"So, you going to tell me about the work you do in here? I saw all of the full book shelves out there, why have a mostly empty library in here as well?" Nico nodded and stood up, offering a hand to the other to pull him up but still not releasing it as he walked him over to the first case.
"These are the books that I have written. Top shelf are the kid's books. Next shelf are the graphic novels. Third shelf are the adult non-fiction, although that only has two. That shelf earns me the least amount of money."
"You write?"
"You lot bullied me in school for 'fucking the English teacher for grades'. I believe that you know that I write."
"I'm sorry for that." Nico ignored the apology and pulled him over to the next bookcase.
"These are other people's books that have used my photographs. Bottom shelf are my own photo albums."
"What are those ones?" he asked as he pointed at the next three bookcases along that were full of individual sheets of paper.
"Umm, designs, sorted by subject. First two cases are tattoos that have been used. Third bookcase are designs that I need to finish and then take down to the tattoo shop, I've been stuck on those though, most seem like they're missing something so the number just grows." He pulled the teen further around the room so that they were in front of the sixth bookcase. "These are all books that I did the artwork for."
"What do the names on the shelf mean?"
"They're the name that I wrote or drew under."
"None say 'Nico di Angelo'."
"No. I'm 16, abused and bullied. Do you really think anything would be easier for me if you or your friends or my father found out about any of this?"
"Probably not, I'm sorry."
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Anything."
"Stop apologising. Please."
"Okay Neeks. No more. You have a whole empty case for future works too."
"Yeah. For when I decide what to do."
"What are those shields?"
"Awards that I've won for the things in this room. Plus, a decommissioned tattoo gun in honour of every 100th design of mine that gets used."
"Did you design all of yours?"
"Not a single one. I- they had to be done for a certain purpose so to a certain extent they had to be designed on my body so all of mine were drawn by my tattoo artist."
"Am I allowed to look through this room for the duration of my week here?"
"Sure. If you think you'd find it interesting." Percy nodded and rested his chin in the man's hair after they sent a smile at one another, wrapping his arms around Nico from behind.
"Do you need to get any work done tonight?"
"I have the final page to finish of one of my books but I can do that anywhere I can take my tablet and drawing pad."
"I don't want to disturb you."
"You won't. Once I'm in the zone, I wouldn't be disturbed by the building burning down until it disrupted the power cable to my laptop."
"Sit. Do your work. I'm happy to look through here since I'm allowed." Nico nodded and squeezed Percy's hand before unwrapping it from around him. Percy watched as he pulled out an electronic pen and pad from the base of his slanted desk where the paper still sat that he was previously drawing on.
"Are you sure you don't mind if I do some work?"
"Not at all. Work away Neeks. Besides, I believe you decided that out week technically begins tomorrow. Pretend I'm not here," he stated as he walked back to the first shelf. Nico sat down, turned on his pad and the computer screen to the side, just figuring out what he had to draw when he was interrupted.
"Fuck!"
"What? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Nico asked in a panic as he rushed one to the older teen, shoving the book on a random shelf so that he could take the other's hands in his own as his panicked brown met the excited sea-green.
"I- you- those books- Tyson- and you-"
"What? English Percy, or Italian preferably."
"Poltergeist Prince. You write them, draw them. My brother, he adores them. Like entirely. Tyson, I read them to him at night as his bedtime story. You- you write them!"
"I have one page to go for book 4. I didn't know you had a brother."
"He's 7. You have 69 days until your next release date. Sit, draw."
"Fine. You have to tell me about him afterwards."
"Deal. Go, sit, work!"
"And I was the nerd?" Nico said with a small smile before handing the book back and walking back to his desk. "Can I just ask, put back anything you take in the same place?" he requested as he woke up the screen once more and focused on what was needed again, falling into the pattern as he began to draw the final image for the page.
