Author's Note:
so i started the next chapter as soon as I posted the 4.6k chapter
looks like i'm returning to 1k word chapters cuz i don't get enough ideas lol
shhh its okay small children i'll try my best
anyways i'mma start actually writing the fic now
-Aleavon
P.S. Okay so high school started and i got over my league of legends addiction
soooo i'll finish the chapter now- 8/28/15
if i can work myself into a schedule i should be able to post a chapter every friday now ^_^
I'll try my best to get into a schedule lol XD
TY all for the continued support! :)
P.P.S ok so i lied now it's next friday and i still haven't finished a single 1k word chapter . cmon leanne you can do it we all believe in you
After a good one hour or so of everyone crowding Nemo, who was gladly soaking up the attention, celery, and petting, they once again returned to the living room, where the remaining gifts were given. All the while, Nemo was "reet-reet"-ing his way through it, absolutely shining under the attention he was getting from the crowd of adorers. As Jason set him down on Percy's lap, the ones who were more besotten with Nemo (Will and Frank included) crowded around him, cooing and reaching out to brush his orange fur.
As he watched the crowd (it's only like 5 people, but hey, 3's a crowd) look on in absolute awe of the furry little rodent, Nico chuckled internally as he saw how Nemo was more popular and loved than he would ever be. But nothing, no one could replace the fact that Will did, in fact, love him after all. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that you were loved.
Nico had just begun to settle into the couch next to the questionably artificial fireplace, watching Will join the others in playing with the excessively furry Nemo as Jason walked over with a wide grin on his face. He sat down facing Nico on the couch beside him while holding one of his arms behind him.
"Hey, Nico, I have a present for you," Jason cheekily said as he tapped Nico on the shoulder with the arm that wasn't hiding the said present behind his back. Nico tried to look over Jason's shoulder to get even the smallest glance at the present, but to no avail, as even with
But before Jason could utter another word to prepare Nico for what he had gotten him, Percy shouted across the room, "Hey Jason, can I let Nemo run around on the carpet? He looks like he wants to explore. He can't harbor that little adventurous spirit inside him forever. Trust me, I know."
"Just make sure he doesn't leave little jelly beans all over the carpet!"Jason yelled, sauntering over to Nico with a grin on his face after leaving Nemo with Percy once again. In his hands was a folded red piece of clothing.
"So Piper was surfing Tumblr the other day and found this really funny sweater... She shared it with me and I immediately thought, I have to get Nico one of these. 'Nuff said. Hope you like it!" Jason said, trying not to burst out into laughter.
"Um.. okay..." Nico replied, unfolding the garment and then turning it around to look at the design on the front.
"Oh..." Nico quietly said, not sure of what else to say. The front of the shirt read "HO HO HOMO" in white cross-stitch lettering, bordered by a series of white line patterns. Just from the looks of it, Nico doubted that he'd ever wear it. He supposed it was sort of funny... but it would be more embarrassing than cool for him to wear it... and it wasn't exactly "his type"...
"Hahaha... I wanna see you wear it sometime," Jason chuckled, looping his thumbs in his basketball short pockets. "You don't know how long I've waited for this."
He looked Nico in the eyes pointedly, and then gestured towards the sweater in his hands. After a few moments, Nico finally understood what Jason was saying, and groaned, slumping down onto the carpeted floor.
"But I'm already wearing a jacket! And it's so... uh..." Nico protested weakly.
"So ugly? That's what it's supposed to be. An ugly christmas sweater!" Jason laughed, and then picked up the sweater, holding it up to Nico's chest.
"You'll look fine in it. Just put it on. Here, I'll hold it while you take off your jacket." Jason demanded as Nico stubbornly shook his head. The two then engaged in an intense glaring contest, and neither of the two would back down.
"C'mon Neeks! I never ask you to do anything for me... just this once?" Jason broke his threatening demeanor and went for the puppy eyes. He couldn't do it as well as Percy, Nico supposed, but the watery blue eyes did the trick. Nico finally caved and started unzipping his jacket.
"Oooh! Are we playing strip poker? I wanna play! The other guys in my homeroom taught me how to play poker, and I'm pretty good at it!" Leo cried, rushing over with a deck of cards with a big grin on his face.
Jason and Nico then turned and fixed him with their pair of electrifying-death glares, and Leo stopped in his tracks, then started slowly backing away. "Oookay... I guess that we're not...? I'll go now..." as he ran back to the kitchen where Calypso was re-braiding Piper's hair.
The awkwardness of Leo's outburst had silenced the two, making the atmosphere tense as Jason slowly handed the sweatshirt to Nico, who in turn swapped it for his jacket. Nico felt the cooler air outside the warm barrier created by the jacket raise goosebumps on his skin, causing a swift shiver to run down his back.
Once Nico managed to pull the goofy-looking sweatshirt over his head, he tried to regain his dignity by combing his fingers through his ebony waves in an attempt to fix the ruffling of his hair that the sweater had so annoyingly done.
Jason looked Nico up and down, stared at him in shock for a moment, and then burst out into laughter.
"PIPES! PIPES! IT'S OUR DREAM COME TRUE! NICO'S WEARING THE SWEATER!"
Nico couldn't help but feel somewhat teased as Piper stumbled into the living room and dissolved completely into a fit of giggles. After about 30 seconds of Nico standing there being watched by the two, Jason sobered up and guiltily grinned.
"Sorry for the laughter... I just didn't expect it to look so good on you. The irony is that it actually fits, and it fits you at the same time. I'm glad you'll be able to wear it. All I needed was to see you wear it once." Jason grimaced as Nico shot him another death glare. His torture was yet to come.
"I still can't believe he even got you to wear it. I was expecting for him to be chasing you around the house screaming at you to put it on." Piper said, smiling kindly to make up for the unintentional cruelty she had just subjected Nico to.
Nico sighed, still knowing that it was all in good fun. He guessed this is what his sister felt like when he made her dress up like Mythomagic characters... But it was good knowing that at least he could make others happy.
"Ugh, can I go now? And can I have my jacket back? I don't want anyone to see me in this... ever..." Nico mumbled... slowly shuffling back towards Will as he slowly pulled his beloved jacket out from Jason's arms. Jason just grinned and watched Nico as Nico gave him a weird look and walked away.
The inconsistency of the flames stirred something within Reyna, making her feel empty inside. But a small smile danced across her lips anyways. There was no one left back home for her to celebrate Christmas with anymore. Her sister had gone off to college years ago, and her parents were... no longer there, to say the least. The past few years had been lonely, staying in the big house that she had inherited from her dad... but she preferred living in the small apartment she rented on her own, earning money from renting out the large house and paying for everything she needed.
It was a pretty good life, but Reyna wanted something more. She wanted to be around people more. She wanted to connect, to understand, to maybe even love and be loved. Maybe she wasn't quite there yet...
Reyna turned and looked at the people she had gotten to know over the last year, and couldn't help but smile. She decided that maybe what she had now wasn't bad after all.
Jason noticed her sitting alone, and walked over to her, smiling.
"I forgot to give you your gift earlier... and I just remembered. Here, I'll show you in the hallway." Jason grimaced, and held out a hand to help Reyna up from the carpet in front of the fire and led her into the hallway.
"Honestly, this gift isn't really something new, but I remembered one day after the last football game of the year, you ran around the stadium frantically looking for something. You seemed really upset about it for weeks afterwards. So I asked around, and Gwen finally sent word to me that you had lost the ring your mom gave you before she left."
Jason scratched his head sheepishly, continuing, "Yeah, I know it was kind of stalkerish, but I wanted to make sure your memories from the last year of high school weren't sad at all. So once I learned that you lost your ring on the field, I remembered that no one ever cleans the football field except for tending to the turf, and only once every March at that, so I drove over to the school's stadium.
"I searched the entire stadium for three hours just so I could find it. I felt like I owed you something from all the times you helped me with school and the team... and my stepmom..."
Jason quietly sighed, and stuck his hands back into his jean pockets. The long corridor was eerily silent, neither of the two knowing exactly what to say. Finally, Jason took a deep inhale, let it out, and cleared his throat as he broke the silence.
"Well... here it is."
Jason pulled out an intricately engraved silver ring out of his jean pocket, still attached to a golden chain with a broken clasp, and handed it to Reyna.
Reyna, shocked, looked at her family heirloom once again returned to her possession, and didn't say a word for a good 30 seconds. Her dark brown eyes welled up with tears, and she hesitated for a moment before throwing her arms around Jason, her tears slowly running down her face.
"Thank... you..." Reyna uttered out, before closing her eyes and letting go of him, holding the ring tightly in her right fist. "How can I ever repay you? This was one of the most precious things I ever owned... I lost it, and now I've had it given to me by another one of the most important people in my life. I... I don't know what I can do to thank-"
Jason abruptly cut her off. "It's nothing compared to what you've done for me. I should be the one to thank you..."
The two of them stood in silence, each valuing the other's friendship to no end, and finally shared a smile and returned to the comfort of the humble fireplace.