Heroes of Olympus One Shots and Imagines.

A Message for Nico

Disclaimer: I do not own the Heroes of Olympus series.
Pairing: Nico X Reyna
Requested by: amy011006

Reyna's POV
    He was visiting. Finally. It has been so long without him. My ambassador. My Nico di Angelo.
    Whispers of excitement and gossip speculating about Nico and me surround me as I march to meet Nico.
    "Reyna," Nico breathes, a rare smile covering his face. I like to pride myself on being one of the few people able to make him smile.
   "How's Jules-Albert?" I ask, managing to keep a straight face.

Nico's POV
    She asked me about Jules-Albert. I can't help myself, I start laughing. I think Reyna knows that she's one of the few who can make me laugh and she does it without breaking a sweat.
    That's Reyna. Saying the simplest things at the right time.
    "As alive as he can be," I reply, making her laugh. "Am I too early for dinner?"
    "I'd hate to keep the Ghost King waiting," Reyna's eyes are alive and filled with mirth. I like to think I'm the only person who makes her feel alive.
    I can't take it anymore. I hug her. It's been too long without physical contact, and Reyna's the only other human whom I trust.
    She responds immediately, her arms finding my back. We fit together, like pieces in a puzzle. She smells like cinnamon. Her braid is tickling my face. I don't care. I cherish it.
     "C'mon," she pulls away all too soon and I'm left feeling hollow and empty. She walks to the dining pavilion and I follow her. Her long braid swishes down her back and back and forth.  Since when do I notice girls' hair?

Reyna's POV
    When I pull away, I feel hollow and empty without him. After all, he's my little brother. Is he more, though?
'No, Reyna,' I tell myself firmly and silently. 'No. You don't want to get hurt again. But...what if he's different?'
    Nico sits next to me during dinner and I bask in his presence. I think Dakota slipped in some wine on our drinks because I vaguely remember leaning my head on Nico's shoulder. Something I would never have done if I was sober.
    "Reyna," Nico murmured gently. "Are you okay?"
    I tried to form a sentence, but everything was so dizzy...

Nico's POV
    "Curse you, Dakota," I muttered to myself. Reyna was leaning on my shoulder, a carefree smile on her lips. She looked so pretty, and free...
    I had to focus. I gathered Reyna in my arms as gently as I could and carried to her to her quarters. I laid her on her bed, tucked her in, and was leaving in order to get revenge on Dakota when she spoke.
    "Please stay," she rasped, a hand shot out to grab my wrist. I obliged, of course. "Nico... can you give a message to Nico?"
    "Yes," I whispered. "Of course."
    "Good." Reyna's eyes were closed and she looked so peaceful. "Tell him I love him more than a sister should love a brother. I love him...romantically. Tell him that I'm sorry that I was too much of a coward not to tell him to his face. That I was so scared of being rejected by him. I've been rejected before, like him. But he's different from Percy and Jason. That he is indeed the one meant for me. That I finally found someone like me.
    "Tell him, I understand him more than I understand anyone else. Sometimes myself. That I know his pain of having an older sibling move on without you. Of losing your mortal parent. Of having to live up to incredibly high and unfair expectations.
    "Finally, tell him, if there's any hope for us, that...he'll always be my mi rey fantasma."
    I wiped desperately at the tears streaming down my face. "Reyna, il mio amore, Nico has his answer. He's had it since the day he saw you. Your Ghost King could never live without you."