Chapter Ten
Author's Notes: Just a fair warning, there's relatively graphic smut in this chapter.
This whole "therapy" thing was not getting any easier. "Mom." Nico droned—whined. "It's eight-thirty in the morning. Please. Please. It's Summer." Maria looked at Nico with sympathy, disregarding the fact that she had woken up, cooked a small breakfast, showered, applied her make-up, made sure her husband was awake and clean and out the door for his meeting, and was now waking up her son.
"I know, sweetie." She cooed. "We'll try to start scheduling your appointments later. But, for now you've got to get up." Nico groaned again, and these were actually moments Maria lived for. She sat on the bed, moving his hair out of his eyes, it was so long but she wouldn't tell him to cut it if he didn't want to. Well, she wouldn't push it. Besides, she loved his hair. Kissing his forehead she sat up again, "Your breakfast is getting cold."
Nico stared at his mom for a moment, at the small, calm smile on her face, "Okay, fine. I'll get up." He said. "Just let me get ready." Maria patted her son's leg and chuckled a little as she stood. Her boy had his vanities, which might have been her fault as she had her own.
"Just don't take all day." She said and made her way out of the room. Walking down the stairs she looked around her old house. Her husband's assistant had done a rather good job at making it feel like a home. She'd only rearranged a few things in the living room, mostly the way the pictures were set up, and the way the trinkets sat on the table, but aside from that she didn't mind being back. She had loved NYC as a girl considering she was originally from Brooklyn and had desperately wanted to get out of that city.
Her thoughts of an old life were cut short as she looked out of the living room window and saw Sally Jackson kissing a man that was not her husband. Maria paused, not that she was a nosy neighbor but before she left she and Sally had been really good friends. In fact, the only reason they hadn't kept in touch had been their husbands. Which, normally wouldn't matter a thing to her but she felt like it was also best for her son that they cut all ties to this place.
Well, that was all out the window now.
Speaking of which, Sally and the man she had been kissing were walking towards her house. She watched them until she heard the doorbell ring. "I've got it, Nico!" She yelled up the stairs.
"'Kay!" Her son yelled back down, very obviously getting in the shower. Maria walked over to the door and opened it. Sally stared at her for a moment, and she stared back. There was a beat of silence between them before her previous neighbor said, "Oh, my God. Maria!"
"Sally, hi." Maria smiled.
"We thought…we were going to welcome the new neighbors in. We would have never thought it would be you!" Sally hugged Maria, and instantly they fell back into the way things had been. There was no awkwardness, just two old friends. "This is Paul," Sally said pulling back. Maria shook Paul's hand.
"Hi." He said with a handsome, scholarly grin. He was definitely a step up from her husband.
"Hi, I'm Maria." She replied looking at Sally with a wink.
It took Sally a minute before she said, "Oh! Oh, God. It's nothing like that." She blushed. "No, Paul and I were married a year and a half ago. Don and I got divorced." Sally looked at Paul lovingly. "I met Paul a little while after that and just fell for him."
"Why don't you guys come on in, Nico and I were about to head out but he's in the shower and still has to eat." Maria moved for the two to come into the house, and they did.
"Oh, wow. Look at this place." Sally smiled. "It's beautiful in here, Maria."
"Thank you, Hades actually picked out the furniture if you can believe it." Maria responded, looking around. Her husband had done a pretty spectacular job for a guy who didn't know any other color but black. "Can I get you guys something to drink?"
"No thank you," Sally replied. "Here, Paul, give me the…" Paul handed her something Maria hadn't noticed before. It was a pie tin. "I baked a pie, my bakery finally took off not too long ago so it was not a big deal before you say anything, I just thought it would be neighborly."
"Oh, Sally." Maria took it. "This looks delicious. You'll spoil my boys like you always did. I'll put it up." She walked them through the kitchen and put the pie in the refrigerator. "Are you sure I can't get you anything? I can whip something up for you guys really quickly?"
"No, no," Sally chuckled, "Paul and I were actually on our way to have a quick breakfast before he went off to his office and I went to mine,"
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I don't want to hold you guys up." Maria said ushering them back to the foyer.
"It's alright," Paul replied. "I'm just going in to set up a few things to get my Summer courses ready, I don't exactly have to go in till later today."
"You're a professor?" Maria asked.
"A history professor, yes." Paul smiled. "For the past eight years, almost long enough to get my tenure."
"I'm impressed," Maria grinned.
"So where is your forever brooding husband?" Sally asked, looking around. "He was never too far from your sight, the lovesick man." Maria laughed, touching Sally's arm fondly.
"He's at work too, actually. He'll be back when he gets done with his meeting with his publicist."
"Oh, that's right. Hades di Angelo, the author." Paul nodded. "I've read his books, they're very good."
"They're for young adults, Paul." Sally replied, rolling her eyes.
"They aren't, not really." Maria replied leading them into the living room, they all sat. "Hades just writes a story and then they decide how to advertise it, he continues to tell me that his books aren't for children."
"They are rather dark. His writer's voice is very adult, but anytime there is a sense of adventure in books these days people automatically label it for teens. It's got a deep message hidden in it, that's for sure."
Maria smiled, "My husband would like you." She heard the shower upstairs shut off. "Where is Percy? I might have thought he'd come over here."
"He's out with his girlfriend Annabeth," Sally replied.
"I thought he came over here yesterday, really we were coming to apologize to our neighbors if he had bothered them." Paul added, Sally gave him a look but he just smirked at her.
Maria didn't know what to make of that, "Well, we didn't get back in till late last night so if anything he probably met Charon, Hades' publicist. He set everything up for us."
"Hey, Mom, who was at the door—" Nico stopped on the stairs toweling at his still dripping hair, but he was dressed at least.
"Nico, look at you. You're so handsome now." Sally said standing up. Nico stared at Sally, then at Paul, he looked around and Maria knew instantly that he was looking for Percy. There was a mix of disappointment and relief on his face when he didn't spot the other boy.
"I—thanks." Nico replied haltingly. "I'll be in the kitchen." Maria watched as her son shut himself off and her face fell a little. They had been making so much progress so quickly. She didn't blame Sally, the woman had no idea what was going on.
"Where's Bianca? I'll bet she's gorgeous now, she always was." Sally said, bringing Maria back to the conversation at hand.
"Oh, she's still in California. She'll be going to school out there soon, she's taking a few summer courses herself. She just graduated high school."
"I wish she was here so I could say congratulations." Sally replied, a look of fondness on her face. Maria had forgotten that Sally had loved her children almost as much as she and Hades did. She had missed this friendship.
"I think she'll probably visit before the summer is up." Maria smiled, Nico stood in the door way with a toasted bacon-and-egg sandwich in hand. Maria frowned at the fact that he wasn't using a plate but didn't say anything.
"Mom, what time is my thing?" He asked. Maria almost jumped up.
"I almost forgot, we should get going. You guys should come over for drinks sometime. Maybe later tonight when Hades is home?"
"We won't miss it, it'll give us a chance to catch up. I've missed you," Sally stood and hugged Maria. "All of you." She added, looking at Nico, whose face stayed blank. Sally didn't miss that, but if it bothered her she didn't say anything. Maria shook Paul's hand and led them past her son, who didn't say anything as he turned and headed back to the kitchen.
"Sorry about him, he's…sorry." Maria said showing them out.
"No, it's okay. I understand." Sally said.
"It was nice to meet you Paul."
"You too, Maria. We'll see you later tonight." He smiled a good natured smile and Maria nodded. She closed the door behind them, stalking to the kitchen.
"That was rude," Maria said as her son was downing a glass of milk.
"I'm not a morning person, Mom. You know that." Nico shrugged.
"Sally is one of my oldest friends, she used to be like an aunt to you. You should have at least said hello."
"I'm just glad Percy isn't here. I told you this would happen." Nico looked distressed. "God, I just don't want to see him. I don't want to be near him."
"Well he probably wants to see you, you two were best friends. He probably misses you."
"Like hell." Nico rolled his eyes. Maria narrowed her own. "Heck. Like heck."
"Either way, when they come over later tonight you're going to apologize for being so rude, understood?"
"Yes, Mom." Nico replied flatly.
"Little less attitude. Now, get your butt in the car, young man. We might go shopping after your visit with the doctor, if you're good."
"What am I six?" Nico asked, but there was a small smile on his face. Shopping with his mom was one of his favorite things. Not that he would ever admit it out loud. She bopped him lightly on the head as he passed and he gave her a small laugh.
"It's so unlike you to plan a date, usually it's me making them." Annabeth commented, they were just having coffee and cake at Sally's shop but she really loved the Cupcake Extraordinaire, everything inside was so blue and fun. Plus, with the lights dimmed and a few candles lit the air felt more romantic than Annabeth could remember for a long time. "You sure you didn't screw up big time?"
Percy laughed, "No, babe." He grinned, running his thumb over her knuckles. "You said we never got to hang anymore, and I really wanted to see you." Annabeth smiled and leaned across the table, Percy met her halfway in what was one of their more spectacular kisses. The good thing about having a mom who owned a bakery was that they could hang out at there before it opened, not to mention it would be Percy's Summer job.
"You're so sweet." Annabeth was smirking at him and he loved the way her eyes looked so bright and intelligent when she was thinking, like lightning through gray storm clouds. "So when do I get to go to this cabin of yours? I'm free next week, I don't start interning at my Dad's lab until the fifteenth."
"I think we can arrange something." Percy said, they kissed again.
The lights kicked on, and Percy looked over his shoulder, "Oh, hi kids. Sorry, didn't know you two were in here," Sally smiled. "I'll be out of here soon, just doing some inventory."
"It's no problem, Sally," Annabeth smiled, Percy was unsure if he enjoyed his mother and his girlfriend getting on so well. But, it was better than them fighting even if they Sally liked the clichéd and time old tradition of pulling out naked baby photo. More embarrassing were the ones of him and Nico in the tub together, those were Annabeth's favorites. "Oh, Percy sweetie. The di Angelos moved back in to their house, you'll be happy to know. Paul and I are going over there for drinks later tonight, I'm sure you and Nico could catch up if you wanted to." Percy looked at his mom, but she was turned away from him, sorting papers behind the display counter.
"I—" Percy's voice died in his throat. "Yeah, sure, whatever." But the words seemed far away.
"Your shop's really looking good, Sally! When is opening day?" Annabeth chimed in, both she and his mother missing his lack of enthusiasm. Percy took a breath and pushed Nico out of his mind. Ignoring the sudden rush of blood heading to his groin after the images of the previous night began to forcibly invade his head.
"In three weeks!" Sally nearly squealed with joy. "This has been my dream since I was a little girl, you know your great grandmother taught me how to bake, Percy." Sally said, though Percy had heard the story a million times, it seemed enough to occupy his head where his thoughts had begun to traverse dangerous into waters though. "She would wake up—"
"Early in the morning before dawn to bake bread for lunch, and by noon she'd be baking pies and cakes for the whole neighborhood, she was hardly out of the kitchen she loved cooking so much and she was the best cook in Norfolk, back when grandma and granddad lived in West Virginia. Yeah, Mom, I've heard it." Percy said with a small laugh.
Sally smiled wistfully, "I loved her so very much, Percy. If she could see all this…" Sally stopped, her voice breaking up suddenly and her eyes beginning to redden. Annabeth was up in a flash, her arms around Sally. "I'm sorry—I'm sorry!" Sally laughed, though it didn't sound like the overly joyful kind. "I'm just…I'm good, yeah, I'm okay." She fanned at her face. "Do you kids want any pie, or maybe a brownie!" On "brownie" she was full on crying. Percy stared, paralyzed; he was not good at dealing with crying people, especially his mom.
Luckily Annabeth seemed to be on it. "Sally, this place looks so great. Your grandmother would be proud." She cooed.
"Oh, sweetie, I must look so silly. I'm the adult here," Sally pulled back, wiping at her face. "These are tears of happiness. I've worked so hard to get here, and just that it's paying off is making me a little emotional." With a deep breath she seemed to regain her composure. She looked at the two of them, then at the candles and the half eaten food on the table, realization flooding her mind. "Oh. Oh, God. I've ruined your little date."
"No." Annabeth smirked. "we were just talking." Percy rolled his eyes.
"It looks so romantic. Just-just forget I was ever here, kids!" Scooping up her paperwork into her hands she made her way to the door. "Again, I'm sorry. Percy I'll make you a blue pizza when you get home to make up for it."
"Not really helping Mom…" Percy pointed out. Sally laughed
"Sorry. Okay, I'll get out of your hair; Paul's waiting in the car anyway." She looked as if she were going to kiss her son on the forehead but seemed to think better of it. She patted his cheek and gave Annabeth's arm a squeeze. "Bye, guys. Sorry again!" Then she was out of the store completely. There was a moment of silence before Percy let out an audible groan, "This is the reason I don't plan the dates." He said, running a hand through his hair. The next thing he knew Annabeth's hands were on top of his own, and though he was still seated she didn't go back over to her own chair. She gave him a deep sort of look that he didn't interpret right away.
"Percy, honey, it's fine." She said, her fingers scratching at his scalp. The look on her face was becoming more clear to him now. "This is your Mom's shop, of course she's gonna show up." Annabeth reasoned. "Besides, you're a good son, which I find very cute." Percy groaned again this time in appreciation instead of protest. Annabeth's hand ran down his neck, her nails grazing the sensitive skin. "The night isn't ruined, and there's still plenty we can do. Let me show you." She kissed him on the mouth, her hand trailing further down still and rubbing at his chest. She kissed again at his neck, sinking to her knees, sucking and blowing hot air on what was sure to be a hickey the size of a nickel.
"Have I ever told you you're the best girlfriend in the world?" Percy asked.
"Have I ever told you I can stand to hear it more?" Annabeth responded. She was unbuttoning his pants now, "Blue underwear, I should've known." She smirked. "Aquaman, so grown up." She laughed, sinking to her knees and pulling at the hem of his boxers she slipped them and his pants down to his knees. Kissing at the juxtaposition where his stomach met his pelvis Annabeth raked her finger up and under his shirt, the muscles contracting and releasing under her touch. Annabeth could play him like a fiddle.
"Fuck…." Percy's eyes fluttered shut as she took his flaccid prick into her mouth, warm and inviting. "Fuck! Annabeth, my Mom could walk back in any second." Percy ground out between his teeth. There was no answer, the kneeling young woman only increased her suction. "Oh, God." Percy's fingers found their way into blonde hair, so long and straight. Annabeth nipped at the sensitive skin on the underside of his now fully erected cock, her lips kissing where the length and testes met simultaneously. Her hand snaked around and grabbed him by the middle, motioning up and down as she worked at his testicles.
Percy's toes curled and he tried to keep his breathing as even as was possible, staving off climax to the best of his abilities. His girlfriend was a genius in every sense of the word. They only ever went as far as oral sex for the most part. Percy enjoyed feeling her wrapped around his fingers, the tight heat and that breathy, begging voice of hers always letting him know when she was close. But when Annabeth took control like this it turned him on even more. He popped an eye open, staring down at her. God, those stormy eyes were analyzing everything that was registering in his face. He wanted to say something to her, something lewd that portrayed just how much he was enjoying this. But he couldn't bring himself to form the words.
She took him in her mouth again and then proceed to slowly swallow him to his base. Percy wouldn't win any contests but he liked to think that he was pretty nicely sized, his penis was thick and relatively long, probably just bigger than average. Watching her was the most erotic thing he could think of at that moment, and he knew his mouth was hanging open like an idiot but he couldn't bring himself to care.
Annabeth let him go with a wet sounding 'POP' that had Percy nearly climaxing, she worked his shaft with her hands now and he would never know if it was an innate thing that she was just good at everything she did or if she had researched this but he found that he also couldn't care about that either. She kissed the head of his cock again, licking just underneath the shell and he wasn't going to be long now.
"Fuck, Annabeth, I'm gonna—"
But she cut him off, "Do it." She said, her voice commanding and inarguable. "I want to watch you do it." And how could he disagree with that? His chest was heaving, and it was so hard to breathe without sounding like he had run a race. Small beads of sweat were forming on his forehead as his heart beat so fast he was afraid it would jump from his chest. And he watched her more, her jerking hand motions bringing him so close to fruition, and her calculating gaze watching him back with such lust. He couldn't stand it.
"Nic—" Percy bit his tongue as a name bubbled to the surface of his throat, nearly ripping him apart. And where his girlfriend had been there was black hair and dark brown eyes and pale skin, a shy smile and a heavy blush. Such a petulant mouth wrapped around his dick, sucking and licking sinfully. Percy stared, his breath arrested now and there was no stopping his climax, no going back. "I'm—!" Annabeth knew what that meant, she pulled off of him, jerking him off to completion. He shot his spunk, seed spilling liquid and hot against Annabeth's knuckles. Percy couldn't seem to catch his breath, his lungs working overtime. His hands were clammy and his eyes were seeing stars.
Annabeth chuckled, looking devilish still on her knees with her soiled hand wrapped around his softening cock. If she had heard the name that had almost breeched his lips she showed no sign of it. "That was very hot, Perseus." She grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Who says a girl can't enjoy fellatio?" She wondered getting to her feet, she grabbed a handful of napkins from the table and wiped her hands and him clean, then, climbing onto his naked lap, she kissed him hard and deep.
Percy kissed her back as well as he could, but he suddenly felt very a heavy feeling in his gut; like he was empty. Like a vast wasteland had replaced his insides. The sky of his wasteland was made of guilt and the soil betrayal and he felt so unclean all at once. He knew what he had almost said.
Annabeth grabbed his hands, moving them to her breasts and he knew she wanted him to fondle and latch on. She wanted him to return the favor. Percy swallowed his guilt, feeling worse that he didn't want to do this anymore. He kissed at her neck, biting the collarbone just enough to make her moan. Her hands fisted at his hair, then she pushed him back and pulled her shirt over her head.
Percy wondered what his face had looked like, but it didn't seem to betray the horrid feeling he felt inside because Annabeth was kissing him again, hard. He supposed that there must have still been some elation at his climax clinging to his features. Either way his body seemed to be set on autopilot as his mind wound miles away.
He felt himself unbuttoning her bra, front clasps, and he got it off the first try. Annabeth gave him the courtesy of looking impressed. Her breasts stared at him, small and perfect. He leaned forward, though it didn't feel like it was really him doing it, and he took one of her nipples into his mouth. He could feel her rutting against his lap, her denim jeans and body heat against his flaccidness. Percy suckled gently at her nipple, listening to that breathy voice that just a moment ago he had so wanted to hear.
Her hand guided his to her pants, no matter what she was always schooling him, and he popped open the buttons of her jeans. A part of his mind wondered why girl's jeans came with so many, but he was more focused on the part of his brain that had transmogrified his girlfriend into Nico. That part scared him more than he cared to admit. Scared him so much that he found he soon was throwing himself into his work, trying to distract his dumb brain from those stupid thoughts.
Annabeth stood, shimmied out of her pants, climbing back into his lap. With one hand he held her side, gripping her tight, and with the other he brought a finger to her moistened entrance, all the while laving at her nipples again with abandon, nipping and sucking and causing vile words to spill out of her mouth.
This should have excited him more, he knew, he should have been hard again. He had a relatively good rebound time. But, he could only ignore that more. He rubbed his fingers against her like she had showed him how to do and there were no longer words coming out of her mouth but longstanding moans. The feel of her naked thighs gripping at his equally nude hips should have at least sent a tingle down his waist, the way she craned her neck to kiss at his mouth should have had him insisting that they buy condoms or birth control and take this all the way, but he just kissed her back, his fingers moving back and forth even faster now.
"Inside!" She growled in his ear and Percy plunged his middle finger into her wetness finding her open and willing. Again she moaned, almost wailed, and gripped his body with strength that was always surprising. Working his digit to the knuckle he brought his pointer in as well and Annabeth rocked against him. Percy was really beginning to sweat now, the task of keeping them from tipping back in the chair while performing wearing at his already burning muscles as Annabeth ground down against his fingers, clenching and rutting and fucking. He met her thrusts and she quivered against him so sensually, it breathed a bit of life back into him, but her warmth and the smell of lust rolling off of her skin was not enough to make a terribly noticeable difference. "I'm so close Percy, don't stop!"
And how could he disagree with that? His fingers scissored and his mouth worked and he nipped and bit and fingered until she was a babbling mess of uncharacteristic incoherency. When she came against him Percy only felt worse, he knew this was something he was going to have to get control over. He had to talk to Grover again, maybe. He'd felt so much better the last time he had.
Annabeth rode her climax out for a while after it was over, and when Percy finally pulled his hand from her her eyes looked hungry. She attacked his mouth with her own and their tongues battled for dominance, though Percy knew he was just going through the motions. It was because he was tired, he had to tell himself—though he had gotten plenty of sleep. He had needed this, being with Annabeth, and it was right that he was.
Yes. This was the way it was supposed to be.
His girlfriend pulled back from the kiss, "Wow." She grinned at him, again guilt washed over him like a tide pulling him out to sea. "I can't wait to go to your family's cabin next week," She said, holding him close so he held her back just as tightly. He wasn't always so aware when they fooled around, most of the time he kept his mind blank of everything except what they were doing, but the information he'd gotten about Nico had thrown him for a loop. "I think I'm ready to go all the way with you, Percy." She said, which brought him reeling back.
"Yeah?" He asked huskily, surely if they went all the way it would put things into perspective for him and he would truly understand how madly in love with this girl he was.
"Yeah." She smiled and kissed him again; she got off of his lap and pulled her pants back up. "We should probably go get cleaned up in the washroom." Percy pulled his underwear and his jeans up and nodded, following her.
It felt silly when they got into the backroom where a private restroom was, even after they had been so intimate they mostly averted eyes while the other cleaned his or herself. It said something about the human psyche and the need of privacy Annabeth had told him one day and he found it rang true especially today. He couldn't bring himself to look at her too long, his wasteland growing more vast.
When they were cleaned as best as they could be Annabeth grabbed for his hand and he stepped in close to her, "I don't want to ruin this by saying 'I love you' yet," She said, "because a majority of high school romances end in disaster, but Percy you're so special to me. I hope I don't sound too moony when I say that I hope you understand just how much you mean to me?"
"No," Percy replied kissing the top of her head, he felt his eyes prickle with tears and fought against them willing them away with a great force of will and a lot of blinking. "You sound so perfect," He said. "You always sound perfect. You mean so much to me too, Annabeth. You always will." It didn't sound like a lie in his ears. Annabeth did mean a great deal to him.
When they kissed again Percy felt a little better for it, it wasn't a passionate lust filled kiss but a chaste and sweet one. He held her tenderly against his body and tried not to think of the conflict going on inside of himself. The demons he had been fighting for nearly a year and a half were trying to resurface again and he desperately just wanted to be normal in the conventional sense of the word.
They cleaned the shop after that, Percy mopped the floors and Annabeth cleaned all the tables and chairs and set it up for Sally when she would inevitably come in to do her millionth inventory in the morning. Then they left, hand-in-hand.
"So, how do you feel?" Doctor Kirshbaum asked, it felt infuriating, especially since he was beginning to get the feeling that every session of theirs was going to start this way.
"Just today or, you know, in general?" Nico replied.
"Both, and try not to answer my questions with questions." Kirshbaum replied smoothly.
"Hey, hey," Nico said laying on the fainting couch, which he felt overdid the whole experience, "I'm just trying to get some clarity."
"I understand, but for future reference when I ask a question you should answer it with your first instinct, thinking too much let's you come up with a lie, or you over think and end up subconsciously lying to protect yourself."
"Yeah, alright. Have you always been this straightforward and cold?" Nico countered.
"Redirection, Nico, topically amusing and observant but redirection all the same." Kirshbaum replied, tapping her pen against her clipboard. "You have a clear fear of embarrassment, more so than is healthy."
"I've done plenty of stupid shit publically with my friends, I'm not easily embarrassed."
"There is a difference, Nico, with being in a group and being on one's own. Personal embarrassment is harder for people than "goofing off" in public with your chums. However, if you don't think that is the case, and you are as uneasily embarrassed as you claim then perhaps you should tell me how you're feeling lately, today and in general, so I don't have to write down an incorrect note—which incidentally could extend your stay with me."
Nico glared at his therapist and wondered from which ring of Hell she had spawned, "God, you're invasive."
"And you're defensive, but at least invasion is my job." She countered. "There really is no need to for you to act as if I'm the bad guy. I'm only here to help you."
Nico sighed, "I know." He said, sitting up a little. The doctor quirked her eyebrow a bit.
"Do I hear a hint of trust in that voice?" She said, a small smile pulling at her lips. The expression looked foreign but not unattractive on her face.
"Look," Nico replied. "It's not that I don't trust you, really, I'm a trusting guy when it comes to anyone who's not a dude I'm banging, but I've got a history with people like you. You psycho-linguists and your haughty sensibilities. I hate being psychoanalyzed, I already know there's nothing wrong with me, not physically and not really mentally."
"Then why do you think you're here?" Kirshbaum asked.
"Because I'm impossible on my parents?" Nico replied. "Sorry. Question with a question, but still. Dad's not so great at emotions and Mom is overemotional at the best of times, they're a great couple because they balance each other out, and you'd think that I'd be a good mix of the both of them but Bianca got all the good genes in that department. Usually I'm either one or the other, as distant as my father or as emotionally compromised as my mother can get. There's really not much of a happy medium."
"So what does that mean? That you feel like you can't be normal with this fighting sense of duality going on inside of you, the mix of stoic and emotional?"
Nico shrugged, "I just know that it makes me moody, and don't you dare tell me I'm bipolar. I will not go back on that stuff they prescribed me for bipolarism. It made me so freaking dull."
"You know that could have something to do with dosage and not the medicine itself," The doctor pointed out, "And I usually try to rule out medications until I'm sure exactly what the problem is. Now, go on about your home life."
"What's to tell?" Nico asked. "I want for nothing, Dad's a semi-famous author. I'm just being stupid acting this way."
"Then why do it?"
"You know you ask a lot of questions for someone who's supposed to be figuring this shit out for me." Nico glared.
"Questions asked, my dear boy, often uncover previously unknown answers. In truth, you want to know these things about yourself but you already know it and all you have to do is search your own mind. I'm just here to help direct you down the right path of questioning." Kirshbaum moved a strand of hair out of her eyes, it was held back in that tight bun again.
"Are you married, Doc?" Nico wondered.
"Stay on topic, Mr. di Angelo." She replied.
"So you get to totally ransack my existence for hundreds of dollars an hour, but I'm not allowed to ask you anything? I thought you got paid regardless?"
"'Patient shows resistance to authority figures,'" Kirshbaum scribbled down.
"Fucking hell, okay. My home life is alright, Mom cooks and stuff, Dad works, my sister's headed off to a psychology college because everyone thinks her little brother is fucked up, and I'm still in high school."
"Do you resent your sister?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Nico answered. "I mean, she gets perfect grades, never gets caught going out, her boyfriends are always super good looking and buff; jealous? Maybe, but I'm nothing if not supportive of the fact that she can do no wrong." Nico smirked.
"And your father tells me you two have had a small falling out?" The doctor continued. "Why is that?"
"Why did he say? I can't believe you got him to say anything, he doesn't really believe in any of this. Mom's the one who urges him to make me go." But the doctor didn't seem as if she was going to say anything. Nico sighed, "Ever since we moved he's been on the go a lot, I don't see him a whole bunch. About a month or so back when he tried to get onto me I just sort of…shut down on him. I yelled at him."
"Why did you yell at him?" Kirshbaum asked.
"Because he moved us back to the place where I got my heart broken." Nico told her point blank. "I didn't think I could handle it—I still don't think I can. Percy's Mom came over to our house earlier today and I almost lost it, and I loved Sally when I was younger. I know I can't handle seeing Percy." Nico looked at Lupa, her face was blank still and the only sign that she was actually listening was that she was scribbling down cliff notes on her clipboard.
"Well," The doctor leaned forward in her chair. "I think that'll be all for today, Nico. Thank you for coming in." Nico blinked.
"What?" He said. "Just like that?"
"What did you expect?" Lupa asked with a smirk, Nico got the feeling she enjoyed watching him answer her constant questions.
"I don't know, usually I use the whole hour is all." He shrugged.
"And I'll bet you spend that hour trying to infuriate whoever is giving you your therapy, going off topic, or just not even saying anything at all. Don't worry, Mr. di Angelo, I'm sure eventually you'll be using the hour in its entirety, but until that point I can tell this seems to be when you'll seal off this semi-talkative stream you've opened up. "Percy" appears to be your shut off valve for all things therapeutic."
Nico remained quiet, sitting up in his chair and staring at his doctor, who was slowly revealing that she was unlike any of the previous doctors who had tried to invade his inner most thoughts.
"But," Lupa continued, "I do have a few exercises I want you to try. First: when I told you your father said that there had been a falling out, I meant between you and your sister, but you seem to think that he meant between the two of you. So I want you to discuss, at length, the things you've told me here today, when you're comfortable. We cannot force this." She grinned as she leaned forward, Nico stared at her for a minute not sure if he liked that she had played him so well.
"Secondly: you say Percy is your neighbor, and obviously he contributes to some of the bigger issues in your life. So I want you to confront him as well. Maybe not all at once, and definitely in a civilized manner," When she saw the look on his face that she expected—heavy disagreement—she held up a hand, "Wean yourself into it, find ways to spend just a little time with him at first, until you feel comfortable telling him how he's affected your life thus far as well."
"Doctor Kirshbaum that's—"
"Not up for debate." Lupa finished. "Thank you, Nico. You are dismissed."
Nico stepped out of the office and looked around, "Your mom's in the bathroom." Carter said from behind his little desk. He smiled handsomely when Nico came to stand in front of him.
"Is that woman human?" He asked, leaning on the desk. "I couldn't get her to break stride, not once. She just kept asking me questions."
"Dr. Kirshbaum is very professional." Carter grinned. "I take it the session went well?"
"I—" Nico paused, "Damn it if I know, she got me to talk in the first five minutes and kept me going for another twenty. She's a witch." Carter laughed and Nico decided he liked the sound of it, it was a rich, deep laugh that reminded him of velvet. Nico unconsciously leaned forward. That's when something caught his eye. It was a picture on Carter's counter.
"Is this your family?" He asked picking it up. There was a dark skinned man that Carter looked a lot like, obviously his father. The man had a chiseled jaw and high cheekbones, his hair was still dark, untouched by gray, and cut short to his head. His smile was pure white and dazzling and he rocked a suit like he had been born wearing them. He looked like the model for Good Looking Professors Monthly. If that was a real magazine and Carter's dad was on the cover Nico would have subscribed immediately.
The woman smiling beside him must have been Carter's late mother, and she was just as gorgeous as his father. Her hair was strawberry blonde and long, waterfalling down her back thickly. Her eyes were as blue as crystal and she too was smiling, the dress she was wearing sparkled in the flashbulb as if it were decorated with stars. "Where were you guys?" Nico asked, looking at a younger version of Carter, he had to be fourteen or fifteen, and a smaller girl who was her mother's doppelganger.
"Oh, it was some architect's gala," Carter said taking the picture back and setting it on his desk. He glanced at it and Nico saw that his eyes settled on his mother. "My parents are—were pretty famous in their field. Dad doesn't go out for digs much anymore. He's strictly a professor now."
"And your sister?" Nico wondered.
"Sadie's still in high school, she's about your age." Carter looked as if he came to some realization. His hand hit his forehead, "My sister is your age." He cursed. "That's just great."
"We're not going through this again." Nico laughed.
"You ready to go, sweetie?" Nico looked up and Maria was making her way back into the front lobby. He shrugged.
"Ready as I'll ever be." He grinned, he turned back to Carter with that smile on his face. "When do you want to go get coffee?"
"I'll text you when I get off, how about tomorrow?" Carter replied with a small smile of his own.
"Sounds good. Bye, Carter." Nico let Maria lead him away and looked over his shoulder one last time, damn it but Carter was handsome. And funny. And smart. If Nico had been born a few years earlier they would have totally been able to hit it off, not that it bothered him. It was Carter who was refusing to give him the time of day sexually. Apparently sixteen was too young for a twenty-two year old man to want. Nico scoffed inwardly and inflated his own ego, he'd have been able to keep up with Carter. Hell, he probably would have been able to teach him a thing or two.
Which reminded him: Nico had called Octavian while he was in the bathroom earlier that day and his mom had been entertaining Sally and her new husband. But, O would not answer his calls after the first time.
Apparently Octavian had been questioned by the police about statutory rape and the only thing that had kept him from actually being sentenced to a jail was O's powerful father's influence. He blamed Nico and called it a betrayal even if Nico insisted that it hadn't been him who had called the police. The fact that he had left California without being able to say goodbye hadn't won him any brownie points either.
So much for the one guy who actually liked him.
"Don't make that face," Maria said, putting an arm around his shoulder. "We're going shopping."
"I know, Mom." Nico said with a small smile, trying to push it all from his mind. "I'm sorry." He gave her a small smile. "Let's go shopping."
Author's Notes: Ask you and shall receive, this is what I do to you when you ask for smut. :P No, I'm kidding, that was very central to the story line. What did everyone think? This was my first time writing hetero stuff, I think. I could be wrong, but it happens. I've been trying to write Percy as conflicted but I don't think I'm doing a very good job, and I'm ready for next chapter so they can finally be face-to-face.
However, I'm also ready for more Creeper Percy. He's climbing through your window, snatchin' yo Nico up. Is that meme still popular? I'm so behind on the times. Anyway, this chapter is courtesy of pizza and liquor on Saint Paddy's day cause now I can't sleep and I figured I'd upload it. It's seven-thirty in the morning. Someone help me.
Ah, and I apologize for my author's note last chapter. I don't know why I got so angry. Usually I try to be a very happy sounding guy on here. Anyway, I'm going to try to go to bed. And by go to bed I mean browse Tumblr. Thanks for reading the chapter!