Maidenhood

Heart-to-Heart Chat

Just what are you planning now, Octavian...?

-0-

After a very tense beginning, I left Will and Octavian alone in my cave, practicing.

In retrsopective, it might be a little irresponsible of me.

However, I noticed that my presence was playing against Octavian and he couldn't play his role. The fact that, every time he was trying to imitate Nico's voice and mannerisms I bursted in laughs, didn't help. I decided to step out, trying to concentrate in some other things, so I went to the same clare where Nico took me in our date.

It was really surprising to see him there too.

"Nico?" I called him. He turned around and I could see a book on his hands. He had his hair completely slovenly and his skin had acquire a subtle tan. "I can leave..." I offered him, but he shook his head.

"Please..." He gestured next to him and I sat there, while he closed his book. "What brings you here? Not that's upset about it..."

"I needed to think..." I confessed to him, looking down at my hands. "There are times when I don't have a clue of what I'm doing with my life... There are others when I do, but I think I'm screwing it or when I'm not being what I'm suppose to be..."

"Sounds like an existential crisis..." He pointed out, gently. "Like- like the one I'm going through right now..." I glanced at him, but said nothing. If he wanted to elaborate, he will. "I've seen the struggles Will is going through just to ask me out on a date." I looked at him, not sure what he was about to tell me. "I've noticed. I'm not blind..."

"I haven't said anything." I told him, earning a chuckle. "Don't tell anyone, but I have him and Octavian practicing in my cave on how to talk to you..." I blushed when I finished telling him that. Will hadn't told me to keep it to myself, but I felt bad either way. Nico blushed as well, but smiles softly at me.

"And you're alright with that...?" He checked with me. I nodded, I didn't see the use of hiding that. "You have chosen then." He looked kind of upset, which made me shook my head.

"No, I haven't." I emphasized to him, sighing. "Part of me wants to get this over with, but..."

"You haven't found 'the one'?" I gestured at him, as if saying 'right you are'. "You know what? If you had chosen me before now, I'd not had struggled to keep my loyalty to you... But, since my own... Well, you know..." He blushed deeply. He was still struggling with words related with sexuality and love. And how am I to judge him about it? "Since I'm still discovering myself, I would have struggled quite a lot." I couldn't help myself to hug him tight.

"You're very brave to say that." He snorted at me. "Nico, words like sexuality, homosexual and lesbian are labels that people who aren't comfortable created to divide and feel superior... Did you know the ancient greek, the same people who venerated and stuff to your father and others were openly about this kind of relationships? That were widely accepted while at war?" His eyes opened in surprise. "Just because people now are less tolerant doesn't mean you're a freak. I personally think you could had been dead by the age of twenty if Hades hadn't hid you all those decades." Nico stared at me before nodding in defeat.

"You- you're probably right..." He acknowledged, gently. "But, I'm not-"

"Which is why I'm grateful for your father. Plus, if it wasn't, I'd never be here, so I'm grateful for myself as well..." We heard a thunder on the distance and we chuckled. "Your Uncle didn't like that..."

"He doesn't like anything that isn't about him." I chuckled and nodded. "How about you?"

"What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding him.

"Your recent rebel act has put the entire camp upside down. The romans think we're more crazy than before and many greeks are thinking the last war has affect you and want to have you under observation..." I huffed, pretending to be upset. "Oh, you mean to say you're in your sane mind?" He mocked me and I gently push him on the shoulder.

"The best people are a little mad. Lewis Carroll." I paraphrased the quote. Nico nodded, chuckling. "Plus, I wrote a contract, I have my limits stipulated and the limits of Apollo or any dating candidates."

"I assume the chosen one will sign something similar." I blinked at him, not having thought of that before. "Oh, that's gold!" He started to laugh at my speechless face. I grabbed the forgotten book that was on the grass and gestured him that I was going to hit him, which only made him laugh even harder.

"It's not funny! I haven't thought of that..." I admitted, huffing again. He relaxed and panted, smiling. "Glad I can be your free entertainment..." I rolled my eyes and saw the title of the book in my hands. "This is Will's book."

"Yes." He blushes, while nodding. "He dropped it when he tried to talk to me yesterday... I- I'm not fond to read, but I guess that if he liked it, we could have something to talk about..." I looked at the book in my hands again and released a long sigh. It wasn't official yet, but it was very obvious that Nico was leaving that small list I had made of pros and cons. Swallowing my hurt, but secretly pleased that Nico was going to be in safe hands, I smiled and handed it back to him.

"That sounds like a great idea."

----

Hello, boys and girls!

First of all, I apologize for my delay in the posting. I realize it's Monday and not Sunday, but procrastination visited me the last days of the previous week and I was short one chapter. However, either by inspiration or deadline, I was able to finish it this morning, so I really hope you guys enjoy this little present at the beginning of your week...

So, here we go!

Rise of Ouranos (ReWrite) (former collab with LordNitro): 1 chapter!

Maidenhood (adopted from TheColorofBoom): 1 chapter!

Sis/Bro! Your Shadow is Hot!: 1 chapter!

ALSO! An special chapter, requested by my friend ObeliskX is posted in Rise of Ouranos (ReWrite). I found it useless to post it separately, just because of one chapter, plus I wanted to see your opinions.

Quest: Matchmade (former collab with ReeReeWithAngst): 1 chapter!

Masked Hearts (former collab with ReeReeWithAngst): 1 chapter!

I'll post next week, probably on time!

xoxo, SilverHuntresses