To be honest...I had no idea what to do and I was panicking.

How could I show him something that would really blow his mind?

I mean, he had a freaking tail! How was I supposed to show him something amazing and beautiful and fun when he would always be the most gorgeous thing in the room?

I sighed. It was hopeless. I needed help.

I turned back to Percy. "I'll get you some clothes to wear and I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" I told him.

"Sure." He answered

"Can you-do that-" I tried to explain, gesturing to the platform.

"Oh, yeah sure," He replied, shooting me up out of the water and onto the platform.

As soon as I left the water I was instantly dry again, including all my clothes.

"Nice!" I exclaimed. "Thanks!"

"No problem," He called back, grinning. "See you soon!"

I walked along the platform, trying to act casual, but as soon as I was out of his sight, I ran down the stairs and into the corridor.

It was time to call on backup.

"Hazel," I called "Hazel, can you get Silena? This is a crisis! I need their help immediately!"

"Okay, okay Nico, calm down," she yelled back

"So Silena will help me?" I asked

"They will do whatever I tell them to do," Hazel told me.

"So will you help me then?"

She sighed. "Of course Nico, I'm your sister,"

"So you're not mad at me for earlier?" I asked hopefully

"I'm still mad at you for before, I just don't want ruining your entire dating life over some stupid argument," She explained, "But don't mistake this for forgiveness. I am still angry at you."

"Okay. Wait, how did you know I'm going on a date? Well actually I'm not even going on a real date. So why do you say that?" I inquired, suddenly suspicious. Had she been spying on Percy and I?

Hazel just rolled her eyes. "You called on Silena. She wouldn't be any good in a real crisis. The only emergency protocol they know is how to put together a fabulous last minute outfit," she said

"Hey, this is a real crisis." I replied indignantly

"Sure it is. I'll go get Silena and tell her to meet you in your room." She told me, already leaving to get them.

"Thanks, sis," I called after her

"Anytime, Nico. But you also sort of owe me and I will call on that favour when I wish!" She added

I sighed. Sisters will be sisters.

I hesitated to go to back to my room, incase their was another crazy princess from some far off land waiting for me there, but I decided the risk was worth it. After all, it was my room. And I was the Prince. How hard could it be?

I snuck up to my room, listening out for any noises. I almost laughed. How ridiculous that I was not even comfortable in my room? That I was cared to open my own door? Shouldn't my room be the one place I could be left alone?

I carefully opened my door peeking around the corner. I walked in when I saw no one was there, and then jumped in surprise when someone tapped me lightly on my shoulder.

Silena giggled. "What's got you so jumpy?" she asked

"Oh, it's just you Silena," I said, sighing with relief. "I can't deal with crazy princesses right now," I told her, running a hand through my hair.

At this, she nodded her head sympathetically.

"So what do you need me for?" She asked

"Oh! I need you to choose a place beautiful enough for the most gorgeous creature in all of Atlantis and choose the perfect outfit for me." I said, "And quickly," I added.

Silena squealed loudly. "OhmygoshohmygoshIcan'tbeliveityouhaveadateNico I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU WHO'S THE LUCKY GUY?" She exclaimed, talking almost too fast for me to understand.

"First of all, it's not a date, we're just hanging out and I literally just met him, second, why are are you more excited then me and third-WAIT WHAT HOW DID YOU KNOW IT'S A GUY?" I shouted as I suddenly realised what she had said.

"Oh, honey, it's not hard to tell, especially with you rejecting all those girls," She replied

"Does anyone not know? Is everyone secretly laughing at how obvious I am about who I like behind my back?" I questioned, panicking quite a bit.

"No, no, sweetie, but no one can hide their romantic interest from me. Trust me, I haven't even told anyone else." She reassured me.

"Okay. Have you thought of any good places to take him?" I asked

She grinned happily. "Yes! I've got the perfect place!" She exclaimed cheerfully

"I will have to trust you with that, we don't have much time." I said. "Just give me a map or something,"

"I'll see what I can do. And as for what you should wear...Just something casual, but still something that makes him stare at you," She said thoughtfully, "Hmm...wait. I've got it!,"

She walked to my walk in wardrobe and went in, rummaging through piles of neatly stacked clothes, pressed and ironed perfectly. She was very familiar with my clothes, as I had no fashion sense, so whenever we had anything official, my father sent her over to choose what I should wear. Which she did without fail.

"Aha! I found it!" she yelled excitedly, coming out of my wardrobe.

She held up an outfit that otherwise I would never wear. It was probably buried deep underneath every other item of clothing so I wouldn't have to wear it.

"How did you even know I had an outfit like that?" I asked her,

"I was the one who got it for you, remember? I was all like: you need something casual but dressy! So I got it for your birthday. However, It doesn't seem to have been worn," She told me, glaring a bit.

I guiltily looked away.

"But you will wear it today, right Nico?" she ordered me. There was no choice. No escape.

But I tried anyway.

"You can't order the future king like that," I protested, but it was a weak reply and she knew it.

"Does it look like I care? Besides, don't you want to look good for your date?" She asked, rhetorically.

I sighed. She knew all my weak spots.

"Okay fine," I consented, "But it is not a date,"

"You keep telling yourself that," Silena said, patting my head.

Five minutes later I was rushing back to the main throne room with a map and clothes for Percy, feeling ridiculous in my outfit; jeans and a navy blue and red plaid long sleeved button up top. It was uncomfortable and I felt stupid wearing it, so I hoped Silena was right and Percy would appreciate it. Normally I just wore black. Black hoodies, black T-shirts, black pants.

When I got back, Percy was pacing but in the water. He was swimming back and forth looking bored. I ran quickly up the stairs and called to him.

"Percy," I yelled down from the platform.

He looked up and his face immediately broke out into a smile, and he swam up to the surface of the tank.

"Oh good you're finally back, I was getting bored," He shouted back.

"I got you some clothes, do you wanna come up here...somehow?" I asked

In response, he manipulated the water into holding him upright on the platform, so his tail was flapping in a bubble of water just touching the floor.

"Wait." I said, having just realised something, "What if someone comes to check on you?" I asked, worried

But Percy just waved a hand reassuringly. "No worries, they'll just think I've turned invisible, as I've shown I can do many times before," He said casually

"You can turn invisible that's awesome!" I exclaimed

"Yeah, it is, but do you mind giving me clothes so I can change into my human form? What I'm doing right now might look effortless, but I can assure that even for me, holding all this water together is hard, while talking and flapping my tail," He told me, a bit out of breath.

"Oh, yeah sure," I said.

I chucked the clothes at him and turned away so he could get changed. When I heard him say he was finished, I turned back around and was greeted with the sight of a completely dry Percy with messy bed hair looking totally out of place in his outfit. I laughed at him while he pouted.

"I look stupid," He whined

"Well, so do I, so now we're even," I said, more cheerful now Percy felt the same as I did about the clothes.

Together we went out of the castle with no questioning, as I was the Prince, and no one questioned me, followed the map, which so far was taking me to a small cove.

I led Percy down a tiny path of the side of the cove, almost impossible to see unless you were looking for it. I brushed aside branches, occasionally hearing an 'ouch!' from behind me, and muttering sorry over my shoulder.

Eventually The vegetation cleared and we could see the back of a small cave up ahead, which the map directed me towards. It seemed the only way in was through the water where the cave went into, but I spotted a small gap in the cave which we could both fit through easily, so I gestured for Percy to go in. He gasped when he saw the interior, and as I followed him in, I saw why.

It was a large grotto, half sand and half sea, with crystals coating the walls in all different shades of the sea. It reminded me of Percy's eyes. On the sand lay a picnic rug with all different kinds of food on it, cooked by the kitchen staff I assumed. I couldn't believe Silena went to all this effort for me. I was too busy staring at the grotto to notice Percy coming towards me, so when I got hugged by him it was a huge surprise. I almost jumped out of my skin.

He leapt onto me and wrapped his arms and legs around me, clinging to me like a koala.

If it wasn't for all the training my father made me do, I'd have toppled over, but as it was I just managed to keep upright.

I decided I loved Percy hugs. His face tucked into the crook of my neck, and it felt like it belonged there. I never wanted to move, except there was one thing...

"Uh, Percy? I can't breathe," I wheezed,

He loosened his hold a bit, and put his legs back on the ground, but didn't stop hugging me.

"Sorry," He said, not sounding very sorry.

"It's just, it's just so perfect. Thank you Nico," He said to me, letting go.

I shivered when he let me go. It was cold without Percy keeping me warm.

Percy looked hungrily at the food and I waved him on.

He looked around in wonder at all the array of food, savoury, sweet, salty, sour and everything in between.

I sat down on the picnic rug and patted the spot next to me in invitation.

He grabbed a plate and stuffed as much food as he could fit onto it and came down to sit next to me.

"Aren't you going to eat something?" He asked through a mouthful of food.

I couldn't help but smile. He was so endearingly childish and adorable.

"I'm good," I told him, perfectly content to just sit here and watch him.

He gave me a look of complete horror and shook his head.

"No no no no, you can't not eat this delicious food. You will eat," He commanded me.

I was surprised he dared to speak to a prince like that, but it was a good surprise. It was boring when everyone listened to everything you say, who wanted a friend like that? I wanted people to have their own opinions around me, not just mindlessly agree.

I smiled to myself. Percy was such a unique creature.

I was too lost into my thoughts to notice the fork of food getting closer to my mouth.

"Open," Percy ordered

I obediently opened my mouth, blushing a bit.

When Percy had made sure I'd eaten, he began gobbling up food again.

Once he was finally full we began to talk. Not about anything particular, just about our lives and ourselves.

He told me he actually lived a normal life in Atlantis, and that he was captured when he was swimming.

Well, actually, he never said that, but I assumed, and he never corrected me.

Hours later we were just lying there still, occasionally shifting positions, and it was getting a bit.

We must have somehow gravitated towards each other while talking, because we were curled around each other, wrapped up in a blanket I had found near the food.

His head was tucked in against my chest, and I was running my hand through his hair like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I sighed contently, turning my head to stare at Percy. He was so perfect, tucked up against me like that's where he should always be.

The more I got to know him, the more I wanted to know more. I could tell he was hiding some things from me. He never mentioned his parents, always managed to direct the conversation back to me when I brought them up, but I didn't want to push him so soon.

He was almost asleep, his eyes were drifting closed, and he looked so peaceful.

As I fell asleep, my last thought was that I could imagine spending every night like this.

With Percy next to me, where he belonged.