©Rick Riordan
©Scarlett Dove
Chapter IX
Counting the Silence
One, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
Twelve seconds have gone by and Percy still hasn't said anything.
That isn't like him at all.
Isn't it, though?
Maybe… I can't remember.
Nico glared at the man sat on the chair across from him.
Speak, gods damn it.
Percy wouldn't meet Nico's eyes for the life of him. It felt to Nico like he was being avoided.
But why is he here then?
Maybe pity, eh?
Nico stared at Percy dead on.
"One, two, three, four." Nico muttered out loud. Percy's head snapped up to look at Nico.
"One, two, three, four." Nico muttered again. Percy squinted at Nico.
"One, two, three-"
"-What are you doing, Nico?" Percy finally asked.
"Eleven seconds had gone by before you asked me what I was doing." Nico told Percy in an even voice. "But twenty-three seconds have gone by since you got here, and didn't speak."
Percy blinked.
And he blinked again.
Then he spoke. "You were counting?" Percy's face was slightly pink.
Nico looked at Percy bored. "What did you expect me to do, stronzo?" He spoke in the tone.
Percy's face turned red. "B-break the silence?" Percy said.
Nico's facial nor tone changed as he leaned back and bounced his feet up and down and said; "You came over here, stronzo. You wanted to talk."
Percy's face turned even brighter. Nico quirked an eyebrow. What was that about?
What in Hades to think it was about?
Nico clenched his teeth together.
He stopped bouncing his leg.
"Nico?"
Nico opened his eyes not even realizing he closed them.
"What?" Nico folded his arms tight.
He watched as Percy chewed his lip between white teeth. He's going to break it.
Why do you-
"What does that word mean?" Percy asked him.
The side of Nico's lip quirked up half a centimeter as he gazed amused at the uncomfortable looking man across from him.
"Asshole.
I think at the end of this story, I will be explaining the concept that I did with this, and along the way what made me want to write a story like this, and how the internal monologue works, I think that's a very confusing concept for some people, but tell me what you think.
Remember to review!
Scarlett