You guys are all so nice to me. Thank you guys so much, really! A lot of you were saying how you spent the entire chapter smiling or laughing and that just made me so happy because I like making others happy. And I was kind of crying a little, because you guys are honestly the first to say such nice things to me in a long while. Thanks so so much.
Also, since you guys make me so happy, I've been really hyper and full of energy lately, so I've been getting a lot of writing done. \
And, because I haven't done it in a while, I'm going to respond to a few reviews:
NightFuryDude101: Don't worry, I don't think you're weird at all. If you knew me, you'd probably think I'm weird, because I am absolutely obsessed with PJO and HoO. :)
Piper (guest): If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time you've reviewed, and it makes me really happy that you took the time to do that. It's cool you're name is actually Piper too, I would love to have the same name as one of my favorite characters. And my family and pretty much all of the librarians at my library think I'm crazy for the exact same reason.
themiah06: :) You will see. And I hope it is interesting.
drinkingthestarswithbob: You really are one of my favorite reviewers (no offense to anyone else). And really, thanks for all the encouragement. Are you planning to update your own fanfic soon? I can't wait till you do. :)
Joseph (aka javelinanddart): Awwww, thanks.
Alright, so that is the end of that for now. Unfortunately, the scene on the Argo II will not be continued until after the next three chapters, which includes this one. They are getting back to Nico and Reyna, and I hope you enjoy them. Next chapter, some action starts!
Chapter XLIV
Nico
Reyna quickly quiets the crowd and sends most of them on their way. She sends Coach Hedge, Dakota, and a few others to retrieve the Athena Parthenos and bring it into the camp. She dismisses the others back to their normal duties, after asking them what it is they usually do. If it's anything to do with the attack on Camp Half-Blood, she assigns them a different task.
It isn't long before it all looks like business as usual, and Nico is mostly alone with Reyna in the clearing just outside the command tent.
She sways in front of him, and he rushes forward to steady her. Blood is flowing more freely from her wound, and it worries Nico to see how pale her face is.
"Come on, Reyna, let's go into the tent and get you some ambrosia." He says, helping her into the tent.
Inside, the tent is furnished as if it was a permanent residence, not a tent-which isn't particularly surprising, since Octavian is the one who was using it.
Nico helps Reyna sit down in one of the chairs, and then digs a square of ambrosia out of his bag, holding it out to her.
"Here. Eat." He orders briskly. She takes it from him and bites into it without complaint, sighing softly in relief when it starts to heal her.
Now that he has the chance to actually look at her-and he's not trying to look away-he starts to worry about her even more. There are deep shadows under her eyes, and her skin is pale and gaunt. Without dozens of people looking at her, she's less graceful, less controlled. She slumps in her seat, and her movements are jerky, uncoordinated.
"Reyna," he starts, and she looks up, "when was the last time you slept?"
Her brow creases as she tries to remember. She lowers the hand holding the remains of the ambrosia into her lap, thinking.
"Um. A week ago, maybe? I can't really remember. It's been a while." She answers, her voice tired.
Nico stares at her incredulously. She glances up and sees his look.
"What? It's not like it was my fault." She says defensively.
"No, I know it's not." Guilt stabs through him. If anything, it's his fault she hasn't been sleeping. "I was just wondering how you haven't passed out before now."
"Oh." She replies quietly, looking back down into her lap. They sit in silence for a while-well, Nico stands, but that's not important-and Nico can't help but notice how beautiful Reyna is, in an intimidating kind of way. Her long, raven black hair, still lush and beautiful even after almost a week without being washed; her dark, dark eyes, deep black, but like the night sky: full of light and beauty; her full lips.
Nico's heart beats uncomfortably fast. He's so confused. What about Percy? Nico loves him, he knows he does, or at least he did. But now...thinking about the son of Poseidon doesn't stir up his emotions like it used to. It doesn't cause him as much pain.
He shifts his weight, almost imperceptibly, but Reyna notices and looks at him.
"What is it?" She asks, obviously concerned.
Nico doesn't answer for a few beats. "Nothing." He lies. "Come on, let's get you to bed."
Her head jerks up again. "What? No, I-I can't, there's too much to do. And we need to get the statue to that hill as soon as we can. I don't have time to sleep." She says, a slightly hysterical tone in her voice.
"It'll be fine, Reyna, and you're not helping anyone if you're about to collapse from exhaustion. Come on." He puts out his hand to help her, and she takes it reluctantly. As soon as she stands, she stumbles and almost falls, and Nico has to grab her shoulder to keep her from falling. Her eyes are half closed.
Nico puts his arm around her shoulders and guides her to the couch at the back of the tent, murmuring to her, not entirely sure of what he's saying. He helps her lay down on the cushions, and puts a pillow under her head. Then he grabs a blanket folded on the back of the coach and drapes it over her, pulling it up to her chin.
"Thanks, Nico." She murmurs. "You're a great friend."
Nico freezes at the last word. No one's ever told him he was a great friend-or a friend, for that matter...and he wasn't ever really anyone's friend anyway, was he? Bianca, yes, but she was his sister. Besides that, there wasn't anyone he was close to, not for a long time, until Hazel, and even she didn't know much about him. But that wasn't her fault, was it? It was his.
"You're welcome, Reyna." He whispers softly. But her eyes are closed and her slow, even breathing tells him that she's already asleep.
Nico sighs, pulls one of the chairs closer to the couch, and collapses onto it. He rests his head on his hands and closes his eyes.
He tries not to think, but of course that's impossible with so many things going on in his head. Unbidden, an image of Percy swims to the front of his mind, and then is almost immediately replaced by an image of Reyna.
He pushes it away. What is wrong with me? He asks himself angrily. Then he peeks through his fingers at Reyna's sleeping form on the couch.
Some of her dark hair has fallen across her face, over her nose. He watches, mesmerized, as her soft breathing makes her hair flutter.
Then, hesitantly, tentatively, he pulls his hand away from her face and reaches out, slowly, slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal, and gently brushes her hair back behind her ear. A warm feeling fills him from his head to his toes, but it only serves to confuse him any more.
He stares intently at Reyna's face, almost wanting her to wake up, to feel his fingers brushing her cheek, and then he suddenly realizes what he's doing and snatches his hand back as if burned, cradling his arm to his chest.
But he doesn't look away from Reyna.
He opens up his mind again, slowly lowers the walls he put there to protect against the pain, and waits for it to come-the memories of Percy, his tangled feelings for the demigod, his burning desire to be to Percy what Annabeth was, his jealousy of the blonde girl.
But it doesn't come. There's pain, yes, but not the rushing torrent of confused emotions that usually overwhelms him when he lets himself think about it. Instead of roaring, like the raging sea, his thoughts are quiet, calm, like a serene beach with a view of a calm ocean.
I still think in water terms whenever I think of Percy, though. He thinks, and allows himself a small smile.
His feelings for Percy aren't as strong as they were. They're still there, but barely, and the pain is more like a dull ache, hardly even noticeable. It's like a deep, unhealable wound has turned into a scar. So, if his feelings for Percy have faded, where are they now.
He focuses back on Reyna again, and tries an experiment. Instead of thinking of Percy, he thinks of her, and lets the memories of the past week flood into his mind.
Instantly, that warm feeling comes back. A soft glow fills his heart. He smiles, almost without realizing it, and has to work hard to make his expression neutral again.
But it all only serves to confuse him even more.
I'm gay. He thinks, flinching a little at the word, even if it's just a thought. I know I am. Why else would I have been in love with Percy all those years? And I know it was love, I'm not some ignorant idiot...His eyes flick to Reyna again. But when I see her, when I think of her, the things I feel...Well, they feel a lot like...what I felt-what I still feel, a little...for Percy.
As soon as he thinks it, his mind automatically pushes the feeling away, the walls slam back into place, locking the pain away. He focuses on other things, like the weariness that's weighing down his limbs from shadow-travel.
Well, might as well...it's not like there's anything to watch out for; no monster could get past that many demigods. And Coach Hedge will keep an eye on Octavian, I'm sure...
He straightens up, stretching, and looks around the tent. There's a queen-size bed half-hidden behind a curtain in the back, with purple silk sheets, but Nico doesn't feel like sleeping in it. It's too big, too lonely. Besides, Octavian slept in it. And Nico doesn't want anything to do with that blond scarecrow.
He grabs more blankets and puts one on the floor, for a cushion. Then he lays down and settles the other one lightly over himself, closing his eyes, his back to the couch.
As he lays there, feeling sleep start to pull his mind into darkness, he lets his barriers down, just a little. Immediately, an image of Reyna comes into his mind, and that warm feeling fills him again...
He's smiling as he drifts off into sleep.
I know this was a bit shorter than usual, but hey, I'm updating every day now, so it should be okay, right? Especially since there was an extra long chapter yesterday.
Anyhoo, I know some of you are going to hate me for this chapter, but go ahead! Haters gonna hate, and all that. I really don't particularly care. Reynico is my third favorite ship, right after Percabeth and Caleo. And Nico deserves to be happy, and not lonely anymore, don't you think?
Cheers! :)