Climb (Percy Jackson x Reader)

twenty-nine

✺ NOT PERFECT, AND NOT THE SAME ✺

(Y/N) pauses in the palace hallway, cocking her head at the ajar door to her temporary room. Quiet shuffling sounds from inside. Eyes narrowing, she stalks forward. Her fingers tense, and shadows begin to curl around her heels.

Nico swivels, eyes wide, when she pushes the door open. Hurriedly, he sets down the dagger that he'd been examining.

"Wait!" (Y/N) says, noticing how darkness begins to swarm around the boy. "Wait, it's okay."

He hesitates to shadow-travel, staring at her with apprehension.

"You can look at them. I don't mind." (Y/N) steps into the room, allowing a tentative smile to form on her lips. "Hell, I'll even show you how to use 'em."

The shadows surrounding Nico begin to thin.

"Really, I will. If you want," (Y/N) reinforces. She gestures to the dagger that Nico had taken a liking to. "That one was the first functional weapon I ever made. It was my . . . sixth, I think? . . . Yeah, sixth attempt, and it was the only one that actually held together." She chuckles, and the tension in Nico's shoulders loosens. But he stays quiet, and (Y/N) folds her lips inward.

She clasps her hands behind her back, taking an unsure breath. "I feel like we could have gotten off on a better foot."

Nico narrows his eyes, looking her up and down with scrutiny.

"It's pretty clear that you and my mom have some sort of beef," she explains, earning a frown, which she disregards, "but I hope that you and I can be friends. We'll probably be seeing a lot of each other, anyway, what with the . . . step-sibling situation."

Nico's sharp gaze softens. Something flashes behind his eyes, as if he were struck by a memory.

"So," (Y/N) continues, giving him a short wave, "hi. I'm (Y/N) (Y/L/N)."

He examines her further before letting out a long exhale. "Nico di Angelo," he returns, scratching at the neckline of his aviator jacket.

Mentally, (Y/N) cheers and fist-pumps. Outwardly, she nods. "It's nice to officially meet you, Nico di Angelo."

Somewhat uncomfortably, Nico rocks back and forth on his feet. "My dad said that you're going to take me to a camp," he says, eyes trained on the floor. He clasps his hands in front of himself, and his knuckles pale as he fidgets with his fingers. "What's it like there?"

(Y/N) smiles. She moves to sit on the edge of her bed, and Nico shuffles back, keeping some distance between them. (Y/N) takes care not to react.

"Camp Half-Blood is . . . truly something," she says, measuring her words before voicing them. Nico tilts his head. "I grew up there. Lots of people visit over the summer. Some live there full-time. I stay primarily because it's my home, but others my age, people who could go to college or get on more with their lives . . . they stay for safety. Unfortunately, the world is dangerous for people like us. At the least, Camp Half-Blood allows us protection until we grow strong enough to protect ourselves. If you come back with me, you'll make friends and learn about our heritage, but you'll also learn how to fight against the threats that exist."

"Like a Manticore," Nico chimes. (Y/N)'s eyebrows shoot upward, surprised at his knowledge. "There was one at my school when Dad swooped in." His eyes go wide, almost awestruck, while he adds, "It has an attack power of three thousand. Do you play Mythomagic?"

(Y/N) blinks at the change in topic, but she shakes her head. "I haven't even heard of it," she says, fighting her chuckle at Nico's horrified expression.