Rattling Bones (Nico Di Angelo Love Story)

Chapter 17

Willow's POv

The now confirmed boy(he had been weirded out by deciding even though he'd known for so long that he had to be a boy) decided it would be best to leave the complicated stuff to talk about with Piper. Piper would be able to help the kid out with all the confusing shit, as she was a smart and down to earth Aphrodite demigod. He felt Nico's presence close behind him, shadowing. It seemed appropriate. He stopped right before the door of a large cabin, gleaming white and most Zeusy and extra of them all. Once again, seemed appropriate. He was gripped with fear, and things started to scramble before his eyes. Mixing and churning and swirling. A hot exhale of breath hit the back of his neck and the creak of wood under Nico's boots stepping forward to knock on the door. Before doing anything, Nico tilted his shaggy head to the other and as hard as it usually was for the other boy to make eye contact (which was as easy as it was for Nico to maintain and scare people) he found it scarily addictive to look into the son of Hades'. Like black holes, absorbing and radiating and sucking everything in. Twisting dark purples and violets and pitch blacks that were blacker than Hades' own oily ebony hair he'd heard about in Greek myths. He nodded, and Nico took that as confirmation, tapping hard with his knuckles on the door. He noticed that Nico's knuckles, hitting the wooden door firmly, were red and scarred, scabbed. His own hands were calloused, and small. Not irritated like his.

They were answered with a muffled, "You're- Come in! I mean- I'm gonna go and open the door just wait a second." Which led him to believe that they had just it was definitely Jason speaking as he seemed quite awkward, and unforgivingly serious. And the walls must've been thick. The pair heard padding footsteps and he couldn't help but imagine Jason galloping over like a little adorable horse. Cute, but not likely. He was probably bounding across the marble floors or flying and hitting stuff off the walls or pedestals. If there were any. Nico stepped back as the door swung open and he saw blonde cropped hair he knew, yeah, it was Jason. He greeted them with a big grin and it widened when he saw Nico. Pretty endearing if you asked him. Nico stepped forward, "Can we talk to Piper?" His grin turned back into a soldier stare and he shrugged. "Pipes! Nico and the new girl are here for you!" He winced at being referred to as a girl and Nico made piercing eye contact with the flinching kid. It wasn't Jason's fault, he did look like a girl. Plus his name was Willow. Not easy to tell he wasn't, that he didn't feel like a girl. Piper came up to the door, and invited them all in. "I'm assuming this is only for me so since this cabin is pretty big we can talk in a corner away from Jason," she raised her eyebrows playfully at the serious blonde and he faked mock hurt. "Must be important, huh? Well, I'll just be sulking on the roof anyways guys- see you later," he pouted and took off into the air. His burnt sepia tinged eyes followed Jason's flight in amazement. "That," he pointed with widened eyes, "Is fucking cool."

Piper smiled charmingly (seriously, did she ever stop being attractive?/did he ever stop being so pan 😞🥰?) and the three of them walked over to a corner of the cabin, away from Zeus' creepy and intimidating statue. "Weird right? Jason thinks it's really creepy but it's not like he can vandalize the cabin. He'd probably get punished," Piper giggled (in a somehow not annoying way) and made a waving gesture to herself. "So what're you guys here for? Nico, haven't seen you up close in a while." Nico simply nodded in acknowledgement, ebony curls fluffing around. "Piper. To put it straight you're the only one we both know and can trust to talk to about this. So please be nice," Nico squeezed out and then fell silent. Piper's eyebrows rose again, hands pointed to her chest as she spat out incredulously, "Me? Of course I'll be nice. Now one of you start talking." His throat choked up and he coughed loudly, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with the girl.
    He looked up and said rather bluntly, "The gist is I'm a boy. And I don't know why but this body is a girl's even though I'm mostly sure that I'm not one. I haven't been. So I guess that makes me trans, and I didn't know how to address that," he paused, taking note of her understanding and serious gaze and then continuing on, "but I knew I'd need a makeover of some kind to make me look more like what I feel and I only know you and Leo, and I guess Jason. And you're an Aphrodite kid, which is stereotypical of me, but I figured out of anyone whatever you do will end up looking good even if you don't know how to do it." Nico added in, "Don't fuck his hair up Piper." She responded with an impatient hissing exhale and dismissive wave. "I got it, Ghost King. Now shoo. I've got work to do and you need sleep."

All the pale boy did was poke his shoulder to get his confirmation to leave. "Neeks, you need to sleep. Honestly you look so tired and I don't know how you're still functioning. Go to your daunting cabin and sleep," he scolded in a concerned tone and Nico clicked his tongue and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fiiiine. You're like my second dad, next to Jason. Jason is like a huge protective bear," he uttered fondly, somehow managing to roll his eyes and express adoration at the same time, and picked himself up.
     He brushed off his aviator jacket and black jeans, and waved goodbye. "See you later then," he said shortly and disappeared. Not before meeting his dark brown eyes with the son of Hades' own swirling void ones. Piper looked between him and the door as it shut. "So that's the most he's ever said to me before. You're definitely something." He jerked his head towards the other's body and furrowed his eyebrows.