Behind the Scenes

NicoNico felt almost sorry to say goodbye to his puff-sleeved shirt. That's how happy he was.

He felt a strange tugging sensation in his chest as he watched the black velvet curtains swaying slowly to cover the stage. The audience was still shouting even as they disappeared from view, but Leo's yelling was hard to miss.

"Well done, people!" he cried through his megaphone. "That was amazing, seriously."

"Yeah!" Frank punched the air. "I didn't screw up!"

"That's right, Zhang," Leo said, looking at them with pride. "Maybe we can call ourselves the McShizzle Babies and do Miss Saigon next," he added thoughtfully.

"Uh-huh, but I'm done being a woman," Percy said darkly, giving Clarisse a nasty look. "Gods, that was mortifying."

Connor stepped forward and clapped Percy in the back. "It's okay, Perce. You make a very pretty nurse."

Percy glared at him, but Connor just snickered.

"Yeah, it's okay, Percy." Leo waved airily. "Your video will not spread that quickly, you know."

"WHAT?!"

"Anyway," Leo continued. "Seriously, you guys are good. Especially our star-crossed lovers here."

Every head turned to Nico and Reyna's direction. Nico became aware that his fingers were still laced with Reyna's. Apparently, she became aware of that too, but she didn't drop his hand. Her grip didn't even loosen.

Nico felt as if a thousand butterflies decided to live inside his stomach.

Leo smirked. "Right. I think everybody will agree with me when I say that the kiss was awesome."

The cast started hollering, Jason even whooped. Piper looked like she was close to fainting.

Though the said kiss was faked, Nico's face still burned. He remembered how close they had been, how good her breath felt against his skin. . . and just how amazing the whole thing was. Oh gods, how he wished it was real. Why on earth couldn't it be real?

Immediately, he mentally punched himself for thinking that.

Reyna smiled at them. "Yeah, yeah. All part of the play."

"So, how did it feel?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Did Death Boy do it right?"

Nico pushed Leo. "Watch it, Valdez. Or I'll stick my sword in your nose."

"Tempting offer," Leo replied with a lopsided smile. "But kidding aside, you two were great."

"I told you!" Hazel rushed over and gave them a rib-crushing embrace. Piper and Jason joined them, then Frank. Soon, both of them were overwhelmed. "You two are so amazing!"

"Group hug!" Annabeth cheered. The rest of the cast and crew put their arms around each other, making a big, slightly deformed circle.

"To the McShizzle Babies!" Leo said, pumping his fist in the air. Everyone followed suit as they broke apart.

"I'm not sure about McShizzle Babies, but yeah!" Calypso yelled.

Frank jumped up, making the floorboard creak. "Party in the Big House, everyone?"

With a shriek, the crew raced to the exit. Nico got bumped a couple of times as the people filed out, leaping and repeating their lines. He even heard toasts like, "To puffy shirts!", "To poems!", and "To dudes dressed as girls!" Reyna and Nico, however, made no move to leave. They were standing in the middle of the stage, about two feet away from each other.

"So. . ." Reyna started as the theatre was emptied.

"So. . ." Nico repeated. They both laughed, which broke through the almost tangible awkwardness between them.

He was staring at her, watching as she swayed hypnotically on her spot. Even the fake blood stain in her dress couldn't ruin the image. His brain literally acted on autopilot when he first saw her in this dress a while ago. He said all his lines, but all he thought of was how absolutely beautiful she looked. Now that they were alone. . .

Nico spoke at the same time Reyna did. "I want to say —"

"I'm just going to —"

The awkward aura came back. They both laughed nervously. "You go first," Reyna said.

"Okay." Nico scratched the back of his neck. Was it really this hot in this place? "I just want to say that you're — you're even more stunning in that dress." His cheeks were shaking in the effort of keeping a casual smile. "And you were saying?"

She grinned. "Well, I was about to ask you if you want to go to the party."

For some stupid reason, his heart sank with those words. He hated to admit, but he was expecting something much more than just a party invitation. He shifted uneasily. "Well, and I just want to say congratulations. You know, for the play," he said.

Okay, his words couldn't have sounded more stupid.

"Congratulations to you too," she replied, lowering her gaze.

Silence. They were both staring at the floor like it held all the answers for life's greatest mysteries. It seemed like a contest for whose face was redder. Finally, Nico stepped forward. Unfortunately so did Reyna. She ended up stepping on his big toe.

"Ow!" He flinched and hopped around in one foot.

"Sorry!" she cried and followed him as he leaped around. She put her hands on his shoulders and steadied him. "Did it really hurt that bad?"

"Yeah, but —" Nico stopped short. He realized that her face was inches from his, and suddenly his toenail didn't feel so cracked anymore. "I'm — I'm good now."

She should've stepped away, but she didn't. She was looking at him right in the eyes with a soft expression. "Thanks for faking the kiss for me," she said in a low voice. "I'm really thankful."

Nico didn't speak. His heart was slamming on his ribs with extra speed, and every contact with her seemed to leave brands on his skin. He remembered everything they had been through, all the things that only she knew about him, all the things he would've shared, if only they had more time.

She, along with the Roman party, would be going back to Camp Jupiter after New Year. This might be the last time he'd see her in a long time, if not the last time ever. She would go on with her life, maybe meet new people, and eventually forget about him, about them. And now she was too close he couldn't stand it. He wanted to say it all but his brain refused to cooperate. He knew he would choke up, he was never good with feelings. And so he let his heart take over.

Nico dipped his head and poured out all his emotions in a kiss.

Reyna's hands tightened on his shoulders, and for a moment he thought she was going to judo-throw him. But eventually she laced them behind his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave away his feelings for her in that moment.

It could've been an hour, a whole day, a glorious month, a year. . . Time flew so fast, like places flicking past from a bullet train, one image firing after the other. Nico was vaguely aware of the New Year fireworks exploding outside, because his very own fireworks were banging in his head, much louder and much more colorful. Time slowed down to a stop, and they broke apart.

He was breathless. He was still holding on to Reyna as if any moment she might disappear. He looked in her eyes, willing to get lost in them any day.

He opened his mouth to speak, and words didn't fail him this time. "Reyna, I l—"

But Reyna pressed a finger on his lips. "Nico, whatever you're going to say," she said as she reached out and touched his cheek gently, "I feel it too."

He smiled. He felt as if the butterflies in his stomach were having a dance party. "That was the best onstage kiss in the history of mankind," he said.

She laughed. "And it was."

Nico stared at her, carving the memory in his mind. Both of them were still dressed as Romeo and Juliet, the two lovers against all odds. For the first time he let the story sink in, and he couldn't help think that in a way, minus the suicide misunderstanding part, they were like Romeo and Juliet.

But Nico di Angelo didn't need to be in character just to fall in love with Reyna Ramirez-Arellano.

[Song: Won't Stop by One Republic]