Flowering Tattoos

4: Noting

"How was the party last night? Did you eat? You ate, right, Nico?"

"It was fine, Hazel. Yes I ate. How'd the date with Frank go?"

"Amazingly! He's still the amazing man I've always loved." Hazel smiled, hand on her cheek. "Oh! I had really really good pasta and I had a lot of leftovers, if you want it."

"I'm good. Leo got a fairly large flame tattoo all over his shoulder, it ended up looking cool. He cried nearly the entire time."

"Aaaand?"

"And what?"

"Meet anyone new? An employee? Your soulmate?"

Nico sighed. "You're more interested in my love life than I am."

"Finding your soulmate is amazing, Nico! Ask me, or Percy and Annabeth, or-"

"I know, I know, Hazel, you don't have to keep preaching about soulmates. I get it. They're fantastic and great and everything I could ever dream of. I don't really care right now."

"Nicoooo!" Hazel whined.

"It's just not important at the moment."

"But-okay, think of it this way, little bro-"

"I'm older than you."

"-Your soul mark, what does it say?"

" "I'll always be here for you, sunshine, please never forget that." " Nico read the message off his wrist. "Awful cheesy."

"Don't you want to meet someone that talks to you like that? That's that... That nice and kind to you?"

"You talk to me like that, Hazel. I already have an amazing sister, I don't need some significant other."

"How flattering. Really, Nico, at least try to be on the lookout for someone that might be the one."

"Sure, sure." A faint bell rung from a room away, meaning that a customer just walked into the store. "I'll get that."

"Oh Nico! I'm really glad it's you, I-" Will grinned, running up to the counter Nico was behind, but paused as Nico started laughing him. "Okay, I know my hair looks stupid, that's not my fault."

"Stupid and fluffy." And cute, Nico added mentally.

"Yeah, yeah. I uh... Oh yeah. I wanted some flowers for my apartment? Or any plant? And I know absolutely nothing about gardening, so... Help?"

"High or low maintenance, what sort of aesthetic are you looking for?" Nico questioned. Will leaned forward, elbows on the counter, thinking for a moment.

"Probably low maintenance. And I have no idea. Just something to... make the place slightly more alive, you know?"

"So what you want is likely a succulent, Easier to take care of, needs less water than most, really just needs sunlight, very pinterest. There's a small array of them over to your left, for you I'd suggest any sort of Jade plant, and anything except for a cactus."

"Why shouldn't I get a cactus?"

"Too prickly, just wouldn't suit you."

"I work with needles? 24/7? I have an arm completely covered in tattoos? Are you calling me too soft to own cacti?" Will asked, actually offended. Nico gave a small, self-satisfied smile for getting the blondie so annoyed.

"I absolutely am. Go get yourself a jade plant, blondie."

"Fuck you." Will stuck his tongue out, picking out two nice cacti.

"How rebellious. We have a small array of tiny pots to put your tiny cacti in, if you don't want to use the basic terracotta ceramic ones. And since it's a slow ass day and there's no one else to serve here, I'll pot 'em for you."

"Oh cool, uh... there." Will placed two small pots on the counter, and Nico chuckled.

"Bright yellow?"

"It's a pretty color! Don't judge me, mr. all black clothing. And I wouldn't call it bright yellow, it's more of a...,"

"Lemon yellow would be the closest descriptor. And it is a nice color, doesn't mean it still isn't an extra color, especially when you were trying to prove how totally not soft you are."

"Shushush. Just tell me how much my tiny cacti children cost."