Piercing Needles

Rain Part 2

TW mentions of past trauma and SH

Nico sitting in my passenger seat isn't anything new to me, but the look on his face is one I wish I didn't remember. We haven't spoken for a while now, just sitting in silence, he was the first to break it.

"I thought you were dead." His face was like stone, the thousand yard stare I was all to familiar with set in his eyes. His voice is barely audible over the rain pounding down. "I thought I had found you again..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep, Nico I really didn't," I choke trying to push down the memories he cant forget. "I was just going to get some food before I picked you guys up, I needed quiet for a minute, that's all." his look shows he doesn't believe me. 

I know its for good reason he doesn't believe me but it still hurt. I've been clean for months damnit. I've been using sharpies instead of pocket knives. I'm so much better than I was and he still looks at me like this broken doll he needs to take care of. I can't keep it in anymore.

"You know what. No. I don't care." Turning the key and throwing it into reverse I peel out of the lot back onto the main road. "I'm not a broken doll you need to take care of. I am 17 fucking years old if I want to take a nap in my car after class before picking up my friends I am allowed to do that and you have no right to tell me I can't."

"Jason I-" he stammered

"I don't wanna hear 'I didn't mean to' cus yes you did. Otherwise you wouldn't have. I know I'm probably over reacting but I honestly don't care right now. So what if I text you in the middle of the night apologizing for saying this or for "blowing up". It needs to be said. I. Am. Not. Broken. Nico. So please for the love of fuck stop treating me like I am." His eyes are locked on his lap, fidgeting with his rings.

After a few minutes of nothing but the sound of the raining pounding the roof and windsheild and the click of the engine he speaks. very small and meek, like he did when he was a child. 

"I didn't realize I was doing that. I know that probably sounds like bullshit but its the truth. I don't think you're broken. I just freaked out when you weren't waking up to me yelling or knocking, I got scared." his voice cracked on that last word. 

"I need a few days to myself. I need to calm down. And its Friday anyway so Just give me the weekend, ok?" 

He nods, his hair still dripping from the rainwater. He looks like hes tearing up but if I give in and tell him its all ok he will go right back to it in a few days. Pulling back into the school I don't bother parking and i get in the pickup line. He looks at me confused and sad, like he thinks I'm kicking him out and making him walk home in the rain. I'm not.

"Can you text Percy and see if hes ready? Tell him we are outside and ask if he needs anything on the way home while you do it. My phone is in my bag in the back." He looks relived and does as told.  A few minutes later the back door is thrown open and in catapults a tumble of dark hair and clothes, slamming the door behind himself.

"Gods damn that rain is cold. Hey guys, what took so long?" Nico opened his mouth to speak but I stopped him before he could. 

"I fell asleep in a Mcdonalds parking lot, sorry about that."

"No problem. Is it cool if I eat back here? I haven't really eaten much today, I had to make up a test during lunch."

"Yeah that's fine go for it."

For a while we sat in silence, driving back towards the city. Dropping off Nico I yelled out "Love you." he waved back. Percy crawled into the front seat.

While I dig around my bag looking for my phone he texts away on his. "My appointment is in about 45 minutes so i gotta get home and get on my bike to go." 

"I thought we were going together? Unless you don't want to anymore?..." he perks up like a puppy hearing about a treat. 

"No no no, I thought you didn't want to go but if you do I'm 100% down. Are you going with or have you decided to get something?" 

As bad as I know it is I want pain. I need pain. And at least this isn't how I used to do it. "I'm getting something, maybe a few. I definitely want my tongue, what else do you recommend?"

he thinks for a moment. "Are you looking for something easy that heals fast or something more bold?"  he has that suspicious shit eating grin on his face like he knows what hes going to say before i even answer his question. 

"Bold. Give me the best you got Jackson." the grin only widens and possibly one of the hottest noises comes from the back of his throat. The next words out his mouth make my face go absolutely cherry red.

"Well Gracie, looks like you are getting your nipples pierced today."