The Coming of Nico di Angelo

The Letter of Snide Self-Commentary

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Nico contacts Percy.

BEGINNING NOTES

Chapter Rating: Teen and Up
Content Warning: Cursing, Violence (mild), Self-Harm (mentioned only), Suicide (mentioned only)
Word Count: 2515

Forgot to post yesterday... oops...

Eh, I'm feeling kind, so I'll post the next chapter on Friday as an apology.

And all the characters are owned by JK Rowling, or Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

____________________PERCY____________________

Brother.

For the first thirteen years of his life, Percy never knew what the word meant. It had always just been him and his mom against the world--Smelly Gabe, the Greek Gods, poverty in New York... everything.

In seventh grade, Tyson somehow walked into his life. Not a graceful gait but Percy had always liked it that way--he'd much rather have a loud and happy and active companion than a cautious and slow one. Percy hated people who never spoke their minds--it frustrated him.

Despite Tyson being his brother through and through, their relationship was never... well, normal. Tyson lived with Poseidon under the sea, making weapons and general-ing the Cyclopes army. Whatever 'general-ing' entailed.

The past school year--the year before Hogwarts--Percy finished his senior year of high school at Goode. He got good enough grades to qualify for New Rome's college with Annabeth. He didn't cause a disaster or kill anyone. He got a diploma. He got the one thing the twelve-year-old Percy was so desperate to have, the one thing that, until he got it, he never thought he would have.

At the end of that June, Percy Jackson got a future that offered him more than the label of "screw-up" or "loser" or "helpless." He'd go to college, he'd get a degree, he'd do something with his life. He wouldn't end up as a bum. He wouldn't end up like Gabe.

But, a funny thing about the future is that no matter how sure something seems, it's just as likely to happen as not to. Percy knew the Fates--he'd seen them more than once--and he knew just how much they liked keeping the future in the dark. Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson could imagine a world in which he had a diploma and a girlfriend ten leagues above his own and a mother married to a man she loved. He could imagine living in a decent sized apartment in New York with enough money to forgo worries about getting food on the table. He could even imagine seeing his father again, and having a relationship with him. Of course, the Percy of twelve assumed that all of it was a fantasy destined never to happen, but he could imagine such a thing.

But, a brother? An honest-to-gods brother who lived with him, worked with him, attended school with him, confided in him, helped him, and asked for help from him? The thought of such a future never once crossed Percy's mind. He never wanted it, never wished for it.

Until it happened, and Percy realized how happy it made him.

Near the end of August, his mom called Percy into the kitchen while Nico took a shower. There she sat with Paul beside her, and, with bright eyes, explained that she and Paul wanted to host Nico during the school year. Percy assured her it was an amazing idea, and welcomed Nico into the home as soon as he was out of the bathroom and dressed.

"Like a really long sleepover," Percy said, sitting next to Nico on Percy's bed. "Fun never has to end. Make sure you get your work done before the bell rings, because when we're together, we're gonna tear up this city."