A/N:
I'm so sorry this took so long and I have no excuses. I simply forgot to post it. I'd written it all and I didn't have time to proofread so I forgot to post it... Am so so sorry. Will definitely post the next chapter sometime this week to make up for it...
~Dawn.
Ps) I know this chapter sucks... Sorry.
THE KEY
For anyone who gets confused the following is a key for the different types of speech:
1) 'American Sign Language.'
2) Thoughts
3) "Normal speech."
4) 'Writing on paper'
Enjoy, okay? Okay.
The roar of a car engine.
The bang of a car door closing in a hurry.
The shuffle of footsteps.
The ring of a doorbell.
Nico could hear all of this, but he didn't want to rely on his senses considering how they were still mushy and his brain felt like it had exploded into a million pieces.
The only thing he could say that he heard for sure was - "stay with me, okay? You'll be alright. I promise."
He didn't know nor did he understand anything else that was happening. All he knew that each part of his body, including his fingers- they hurt.
The wounds and bruises burned.
He felt like shit. All he wished for was for this nightmare to end.
But when he heard the bang of the door, the shuffle of feet etcetera, the only thought in his mind was :
Am I being kidnapped?!
That was an absurd thought. But alas, it was also a possibility. His father was an influential man. But anyone who thought that his father would part with even a single penny for him, was stupid.
His father hated him, probably even more so because he was an illegitimate child. But then again, so were Bianca and Hazel, but he was the only one his father hated.
Well, what can be done he thought?
He heard a voice saying, "Dude?! What happened? Were you and your pal involved in a bar-"
And then he passed out.
He seemed to do that a lot now, eh?
On "regaining consciousness", Nico seemed to have lost his ability to do anything. Even more so than before. It was hard for him to believe that, but it was true. All this because of that dirty tactic of a cheap shot to the groin.
He could hear voices, distant voices.
It was as though he was swimming in the ocean towards an isolated island. But he'd never do that. Nico hated water. His sister, Bianca used to say that it was borderline hydrophobia.
"You sure patched him up quickly... you sure you did a good job?" Said a voice. Whoever the person was, he sounded concerned.
Maybe it's a ploy. Maybe the kidnapper knows I'm awake and is play acting to earn my trust. Aha!
"Of course I'm sure! What, are we doubting my abilities here?" Said a second voice.
"No. I'm just worried about him."
Yeah, right. I'm onto you kidnapper! You're plot has been soiled!
"Who is he anyways?"
"I don't know."
He doesn't? Then... Why am I here?
"You don't know?"
"That is besides the point!" Then changing the topic, Voice 1 said, "Is he going to be okay?"
By then Nico had had enough of them speaking about him like he wasn't there. Though to be fair, he wasn't really awake, so not actually present but whatever. He still didn't believe that him being passed out/ asleep gave them the liberty to speak about him like that.
Time to make my debut. He thought as he slowly opened his eyes.
The bright lights flooded his vision an for a moment there he was unable to see anything so he blinked only to be greeted by colourful red pink and green spots dancing around... His eyes were yet to adjust to the bright image. The spots were probably because his retina was trying to unsuccessfully capture a brighter image than it had for the past few minutes? Hours? Nico didn't even know how long he'd been passed out for.
"There's your answer. Never. Doubt. My. Abilities."
Voice 1 seemed to ignore the comment and continued to address him, saying, "Hey, you okay there?"
He blinked, partly because he still couldn't see very clearly and partly to feign a lack of hearing. The last thing he wanted right now was to have to have a conversation with a bunch of random strangers. Though they hadn't tried to kill him or use him yet, so that fave them a few brownie points.
"He must be deaf or something," said Voice 2, tactlessly.
By then Nico could somewhat make out their faces so he attempted at shooting his best death glare towards the owner of Voice 2.
"But he can sure understand the d word," said Voice 1.
Nico had now adjusted to the light. Voice 1 belonged to the dude who he'd seen in the corridor.
He has beautiful eyes, noted Nico. Snap out of it! You don't have time to ogle his gorgeousness!
Though, he was pretty hot, according to Nico.
"The d-what? Do you mean dick?" Said Voice 2. Nico decided to name him Ken. He was pretty hot too.
Why must I be kidnapped by hot people?! No fair!
"Will! thats obviously not- I meant the word Deaf."
So voice 2 is Will. Huh. He looks like a Will.
Nico made it a point to glare at Voice 1, like he always did at anyone who said the word 'deaf' or 'dumb'. He decided that Voice 1 was the new Ken.
"Stop glaring at me, 'kid'. So... how do we communicate?" Asked Ken.
Feigning to be deaf and dumb is pretty handy when you don't want to answer a question one does not want to answer. So Nico, applied this tactic. Alas, it didn't quite work this time.
Ken would just stare back at him...
This was getting him no where... He sat up slowly, wincing because of the pain in his back, only to be greeted with the sound of, "Hey there! Take it easy okay!"
It was Ken. He offered Nico a helping hand and surprisingly Nico accepted the help. Not that he would be able to do much on his own...
"I'll ask again, in case you didn't he- erm- note it the first time... How do we communicate?"
Nico tried to show the action of writing and hoped that this Blonde Ken would be able to understand.
"You want pen and paper!"
Three cheers for Kenny to be able to understand something... He thought sarcastically.
"Okay! I'll get it! Give me a moment!" Said Will, over enthusiastically.
While Will searched for the stationery, Ken kept looking at Nico, as though he was afraid that something would happen to him if he looked away.
Out of habit, Nico signed, 'Im not made of glass, you know... I won't break...'
"I'm sorry what?"
'Nothing.'
"Um, I don't really understand sign language... Sorry."
He was apologising? What? This person was definitely weird. Definitely.
"You have beautiful eyes, you know. Though they'd suit you more if you didn't constantly glare at me..." Said Ken, while rubbing the back of his neck.
WHAT?!
A look of bewilderment must have crossed Nico's face because Ken immediately amended his statement by saying, "It was a joke! Don't take it too seriously..."
"And we're back! I have five colours in pens. Red, blue, green, black and purple. Do you have any preferences?"
Nico just pulled out the black one, responding with a small smile to say thank you.
'I WANT TO GO HOME.'
"You sure write fast. You want to go home?" Said Ken.
'YES!'
"Okay... But what's your name?"
'Just. Let. Me. Go. Home.'
"At least tell me your name! I kinda saved you. You owe me that much! "
'My hero! But no. First travelling then gossiping.'
"Gossiping? You sure have a funny choice of words..." Said Ken, half smiling.
"Hey once you two are done flirting, call me... I've got to go pick Octavian from his debate club." Said Will.
Octavian? The name sounds familiar.
Wait what?! Flirting?!
'We are NOT flirting! You hear me?'
"Um no not really... 'Cause you didn't really say anything..." Said Will, while winking.
Oh so he is another one of those people who makes dumb jokes. Gah. Such people annoy me.
"Will, I hope you realise that what you just say was not only discriminative but also extremely rude. Apologise now."
Wait, did Kenny just defend me?
"As you say Jay... I'm sorry. But you and princess here better leave before Octavian comes, otherwise he'll probably pester you about that site he told you about, and he'll also want to do a full background check on princess."
"Whatever." Said 'Jay', rolling his eyes.
"But Princess can't leave on his own. He's to um bashed up to...'
-do anything? How dare he! I'm stronger than him I bet!
Even so, Nico had to admit that Will was right to a certain extent. He may be able to get up, maybe even walk... But he wouldn't be able to get home without collapsing. But his pride had been wounded so, yet again, he glared at Will.
"How the hell are you able to understand everything clearly now?" Asked Ken.
What does he mean? Thought Nico, while he pondered over this thought he glanced at Kenny.
"Fuck this saviour and hero complex shit!"
Ken suddenly had a crazy outburst... He threw his hands up in the air in a "to fuck with it" gesture.
To calm Kenny (aka, Jay) down (or so Nico assumed), Will said. "Ive never seen you act so dramatically... One moment you're fine, the other you're not. What's-"
"- WRONG?! Oh nothing! It's just Pipes, the group, Dad and now- now this! It's not driving me crazy. Besides, Coach Hedge is so not on my case." Replied Jason sarcastically .
Nows my chance! While they're preoccupied I can-
"And what do you think you're doing?!" Asked Kenny as he rushed to Nico's aid.
Nico had indeed tried to get up and taken a few steps towards the door.
Alas! The plan ended in sheer folly.
Nico collapsed. And that to on whom? Yes, you guessed right, he fell on Kenny.
"Good thing I was there to catch you, huh? Don't try-"
He pushed Kenny off.
I don't need their sympathy. I definitely won't put up with this nonsense, he thought as he took a few more steps, only to trip yet again.
He braced himself for the impact, and waited. A pair of strong arms wrapped around his torso, pulled him up to a standing position and thereby saved him.
Not again.
Kenny to the rescue...
Ugh. He's right! He does have a hero complex.
As Kenny dragged Nico back to the bed on which he had been lying on earlier, he said, "Hear me out!"
At which point, Nico, assuming it was a deaf joke, glared at him.
"Look dude I know you can at least understand us. I can figure out the fact that you can hear us or at least lip read. I'm not dumb."
After being placed on the bed yet again, Nico grabbed the sheet of paper and smiled innocently at Kenny when he showed him what he'd written- 'Obviously not. You give to many lectures to be dumb.'
"Har har har. Extremely funny! At least we got a smile out of you though. Smile more often, it suits you more than a scowl"
Nico could feel the heat rising only to bring colour to his pale cheeks.
WHAT?! THERE HE GOES AGAIN!
"You want to go home right? so... um...Don't tell me your name if you don't want to but I'll be dropping you home. You're obviously not up to that. And thats the only way I'm letting you out of here? deal?"
Nico took a moment to sort out the pros and cons of agreeing and disagreeing in his head, not that it did any good. His thoughts were all mushed up. Slowly, he nodded as a go-ahead sign.
"Will, so we'll be leaving now. You can go pick Octavian. Tell him to stop going on that STUPID site. It'll affect his grades."
"Yessir!" Said will with a mock salute.
Kenny laughed as he approached Nico once again.
He then did something that Nico neither predicted not appreciated. He scooped him up in his arms, like a newly wed. Basically, in simple words, the fool Kenny decided to pick him up, and that to in bridal style.
Agreed, any other time, being picked up by a hot guy would be like a dream come true but in this situation, it was just straight out embarrassing.
With wide eyes, he attempted to glare at Kenny yet again, unsuccessfully. So he tried to wriggle out of his grasp, punch him, anything to get out of this awkward position. But-
"Like I thought. You're too weak right now to do much. You need to eat something. Just bear with this for a while okay? It's awkward, yeah... But..."
Nico looked down, unable to meet the electric blue eyes of the Adonis who held him in his arms.
Smiling, Kenny said, "Okay. Now um can you open the door will? My hands are a bit full."
Nico glowered at Kenny, only for the smirk to grow wider.
Will chuckled at Kenny's comment and opened the door for them.
Nico had never been this embarrassed his whole life. He kept looking at his hands so as to not gape at Kenny due to not only his splendid... Form, but also because his straightforwardness and don't care attitude. Didn't he feel embarrassed that someone would see them like that? Not that anyone was around, unless they were hiding and taping this to exploit Nico's embarrassment and humiliate him. But Bianca always said that he had too wild an imagination for his own good.
Even though he avoided meeting eyes with Kenny, the warmth of his chest was flowing through Nico's partly-cold body. And the fact that he felt so comfortable that he was tempted to cuddle up to this stranger, embarrassed him to no end.
Kenny smiled while setting him down on the car seat and said, "your bag is on the backseat... You can take it when you're getting off... Okay?"
Nico nodded yet again.
His smile was dazzling... It almost made Nico's heart melt on spot.
This wasn't good. He was developing a freaking stupid crush on this stranger? That was exactly his problem and he knew it. Anyone who was even slightly nice to him, he would start... Liking... Them.
Kenny was probably straight and stuff anyways, so Nico had to get his head straight and forget about this stupidity... The only thing that surprised him was that when he was with Kenny, he didn't... His heart didn't... Ache... For Percy.
Stop it! Just stop! Mr. Mind, you are EVIL! Get these lame thoughts out of my head!
"All set to go, amigo?"
Kenny's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he nodded again.
"Well then put your seatbelt- wait you probably can't do that... I'll do it for you." He leaned across Nico to pull the seatbelt and helped Nico out.
His face is so... Close.
Nico could feel his cheeks heating up. Literally. They were blazing hot.
'Thank you,' he signed meekly.
"What does that mean?"
Um... How can I...
"Does it mean something like thanks or-"
Nico started ferociously nodding his head at that.
"So it means thank you?"
Nico nodded again.
"Can you show it to me again?"
'Thank you.'
'Thank you,' signed Kenny. "Like that?"
Nico nodded yet again... He was starting to feel like Noddy.
"Well..." 'Thank you' "for teaching me... How's 'love' signed? And please don't ask me why I want to know..."
Nico smiled at Kenny and signed, 'Love.'
'Love' "Like this?"
'Love.'
"Cool. I think I might try this ASL thing. So what's your name? Will you tell me now? Use my phone to type in an answer..."
'Ni-'
Should I? No...
But he's trusting me right?
So I guess it's alright...
'Nico. Nico di Angelo.'
"Well I'm Jason. Jason Grace."
Jason? Could it be? No...
His imagination made him tend to over think things so...
"FYI, that glare looks more adorable than threatening with you snuggled up in my arms."
He just said that out of the blue- wait what?
In a pathetic attempt to hide his ever darkening blush, he glared at the blonde.
"See! Adorable. I'm not scared of you anymore. Especially now that I've seen the cuter side of you..."
This guy... Jason Grace... He will be the death of me.
'Why are we at McDonalds?' Typed Nico on Jason's notes app.
Jason Grace. Did he take Nico for an idiot? McDonalds was definitely not Nico's home, regardless of the fact that he spent more time there than at home.
"Well, I thought you would be hungry... So um... And you fell asleep during the ride here, a fifteen minute ride and you fell asleep, gods! So well, you fell asleep and so I didn't know where to go to drop you off... So food seemed like the best bet. Sorry..."
Apologising again. This guy... Nico couldn't figure him out.
'Don't apologise,' he wrote on Jason's notes app, 'I am a little hungry-'
"GREAT! So I'll treat you then!"
And before Nico could even respond, Jason ran in.
From being bullied in the corridor to a date with Jason Grace...
No. No! It's not a date Nico! It's not a date!
He needed to keep reminding himself before the his imagination forced him to fantasise about things that would never happen.
What's the time...?
He pulled his phone out of his backpack, which he now transferred onto his lap.
Holy shit! Hazels going to kill me!
He immediately dialled her number and tapped his foot impatiently in wait for her.
"Nico di Angelo in going to kill you! How dare you not show up! Fathers just about ready to murder you!"
'Im so sorry Haze, I got caught up in something. I had to visit the nurse...'
The interpreter repeated what he said for Hazel.
"Bullshit! The school nurse leaves at one!"
'But that doesn't mean that I didn't need to see some nurse..!'
"Nonsense! You tell me what happened right now!"
'UGH! HAZEL! FINE! It was those people again, okay?'
"Oh. Well... come over now."
He didn't want to. He would probably never get to meet Jason again after this. That was the reason. But he himself to convince both himself and Hazel otherwise. So naturally, he made up an idiotic excuse.
'Im not sure Father would appreciate me coming to this sophisticated party for socialites, which I'm not, covered in black and blue bruises.'
"Nico, you should report them..."
"Are those bullies that you and your girl are talking about?" Asked the interpreter.
"None of your god damned business!" Replied Hazel angrily.
"But if they are- he should seriously report them. Because he looks pathetic. Real bad. He's pretty beat up."
"Nico... But whatever! Mr. interpreter just do your job and stop trying to butt into what's not your concern."
"Just trying to help Miss... But okay."
'You guys done?'
He was getting annoyed of watching then argue. Why did everybody talk about him like he wasn't there? It was EXASPERATING.
"Yes!" The two of them replied in unison.
'Fine. I've got to go anyways Hazel. Bye. See you later. Oh and please try and pacify dad.'
"But-"
'Make something up for me, wont you?'
"Alright. I really shouldn't be so soft. But okay. Bye."
And then she hung up.
"Who were you talking to?" Asked Jason.
'No one.'
"I really can't- wait, that must stand for no one!"
'Yes.'
"And that's yes!"
'Yes.'
"Hooray!"
Nico smiled fondly at this refreshingly childish behaviour.
And then their eyes connected for a moment. Onyx eyes locked with electric blue ones.
Nico would probably like to believe that sparks flew and that in that very moment they realised that they were meant for each other. He liked that version as much as the next person but... It's just not the truth.
The truth was, the moment they looked into each others eyes, Nico's heart sank. He liked this stranger. There was no hiding from that truth. Surely it was just a temporary crush but it was another glimpse of something else, someone else, that Nico could never have.
"What's wrong?" Asked Jason.
he shook his head to say nothing. And then typed on his own phone, 'Forget it. What did you bring for me? And don't even think about "treating me". I'm paying for my own.'
"Aw... Neeks you're no fun!" Said Jason, pretend pouting while doing so.
The sight was so adorable that Nico couldn't suppress the upcoming laugh.
He laughed. That was a surprise.
He hasn't even properly smiled since Bianca.
And now he laughs. And surprisingly, he enjoyed laughing.
Why did he laugh in the first place?
Because of Jason Grace.
Jason Grace was someone he truly couldn't understand.
But he'd like to believe that their little friendship didnt end there.
Because with him, the world seemed better.
Because of him, light flooded into the dark chamber of indifference where he'd locked himself up for so long.
Because of this stranger who he'd known for 'bout an hour, he learned that he really wanted to give life a chance.
Because of him, he realised that he really wanted to live.
Because of him, he realised that he wanted to smile again.
All because of this stupid stranger he had a smallest crush on. Not that he'd ever admit it.
Maybe... Just maybe... There is still hope for me.
A/N:
Yup, it sucked didn't it?
Like it? Love it? Hate it? Absolutely abhor it? Review to let me know.
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