Lou Ellen peeked through the curtains of the infirmary, to get another look at Nico di Angelo. The self-proclaimed outcast of Camp Half-blood and Will Solace's current crush. Every time Nico left camp again, Will would mope for a full three days, and then proceed to eat his feelings.
In several different ways, Will and Nico were perfect opposites. Nico literally had the power to control the darkness and Will, the power to chase it way. Pretty much every Yaoi fan girl at camp was crossing their fingers hoping they would get together.
Nico was skinny, she knew that but seeing how thin again was a bit of a shock. She'd been so busy thinking that she hadn't noticed Nico staring straight at her. She blushed and coughed "um uh, sorry" she straightened up walking into the curtained room. Looking up close, Nico was pretty for a guy, his skin was pale and his eyes were dark sure but he was flawless. If he picked up a bit more weight, he'd be a complete knockout.
"I know you," he said.
"Um! Yeah, I'm Lou Ellen, sorry I was just curious about you" she admitted, better to tell the truth.
"About what?" he asked.
"Well about everything I guess" she aimed for broad ideas, "um you're the 3rd most powerful demi-god out there. No offense but you don't look like it" Lou replied.
"Well sorry," Nico muttered looking down, a little sour.
"I can see why Will likes you" she blurted offhandedly, making Nico's look a little surprised. "I mean- like you're really cute and stuff, you're so his type," she said and Nico blushed. She couldn't help herself, she laughed.
Nico was quiet but he started to talk to her a little, she decided she liked Nico. He'd make a really good friend. Three days later, Nico was finally out of the infirmary, but Will was still really frustrated. "Why won't he just eat?" he groaned. She wondered if Nico had favorite foods, all the food he got served in the infirmary he seemed to push around his plate.
It was in the early morning on a lazy Sunday that she saw Nico around, she smiled and walked to sit next to him. "Hey Nico" she greeted, clad in black as usual, the circles in his eyes looked lighter.
"Hey" he greeted.
"So I was wondering something, do you have like a favorite food?" she asked.
He tilted his head, making his hair fall in his cheek. He pushed it back slightly annoyed "I grew up in Italy, I don't really remember much but I remember my mom made squash casserole" he mentioned.
"So you like that?" she asked, he shrugged.
"There was a fruit too that I ate a lot but I don't know the English name for it, mandarino" he replied.
"Hm…" she mentioned then smiled when she got an idea "wait here!" she said then got up to run to the big house. If she was right, Nico liked tangerines, it sounded like Mandarin Oranges. Chiron was also partial to them so she snatched up three of them and stuck 2 in her loose pants pocket and began peeling the other.
It was cute in a way, that the ghost king, a child of the dark liked something as sweet and bright as tangerines. Once she got back, she dropped down on the bench and got out a tiny slice of tangerines or what most people liked to call them, 'cuties.' She placed it in Nico's hand and he ate it right away.
She smiled, Will was going to love this, surprisingly Nico talked with her fairly easily. Nico hadn't even noticed that he had gone through three cuties, she wondered if he would snack on them all day. "So what are they called in English?" he asked biting on the last piece, he didn't say it but she could tell he wanted to eat more.
"Cuties" she replied, he wouldn't mention the other names yet. Not until she heard Nico call them cuties at least once.
"Really?" he asked.
"Because of them being cute like baby oranges," she replied.
"I don't like oranges but I like these," he replied.
"I noticed" she agreed. Later on, she saw Will and beamed at him "Will, anytime you get, feed Nico tangerines. Peel them for him and he won't notice how many he eats. Oh and he likes Italian food" she mentioned then skipped away, rooting for the two.
The next day she found Will talking to Nico, simultaneously peeling tangerines. Nico was putting the slices in his mouth so fast that he wasn't paying attention that he was eating at all. The next week had her wondering if Nico would turn orange from all the tangerines he'd eaten.
Well, the constant snacking that Will and she had been sneakily placed on Nico had really done a lot of good. His pale skin was turned a little darker, a light tan and he'd put on weight.
"I'm feeling strawberries today," Nico told Will at breakfast.
"Not cuties?" Will asked.
"No, with cuties, I bet they're good with pancakes and syrup" Nico said and Will pulled him into a hug suddenly. "Will?"
"Shut up, just give me this for a second" Will said, Lou grinned then paused when someone caught her eye. She turned to see Jason watching them, he directed his gaze to her again. Mouthing 'together, yet?" he tilted his head.
She shook her head then held her hand and placed her point and thumb close together. 'Close' she mouthed then held up a tangerine, she pointed to Nico then at the tangerines and made a heart with her hands. For good measure, she slowly mouthed 'Nico loves them.'
Jason's brown went up as if asking 'what do tangerines have to do with it?' She smiled then and shrugged 'Nico's eating more now' she added. Jason smiled and Piper looked at Jason then at Nico and Will. Will was still hugging Nico while Nico looked like he was so embarrassed he could die.
Piper beamed like she won the lottery, well she was a daughter of Aphrodite after all. "Can I eat now?" Nico begged his face lobster red and Will finally let go.
"Let me tie your hair back" Lou mentioned making Nico turn and tilt his head. She grinned and went behind Nico and pulled his hair into a ponytail that somehow suited him. "There now your hair won't get in the way, isn't he cute, Will?" she asked.
"Yeah" Will nodded dumbly and Nico blushed and stuffed pancake in his mouth so he wouldn't have to reply.
Please Read and Review!- ihrtryoma