Partly Sunny (Percy Jackson/Solangelo fanfic)

Regrets

Dear Readers,

I know, I know, I'm sorry. I HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATING! It's called school! I have a lot of stuff that I am working on right now, and I'm really trying to find time to write. It's a Friday night, my parents are out, and I'm feeling good. Let's write

Hope you enjoy this chapter, and please excuse any typos I make! See you at the end!

Happy Reading!
<3 Lunie

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Nico

Reyna doesn't make eye contact with me as she leads me to the meeting room. Suzie can tell something's wrong, but I try to stay as positive as I can, for her sake.

"How was the hot cocoa?" I say in an overly cheerful manner. I'm holding her hand, and she squeezes it quickly twice. That means I love you - we've come to agree on that.

"It was yummy! It wasn't burny hot, it was just right. And it had cinnamon, just like I like it! It's like they knew!"

Reyna smiles fondly at Suzie. "They know exactly what you need, and they'll bring you it. It's amazing."

I make a mental note - hot chocolate with cinnamon is Suzie's favorite. I'm trying to be a better, more loving dad, and knowing what her favorite drink is might be helpful.

When we arrive at the meeting room, all the chatter stops and I am greeted with stares from every face in the room. A buff guy with a red planet tattooed on his shoulder stands.

"Nico Solace?" I wince.

"Di Angelo, actually," Reyna says quickly, glancing at me.

"Whatever. Are you the representative from Camp Half-Blood?" I nod, swallowing. Reyna, I could handle. We'd quested together. I knew her. But a room full of strong minded, independent campers who knew what they were doing? I wasn't prepared for this.

"Um," a blonde girl with stylish blue glasses says, "I don't know if that little girl should be here - this is a grown-up thing."

Before I can say anything, Suzie stands as tall as she can and looks at the girl - daughter of Minerva, I would guess - and says with such dripping venom that anyone would have winced, ""That little girl' has ears and can hear you. And I've handled worse than some lame 'grown-up' meeting." The girl looks away, and I see the buff guy hide a grin. Suzie smiles proudly at me.

"Okay, if you'll sit down, please... um, we only have two chairs. I can send someone to get another -"

"No, I'll just stand," Reyna says, and leans against the back wall. Suzie and I sit down.

"So, we're here to discuss the state of the two camps," the blonde - Wini - says quickly, not looking at us while she passes out papers. I lean in. This meeting should be interesting.

***

I lean on the table and take a swig of my drink. It tastes foul, but I ignore my taste buds' screams for mercy.

Yes, alcohol. Yes, I don't do this very often. No, I'm not an alcoholic. Gods of Olympus, it's 3:00 in the afternoon! I'm not at some bar in the middle of the night.

Reyna's sitting next to me, and I hear her say something through my haze. Partly alcohol, partly exhaustion, partly heartsickness - this haze is thick.

"NICO!"

"What?!" I say roughly, turning to Reyna. Suddenlt the haze clears mostly, and Reyna's sitting there, looking at me like Mamma used to when I'd done something wrong.