"I'm autistic." Crystal stared at him for a few seconds. Alvie couldn't hold her gaze for long, looking down at his hands.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Alvie hesitated.
"I thought… I thought you… you wouldn't… want to be my friend anymore…" He mumbled, his voice increasingly quieter as he spoke.
"Idiot." Crystal bopped him on the head. "I'm not shallow!" Alvie looked nervous. "Alvie, I don't care. I'd rather hang out with you than any of those jerks at school." She sighed, shaking her head at him. "And, if I'm honest with you, I don't know much about autism." She made a mental note to Google it later. "Want a hot chocolate?" Alvie nodded meekly, still looking nervous. Crystal stood and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. She adjusted the towel around his shoulders, but noticed he was dry, as if he had never been in the bathroom explosion. Crystal just put it down to something godly. She was going to put anything weird under 'godly'. "Come on." She still kept hold of his hand and led him downstairs, giving him no choice but to follow.
Crystal was mixing the hot chocolates and humming to herself. Her mind was whirring and processing Alvie's latest surprise. She hadn't lied to him- she would rather be friends with him than any of the Barbies or pig-headed jocks at school. She knew nothing of autism and its affects, except that it had something to do with the mind- well, she thought it did. She wasn't sure. Alvie was her friend and nothing would change that. She didn't want to up and leave the one guy that offered her calm and sanity as well as being the guy that had saved her life at the risk of his own.
Her mind wandered to Alvie's godly heritage. His mom's mom was Athena. She paused in what she was doing, thinking it either ironic or weird how the grandson of Athena was autistic.
She smiled at him as she turned and handed him his hot chocolate. His eyes glimmered with doubts as he took the hot drink in a trembling hand.
Sighing, she took his free hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Alvie, don't panic. You could have a second head for all I care- you're still my friend."
"A second head?"
"Yeah. Why not?" Alvie tentatively sipped his drink. Crystal sat on the stool next to him, turning to sit at the breakfast bar in the centre of the kitchen. Alvie turned as well, setting his drink down.
"You're… not… you're not freaking out." He said, looking at her questioningly.
"Why would I? I am a bit annoyed that you didn't tell me earlier though." Alvie looked down at his mug, chewing his lip. "Obviously it's a big thing for you, but if it helps, we're not all perfect. Or sane." Alvie didn't respond to that. Crystal pursed her lips stubbornly. "If you're upset, think about a T-rex trying to make a bed." It took a few seconds for that to sink in before he smiled. The more he thought about it, the funnier it seemed. "There we go." Crystal sipped at her drink. "Point to Crystal."
Joy wandered in, looking exhausted. "Hi, Mom."
"Hi, sweetheart. Are you OK, Alvie?" He nodded, still smiling. "Crystal, what did you tell him?"
"I said if he's upset, he should think about a T-rex trying to make a bed." Joy burst out laughing and the weariness about her eased. "So, did Piggy enjoy his yearly bath?"
"He's gone out."
"Yay!" Crystal beamed. "Right, get his stuff and bag it all up."
"Crystal…"
"And then put it in the charity shop and make him buy it all back." (*)
"You… you are an evil little mastermind." Joy mumbled something after that, something neither of them caught. (**)
Alvie glanced at Crystal, his smile gone. He looked worried again. Joy set about making herself a coffee. Crystal leaned towards him.
"Do you want to tell Mom?" She asked quietly, for him alone to hear. He nodded after a few seconds of hesitation. "Mom!" Crystal sat up straight. Joy turned briskly.
"What?" She asked, thinking something was wrong. Crystal smiled.
"Alvie wants to tell you something." They both looked at Alvie expectantly.
It took half a minute or so to pluck up the courage to tell Joy, but he did it.
"I'm autistic." Joy did exactly what Crystal did, staring at him for a few seconds as the news sank in.
"Oh, sweetheart…" Joy moved forward and hugged Alvie tightly for a minute. Then she pulled back, holding his face in her hands. "You're still adorable." She smiled. Alvie's cheeks tinged pink and Joy laughed softly. "Look, for future reference, if you ever need to tell me or Crystal anything, just go for it, OK?" He nodded.
"Thank you."
"Joy?"
"Alvie?"
"Uh, my dad's cousin is picking me up at four. Is that OK?"
"Of course it is, sweetie." Joy smiled. Alvie returned it timidly. "Where's Crystal?" Alvie glanced over his shoulder.
"Um…"
"Crystal!"
"I didn't do it!"
"Where are you?"
"Oh! Hold on!" Crystal ran down the stairs, jumping the last three. She threw out her arms. "Ta da!"
"Alvie's dad's cousin is picking him up at four." Crystal glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Do we have enough time to burn cookies?"
"If you hurry."
"Awesome. Come on, Alvie." She held her hand out to him and he fell in step alongside her. She took his hand and they disappeared down the hall towards the kitchen.
Joy was smiling after them and didn't notice her husband sneak up on her.
"I don't approve of that." He stated, his deep voice making her jump.
"Why not?" Joy protested. "I think they're really sweet together." William glowered after the pair, Crystal's laughter bouncing down the corridor. "Besides, he makes her happy."
"There's something wrong with him." William knew nothing of Alvie's godly heritage or autism, but the bathroom incident had freaked him out.
"There's nothing wrong with him! You say that every time he comes over! Just leave him alone and go away!" She made to go after the two friends, but William grabbed her arm.
"Don't," He growled, "talk to me like that again. Do you understand?" Joy didn't reply and he tightened his grip, giving her a threatening shake. "Do you understand me, woman?" She nodded meekly and he shoved her away.
The cookies were fresh out of the oven- and blue- when the doorbell rang.
"I've got it!" Joy beamed, bouncing away.
"But I want to get it!" Crystal challenged happily, running after her mother.
"Haha, never!" Joy opened the door, looking back at her daughter and smiling triumphantly. A shocked gasp had her face her visitor and her smile faltered. "Nico?"
"Joy?"
"Mom, you know him?" Crystal studied the newcomer's black cloths strangely. Her mother didn't know anybody that dressed like that. She didn't want to. Joy didn't answer, surprising Crystal by stumbling forward and wrapping her arms around the visitor's neck. After a few seconds of hesitation, Nico hugged her back.
"Oh gods…" Nico had a small smile on his lips. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"Nico, I'm so sorry." Joy's voice shook. Nico held her at arm's length. Joy was crying. Joy never cried.
"Hey, it's OK." Nico assured, wiping Joy's tears away with his thumbs.
"Joy, who's that?" Joy tensed as William appeared. Nico looked confused.
"Um, this is Nico. He's an old… friend." The way she said 'friend' suggested more, but William didn't pick up on that.
"Hi, Nico."
"Hey, Alvie." Alvie remained oblivious to the tension in the air, but he saw tears glistening in Joy's eyes.
"Are you OK?" He asked.
"I'm fine."
"You have explaining to do." William snarled. Joy paled and Nico angered, stepping forward and placing himself between William and Joy. "Who are you?"
"Who are you?" Nico returned. Alvie tensed, recognising his uncle's dark glower and tense shoulders. William must have sensed something different about Nico as well. The son of Hades' aura could establish fear so powerful it could drive some insane.
"I'm Joy's husband." William retorted, his tone monotonous.
"I've got a feeling she doesn't like you."
"He's your dad's cousin?" Crystal asked Alvie quietly.
"On the godly side." Alvie replied in whisper. Crystal thought about the godly side of Alvie's family. Percy's dad was Poseidon. Poseidon's brothers were Zeus and Hades.
Looking Nico over, he had to be a son of Hades. He just seemed so dark and terrifying. She relayed her suspicions to Alvie, who nodded.
"They have the same hair." Alvie nodded again, not catching her attempt at lighting the mood. Other than the similarities in hair colour, she would never have placed Nico and Percy as cousins.
"Nico, just leave it." Joy pleaded.
"How about you just leave?" William spat. Nico gritted his teeth. Crystal was a bit shocked when Alvie stepped in front of her. Before she could question it, she realised why. Nico was emitting a visible aura now, one that reminded her of shadows- icy and cold, gloomy with the potential of danger. William didn't seem so threatening compared to this guy.
"How about you just shut up?" Nico growled.
"Why do you even care? You don't know Joy."
"I bet I know Joy a down sight better than you ever will. Now, leave. Pack your bags and leave." Chills ran down Crystal's spine at the power in Nico's voice. Panic and fear flared in William's eyes and he stumbled away.
"What was that?" She hissed in Alvie's ear. Alvie didn't answer immediately.
"I think it's something to do with being a Hades kid. He can scare people into doing what he wants using words."
"That's creepy and awesome." Alvie nodded in agreement.
Nico turned back to Joy, his expression softening. Joy managed a weak smile, trembling from head to foot. Nico put his arms around Joy and simply held her until she calmed down. It was as if Crystal and Alvie weren't there.
"Where'd you go?" Nico eventually asked, his voice lacking the frightening power. He sounded concerned, yet kind and friendly. Tears welled up in Joy's eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Nico." She sobbed. Nico held onto her tighter, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her. "I lied. I lied to you. I lied to Crystal. I'm so sorry." Tears fell freely, but she stubbornly wiped them away, pulling herself from Nico's arms and moving towards Crystal. Alvie stepped out of the way so the mother could embrace her daughter.
Crystal had never seen her mother upset like this before and she hated it. "You know I told you that your real dad left shortly after you were born?" Crystal nodded slowly, looking up to meet Joy's gaze. "He never knew about you. I got scared when I found out I was pregnant and left." Joy looked at Nico before looking down at her daughter again. "Nico… Nico's your dad."
I told you none of you would expect it! :D No-one guessed!
(*) Right, my mum, bless her, actually did something like this- her boyfriend of the time moved in while she was out, so while he was out, she bagged everything up and put it in the charity shop and he had to buy everything back! I love my mum!
(**) Joy mumbled 'Just like your father' in reference to calling to Crystal an 'evil little mastermind'.
So, what do we think?