Nico di Angelo | Percy Jackson (sonofhades) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-02-01 16:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !log, ~2017 february, ~25 points, ~~~reyna ramirez-arellano, ~~~~nico di angelo (sonofhades) |
WHO: Reyna Ramirez-Arellano and Nico di Angelo
WHERE: School cafeteria
WHEN: TBD
WHAT: Chatting over lunch
RATING: PG
STATUS: log; completed
Roman demigods didn't fit in very well with high school social structure. While Reyna was pretty and athletic enough to be considered one of the cool kids, she never sat with them at lunch. She had a few friends from her sports teams she said hi to, but she didn't like sitting at their table. There was too much gossip and idle chatter for her tastes. Instead, she tended to sit by herself - or, in this case, seek out a certain Son of Pluto who disliked crowds even more than she did. “I haven't seen you in a few days,” she noted as she took the seat across from Nico. *** Nico rarely came to school - only a couple times a week when he felt that he really had to. He hated being there, hated the other kids, and was much more comfortable by himself. At least nobody wanted to sit with him at lunch, which was nice. While Reyna could chatter and make herself popular, Nico was far more likely to scare people away and make them think he was creepy. Which he was, and honestly, he didn’t care one little bit. “I wasn’t here,” he said simply. Reyna was one of the few people he liked. They’d bonded while they’d been getting that stupid statue back to Camp Halfblood, and he felt that she understood him more than most people did. *** Reyna nodded, accepting the answer for what it was. She knew Nico didn't like being in school - one look at him while he was in class and it was obvious enough - but she wanted him to at least know that someone noticed and cared whether he was there or not. She'd thought Nico creepy at first, like most people, but since bonding with him over the Athena Parthenos, she'd come to see past the aura of fear and the shield of grouchiness he used to protect himself and see him for the great guy that he was. He was one of the few people she'd shared her terrible secret with, and she knew he would keep it. “Have you done any more exploration since your foray into the underworld?” *** One thing Nico could definitely do was keep secrets. He’d known about the Roman camp first of all the Greek Demigods, and hadn’t said a thing. Nor had he told Percy much when they’d met in New Rome. He thought of secrets rather as currency, and held them close. People would be surprised to find out how very much Nico knew, simply by listening and paying attention. He might have been strange and creepy to most, but he wasn’t stupid. Far from it. “There’s only so far this place will let me go. People die here, so there’s an underworld, and they can’t keep me out. But my dad isn’t there, and with the exception of a few minor monsters that help keep things in order, there’s not much there.” He shrugged. “There are some interesting caves here. I’ve spent a lot of time there.” *** Reyna became alert at the mention of monsters. “Any chance of them - and the ghosts - breaking out?” The Doors of Death opening up was why they’d had so many problems recently. She’d hate to see it repeated here. *** Nico shrugged. “Not much, no,” he said. “Plus, they’re creatures of the Underworld. I can control them.” Nico had more powers than other demigods in that way; ghosts and furies and such had to obey his will. It was useful in situations like this. “Don’t worry. There’s no access to the Doors here.” *** Reyna settled back, relieved. Nico was one of the few people whose word she trusted; if he said there was nothing to worry about, she wouldn’t expend any energy on it. “Have you talked to any of the others?” she asked. The others being the demigods who were also here. Reyna saw Percy and Jason daily, and she more or left Thalia and Luke Castellan alone - but she didn’t think Nico saw any of them as much as she did. Or maybe he saw. He just didn’t engage. *** That was a brilliant way to put it. Nico watched everyone. He learned. He stored away the knowledge until later, but he was still watching. He’d seen all of them. He kept an eye on them, whether they realized it or not. But he hadn’t spoken to any of them. They were all busy in their own lives and he was well aware that even though Jason and Percy were more or less kind to him, they were happier when he wasn’t around. “I don’t talk to much of anyone, Reyna. You know that.” *** “I know.” And she didn’t judge him for it. Nico was who he was, and that was enough for Reyna. Their bond had been forged in fire, and it went far beyond simple friendship. She fell silent then, and focused on her lunch. Although Nico talked to her, he wasn’t the social sort, and he hated idle chatter even more than she did. If he had anything to say, or if he wanted to talk, he’d do that. In the meantime, she was content to sit in companionable silence. *** Nick liked that about her. She didn’t make him feel like a total freak for not wanting to jabber on about nothing just to ‘make conversation’ or whatever they called it. Sometimes he just didn’t want to say anything. Sometimes there was nothing to say. “Are you okay, with Jason here and all?” Yes, Nico watched. *** Reyna heard the concern in Nico’s voice - his version of concern - and she smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine. I realized a long time ago there wasn’t going to be anything between me and Jason.” Even without Piper in the picture, and if Reyna wasn’t with Percy now, she didn’t think they would’ve been able to take that step from friends to something more. Jason simply didn’t see her that way. “And-” Reyna paused, the development new enough that she was still shy about sharing it. “I’m with Percy now.” *** Nico...didn’t know that. He supposed he should have heard by now, but he hadn’t, and that confession caught him by surprise. He knew very well that he didn’t have a chance with Percy, and he’d moved on. He’d had a nice year with Will Solace, even. But talking about Percy and relationships would always be an uncomfortable spot for Nico. “Um,” he said, looking away at his lunch, which was suddenly way more interesting than it had any right to be. “I didn’t know that.” He stopped, ate a bit, before realizing he needed to say more. “Congratulations.” There were a lot of emotions in that word, and they weren’t all good ones. *** Reyna wasn’t looking for approval or congratulations on the state of her relationship with Percy, but she was perceptive enough to notice the mixed emotions in Nico’s response. She stopped for a moment, mulling over his reply. Jason hadn’t been pleased about her and Percy either, but that was out of concern for her potentially being hurt. This...wasn’t quite the same. “Are you okay?” *** “I’m fine,” Nico said. Which was mostly true. He wasn’t hiding from his sexuality anymore, but he was pretty sure that he’d never really be comfortable talking about it. It was who he was, and like everything else about him, he chose to keep it private, even from those, like Reyna, he considered to be his friends. He bit his lip and let go of his fork, letting it clatter on the tray before exhaling deeply. “I...used to like him.” Maybe still did a little. *** Reyna inhaled. She didn't expect to know everything about Nico - the Son of Pluto held secrets as deep and dark as the caves he frequented - but she'd still felt like she'd come to know him. Obviously there were still things she had no idea about. “I'm sorry,” she said, sincere. “I didn't know.” *** “Why are you sorry?” He never would understand why so many people apologized for things they had nothing to do with. She certainly had no reason to be sorry for him. “Yeah, well, it was a long time ago.” Sort of. “It’s fine.” *** “I would have been less abrupt if I knew.” But she wouldn't apologize for dating Percy. She may have once propositioned him to consolidate their power, but she was with him now for a much more personal reason: he made her happy. “Does he know?” Reyna wouldn't bring it up with Percy either way, but if he had no idea, Reyna would keep this secret of Nico’s. *** “Yeah,” Nico said. “He knows.” And telling him hadn’t even been as horrible as Nico had feared. Sure, it was never fun to confess your feelings to someone who didn’t return them, but Percy hadn’t been a jerk about it. Things really were okay with them, more or less. He didn’t want to be jealous of Reyna right now, but there was a little bit of that. He’d get over it. But he’d been taken by surprise. He forced a little smile. “I’m fine, Reyna. It’s okay. It’s not a secret anymore.” *** It was awkward, and it was a situation Reyna had never been in before. But Nico was being mature and understanding about it, so Reyna would honour him with the same. “Jason knows too.” Her relationship with Percy wasn't a secret either. She just didn't really tell it from the rooftops. *** “How did he take it?” Jason had surprised Nico after he’d been outed by Cupid. He’d expected condemnation from the Roman demigod but there hadn’t been any. He’d had a lot more respect for Jason after that. *** “He worries I’d be hurt because Percy hasn't officially broken up with Annabeth,” Reyna said. Now it was her turn to find interest in her food. “I understand his concern. I like and respect Annabeth, and if she were to return, someone would be hurt.” She still wasn't convinced it wouldn't be her, but she was willing to take the risk. *** Nico shrugged. He was far from being as dutiful and disgustingly good as Jason, so he didn’t really see the problem. If Annabeth arrived it would get sorted somehow (probably with swords and a lot of yelling). If she didn’t, well, you only lived once. “Well, she’s not here,” he said. “You are. Her loss.” *** Reyna shook her head. “I don't want to be the one he's with just because she's not here.” He'd assured her otherwise, and she believed him. At least, she believed he believed it. She'd find out one way or another if Annabeth did return. But this wasn't a subject she wanted to spend too much time on. She already wasn't keen on sharing about her relationship, and it was even more awkward knowing that Nico had once - maybe still - liked Percy. “We’re all staying at the boarding house,” she said, not caring that there was no smooth change in subject. “Me, Jason and Percy. No one tries to tell us what to do there.” *** Nico was happy to change the subject, too. Even though he was coming to terms with himself, nobody liked to talk about failed crushes. It was possibly the most awkward topic that there was or ever could be. “That’s good,” he said, noncommittally. People were always trying to get him to move in with them, even when he didn't want to. Even when he said he didn’t want to. Reyna and her boarding house was more comfortable than most but...he still wasn't sure. “No, thanks, I’m fine,” he said. *** Reyna nodded and let it go. Nico could take care of himself well enough; she just wanted to let him know he had options. “Are you planning to stay for afternoon classes?” she asked. “I have head over to English Lit.” *** “Yeah,” Nico said with distaste. He didn't want to, but he knew sometimes he had to stay if he didn’t want to be in high school forever. He was fine with getting C’s and D’s, but he needed to pass. And passing required at least occasional attendance. Today was as good a day as any, especially since he was pretty sure they had a test in history. He hadn’t studied for it, but he’d have to do better than if he didn't take it at all. “My class is that way,” he said. “I’ll walk with you.” When he was with Reyna, people tended to give him even more space than when he was alone. He liked that. *** The Daughter of War and the Son of Death did make a very intimidating team. But they also made a very good one, which was why they had become such unlikely friends. Reyna smiled at him and picked up her lunch plate. “Vale.” |