Since We Met (Percy Jackson Fanfiction) AU

Ch. 17- Hopeless Opus

-Imagine Dragons

If there's typos in the end it's because I'm sleepy as heck. Thank you Wreck-it for your help on the drama, what would I do without you?

PLEASE COMMENT

Happy Readings ~Allyxoxo

November 18, 2011 (14 years old; freshman; Nico)

"Good morning, William," Nico greeted as Will came into second period.

"Good morning, Nicolas," he greeted back. "Are you excited for Thanksgiving break?"

Nico shrugged as Thalia took her seat. "I don't know. I mean I don't have to get up early, and I'll have time to read and play my instruments, but it'll be pretty boring."

Thalia cocked her head. "Isn't Percy going over?"

Nico shrugged again. "He usually goes on dates with Annabeth when we have days off. If anything he'll ask me to cover for him." It was true. Lately Percy had been asking Nico to cover for him and instead of going to his house, he went to see Annabeth.

Nico looked up to see a weird look on Will's face. "That's kind of fucked up," he said. This surprised Nico. Will wasn't one to use swear words liberally. "What?" He looked at Thalia for support, but even she was looking at him with shock. "I mean he calls himself his best friend and then goes and uses him like that? That's not right, Nico. When's the last time he even spent time with you?"

Nico was taken aback. He actually couldn't remember. He thought for a moment before saying, "I'm not sure. I mean him and Leo were with me on my birthday, but...." He felt ashamed. Not for himself but for Percy. Nico didn't want anyone thinking Percy was a bad friend. Percy was his only true friend. "But, he has a girlfriend, so-"

Will cut him off. "Don't say it's okay. Because it's not. You've told me yourself that you have few people you're close to. And one of them seems to keep tossing you aside."

"Will," Thalia intervened. "Dude, why would you say that?"

"Because it's true! He hasn't hung out with him. He calls himself his friend, he lives like two doors over, but he can't spend a day with Nico?" Will seemed oddly frustrated with this. His face had flushed and he kept messing with his hands. "Thalia we see Nico every day in class, you're going to tell me you haven't noticed that he gets a little upset when Percy ignores him? Yeah he's got a girlfriend, but that doesn't mean he can just- I just think it's total bullshit, he shouldn't call himself your best friend if he doesn't act like one."

Thalia laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, so what, you want to say that you're his best friend?"

Will glared at her and muttered, "That's not what I meant."

Nico, however, seemed pretty quiet now. He'd pushing the thoughts of a distant Percy to the back of his brain. It'd been easy, too, with Will and Thalia hanging out with him at school. Sometimes Will would even stop by his house. Other days, Nico went to Leo's for a few minutes just to watch him work on something. He had tried his best to not feel so clingy when it came to Percy. Now, having it thrown in his face, it just seemed harder.

Nico figured it was bad for Percy to use him as a cover up so often, but he also figured, he was his best friend. He's supposed to be his wingman. In normal circumstances, Nico would encourage the secret meetings with Annabeth. He would have his own girl to need a cover up for. It wouldn't hurt his feelings so much.

Nico felt someone nudge his arm. He glanced up to see Will's concerned sky blue eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Nico shook his head, about to brush it off, when Will said, "You don't have to pretend it's okay. I know I was being a jerk by saying that. It's okay for you to be mad at me. It doesn't mean I'll go anywhere."