Solangelo Oneshots

A Life In Takes

Take #1

There's a soft click as the camera starts whirring.

With a slight frown, Nico finishes adjusting the angle and sits back. He's sitting cross legged on a bed covered in stuffed animals and above the headboard hangs a progress pride flag. The room is dark, except for a dim lamp turned on that illuminates Nico's face.

His frown slips and is replaced with a small smile. He clears his throat and waves to the camera.

"Hi. This is my first recording on the camera Jason bought me. It's been sitting around for ages. I've been doing a lot of work with Mr. D and I decided that if your dead best friend leaves you a gift then you might as well use it!"

His eyes flick away from the camera and his fingers tangle together.

"Um, yeah."

There's a brief pause before Nico abruptly sits up and picks up the camera. The screen shows a haze of colours.

"This is dumb," Nico mutters.

The screen cuts to black.

Take #2

"Hi, again."

The camera is facing a stuffed bat toy that was seen on the last take. It's a little bedraggled: it's clearly well-loved.

Nico's voice is hesitant. The lights are on this time but Nico is out of view.

"I thought maybe this would be easier if I wasn't in front of the camera so you're facing Bartholomew instead."

There's a brief shuffling followed by a sigh.

"There's not a lot going on. Percy and Annabeth are in New Rome. Piper and Shel are off trying to start a life together. Leo and Calypso are exploring. Reyna's doing her usual commander thing. Frank and Hazel are visiting in a week. Normal teenager stuff."

Nico huffs a short laugh.

"It feels weirdly nice to say out loud. We sound like normal kids. I'm becoming sort of normal. I'm not iron deficient anymore. Will loves the sun too much. We've gone on a few dates. It's going well. I'm settling in. It feels a bit more... stable."

There's a knock at the door.

"Nico?" Will's voice calls off camera. "I brought strawberries."

The video ends.

Take #5

The camera shakes as it's carried to a door. The door is gently kicked open to reveal Nico standing over a sink and brushing his teeth. Will, holding the camera with a wide grin, is visible in the mirror over the sink. His and Nico's eyes meet. Nico spits out his toothpaste.

"What are you doing?"

"I found this!" Will replies cheerfully."I wanted to get some cute videos of you. You don't mind, do you?"

Nico pauses. The tension in his body eases.

"It's alright."

Will fist pumps. He zooms the camera in on Nico's unimpressed face.

"This is the Nico in his natural habitat," Will says dramatically. "This nocturnal creature is very rarely spotted. He hunts at night, preying on unsuspecting cereal."

Nico scoffs. "Demeter got me hooked. Now are you filming or are you coming to bed to cuddle?"

"Coming!"

Click.

Take #12

"The statistically most common way for a female killer's motive to murder is financial."