Disclaimer: I do not own PJO
"Who are you?"
Nico has seen a lot of weird things. Weird like a 7- foot-something male ballerina and a lady who keeps snakes in place of children. It's part of being dead, he thinks, and more than that it's part of living in a house consistently occupied by people who can't see him . Nico has seen a lot of weird things, but never has he seen anything as weird as the boy with ink washed hair looking up at him, curiosity alight in his sea green eyes.
"Who are you?"
No one has ever seen Nico before, or at least no one has ever seen ghost Nico before. He doesn't really know how to respond now that someone has. He hadn't expected this. He'd come down from the space he occupies in the attic because he'd known a new family was moving in and he'd wanted to check them out. After all, Nico may be dead but he still has to live with these people. He hadn't been prepared for this kid ( because he is a kid, no older than 5) to march up to him and demand who he is.
"I'm Nico", is the only response that Nico manages to force from his throat, the words forming awkwardly on his lips. It's been awhile since he talked out loud and longer than that since he acknowledged himself as anything other than a wayward spirit with little purpose. It's been awhile since his name has mattered.
"Why are you in my house?" the boy asks, brows furrowing in a way that suggests he's confused. Nico doesn't really blame him. He'd be pretty confused as well if the situation was reversed. In fact he's confused as is, they shouldn't even be able to have this conversation.
Nico's trying to conjure up a reply that won't scare the kid. There really isn't any proper way of telling anyone let alone a 5 year old that you're dead and inexplicably tied to their house. He thinks he's probably going to have to make up some ridiculous lie about how he'd gotten lost and stumbled into the house when someone- a women- walks into the room. "Who are you talking to, Percy?" she asks, a bemused smile stretching across her face.
"I don't know, mom " Percy says turning to face her, "He says he's, Nico?"
She laughs as she makes her way out of the room, her arms filled with boxes that Nico would later watch her unpack, "Oh, Percy," she says, "You've always had such a big imagination."
Percy looks back at Nico, eyes now full of wonder, like now that Nico has been amounted to a figment of his imagination it's okay to talk to him."I'm Percy", he tells him and this is how it begins. This is how Nico Di Angelo, who'd been dead much longer than Percy had been alive, became an imaginary friend.
AN: I'm not entirely sure that this idea is going to work but I thought I'd try. Feel free to point out mistakes and give criticism or suggestions.