyna as his sheets twisted between his legs in bed. Within seconds his phone was vibrating. He slid the phone on.

“What’s wrong, who is hurt? are you okay?” Reyna rattled off the questions rapidly, as if she was going to personally jump the next transport from whatever military base in the world she was at to check on him.

“Everything is fine, it’s just been recently pointed out to me that I-” have no friends? Is awkward as fuck?

“You can’t listen to mom-friend. You know yourself the best and you also know that most people are assholes.” Nico loved that Reyna never needed background knowledge, she could just know what was happening from tones. “I mean granted you’ve pushed away people in the past-”

“Like who?” He thought about camp and the first few weeks when everyone seemed to avoid him, then how he avoided everyone in return.

“Will Solace-”

“Have you heard of the Baader Meinhof-” Nico interjected, groaning as he did so. He was so tired of Will Solace and he hadn’t even seen him in years.

“Yeah, also I had drinks with him last night, and he mentioned that he was staying with Percy- or at his place anyways. Maybe it’s time for you to make a new friend.” Reyna sounded a lot more like Jason then she’d like, Nico refused to point that out.

“Do you mean make a new friend or get laid?” Nico never really thought about dating before meeting his soulmate, it seemed that no one would want to date him anyways.

“The boy would choke on your dick-”

“No, no no please don’t no. Stop- also you’re in New York?” Nico rushed to interrupt for multiple reasons- mainly that his old babysitter talking about choking on dicks was a bit too much for him.

“I’m already gone, just a quick weekend visit. I would’ve gone to LA but you seemed a little busy. Congrats by the way.” Reyna sounded proud, which made Nico smile.

“Thanks.” As soon as Nico said thanks, “wait did you just call Jason the mom-friend?”

“Think about it.” Reyna’s order had a hint of laughter in it. Nico took a second to contemplate it.

“Oh my gods, Jason is the mom-friend.”

“Yeah, and Percy is the Dad-friend.”

“Oh my gods.”

“Yeah, sit with that for a moment. I’ve got to go, my flight is boarding. Bye.”

“Bye,” Nico said to the deadline, Reyna had hung up immediately. Nico tossed his phone to the side before rolling off of the bed and heading towards the living room.

The rest of the band was in various states of hung over, draped across furniture like Victorian women. Calypso was humming as she cooked something in the kitchen, the smells wafted out and Nico had to fight the urge to go hover over her shoulder to see what it was. Instead he plopped down on the couch next to Jason. He heard the sound of a oven shutting before Calypso walked out to join them. She wedged herself in the armchair next to Leo, who looked more than happy to be partially sat on.

“Alright, so time for a Townhouse vote, I’m thinking we should rent out the guest room to Will-”

“Seriously, can we not go five minutes without bringing up Will Solace?” No paid attention to Nico, Percy just kept talking about renting out the room.

“All in favor,” Percy raised his hand, quickly followed by Annabeth, Piper, Jason and Leo. “Calypso, do you not want Will to stay at the townhouse?”

Calypso looked up from where she’d been playing with Leo’s hair, “what? I get to vote?”

“Yeah, you’re a resident of the townhouse too.” Percy’s voice had a hint of explaining something very clear to a small child.

“How am I a resident of the townhouse, I’ve been there once since you guys moved in-”

“Ow.” Leo clutched his chest with one hand, “she cuts me deep you guys.”

“No! I mean I just didn’t realize I count as a resident, we haven’t done our commitment ceremony yet,” Calypso wrapped her arm around Leo who just groaned into her shoulder, “of course Will can rent the room.”

“Ugh, I’m going to have to get you all commitment ceremony presents aren’t I?” Nico grimaced, and Jason flung a pillow at him.

“Anyways, if Will is staying at our house-” Percy started with a grin. Nico just groaned and sank deeper into the couch, pushing away Jason’s hand as he ruffled Nico’s short hair.

“Stop trying to set me up with Will-” Nico glared at Percy and Jason in turn.

“I was just going to say that our townhouse is an easy commute to the hospital he works at.” Percy leaned back in his chair, Annabeth rolling her eyes next to him.

“Well our apartment is even closer,” Hazel smiled widely and innocently. “Maybe-”

“Nope, the last thing I need is someone who is going to complain about us playing piano and drumming at all hours of the night,” Their neighbors were all the type of people who owned expensive apartments in Manhattan that they never stayed at. It worked well for their tendency to use their instruments to work out their feelings.

“I like it when you guys play music,” Frank had stretched out on the floor behind Hazel, who was nudging their Grammys across the coffee table.

“Anyways, he’ll have more fun at the townhouse.” The idea of a guy near his age, who had theoretically been into him at some point, staying at his apartment, filled him with a type of terror that was filled with optimism. He didn’t like it.

“Yeah, the townhouse is always a party, they all met up to watch us win the grammys,” Percy flashed his phone around, and Nico saw Reyna with her arm around an attractive blond guy wearing scrubs. His heart fluttered in his chest so he forced himself to look at the rest of the photo. Thalia was double fisting beers in front of them and he could see Grover doing a handstand in the background, “they all say congrats by the way.”

“Tell them we say, thanks,” Jason leaned forward and grabbed one of the Grammys, to hold up, mimicking the way he’d done it the night before, with the prepared speech they’d made for the one they thought they were going to win, “we couldn’t have done it without them-”

A harmony of groans rose up, and Jason ducked before the pillows could hit him.

After a day of relaxing in Calypso’s house, it was time to go do the media blitz associated with the ramp up for their new tour and the album they were theoretically in the process of writing. There was months before their tour actually started, but an endless number of reporters had to ask if I Wish I Could Meet You Soon was ever going to get a music video (to which Nico always aggressively thought, it’s a two year old song, why do you want a video?) and if Nico was sad and alone.

Which is exactly what happened the morning before their Madison Square Garden show.

“But you haven’t met your soulmate yet? How does it feel to be the only member of the band who hasn’t met their soulmate?” The reporter asked, after a series of questions about daily life in the biggest band in America, about their creative process, and about the nitty gritty details of the mates the band members already had.

Nico could feel all of his band members reel back, he didn’t have to look over to see the burst of concern on Jason’s face, or the glee on Percy’s, because his bandmates knew how close he was to snapping.

“Lady,” Nico started, Hazel’s hair brushed his shoulder from where she shook her head right next to him, “you are completely missing the point of our music.”

“How-”

“Half of our songs revolve around the importance of fulfilling your own dreams and not sitting around waiting for another half to come along and complete you. Does it suck sometimes that I’m the only one who hasn’t met my mate yet? Yes. But it also sucks when Percy eats all of the fruit loops on the bus or when Leo accidentally sets my jeans on fire. But when I was fourteen I wrote a song and last week it won Song of The Year. Are you telling me that I’m less of a person because I did that without a soulmate?”

Her mouth dropped open and closed like a fish, so he pressed on.

“Yes, I haven’t met my soulmate, but I have four amazing band members and friends, and I just won two grammys. My life is pretty great right now. Someday I’ll meet that special whatever and that will be cool too, but not having a soulmate does not invalidate my life right now.”

It felt good to say it, it felt even better to see the shocked look of horror on her face.

“Anyways,” Jason, the mom-friend and eternal peace keeper, jumped in, even as Percy fist bumped Nico and the reporter tried to recover, “We’re very excited to start working on our fourth album.”

The reporter shook herself out of it and started asking questions about the album, Nico smirking the whole while.

“Unnecessary-” Jason started as they filed out of the studio, the entrance devoid of fans who probably thought they were coming out of the other side.

“She was pushing me! Besides, I’m really tired of everyone implying that I’m useless because I’m alone-” Nico flung up his hands in exasperation. He was one of the best pianists in the world and all the reporters wanted to ask him who Sorrow Becomes my Best Friend is about.

“That’s not what she was implying-” Jason was hurrying to keep up with Nico who stepped into the crosswalk as the light changed.

“It was! Ohh poor Nico, so sad and alone-” The pain was a sudden explosion up his side, followed by the jarring swirl of lights and sound. There were shouts somewhere nearby, but all Nico could see was the blue sky between towering buildings. His bandmates swirled into view, mixed looks of horror and shock on their faces.

Nico couldn’t quite register what they were asking, but he could register the pain. It felt like his leg had been snapped in several places. His arm was raw from hitting the pavement. His head felt fine but the sudden image of his sister- not Hazel but Bianca- lying still in the street with blood streaked down her face rose in his mind.

The world went dark.

He came to in the middle of Percy- who was definitely the dad friend- ranting.

“-can we sue his ass to hell?”

“Who drinks and drives, let alone in the middle of the day-” That was Annabeth, Nico had the sinking suspicion that the entire band fam was in his hospital room.

“We can definitely sue him, I know a few lawyers-” if that was Piper, then he was definitely surrounded by his loving family and friends.

“Get out,” Nico coughed, as he opened his eyes to see that in fact, everyone but Calypso was in his room. If Calypso hadn’t been in L.A. she’d probably be there too.

“Dude, seriously, you’re going to be salty with a broken leg?” Jason asked, as if he didn’t know that Nico was more salt than human at this point.

“All the more reason to tell you guys to get out, you should all be getting ready for the show tomorrow while I try to get out of here in time-” Nico paused as Percy and Jason shot each other looks. “Have I lost a day?”

“You’re definitely not playing tonight,” Percy’s attempts at gracefully telling someone something they didn’t want to hear was still awful apparently.

“I have to play it’s Madison Square Garden!” Nico tried to sit up, but pain sprung through his leg and side, he looked down to see his leg had been wrapped in a cast and elevated. “I’m not even that hurt! Percy had worse when he fell off that cliff-”

“I stayed at the hospital for a week after that. And you should too. We were just coming by to check on you before the show, your health is more important than the music.”

Nothing was more important than the music, but he knew saying that to Percy’s face wouldn’t end well. The best way to get around Percy was by letting him think he’d won.

“Fine-” Hazel’s face screwed into a concerned look, and Nico scrambled to cover in a way that wouldn’t rouse her suspicion, he’d have to fight a bit longer, “I’ll rest until the show-”

“The show is in an hour, Frank, Annabeth and Piper are going to stay here with you while we perform, and we’ll be right back here. Don’t worry! You need to rest up-” Jason gestured as Nico registered the newest barriers to his hospital break.

“Yeah, and Leo has it all set up, we’re going to play your recordings, normally we’d try to play it live but no one is quite as good as you-” Hazel patted his hand sympathetically.

“Frank, Annabeth, and Piper can go with you guys, it’s fine, I’ll just stay here and watch-” he looked at the TV “-well not that, but something.”

Nico crossed his arms, suddenly aware that his dominant arm was wrapped in gauze and felt like hell. He tried to maintain his authoritative look without wincing at the pain. “Besides, I’d rather be alone right now.”

That was something they’d buy. They had hour long rest stops on tour so Nico could wander off by himself for a minute. He’d hit the target he knew would make them leave him alone so he could make his escape.

After that it was just a matter of getting them out of the room, the band kept doubling back to check on him, or ask a question before they finally left to head to the venue.

As soon as the door clicked behind Jason, Nico counted to one hundred, keeping his eyes trained on the TV as if he was watching whatever was on.

And one hundred he thought with a grin as he tugged the sheets off of him with his good arm. Frank had left a pile of baggy clothes for Nico that would fit over his cast. Nico could see that it was a pair of jeans he’d worn his his “baggy punk” phase in high school, along with a loud hawaiian shirt he’d gotten when he had to go to Puerto Rico with Reyna for a relative’s funeral. Not exactly what he imagined wearing to Madison Square Garden but it would do.

He pulled his leg out of the sling, thankful that the IV drip had been unhooked during the back and forth of his band members coming and going. He pulled the heart rate monitor off his fingers and hoped that the nurses would be ignoring his station. His whole body ached as he sat on the edge of his bed for a moment and closed his eyes. He sucked in deep breaths and trying to get the willpower to step on the cold floor.

“What are you doing?” A voice asked, and Nico’s eyes snapped open.

His arm felt warm under the bandages, and a dizziness swirled behind his eyes as he locked eyes with the blond man in front of him. He wore a long sleeve shirt under his scrubs that matched Nico’s bright shirt. His scrubs were the same plain blue as the rest of the hospital staff. His hair was long enough to curl around his ears and look entirely too attractive for one person.

“I’m just-”

“Percy told me you might break out, to which I responded ‘but Percy! He had a compound fracture and enough stitches to build a doll’ do you know how annoying it is when Percy is right?” the man strode over to the heart rate monitor and stuck it back on Nico’s finger.

“Yes, I know how annoying- listen I have to get to Madison-” Nico knew exactly how annoying it was to have Percy be right. But the guy wasn’t having it.

“The hell you are,” the Blonde guy strode in and started making shooing motions towards the bed. In the fluorescent lighting of the room, it sunk in why the guy knew Percy.

“Will?” Nico asked hoarsely.

“I refuse to find it weird that it took you so long to recognize me.” Will pointed towards the sling, “now get your leg up-”

“Wait no, my mom never got to play at Madison Square Garden.” Will stopped at that and looked at Nico who just frowned up at him, “she never was famous enough-”

“Dude, you’re going to have another shot to play at Madison Square Garden, it’s just a sports-” But Nico cut him off.

“The band could break up tomorrow, or people could suddenly decide that they don’t like us- whatever, it doesn’t matter. My mom always wanted to be famous enough to play at Madison Square Garden but she never got the chance.” Nico frowned, wishing his puppy dog eyes were as good as his sister’s. “Please?”

Will looked torn for a moment, hesitating as he frowned down at Nico’s decidedly wrecked leg before looking back at Nico, “okay fine.”

Nico scooted towards the edge of the bed, but Will poked a finger into his shoulder, “but I’m going with you and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

We’ll see about that Nico thought smugly, before letting Will help him to stand up.

Twenty minutes later, after Will (who apparently had come over to Nico’s room as soon as he clocked out) was sitting in the cab next to Nico.

“No seriously you don’t have to-”

“So your performance at the Grammys were awesome, I mean, the way you rearranged the song. And of course Percy killed it but your piano skills are always amazing-”

“We could just drop you off at-”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile before but you guys did great and of course you deserved all the awards. All of them. You should’ve won country, rap and blues albums of the year-”

And so it went, the entire way to the venue Nico attempted to dissuade Will from following, but Will just kept talking and complimenting Nico, blinding him with his shiny smile whenever Nico looked at him. Nico could feel the heat rising in his face and elected to stare stonily out the window until they got to venue. Will continued to insist on Nico using a wheelchair that he’d stowed in the back of the cab. They dodged fans to get through the back entrance. They sped through the labyrinth of hallways to find the rest of the band, Nico gripping the arms of the wheelchair as they did so.

The band was huddled just beyond the curtain, just like the did before every show for the pep talk. Which normally was for Nico’s benefit. No matter how far they came, Jason and Percy never forgot how terrified thirteen year old Nico had been just moments before the talent show. Which was equal parts embarrassing and supportive.

“Are you freaking kidding me? What part of ‘Make sure he stays in the hospital’ didn’t make sense, Solace?” Percy stood upright as Will pushed Nico’s wheelchair in-between Hazel and Leo.

“You didn’t warn me to avoid the puppy dog eyes, how was I supposed to hold out against that?” Will didn’t step back, Nico could sense him standing right behind him, still holding on to the handles.

“I thought a grown man and a resident could say no to a invalid in a sling.” Percy rolled his eyes but leaned forward to start the huddle again.

“To be fair he was out of the sling by then.” Will couldn’t help but interject, Nico avoided Jason’s grin.

“Alright, I guess we’re doing the old plan again, Nico- slightest bit of discomfort and you’re leaving, Will’s going to stick nearby the whole time. Who are we doing this for?”

“The fans!” Leo and Hazel said in response, as always, Nico thought as hard as he could For Mom but didn’t bother to speak it aloud.

“And who are we?” Percy asked, pointing to Jason.

“We’re the classiest, prettiest and bestest band.” Jason parroted, smiling widely.

“And what do we do?” Percy pointed at Nico.

“Own this shit,” he said dryly, fully aware of Will snickering behind them.

“Hands in-” Will rolled him forward so he could reach, “one, two, three go us!”

They flung their hands upwards, and just like always, they strode out onto the stage. A stagehand was frantically moving the keyboard lower, as Will rolled Nico towards it. By the time he was set up, the terror hadn’t risen in his chest and the rest of his band were holding their instruments.

“-And we’re Demi!” Percy said as the crowd roared, his introduction now a finely tuned cue. Nico leapt into the music, the nerves completely avoided for once, even as his neck burned at being seen in public with a cast that went from toe to thigh.

Just like always, the music took him away. Percy crooned into his microphone, Hazel beat out everything on her drums, Jason’s fingers were electric on his guitar, and Leo was the most fidgety of them all.

He was three-fourths of the way through the concert before he realized Will was still standing behind him.

Nico had to actively ignore him at that point. The realization that the man who apparently had a crush on him for multiple years was just standing over his shoulder as he played to thousands of people made him feel anxious and calm all at once. Will had a calming way about him, he was like a sunny afternoon that made Nico want to curl up under a window and nap for a few hours.

After a song wrapped up, Percy shifted towards Nico raising an eyebrow at him, and Nico wondered when he’d become so close to Percy that they could have a conversation without words. He thought again of the years that he conflated his ability to read Percy with love and affection, and now knew it was just affection. He nodded, poising himself in front of the piano.

“Alright, you’ve been an amazing audience, and Nico withstood getting hit by a drunk driver- don’t drink and drive by the way- to get here tonight, so we’re going to share with you the first song off the fourth album that we’re working on-” Percy shot a look at Nico, triple checking he was ready, before looking back out at the audience, “-this one goes out to Maria di Angelo.”

Nico leapt into playing the song, it was a piano heavy song, with the guitar and the bass doing more to accentuate then stand out. Nico had joked months ago that the song would have to be in Italian, but his voice would never do her justice. Instead he wrote it in english so Percy could belt it out.

He had tried to make it a happy song, her life had been a happy one, she’d always been happy- but it came out more bittersweet. It was a song of mourning for a person who was extremely missed. It helped to think of his dad, somewhere in the audience, listening and thinking about his mom.

It was over much quicker than he thought it’d be. He only dimly registered the standing ovation and the cheers, Will’s hand was warm on his shoulder as Nico pulled his hands off the keys for a moment.

Jason kicked off the next song, and Nico delved right back into playing music.

The band wouldn’t let Nico stick around after the set, most of them made loud complaints about the fact that Nico had been thrown 30 feet the day before and should be in bed resting but Jason had added several raised eyebrows and nods in Will Solace’s direction.

Nico let Will wheel him back to the room, the exhaustion of the day overtaking him.

“Okay, I’m going to change the bandages on your arm and then you mister, are going to bed.” Will announced loudly as Nico slapped his helping hands away and pulled himself into his own bed.

Will just rolled his eyes and strolled to a nearby cabinet, leaving Nico to look at him. He’d heard at length that finding a soulmate was like turning around a corner and finding a new best friend. He’d always wanted to turn that corner alone, but Will was nice, Will was hot, and Reyna’s words flitted through his mind maybe it’s time for you to make a new friend (while studiously ignoring the part where she suggested Will wanted to choke on Nico’s dick.)

Will pulled up a chair in front of Nico, cautiously cutting away bandages as Nico stared down at the fluffy blond hair, “So, Will, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to get a drink sometime?”

Will’s only response was a choked off gasp, which had Nico looking down at the arm he didn’t want to see. It looked as shitty as it felt, patches of stitches across the expanse- someone had told him his shoulder alone looked like it’d been clawed by a werewolf- but in between the raw road ripped skin was bold black letters, in a doctor’s scrawl.

“Wait, what does that say?” Nico looked closer, it was hard to read and he was suddenly feeling horrible for making fun of Percy for not being able to read Annabeth. He had a soulmate and he didn’t know the dude’s name. He looked up to see Will staring at him again, “What?”

Apparently the appropriate reaction to that question was for Will to pull off his shirts, the scrubs and the long sleeved shirt it covered. Nico opened his mouth to say something but all the words that could’ve possibly came out died on his tongue as his eyes skirted across Will’s chest to see the familiar scrawl on Will’s arm. The looping letters that formed NICO DI ANGELO- complete with the little line he’d always used instead of a dot over the eyes.

“What” Nico repeated, grabbing Will’s arm with his undamaged arm. “Are you kidding me”

“I freaking called it,” Will’s eyes shone with pride as Nico’s eyes flitted back down to his own tattoo. He could see the general shape of letters that could possibly write out WILL SOLACE

“When did you call this?” Nico asked, as Will quickly wrapped up Nico’s arm, taking the tattoo out of Nico’s sight, “You didn’t say anything all night that indicated-”

“No, when I met you, you were lost and skulking outside of your cabin because Percy and Jason had fallen asleep without showing you where the bathrooms were, so I walked you to the outhouses and you grumbled the whole way. When I went back to my cabin that night I said to myself, that kid is my soulmate I just know it.” Will’s smile could’ve relit the sun if the sun had died.

Nico tried to remember, he had a vague memory of feeling abandoned, and a kid whose hair shone in the dark walking him the ridiculous distance to the outhouses, smiling and chattering the whole way.

“You knew then?” Nico tried to remember if Will had stuck out in Nico’s mind, he was just a comforting presence that Nico had long since forgotten.

“Yeah, a soulmate is someone you feel comfortable with, and I’ve never felt awkward around you- nervous most definitely, especially when you got hot-” Nico blushed at that, but Will kept talking about listening to his music while studying, and following his career. Nico just thought of earlier that night, when no pre-show butterflies had appeared.

“So, yeah,” Will said, putting the last bandage on Nico’s arm, before grinning up at Nico.

Nico let impulse carry him, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Will’s lips, Will just smiled before pressing upwards. It was an innocent kiss, the leg cast and the persistent pain kept Nico from tugging Will into the bed, but he smiled into it, nonetheless.

The night Percy penned the song was the night they came up with the video. But the only problem had been that they’d all been single at the time. Leo joked about it, he wasn’t even an official band member yet, that someday they’d randomly drop a music video to a fifteen year old song.

The opening riffs to I Wish I Could Meet You Soon played across the speakers as Nico watched, the video already steeply climbing in numbers of views and downloads. It opened on the five of them leaving the recording studio they’d did their second album in, tugging on jackets to brace against the mid February cold. The snow participated with the shoot, and it made it look dreamy and otherworldly. Nico had pointed out during filming that they’d recorded the album in the spring, but everyone hushed him.

Percy started singing towards the camera, walking carefully as they traipsed across Brooklyn. They walked through the park, where Annabeth sat in the garden, studiously writing and looking down as Percy strode past her. They turned a corner as the song approached the first chorus, Jason stepping past the steps of the police precinct as Piper strode down the steps, she high fived Leo and kept walking. They kept walking as Percy sang. At some point in the second verse they walked past a cafe, as Frank strode out, his phone out and texting as Hazel had her own phone out, smiling.

Leo paused the group to take a selfie, and as they kept walking Calypso appeared, stepping out of a limo in a long gown and smirking down at her phone before looking away and walking out of the shot.

The last shot was near the townhouse, the five of them walking as Percy sang, Will walking past them in his scrubs. Everyone but Nico, who had to look elsewhere greeted him as he did so.

The video drew to a close the same way the song did, with Percy quietly singing, “I wish I could meet you soon.” He grinned at the camera, and the five of them continued around the corner, talking and shoving at each other as they had for the entire video.

The replay button appeared on a frozen frame of the five of their backs, Jason’s arm slung around Nico’s shoulder, Hazel clutching his free hand with her own.

“I like it,” Will muttered into Nico’s shoulder, and Nico didn’t bother to respond. Will was two seconds away from sleep. The residency kept him busy far longer than it should, and Nico didn’t want to deprive him of one moment of sleep.

His phone rang, Percy’s name appearing across the screen. He rushed to silence it and instead accidentally answered it.

“BRO I GOT IT!” Percy’s voice came loud and clear down the line as Nico tried to hush him. “No, you shush, listen to this. Let’s name our next album soulmates, and everyone will think we’ve sold out- but then all the songs on the album will be the same as always, about like- corporate greed and stuff and our parents. The point being that we’re the same even though we have our soulmates-”

“Yeah, sounds great, leave me alone.” Nico hung up on Percy and flung the phone towards the couch that graced one wall of his room.

“You’re gunna break your phone babe-” Will muttered into Nico’s good shoulder, as Nico just ran his fingers through his hair.

“It’s survived worse,” Nico muttered, and Will shifted, throwing his leg over Nico’s good leg and burrowing even deeper into Nico’s side.

Nico smiled into the darkness, and let sleep overtake him as he laid in his soulmate’s arms.