Children of Loss 16

Chapter 16

Nico nuzzled further into his pillow, basking in how perfect if felt under his head. His eyes drifted open for a brief second before closing again. Something finally dawned on him, though, bringing a frown to his lips. There was no source of warmth behind him, as there had been when he had fallen asleep. He blinked his eyes open and rolled over, finding the bed empty. He glanced around the room, wondering where Percy had gone.

He finally took in his surroundings, not having paid attention to it the previous night. He rubbed his neck as he set up, the covers falling from his torso. A TV, the same size as the one in Percy's living room, sat on top of a dresser, directly across from the bed. A black nightstand sat on the side of the bed that Percy had slept on, an alarm clock sitting on top of it. Two sliding doors sat near the dresser, leading to what Nico assumed was Percy's closet.

Percy's bed was Queen sized, covered in a black comforter with white sheets. Black pillows covered the head of the bed. Two lamps jutted out from the wall on both sides of the bed with speakers right below them. On Nico's side of the room, there was another dresser with a mirror. Two picture frames sat on it.

Nico crawled off the bed to inspect the photos. One was of all of the Lost Kids; Leo, Rachel, Clarisse, and Ethan included. Nico frowned. He wondered if Percy would replace it with one that included him in the group. The second picture was of two people that Nico didn't recognize, a woman and a young man. The young man looked to be about Percy's age. He had curly black hair and hazel eyes that almost looked golden. His skin was pale like Nico's. He made Nico a little uneasy with the grin on his face.

The woman was beautiful. She was perfectly tan, and looked to wear little makeup, if any. She had long straight black hair and green eyes that reminded Nico of grass. Her smile, unlike the young man, made Nico feel warm. There was still a presence about her that Nico couldn't quite place. Looking at her eyes and face, it sort of reminded him of how Percy looked when he was masking his emotions. There was a mix of warmth and hardness in her eyes. He wasn't sure about the young man, but Nico was going to guess this was Gaea.

He pursed his lips and stepped away from the photos. He walked over and grabbed his underwear, slipping his the fabric back on. He found the rest of his clothes strewn about the room, and he quickly pulled them back onto his body. Fixing his messy hair, he decided to go looking for Percy.

It didn't take long. He found Percy in the kitchen, sipping at a cup of coffee. He was dressed in the same clothes he had leant Nico on his first night there, a dark blue shirt and a pair of black track shorts. Percy was already staring at him when he walked through the doorway. The gaze made Nico fidget under the stare, as he could not decipher what Percy was thinking.

“Morning,” Percy mumbled groggily, taking another sip.

“Morning,” Nico mumbled, rubbing his arm.

Percy stepped aside and gestured to his kitchen. “Feel free to help yourself to some breakfast.”

Nico chewed on his lip as he stepped around the island and went for a bag of bagels. He pulled one out and nibbled on it, glancing at Percy from time to time. Percy leaned on the island and watched Nico in silence, only making Nico fidget more.

“How are you feeling?” Percy asked.

Nico brushed some of his hair behind his ear. “Better. Thanks.”

Percy smiled. “It was my pleasure.” He watched Nico over his mug as he took another sip.

“So, does this mean I can be treated like the others?”

“No.”

Nico blinked. “No?” He asked.

Percy sighed. “Look, Nico, while last night was fun, don't expect it to happen on a regular basis.”

Nico furrowed his eyebrows. “Why not?”

“I'm not trying to corrupt you, Nico. That's why I drew the line where I did.”

Nico frowned and looked down. He had thought he had made progress with Percy, but Percy was pushing him away again. He had thought Percy was actually starting to care about him. But he was back where he started.

“I know what you want, Nico,” Percy whispered, “and I can't give it to you. If that's what you thought last night was, it wasn't.”

Nico covered his mouth. His heart was starting to hurt. He drew his lips into a thin line. “I know you can't give me what I want,” Nico whispered.

Percy let out a deep sigh. “I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea.”

Nico shook his head, biting down on his lip.

“Nico, I'm not trying to hurt you,” said Percy.

Nico nodded. “I know. It's just the way things are around here.”

Percy sat his mug down and rested his hands on the island. He stared at Nico for a few minutes before speaking. “Are you going to be ok?”

Nico nodded his head slowly. He wasn't really sure if he was being honest, but he knew it was the response he needed to give. If he said no, Percy would think he was incapable of handling life at the Lotus. “I just thought I was different,” Nico whispered.

Percy tilted his head to the side. “You are different.”

“I don't mean from the Lost Kids. I mean with you.”

Percy frowned. He scratched his head. His eyes flickered to Nico, narrowing lightly. “Why would you think that?” Percy asked, picking his mug back up.

Nico stared off to the side for a moment, unsure if what he was about to say was a good idea. He rubbed at his arm as he looked back at Percy, wanting the green-eyed young man's reaction. “You...You got aroused with me the other night, and I heard you had perfect control over your body. I-I saw you adjusting yourself when you got off of me.”

Percy smirked as he raised the mug up to his lips. “Is that so?” He shrugged.

Nico's heart was now pounding in his chest. His eyes were nearing the point of tears. He knew he saw what he did. Nico suddenly had the urge to run. He wanted away from Percy at the moment. He felt like he was about to cry, and he didn't want Percy to see it this time.

“I-I need to go get ready for work,” Nico whispered sadly. He made his way into the living room, and Percy followed him.

“That reminds me, I need to talk to you about that,” Percy stated, his voice coming out empty of all emotion. Nico slowly turned back around, already wishing he hadn't. Percy's face was the same as his tone of voice, emotionless. “You're going to work your shift this afternoon, but your punishment starts after that.”

“W-What's my punishment?”

Percy's eyes seemed to turn cold, and it was taking every inch of Nico's willpower not to start shaking. “When you finish your shift, you will not be working tonight. In fact, you will not be working until further notice. I'm going to have Leo cut off your card access. You will not be able to reach the bar or the top floor. You will not be able to return to this floor once you leave. You will be losing access to the pool, Circe's Spa, the gym, the game room, and any similar places within the hotel. In fact, the only place you'll have access to is your room and the kitchen. You can leave the hotel if you wish, but you will have to find your own ride.”

Nico had broken as Percy spoke. He just couldn't help it. Percy's words were like knives cutting into him. His eyes looked broken and he had started to shake. Percy just stood there in front of him with his hands in his pockets. Nico nodded his head slowly. He turned back around and opened the door, just as the first tear fell down his cheek.

He managed to get into his suite and get himself to the bathroom, where he promptly threw up into the toilet. His body heaved and lurched as he sat hunched over the porcelain bowl. He leaned back and sat against the tub, pulling his legs to his chest and burying his face.

Nico tried to calm himself down during his elevator ride up to the bar. He was starting to hyperventilate, which he did not need to be doing during work. Did that even matter, though? What was going to happen to him? Why was Percy punishing him like this? His fears had been getting the best of him since he had gotten back to his suite, and he couldn't turn his brain off.

He had started biting his nails, a habit that he hadn't done since he was in the seventh grade. When he caught himself, he shook his hand and clenched it at his side. As frustrated as he was with this place at the moment, he had an appearance to maintain.

Nico's heart rate went up as he exited the elevator into the bar. The twins and Reyna were already tending to the few customers that were already there. Nico felt tears already threatening to resurface. He didn't want to see them right now. They hated him, no matter what Percy had said. Percy was in with them, of course he would say that. They were all the same. He was alone in this place.

“Hey, Nico!” the twins exclaimed cheerfully as he passed them.

Nico stopped in his tracks and blinked. What was that? Where was the animosity from last night? He hadn't been expecting this reaction.

“H-Hi,” Nico replied.

They both grinned at him with their usual Cheshire smiles. They looked so normal and casual. Well, as normal as they could get. Did they know about his punishment? Was that why they were happy? “Hey, don't sweat it about last night. I'm sure you'll get it next time,” said Travis.

They walked off and Nico slowly walked over to the bar. He wasn't really sure what was going on. Chiron gave Nico his usual warm smile. Reyna was the only one not smiling, but then again, that was normal for her.

“You look a little rough, Nico. Did you sleep ok last night?” The dark haired girl asked.

“I, uh, slept alright,” Nico replied, more than a little confused.

The twins came by and dropped off their orders. “You should have had some coffee. You do look a little tired,” Connor agreed with Reyna.

“Ok, what's going on?” Nico asked.

The twins blinked at him. “What do you mean?” They asked, slinging their hands behind their heads.

“Are you sure you're alright?” Reyna asked, arching an eyebrow.

Nico shook his head in disbelief. What game were they playing? Chiron frowned. “I think you should all get to work,” the man said.

The twins' smile returned and they walked off towards the tables. Reyna just shrugged at Nico and followed off after them. Nico looked at Chiron. “What's going on with them?” Nico asked.

Chiron pursed his lips. “You should go get started on a few tables,” he said with a smile.

Nico frowned and looked at the ground as he walked off, not caring that his feet were dragging. What was going on? He didn't understand any of this anymore. He felt like he should be in Wonderland as opposed to a place that was the equivalent to Neverland.

After about an hour had passed, Nico's mind was racing all over the place. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do during his time off. He wasn't sure why Percy had chosen this punishment. Nico could handle waiting tables, so why had he removed Nico from work altogether? Were all of the Lost Kids going to be acting like this, like nothing had happened? Where was that going to get them? What was their angle?

Nico bit back a groan. He had to stop thinking like that. He was starting to sound paranoid, and he didn't like it. He just couldn't help it. His heart wouldn't stop pounding in his chest. His skin felt cold and he couldn't manage keeping his eyes under control. They looked broken, like shattered glass.

Nico gasped as he tripped, his empty tray flying out of his hand. Travis grabbed him and Connor caught the tray. The smaller twin grinned and handed it back to him. “There you go, Nico,” Connor chuckled.

“You seem distracted, Nico,” Travis stated, tilting his head to the side. They really did remind Nico of a cat sometimes, it was a little scary.

“I'm...fine. I'm fine,” Nico tried assuring them, but his words didn't sound believable. What was wrong with him? He was starting to lose it. He knew he didn't imagine what had happened last night, though.

The twins frowned at him and rubbed the back of their heads. Travis shrugged and elbowed his brother before they both walked off once again. Nico's head was starting to hurt, and he was feeling a little dizzy.

He just wanted to go back to his room and curl up in his bed. He just wanted to be alone, and it wasn't helping how a few of the customers would do their usual discreet once over of Nico's body. He wanted to be away from all of this, but at the same time, he didn't. He was going to be isolated until Percy decided otherwise. This was really starting to frighten him.

He wiped his eyes as he approached another table. He was doing his best to keep from crying, but it was getting harder by the minute. “Good af-afternoon, ma'am. Is there something I can get for you?” Nico asked, trying to be seductive, but failing miserably. He just couldn't do it. His mind was too focused on what Percy had said.

The woman frowned at him. “A new waiter, if you're going to be crying on me the entire time,” she sighed.

Connor came up and patted Nico on the back. “Sorry, he's just having an off day,” the brunet apologized. He yanked Nico off to the side. “Why don't you go talk to Chiron? Clock out early. You're not focused today.”

Nico nodded. He would have normally argued, but he knew Connor was right. His mind was too out of it at the moment. He dragged himself towards the bar. “Chiron, is it ok if I clock out early?” Nico asked in a whisper.

Chiron sat down a glass he was cleaning and looked Nico over. He gave a sympathetic smile and held out his hand. “It's fine by me. Go get some rest, Nico,” he said soothingly.

Nico nodded and handed over his apron. He slowly signed himself out and made his way back to the elevator. Getting in, he glanced at the bar one last time, not knowing when he would see it again. The twins waved at him, while Reyna simply nodded. The elevator door closed and Nico fell back against the wall.

He felt so incompetent. He knew this part of the job like it was the back of his hand. It was so frustrating for him to mess up like this. All this was going to do was encourage Percy to reconsider having Nico working for him at all.

Nico soon found himself back in his suite, where he promptly curled up on his couch. He pulled his knees up to his chest and fell over onto his side, a deep frown set in place on his lips. What was going to happen to him now? He was alone. He only really saw the others at work.

But he doubted the Lost Kids would really want to spend time with him. All of that had to be an act, right? They weren't going to come see him. Would Percy even come and check on him? He liked to think the green-eyed manager would still be concerned about him. But there were enough security cameras in various places of the hotel that if Nico did go get food, leave the hotel, or something like that, Percy would probably know he was fine.

Why was this happening to him, though? He knew he wasn't supposed to make a mistake on stage, but it wasn't his fault that Apollo had thrown him under the bus. It wasn't his fault. So, why was he being punished? And the way Percy had looked at him. Did he not care about Nico?

Nico began to shake as new tears started to fall from his eyes. What if Percy didn't let him work again? What would he do then? Was Percy going to get rid of him? Was he going to end up back on the streets? Nico's blood ran cold at that thought. What if that was it? What if Percy didn't think Nico could handle this place anymore and he was going to toss Nico out?

And what was he supposed to do for school? Was he supposed to get a taxi now? He didn't know. Percy had just said if he wanted to go somewhere outside the hotel, he had to find his own ride. But did that extend to Nico getting to school?

He was alone. He was alone, and no one was going to save him. Percy had said it himself that he was not a knight in shining armor. He wouldn't be coming to Nico's rescue. Where was the warm Percy that Nico had developed feelings for? Where was the Percy that had been taking care of him? He wanted that Percy back, not this cold emotionless one.

Nico just didn't understand why he couldn't be happy? Why couldn't there be a happy ending? He had thought he had found a better life when he had gotten here, but then he started to question it when he found out what it was. Now, he just didn't know anymore. Sure it wasn't the abusive home that he had lived in, but this felt so traumatic to him. Everything was crumbling, and Nico just wanted to keep it held together.

Nico wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he was becoming vaguely aware of his stomach growling. He just didn't feel like moving, though. He didn't even want to reach into his pocket to check the time. He just wanted to lay there. What was the point? He didn't have anything to do. He didn't have anywhere to go. He didn't even have anyone to spend time with. All the people he had been spending time with had stabbed him in the back.

Nico just kept staring at his TV, which he hadn't even bothered to turn on. He would blink from time to time, but other than that, he remained unmoving. He kept hoping that his door would open and that Percy would be in the doorway, and that everything would be fine. Hell, he would even settle for one of the Lost Kids.

A full day hadn't even gone by, and he was already feeling utterly alone. He had been counting on Percy after last night, and the young man had abandoned him as well. He thought Percy would have tried to be there for him, considering Nico had no one else to turn to after the Lost Kids made their feelings clear. But had they? What was their deal? They had seemed fine earlier. Did they hate him or not? Why couldn't they just be honest and upfront with him? At least Luke and Octavian seemed to do that.

But it had hurt so bad coming from Apollo. He had thought Apollo was his friend. He had considered the blond his best friend since his arrival. He had taken care of Nico. And just a few nights before, he had tried to have sex with Nico. Now Nico was finding out that that had just been a game to corrupt him. A game that Percy had allowed simply because he wanted Nico to make his own choices. Part of Nico wanted to be furious with Percy for allowing the others to do this to him, but the rational part of his brain told him that was stupid. Percy was giving him responsibility. He was allowing Nico to show him that Nico was mature and capable of making the right decisions.

Nico finally blinked and ran a hand across his face. He sat himself up and pulled his phone out. It was a little after six. He should probably go get something to eat. He worried that he might not be able to keep it down, though. He felt horrible. His eyes and face hurt. He felt so cold. His shoulders were tense, and the rest of his body felt sore. He could also feel a headache coming on.

Nico sighed and stood up, nearly falling over. He stumbled back to the bathroom where he splashed cold water on his face. He brushed his messy hair so that he wouldn't look like exactly like he felt. He sighed again and shook his head. His face still looked horrible. His eyes were red and his face looked even more pale than usual.

With one final glance at his reflection, Nico turned off the bathroom light and made his way out of his suite. He boarded the elevator and hit the button to the lobby. He figured he could have called for room service, but he just wanted an excuse to leave his suite at this point. He was going to be cooped up there for however long this lasted, and he would just have to leave it when he could. It was like a prison now. A very nice prison, but a prison nevertheless.

The elevator finally came to a stop and Nico wrapped his arms around himself as he made his way through the lobby to the restaurant. The hostess greeted him with a smile as he passed her. He could only nod in return. He just couldn't manage a smile on his face right now, he knew that much.

He had been determined to just get to the kitchen and place an order, but as he made his way to the back of the restaurant, he spotted Leo and Rachel sitting in the corner of the room. They had both already spotted him and were waving him over. Nico glanced back at the kitchen for a moment, debating on his choice. He sighed and walked towards the two secretaries. He needed a friend right now, and maybe, just maybe, they could be it.

“Hey, Nico,” Rachel greeted him as he approached the table.

“Hey,” Nico mumbled with a small wave.

“Do you want to sit down?” Leo asked, gesturing to the chair next to him.

Nico nodded and sat down with the two of them. Rachel handed him a menu with a smile. “So, how are you holding up?” Rachel asked.

“I don't know anymore,” Nico confessed. He rested his face in his palms. “Why is Percy doing this?”

Leo pursed his lips and rubbed Nico's back. “He can't play favorites, Nico. This is just how he is. Gaea put him in charge because his methods are effective. He gets things done while being good with both us and the customers,” Leo explained.

They fell silent as the waitress came up to their table and took their orders. Nico kept his meal simple. He just didn't think his stomach could handle a big meal at the moment. All he could think about at the moment was if he would still be here tomorrow. And he really didn't know what part scared him worse, being ripped away from this home, or never being able to see Percy again.

“Don't take it personally with us, dude. We were just following orders,” Leo said once the waitress was gone.

“I know,” Nico whispered. “I'm not mad at you. But the others...”

Rachel sighed. “We told you they were complicated. We're all family when it comes to outside entities, but when it comes to each other...” she trailed off.

“It gets competitive and personal,” Leo finished for her.

“What am I supposed to do?” Nico asked, his hands starting to shake again.

Leo glanced at Rachel. “Well, if we're free, you're welcome to hang out with us. But we are usually working.”

Nico nodded sadly. “It's okay,” he mumbled.

“We would let you come and sit with us in the office, but Percy already told us it wasn't allowed,” Rachel informed him.

Nico shook his head. “It's fine, really.”

The waitress returned with their drinks and Nico took a small sip. He found he had a hard time swallowing, and worried if he would even be able to get his meal down. He felt so broken and defeated. He didn't even know where he was going to end up. Nico glanced between Leo and Rachel. Maybe they could be of some help to him. After all, they had said they were similar to him. They were supposed to be untainted like him.

“Can I ask you two something?” The raven haired boy asked.

“Shoot,” Leo replied with a grin.

“Have the others ever done anything like this to you? I mean, you said you both were like me, so I just figured they might have done something similar.”

Rachel and Leo shared a look. “Well, Nico, perhaps 'we are like you' wasn't the right phrase to use,” Rachel mumbled around her glass of water.

Nico cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“We're not like the others, but we're not like you so much either,” answered Leo.

“But that's why Percy didn't put you to work in the top floor, right? Because you aren't tainted like the other Lost Kids.”

Rachel cleared her throat. “But we're not innocent like you are either, Nico,” she explained.

“We had our own rough past, but we didn't turn out quite like the others,” Leo continued.

“Perhaps because we were always the way we are now.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Nico asked.

Rachel frowned and looked at Leo. Leo sighed and scratched his head. “We...have always been aware of the way the world is, Nico. We just didn't turn out to be jaded like the others,” the Latino boy explained. He was silent for a moment before continuing. “We had our rough lives, but we always sort of expected the things that came at us.”

“My father is someone that probably would do or has done business here, Nico. He's not a nice person, and growing up in that environment, I got to see what kind of place the world really was,” Rachel added.

“But then why wouldn't Percy just stick you both up on the stage?” Nico asked. “You both look like you could work up there.”

They both smiled at him. “Thanks,” Rachel mumbled with a faint blush.

Leo chuckled. “We might have been worldly, but we still weren't as bad as they are when we arrived. Plus, it helped that we were smart with business and technology,” Leo answered Nico.

“But in turn, it drove a barrier between us and them.”

Leo nodded. “Clarisse and Ethan get treated somewhat similarly, but not as bad.”

“Why is that?” Nico asked with a frown. That didn't seem very fair. Why would they discriminate to a degree like that?

“Because, Clarisse and Ethan are more like the other Lost Kids than we are,” Rachel replied, taking another sip of her drink. “They were put in their positions because they can handle other people when the need arises.”

“You mean with violence?”

They both nodded. “It's something we can agree with the others about,” Leo mumbled. “They turned out a shade darker than the rest of us.”

“The other Lost Kids are just complicated and traumatized. Ethan and Clarisse, well, they are something else,” Rachel said, a tinge of something in her voice. Nico couldn't quite place it, but it made him fidget in his seat.

Nico slumped on his couch, trying to find something appealing to watch. It was getting late, so he didn't have much more time before he would be going to bed. That was one advantage of not working. He would actually be able to go to bed at a decent hour. He was just so bored. Leo and Rachel had had to go to work, leaving Nico with no one to spend time with.

He debated texting Percy to see if he would be willing to come visit him, but he had decided against it. He wasn't sure what to expect from the manager at the moment. So, he figured his best option was to not go seeking him out. The problem was that left him with nothing to do. He had no one to hang out with or talk to. He was alone, and he knew this was what his life was going to be like for a while, if he remained here that was.

He now wished he had already purchased a game console. At least that would have given him something to do. He could be spending his time in isolation playing video games and watching DVDs. Instead, he was stuck staring at the TV. He figured he could wait until the morning, so he had just put that off. He also had thought about looking into purchasing a laptop.

Ever since he had arrived, he had been essentially cut off from the outside world. But he hadn't even thought about contacting any of his old friends until this moment. He felt a little bad about that. The thought of contacting his sister over Facebook had crossed his mind, but he had also decided against that. Even though he hated thinking about the blond at the moment, he now understood why Apollo didn't want to contact his sister.

How would he explain his situation to Bianca? What would she think of him? He wasn't sure if he could look her in the eye in his current situation. Nico figured she would be disappointed in him, trying to sell his body for money. It wasn't like him at all, and he knew that. So, in the end, Nico had chosen not to go down that road.

Nico blinked in confusion when there was a knock at his door. He stood up slowly and made his way to the door. He wasn't sure who it could be. All of the Lost Kids should have been working. Was it Percy? Had he actually been concerned about Nico's state?

To his surprise, Nico found Rachel standing outside his door, a smile on her face. “Good evening, Nico,” she greeted him.

“Hey, Rachel,” Nico mumbled. He glanced down the hall. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to head back down to the restaurant. Do you want to tag along?”

Nico tilted his head to the side. “Isn't it kind of late?”

Rachel grinned at him. “I thought we could go for some ice cream,” she told him.

Nico finally smiled. “That does sound appetizing.”

“Great!” Rachel grabbed Nico's arm and dragged him into the hall. Nico barely had time to grab his wallet from the stand beside the door. “I was just in the mood for something sweet, and figured you would like an excuse to get out of the room.”

Nico nodded with a smile. “Thanks, Rachel,” he mumbled.

“Anytime. Besides, some of us have to remind you that this is still a family.”

Nico rubbed the back of his head as they waited for the elevator. “Well, I'm not really sure what's up with the others right now. They are acting so normal, but after last night, I just don't want to believe them.”

Rachel nodded and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. “Don't think about it too much,” she said as she boarded the elevator. “I don't think they actually hate you. Maybe this is their way of letting you know you are still one of them.”

“Maybe.”

Rachel slapped his back. “Cheer up, gloomy. I've never seen any of them hate one of our own.”

“But I still disgust them,” Nico reminded her.

Rachel shrugged. “They just have to work through it. It's not your fault, Nico. Don't change because of them. I don't think you want to do that, and I know Percy doesn't want you to do that.”

“But he's leaving it all up to my choice,” Nico mumbled.

Rachel smiled and stared back at the elevator door. Nico frowned at her. Did she know something? No, Nico had to tell himself, that probably wasn't it. He was probably just being paranoid again. Still, it looked like she had some interesting thoughts on the subject.

Nico followed Rachel out of the elevator once it opened at the lobby. The hostess was still standing at her podium when they arrived at the entrance to the restaurant. “Just coming for a midnight snack,” Rachel informed the woman. She nodded at them and they walked inside the restaurant.

Some of the waiters and waitresses were in the process of cleaning up. One of them spotted them and walked over when they sat down. “What can I get for you?” The waiter asked.

“Two banana splits,” Rachel said. She glanced at Nico. “Is that alright?” Nico nodded. “Yes, two banana splits.”

The waiter nodded and walked off to the kitchen. Nico sighed and relaxed in his chair. “Thanks again,” he said.

Rachel waved him off. “Don't worry about it. I wanted the company anyways.” She let out a sigh. “Usually, I come down here by myself. All of the others are usually working. The only option I usually can get is Clarisse or Ethan.”

“It must suck.”

Rachel nodded. “This place can be a lonely place sometimes. But that's why we try and stick together the best we can, even if we bicker.”

“Well, I'm not going to get my hopes up,” Nico mumbled.

Rachel frowned at him. “You shouldn't think like that.”

Nico stared down at the table. They sat in silence until their dessert arrived. Nico couldn't help but smile as he looked at it. It was a fairly large banana split. It had the usual three scoops of ice cream, but this one had a second layer on top of that. It was adorned with various condiments, two bananas, whip cream, and three cherries.

Nico moaned as he took his first bite. He definitely needed this. “So, what was that about your father earlier?” Nico asked after swallowing a mouthful of ice cream.

Rachel frowned as she picked at one of her cherries with her spoon. “He and I never saw eye to eye,” she began. “Like I said, he's the type of man that you might see doing business here. He always saw me as an embarrassment on the family name. I just didn't agree with some of the things he did. I was the stain on our family name, and my brother was his little golden boy.”

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. “What did you do?” Nico asked.

Rachel sighed. “It started out with simple bickering, but as I grew, I started protesting his corporation. I started taking action. I would donate money to charities that didn't like my father. I eventually became an activist. I-I tried giving them some dirt on my father, but my brother caught me. When my father found out, as you can imagine, he was not pleased.”

Nico frowned, suddenly finding his ice cream harder to swallow. It was also starting to taste a little foul in his mouth. “What happened?”

Rachel's face fell. She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “He disowned me. Kicked me out without a second thought. Well, I had been preparing for such a thing. I had prepared an emergency bag and stocked it with a little money.” She bit on her lip for a few seconds before continuing. “I made my way all the way from New York to here. My money...my money eventually ran out, and I ended up on the streets.”

“And Percy found you?” Nico whispered.

Rachel nodded. “He did, eventually. I had been doing a street job, trying to make a little money. I think he had been shopping with Annabeth. Anyways, they both came across me as I was getting ready to leave. Percy sort of deduced what my situation was and approached me. On the way back to the hotel, he figured out I was good with business, and offered me a position as his secretary. As you can imagine, I immediately made a bad impression with Annabeth.”

“So, you were raised in a similar lifestyle?”

Rachel tapped her lips. “I wouldn't say similar, but I knew what kind of man my father was. I knew how things worked. I wasn't blind to the nature of the world like you and the rest of the Lost Kids probably were before ending up on the streets.” She smiled. “Because of that, Percy saw a different use for me.”

Nico nodded, taking another bite of his dessert. “I'm sorry.”

Rachel shrugged. “Don't be,” she replied. “I didn't really care for my father. I was glad to be away from him.” She took another bite of her own banana split. “Do you have any siblings?”

Nico nodded. “A sister.”

“Did you two get along?”

Nico nodded again. “We did. I mean, we bickered, but I figure most siblings do that. But she protected me the best she could against our father. I think father hesitated a little with her trying to do that. I don't think he felt as comfortable hitting a girl.” Nico stared down at his melting ice cream. “I was always thankful for her. I don't think I could have made it without her. It might sound a little weird, but I think that's a reason I'm drawn to Percy. I mean, I didn't have a thing for my sister, but-”

“I got what you meant, Nico,” Rachel chuckled. She nodded in understanding. “It's a little sweet. But as I know Leo has told you, I don't think you are barking up the right tree.”

“Percy told me that too,” Nico mumbled.

“They're right. Percy is protective, that is true. He just isn't in any position to give you what you want, even if he wanted to.”

Nico nodded and went back to eating his banana split. His shoulders slumped a little. He perked up, though when he heard talking. Rachel turned to look at the restaurant entrance as Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, Piper, Luke, and Apollo entered the restaurant. Nico felt a mixture of emotions hit him when he laid eyes on the blond.

Part of him wanted to cry because the blond had betrayed him. Part of him wanted to run from the restaurant, not wanting to be in Apollo's presence. Part of him wanted to curl up in a ball. But most of him felt angry. His hands clenched on the table, drawing a concerned look from Rachel.

Annabeth noticed them first, her eyes widening. She stopped in her tracks, drawing attention from Percy. He frowned and followed her line of vision, landing on Nico. He raised an eyebrow, but made no further acknowledgment. Apollo, however, froze on the spot, his shoulders tensing.

Percy just shrugged and changed direction to their table. Nico was gritting his teeth by this point, shooting a death glare at Apollo. Clarisse was grinning as she sat down next to Rachel. She leaned over and whispered something to the red headed girl, causing Rachel to frown. Luke eyed Nico as he sat down next to Clarisse, fully aware of the tension in the air. Nico's eyes flickered to Luke for a second. Don't, Luke mouthed. Nico frowned and turned his attention back to the other blond. He growled, and before he put more thought into it, he jumped out of his chair.

He tackled Apollo to the ground, surprising him. Apollo's eyes widened as they hit the floor. Nico let out another growl and punched Apollo square in his jaw. His only thought at the moment was to ruin the blond's perfect face. Annabeth had gasped when it happened, and she was now yelling at their side with Piper. The two of them were trying to tug on Nico's shoulders, but he just shrugged them off. Percy just shrugged and sat down calmly in the chair next to the one Nico had just jumped out of.

Rachel stared at the manager with wide eyes, confused at how he could just sit there so calmly when Apollo was getting punched. Nico landed another hit to Apollo's jaw, planting his legs on top of Apollo's arms. He wanted this, and he wasn't going to be denied his revenge.

“You asshole!” Nico yelled.

Luke jumped out of his chair and ran over to them. He tried pulling Apollo out from under Nico, but to no avail. He went to try to yank Nico off, but the raven haired boy grabbed onto Apollo's shirt. He kicked Luke in the knee and landed back on the blond, whose cheek was already red.

“Nico, wait!” Apollo tried, but Nico wasn't about to listen. Apollo cried out in pain as another blow was landed on his cheek.

Nico was suddenly pulled off of Apollo. Nico swiped at Apollo as he was pulled up, scratching his neck and getting a grasp on his shirt. As he was yanked away, the shirt was ripped, Nico smirking as part of the blue material remained in his hand. He began flailing as he was held off the ground by Clarisse. Annabeth and Luke quickly helped Apollo up as Nico was slowly dragged towards the exit. Apollo frowned at him as he rubbed his jaw.

“Just let him cool off for a little while, Clarisse,” Percy called after them.

Clarisse waved over her shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. I got it, boss,” she grumbled back.

“Let me go,” Nico growled as she dragged him into the lobby.

“Not until you cool off.” She brought them to the elevator where she shoved him in. She glared at him, daring him to try and run back as she hit the button to the second floor.

“Where are we going?”

“You need something to take your aggression out on.”

Nico frowned at her as the elevator came to a stop. She grabbed his arm and led him towards the gym. Instead of stopping at the room the Lost Boys had been using with him to practice lessons, she went two door down. She slid her card in the slot and shoved Nico into the room.

Nico stared around in confusion as he looked at the various punching bags and gym equipment. “And this is going to help me, how?” Nico asked in frustration.

Clarisse smacked her forehead. “Hit something!” She waved her arm around the room. “Take your pick. Hell, if you want, I'll go print out a picture of Apollo's face and stick it on a punching bag for you.”

Clarisse rolled her eyes and guided him over to a punching bag. He turned and frowned at her. She only glared back at him. Sighing, Nico threw a punch at the bag.

Clarisse snorted. “That was quite manly of you there, kid,” she teased him.

Nico's frown deepened. “I'm sorry, I've never done something like this before.”

“Have you even been in a fight before?” Clarisse asked. Nico shook his head. “Damn, you really are innocent.” She scratched her forehead. “Alright, well, just hit the thing until you can cool off.” She rubbed her mouth and chuckled. “I got to admit, though, you did a nice number on Apollo.”

Nico blinked down at the blue cloth still clutched in his hand. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

“But I wouldn't suggest doing it again. Percy doesn't really tolerate physical violence amongst the Lost Kids.”

Nico nodded. “Sorry. I just couldn't help it.”

Clarisse shrugged as Nico took another experimental swing at the punching bag. “Don't worry about it. Personally, I thought it was amusing.”

Nico smirked. “It felt good,” he admitted.

“I'm sure it did. You looked pretty upset last night. Though, you kind of were acting like a girl.”

“Shut up,” Nico mumbled.

Clarisse chuckled. “I bet you felt real good trying to break his face.”

“I just feel used. They wanted to have sex with me, but I meant nothing to them.”

Clarisse shrugged. “Sex means nothing to them,” she replied. “It's just normal for them.”

Nico groaned as he hit the bag again. “Is it too much to ask for some happiness, though? Or romance?”

Clarisse rolled her eyes and swiped her thumb across her lips. “Like I said, girl,” she grumbled. Nico glared at her. “With this place, you just have to find your own happiness.”

Nico sighed. He supposed that was true. He reared his arm back and punched the bag again. His hand was starting to feel a little sore, but he didn't care. It was starting to make him feel a little better. Nico ran a hand through his now messy black locks and turned to face Clarisse.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

Clarissed raised a brow. “For what?”

“Bringing me here. It helped.”

Clarisse crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe I can make a man out of you yet.”

Nico chuckled. “And thanks for last night.”

Clarisse waved him off. “I don't like being around those guys either.”

“What do you and Ethan do all day anyways? I usually don't see you.”

 Clarisse smirked. “I'll tell you what, kid, I'll come get you tomorrow, and you can hang with me and Ethan.” She scratched the back of her neck. “You know, since I figure you don't have anything else to do.”