Backstage

NicoWhen Reyna disappeared through the theatre's exit, the first thing Nico did was to check his breath.

As far as he knew, he had pretty good hygiene. It couldn't possibly have been bad breath, since he didn't have that.

Leo and Clarisse were gaping at the slammed door, both of them unable to speak. Percy and Jason burst through the curtains, followed closely by Annabeth, Hazel, Frank and Piper. Calypso appeared beside Leo, taking his hand in hers.

"What just happened?" Jason asked. "Where's Reyna?"

Nico unfroze. "She just. . .walked out. I don't know why."

"Oh gods," Piper breathed, looking extremely worried. Then she shouted, "Leo Valdez!"

"What?" Leo said, jumping in his seat.

"What did you make Reyna do?"

"Nothing." Leo bit his lip. "We were just rehearsing the wedding part. Nico was supposed to kiss her but she —"

He did not continue, but Nico got the message loud and clear. Kissing Nico wasn't part of Reyna's plan. She didn't want to do it.

A mixture of guilt and hurt boiled in his stomach. He was afraid of the reasons behind those two emotions, but he was willing to find out. And there was only one way.

"Hey, I'm just going to check on Reyna for a sec," Nico told his friends. "I'll go talk to her."

"Be careful," Clarisse grunted. "That girl can slice your face off with one move."

"Er, thanks." Nico stared at their uncertain expressions. All of them seemed to have considered Clarisse's warning. They looked like they were seeing Reyna turning Nico into strips of bacon. "Be right back, guys."

Nico dashed off the stage and got out of the theatre. A blast of cool, fresh air met him as he stepped out into the open. Since the theatre was built inside Camp Half-Blood, snow didn't fall. The surroundings were as bright as ever. He scanned the area for some sign of Reyna, but he found none. He decided to scout the perimeter first.

He was about to start walking when he bumped into the giant trash bin. It moved a little, and he caught a glimpse of Reyna huddled behind it.

Careful not to make any threatening sounds, he approached her. She had her face buried in her palms, and she didn't even look up when she said, "Don't."

"That's unfair," Nico said. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth for a reason he didn't know about. He ignored her warning and settled himself beside her. "You want to talk about it?"

"No." Her muffled, childish tone made his heart do some cartwheels. "I don't want to talk about it."

He sighed. "What do I always say?"

"If you don't use your voice, you're halfway to Asphodel already." Reyna's head shot up. Her eyes were red and puffy. "That's what you always say."

The smile melted off Nico's face. "Reyna, why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying!" She wiped at her face furiously. A tear leaked out from her eye and onto her cheek, which was pretty much a giveaway.

"What's wrong?" Nico asked urgently. He raked his hair in frustration. "Is it — do I have bad breath? Tell me!"

Reyna's lips started twitching, as though she was fighting a smile. "You don't have bad breath, Nico. That's not the reason I'm crying."

"So you were crying."

"I didn't say that."

"You just did." Nico leaned against the wall and challenged her with a stare.

She was the first to drop her gaze. "Don't push it, di Angelo."

"So, are you going to tell me or not?"

"I guess." She sniffled. "But promise me you're not going to laugh."

"I promise."

"Okay, here it goes." Reyna sighed deeply and said at top-speed, "I don't want my first kiss to be staged."

He was stumped, heat creeping up his face. She hasn't kissed anyone yet, like him. The hurt he felt a while back started to vanish on the spot, replaced completely by guilt. He looked away, unable to speak. He wanted to say a lot of things, but he couldn't muster enough courage to say all of them. His heart was threatening to spontaneously combust.

Beside him, Reyna stared off into the distance. "It's stupid, I know. It's just that I. . . I want it to be special. Something I could look back to and be happy about."

Nico swallowed. Before he lost the little guts he had, he said, "I wouldn't mind if you were my first kiss, even if it's from a script. As long as it's with you, it's bound to be special."

Reyna was silent for a long time. Nico got nervous. He didn't want to wreck their potential relationship before it even started.

Wait, did he just say potential relationship? Holy Hera, he's going nuts.

"I'm sorry," he said hastily to Reyna. "That was insensitive. Forget it."

A smile stretched across her lips. "It's okay. I wouldn't — I just want it to be — ugh. I just really want it to mean something." She rolled her eyes. "Great, now I sound like Piper."

"Yeah, just add some major squealing and you'll be just like her," he teased, giving her a playful nudge.

Reyna laughed. The sound filled him with warmth like ambrosia. Then she became sad again. "And there's another thing. I wasn't really bothered before, but now. . ."

"Yeah?"

"When I talked to Aphrodite in Charleston, she said that I will not find love where I wish or where I hope." Reyna looked him in the eyes. "S-she told me that no demigod will heal my heart. I'm. . . I'm scared."

Nico wanted to hug her right then and there, but he might earn a javelin in the gut, so he just put his hand on top of hers. She stiffened, but she didn't jerk away.

He met her gaze. Her dark eyes were wide, and he was surprised that for once he could read her emotion. At that moment he could see just how scared she was. He wanted to make her feel better.

"I have to agree with Aphrodite," Nico said quietly, squeezing her hand. "You can't just make love pop up when you want it to. It just comes. And," he paused, intertwining his fingers with hers. She stared at him like she's clinging onto every word he said. "No one is worthy enough to have the honor of healing your heart. You're the only one who can do that."

Reyna was silent again. This was one of those frustrating moments when he can't read anything from her expression. He might as well be studying a brick wall.

Then, she smiled and gave him a punch in the arm. "Where did all that philosophy come from, di Angelo?"

"Oh, I get philosophical once in a while." He waved off her question. She laughed. "All thanks to you."

"But seriously," she said as he squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"So, you okay with going back inside now?"

A look of uncertainty passed over her features. "But the scene —"

"We'll fake the kiss." Nico smiled reassuringly. "Just trust me."

"Okay," she said, slowly breaking into a grin. "I trust you, Nico."

A chill that had nothing to do with the cold air went up his spine. "I won't fail you," he promised.

"I know."

Smiling, Nico stood first and helped her up. He held out his elbow in an old fashioned manner. "Shall I accompany thee, my lady?"

She gave a tiny curtsy, the kind that princesses do all the time. "Why, yes, my good man."

They laughed and walked back inside the theatre arm in arm.

[Song: I Wouldn't Mind by He is We]