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‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But that experience still hurts. I know it would have been a while before I felt comfortable enough to come out to Jason, but it still should have been left up to me. It should have been my choice.’
‘It is unfair when we are coerced to reveal ourselves,’ said Gorgyra. ‘This is why it is important that whatever souls share with me is freely given.’
‘Consent,’ said Will, nodding. ‘It helps people feel safe.’
Gorgyra tipped her head to the side. ‘Nico, I wonder … why are you tellingmeall this? You do not know me at all, and you are corporeal. You are not a lonely soul in the Acheron.’
‘Well, I figured you could be trusted,’ Nico said after some thought. ‘I mean, most gods and immortal creatures aren’t homophobic. Howcanthey be after being alive for so long?’
‘Like my dad,’ said Will. ‘He’s fallen in love with people of all genders.’
‘Exactly,’ said Nico. ‘Plus … you’re all the way down here, Gorgyra. Homophobia? In the land of the dead?’ He scoffed. ‘Itjust seems silly to judge a person’s sexuality when they’re dead.’
Gorgyra’s face glowed with satisfaction. Her dress flowed and whispered, like voices calling out. What were they saying? What were they asking of Nico?
He thought he knew.
‘I finally got to make the choice myself,’ he said. ‘I mean, it came about because of a misunderstanding, but, still, I chose.’
Will squeezed his hand. ‘The date.’
Nico looked at Gorgyra. ‘I asked the satyrs and nymphs at Camp Half-Blood to set up a picnic for me and Will. I thought that’s how you were supposed to do it! That’s how it is in the movies. You make these intimate romantic gestures, and everything goes as planned, and –’
‘And then the satyrs accidentally orchestrated a camp-wide coming-out party for Nico,’ finished Will.
Nico groaned. ‘Gorgyra, I thought they were going to set up the food in some out-of-the-way grove in the woods, so imagine my surprise when I pass the dining pavilion on a regular Thursday afternoon and there are flower wreaths hanging everywhere. Picnic baskets at every table. The nymphs are dressed up in their finest greenery, and Juniper greets me with a crown of holly!’
‘You looked so cute in that,’ said Will.
‘And then they sat me at the head table, and I still didn’t get what was going on. I worried I was going to be late to my picnic with Will!’
Nico glanced over and was surprised to find his boyfriend glowing again. Not as brightly as before – more of a soft aurora flickering over his body. Nico worried that Will might be wasting precious energy, but Will’s skin no longer looked waxy. His face was no longer sickly and pale.
So Nico kept talking.
‘When all the campers had gathered, Juniper announced that it was a special day. I had an announcement to make. Mind you, I wasterrified. I had finally realized what they’d done, and even though it was an honest mistake, I was still upset. This wasn’t what I’d wanted!’
‘But you went through with it,’ said Gorgyra. ‘Why? What changed?’
Nico was quiet for a moment. ‘I decided I could own it,’ he said. ‘Do it my way. I could not only tell Will that I was gay and that I liked him, but I could telleveryone. If I was going to stay at Camp Half-Blood, I needed to know that I could be myself there, that I didn’t have to hide in the shadows all the time.’
‘You do like the shadows, though,’ joked Will.
Nico nudged him with his shoulder. ‘Shush. This ismycoming-out story, Will.’
‘I mean, it’s technically mine, too!’
‘That’s true.’ Nico smiled at the memory. ‘Some of your cabinmates wereveryshocked by the revelation.’
‘Not Kayla or Austin, though. They were thrilled, but they’d both noticed me staring at you multiple times.’
‘What was it like, Nico?’
The question from Gorgyra caught him off guard. ‘What was what like?’
‘The moment. Revealing your truth.’
He gazed back at Will, into his warm blue eyes.
