FINDING A HOME | PJO

/ nine /

“You never answered my question.”

The two demigods were slowly making their way to the infirmary, both still trying to process what had happened. Until that moment, it had been an awkward walk, neither of them speaking. Adrian had broken the atmosphere with a strangely placed statement.

“What question?”

“I asked you where you were going earlier. You kinda ran off, so I figured it was important.” Adrian kept his gaze on the sky as he talked.

“Oh.” Nancy remembered. She'd been going to find Grover, and had run straight into him then. At the time, she hadn't even known his name. It was amazing what a few hours could change.

Apologies. Apologies were good, right? First step to making peace.

“Sorry about that. I wasn't really thinking straight.”

Adrian nodded, brushing it off. “No worries. Sorry I ran into you.”

Nancy glanced at him. “It was my fault.” It was, right? She thought he would want an apology.

Why was being nice so complicated?

Adrian finally looked at her, a smile tugging at his lips. “Was it?”

Nancy's steps halted. She turned to Adrian, ready to tell him off for messing with her, but the lighthearted expression on his face immediately lifted the small twinge of annoyance in her chest. His eyes twinkled with delight and his brow was raised in question.

She'd never seen so much personality in plain old brown eyes. What had she been about to say?

“You're weird.”

Adrian finally laughed, the joyful sound bouncing off the cabins around them. “I'm just messing with you.” He raised his hand to massage his jaw. “We've been meeting in odd situations though, huh?”

“You could say that again,” Nancy muttered.

“Alright. Then let's start over.”

The redhead looked up in surprise. There was a finality in his tone that was new to her. “Start over?”

Adrian shrugged. “Yeah.” He stopped walking and turned to her, his hand outstretched. “I'm Adrian. Adrian Elias. I arrived here a little over two weeks ago.”

Nancy stared blankly at his hand. “Um. . .”

Adrian playfully rolled his eyes and reached for her hand, placing it in his his before shaking them. “Nice to meet you. And. . .”

Nancy waited a second, then sighed. “Nancy. Nancy Bobofit.”

Adrian smiled triumphantly. “A name to go with the face. Nancy. Nice.”

She rolled her blue eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

They continued walking again for a moment before something occured to her.

“Have you been claimed?”

Adrian glanced at her. “Uh, yeah. Tyche's my mom.” He laughed a little. “Goddess of luck, success, fortune.” He crossed his eyes and puckered his lips to try and see his swollen mouth.

“I think something's a little messed up. Luck has never really been on my side.”

Nancy couldn't help giggling. “I'd have to agree.”

Adrian gave up on seeing his battle wounds and pouted. “Thanks a lot.”

Nancy hummed in response.