Chapter 7: Besties and Fluff

DiscLAMER: wait for it...wait for it... now! Oops too late... I don't own PJO sadly *le sigh*

A/N: Well, my pretties, my brother finally gave me the computer. You have no idea how happy I am because of your guy's reviews! I know it says I only have 4 but I got a few from guests. Thank you guys some much! To whoever thinks that Nico is portrayed as a player in this, but not in the actually series, I know that. I just wanted to make this Nico a player, to shake things a bit. I love you all and give you all a virtual... potato. Hope ya'll like yer taters. Enjoy chapter 7 of "Death's Prankster"

NICO'S POV

I woke up at a weird angle. My body was horizontal to my bed, so my feet were dangling off the side. I had a pillow under my head and a blanket laid on me. I remember holding Cassidy, and I guess I fell asleep. Man, I really wish she had stayed with me... wait what? Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. It was Percy.

"Hey man, dinner is about to start, you coming?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders and followed him to the dining hall. On the way there, we didn't really talk. When we got there, we went to our respective tables. I knew Cassidy wouldn't be here. She was hardly around for meals anymore. Or anything for that matter. Not classes, not campfire, nothing, so when I saw her sitting at the Hermes table, eating mouse sized bites of her food and occasionally cracking a baby smile, I was completely and utterly shocked.

CAS' POV

After exiting Nico's cabin, I felt different. I couldn't describe it, but it felt familiar. Like, I'd it before, but not for a while. I just ignored it. Dinner was soon, and I actually felt up to going today. Maybe not eating quite yet, but sitting with my cabin mates. It was still to hard to call them my family, but cabin mates worked just fine.

"Alright Cas, we'll see ya after diner" called one of my cabin mates. I stood up.

"Actually..." I started. I shocked them. I don't think any of them had ever heard my voice before, having stopped talking so early in my arrival to camp, "...I was thinking about joining you guys, if that's okay?" I said cautiously. The girl who had said she would see me after dinner smiled.

"Of course, you are our sister aren't you?" No, I thought bitterly. I don't have sibling quite yet. I had one and lost him. I had cabin mates, nothing more, nothing less. At least, not yet, but I nodded anyway. So, together as a cabin we walked over to the dining hall. As we sat down, I got a lot of weird looks. People also started whispering. Great. I was planning on ignoring it, when a girl from Apollo, I think, stood up on her table.

"Hey! The girl is allowed to eat! So shut up and eat your dang food!" Everyone looked at her, and slowly continued their conversations. The girl got down and walked over to me.

"Hi, I'm Amber." she stated, holding out her hand. I eyed it suspiciously, and she brought it down. "Fair enough. I know introverts don't really like to socialize or come into contact with people"

I glared at her, and her eyes widened.

"Listen, I don't like talking, so I'm not going to repeat this. I don't make friends and I don't have friends. I don't want friends and I don't need friends. Please, don't even try" I stated simply.

She looked at my quizzically and said "Well!I don't care if you don't want a friend, I will become your BESTEST FREIND EVER okay? See you later" and she walked back to her table. Strange girl... anyway, I sat back down at my table. I didn't eat or talk much, but occasionally I would smirk at something stupid that the Stolls said. I looked around, not a lot of people were here, since school was in session. I was still looking around when my eyes met Nico's. He nodded of towards the cabin area and got up and left. I weighed the options in my head, and ultimately decided to follow him. I waited a few minutes before tapping the girl next to me.

"Hey" I said. Rachel, the one who said I could join them and what not, looked at me.

"I'm not really hunger" I lied smoothly. She nodded in understanding and went back to her conversation. I stood up and walked towards his cabin. I knew that I couldn't like, or even become friends with this guy, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to. I knocked on his door, and a few seconds later, he opened the door. His eyes were like a never ending abyss. They were black and beautiful. His muscular but slender figure made the sight even more lovely. Woah, woah woah. Hold up. Back up and delete those thoughts. I shook my head slightly, as if it would make me forget what I just thought.

"Hey, come in" he said warmly. Inside was freaking awesome. I didn't get a good look at it when I was cying my heart out. The obsidian walls were beautifully accented with picture of skulls all around. He had a deep red couch in front of a lit fireplace.

I sat down silently, and he sat next to me. We sat in silence for a bit. It wasn't awkward but not exactly comfortable. After a few minutes he spoke.

"Why don't you let people in?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not taking my eyes away from the dancing red and orange flames. I guess my voice shocked him, him not having heard it for so long.

"Why do you push people away from you? Why don't you let people befriend you? I can tell something is different with you today. I saw it as soon as I saw you walk in with your cabin. You. Were. Happy."

No. I couldn't be happy, not without a huge wave a guilt washing over me. Happiness wasn't something I had anymore.

I tore my eyes from the flaming beast. "No" I answered.

"Yes you did. Was it because of our little nap together? Huh?" alright, now he was seriously pushing it.

"Look, is there a reason you wanted me here or can I just leave?" I said already standing up. He grabbed my arm and turned me around. "Why won't you just let me be your friend?" he scolded, his voice raising.

"Because, I don't need friends. " I yanked my arm from his grasp, my voice rising as well.

"Are you kidding me? That even sounded stupid to me, and I'm the expert on the 'no friends' thing." he yelled.

"WHY WOULD YOU CARE ABOUT MY SOCIAL LIFE?" Alright, I was yelling now too.

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU!"

"WELL YOU SHOULDN'T! I DONT GET CLOSE TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST GONNA HURT ME IN THE END!"

Silence. The tension hung in the air, but he stopped yelling.

"You really think that?" he asked softly.

I sat back down and put my head in my hands. I felt the could dip next to me, so I knew he had sat as well.

"Of course I do. Anyone I ever loved was taken from me. My dad left us with Lauren, leaving me to fend for myself and Joseph-" my voice cracked. I didn't start crying, but I was pretty dang close. He scooted closer to me and grabbed my hands.

"Hey, Iknow what it's like to be in that mind set, but you need to realize that not everyone will leave you. You'll make friends here, and have an amazing time with all of us. Please, let me in."he whispered the last part in my ear, his lips slightly brushing my ear. I shuddered and he smirked. I looked up at him. I knew I wasn't supposed to kiss him, but my "rebel" personality was rebelling against itself. We leaned forward at the same time, our eyes slowly closing. The kiss was perfect, but I needed more. Things quickly unfolded into a wonderful make out session. When we finished, it was past curfew, so I just decided to stay in Nico's cabin.

"Nico" I whined.

"Yes?"

"I don't have pj's and I don't wanna go all the back to my cabin." he sighed and walked over to his dresser. He came back to me and handed me one of his shirts and a pair of his sweats. I went into the bathroom to change. The clothes were incredibly baggy on me, but I loved them. I walked over to the light switch and turned the lights off, then I crawled in bed next to Nico.

"Goodnight" I said sleepily.

"Goodnight" he said as he wrapped his arm around me and I fell asleep to the soft snores of Nico di Angelo.

Aaaawww! What did you guys think? There's some fluff for you sappy people. It was kinda hard to write this one since my brother is sitting next to me, pitching me creative ways to kill off all of the characters, or as he calls it "Just Helping". Whatever, hope you guys liked it. Won't post the next one until I have 7 reviews and we are already at 4! Love you all, did you enjoy yer taters? Haha, read and review. Peace out and Rock On! ~ dark-rebellion di angelo