Shipping and Ripping with Alyx, Claire and Tori

Beginnings (Nilex)

"I'm telling you, Alyx! Both of you have changed." Claire protested, laying with her back on the warm grass of the hill.

Alyx shook her head exasperatedly, blushing. "No, that's just what happens when you're in a relationship."

Claire thrust her hand up like an eager student in class. 

"Hunters, yes?"

"Didn't happen that way with me~!" Claire teased, in a sing-song voice. "He opened your eyes to the wonderful world! I was actually worried for a while that I'd lose you forever. I'm grateful to Nico."

Both of them kept bickering like this for about an hour, slinging playful insults back and forth like a ping-pong match. Chuckling, Alyx glanced at her watch. "Oh Gods!! We need to get back quick!!"

The girls sprinted down to their cabins, arguing all the way. Today, everyone had been given a day off all activities to celebrate another successful quest with no casualties (although Thomas Yates did come back with a broken arm) so naturally Alyx and Claire had decided to spend it together. They'd invited Tori as well, but she was too busy planning world domination.

 AhEm.

Being with her fellow Aphroditians.

Artemis was soon driving her silver moon chariot, the gleaming perfection of it shining through the grey clouds above. Alyx breathed in the fresh sea breeze, rested her head against the soft pillow and closed her eyes.

Thankfully, she didn't have nightmares. She had a very pleasant dream about the day she and Nico had met.

*****

Claire had been dancing like a maniac as always, when her eye caught someone at the edge of the room. This particular dance was held in honour of the Seven's success in defeating the Gaia, and all had been 'gently' forced to attend. Nico had stood in the corner of the room, trying to merge with the wall. It was all he could do to avoid the elbows and heels that came flying at him every now and then. Muttering a prayer to Aphrodite, she swaggered her way over to him as confidently as possible. She took a deep breath, one more step, and said, in her most charismatic tone: "Hey."

Clearly, he wasn't impressed. One eyebrow raised, he shot Claire a quick "Hi." before turning his head. 

Not giving up, she tried again. "So, um, I hear you were at the battle. What was that like?"

"It was a big battle. Lots of dead. Wasn't great."

Claire couldn't take a hint, which was lucky enough for her because she was a woman on a mission. "Right, so uh. Uh."

"Yes?"

"Would you, uh, like to, uh, meet my friend?"

"I think I'm okay.... Wait-!"

Claire grabbed his sleeve and pulled gently to get him walking. It took him a surprising while to realise that he was supposed to be walking, so Claire half-dragged him over to where Alex was standing, a look of terror on her face.

"What the Hades did you do?! Claire-! Oh my gods, I'm so sorry..."

"I-it's okay..."

Claire watched in joy as she watched them awkwardly turn to face each other. She grinned, sent a thumbs-up Alyx's way, then skipped away like a four-year-old.

"U-um, I'm so sorry about her. She's nice, but she hasn't got a clue."

"Don't-don't worry. At least someone can still stay enthusiastic after all that happened."

"I'm Alyx." She held her hand out tentatively. Nico shook hers. The touch sent a shiver up her arm, but she tried not to show it. Rumours of Nico and Will has started to surface, and she didn't have to be the child of the love goddess to know that going in between them was wrong if the rumours were true.

She had to find out. The need to know was overpowering. "I, uh, uh, a lot of people brought dates to this dance. Where's yours?"

Nico hesitated. Did he catch on? Did he think she was mocking him for coming alone?

"Y-you mustn't think I'm being harsh, oh GODS no!!" her voice was slightly high as she fake-giggled. How stupid do I look right now, she though to herself.

"I would never think that. No, I didn't bring anyone. Nobody wanted to come with me, and I'm not really bothered."

"I'm sure someone will have wanted to come with you... Maybe they were just too nervous to ask." Alyx said, and she was speaking the absolute truth. She'd painted the idea of asking him out in her head for days before the dance, but never worked up the courage to actually do it.

Nico laughed sarcastically "Yeah, right. Nobody wants to see me, much less be seen with me."

That broke her heart. He didn't have a clue of how much he was loved, by so many people. One of those people was Alyx herself.

"Nico." She said, quietly, but firmly. "You are loved. You just don't know it."

Something changed in his behaviour. He seemed to look Alyx straight in the eye for the first time. Surely, he understood? He looked like he was arguing with himself. Clearly, he came to an agreement. He blurted out, "Would you like to dance?" and for a moment seemed to regret his outburst, but then looked sure of his question.

Alyx was shocked. She couldn't believe it. She decided that if the gods were giving her a chance, she was going to take it.

Face completely red, she nodded. "Well, of course."