Rattling Bones (Nico Di Angelo Love Story)

Chapter 21

HEY ok here you guys go I hope you understand at this point I'm writing this when I have time and when I feel like doing it! I enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you like it too- going through the motions of beginning to transition feels good to write. 

"It's funny that you say that, because I actually think sh- he'd look better with the sides shaved and the back and front longer. Haven't you seen tik tok fashion lately? Mullets are in. Not rattails, but the sexy fluffy ones."

Ruby and Rian engaged in a less than polite discussion about what to do with his hair. He wondered what Piper thought. Glancing to the side, about to ask her opinion, he quickly shut his mouth again. Her hair wasn't exactly the look that would be cute on anybody but somebody like Piper. He'd just look stupid with choppy hair that suited Piper perfectly no matter what.

"I like the mullet idea," he cut in swiftly, "if I really hate the back I can just cut it later can't I?"

A pause, and then a curt nod from Rian as Ruby blinked emphatically at him. He was shoved into a chair by a surprising amount of force from the redhead and spun to face Piper, who sat on one of the bunks playing with her dagger. It was a bronze color that complemented her warm tones- everything about her was warm except her eyes- which were unpredictable in hue and swung sharp cuts of color across her iris.

"Hey there," she smiled, looking up from her weapon to lean forward with her elbows on her knees.

"You know my middle name is Ruby? That's why I got people to call me it. Otherwise it's my first name, and that is not a group of letters I vibe with."

He let out a breath and shrugged.

"What about you Rian, do you have a middle name?"

Ruby was considerate enough to let somebody else take the platform and speak for a few seconds. Rian, however, didn't seem to know what to say beyond a simple shake of the head that he had to ask about since he couldn't see what Rian and Ruby were doing. He pressed his palms into the flesh above his knees in discomfort. Everybody here knew he was different. But they were helping him. Piper knew them. They seemed nice. But everybody else in camp had already seen him as Willow as a girl as a long haired girl- a girl a girlagirlagirlagirl- how was he supposed to leave this cabin and force everybody to erase what they had seen before from memory. What about Leo, and Nico? He breathed in a little too hard a little too quick and the shaver in the current hairstylist's hands nicked his ear.

"Don't move like that. Why are you breathing so heavy, you good?"
Quick, heavy footsteps fading behind him.

"Nah, I'm- I'm good!"

The sharp eyes he had been considering earlier pierced into his and dismissed any foolish lies he had been formulating. He didn't have any need to hide from her. But she didn't need to deal with him being so dramatic, either. Forgetting about the footsteps directed away from him earlier, they returned with a glass of water and a hand to hold onto.

Furrowing his brows and blinking furiously, he accepted both and tried not to think about it. Rian didn't seem the sort to mindlessly do things like this. He was extending his kindness. His breath hadn't been quick for long, but even so it stilled now and his thoughts were less of a raging tidal wave and more of a kiddy pool occasionally spilled over.

"Thanks, I.. I appreciate it. I really am good now."
Rian didn't let go, and he stifled a laugh at how stupidly fortunate he had ended up.

"I always thought the Aphrodite kids were like,, assholes. Excluding Piper, I just assumed everybody in the cabin schemed on how to break people apart by dissecting their insecurities. Obviously, I was wrong."

The girl in front of him ran a thumb over her blade and raised her brows. Rian shifted to sit down on the floor next to him, taking back his hand.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I have been kind of a bitch to some people, as well as the lovely people in this cabin."

Rian threw his hands in the air, and he swung his head to follow his arms that carried his obvious frustration with the topic.

"Okay I'm genuinely sick of that being such a common stereotype at this camp when the Hermes cabin is so evidently the one that collects dirt and uses it to prank people,"

The motion of shaving had by now switched to scissors clipping and even that faltered at the indignation in Rian's speech.

"Not to mention that the Athena and Apollo kids are some sus as heck kids. I try to be nice, but I- I just can't- Drew was not the head counselor that should've repped our cabin. Chiron pretends to be all fair and wise and all of that but he let Drew lead our cabin and he let us continue to take the heat for all of the rude things she said and did to people!?"

The ranting boy's hands came to a halt at this point, and the nameless one let his mouth hang still for a moment as he tried to catch up.

"Damn. Okay. Agreed," piped from above him. He assumed Ruby had moved on to the top of his head, but he didn't know why she didn't just move to be in front of him instead of leaning over like that.

"Ruby, you know I can swivel towards you so you can cut easier."

(posting this in two parts so it hopefully feels longer haha. also thank you for the recent comment telling me to update, it came at the right time and i was able to write a chapter overnight and enjoy it too!)