Chapter 2
Nick Ryder walked along side Nico Di Angelo turning his Ipod on to Panic! at the disco keeping the volume low. "So...",Nico begins and my heart flutters rapidly in my chest. "What in Hades name are you doing?" He says excitedly. I look over at him smiling widely at me as he opens the door to the Hades cabin. "My..." I began before I took in the decor in Nico's room it spoke volumes about his personality. The walls were pure black. There were was a chandelier and torches spaced around the room all made from bones. The light that was coming from the skulls eyes were a pale electric blue. "Your?" Nico prompted chuckling to himself before flipping a switch that bathed the room in the blue glow. "Oh,um..m-my uh mother ,yes my mother sent me to camp." I said blushing furiously. Why was I always reduced to a bumbling idiot when I was alone with Nico? Real attractive! I scolded myself. Nico frowned, "That's not good." I nodded reluctantly and went over to his closet this room was an almost exact replica of his room in the underworld only that was red and black not red and blue. "My thoughts exactly," I say distacted looking for some clean clothes that was more "Nick" then "Nico". I finally settled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a Night before Christmas Tee, I threw both arcticles of clothing on my bed across from Nico's. "Nice choice," he said nodding apreciatively "before you shower or whatever we should have dinner and there's the war games if you clean up now you'll be messy again anyway." I nodded from my place near the closet. Nico laughed suddenly "What?" I snapped irritated. He tried to keep a staright face "Nothing,you just don't have to be so nervous around me, I'm one of the few people who can understand what you've been through," he says quietly looking me in the eyes with such emotion I wanted to run across the room and kiss him. I was almost to him before I realized my feet had moved of their own accord. "Nico..."I began overcome with emotion not sure where to start,"That's sweet of you and I want you to know I consider you my best friend but no one here can understand exactly what I've gone through. My mortal parent kept me in an insane asylum because he couldn't see through the Mist. He didn't understand when I couldn't contol my powers." Nico scowled."What an asshole!" he said disgusted. I chuckled before giving him a quick hug. "Thanks...lets grab some dinner before I have to show these campers how to fight" I say smirking .
Ten minutes later I was sitting at the Posidean table with Percy,Nico had left me in what Nico referred to as "Percy's very capable hands" before he had melted into the shadow's. He apparently needed to get his sword before the war games and Hades was having it sharpened for him. I sat across from Percy picking at my chicken nuggets listening to him ramble on on about how much I would like it here and how he and I were going to be great friends and...and didn't this guy ever stop to take a breath? I wondered sarcasticlly. Percy stopped talking them apparently picking up on my discomfort. "What's wrong?" he asked frowning slightly. I sighed"Nothing,Percy I'm just not very social like you and Nico." Percy chuckled and I looked at him quizzacly his face fell "Oh your serious? wait you think Nico is social?" Percy asked clearly confused. "Well he says an awful lot to me for someone who isn't very social why what's he normally like?" I ask Percy interested in what he had to say now we were on a different subject. "Well...Well he's alot like you only he has one hell of a temper. Quiet reserved, withdrawn." I looked at Percy deciding if I should tell him the truth "He was chatting me up the entire time we were in his cabin and he talks all the time,the few times we've hung out." I say explaining my choice of words to Percy. He shakes his head looking perplexed "He must really like you Nick, he seriously doesn't talk... I think Annabeth, Rachel and I are his only friends at camp." I feel my face grow hot and know I'm blushing like a love sick fool. Fortunately Chiron called the campers to attention "Heroes please gear up and make your way to the woods for the war games. Athena,Ares, and Aphrodite cabins' on the Red team. Appollo,Hepheastus,Hermes,Posidean, and Hades cabins on the Blue Team. We begin Capture the Flag in ten minutes!" The campers rushed off to get ready for the game as I stood there a little lost. I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and I spun around my training automatically kicking in. "Come on," Percy chuckled at my quick reaction "I'm glad I'm on your team let's go gear up." "What about Nico?" I ask hoping I dont sound like I'm crushing on my best friend. "He'll meet us before the game trust me." Percy said confidently. "Now hurry up I think Nico has an extra set of Black Armor...you don't seem like a gold armor kind of guy to me."
